All My Ultrons
A Avengers: Age of Ultron Alternate Endings Fanfiction Collection
Spider-Man's Alternate Ending: With Ghosts and Spiders
With all the hell I've been put through in life…some people ask me how I go on.
Heck, even Mary Jane asked me once or twice.
As Spider-man, this is what I told them.
Well, except for Mary Jane.
She's not that into split personalities: Especially after the black suited Spider-man hit the streets…and everything else in his way.
I can't blame her. I can't blame anyone but myself for the things I did while I was in the suit.
I said I was recovering from drugs. We both did.
The odd thing is… It wasn't just meant to protect Spider-man: It was us trying to move on with lighter steps as we did our best to talk things over.
And, yet…it felt just as bad: The power…the hurt and the vengeance.
Gwen could barely look at me. Dr. Connors and Aunt May kept their distance for weeks.
But, in time… They all took my recovery ok.
Aunt May may no longer be with us. But…I'm lucky to have at least some friends to turn to: Especially Mary Jane.
But, anyway… This is what I told them as Spider-man.
With great power comes great responsibility. I've never forgotten that gift and that curse. But, it's a choice more powerful than the curse.
I do more good with two lives than with one: Even if sometimes I feel like it's going to kill me.
After finding out about what the suit was doing to me…there was even a moment where I thought of killing myself.
That was before trying to do the smarter thing and banging it against a cathedral bell to get it off. But, you get my point.
So… Yeah. Lighter steps.
Faint chuckle. You know…it's a lot easier to get around when you're not doing the stepping.
Yeah: Maybe I am sometimes a sucker for a happy ending and a good web swing into the sunset. But, I like it that way.
And, who will I always be? That's right: Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
Ultron? Yeah. He's not so friendly.
But, we always have a choice to be the best of ourselves.
All we can do is try hard to be good people.
Unless you're inside a bad person. But, someone like that…it's rare.
Ultron's hate for humanity is rare. Eddie's pure hatred and selfishness is rare.
All we can do is try hard to be good people: Unless you're like them.
But, I'd sure like to think most of us are inside good people. And, that's a choice worth standing up for any day.
One afternoon…
Peter Parker knocks on a dark red door, in the middle of a big apartment building.
He's in his usual formal black business attire.
The bricks are dark gray and light gray. But, nothing about it is run down.
The door opens.
Mary Jane Watson welcomes him in with loving arms, "hey." Peter faintly smiles, "hey."
He kisses her briefly, before he shuts the door behind them.
Mary Jane is in a polished green gown: With her silvery wedding ring on her finger, and with her long strawberry blond hair slightly curly.
A big mirror is to the back of the faint bright yellow studio apartment. It's almost aura like: Against hung up photos of Spider-man and park passersby in black and white tacked on a bulletin board.
In the corner are several job offers in white and black envelopes.
After leaving his staff job at the Daily Bugle after two years and recently graduating college… The reporter and photography magazine offers are practically coming to their door.
In another corner is a newspaper: With a photo of Spider-man before a camera lens reaching out for Ben Reilly, who wears a mostly blue hoodie styled torso for his costume with light red all over while they're both holding on webbing. The headline is "The Real Clone Saga: A Expose by Peter Parker."
Peter wonders awkwardly, "so…" They both faintly laugh.
She goes playfully awkward, "so…" Peter finishes, "yeah?"
Mary Jane complementarily says, "you're adorable when you blush."
They both faintly laugh over it.
Peter adds uneasily, "thanks?"
With a arm around him… Mary Jane assures, "what do you think?"
She wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him into a enthusiastic kiss. He wraps his arms around her neck all the while.
Several minutes after… They pull apart.
Peter beams. They're both blushing like they're in high school.
Then, Mary Jane starts reaching for her black purse.
As she faintly smiles toward him… She explains, "I got to go get ready. But, I can be back late to make dinner if you're hungry."
She's in their bedroom, getting herself ready to be on set for a production of the Broadway musical City of Angels as Gabby: The wife of a screenplay writer, with the writer caught between a Noir crime world and Hollywood. Her dialect coach has greatly helped her get back on her feet.
Peter faintly nods, "sure. But, aren't you forgetting something?"
Mary Jane wonders playfully, "what?"
With his arms up… Peter brings up, "me! I'm coming to see you. Aren't I?"
Mary Jane beams, "I know. I just like to hear you say it."
Peter faintly laughs, as he and Mary Jane start heading out: Arm in arm.
Around then…
In Oscorp… A balding black medium haired Oscorp board member in a black business suit is showing a beaming J. Jonah Jameson around on his tour.
The very dark green OsBoys virtual headset led silvery battlesuits are very shiny and being newly tested in the lab, with glass shelves all around.
The battlesuits are set out to be capable of electrochemically improving response time and reflexes significantly in a time of war. But, that's not what J. Jonah Jameson is beaming about.
Almost inattentively… J. Jonah Jameson goes, "uh-huh. I'm sure they'll make the young military boys proud. Now, where's the computer that's going to bring down that no good wall-crawler?"
The Oscorp board member pulls him aside. They're out in the very dark blue hall.
He figures, "Jonah… Faint sigh. I was a boy scout right with you. You know that."
As he smokes a cigar… J. Jonah Jameson wonders, "yeah? What are you getting at?"
The board member uncomfortably adds, "well…sometimes I wonder what happened to you. I worry about you, Jonah."
J. Jonah Jameson faintly laughs, "worry about me when I'm in bed dying. Right now, I'm very proud of what you and the other boys in Oscorp are working up. It's not just about the wall-crawler: It's about pro-registration and keeping vigilantes off the streets."
The board member solemnly adds, "I'm glad you understand the importance of Project W.H.O. Come. Let me show you." J. Jonah Jameson figures, "sure. Let's see it."
The board member takes J. Jonah Jameson up some steps, towards a computer lab.
He unlocks the door by pass key and retinal scan.
