***HS***
"...which concludes that tussle with the Chameleon...as well as the spectacular new look that Spiderman has developed, not to mention the alliance he seems to have with the heroine of Nevada, the Flying Fox."
...Someone needed to turn the news off...
The world was spinning...her head was pounding...every inch of her body ached in pain.
Faith groaned lightly and slowly opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings. White walls...machines...a vital monitor...an IV drip...was this a hospital?
"Ungh…" Faith tried to sit up, but winced sharply and fell back onto the bed that held her. Pain was SHOOTING up her spine, as though she had been slammed against a wall or something!
"Stay down, sis...You're not going to be able to leave bed for a good month…"
The injured woman paused, panting heavily from the sheer AGONY that was filling every single NERVE in her body. Looking to the side slowly, Faith made out the hazy form of her sister.
"...Lizzy...The train…" Faith mumbled, shutting her eyes for a moment, and letting out a slow breath. "...Shocker...Spider...man…"
"Be Quiet…" Lizzy said softly, setting a gentle hand on Faith's forehead, a dark look in her eyes. "He can't get you...He'll never touch you again as long as I breathe."
"Ungh…" Faith winced sharply, leaning against her pillow. For a short while, the woman only panted, mind only focused on her physical pain. After a moment, she looked towards her sister.
"Liz...I need to tell Jack ...I'm not going to the Broadway show...He'll be wondering where-"
"He already knows." Lizzy responded coldly, narrowing her eyes darkly. "He's the one who put you in the Hospital in the first place."
"...huh?" Faith made a face and tried to sit up. "...you mean he brought me here? What exactly happened?"
"I didn't say he brought you here," Lizzy responded, a sneer on her face. "He PUT you in here!"
The room was silent for a moment...the look on Faith's face reflected confusion...and...irritation. "Liz...come on...it's not Jack's fault that I got mixed up with Shocker and Spiderma-"
"JACK IS SHOCKER!"
Faith blinked at the accusation..before gritting her teeth lightly. "Liz! That's ridiculous! Jack can't be Shocker! He works for L. Thompson Lincoln! That should mean he's an upstanding-"
Faith's sentence was interrupted when Lizzy motioned towards the television in the room...where the report was focused on Spiderman. "Making this the tenth villain reported after Spiderman, Only eight successfully in custody."
Faith's eyes suddenly widened as a group of mug shot pictures came onto the screen...among them being Montana.
"What...No! That's not possible!" Faith tried to sit up further, in an attempt to get out of the hospital bed...only to be stopped by a new hand. Looking up, Faith saw Sophia Vincent gently yet firmly holding her down.
"You need to stay down, Faith...your injuries are serious." She said softly, forcing the girl to lay back.
"But...This makes no sense! I just spoke with Jack this morning! There's no way he-"
"Faith...Jackson Brice has been in prison for three weeks." Sophia replied calmly, yet distantly, as though she were in her own fog.
Lizzy kept her arms crossed and looked towards her sister, frowning. "Sis...you've been unconscious for three weeks. Shocker blasted you into a wall...and JACKSON is the one who pulled the trigger."
"No…"
"Your boyfriend IS Shocker."
Faith felt her entire world come slamming to a stop. It couldn't be...Jack COULDN'T be Shocker...He was too good! He was a gentleman! He taught her to fight! He protected her! She trusted him! She loved him!...She…
The woman's face reflected horror when Sophia gently rested a newspaper at her lap...showing Montana in his Shocker suit minus the mask, being escorted by police.
"...I'm so sorry Faith…"
Faith trembled and stared at the paper, trying to make sense of all this. How was this possible?...When did this happen?...Why...Why would he trick her like this?
Did he...not really love her?
The woman gritted her teeth lightly and tried to place the picture in her hands...those pants...those PANTS! Jack...had been wearing those exact pants the day...she...
Trembling further, Faith let go of the paper and hid her face in her hands, the feeling of utter shock consuming her.
