Chapter 10

The Endless Chase

Weiss and 2099 continued to swing and hop from glyph to glyph to the next building.

2099 sighed. "You see, this is why I can't be a villain?" he said as he swung only slightly above traffic of fly cars as Weiss didn't want another traffic run-in.

"Because you're not insane and made yourself into some winged beast," Weiss stated.

"Well, that and I don't laugh at my own jokes."

"Of course," Weiss thought, struggling not to roll her eyes. However, …

"Don't make me regret asking."

2099 just chuckled, but suddenly he heard a cackle in the distance. "Did you—"

"I heard."

Two heroes quickened their speed of swinging and glyph- stepping. However, as they got close to the building, they heard a bomb go off and went even faster.

There was the Hobgoblin a few down guards.

"Looks like he got some Public eye officers on patrol," 2099 said. "Let's go."

2099 swung away and landed on the building before Weiss could. Weiss quickly swung her saber and slashed with a strong wind from it, sending the Hobgoblin back. Weiss stood her ground but also watched as 2099 examined him. The Spiderman of the future was lifting the man up by his head, only slightly, even holding his arm up scanning him.

"He has technology in his suit, and he's helping those men. If I remember that gameplay, the Public Eye does not have the cleanest hands, he's helping them?!" Weiss then felt her stomach her hurt. "Then again, our company hasn't been… so honest. Would he do the same for me… if he knew."

Weiss soon noticed something as she broke from her thoughts. Hobgoblin had recovered from her attack. He was flying… more like hovering. He was waiting.

"Now, you' be fine, just no illegal stuff. It's bad for your health," 2099 teased as the man groaned as almost as a response.

2099 quickly ran to Weiss' side and fighting position. "Nice of you to wait for me."

"I'm not the only one," Weiss added.

2099 looked at noticed what Weiss saw: The Hobgoblin was waiting. As crazy as he was, why was he waiting at a chance to kill them?

Before Weiss or 2099 could attack, suddenly, the electric door slides open, causing two to turn as more Public Eye men came out.

"I just warmed them up for you, partners," Hobgoblin announced. "You can handle the rest."

Weiss and 2099 looked shocked, but before they could object, Hobgoblin flew off cackling. The guards soon caught up to them. "They're working together! Open Fire!"

Weiss frowned, but she promptly grabbed 2099's arm, she then summoned a white and two jumped back much further, dodging the lasered bullets.

"Look, I'm not for to going to an uninvited party," 2099 as he and Weiss landed. "But we could provide them with some entertainment."

Weiss ignored the and nodded. "I'm left, your right."

2099 quickly took dodging the lasers. "That's nice of you to say."

Weiss rolled her eyes but held out her saber and sped to the left as the two entered the fight.

As Weiss sped forward, swung Myrtenaster and fire came from the tip and blasted one of the members of the Private Eye, who was thrown back.

"It's a kid!" one shouted.

"Doesn't matter! Shoot her!"

Rapid-fire lasers were shot at Weiss as she swiftly moved past some and blocked others with her saber. As near stopped, she pointed her saber down and stabbed into the ground. Ice came from the sword and froze one of the men's bottom half. The Private eye officer was stuck and shocked and stopped shooting, trying to figure out how to get out.

Weiss soon quickly pulled Myrtenaster and started blasting the shots. She finally held her saber out and as her blade glowed bright green. Weiss speed forward and then swung her saber as the wind came from the guard was thrown off by the wind. Weiss took this opportunity and flipped kicking the gun out of his hand and then stomach, sending him back.

The guard looked up, s Weiss standing, straight and tall in ballet-like position. He growled and looked to his team member, who still stuck and now shooting the ice. He then growled again, and the charged in ready to fight her. As he got closer, Weiss summoned a black glyph, and the man's fist was stuck to it. "Let me go! Let go, you, Freaker!"