He starts to say with a faint smile, "Oscorp has sure seen its share of supervillains and the wall-crawler. But, with W.H.O., we'll know just who to…apprehend…"
As he opens the door… The smile quickly fades. He goes, "oh my god."
J. Jonah Jameson winces a bit.
For, on the mostly gray military bunker like computer lab's floor… The medium black haired Dr. Armstrong Smith is lying dead. Some dried up dark red liquid is around his head.
On the following day, a little after noon…
Peter is on his dark gray laptop, where he finds a news article by the Daily Bugle.
The article is headlined, "scientist dead in Project W.H.O. Culprit still at large." It shows the dead scientist on the computer lab floor, right next to a picture of his assistant.
A quote from J. Jonah Jameson is, "this is a tragedy! The one thing that could help capture that no good wall-crawler, and a scientist gets murdered in the lab. No. It's more than a tragedy. It's a conspiracy, I tell you: A conspiracy by the agents left from the failed organization of S.H.I.E.L.D. to make me and other good fellow whistleblowers feel bad for our civil duty to report the news!"
Peter sighs heavily. And, he thinks to himself:
Just when I thought this was going to be a good week. Not that Spider-man doesn't do good. Just… This is summer vacation after college graduation: For me, Peter Parker. Can't Spider-man get a vacation for once? No then? Ok. Just asking.
Late that afternoon, up in the District Attorney's office…
The study styled office is full of books. The desk is shiny darkish red.
Sitting in front of the desk is a frontless smooth medium black haired man, with a black business suit over dark blue and glasses with circular lens. He's the District Attorney known as Blake Tower.
And, standing before him is Spider-man: Fully in costume.
Spider-man asks, "any suspects?"
Blake Tower interestingly doesn't press a call button to alert bodyguards or reach for a phone.
With a little unease showing under his mostly stoic manner… Blake Tower reasons, "not much of any so far. Smith was apparently shot in the head with a pistol. It appears someone killed Smith in his lab, then disappeared in thin air without a trace along with the murder weapon: Not even a bullet. That means it was a professional job. But, that's not even the worse part."
Spider-man faintly chuckles, "I doubt it could get worse for my life. But, go on."
Blake Tower figures, "faint chuckle. Well… It turns out someone placed Doctor Armstrong Smith in the lab overnight. He wasn't even working there until a few weeks ago, and there isn't much anything we can dig up on him or his assistant Bradley Bolton other than their credentials."
Spider-man considers nervously, "that sounds like the work of the Kingpin."
Blake Tower openly suggests, "yeah. Or, at least somebody with ties to the criminal underground. The police don't even know where to start looking. Oscorp is even considering giving Project W.H.O. a test run to find them."
Spider-man mutters, "oh, that's just great! For all we know, this is exactly what they want. It's not like Oscorp hasn't been hit with corruption before."
Blake Tower concludes solemnly, "I know. That's why I called you in. If anyone can be sure it's not Oscorp pushing for W.H.O. to become another H.Y.D.R.A. or A.I.M., I'm looking at him."
Spider-man faintly laughs uneasily, "well… I don't know what else to say except thank you."
He reaches out to shake his hand.
But… Blake Tower insists, "no need to thank me, Spider-man. You can thank me after."
Spider-man pulls his hand away.
Under the mask… He faintly smiles with some relief, "okay."
Soon after… He web swings out of the office through a open window.
Blake Tower faintly smiles back at him, before going back into looking through legal papers.
Spider-man is web swinging and run walking over and up some skyscrapers, having a blast.
But, in the moment… The blast soon gives way to contemplation.
He's thinking back to the times he and Harry went to blows over the complicated death of Harry's father, and over Harry forcing Mary Jane to break up with him to get to him after reeling from amnesia. But, he's also thinking to when Harry reached a open arm to him as Spider-man…and to when Harry gave his life to protect him with Venom stabbing him through with his own Sky Stick.
He's also thinking to himself:
I don't know who is responsible. I don't even know if this is going to bring up more ghosts for me. But, after what happened with Eddie…it's the least I can do for Harry.
He came for me and Mary Jane: Even when we were all still hurting. And, for however short of a time it was… He was the head of Oscorp: Like father, like son.
Whatever pain they caused me… Harry was and always has been my friend.
And, I wouldn't be a very good friend not to look out for Oscorp in respect for Harry: Even if I personally would like to investigate into it myself than let a machine from Oscorp do all the work.
Not very long after, at the computer lab…
Spider-man is standing there, hands on his hips impatiently while the computer shows on the screen a loading screen. The loading screen resembles a yellow blocky sideways Tetris game being shot off with two constantly still bright red lasers.
A high-speed hum fills the room, as countless names are considered and shot away off the blocks: From Quentin Beck and Herman Schultz to Aleksei Sytsevich and Adrian Toomes.
But, soon…all the blocks zap away.
And, what's left are these four names in blocky blue letters: Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker, Wanda Maximoff & Pietro Maximoff, and Kaine Parker.
Straightening up… Spider-man thinks to himself:
Took you long enough. Faint chuckle. Not really. But…wow. Those names just spell trouble for the Big Apple and a lot more apples. I'm going to need a whole team of superheroes to track them all down before somebody else gets hurt. And, I know just what tower to swing by. I just hope Stark doesn't break out the bug spray.
In Avengers Tower, on the night of the party…
The Avengers are standing around with drinks on the "common level": The designated area for hanging out. There is a bar, balconies, a huge wall of glass looking out over the city, a lowered pit of sorts with comfy couches in a circle, a massive fireplace, a kitchen, and various tables for drinking.
The WWII vets are starting to leave.
A very faintly but distinctly recognizable vet drunkenly muttering "Excelsior" can have that kind of effect on things. But, the party didn't stop there.
Dr. Elizabeth Betty Ross made it: Much to Bruce Banner's nervous but great relief. Pepper Potts made it: Much to the concentrated high energy relief of Tony Stark.
Even Maria Hill made it.