Lizzy watched Faith lament her betrayal...before she looked towards Sophia, a frown on her face. "...Would've thought Simone would have been the one to make my delivery for me...considering...you know…"
Sophia was silent for a while, looking at the floor for a moment, before looking back towards Lizzy, putting a hand on Faith's shoulder. "I'm not the only one in pain...I need to be here for you and Faith...though...I question your motives."
"Humph...I'm a soldier, Sophia...I need to get my point across…" Lizzy growled, her eyes burning with anger. "Even If I have to bend a few rules…"
***AJ***
The cool of fall was finally started to rest on New York City...the warmth of the sun still having it's effect…
Neither really rested with Montana at the moment. He stood in the main yard of the jail, arms crossed and staring at Manhattan with narrowed eyes.
Spiderman had beat him. His cover had been blown, the boss was pissed with him, his billiard room was only managed by Blackie...and…
...Faith had not been heard from ….since…
Montana gritted his teeth lightly. A secret fear was developing inside of him...had he done more than just hurt her?...Had he...Killed her? Was she never going to be in his life again?
If that was indeed correct, then Spiderman was going to pay...with his LIFE!
"Montana."
The said man paused and glanced to the side, narrowing his eyes slightly as Fancy Dan and Ox walked over to where he was standing.
"Don't tell me you're thinking about your girl again." Dan frowned, placing his hands on his hips and sneering. "You've got bigger things to worry about."
Montana scoffed and faced the two men, a sneer on his own face. "You got somethin' ya wanna say t'me, Fancy Dan?" he threatened, the tone in his voice dripping with danger. For a moment, Dan seemed stunned...before he cooly shrugged his shoulders and turned away.
"N'aw...just remindin' you about the Big Man's supposed bail is all." he replied in a somewhat sarcastic way.
"The Big Man will either bail us, or break us out." Montana replied hotly, looking back towards the buildings of Manhattan and sneering. "We're too important to his own security."
"Yeah, well your girl may be gettin' more security from you than the Big Man." Dan responded, crossing his own arms. "I'd hate to see that cute girl...hurt- GAH!"
Fancy Dan found himself grabbed by the collar and SHOVED into the prison wall, looking down at a LIVID Montana.
"Don't 'chu EVER question muh loyalties, Dan!" he snarled, his grip becoming tighter on the man in his grip. "I only bow a knee ta ONE, and that's the Big Man! And if Faith DID survive our unfortunate meeting in the subway tunnels, and if she knows about me being Shocker, then I will be the one to handle it! UNDERSTAND!?"
"...Got it…" Fancy Dan winced, before Montana just plain dropped him, scowling over him.
"...hurmm…"
Montana looked over slightly towards Ox, who watched the duo in mild interest. "Ya got something else, Ox?" The Enforcer leader growled.
Ox merely motioned towards the rest of the grounds, where Montana's scuffle with Fancy Dan had drawn some attention, particularly from the newer inmates. All Montana had to do was crack his knuckles, and the prisoners went back to their morning routine.
"Humph…"
"Prisoner 15134!"
Montana groaned and glanced over his shoulder, where three guards were walking up, being closely watched by the rest of the guards that watched the grounds like vultures.
"Come with us."
"What fer?" Montana growled, turning fully and motioning towards Fancy Dan. "He's fine."
"You have a young woman here to speak with you." A guard replied. This caught Montana's attention. Faith...it HAD to be her! Then that meant she was alive!...and probably looking for answers.
"Understood." Montana replied, holding out his arms towards the guard, who promptly handcuffed him and started leading him into the building.
Fancy Dan got up slowly and dusted himself off, frowning as Montana disappeared into the building. "He better watch himself, Ox," Dan muttered, turning and heading for the mess hall. "That chick will make him weak if he's not careful."
"...mm…" Ox turned and followed Fancy Dan towards the mess hall, casually passing a bald man, who seemed interested in their scuffle.