Weiss frowned and gave an icy glare. She then spun around, causing him to spin. Weiss departed the black glyph, and the man went flying. The Public Eye stuck from the ice freed himself, only to have his team member come flying into him, and the two crashed on the ground and disappeared.

Weiss glared. "I am an Heiress, thank you very much." Weiss then though about it. "That sounded worse than I thought."

Two Public Eye members with shock sticks charged at him. 2099 quickly slide between the two, almost like in baseball. He then promptly stood up, shot a webline to a metal box. "Hey," 2099 yelled. The two turned only see metal box fly towards them and 2099 yell, "Peek-a-boo!"

The two screamed as they were hit and went flying back. "Aww," 2099 mocking whined. "You're supposed to say, "I see you." Eh, maybe next time."

Suddenly 2099's head started buzzing, "Wait, this is—"

"Got out of here, you Freaker!"

2099 turned, and the put his arms up in "x" shape, showing his spike and the shock stick landing on them. 2099 had never been more thankful that he had some shockproof in his suit.

"Go back where you belong!"

"Sorry," 2099 started. "I don't have my receipt!" 2099 quickly breaking the "X" form and grabbed the handle of the shock stick and, with his strength, threw the guard. The officer flew in the air, screaming. 2099 quickly jumped up. "Alley-oop!" He then performed two jump kicks sending the officer crashing him down to the ground, and the guard disappeared.

"Hey, if you ask again, I might have it."

Weiss quickly joined up with 2099 on the now-empty platform. "That maniac tricked us!"

2099 nodded and sighed. "Now, he's got the Public Eye on his side."

"It's pointless," Weiss interjected. "They only think we're his partners. They're after him too. He is still a target. He just added us for fun."

"Yep," 2099 agreed. "But the Public Eye slows us down. Cause we won't kill. He will." 2099 paused a then looked Weiss. "We—"

"Of course, no!" Weiss interrupted before he could even finish.

Before 2099 could say anything as else, there was an electric buzzing sound. The two turned to see another ship coming in. Weiss frowned. "I hate this day."

"Come on," 2099 yelled as he started to run. Weiss quickly followed as the two hurried into the building. By time Weiss made it in and turned back, the Private Eye were jumping out running towards them.

"Listen." Weiss quickly turned to the side, to see 2099 typing away on the keyboard futuristic and started swiping away images all at once. "When I say now, take one step back and do that little ice trick on the door.

"It's not a—" Weiss groaned as she stood ground with her sword ready. "Alright!"

"Permission to open fire, granted!"

"Spiderman!"

"Give me 3 seconds!"

"You have 1!"

"Fire!"

"NOW!"

The electric doors immediately the doors just as Private Eye started to fire their lasers. Weiss stepped back, formed a glyph, and stabbed Myrtenaster to ground. From that, ice appeared and covered the door. Suddenly the sound of sparks and alarms come only for a moment to turn off immediately, and all was quiet.

Weiss sighed as she pulled her sword out of the ground. 2099 walked over to Weiss. "Well, that was—"

"Don't say what I think you're going to say."

"I was going to say primal."

"…Oh."

2099 chuckled as he started to walk back over to the computer. "You thought I was going to say cool."

Weiss looked him with his eyebrow raised. "We're you?"

"Nah, it would be too easy."

Weiss sighed. "What are you doing?" She watched 2099 do what he did before when he was locking the door.

"I'm looking up Public Eye Reports of now and in the past."

"What are you looking for?" Weiss questioned.

"I'm looking to see how much the Public Eye wants us found along with Hobby. It will give us a better idea of how much they're involved together," 2099 explained. "Based on the way Hobby creamed those guys, not much."

Weiss frowned but put her sword on her side. "Still giving silly nicknames, yet he still was smart enough to figure out these complex things. I would say he's like Ruby, but she is a child… while only two years. She grows more. He doesn't act like the way he thinks. How can I trust someone so… confusing?"

"You don't like me much, do ya?"

Weiss was snapped out of her thoughts. 2099 was looking at her. "You always have that look on your face."

