Disclaimer: Another day, another chapter and another round of gibberish from me. I still do not own the rights to Spider-Man or the supporting characters. They are the property of Marvel Comics.

Chapter XI
Collateral Damage

Spider-Man swung across the buildings high above the streets, coming to a rest beside a stone gargoyle and removing his mask. Ever since the Hobgoblin's threat, every New Yorker had been on edge in fear of their individual life. Emotions had been thoroughly mixed, so much so that Peter couldn't make heads or tails of anything. Why shouldn't they be? The people of New York were in essence, now chafing under the grip of a mad man dressed for Halloween. Some citizens held out a bastion of hope that Spider-Man wouldn't unmask and take down the Goblin. Other weren't so enthusiastic, demanding that the hero unmask and spare them the senseless slaughter to come. Hell, the byline of that day's Daily Bugle read: "NEW YORK CALLS FOR SPIDEY UNMASKED."

Peter would be more than happy to take of the mask and show the world his face, but that would only serve to further his already numerous problems. He was going to marry MJ in less than twelve days, so unmasking was currently not an option. Well, it was an option, just not a good one. Peter felt a very faint vibration within the side of his costume and reached beneath the fabric, pulling out a small cellular phone he'd bought recently. At least Peter could afford one now with the extra pay from the Bugle, thanks in no small to the alien symbiote that very nearly destroyed his life. Peter quickly glanced at the ID, which read the name of his fiancé and answered.

"Mary Jane? Is everything okay?"

One the other end, Mary Jane answered back. "Yeah, everything's fine. I'm at Aunt May's apartment. She and I are going to meet the "fabulous" Miss Hardy and her beau at the Theatre District."

Peter chuckled slightly. "That's a surprise. I thought you and Felicia weren't getting along."

"Yeah, well, I felt I was being unfair so I'm going to give her a chance." Mary Jane sensed that something was bothering Peter. "Is everything okay, Peter? You sound distracted."

Peter had to hand it to Mary Jane. She always seemed to know when he was bothered. Maybe she had a spider-sense! Mary Jane was one of the few people who knew that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. It's been like that ever the battle with Doc Ock. It often put her in danger, more times than either of them would care to count. Other times, Mary Jane was able to cover for Peter so he could save the day. But she knew, through woman's intuition, that something was bothering Peter. Peter had to be honest.

"It's the Goblin," Peter sighed. "He hadn't made his move since his threat. That was two days ago."

"Well, maybe he was bluffing, like the night of the ballroom incident." Mary Jane suggested.
"Maybe, but I can't take that chance," Peter said. "I'm going to take one last patrol around the city and then I'll catch up with you later."

"Okay, be careful. I love you, Peter."

"I love you too."

Peter shut off the phone and stuffed it back into a slit in his costume before pulling his mask on. Spider-Man dove from his perch and let loose a web line and fired another to get hang time. With each swing, he scanned up into the sky and down to the streets and side to side between buildings. No Goblin, no glider, not even a stray pumpkin bomb. The web head started to think as he swung across the sky that maybe the Goblin really was bluffing. If that was the case, maybe Peter was wrong to think that Ned Leeds was the Hobgoblin. Hell, he'd actually run into Ned at the Bugle that morning and never received a warning from his spider-sense. Nothing was out of the ordinary, expect for Ned putting the moves on Betty. Not that Peter was going to complain. Then again, Ned did have a lot of info on the Big Man, AKA Tombstone, AKA L. Thompson Lincoln. Maybe Ned felt the need to take matters into his own hands. If so, Spider-Man would have to get involved and stop him, even it meant helping Tombstone. As the wall crawler thought about it, his spider-sense went off and everything slowed to crawl. Spider-Man's vision scanned the surrounding area in 360 degrees. It centered on a lone copper sphere coming right at him from his 10'o clock. Spider-Man barely managed to get clear of the ensuing explosion but he was still blown into a concrete wall. He quickly shook of the throbbing headache and flipped up onto his gut, head down. As expected, the Hobgoblin hovered up in front of the hero, a demented smile permeating his face.