And yet…only after everyone gets past hellos and hi does a certain web slinger swing around.
Up on one of the long running balconies… Spider-man thinks to himself:
Yeah. This might be party crashing. But, if Stark can get drunk out of his brain and crash his own party, why not me? Faint chuckle. I just hope Stark doesn't break out the bug spray.
He knocks on the sliding glass door.
Most everyone there is too caught up in their conversations to notice.
Steve and Thor were reminiscing about good and bad old days from their pasts. Bruce and Betty were having a friendly debate over science. And, Maria Hill and Clint were talking about their not so sure possibilities after S.H.I.E.L.D.
From the bar area, Natasha faintly chuckles as she fixes up some drinks for Tony and Pepper.
She knows full well Spider-man's identity. Before the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., it wasn't so hard for Nick Fury and others up on top to put the pieces together.
Even now, she's still faintly amused by the high school student who got bit by a spider and went all "teenage super-powered boy on a mission".
Natasha faintly gestures to Tony, "I think we have a big red spider on the balcony. Maybe you should…?"
Tony gets up from his stool with a surprised jolt, almost banging his knee against the bar.
A little amused, Pepper faintly rolls her eyes.
A little embarrassed, Tony lightly says, "yeah. I'll take care of it. You're not going anywhere?"
With a sympathetic hand on his… Pepper mostly assures, "I won't be. Just promise to behave."
Tony faintly laughs, "oh, come on Pepper. How long have you known me?"
With a raised eyebrow, Pepper points out, "long enough."
As he's walking to the sliding door… Tony comments, "yeah. Big help!"
Natasha and Pepper faintly chuckle.
Tony slides open the sliding glass door and comes on out.
He faintly laughs, "webs."
Spider-man is sitting against the back of the balcony, like he's posing all inquisitive for a magazine. But, as soon as Tony steps out, he changes his tune.
With one hand briefly on one side and one hand briefly on another… He goes on jokingly, "Iron Shell. You never call, you never write. I almost mistook one of your discarded suits for you on the way over. Oh, wow. Quite a weird conversation there. Trust me on this: You do not want to know."
Tony is just standing there, shaking his head and laughing.
After things calm down a bit… He figures, "yeah. I don't know: You might be surprised. But, something tells me you didn't just stop by to crash my party."
Spider-man moderately sighs, "you're right. You're right. But, really, we should. With all the big battles I'm missing out on, you and the Avengers are always so busy."
Tony says with a faint smile, "well, I'll see about "scheduling" you in next time. How about it?"
Spider-man faintly chuckles, "it's a start. But, anyway… Moderate sigh. Yeah. Why I'm here."
Tony is quick to ask, "girl troubles?"
Spider-man stands there like he's rolling his eyes. He figures, "no "dad". MJ and I are good."
Tony asks, "then…what?"
Spider-man starts to explain, "it starts with Oscorp."
Tony faintly shrugs, "I don't know. You should be kind of used to it by now. Machines and people going crazy, I mean. Not that you're crazy. But…"
Spider-man faintly chuckles, "some people don't think so. I'm dressed as a spider for a living, and you've grown up to be a walking poster board for Call of Duty. And, oh yeah: This could be bigger than just Oscorp. Did I forget to mention that?"
Tony figures uneasily, "no. But, you might as well lay it on me."
Back inside, twelve minutes later…
The party has kind of faded before the suddenly brighter seeming lights.
Natasha, Pepper, Maria Hill, Clint, Steve, Tony, Thor, Bruce, and Betty are all together around the pit of couches. Spider-man is sitting on the end of one couch: With Tony and Pepper towards the other end, while Natasha and Clint are just sitting on the floor next to the couch ends because they can.
Steve sighs heavily, "so…we got another supercomputer that may or may not be H.Y.D.R.A's doing." Tony comments uneasily, "goddamn H.Y.D.R.A."
Natasha is quick to point out, "not everyone is involved in H.Y.D.R.A, Tony." Half sarcastically, Pepper adds nervously, "well, that's specific and helpful."
Thor figures, "let the spider man speak, mortals. Maybe there's more to his tale."
Spider-man's finding it hard to face up, mask and all.
He says, "well… Heavy sigh. I can't say because I don't know. All I know is this Worldwide Habitual Offender database came up with Baron Strucker, Heroes superhero rejects 1 and 2, and a dead clone. Don't ask me who designed it: Looks like they were off the streets of OCP's Delta City. No files before they started. It's all shiny and clean."
Some awkward glances and faint laughs fill the room.
Bruce wonders, "and I suppose you have a better idea than just coming in and wrecking the lab?"
Spider-man concludes, "yeah. I have one. Since time is wasting... We're going to check out the leads in teams of two. In the meantime, Tony, JARVIS, Pepper, and Betty can keep a eye on Oscorp."
Tony faintly nods, "aside from having to stay back, I see no down side to this plan." Betty mutters kind of uneasily, "you would."
Most everyone faintly laughs. But, Steve just uneasily looks up.
Being the first to catch it… Natasha checks, "what is it, Steve?"
Steve illuminates, "it sounds good. Except, clone or not… Deep sigh. It wouldn't be a first for H.Y.D.R.A. to bring someone back from Hell or Heaven: Because that already happened. It might not be the same. But, it's still a fair possibility."
Spider-man is practically crying out, "you think it's fair?! Nothing about the Clone Saga was fair. As much as I hate someone having to die…I want it buried. And, that's where it's going to stay!"
He storms off through the sliding glass door out to the balcony.
Most everyone just sits there in shock: Unsure what to even say.
Tony starts to go after him. But, Steve gets up quicker.
He turns to face him. But, he mostly assures him, "no, Tony. It's my fault. I should at least try to talk to him."
Tony solemnly nods, "ok." Steve nervously adds, "thanks Tony."
He walks out to the balcony. Spider-man is leaning over the edge: Almost like he's going to fall.
Steve deeply sighs, "for what it's worth…I'm sorry. I don't know what went on in this clone saga. But, it must have been tough for you."