Weiss frowned and sighed. "Why do you act this way?"

2099 cleared his throat. "It could be a genetic-based or genetic environment based or—"

"No!" Weiss yelled. "This is exactly what I mean! I have a teammate who makes nothing but puns, but she is more serious than you. I have a leader who is younger than me and can be so childish but takes things more seriously than you. I've seen the gameplay."

"Gameplay?" 2099 questioned. "Wait! I'm a videogame! Wait! How far back is your dimension?!"

"Not. The. Point!" Weiss growled. "You caused this! And now we're here to fix your mess!"

2099 quickly shook his head and walked with arms out, trying to calm her down. "Hold on; just wait a minute. I never broke that tablet thing. It was the other me, I mean different me, I mean not even me, and it was an accident."

"You don't help it," Weiss said coldly. "You're his legacy, right?"

"Well, it's complicated—"

"Yes or no?" Weiss asked sharply, cutting him off.

It was silent for a moment as Weiss and 2099 stared at each other. Weiss wonder if he was going to answer. The more silence, the more what she was saying set in. Legacy? She didn't necessarily know the word herself, not entirely. So why was she questioning some else?

"Then yes, I am part of the Spider-Man legacy," 2099 finally answered, snapping Weiss back to her own words. She was surprised by the severe yet gentle tone. "But that legacy is to help those cause with this much power; it's our responsibility. But now, I am me. I'm not Peter Parker, his ancestor, or part of his line of passing it down. I hate to say it, but how I live up that legacy is up to me, for better or for worse." Weiss frowned her brow. "So can stop making that face at me. I'd do it to Hobby. He loved that or at least scare5 him."

Weiss groaned and turned away. "It's pointless. How can I trust the person who pushed me here? I don't know who I'm fighting with: a hero or a clown?!" Weiss walked down the hall, clicking her heels.

"Oh, wait at the exit," 2099 called out as if nothing happened. "Need to cover those loose ends." Weiss but chose not to answer.

As Weiss walked away, she felt confused and a twinge of shame. Yeah, she did not care for his methods. He acted like it was a joke or a game, yet he was intelligent and knew what he was doing. She didn't know if she could truly trust him. It was 2099 and other Spider-men, who were on the game case, and they were the ones to find the tablet fragments. Now, Ruby, her and the others, were forced help, or their dimension would shatter too. She took this in high regard despite the force, but him… it was as if a typical day. It just left her more confused and angrier.

"They say the most confused people are those who feel the most alone."

Weiss knew that voice and stopped inches from the door. "Please get out of my head, Madame Web."

"I am to help maintain order in this dimension and many others. I would like it if there was not so much distance between heroes who need to be partners."

"I can't work with him," Weiss said. "You've seen the way he is. He is…" Weiss groaned. "Frustrating!"

"And the bond between you and Ms. Rose?"

Wiess frowned. "That's different."

"Is it?"

Weiss stopped thinking and stood there with her own thoughts.

"Do not be deceived by age, attitude, or appearance just as the future may seem like a clear, simple path. It is not what you think or assume. That includes people, heroes, villains, and huntresses."

Weiss didn't answer… she wasn't wrong. Many people look at Schnee Dust Company, and they think of luck, money, and stable family life. Well, they are right about the money but no luck. Everything about that company was work and sacrifice… not always their own. It also never involved a stable life. Her life was far from being a happy life, even a stable, healthy life. Ruby was not all that she seemed when she first met, but she saw past that… why was it so hard with 2099?

"Hey!"

Weiss jumped and quickly turned with her weapon in hand. There stood 2099 with his hand up. "Oh, oh, oh, I know you're still mad, but uh, I liked to be hole-free. New goal for the week. It's a lot healthier."

Weiss sighed as she lowered her weapon. "Sorry," she stated quickly. "Anything?"

"Looks like the Public Eye is looking is looking for Hobby and us, but that's not the fun part."

Weiss raised her eyebrow. "Fun part?"