"Where ya been, Hobby," the web slinger asked. "I haven't seen you since you left that god awful music video!"

"Been lookin' for you, arachnid," The Goblin mockingly said. "Give any thought to my generous ultimatum?"

"If I did take off the mask, then what would I call myself," Spider-Man quipped. "…The Amazing Guy Who Can Swing From Sticky Ropes? Bit of a mouthful if you ask me! Beside, the eyepieces really bring out my colorful side."

The Goblin shook his head in disappointment. "I would've expected you to take this more seriously," Then he shrugged. "Ah well, I can always tear off that mask along with your head."

The Hobgoblin tossed a series of razor bats toward Spider-Man, who was able to weave and dodge out of their paths. The bats became embedded into the wall but that didn't stop the Hobgoblin from continuing his rampant assault. Bombs and bats were sent hurtling toward Spider-Man, who dodged and weaved in between every chance he could get. The hero was ill prepared to get slammed by the goblin glider. Still, Spider-Man managed to get behind the Hobgoblin and grab hold of him. The Goblin remained in control and drove the back of his head into Spider-Man's face and forcing the web slinger off the glider. Spider-Man saved himself with a web line going straight up and like a bungee cord, he was catapult upwards. Spider-Man clung to a wall as the Hobgoblin repositioned himself and tossed more razor bats. The web slinger avoided them easily and retaliated with a series of web spheres. The Goblin blocked the spheres and the two foes reached a stalemate.

"You know, Hobs, the whole razor bat thing getting kind of old."

"Too true," The Goblin surprisingly agreed. "I'll try something a little more original."

The Hobgoblin extended his two index fingers and aimed directly at Spider-Man. Without warning, Spider-Man was under fire from lightning quick bolts of electricity. He had to be even quicker than normal just to avoid the bolts. Spider-Man tried desperately to find an opening in between the attacks and finally tempted fate by lunging at the Goblin. Fate won out and Spider-Man was blasted out of the sky and through a window into a conference room. He slid uncontrollably across a long table until he reached the end and hit the floor. The Hobgoblin hovered up to the broken window, displaying that psychotic grin.

"So, what do ya think of my finger blasters?" the Goblin mockingly asked.

Slowly, Spider-Man picked himself off the floor and breathing heavily. "Okay, that was original. They could use a name change, though."

"Tell me, Spider-Man," the Goblin said. "Do you feel like unmasking now? Or better yet, let's you and I work together to bring Tombstone down for good."

Spider-Man immediately sprung up and fired more web spheres, most of them bashing the Hobgoblin and stunning him. "As tempting the offer is, I don't work with anyone yellow. Or, you know, psychotic. As far the mask thing goes, maybe you should unmask too, just so we can make it even."

"You wish," The Goblin turned the glider sharply and started flying away from Spider-Man. "C'mon, wall crawler! Let's play Follow the Leader!"

Spider-Man leaped out of the destroyed room to the outside and watched the Hobgoblin rocket away from him. Oh no! The Goblin was headed in the direction of the Theatre District. Mary Jane was headed there, along with Aunt May. Did the Goblin know that, or was he just toying with him? Spider-Man didn't take the time to think about it and swung after the Hobgoblin.

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Unaware of the approaching danger, the quartet of Mary Jane, Aunt May, Felicia and Michael journeyed through the Theatre District. Mary Jane was feeling just slightly awkward about being among the many theatres. She hadn't been around there since she was let go, although she was over that ordeal. Felicia insisted that MJ come along in another attempt to get on her good side regarding Peter. So far, MJ was still a bit skeptical but like she told Peter earlier, she would at least give Felicia a chance. Meanwhile, Michael was speaking with Aunt May about Peter. The way that May spoke of her nephew made Michael further admire and respect Peter even through all the adversity he'd gone through since his Uncle Ben died.

May changed the conversation around and went to Felicia. "So Felicia, how long have you and Michael been together?"

"Michael and I have been dating for about four months," Felicia answered with a beaming smile on her face. "We met in Prague when my mother and I were on a business trip."

"Where is your mother now?" May asked.