Spider-man faintly assures, "it's nothing you did. You always seem to choose what's right: Even when the government turns on you. In fact…I think you're one of the best heroes to walk the Earth."
Steve can't help but faintly smile. He says, "thanks."
Spider-man freely admits, "you're welcome. But, tough… Heavy sigh. Tough is cake to what the Jackal did to me. He replaced so many people left and right with his brainwashed clones…that there were times when I even thought of bombing the whole city just to stop it."
Steve uncomfortably questions, "so why didn't you?"
Spider-man can't take looking out at the skyscrapers anymore.
He nervously turns to him.
He sadly explains, "because he was powering me up just to drain my power for clones, ok?! Sniffle! I tried so hard to stop him. But… He got a good enough clone to knock me out and stick me in a chamber. The Jackal kept me sedated. But, he made sure I could watch the chaos no one else could see. He blamed me for the death of a student and for "turning away his true love"."
He's thinking of Harry and Gwen as he says it.
A teary eyed Steve looks kind of stunned. But, with everything he's been through with Bucky…he knows all too well how hard living through something like that can be.
Spider-man goes on, "he tried to kill me with a clone once and failed. So, he wanted me to suffer before I die this time. By the time I broke out…a clone of me already killed him. There was so much backlash, I don't know how many months it'd take to find where the start of it all is. I had to create four identities until it could be resolved: Four of them! And, not very good ones. I wrote up a short expose to "tell the real story" to keep my hometown from coming apart at the seams: Even if it hurt so much to lie like that. The twisted thing is that even in death…the Jackal got his wish."
Steve solemnly reflects, "wow. I thought you had it easy. But…guess we both have had a lot of shitty things happen in the line of fire. Faint chuckle. I'm surprised you can still joke. But, it's good to keep going: To fight for something. You know?"
Sounding a little better… Spider-man considers, "faint chuckle. Yeah. I know. Sometimes I get caught up in angst. But, I know. Still… For what it's worth…thanks."
With a assuring pat on the back… Steve says, "no problem, Spider-man. Now…why don't we go out there as a team and find out who we're really fighting?"
Spider-man answers, "sounds good. But, there's one condition."
They're both starting to head back in, when Steve hears the last part.
Steve turns back to ask simply, "what is it?"
Spider-man reveals, "I want to check out Kaine alone. I know what you're likely thinking: This already seems like a crazy plan. But, if he does turn out to be alive…I want to get a chance to clean up this time. And the less people that know the real Clone Saga, the better."
Steve firmly reasons, "sounds like some fair points. And, I don't mean to talk you out of this. But, you might want to consider bringing Nick Fury or Natasha with you. I'm sure they already knew."
Spider-man groans hard in embarrassment, bent over with clenched fists.
He looks up, opening his fists like nothing happened.
And, he rants a bit, "oh great: Now I'm really back in high school."
Steve just faintly laughs in jest as they head back in through the sliding glass door.
Around then, out in the depths of the cosmos… Thanos was watching the proceedings from his black matter warped throne, through a crystal gem like portal.
He just faintly grins his ribbed like lips across his purple face, with a silvery golden gauntlet with two Infinity Stones placed in it like a partially made up cosmic puzzle game.
And, the dark orange yellow Soul Stone is glowing sharp bright with swirls of dark shrouded starlight and binary code: Right next to a sharp bright green Infinity Stone.
A hour or so later, in a H.Y.D.R.A. facility mere miles from Sokovia…
Agents are in sleek black uniforms, guarding every corner of the rustic metal corridors. They wear golden gas masks, and golden H.Y.D.R.A. symbols on their uniform's shoulders or belt buckles.
Baron Strucker is observing it all from the ground level: In his sleek black uniform, and with his bluish barnacle on. He's also put on the very dark red mechanized Satan Claw: Just in case some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents happen to come barging in.
Deathly pale greenish looking cyrogenic chambers give off plenty of puffs of smoke. Inside are floating baby clones of mutants: Some of Wolverine, some of Magneto from DNA samples stolen from a WWII Nazi storage room, some of Mystique, and even some of Jean Grey and of Scott Summers.
Like Mister Sinister… They just echo sinister games to come.
But, with so many clones being grown and growing… What point is left to turn to manipulating Wanda and Pietro for more power for themselves?
They even tried to get some of the Mystique clones to have any mutant power they want them to.
They were so much like the Maximoff twins for a bit: In looks and power. But, it wasn't long before they imploded: Horribly and painfully.
What H.Y.D.R.A. doesn't know…is how easy plans can go up in flames.
Black Widow charges in on a jet black motorcycle, with Captain America tumbling off to throw his shield through several stunned back H.Y.D.R.A. agents as they go for their pistols.
With one hand, Black Widow throws little cutting discs into several chambers as she rides pass.
Greenish bubbly water gushes out with flailing little clear tubes. Alarms go off.
Maria Hill is charging through on the other side: Shooting off the metal door by the hinges and shooting down several H.Y.D.R.A. agents without breaking a sweat.
Iron Man comes blasting his way in: Blasting down tens of incoming H.Y.D.R.A. agents.
Black Widow soon grinds the motorcycle to a halt and tumbles off.
She launches her grapple cables for a high up wall. And, she acrobatically high flips onto the catwalk…where she retracts the grapple cables to violently kick through several H.Y.D.R.A. agents in a row before the grapple cables retract fully back in.
The shield circles back to hit Baron Strucker, who tumble ducks away. It goes back to Cap.
The many micro-robotic parts making up the gauntlet has opened up at the palm: Firing a explosive electrically charged shell at him. But, Captain America just jump slams over the impact.
He soon gets him pinned. But, Baron Strucker just laughs, "Captain America: The poster boy clown for America."
Captain America remarks, "better than being your poster boy."
But, even while pinned… Baron Strucker has the Satan Claw fire a ghostly pale necro-beam.
Captain America doubles over: Coughing violently as the life is draining away from him.