"The Public Eye was on the Hobgoblin for an hour before he started making us his favorite partners."

Weiss soon put two and two together. "He stole something enough for Public Eye to get involved?"

"See told you that was the fun part." 2009 promptly walked to the computer near the door and started typing on the tab as the door opened. "Let go before Hobby has all the fun."

Weiss rolled her eyes as she followed him. "You really need to think you need to change your definition of fun."

The two heroes walked down to the hall till they reached an electric door, however before 2099 could unlock it, the door slid open itself. Weiss quickly looked to 2099. 2099 promptly waved it off. "I turned off the alarms and code system. So, if the door should open for about anybody if not frozen."

Weiss nodded as she followed 2099 out the door. However, they were in an empty room with a large glass window blocking the way. Weiss frowned. "Perfect. A dead end."

2099 folded his arms. "Not exactly," he stated. "There are only two exits that lead to the outside balcony. And I'll bet they blocked both since well they didn't like being locked out. That and we are technically wanted criminals."

Weiss looked to the glass window. "So, we have to make our own ex—" Weiss stopped as she saw something zoom passed the window. "What was that?"

2099 quickly looked at the window. "What was it? Hobby?"

"No, something… smaller."

"Smaller? What's smaller…" 2099 trailed off. "Oh, boy."

"Oh, boy?" Weiss repeated.

"Good news, we'll get an exit. Bad news, my spider-sense is going, and you need to make a wall."

"What?!" Weiss, despite her shock, she took her rapier out and stabbed it to the ground and created an ice wall. Immediately there was an explosion that blew half of the ice wall. Suddenly they heard laughing that was all too familiar cackle. Weiss growled. "I've had enough of him!"

"Yeah," 2099, interjected. "When Public Eyes had enough of me, they send little drones, and I guess they've had enough of Hobby." Suddenly to pair of broken drones flew over the crushed ice wall and landed in front of them. "And Hobby hates them. It's an endless game."

Weiss stomped out from behind the ice as 2099 followed. "I'm done with this game." Weiss quickly summoned her glyphs. "Come on!" She then jumped on and started to go through the air to the next building.

2099 whistled, impressed as he watched her. "Well, better Hobby than me," he then shot webline and swung out but added, "But if I don't go ahead, she's going be mad about getting lost."

2099 and Weiss swung through the city but somehow lost Hobby and the Public Eye. That would be a good thing if one of them dropped the tablet…

2099 and Weiss finally landed on a platform of a different building. "How could we lose him?!"

2099 folded his arms. "Hobby is insane, but he's no idiot. He doesn't want us around. Don't understand why? I can be quite charming."

Weiss scoffed. "Now, that's funny."

2099 quickly waved it off. "Hey, it can't get worse!"

Suddenly, the electric slide doors opened, and a large man in Public Eye Uniform came up holding a large-sized grenade launcher. 2099 groaned. "Oh, shock me."

"Take this, freakers!" The man then quickly fired some sonic blasts from the large gun. Weiss and 2099 promptly moved out of the way. However, the man seemed more concerned with shooting Spiderman 2099. Nevertheless, Weiss saw the speed of 2099. She could almost not keep up, and neither could the shooter, and this gave her an idea.

"Can't track! He's too fast!" he yelled aloud.

"I've got it," Weiss yelled.

2099 seemed to notice. "Weiss!"

"I've got it! Just keep going!"

2099 would answer, but his spider-sense went off a dodged another blast. Weiss quickly held Myrtenaster and turned her load to lightning. Soon under her glyph looking like an old-fashioned timer. Suddenly everything seemed to slow down, but oddly enough, 2099 was at an average speed. 2099 seemed to notice. "How?" he asked while moving away from the slow-motion blast.

"It's part of my semblance," Weiss said quickly. "We don't have much time. I'll attack you dodge."

2099 saluted. "Got it. It's one of my hobbies."

