"Menace. Threat. Criminal." Jamesith said as he was going over some photos Paul handed in of him and the others. Paul was getting annoyed with his opinions.

"Mr. Jamesith, how can you keep saying stuff about Spider-Man and the others?" Paul said.

"Simple. It's because they are until someone actually proves me wrong." Jamesith said. "Take this Blite chick for example. She was once part of the Rainbow Gang. I'm suppose to believe that she's gone straight in just a snap? There's also this Venom. He terrorized others and now he's helping? Yeah right."

"They saved lives." Paul said.

"From problems they started." Jamesith said. Paul really didn't know what to do to have him see how wrong he is about himself and the others. They heard the door open and saw Dennis come in.

"Mr. Jamesith, I have that latest news piece you wanted and one of the finalists." Dennis said.

"Great. Send her in." Jamesith said. Dennis opened up the door, but was surprised to see Monica.

"Paul!" Monica said.

"Monica? What are you doing here?" Paul asked.

"You two know each other?" Jamesith asked.

"We go to Midtown together. In fact, she lives right next door to me." Paul said. "What's going on?"

"I thought you knew since you work here." Monica said as she and a file to Mr. Jamesith. "The Daily Bugle has been running a contest and I entered. I'm already one of the finalists."

"Yes. Your friend here has a real future in journalism." Jamesith said. "Miss Whitney, I've been pleased with your little projects so far, but for me to declare you the winner, I'm going to need you get me a real in-depth video of a serious subject."

"You got it, Mr. Jamesith." Monica said and left the room with Paul following her.

"So what is this contest?" Paul asked.

"The Daily Bugle started this contest a while back." Monica said. "Winner get a decent amount of cash money and has their story published in the actual news. This could be a big help in my career as a future reporter. It could really show if I have what it takes."

"So what is this big story of yours going to be about?" Paul asked.

"The only thing I know that can appeal to Mr. Jamesith. A story of the one and only Spider-Man." Monica said. When Paul heard that part, he knew that this was going to be trouble one way or the other.

….

Reserved Waters

Paul went straight to Peter about this matter. He wasn't quite sure on what to do and he was hoping Peter would have the answers like usual.

"I want to be able to help Monica, but what if she finds out my secret identity?" Paul said as he paced around the room.

"Paul, start by calming down. Have some tea to settle your nerves." Peter said.

"Peter, I don't know what I should do about this." Paul said. "I want to help Monica, but I would be taking a big risk. Monica's smart. She might be able to figure me out. On bright side, she could actually convince Mr. Jamesith that I'm not a bad guy."

"I get that it might be hard having a friend who could be a future reporter." Peter said. "You are taking a risk, but you just need to decide if helping your friend is really worth it. Do you really trust her enough as to how she'll handle what you give her?" That was a good question that he never really thought of. It's almost similar to sharing his secret identity. Does he really trust Monica that much?

Monica

Monica was roaming around the city with a camera trying to find Spider-Man for her project. If she's going to win the contest, she needs an actual interview with Spider-Man.

"Maybe I'm kidding myself." Monica said. "I want to help show that Spider-Man is a hero, but why would he answer some of my questions."

"You might be surprised." Monica turned around and was met with Spider-Man hanging upside down.

"Spider-Man?! I can't believe you're right here." Monica said.

"I heard you were looking for me. You want a few answered questions about me?" Paul said. "I guess I don't really seem the harm in it as long as I'm careful. Let's go." He held out his hand for her and Monica took it with both of them being pulled up. They went up to the roof for some privacy.

"How did you even know I was doing this?" Monica asked.

"I've got eyes and ears all around." Paul said as he took her camera and held it towards her and started recording. "So what made you decide to be a reporter?"

"I also want to be an actress." Monica said. "I guess I just want to really send a message out there while trying to feel like I'm something big or special. Show that big dreams are really possible. Wait. I'm suppose to be interviewing you." She took her camera back and aimed it at him. "So why are you helping me with this?"

"It would be nice for some media to see I'm not some sort of menace." Paul said. "Let me show you something really fun." He grabbed a hold of her and swung into the air with Monica feeling like she's on a thrill ride until they landed on another building.

"Wow! That's amazing! How do you handle that every day?" Monica said.

"It's always incredible the first time, but it grows on you." Paul said.

"Hang on. Your voice seems very familiar." Monica said. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Uh….yeah. I actually saved you a few times. Remember?" Paul said.

"Not what I meant." Monica said. "Is there any chance you'll give an amateur like me the ultimate scoop and take off your mask?" She reached for it, but Paul pushed her hand out of the way.

