URICH II
CHAPTER 7: The Last Stand
Alarm bells rang at Ryker's Island Penetentiary. Ben Urich was running, with a shrouded figure in off-white beside him, who had introduced himself as The Moon Knight.
"Come on, Urich!" Snapped the vigilante, grabbing Ben and practically dragged him to a waiting crescent-shaped plane. Moon Knight threw Ben aboard, swooping in after him. They heard gunfire across the island as the plane swept up and away.
"So… how many prisoners did you free as a distraction, exactly?" Asked Urich.
"Uh… twenty, or thirty maybe…" Their pilot, the not-so-politically correctly named 'Frenchie', smirked as Moon Knight spoke.
"Thank you," Ben smiled slightly, panting, "I guess you don't really enjoy committing crimes, or do it very often…"
"Me? I used to be a damn mercenary," Commented the cloaked man, "I committed 'em by the hundred."
"Ah…"
They didn't speak for the rest of the journey, until Moon Knight had Frenchie land the craft on a rooftop in Hell's Kitchen. Ben climbed out to see Daredevil and Spider-Man waiting.
"Hey, Ben," Grinned Spidey, "At last some real company, eh? We're a little more chatty than ol' DD and Moonie."
The crescent shaped plane swooped up and away. Ben watched it wearily.
"Well, the news is on every major news channel," Sighed Daredevil, "Wanted killer Ben Urich has escaped Ryker's and has been seen in Hell's Kitchen, on the roof of… ah, our good friend appears to be here. Let's do this."
They could hear the laughter from the roof and looked across the 'Kitchen skyline. A silhouetted, flying figure was cackling, coming towards them.
"Ready, Pete?"
"Steady, Matt?" Parker muttered. The glider flew at them. A Pumpkin Bomb shot at the roof. The trio dropped among the smoke, coughing and retching. They heard footsteps. The Hobgoblin was now chuckling, happily.
"Hello, hello… who do we have here?" He smirked, and then Moon Knight hit him with a staff as hard as he could across the back of the head.
"This is hardly a fair fight!" Snorted the Goblin, jamming a Pumpkin Bomb into Knight's ribs. He leapt back as it exploded. Moon Knight dropped off the roof, burning and moaning.
"Moon Knight!" Daredevil staggered up, coughing, blood running down his right leg. The smoke was clearing and Ben could clearly see the men facing off.
"Who are you?" Snarled the hero.
"That's my little secret, red!" Grinned the Goblin and he punched DD with all his might. The hero fell back and then Spider-Man was there… punching, shouting…
"You think this is a game, huh, Hobby Gobby?" He shouted, "Innocent people are dying and we're taking you…"
Hobgoblin punched Spider-Man off the roof… Ben yelled out in horror as the villain advanced on him.
"Hello, Benny boy," He smiled sadistically, "Don't ya know who I am?"
The Goblin tore his mask free, and Ben stared in shock at the disfigured, sneering face. Even through the scars and burns, he was recognisable.
"Jason Macendale!"
Macendale laughed:
"I was once Jason Macendale, but he's gone now, dead. Now, I am merely The Hobgoblin!"
He burst into raucous laughter… so hard, that he didn't notice web sneaking up, until it wrapped around his lower face. The Hobgoblin's eyes went wide as Spider-Man zipped up onto the roof and kicked the villain hard. Macendale dropped off the roof, but Spidey kept hold of the line, holding him up.
"It's over, man. Sorry to disappoint ya and ruin yer little supervillain revenge speech. Ah, I can hear the sirens from here."
It was all over after that. The police arrived, the story was explained and, after a court hearing two weeks later, Ben was released without charge, and Macendale given a life sentence at Ryker's.
As Urich walked away, he instantly decided where to go. Doris. Ben walked into his wife's hospital room. She sat up as he entered.
"Hello, Doris," He began.
"Ben… I… I've been thinking," Came Doris' weary reply, "And… I was wrong. I can live with it. My love for you beats down any fear… I love you, Ben."
"Doris, I…"
Ben didn't know what to say, so he followed his instincts. They kissed. And somehow, through all the pain and sorrow, Ben Urich could smile again.
NEXT IN "URICH": The little known superhero WHITE TIGER is put on trial for murder, and Ben is there to cover it as ever… but first Jameson has a bone to pick with out hero…