As Montana neared the room he was being escorted to, he couldn't help but feel...off...ashamed even. He could only imagine what the girl had been through for the past few weeks. Surely he could plead some sort of 'I lost my head' card. After all, there had been talk of some Scientist that had gone mad and started calling himself 'Doctor Octopus'.
He had even heard that this guy was on his way to Ravencroft. Pah. That would suit a scientist gone bad wouldn't it?
"Make it brief." One of the guards said towards Montana as they got to the door of the room.
"Though you may want to be more concerned about your visitor than us."
"Humph. I can handle muh girl-" Montana scoffed, taking a step into the room...and freezing.
There were two police officers inside...and a female army woman, standing with her arms crossed and glaring daggers at the criminal. For a moment, no one said anything, before one of the officers approached Montana.
"Sit down, Brice." he ordered, motioning to a chair and table.
"...Officer, I think you got the wrong prisoner." Montana stated, looking towards the officer, and motioning towards the Army Woman. "I don't know her-"
"Well I know you, Slagger." The woman replied coldly, YANKING out the chair and pointing to it firmly. "SIT. DOWN."
Montana made a surprised look, before promptly doing as told, looking more and more confused by the minute.
For a brief amount of time, there was nothing but silence between the four. The two police officers said nothing, yet looked interested in what was going to happen.
The Army woman merely circled Montana's chair and glared at him the whole time. "So...THIS is what you come to huh? Pathetic."
The man frowned lightly, not sure at what this girl was getting at. Who the heck did she think she was, looking down on him? If she really knew who he was, she'd be trembling in fear.
"Is thar a point to your pradlein'?" He asked, looking uninterested. "Considerin' I don't even know you, yer pretty much wastin' yer time."
"Riiiight...we never properly met." The woman stood in front of him and crossed her arms, her eyes darkly glaring at him. "Staff Sergeant Elizabeth Harrel...I'm Faith's sister."
A sudden wave of dread suddenly hit Montana at the information. Faith's...sister? For a moment he had to let that sink in, before he suddenly winced sharply.
"You're FAY'S Sister? Where is she? Is she alive?! Is she-"
SLAM!
Montana suddenly sat still when the army woman slammed down her hands on the table and winced very lightly.
"I...will be the one asking any questions. Not you." Lizzy snarled dangerously, standing over him menacingly. "Though everything that I have to say are all statements. I got three of them for you."
"URCK!"
Without warning, Lizzy grabbed Montana by the scruff of his shirt and hauled him upwards, gritting her teeth at him. "ONE! My sister's in the hospital because of you, so I will make SURE your sentence is HARSH. TWO! You will not go NEAR my sister EVER AGAIN. THREE! If you so much as even TOUCH my sister, I will make sure you have one less ball than HITLER!"
Again, without warning Lizzy SLAMMED Montana back into his chair...ultimately breaking the darn thing in the process. The man groaned lightly and looked upwards towards the pissed off soldier, his face reflecting shock that she could be making him THIS nervous.
"Hey...should we be intervening?" One of the officers asked his partner.
"Why? I didn't see anything...did you?"
"...nope...not a thing…"
Montana scoffed at the banter of the cops, before slowly getting up and facing the woman...who was glaring at him in challenge. After a while, Lizzy turned and stormed out of the room leading to the lobby. After she was let out, the officers turned and got ready to handle Montana.
For a moment, he did nothing...before simple turning and walking for the door, waiting to be put back with the other prisoners.
***CP***
"The Rum Tum Tugger is a curious cat
And it isn't any use for you to doubt it
For he will do as he do do
And there's no doing anything about it!"
The sounds of Broadway filled her ears...though it did little to soothe her. In fact...the play she just finished seeing only reminded her of her horrible mistake.
She was the wayward kitten who had fallen for the Rum Tum Tugger...and her heart had been played with. She was an idiot...an absolute idiot.
Faith continued to sit, fiddling with a small photo in her hands...the cut out picture of Montana/Shocker being forced into a police car.