"Don't push your luck. There are somethings I have to keep personal and private." Paul said.

"So why do you wear the mask? I mean the only reason Mr. Jamesith gives you such a hard time is because you wear one." Monica said. "He seems to have a hard time trusting you because of it."

"I've got to." Paul said. "I have people in my normal life that I care about. I hate that I would have to lie to some good people in it, but if my enemies ever learned who I am, it could cause those people to become targets."

"So you're just trying to protect them." Monica said.

"Exactly." Paul said.

"One more thing. People say you've been around for years, even before I was born." Monica said. "How old are you exactly?"

"Uh….." Paul wasn't sure how to answer that, but he was saved by the bell…..or rather the explosion as one went off. Monica and Paul looked down the street and saw smoke.

"I think that's near a bank." Monica said. "I don't suppose you're going to take me with you so I can get an action scene?"

"It would be for your own safety, but this contest seems real important to you. I'll just have to make sure you're in a safe place." Paul said as he grabbed a hold of her and swung towards the bank. Paul swung over to another building and placed Monica there as they saw the Raptor Squad stepping out with some of the cash.

"The bird heads again? They never learn. Stay here." Paul said and dived down. Paul swung over to the bank and the Raptor Squad noticed him.

"Spider-Man? How are you always at the wrong place at the wrong time?" Eagle said.

"I don't know. Isn't pulling a bank robbery a little beneath you?" Paul said. "Just when you think you guys couldn't sink any lower."

"Les talking. Let's just get right to the fun part." Hawk said and flew right at Paul as he grabbed a hold of and tackled him into a wall. He tried to hit him, but Paul caught his fist and shoved him off.

"Eagle, take the loot and go. We'll take care of Spider-Man." Owl said and flew at him to join Hawk. Eagle grabbed as much as he could to fly off with. Owl flew right at Paul, but Paul rolled under her and kicked her right under the gut. Hawk tried using his wings against Paul, but Paul jumped over and kicked him right in the head. As they were fighting, Eagle flew over and Monica was close by. Monica decided to follow him. She carefully made her way down a fire escape and tried to keep the camera on Eagle.

"Let's see." Eagle said. "I'll have to grab the other loot and we can hit our other targets. Jewelry store for Owl. Grab some rare and valuable treasures from the museum. Even a couple clothing stores to get some new clothes." As he was going over their heist plans, Monica was catching it all on film. However, she accidently hit a pipe as it bounced off against the stairs and alerted him of her presence.

"Who leaves a pipe on a fire escape?" Monica said. Eagle flew over to her and grabbed a hold of her. Paul continued to fight off the other two. He shot a web on Hawk and was spinning him around to cause him to crash against Owl.

"How long do you two want to continue this dance?" Paul asked.

"This little dance is over." Eagle said and got Paul's attention. When he looked up, he was a little frightened as he saw Eagle had Monica and held her in the air. "Don't try anything or she gets it."

"Put her down now." Paul said. Hawk and Owl took the opportunity to strike him in the back and slammed him against a wall.

"Grab the money and let's get out of here." Eagle said. The other two did what he said and the three of them flew off with Monica as their hostage.

The Raptor Squad

The Raptor Squad retreated to a warehouse near the harbor to hideout for the moment. They were keeping the stolen cash there as well as Monica. They had her arms chained to a support beam with her camera on a table. Eagle walked over to her with a cocky grin on his face.

"So are you still in high school or did you already graduate?" Eagle asked.

"Eew. Creepy. Why would you even ask that?" Monica said.

"I don't understand. Why did you grab her as well?" Owl asked.

"I had to. Her camera actually caught me planning. She would have given it to the police and ruined everything." Eagle said.

"Good thing you did. Perhaps we can use the stolen cash to buy an actual lair for us to use." Hawk said. While they were planning, Paul was able to track them down thanks to Peter and snuck inside.

"This is all my fault." Paul whispered. "I knew agreeing to be interviewed by Monica would be a bad idea. Now she got caught because of me."

"Don't be so hard on yourself." Peter said. "This coming from the guy who puts a lot of blame on himself. We've both did some crazy stuff for a girl. I remember I tried to be a wrestler to win a car to impress my wife before she even became my girl."

"Are you seriously reminiscing at a time like this?" Paul said.

"Sorry. My point is that you were trying to do something because of her and it backfired. It happens." Peter said.

"Yeah, but I got her into this. I'm getting her out." Paul said. "They just better not have hurt her or else there's going to be real problems."

"Ooh. Am I sensing a little strong feelings there?" Peter said.

"Are you….oops. Too loud." Paul said as he covered his mouth. He looked down and they all spotted him.