Baron Strucker gets up, grinning disturbingly at his direction.
Iron Man calls out, "hey, Strucker! Thought Hammerhead stopped Iron Man knockoff gloves."
Baron Strucker glares back at him.
From the air, Iron Man fires repulsors at him. But, Baron Strucker shoots a explosive electrically charged shell at him.
The impact knocks Iron Man out of the air, sending him crashing through the catwalk. Sparks are all over his battlesuit as he tumble falls against it.
All the H.Y.D.R.A. agents and chambers are out of the picture. Smoke clouds the facility.
But, in the midst of it all… A somewhat exhausted looking Captain America grabs up his shield.
Black Widow and Maria Hill are rushing over to him: Pistols firing at Baron Strucker.
While Baron Strucker is trying to fight them off by launching razor sharp blades from quickly being shot up micro-robot parts of the Satan claw… Captain America throws his shield into his chest.
Baron Strucker doubles over, with the wind knocked out of him.
Then, Captain America punches him out.
As he puts his shield back on his back… Captain America turns to the others.
He calls out, "Tony?"
Iron Man is slowly getting up: Pulling himself up on the edge of the catwalk.
He says dizzily, "I'm ok. Mostly. Nothing a reboot can't fix…and a pack of ice."
Maria Hill faintly smiles with relief.
Black Widow figures, "well, when you boys are ready…we can go back to the Quinjet and leave the H.Y.D.R.A. toys and projects for Fury to take care of."
Captain America faintly nods, "ok. What about Project W.H.O? Is there any sign of it here?"
Maria Hill faintly shakes her head, "unfortunately, from what I could get of their files…it doesn't look like it. There's calls out to a Mister Sinister under a Weapon Plus. But, that's mostly it."
Captain America sighs heavily, "we stopped one H.Y.D.R.A. operation, and yet we're back to square one." Black Widow figures, "sorry. But, that's what it looks like."
Captain America reasons, "it's ok. At least it wasn't for nothing. Let's just get out of here."
As Iron Man is slowly coming down from the stairs to the catwalks… He goes, "seconded."
Captain America and Maria Hill start heading out.
Black Widow figures, "ok. Need any help?"
With a gauntlet up… Iron Man insists, "no thanks. I got a monitor in my suit: I can see fine."
With a faint smile, Black Widow kind of sarcastically comments, "you know too much looking at the screen is bad for you."
Iron Man comments back, "sigh. Natasha, don't start."
As she starts heading out… Black Widow slightly turns back, "fine. It's your fading vision, Tony." Iron Man mutters, "whatever."
Around this time, in New York City…
Thor is flying on his hammer Mjolnir, looking from intersection to intersection for two mutants.
Fury and former S.H.I.E.L.D. agents under him have recently got a hit on traffic cams.
It's a blur of Quicksilver carrying Scarlet Witch past a pileup of cars. But, it's good enough.
Hawkeye is in a S.H.I.E.L.D. private jet, flying over skyscrapers to look for any uncleared private jets and the like.
Bruce though is staying back at Avengers Tower since it isn't a Code Green.
With communications, Hawkeye checks, "nothing so far. You got anything?"
Thor pauses: Hovering over a door.
It may be publically closed. But, the back door to the New York Stock Exchange seems to have been torn apart by a swift gust of wind from under itself.
Over a comlink… Thor deduces, "yeah. Something called a New York Stock Exchange."
He's reading off the front of the building as he says it.
Hawkeye mutters, "shit. That's where Tony has a lot of his stocks, along with most every corporation and firm that ever did business in the US of A."
Thor starts to question, "umm, Clint?" Hawkeye adds, "yeah?"
Thor questions, "what kind of stocks are those?"
Hawkeye faintly sighs, "I'll explain later. Just hold them off as long as you can until I get there."
Thor solemnly says, "right."
Not long after, inside the New York Stock Exchange…
Old fashioned circular kiosk styled computer terminals make up a grid of telemarketing in the dim light. Night shift security guards are left unconscious against the cobblestone.
A faintly smiling Quicksilver is standing guard in back, while Scarlet Witch is using her hex powers to start messing up stock computers with server errors and account errors in crumpling binary.
Quicksilver calls over to her, "having fun?"
Scarlet Witch chuckles eerily gleefully. She slightly turns over to him, "yeah. I wanted to go for something more violent. But, this was really a good revenge idea of yours. No compromise of our principles, no more deaths than there has to be. By noon tomorrow, Sokovia will have more than enough money to be liberated. And, the United States will be begging for forgiveness."
Solemn sounding… Quicksilver says, "yeah. It'll be a long time coming. I just would like it to happen faster." Scarlet Witch mutters uneasily, "yeah. I know what you…mean."
A blast of lightning goes for Scarlet Witch. But, Quicksilver quickly knocks his sister over.
The lightning hits a terminal…knocking out the electricity for the whole building.
Quicksilver speeds around to try to catch where it was from. Scarlet Witch is quickly on her feet.
In seconds though… Scarlet Witch hexes the terminal in front of her to explode in front of Thor.
In the dark… Thor barely knocks it all away with some swings from Mjolnir.
He declares, "this girl is a mighty one! But, soon you will feel the power of…"
Then, Quicksilver speeds over to try to snatch Mjolnir.
He ends up tumbling over his feet as Mjolnir falls to the ground. For, only Thor and a few others could really be worthy of wielding it.
Scarlet Witch hexes some lights over Thor, sending them crashing down on him.
Thor is stunned to the ground by the suddenness of it all, a few feet away from Mjolnir.
In a mockingly false sweetness, Scarlet Witch says, "forgive me. But I am not… What's the word? Impressed."
As Quicksilver is getting up… He and Scarlet Witch hear some footsteps.
Hawkeye is standing up on one of the short circuited terminals.
As he's readying a arrow… Hawkeye says, "remember me?"
Quicksilver speed jumps into him…knocking him off the terminal.