"She's still oversees running the Hardy Foundation's European building," Felicia said. "But Michael was already planning to come to the states so I accompanied him, just to keep him out of trouble."

Michael lowered his face into one hand. "I'd like to think I'm smart enough not to get in trouble."

"Well, maybe Miss Hardy wants trouble to strike," Mary Jane suddenly added. "Maybe she'd like Spider-Man to swing and save her."

"Mary Jane!" May reprimanded the red head.

"It's alright, Mrs. Parker," Felicia said. "I guess Ms. Watson is a bit suspicious of me."

The quartet brushed a middle aged man, who turned out to be Roderick Kingsley. "Why would that be, I wonder?"

Mary Jane turned to spot Kingsley. "Mr. Kingsley, what're you doing here?"

"You know how it is, Mary Jane," Kingsley said. "A man of my stature is out for an afternoon stroll and he run into his favorite model. Such a small world we live in!"

"We haven't seen much of you, Mr. Kingsley," Michael added. "Not since the ballroom incident with the Hobgoblin."

"I blame Spider-Man," Kingsley said. "None of these lunatics were around before he showed up," Kingsley noticed Aunt May. "I'll go out on a limb here; you must be May Parker."

"Yes I am," May confirmed. For some reason, Kingsley made her feel uneasy. "Peter doesn't say much about you."

"Peter doesn't fully know me, so he can't say about much about me," Kingsley said. "But I have made crystal clear to him my distain of a certain wall crawling menace."

"I disagree, sir," May said. "Spider-Man saved my life at one time. I believe him to be both a hero and good citizen of New York."

Kingsley leaned up to May. "That still doesn't change my opinion."

Michael stepped up between the bickering pair. "I see no reason for any one of us trade barbs."

Felicia and Mary Jane just looked at each other and shrugged. Then the group heard the sound of thunder. Mary Jane looked up and didn't see a cloud in the sky. Whatever the sound was, it was getting louder; and closer. The sound brought all the activity on and around the streets to a screeching halt. Soon after, people began running for their lives when they spotted the Hobgoblin rapidly approaching. He had Spider-Man in his clutches and they were fighting atop the glider until the Goblin had the upper hand.

"Why don't you just give up, arachnid?"

Spider-Man got loose from the Goblin's grip, and he clung to the glider's underside. "Cause I know who you are under that mask!"

"Do you," The Hobgoblin reached down to grab the elusive wall crawler but missed. He searched high and low, and side to side. "We all wear masks, Spider-Man. It's just question of which one is real."

A moment later, Spider-Man was behind the Goblin and grasped him tight. "You can the charade, I know you're Ned Leeds. I know you have information that exposes Lincoln as the Big Man of crime and instead, you want to kill him and take over his empire."

"Me, Leeds," the Goblin caught Spider-Man by his head and threw him over his head to the streets. "You'll believe anything, won't you?"

Spider-Man landed on a street light, flipped around and came to rest atop of it. "Prove me wrong then, Hobs."

The Hobgoblin wasn't going to waste his time arguing with Spider-Man and tossed a pumpkin bomb. Spider-Man dodged the oncoming copper sphere and it exploded upon hitting the ground. The shock wave blew Spider-Man into the air but he righted himself with a web line, just in time to come under fire from more of the Goblin's electric blasts. The Goblin broke off his attack just in time to avoid a double kick from Spider-Man. The Goblin tossed a razor bat but Spider-Man released his, performed a corkscrew leap over it, and kept swinging right for the Goblin. Spider-Man finally closed the distance between himself and the Goblin and tried a mighty leap over him, but the Goblin struck him with a very strong electric blast. Out of control, Spider-Man went careening into theatre marquee and crashed right in front of Mary Jane and Aunt May. May in particular froze in fear upon seeing the Hobgoblin, the sight of him conjuring up images of the Green Goblin from the past. She could still remember that monster hovering over her, forcing her to finish her prayer.

"Ladies, into the theatre, hurry, hurry," Kingsley suddenly said. "Mr. Morbius, get these women to safety."

