Jillian's feet grew numb, tired of sitting there. She brought the rope close to her mouth and tried biting on it, tugging it with her teeth, but it was no use.
Jillian coughed and moaned and kicked and groaned. The anticipation was killing her.When would it happen? When would the time come?
Jillian looked up. He must had known it.
He must have come to the realization that there was nothing more that could be done to prevent it.
So, he jumped down.
Jillian stood as she watched Spider-Man land in front of her. She watched as he came to sacrifice himself.
Spider-Man did not regard the two villains, whose grins were widening with each second that passed with him in their control. He looked at Jillian, who now stood, finally realizing how tight the ropes were actually tied around her wrists. Tears rolled down her face.
"Are you okay?" Spider-Man asked her.
"Spider-Man, go! Leave!" she cried. "What are you doing? Go! Now!"
"Ah, Spider-Man. Lovely night, isn't it?"
Spider-Man turned to face his enemies. "I'm here now. Let her go."
"Not just yet. Venom, if you will, please untie her from the pole. Give her her cute little mask, as well."
"Mask?"
"Oh, that's right. She didn't tell you. Well, Diamond's been a lovely help to us, haven't you, Diamond?"
Jillian blushed and looked down at the floor. Spider-Man was frozen. "Diamond? You're Diamond? This entire time--you were playing me all along? You tricked me? Again?"
"Spider-Man, please. I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to get out of hand!"
"Venom, if you will, please dispose of the girl."
Dispose? Jillian screamed.
"No!" Spider-Man said, still standing between the two men. "No. I can't believe you lied to me, Jillian. Again. Ock, you got me now. Let her go."
"Spider-Man, please, I'm sorry!"
"Just go, Finch! Leave!"
Venom looked at Doctor Octopus for instruction, and he sighed. "Release her. There is nothing more she can do now." Jillian crunched the mask in her hand Jillian cried, feeling the ropes slide from her hands. She instantly ran up to Spider-Man. "Spidey, hey, hey, look--just swing out of here. Just go, right now! God, I'm sorry, Spider-Man."
Jillian knew that nothing more could be done. Spider-Man hated her. She had done it all. As she ran, she watched Doc Ock grab Spider-Man with three of his metal arms. She watched as a hero was beaten for amusement, and it was her fault. She ran out of the construction site, turned a corner, and then froze.
It was a mob scene! There were police officers and newsteams and reporters and anyone else you could imagine, snapping pictures and talking into microphones and shouting. It was utter chaos. But everything stopped when they saw Jillian. And Jillian had no idea what was going on. A police officer jumped over one of the barriers that were set up by the NYPD and held her arm.
"Miss, are you Jillian Finch? Are you the hostage?"
"Yes. I--I was. Spider-Man! Please, you have to help him! They'll kill him!"
"Doctor Octopus and Venom? What are they planning?"
Jillian shook free of his grasp. "There was no plan! They tricked me into thinking so! They used me! Spider-Man traded himself for my freedom! They would've kill me if he...oh my God...that's it. Spider-Man doesn't hate me! He saved my life! He acted like he hated me so they'd let me go...oh God! I have to help him!" As she tried to run back she was snatched again and brought behind the police line.
"Miss Finch, why don't you stay back here. There is nothing more that you can do, you're not a superhero."
"You don't need superpowers to be a hero." She said, quoting Tony Stark from his interview way back when things were simpler. When things weren't do dangerous and full of death.
"That's very touching, Miss Finch, but what could you do?"
She looked at the young man's face. She looked into his eyes. "I can try." And she took off. She ran into the crowd and vanished. "Wait! Stop her!" they cried. "We need her! Get her!"
But she could not be gotten. She could not be stopped. Not when Spider-Man was dying for her.
