Chapter 26: Greetings and Warnings

One month later...

Peter watched the tape over and over again, having not moved from his cross-legged position on the bed, each time forcing out another tear from his red and puffy eyes. His hands grip onto something with a fist. He looks down, opening his hands, to reveal a battered, scarred silver heart necklace with blue sapphire placed in the middle. He still remembers when she told him that blue was her favourite colour the first day she was at college. "It can be used to sum up every emotion."

"How?"

"Well...look at water. That's blue, or at least it is when it reflects the colour blue from the sky. Water can be timid and sad, it can be joyous and happy, and it can be powerful and awe inspiring, all at the same time."

The light from the TV screen reflected off the silver, but not as much so as it did when Lucy first opened it on her birthday, bringing him back into reality. His silent tears turned into sobs as he looked to his left hand, which was still gripping onto something. He couldn't bare to look at it right now. Instead he turned his attention back to the heart. I can't fix her. I can't fix her heart.

Three weeks before...

Hope you're ready for your checkup, New York. It was a late evening, but the light still managed to reach Spiderman from the apartment block he rested off. As he jumped off the ledge, his heightened senses allowed him to feel every beat of his heart and every pulse sent to his brain as he fell closer and closer to the tarmac. I need to find out more about this White Rabbit. Ever since The Goblin Lair battle, every thug and criminal in the city I've encountered has been armed with the latest weaponry, be it pistols or missiles or snipers. I've seen it all in the past month. Even umbrella weapons. Who would flaunter these weapons? Oscorp? It's possible. Ever since Harry's funeral, Oscorp moved into the shadows, with there being no activity to do with villains of any kind. Maybe they were doing this instead. He quickly fired a web string at the corner of a building, using it to swing amongst the traffic and wave at the people. He found something irresistible about speeding past the yellow taxicabs, being able to focus on the beauty of the town rather than the technical aspects of swinging. He was having a good time, but after a while he started to yearn for Lucy's company. However thrilling the experience was, he couldn't help but wish he could see Lucy smile and hear her laugh to complete the experience. He then, for the first time, started to doubt his guidelines. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I taught her how to use her powers... She could help me out... I'd spend more time with her. He could see her laugh and smile, all whilst enjoying the thrills of being Spiderman... He immediately started to shake his head. No! I can't. However much I want her to be here, I can't risk her life like I did with Gwen.

His head started to thump. Spider senses! He turned his head quickly, firing a web string to pull himself up from the traffic. He caught a glimpse of the crime in progress- two thugs wearing hoods and balaclavas were robbing a woman only slightly older than himself. "Gimme all your dosh, or we'll beat you to a pulp!" One of the men pulled out a pistol and held it to her blond head. Spiderman identified the weapon as the latest models used by every criminal- another set of people who've made a deal with someone for highly advanced weapons. Let's see what I can do with this.

He used his webs to charge into the scene, sending the armed criminal flying into the alleyway, the gun falling elsewhere. Before he could stick the second thug to the wall, a small and quick body held his neck down with her high heels. "Time to speak up, little boy." she breathed out, moving a wisp of hair away from her face,

"This ain't your scene, pretty lady." the thug replied confidently.

"Felic-" The web head stopped speaking when she swiftly kicked the thug in the stomach. "Oooooh. That's gonna hurt in the morning."

Ignoring Spider-Man's childish comments, she continued to interrogate the man. "Now is it my scene?" She was much more bitter the way she spoke, as if he had offended her in some way. Afraid, he nodded rapidly. "Tell me where the guns come from."

"You're looking for the dealer t-"

"I'm sorry!" the man pleaded, as he held back tears of fear. "He never told me his name, but I could see from the conference call he was a large man. He was fat. I'm sorry." Meanwhile, Spiderman mumbled to himself 'Why is everyone interrupting me today?' Once the man had finished talking and started to whimper, he fired a web net at him, stopping him from escaping. Felicia had quickly released her grip on him so that she wasn't stuck to the wall either. "So now will you and I talk, or are you gonna-"

"Spiderman." Peter started to mumble to himself again. 'I knew it.' "I need you to listen to me."

"You don't say?" he added sarcastically.

"There's something coming. For you."

He started to lean in slightly, listening intently now. "What do you mean?"

"Did you not ever think of the reputation you've built up in the eyes of the criminal masterminds, and the supervillans?" She paused so that this information could be taken in. "How long did you think it would be until people started grouping together to destroy you?"

Realising what was being said, he spoke quietly to her. "How do you know all this?"

After a long pause, she cautiously spoke. "Let's just say that I've had to hang around with the wrong crowd to survive." With that, she quickly used long claws to climb up the cracks in the wall, disappearing on the rooftops.

Dumbfounded, Peter stared into the dark alleyway, wondering exactly what she meant. People are grouping together? To get rid of me?

Across the street, two men stood next to each other behind their bikes, both sharing one iPhone screen. "Is that the target, Fitz?" One of the men spoke in a posh British accent that, although on the surface was emotionless, he still carried a sliver of the sadness from the day his wife and children were killed.

"Yep Shrewman. According to the pictures, that guy is Spiderman- who Fisk wants to be apprehended." The other was from the American countryside, which his voice showed off. He always felt responsible for his partner's sadness, even though he was already forgiven. Taken from his orphanage by Oscorp when he was six, he'd become one of their leading scientists. Little did he know that his work on biochemicals would be used in biological weapons. When the bomb accidentally went off during the public reveal in London... "We can't kill him, though, so sent your gun to stun." Since that day, to move on from the past, they became the most well known investigators for hire in the UK.

"I still don't understand what crimes he's committed."

"Neither do I, but if Fisk's correct, he's the most dangerous man on this planet right now." Their conversation distracted the duo from the fact that Spiderman started to fire a web string and swing away. "He's leaving! Quick!" They both dashed onto their bikes, revving the engines as they took off in pursuit. It was Shrewman that made the first move- with Spiderman in his sights, he fired a bullet of electricity at the hero.

Spider senses! He quickly fired two web strings at lampposts above him, using them to catapult himself above the blast. In the air, he twirled around to see who his deadly admirers were. His spider senses slowed time down for Peter, allowing him to catch the details. He saw the man with the gun pointed at him, riding a fast bike, trying to chase him. Behind him was yet another man on a bike, who he presumed was an accomplice.

"Dammit, he's seen us. This is gonna be interesting." Fitz started to shout over the engines of the cars and bikes around them. "SHREWMAN, HOW'D YOU MISS?!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Once they both turned around, they were surprised to see that the web slinger had disappeared, almost as if it were magic. "WHERE'D HE GO?!"

As Spiderman landed, he stumbled back slightly to see that the city light and noise was replaced by a deep red flat of land and silence. It almost felt weird to Peter- having grown up around the sound, it was a shock to suddenly have nothing to fill his ears. As he listened carefully, he realised that he couldn't even hear a breeze. His head had never hurt him as much as he did now, his spider senses going haywire. Where am I?

"Hello, Spiderman."

Peter quickly turned around to see the red figure in front of him. His skin was smooth and red, as well as his head and facial hair. He wore a red robe-like cover to dignify himself, and carried a red trident in his right hand. Even his eyes were a bright red. Peter didn't trust him at all. "Who are you?"

"Your planet's cultures have many names for me: Satan, The Devil. But my real name... is Mephisto. But for your sake, I'll allow you to call me The Devil."

Yep, I'm playing one of my wild cards- The Devil! And he's got something interesting to say... You know what to do :)

Also, thank you all for the reviews, particularly Diana- I'll try to slow some of the storyline down from time to time. Thanks for the advice :)