Author's note: Moving on and with something special in sight. Not gonna spoil much, promise. I recently read the issue of Family Business by Mark Waid and James Robinson, and I had a great time with it! It's a good thing I got hooked to Spidey since I was little. Oh, and one important thing, guys! I appreciate the reviews but only if they actually contribute. I can take jokes but some messages were too much so I'm not answering them. My story, my rules.
Music in the background would be Teophany's soundtrack for Majora's Mask.
Sonar chapter 6: It seems good.
Sonar chapter 1: Not bad.
Me: Thanks for dropping in, mate! Or lassie! Doesn't really matter. Always nice to know someone likes it. Let's go!
9. Teophany
He had no idea of the time that had gone by. Was it morning, night? He barely knew. It all seemed hazy and confused. There were voices, but there was no way to tell what did they said and pain, a searing pain that went right through every single piece of him. Little by little, he began to piece everything together: the phone call, the limo, driving towards Hell's Kitchen, Wesley saying something… Wait, where was Wesley? And more importantly, where was he? Argh! Ok, focus. He was saying something to him when the blowing started, the car began to spin and that was it. There was nothing more. Wait, yes! Osborne's meeting. Freaking God! How was he gonna…? Hu? It was all quiet around him. How? Where are those voices? Where-where's everyone?
"Hey, hey! Are you still with us?" wait, someone was speaking and… was addressing him? "Hey, you! Yes, you! Wake up, Tubs!" it was a female voice! Vanessa? Is that you?
"Uuuuh…" the man opened an eye and quickly had to shut it again. It was still daylight, golden light twilight but still not dark enough. The business man bit his lip and shook his head. His eyesight began to recover after a few seconds and what he saw shocked him. It was a small flat with large windows but not one of his. Judging by the views, they were still in Manhattan, but it was hard to tell where exactly. Rubbing his eyes, his attention turned to himself. His suit was gone and only a large tank top and sport trousers covered his battered body. Several cuts and wounds crisscrossed through his skin but nothing too severe. He was alive and well, or at least enough to be satisfied. His chest felt better than when he left home… home. Vanessa. Had something happened to her? Why was he in that flat and how did he…? His legs felt like lead. Good grief!
"Hey! Are you done with the peek-a-boo session, Tubs? I got errands to do" there was a young woman standing at the door. She was young, around eighteen or so. Red-haired ponytail and wearing black tights with… a spider? Was that the fake-spider he had heard about? What was she doing there? And why…? "I left some food in the kitchen. After three days knocked out, you must be hungry. Help yourself and don't touch anything!" wait! THREE DAYS! But… "Well, love to chat and all that but I gotta go"
"Wait! Who are you and what do you want?" he tried to stand and almost felt down.
"Hey, take it easy, chumps! You almost died in a car crash and you already want to try again?"
"Car crash? Ugh, yes but… What do you mean with…?"
"You got a seizure, big guy. If I hadn't been there in time, you would be dead. I had to drag you out of your limo, bleeding like a pig to do the CPR. For a moment I thought you were a goner"
"You saved me" that wasn't a question.
"I wasn't gonna leave you there, no matter how much I hate you. I saved the driver and the other guy. I brought you here so you could rest"
"You know who I am, then"
"Yeah. The Kingpin, aka Wilson Fisk, the biggest bully in Manhattan and sumo wannabe; it's no big deal to know that. Next question"
"Who are you?"
"Arana" she replied.
"Pleasure to meet you. I read your little exploits in the press"
"Someone has to help this city, don't you think? No, wait. You don't. You kill, murder, sell weapons and drugs, yadda, yadda, yadda, boring, boring, boring. Enough to make me puke"
"Believe it or not, child, I wish the best for this town. It's my territory"
"Tell that to the people you destroyed"
"I don't know what kind of pain I have caused you but I shall repay my life debt to you"
"No need, Tubs. I'm good" she headed for the window. "My employer came by and said that he was happy to see that you were alive. He cleaned those wounds. I just carried you here"
"Don't be so modest"
"I'm not modest. I don't like you" Arana jumped on the rail. "And that is why I don't like playing baby-sitter" she jumped and begun to swing through the buildings. Wilson sighed and sat down again. He felt light-headed but at least, he was all right. Too bad his wallet and phone were missing. Well at least he knew now that Wesley was all right and that was a start. Bad news was that he didn't know the current situation of the mob wars. Arana had mentioned her employer, who could that be? Wilson absently touched his biceps and winced. There was a small puncture in his arm. It hurt like hell. The gangster sighed and leaned back on the bed behind him. Little by little, he began to close his eyes until he was asleep again. When he opened them again, it was night. Someone had turned on the lights. Fisk didn't try to stand; he waited until his strange flat mate was in the room. "You really can sleep a storm"
"It's unwise to avoid sleep. You've been busy" he noticed the dust in her pants.
"Unlike you, I got people to save" she sat down.
"If you say so" Wilson sat down slowly. They didn't talk through dinner and after a while, Arana left and Fisk was left alone again. It was dark, too dark if it weren't for the lights of Manhattan. He wanted to leave but he was too weak to do so. A short chuckle got his attention. There was someone standing on the rail. Leaning on the wall, Wilson reached the window. A man wearing a Chinese quipao with large sleeves that covered his hands greeted him with a sly smile.
"Well, I'll be… If it isn't the Kingpin himself! What a lovely surprise!" the stranger wore sunglasses despite the late hour and a large kasha hat.
"Who are you and what do you want?"
"I was just having my daily stroll when I heard that our dear fake spider had caught something. I have been checking on that brat for a while now and thought it was a good idea to have a peak. And I was right" the man smiled. His demeanor and movements were too exaggerated to be taking seriously but something was off. His hands were always covered by the large sleeves and the halo of the man was giving away a sense of threat. "She has caught a whale!"
"Why you…" Wilson wanted to pummel the man but his legs were about to give away.
"Anyway, my Master bids you his salutations and advices you to leave town as soon as possible, or we will have to kill you and your back-stabbing friends"
"You don't scare me"
"Humph! No doubt why you have gang wars so often, you are all incompetents" the stranger wrinkled his nose.
"Who are you?!"
"My name's Kumo and I serve the Rose. His word is Law and his hand, the Sword. We have come to clean this town from vermin like you" the man opened his arms wide.
"Hu! As if you could do that!"
"You dare doubt me?"
"I'm the Kingpin. I fear no one"
"…" Kumo frowned but remained calmed. "If you say so but know this. Someone has betrayed you, big man, and soon you will come begging to me. Yes, you will"
"In your dreams!"
"Bark as much as you like, it doesn't matter. My plan is flawless and you will fall dead or on your knees! You choice. But until then, I must bid you adieu!"
"I'll kill you"
"I think not. Ciao!" the man jumped into the abyss and disappeared into the night. Wilson frowned and felt a stabbing pain in his middle. Fearing he might pass out, he returned to his bed, not knowing that Kumo had not missed the detail. With a soft chuckle, the strange man walked into the streets and returned to the lair.
Love to imagine Kumo's laughter sounding like the Happy Mask Salesman's chuckle from Majora's Mask.
More to come!