Had it all been a lie? Was he just using her as cover to keep Spiderman off his scent? He had lied, hadn't he?...She was nothing to him…
"...GRAAAHH!"
Faith quickly crumpled the piece of paper into a ball and CHUCKED it into the air, where it landed in the water below. Panting lightly, the woman felt hot tears coming to her eyes and tried her best to hold them back.
No...don't cry...don't give him that satisfaction...
"...Faith?"
Gasping, the woman quickly turned and PUNCHED behind herself...only for her weakend strike to easily be caught by Sophia, a spooked Simone beside her. For a moment, all three girls were silent...before Faith winced and quickly retracted her hand.
"I'm-...I'm so sorry...I-...I thought you were…" Faith trailed off… and looked downwards, gritting her teeth.
Sophia frowned in sorrow...before she gently took Faith by the hands and led her towards the bench and made her sit down. "You're supposed to be at home resting." She said firmly yet gently. "Lizzy will have my wings if she found out I stepped out."
"Your wings?" Faith raised her eyebrow and scoffed, looking down. "At least you're free right now."
Sophia winced slightly at the term she had dropped, thankfully neither Simone or Faith seemed to have really thought about it. Sitting next to the downcast girl beside her, the woman couldn't help but...echo her pain. After all...it wasn't just Montana who had betrayed someone…
After a moment, Simone looked towards Faith and put a hand on her shoulder, making a few signs with her hands.
'Faith, none of this is your fault. Please don't feel like it's you're obligation-'
"I can BARELY understand sign language, Simone!" Faith quickly stood up, walked over towards the fence to the great pond of Central park and KICKED the metal, allowing the CLANG to ring into the night sky. "But if you're telling me 'This isn't your fault' or 'He wasn't worth it', then you are WRONG!"
Faith turned to face Simone and Sophia, tears welling up in her eyes. "I fell in LOVE with the creep! I TRUSTED HIM!" The woman sobbed, and turned, facing the pond, gritting her teeth. "I should NEVER have fallen in love! Love only brings hurt!"
"...Faith…"
"It's THOMAS all OVER AGAIN!"
Faith panted...and suddenly put a hand to her head, and slumped to the ground, causing both Sophia and Simone to rush to her aide.
"Faith...you need to come home and rest...you're still not fully recovered." Sophia said firmly, firmly forcing the girl to stand and allowing her to lean on her. "Please Faith...don't get us in trouble with your sister…"
"...pah...you can talk...you have no idea what I'm going through…" Faith muttered.
There was silence from Sophia for a moment. A small part of her wanted to snap at the young woman...she had no idea that Otto...had just…
Shaking it off, Sophia found her more sympathetic side and looked back towards Faith.
"You're heartbroken…but you need to take care of yourself." Looking towards Simone, she frowned firmly. "Text Justin...I need his help."
Simone nodded and took out her phone, typing in a quick message as Sophia helped Faith walk.
Faith was silent for a while, letting off a defeated sigh. "...I'm sorry Sophie...I'm just...I'm so…"
"...I understand...I truly do…" Sophia glanced towards Faith sadly. "...Otto's gone too…"
Faith looked up, surprised at the statement. "...Otto?...Otto Octavius? But...how?"
***J***
The past week had been...hell. Like Donte's Peak Hell...It certainly didn't help that the words of that soldier echoed over and over in his head. Faith...what had he done to Faith?
She had been put in the hospital...how bad had it been? Would she live?
...would he...see her again?
Montana glanced towards Ox, who was putting down his lunch...quite quickly actually. After a moment, the cowboy rolled his eyes and pushed his own tray towards Ox, who gladly took the tray and started on the conduites of the plate.
"What do you think, Montana?"
Montana looked towards Fancy Dan, raising an eyebrow. "'Bout what?"
"About answering those guys." Dan motioned towards two men with his chin, who were on the other side of the mess hall, looking like they were discussing a few things. Every now and then, they would glance in the Enforcer's direction, as though they were expecting something.