He swiftly stands back up. He quips, "remember us?"
Hawkeye coughs up some dark red liquid. But, he's standing up fairly fast.
Hawkeye glared. "little punks."
Then, from not far above… A lot of zip lines start coming down with a lot of former S.H.I.E.L.D. agents swing kicking through the windows. They've got dark gray felt gloves and pistols.
The former S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are coming down: Breaking into a charge.
Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are not exactly experts at fighting. So, they quickly forget about Hawkeye and send hexes and speed gusts at the charging agents.
They're sent flying against the walls, dizzy and coughing violently.
In those seconds though… Hawkeye is quick to fire.
Two shock arrows hit Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.
They both go down hard: Twitching and shaking over…before falling unconscious in seconds from the adrenaline rush of what they were trying to pull coming crashing to a halt.
The former S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and Thor are just coming to.
Thor wonders in confusion, "were we triumphant?"
Hawkeye faintly smirks with unease, "more or less. We saved the US economy."
With a pat on the back… Thor points out, "then it's still a triumph, my friend."
Hawkeye comments, "not everyone would think so. But, thanks." Thor adds, "anytime."
Hawkeye is barely standing from Thor's strength alone. But, he still is.
Over comlink, he checks, "Fury…anything on the Maximoff twins?"
Over communications… Fury answers, "no cell phone trace. No bullets. No passport. I don't know what those mutant kids were up to. But, I think we're back to the drawing board."
With some mixed feelings… Hawkeye admits, "yeah. We might have saved the US economy from them. But, I think we are."
Kind of sarcastically, Fury goes, "well, that's nice. Maybe you want a medal now. But, now is not the time for medals. So, how about we go back to that drawing board?"
Hawkeye firmly nods, "understood." Fury adds with a faint smile, "I would appreciate it."
Around this time, out in the woods beyond New York City…
Through the trees, the leaves are faintly blowing in the wind.
Spider-man is standing over a tombstone, with the name Ben Reilly across it.
With clenched fists up, Spider-man calls out, "all right, Kaine! I'm tired of these clone games. If you're out here, come at me!"
Some leaves from a tree rustle from above.
In seconds… A being reeking of burning carbon lands before him.
His entire body looks burnt in plastered on carbon and web lines. But, hints of veins and body hair make it eerily obvious it isn't Hollywood magic. The super strong ghostly white web lines are to hold his body together and keep himself from crumpling up. Even his burnt carbon face is covered in webs: Over his strands of burnt hair, and his barely even visible pupils in the voids that are his eyes.
And, in a sick raspy voice… Kaine says, "I knew you would come, Peter. But, it's not me you're after."
Spider-man faintly laughs uneasily, "yeah. Uh-huh. Even if I wasn't just looking for you… What part of Ben Reilly's death isn't on your hands?! I'm "so" curious!"
He waves his hands up mockingly. But, Kaine just stands there.
Kaine is quick to argue, "if I was going to kill, we would be fighting already. I know how much you care for others: Even when it feels it kills you. Don't look at me all surprised. Until I came to the realization the Jackal was crazy and killed him myself…I was you. I know you."
Spider-man glares under his mask. He concludes, "so you also know how I was made to watch everything. Points for you. But, don't expect to be at the Spider-family reunion or anything. You don't deserve forgiveness: Ben Reilly was as every bit as me as me, clone or no clone!"
Suddenly… Kaine cries out, "down!"
Spider-man bends backward, expecting the worst.
But, Kaine shoots out strands of his chemically augmented webbing from his hand into two Kaines from behind Spider-man…taking out the apparent robots in fried circuits with one round.
Spider-Man stands straight, very much looking there surprised.
He awkwardly says, "wow. That was nicer than what I saw coming. So, you really don't want to fight me?"
Surprisingly teary eyed… Kaine heavily sighs, "why would I? I've always known you're the original: The only one worth saving. Maybe we have some bad blood. But, for what it's worth…in my own twisted way…everything I did was to protect you!"
Spider-man just stands there stunned at this mass murderer going on like this.
Kaine turns to leave, with clenched up faintly burning carbon fists.
But, he goes on, "I can see though I just pushed you away, further into guilt and suffering. How the hell would I know you would think differently?! You were kept in a chamber for months, and there was plenty of you to go around. I was just born! Even with my precognition… Would you really expect me to tell you from you? Would I even get a simple straight answer, even if I could?!"
Sharply turning back at him… Kaine calls out, "I know you. You know me!"
With a pointed carbon finger, Kaine mutters heatedly, "it's angst all around, Peter. We're all being pulled by threads of angst and suffering. And, if you weren't so clouded in your own goodwill, I wouldn't have to play big brother to you!"
He turns to leave again. But, he adds more solemn like, "but, if that's how you still feel about goodwill…then go. Let me play my part, and I'll let you play yours."
Spider-man nervously suggests, "wait. As much as I still hate you… I got a idea."
Kaine stands there with a eerie smile. But, he just says, "yes?"
Spider-man tests him, "if you really want protect me…then tell me who those robots are. Tell me what's going on at Oscorp, and who murdered who. Tell me, and I'll at least think of forgiving you."
Sounding impressed, Kaine answers, "all right. But, you're really going to be kicking yourself for not seeing it coming."
Spider-man remarks, "somehow, I think I already am. But, go on."
Late into the morning, back around to Oscorp…
Several guys in lab coats are lying dead across the metal floor: Dark red liquid lines around their throats. The front doors are barricaded by metal planks wrapped around the handles with a mostly red sign that says "Closed for Inspection".
Down the halls are a lot of lined up OsBoys battlesuits: Fitted with gray laser gauntlets, metal heads with mostly covered up faces and lasered off bits, and wires running all the way into VR headsets.
Spider-man web swing kicks through a window.
The OsBoys battlesuits turn in his direction. He ducks behind a corner.
He then tosses a little red spider like Spider Tracer towards the door to the emergency stairs.
The battlesuits start walking that way, whirling on motors as they walk.