"Spider-Man?! Again?! Why do you always show up like this? Do you have some sort of spider sense or something?" Eagle said.

"Funny you should say that." Paul said. He didn't get the chance to explain that because Owl flew right at him. Paul jumped out of the way as she sliced right through the beams. Paul landed on the ground as Hawk flew right at him. Paul flipped back and drove his feet right under Hawk's chin. Eagle tried himself, but Paul jumped and used Eagle like a springboard and went over to Monica. "Hang on. I'm getting you out of here."

"Behind you!" Monica said. Paul turned around, but he was tackled by Eagle. They both slammed against a table and Eagle had Paul pinned down. Eagle was about to impale him with his wing, but Paul grabbed the table and used it like a shield and pushed him away. Paul wanted to get Monica out of the warehouse. He reached her and tried to pull off the chains.

"I got him." Owl said as she flew down at them, but Paul got an idea. He shot a web and pulled Owl towards them.

"Hold still." Paul told Monica. Paul used Owl's wing and had it slice right through the chains and got Monica free. Paul spun around and tossed Owl away. "You okay?"

"I think so." Monica said.

"Spider-Man won't be." Hawk said as he flew over at them. He tried to slice him in two, but both of them moved out of the way as he sliced against the beam. Paul slammed Hawk against it the beam a few times and tossed him to the side.

"That's it, Spider-Man." Eagle said as he got his wing freed from the table. "You're done for." He flew at Paul, but Paul jumped and landed right on his back as Eagle continue to fly around. "What are you doing? I'm not a carnival ride."

"Really? You sure look like you work at one." Paul said. Paul shot some webbing in his eyes and blinded him.

"You idiot. I can't see." Eagle said.

"I can help with that." Paul said as he connected a couple webs to him and helped him steer. He steered Eagle right into the beam again and knocked him down. However, the impact caused the whole beam to shift and the whole structure was starting to come undone.

"This place is so old that it couldn't handle all the fighting. This place could come down around our heads." Monica said.

"Your heads. Perhaps." Owl said as she lifted Eagle up. "Hawk, get up. Let's get out of here."

"I don't think so." Paul said as he shot a few webs and pulled their wings right off. He shot another few webs to hold onto them. "Monica grab onto me." Monica did just what he asked. He jumped up and swung through the building with the Raptor Squad dragged with them. He smashed through a window and all of them made it out just as part of the warehouse came undone.

"Wow. Thanks for the save." Hawk said, but he was met with some webbing as he and the rest of them were webbed to the ground.

"That should hold them down until the police come." Paul said.

"Too bad you couldn't grab my camera." Monica said.

"You mean this?" Paul said as he showed he was able to grab her camera during the fight.

"You saved it?" Monica said as she was happy about it when she grabbed it. "Aren't you worried how Jamesith might use the footage?"

"I am since it was my fault you got caught up in this mess, but you're a pretty cool girl." Paul said. "I trust you." Monica was so happy about this that she actually hugged him.

"I won't let you down." Monica said as she took off.

"I know you won't." Paul said as he truly did have a lot of trust in Monica.

Monica

"Risking his life, fighting injustice, and keeping himself to protect those closest to him. That is what makes Spider-Man a real hero. This has been Monica Whitney." Monica said in a video. Paul and Monica watched the whole thing at her house and she looked well on it.

"I can't believe you didn't win." Paul said. "You looked so professional in this."

"Can't win if I don't submit it. Jamesith would just use whatever I had to make Spider-Man look like a menace and not the hero he really is." Monica said. "At least I got to post this online and share it with the rest of the world." Both of them heard a knock on the door. Monica opened it up and saw it was a delivery man.

"Delivery for Monica Whitney." The man said. Monica signed for it and took the package.

"It's from the Daily Bugle." Monica said. She opened the package and saw it was a brand new video camera and there was already a video on it. Monica pressed play and they both listened to it to see it was Mr. Jamesith.

"Miss Monica Whitney, I was actually sad that you didn't submit your report." Jamesith said. "As a consolation prize, I would like you to have this. I'm looking forward to the day you become a reporter and decide to work for the Daily Bugle."

"Wow. I can't believe he actually did that." Paul said.

"You're telling me." Monica said as she tried out the camera. "This is so cool and I have Spider-Man to thank for this. I just wish I knew who he was so I can thank him and tell him how much it meant that he put so much trust and faith in me."

"I think he might know." Paul said with a grin. Monica might not have won the contest and not learned who Spider-Man is, but if she aims to be the kind of reporter she wants, Paul just might trust her enough to help with that.