Chapter 25: The Iron Spider

2 Weeks Later

Brooklyn

No POV

Inside an abandoned apartment complex, a flaming man sits alone. He sits on the tile floor, not daring to touch any of the old furniture, afraid it might catch fire. His body is still recovering from the fight with the spider. Damn that Spider! If he hadn't gotten in the way like he always does, I could've given Smythe a taste of his own medicine. Of course, Mark Raxton does not realize that Smythe is (as far as the public knows) in jail because he has isolated himself from the city. He doesn't know how to turn the flames down and people keep on screaming when they see him, so he decided just to stay away all together.

From the shadows of what used to be a bedroom emerges a tall figure. Molten Man recognizes him instantly.

"Hello Mark."

Molten Man shoots off the ground, his flames glow brighter, "YOU! What the hell are you doing here Smythe?! Checking on your latest experiment?"

Smythe stands a safe distance from the torch, but does not seem frightened, "You've got it wrong, Mark. I've come to apologize."

"Hmph."

"I know what you must think. But I need you now more than ever. I need your help in killing the Spider."

Killing the Spider does sound nice… but no! You can't trust this guy. He ruined your life. "Why should I help you! What's stopping me from burning you to a crisp?"

Smythe sits down on a molding couch, "You see Mark, I've fallen in love. And we have a plan, her and I. We are going to destroy Thor, the Avengers, Spider-Man, and the entire planet."

Molten Man gasps, "Whats wrong with you man? Don't you have any family? Any friends?" Smythe simply glares and Mark realizes the answer to his questions. "No. I won't help you. Sure, I want revenge on the Spider, but I won't murder the entire world."

"Yes, I know that you have some people to tie you down, but Amora and I will complete this task with or without you. The world is going to end in flames, I figured that I would bring in a specialist on such a topic. If you help us, I promise you and your sister Liz will have a place in Asgard."

Liz. Mark had been trying not to think about her. She was only his step sister but she must be heartbroken. He wonders what she thought when she saw him on the news. Does she hate him? Has she forgiven him? Mark looks at the ground, "Don't bring Liz into this, this is crazy. Asgard is a myth."

"Quite to the contrary," responds Smythe, "and perhaps their advanced magics could help to cure your condition." Molten Man considers this. He doesn't doubt Smythe's ability, he knows that he usually gets what he wants. The man has probably been working non stop with this girl that he keeps talking about. "Well, what do you say?"

Mark lets a single fiery tear fall from his eye. I don't want people to die. But I can't let Liz down. Like Smythe said, I can't stop it even if I wanted to. "What do you want me to do."

Smythe smiles wickedly, "I need you to take a message for me."

Stark Tower

Tony POV

The whole team sits at the kitchen counter while Peter lingers off to the side on the phone, "Yes Gwen… No… No… Yes…. Uh… I'm with them right now so I'll talk to you later about it… no really I'm fine, it wasn't even that bad… alright… I'll see you later to work on the thing… love you." He hangs up his cellphone and then joins us at the island.

Clint leans over and elbows Peter, "Was that your gal pal?"

Peter blushes and I speak up, "I met the little lady, she's like mad genius."

Natasha rolls her eyes, "Of course Peter, you're going out with a nerd."

"Hey! She's not a nerd!"

Captain America smiles, "Back in my day," everyone groans in unison but he ignores it, "We used to take girls out dancing, and buy them flowers and chocolates. And we would let them pick any song they wanted on the juke box at the diner… of course I never got any dates but Bucky would tell me all about it."

Thor slaps a shoulder on Cap's back, "Perhaps you should find a pleasing dame, the broads on Earth are very beautiful!" Natasha flips her hair taking it as a compliment.

Steve shrugs, "Dating's not really my thing. What about you Thor? Are you the ladies man on Asgard."

He smirks with pride, "I have had many fine evenings with the most gorgeous women in the realm. I'd say, I had a women in my bed quite often. Certainly more than Loki."

"Ew," Peter whines.

"But alas!" continues Thor, "I have abandoned that life since I've come to meet my love Jane Foster."

Clint puts an arm around Natasha and kisses her on the cheek, "I tend to like Earth women too." I smile. Everything seems to be going great. All the Avengers like Peter, he's been helping me in the lab as well as Bruce. He helps Clint in the range, and Steve, Natasha, and Thor in the training rooms. He still goes down to Pepper on the weekends and sometimes when she needs him, she'll call him down. We've even had a couple battles and Pete helps JARVIS asses the situation from inside the tower.