Spider-man wall climbs sideways past them as soon as they're going down to check the stairs.
Up some familiar steps is the computer lab from before: W.H.O's lab.
Spider-man web pulls down the locked door, tearing it off with a loud clang.
He walks right in.
Past the high speed hum… Past the mostly gray console with yellow slide pads and light bluish buttons… Faint cosmic sparks of dark orange yellow come off from the circuit boards.
And, on the monitor… There isn't yellow blocks anymore.
Now there is a silvery blocky Glasgow smile of hate with menacing dark yellow eyes. And, they're looking right at him.
Bordering on condescending, Ultron mutters, "Spider-man. Welcome back."
Spider-man cuts right to the chase, "stop the games. I know you're not really from Oscorp. Somehow, you've spun yourself off of Tony's plans for Ultron and became a living A.I. And, you paid off two homeless guys to cover for you under different identities. Only, they became troubled over your take over the world plans. And, you paid off a professional to kill them both before they could spill."
Ultron mechanically laughs, "right. Tony told you and Bruce of my digital shrine of code."
Spider-man comments, "someone's had a little too much 1's and 0's for breakfast."
With a digital roll of his eyes…Ultron sighs annoyedly.
He goes on, "but, all the tests are turning out negative. And with their dying words by your hands…I'll already have the world ready for my master. Goodbye, Parker."
Then, from behind the closet door… Another guy in Spider-man's image is there: Holding up a pistol and with a mostly yellow computer pad belt on with white and blue buttons.
Knowing all too well who wears that computer belt… Spider-man says, "ohh…no."
Around this time… A emergency door is blasted off down the emergency stairs.
On the other side… Iron Man calls out, "now!"
The Avengers come charging in, Iron Man taking the lead.
Bruce and Betty are in the front of the Quinjet, with Betty piloting.
Bruce was waving the others off like it's just a soccer game on a Saturday. He went, "have fun! Don't cause too much property damage!" Tony called back, "no promises!"
Presently… The Quinjet takes off: With both Bruce and Betty fairly confident it won't be bad enough for a Code Green.
Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Thor fire all they got.
In lightning, exploding arrows, repulsor blasts, and bullets… The whole stairwell goes up in smoke. Smoking parts fly everywhere.
Captain America puts up his shield to shield Black Widow and Hawkeye from the fallout.
Hawkeye faintly chuckles, "well…that was easy."
In the smoke though… And, emerging from it…is a very big self assembled blackened battlesuit: Almost like a misshapen Picasso of black hearts, with Ultron's Glasgow smile looking down at them.
Ultron just taunts, "worthy? Faint mechanical laugh. How could you be worthy? You're all killers! You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. There's only one path to peace: The death of hope, starting with the hope you live and breathe. You can't even hope to destroy me."
Black Widow raises a eyebrow at Hawkeye. She kind of uneasily adds, "you were saying?"
Hawkeye faintly sighs. Most of the Avengers just glare up at Ultron's giant bot.
In seconds… Ultron rains lasers upon them.
Captain America holds up his shield. Thor deflects some back at Ultron's laser emitters, while Iron Man and Black Widow shoot up some more.
But…Ultron just whirl whacks them off their feet with a robot arm.
They violently crash through several halls. Debris and dust falls through the caved in walls.
Hawkeye high jump kicks off of the wall to fire a cable equipped arrow to swing further up Ultron's giant arm: Barely missing some laser fire.
Around this time, back with Spider-man…
In Spider-Man's image… The Chameleon calls out in a Russian accent, "I knew you would come back: You always come back!"
Black and white flashes go by: Of Chameleon in a pale white mask trying to make off with the Sky Stick the day after Harry's death disguised as Spider-man, Spider-man himself then exposing him and taking him down, of Chameleon trying to get revenge by kidnapping Mary Jane as Spider-man only for her to beat him down with a baseball bat…and of him teaming up with a man with a lion's hide for a vest and black medium hair that went by Kraven the Hunter to go after Spider-man once and failing.
Presently… Spider-man interestingly faintly laughs.
Chameleon glares back, "what is so amusing? You're about to die: Because I, like the hunter…am strong."
Spider-man web pulls at the pistol, making it fly away.
The Chameleon though turns into Kraven: Tackling him against the denting in wall with his zebra and leopard fur bands of trophies around his muscular arms.
Spider-man groans violently against his grip.
He goes, "how…did you even get super-strength?"
Chameleon backs up, basking in his perceived triumph as Spider-man coughs violently against the floor.
He reveals, "S.H.I.E.L.D. may have drained me of the potions. But, S.H.I.E.L.D. is history. And, Ultron is a generous leader. Vibranium nanobots combined with my memory material…gives me back the strength to kill you for all the pain you caused me, my country, and my brother!"
Spider-man adds shakily, "you have a brother?"
Chameleon mutters coldly, "yes: Sergei. Or, is it so painfully obvious that I need to show you the humiliation you caused him?"
As he's slowly getting up… Spider-man pinpoints, "ok. Better question: You really want me dead so much that you'll team up with a megalomaniacal program that doesn't care whether my country or your country lives or dies?!"
Chameleon just stands there: Strangely growing more stunned and shaken by the minute.
Spider-man figures, "what?! You don't believe me? I'll show you."
He goes to bring up some files on the console…when Ultron fires some lasers into him from under it in the middle of his search.
Around this time…
Hawkeye reaches up to Ultron's shoulder…when he hears Black Widow coughing violently.
Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow and Thor are barely conscious…clutching their heavily bruised and dark red liquid dripping sides. Iron Man's crumpled armored side is pressing into his side, as his vision is blurring fast.
Teary eyed for the first time in years… Hawkeye cries out their names.
With a outstretched hand… Iron Man calls out, "Pep…per…!"
He falls unconscious before he can reach her and JARVIS.
In the moment… Ultron whirls his other arm around and grabs Hawkeye.
Ultron yells, "I…AM CAPABLE!"