Weiss rolled her eyes but quickly started to summon white glyphs. Immediately she sped off to the large-armored man with the blaster. Weiss aligned her fingers across the blade, and it turned red. As soon as she got close, she slashed the man causing him to stumble back. Soon pointed her saber to the ground, and blue colored glyph appeared under him. The man's body was frozen. She soon turned red again as she pointed her saber at the man again, and a fireball began to form. She shot it off and hit the man and blast him to the ground. He began to vanish. Just as he did, Weiss "timed glyph" started to wear off.

2099 shook his head. "Oh, that was a trip." He then went to check on Weiss. "What did you do? Not a lot of people can match the speed. I mean, even I got to focus on getting that much speed."

Weiss looked to him. "It's part of my semblance. My semblance is genetic and can do… a lot of things."

2099 chuckled and then showed Weiss his claws. "These are genetic too. See, we do have something in common."

"Genetic? Wait I don't—"

"INCOMING

"GET DOWN!"

Before Weiss could respond, 2099 tackled her to the ground.

Bang! The explosion went off, and glass shards flew everywhere, and then the was laugh was heard.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Please, get off."

2099 rolled off her, and the two looked up as Weiss was started to recover as Hobgoblin flew up the damaged elevator shaft.

Weiss growled as she stood up. "What is he after?!"

2099 sighed. "Not sure yet. He still has that fragment, and I think that's why he was even crazier, but something's not right. How did he know what that tablet can do?"

Weiss frowned. Again, he was right. That wacko even mentioned he would use it to tear the world apart. But now… "We better hurry." Weiss and 2099 quickly went to look up the elevator shaft. Suddenly Weiss was pushed back. "Hey!"

2099 jumped and attached himself to the wall. He immediately shot webline jump as the flaming elevator came crashing down, catching it. Weiss jumped back in shock. "Well," 2099 started. "I think the elevators need a little repair."

Weiss shook off her initial shock. "What does it look like up there?"

2099 looked up. "Ah, twisted glass with a chance of flames," he then looked back at Weiss. He soon noticed that Weiss was looking puzzled and was thinking as she was looking at the building. "That's right," 2099 thought. "Those glyphs she mentioned might not be able to twist like that."

"Climb on." 2099 said, breaking Weiss out her thoughts.

"I—"

"We got to hurry. I'll tip you later."

Weiss sighed. He was right. They needed to go, and it would be difficult for her to use her glyphs, especially it is flaming, and it was too destroyed for any basic predictions. Weiss quickly ran to 2099 and carefully climbed on 2099's back.

"Alright," 2099 said as he adjusted Weiss on his back. "Up, we got."

As 2099 started, Weiss couldn't help but think: "This does not help the nickname: princess. At all.

Weiss and 2099 finally jumped off the mostly destroyed elevator shaft. The two looked around to see the room was empty. "Now," 2099, pondered aloud. "It was a crazy guy with nanofiber wings where would I—"

"That way," Weiss said, gaining 2099 attention, seeing her point to the destroyed the electric doorway."

"Huh, told ya he wasn't funny."

"I know, but I was talking about both of you. Come on."

Weiss and 2099 ran through the door, to see a large gap and Hobgoblin at the end, but quickly flew through the door. 2099 quickly shot a webline and swung across as Weiss used her glyphs to get across; however, as soon as they landed, the door opened, low and behold, more Public Eye.

2099 quickly stood up in a fighting position as Weiss stood. "Now, get ready, you are all about to become speechless."

Weiss turned her lock system to a clear white and pointed Myrtenaster, and out of the tip, and the wind came out blew the Public Eye members back. Before any of the could react again, two of the were suddenly wrapped together with a webline. "Alright," 2099 taunted and soon started to spin the two around. "Round and round and round they go where they stop—" 2099 then let go causing the two to fly into three more men and vanish. "Huh, I knew."

Two men stood there, one with a shield and another with a blaster. "Don't let freakers breakthrough!"