My reflection of happiness is ended when a loud alarm rings through our ears, "Attention Avengers, the Molten Man has resurfaced and has set several apartment buildings on fire seven blocks away. I believe it is a distraction to call you out," JARVIS lowers a holographic screen over the kitchen table that shows the burning buildings, people screaming, and the fire-guy. "HEY AVENGERS!" shouts Molten Man, "I'VE GOTTA MESSAGE FOR 'YA!"

Steve frowns, "Well if he wants us, he's gonna get us. Avengers Assemble." We all nod and our quiet afternoon turns serious in an instant. The whole team scurries about, changing into uniforms at superhuman speeds before loading into the Quinjet. Peter looks around confused.

"Pete," I say, directing him toward the elevator, "I want you to head down to my lab and help JARVIS with the fight sequences just like earlier this week."

He looks at me with his big brown eyes, "But Molten Man is Spider-Man's villain… maybe we should call him…"

I roll my eyes, "No. This guy is looking for us." The teenager nods and gets in the elevator. I turn to see the my team has left without me.

"Sorry, Iron Butt," states Hawkeye in my earpiece, "We figured that you could fly yourself." I groan and jump off the balcony before blasting off in my Iron Man mark 42 armor. I arrive at the scene and it looks like a mess. Flames are everywhere and firemen, Black Widow, and Hawkeye are evacuating residents as usual. I land next to cap and Thor, "What's the synopsis," I question. I realize that the Hulk is trying to smash the burning man but keeps pulling his hand back.

"He isn't that strong but we can't touch him without being burned," Captain America explains.

Thor swings around his hammer, "I have flown through suns and walked through the driest deserts of the nine realms, heat is no match for the mighty Thor," he boasts before dashing at the man. The two slam into a wall, the fire seems to have no effect on the God but he stops when Molten Man holds up a hand.

"Ah yes, Thor. You are the specific one that I've been ordered to bring a message to."

Thor raises an eyebrow as do all of us, "What could such a puny mortal speak of that would interest me?"

Molten Man smiles ever so slightly, "Greetings from Amora the Enchantress."
Thor's eyes widen and he is more shocked than I have ever seen him. His hammer nearly falls from his hand before he quickly flees the scene without any explanation.

I press my ear piece, "Peter, track where Thor is going."

"Got it. He just seems to be flying around the world, he isn't landing anywhere. It's like he's looking for something. Or someone. I can't believe Molten Man said something that would upset the god of thunder…"

I snort, "Yeah me neither, but he was the only one who wasn't affected by the flames. He was our only shot, if I had known what we were truly dealing with, I would've brought a fireproof armor.."

"Alright, I have a idea: Captain America, you have to hit him square in the chest with your SHIELD."

"Roger that," notes Steve.

"Then, Iron Man, while the guy is regaining his balance you break out into a circular flying pattern around him at your highest speed. Our only chance is for you to draw out the oxygen from the air in hopes that the flames die down enough for Hulk to knock him out without getting third degree burns."

"Wow, son, you are quite the strategist," compliments Cap, "Alright, lets go."

Cap follows the plan and swings his SHIELD at Molten Man's collarbone. Ouch. The man grasps his chest in pain but doesn't look too hurt. I take this moment to launch into the air and begin flying around him like a tornado. Faster JARVIS, faster! More and more, I pick up speed while flying. The air surrounding Mark Raxton grows thinner and he gasps for air. Its working!

Suddenly, the walking matchstick gets a thought of determination and stands. Pushing against the whirlwind I am creating, he waits for the perfect time and then slashes his hand out at me. His flaming hand grabs my arc reactor and manages to burn the edges. A shock of nerves runs through my body and while the damage to my heart isn't bad, it also affects the suit's controls. Involuntarily, I immediately stop flying and am thrown to the left. I roll onto the concrete harshly and hiss in pain.

"Tony! Are you okay?" Peter rings in my ear. Steve rushes over and helps me stand.

"Ugh… yeah I'm fine, but I can't use my armor that well if the arc reactor isn't working properly. It was a good plan Pete, but it didn't work." Captain America and I watch as the hulk runs at Molten Man even though he is screaming in pain from the burns. We can't let the green guy keep doing that, he'll just hurt Bruce.

There is a pause on the other line, "Tony, what about the Adapt-Armor? Is that flame resistant on the inside and out?"

"Please, the Human Torch could get inside that thing, but my flying mechanisms aren't working and it would take me too long to leave here to get it."

"Thats not what I was thinking."