Michael did as Kingsley requested and guide Mary Jane and company into the theatre. Meanwhile, Spider-Man was trying to pull himself up after being catapulted into the marquee earlier. Kingsley glared at the fallen wall crawler and then directed his attention to the Hobgoblin. They locked eyes, as if they knew each other. Then the Hobgoblin broke into a maniacal cackling, moments before hurling a razor bat right toward Kingsley. Kingsley attempted to rejoin Mary Jane and company but he never made it. The razor became embedded into his back and Kingsley sank to his knees. He glanced at a shocked Mary Jane and seconds after that, slumped to the side and went limp. The Hobgoblin prepped another razor bat but his hand was caught in a glob of webbing. Spider-Man pulled hard on the line, and thus the Goblin from his glider and the ground below. Spider-Man lunge at the Goblin at tackled him to the ground hard.

"Murderer!"

"I'm the murderer," The Goblin mockingly asked, before head butting Spider-Man in his masked face. Then the Goblin tossed Spider-Man onto the windshield of a parked car. "I told you someone would die if you didn't unmask. That poor man's blood is your hand," The Goblin grasped Spider-Man's throat and began to squeeze. "And soon enough, I'll have your blood on my hands."

The Goblin squeeze hard and tight and Spider-Man was finding it extremely difficult to breathe. Spider-Man could feel himself fading, his sight blurring. The Hobgoblin retained his malicious grin as he could feel his foe slipping into unconsciousness. A little while longer and Spider-Man would be dead. Then the Goblin could commence with the unveiling. But the Goblin didn't expect to be suddenly knocked away by an unseen force, allowing Spider-Man to catch his breath. The hero looked up and saw Michael Morbius standing there with a blunt object.

"Are you alright?" Michael asked.

Before Spider-Man could answer, the Hobgoblin was already standing up. He was not happy. "I think you'll find that most unwise!"

Mary Jane and Aunt May were already inside the theatre, but Felicia was still outside. "Michael, don't be a hero. Get inside!"

The Hobgoblin made a move to grab Michael but Spider-Man nipped up and kicked him to the ground. The Goblin picked himself up off the ground and glared at the hero. He finally decided he'd done his damage and sprinted to his glider and gunned the engine. The Hobgoblin rose into the air, glared at Spider-Man who was still trying catching his breath before rocketing away. Spider-Man could barely breathe much less stand and needed Michael's help.

"I've got you, Spider-Man." Michael said.

"Thanks for the assist," Spider-Man said. "You better get to cover. He might come back," Spider-Man and Michael could hear sirens approaching from up the street. "Oh, and don't let the police blame this on me."

Spider-Man shot out a web line and leaped into the air, going out of sight afterwards. Michael took Felicia and rushed into the theatre. They caught with Mary Jane, who was at the front row with Aunt May. Upon seeing her, May didn't appear well. Mary Jane was the first to notice and gently set her down to her knee.

"May, are you alright?"

May's breathing was shallow. "I don't feel well, Mary Jane."

Felicia and Michael approached the pair, where Felicia felt May cheek. "She's burning up."

"She very, very pale," Michael added before turning Mary Jane and Felicia. "Stay here, I'm going to get some help."

Michael quickly rush up the aisle from the theatre and into the hall. Felicia and Mary Jane remained with May, who was breathing shallow and sweating profusely. Mary Jane held May's hand in hers, wishing that Peter was with them at that moment.

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Spider-Man swung for blocks and in the last known direction the Hobgoblin had taken, eventually coming to rest on a ledge. As it was many times before, the Hobgoblin was long gone and Spider-Man left ticked off. By now, Spider-Man was thoroughly convinced that the Goblin was Ned Leeds. There couldn't be anyone else. Sooner or later, Spider-Man would have to confront Leeds and it wouldn't be pretty. Regardless of whether he was right or wrong, one thing was for sure for Spider-Man: he really, really hated goblins.

Author's note: OH MY GOD! I killed Kingsley. YOU BASTARD! That's some serious shi---shish-ca-bob. That's brings chapter XI to an end. Tell me what you think and stay tuned for the next chapter.