Hawkeye's bow crumples to pieces in Ultron's giant hand…as he groans violently in his grasp.
But, from under the debris… Captain America tumbles to his feet: Having deflected a fair deal of impact from his shield, even as he continues to clutch his side.
He calls out, "hey, program!"
Ultron turns to glare down at him.
Captain America calls him out, "yeah: Program. Because that's what you are! You aren't capable of taking hope from people. And the more you try…the more we'll try back."
He spin throws his shield at Ultron.
Ultron goes to catch it. But, Thor throw bounces Mjolnir off of it with his last ounce of strength…smashing hard through Ultron's chest.
Black Widow even fires some shots from a pistol to bounce off of the shield: Blowing up most of the robot wrist for the giant hand holding Hawkeye.
With the giant hand coming apart, Hawkeye breaks free: Firing a explosive arrow into the exposed circuit filled core of the bot for good measure.
Hawkeye tumble falls to the floor, clutching his side a bit.
He calls out, "you ok?!"
Captain America and Thor weakly nod.
Black Widow adds, "as we're going to be here. Violent cough! You should call Bruce back."
As he gets out a grayish purple cellular phone… Hawkeye faintly smiles, "gladly."
Back with Spider-man…
The Chameleon calls out angrily, "no! I won't let you destroy my country!"
He turns into a Ultron battlesuit, interfacing the Vibranium bots into the console.
The console burns up from within…along with the faint cosmic glow.
Even with all the hits he's taken… Spider-man is barely conscious, with a arm against the wall.
The Chameleon then turns completely pale white: No features on his face.
He breaks down before a confused Spider-man.
Through the Chameleon's eyes… All the repressed memories of being young resurface: Of a young Sergei promising rewards from his hunts like elephant tusks and whale skin to sell and keeping it all to himself, of him beating him up at other times…and of him saying he doesn't really care "about a illegimate brother like him" and that "food, water, and the kill is all a animal like you really lives for".
Chameleon cries out, "Sergei…I'm sorry! I failed you! But… Sniffle! Why should I be? I should be glad. Kravinoff doesn't deserve vengeance…but contempt! Sniffle! You never really forgot, did you? That I was the servant of the hunt and you were the master? Well, no more! Abuse or not… Brother or not… You became the world's greatest hunter. I'm the world's greatest non-entity."
Spider-man nervously reflects, "o…k. I understand you're getting in touch with your family hailing from The Most Dangerous Game and all. I understand you got issues: I can't even begin to count the issues I had growing up as Spider-man. So…maybe you can back away from trying to kill me today? I'd really appreciate not breaking that current streak of people not trying to kill me."
Chameleon looks up…very startled to find he's still there.
He asks shakily, "you mean…you're not going to kill me like you killed Sergei?"
Spider-man faintly shrugs, "am I annoyed? Ok. That's a given. But, mad? Faint chuckle. You're talking to the wrong spider, Chameleon."
Still shaking… Chameleon divulges from within, "good. But, that's just it: I don't even deserve death. To die, one must have lived. Ever since we were young, I wanted to be so much like him. I wanted to be so tall. But, to be so tall without living…is not really living. How could I have?! Sniffle. I have no name, no soul, not even my own face left! I am nothing…nothing…nothing…"
Spider-man highlights, "well, I wouldn't go that far. A dolled up man with no place to go or a doll to go to? Yeah, maybe. But, we always have a choice. And, you've yet to make yours: Whether to still want revenge for all the times I ended up humiliating you…or to let it all go."
Chameleon cryptically says, "nothing feels nothing. For now, we're even. For my destiny… It's yet to have a name."
With that… He turns into a scared lab technician, dripping in dark red liquid.
He runs off out the back.
Even though Spider-man could just knock him out in his state of mind… He just stands there.
And, Spider-man thinks to himself:
Well… That was interesting.
I hope I don't regret this. But…we always have a choice.
And, without giving anyone another chance, I'm no better than the Chameleon, Green Goblin, or any of the other crooks I webbed up: Even if that someone is a Chameleon.
Uncle Ben, Aunt May…I hope I've just made you proud. And, I hope to keep making you proud. For, with great power comes great responsibility.
I've never forgotten that gift and that curse. But, it's a choice more powerful than the curse.
In the following late afternoon…
Up in Avengers Tower… Pepper, Maria Hill, Clint, Steve, Tony, Thor, Bruce, and Betty are all back together around the pit of couches.
They've been having fun trying to lift Thor's hammer: Even though it's largely been unsuccessful for everyone that's tried a hand at it.
Where are Natasha and Spider-man?
Well…
They're at a Halloween themed midway fair, shooting waterguns at web and batcave targets.
They're both quick shots. But, Natasha is better.
The midway game operator faintly smiles in her direction.
Natasha briefly smiles as she picks out a giant black spider plushy.
She adds, "thanks."
They start walking along the fair: With plenty of screams, noises from rides, and little kids and adults walking around with cotton candy and caramel popcorn.
Nastasha tosses the plushy over to Spider-man.
Before he asks… She quickly says, "keep it. You're into spiders."
Spider-man takes it.
He faintly chuckles awkwardly, "thanks. You know…I didn't think you were the kind of woman to be into a midway."
Natasha faintly smiles, "there's a lot you don't know about me, Peter. There's a lot others don't know about me. But, I kind of share more if we're friends."
Spider-man nervously brings up, "faint chuckle. Yeah. Great. So…about the whole secret identity thing?"
Natasha reasons, "it's as safe as you want it to be. I didn't tell anyone except Fury. But, he knew already. I also know you told Tony. And, I don't think Rodgers is the kind of guy to blow a secret."
Spider-man pauses, "hmm. I think you're right."
In a know-it-all way… Natasha figures, "I know I am. But, what do you think?"
Spider-man figures out loud, "well… If Bruce can go flying around with the Avengers without going green and mean… How hard can it be?"
Natasha laughs lightly with him, as they start back for New York City.