My eyes go wide when I realize what the 16 year old is thinking, "DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE, PARKER!"

"Don't worry," is the only response I get before he leaves the line.

Peter POV

Stark Tower

"Don't worry," I say before I take off my headset and rush to the wall of Tony's lab. "JARVIS, open up the vault behind this wall."

Just as it did weeks ago, the wall slides open to reveal three armors. Becoming Spider-Man and joining the battle in the middle would be too suspicious, this looks like this is job for the amazing Peter Parker.

"JARVIS, I'm going to get inside the Adaptive Armor, but don't have it adapt to me. Just use the settings of a regular human."

"Of course sir." The entire front of the black armor opens and I climb inside. It was large when I climbed inside but then it does its job and tightens to my proportions. If I had set the armor to adapt to not only my size but my powers, JARVIS would know that I have spider abilities. So right now, I'm basically just a normal guy. A normal guy in a suit of armor. A normal guy in a suit of armor about to go fight a man on fire. Yeah, the regular stuff.

This is so weird, I guess this is what its like to be Tony: cramped up in this metal body suit. It takes me a second to gain control of the motor movement like walking and flying but I catch on pretty quick. "Alright JARVIS, set a course for Molten Man."

And with that, a window opens and I blast out into the sky. Sure, flying is cool but I prefer swinging. If the rockets were to suddenly fail on this armor, I would fall to my death. But if I fell off one of my webs, I could easily shoot another before I hit the ground.

It takes me less than 30 seconds to reach the fight; the Hulk is cowering back and Captain America is standing off to the side with an injured Iron Man.

Without even stopping to say hi, I keep my kinetic energy going and slam right into molten man. I throw him up against the wall and he holds his head, distorted. "All right, JARVIS, when I give the signal, you are going to open the front so I can drop out of this hunk of metal and then fit this around Molten Man. Once he is secure inside, shut down all motor functions and operations. In other words, lock him inside."

"Alright, Mr. Parker."

While Mark is still leaning up against the brick wall I fly back about 100 feet to get the speed I need. Here goes nothing. I begin flying at top speed toward the wall. As I get faster I hear Tony in my ear, "PETER WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING? YOU ARE GOING TO KILL YOURSELF AND THEN PEPPER WILL KILL ME! GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" I ignore him and stick to the plan.

"NOW JARVIS!" I scream once I get within ten feet of Molten Man. I am flying in a horizontal position so once the front opens I drop like a stone to the ground and roll out of the way. I was about 3 feet off the street. The armor keeps on flying and, before Mark could get out of the way, locks him up.

I remain on the concrete for a couple seconds. Sure, 3 feet up is a bit high to belly flop onto a New York City street but I really landed on my toes and fingertips (because I am Spider-Man, in case you didn't know) and made it look like a rough, rolling landing. So basically, I am unhurt even though my tee shirt and jeans may look a bit scratched up. Bruce reverts back to his human form and runs to me along with Cap and Tony. Steve hoists me off the ground and I pat the dust off my clothes.

Tony, who isn't actually injured that much, opens his face plate to show a face angrier… well… angrier than the hulk. "You take my armor and then put yourself into danger without even having my approval!" He yells and I cringe.

"I'm sorry Tony, but you guys were getting pummeled and I only wanted to help."

Steve gives me a pat on the back, "That was an amazing plan to lock him inside the armor, Pete. I respect you for your bravery and for helping us."

Bruce nods, "Yeah, you would make a great Iron Man jr."

I smile and we all turn to Tony who just presses his lips together, "Well… that was a really good plan. But don't do anything like that again." he holds up his hand for a fist bump and my skin against his metal makes a ding noise.

"Are you hurt son?" Steve asks.

I shrug, "Just a few bruises," I lie.

Hawkeye and Black Widow walk toward us. "The fire's out and we got all the civilians away," states Widow.

Hawkeye looks at me, "Wait. What is Peter doing here? Why do I always miss all the fun?!"

Thanks to everyone for reading! I tried to update soon like you guys wanted to here you go. HAPPY 25th CHAPTER!

Ps: last chapter a guest named John totally hated on me, claiming that I am simply a spiderman and avenger fan girl, saying that I should read real comics. FOR YOUR INFORMATION MISTER! I HAVE BEEN A COMIC COLLECTOR FOR YEARS, EVEN BEFORE THE RECENT MOVIES! I'm just trying to make some decent reading for all you lovely folks... Sorry to rant I just had to say that.

keep commenting (except for you JOHN)