The red haired man frowned lightly, narrowing his eyes only slightly, then looking back towards his two partners. "Think we should give him our time? Just because he told me to meet him, don't mean I'm subject 'ta him."
"Might as well." Dan responded, glancing back towards the two men. "What they have to say, might be interesting."
Montana frowned...before he stood and headed for the two men.
They were an odd pair...one was an older, skinnier man; with a sharp pointed nose, and not a hair to be found on his head. The other…
He was definitely well-rounded...size wise at least. The haughty look on his face made Montana skeptical of just WHAT these two pests could offer him. Hardening his features, Montana placed his hand on their table, a suspicious look on his face.
"I reckon you fine gentlemen wanted to talk to me?"
The larger man smiled rather...pleasantly, which made Montana feel unpleasant all over.
"Of course." He replied smoothly. "I'm happy to see that you're interested in our little deal, Montana."
Montana gritted his teeth in mild annoyance. "Don't call me that," He scoffed, leaning in threateningly. "Only my friends and my best clients call me that."
The larger man smiled once again. "Why, Jackson, aren't we your friends? We're the only ones who can get you out of here. Where's that Southern hospitality that I've always heard about?"
"I ain't a Southerner," Montana spat at him, a scoff escaping him. "You ain't never heard of Bozeman before, have you? Why do you think I give some folks the privilege to call me Montana?"
There was an exasperated groan from the other man, who looked towards Montana in irritance. "Do you want to get out of this hellhole or not?"
Montana scoffed and cracked his knuckles, ready for a fight. He NEEDED to vent some steam after all. This could REALLY be the ticket he needed to get his mind off of his shortcomings. "Would you like to find out how far that nose of yers can go into yer brain?"
The comment made the older man snarl and begin to get out of his seat.
Quickly stopping the situation from escalating, the stouter man held his large arm across his partner's chest and cautioned, "Now, now, Adrian. Let's not be so hostile to the man. We need his help as much as he needs ours."
"In case you haven't noticed, Doc," Montana stated, crossing his arms, "I already take orders from someone twice the man you are. Mr. H bails his men out just like he washes his dishes and takes out the trash. He's fixin' to come and get us out this Saturday. Unless there happen to be more zeros on yer price tag, I ain't wastin' more time with you."
The mercenary spat on the floor in dismissal, and turned his back to them. He had almost put their offer to help him escape out of his mind when he heard the sout man speak up.
"How much is the price for Spider-Man's head on a plate?"
Montana suddenly stopped...Spiderman's head on a plate...Narrowing his eyes, Montana crossed his arms and frowned, still looking forward
"That's a mighty high price yer offerin', Doc."
"Indeed," the doctor agreed, "and I believe it's one your Mr. H would not mind as well."
Montana looked back towards the two men, sizing them. Did they really have a way of bagging the bug? "And how do you suppose we collect this here price? That bug is harder to round up than a buckin' bronco in heat. I didn't get him, you didn't get him, and bird-boy here didn't get him―"
"But all of us together will," the man pointed out.
The mercenary cocked his head to the side. "Who's 'all of us?'"
Resting his chin in his hands, the scientist answered, "If you would please take a seat, we will be more than happy to explain."
Montana was silent for a moment, the gleam in the scientist's eyes...ringing a sense of confidence that he actually had to admire. If this was real, then he could get back to his normal life. Then he won't need Shocker…
...Then he could possibly get back with…
Walking back towards the table, he pulled out the chair and sat on it.
"I'm listenin'."
***DS***
Credit for inspiration of last scene goes to my DEAR friend Vermy! (I MISS YOU!)
You can find her story in my favorites entitled "Clover" ; unfortunately her character wont be making a real appearance until 'Rise' If she's still good with that! Her story does not pertain to mine (Partly because our endings are COMPLEATLY different! XD)
As I said in the last chapter, I am now only writing for reviews. If you want a chapter, please review.