Weiss quickly sped past on her glyphs as she dodged the blasts but sped towards the man with the shield. The man pushed back with swift instinct; Weiss summoned another white glyph and bounced off the shield. As she was in the air, she spun her body and her lock system to red. As she spun, the flames became to fly. The man with the shield and blocked the flames but the man with the blaster got hit, fell to the ground and then vanished. As soon as Weiss landed, she faced the man with the shield again with her sword pointed. The man with the shield growled and charged but for some reason couldn't move. He looked down and say a black glyph underneath him and when he looked up, he saw a smirking Weiss. Before he could say a word, he was soon blasted back, he slammed down to the ground and then vanished.

"See," Weiss turned back to see 2099 walking up to her. "We left them speechless."

Before Weiss could respond, there was a small beep. Weiss quickly looked around. "Hold on Snow Angel," 2099 quipped as he held up his forearm.

"Hey."

"You don't like that one?"

"No. I don't. What's the beep?"

A small screen suddenly appeared above his forearm. "Remember when I was searching for anything that was blasted in the system."

"Blasted?"

"Oh uh, blasted, means posted. Though that is 2030 phrase, I'm a bit of an oldie."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Yes, I remember."

"Well, I didn't keep a link to hack cause that's just rude," 2099 dialed a few numbers on the screen. "I did keep a small connection to alert me of any new movements."

"New movements?" Wiess questioned.

"Yes and no. There's a door open but it's offline and sometime type of heat signature."

Weiss raised her eyebrow. "What's it's doing?"

Spiderman taped again on the screen. "Oh, shock me."

"What?"

"Well, he's crazy and has big wings. I'm the last one who should call anyone a freak. But that guy is a freak."

Weiss realized what he meant. Weiss instantly stomped her foot. "He has been trying to lose us," Weiss shouted. "Playing with us."

2099's screen disappeared as lowered his arm. "Yep, to be honest, I don't like this game especially with that fragment."

Weiss spun her lock system on Myrtenaster and gripped her handle. "And I want to end it. Now. Let's get him."

2099 nodded. "Who am I to question a lady especially a really angry one." He and Weiss soon started to run through the next door.

The huntress and Spiderman ran into the next room. The two looked around the room and was empty and that alone was suspicious.

Then the two finally looked forward. There he was, the Hobgoblin leaning against the open electric door, most likely deactivated. He also had a smirk that both Weiss and 2099 grew to hate.

Weiss held up her saber and pointed it to him. "I suggest," Weiss started. "That if you want to play this stupid game. now, that I will win and I will take the fragment back."

Hobgoblin chuckled. "We only just started."

2099 glared at him for a moment. "You're not the other Goblin I fought," 2099 stated. Weiss slightly turned to him, still trying to keep her attention on the Hobgoblin. "No, she had a plan to have me arrested because she thought I worked for Public Eye. You… you want Public eye to arrest me. You're not copying her M.O. You just want us out of your way."

Hobgoblin slowly got off the wall and just smirked. "Who are you? Where'd you come from?"

Hobgoblin then stood up straight and just smirked. "Not yet, Spidey, Ice Queen. Why spoil the mystery?"

Before the two could respond, Hobgoblin quickly threw another pumpkin bomb. Weiss quickly held up her saber and a wind tunnel as the bomb caught in it. Weiss quickly slashed her sword and guided the bomb in a different direction and it soon exploded.

As the two heroes turned back, Hobgoblin was out the door and ready to jump off. "Stop him!" Weiss yelled.

Instantly the two ran, only for the Hobgoblin to jump off the edge into the city. 2099 turned to Weiss. "Ready to end this endless chase."

Weiss smirked. "Please."

The two jumped down falling after Hobgoblin, into another chase.

A/N: NO, I AM DEAD OR ABANDONING THIS STORY. It's just that life is hard and writing with school work is hard. As well as, balancing this character arc without going too far into it. So in short: I'm fine, the stories fine, and life is evening out. So till next time BYE-NEE!