Author's Note: I'm back everyone. Sorry this chapter took a long time. Given everything that's going on, everything takes a while to move on. I hope you like this one. This one has some surprises! It's a big one. A lot of you who may read this are probably going to keep asking me when the next chapter is going to come up. But I exaggerate. Apologies. Just read and see for yourselves! Enjoy!
Union Episode Nine
"We have former Maggia members here. Another majority here are Enforcers. Former members of the Hand here as well. Now that you are acquainted. Here's a recap of recent events. A gang member who shall unfortunately remain nameless was someone who infiltrated the hideout and divulged the whereabouts of said hideout as well leading to the capture of several critical gang members and divulged which bank was to be hit as well. Which is why these headquarters will have to do."
"We cannot afford the proper luxuries yet. I understand." Sable gave a nod.
"So let us speak of the matter at hand instead. As of this moment, Felicia Hardy. The Black Cat has once again...vanished."
"She was probably the one who deceived us!" Joseph Martello pointed out.
"No." Martin Li shook his head. "She gave us the money. What was the point of deceiving if you're not getting anything out of it? She's gone."
"For now." Sable added. "Now, I prefer to talk about...another matter. One that occurred at my business." Sable said with the anger starting to show while looking around at every single man seated.
"You must understand why we initiated the heist." A man named Luchino Nefaria said.
"To get my attention." Sable nodded and spoke indifferently. She remembered quite clearly that they had broken into Silver International to steal a key to her father's vault. "Congratulations, you succeeded."
"It was also to get some form of income. We've fallen through hard times. Felicia Hardy did provide a good idea."
"And yet we welcome you in with open arms. But believe me. Most of us, if not all of us, have our doubts about you."
"Do you now?" Sable smirked.
"This is your family's money we have, Miss Sablinova." Martin Li said.
"I understand that." Sable said automatically.
"Is that what made you decide to come back? To make sure your father's money stays your 'father's money'?" Luchino asked, letting his suspicion grow.
"That's not true, is it. Ms...Manfredi?" Li chuckled.
Sable glared at Martin Li for having him say a name she was not to fond of.
"You're not actually here to try to manipulate us in an attempt to reclaim the money?" Li finished.
"Actually I came to make sure whether or not the money Felicia Hardy stole for you all...is...really...money." she smirked.
Many men around the table frowned by that statement.
"What are you implying?"
"Bring a bill out here and I will show you."
From off to the side, a henchman produced a one hundred dollar bill and gave it to Sable. Taking out a lighter, she lit it and placed the tip of the bill in the flame. Sparks flickered and sputtered.
"It's counterfeit." the man said in dismay.
Sable gave a triumphant smile. "My father never trusted anyone. Even his most closest friends. He knew someone would eventually come and take his fortune."
"So the money is...?"
"Still in a top security vault at the bank. Now...that I know the money remains counterfeit...I guess I can stay awhile."
"You'll pay for your father's treachery!"
"I don't think so."
Out of the shadows behind every single thug, gangmember and crime boss were dozens of highly-trained, armored mercenaries with their rifles aimed. Not one person in the syndicate had the opportunity to take out his weapon. So they didn't bother. They were all defenseless.
"The sins of the father...are all I have to deal with. For that, I must always come prepared." Sable stated.
"You want the real thing?" Sable said. "You'll get it. Provided you do a few things..."
The cover of darkness was a useful tool that the night provided for anyone and anything.
He was less than a shadow but deep down was much more and he deserved to breathe again. It was time. Something or rather someone stirred his curiosity.
In the lake, the demon slithered his way over to the dead body underwater. He had only moments before it was truly discovered.
The corpse was still fresh. He had just died not too long ago.
The man Kulah Gath was no more. The demon took over and relished the feeling of a heart, lungs, kidneys, blood and bone. To think was also a delight.
He cackled slowly. "I think...therefore I am!" he said as he rose out of the water.
Dawn almost broke and soon workers, nurses and doctors would come in for their daily work at the city hospital. So far, only a few janitors came in. Felicia had only a moment and so she had to make it count.
The person of interest continued to sleep soundly.
"Hey, cutie-pie. So..." she paused trying to take it all in properly. "...you're alive..." she said after she snuck in and successfully got to his room and checking the door and window every once in a while to make sure no one saw her.
She had sat down right next to Peter where he slept and spoke as low as she could. The heart monitor and life support systems lazily beeped their assurance that Peter was somewhat healthy and stable.
"Coma. But still alive. Very, very impressive. As always. You survived what should have killed an ordinary person immediately. Congratulations. My God, you just don't know when to quit, do you? I was right. Like I told Watson, you have a lot of heart and it is that unique characteristic which always let you get away from me." she said getting close to his right side where his face was placed.
There was no response from Peter. His eyes were still closed and breathed silently.
Felicia spoke in a whisper. "This didn't need to be like this...you should have joined me. We're one. You and I. I said before that I am your soulmate. But you turned me down. Rejected me. That made me so angry. Who...do you think you are?! I do not let anyone who's wronged me get away with it. Do you understand? I never lost against anyone. No man or woman has! Except you and Watson. How will I ever be better? As long as you're alive, I get worse."
"I..." Felicia gently grasped his chin and pulled his lifeless sleeping face closer to her. Her forehead almost pressed his. "...can kill you right now with my bare hands but it pisses me off knowing it wouldn't be an honorable kill. Or I can leave this city like I told Watson. I kissed her by the way...somehow, she has quite the mouth. I think I may be taking an interest. Wow...imagine how you'd take that response if you were awake. And yet...there's also this part of me..." she whispered breathlessly. "...that still longs for you. Craves for you. Yearns for you. I still drown in you, Spider-Man. Peter Parker. Seems like I...have a decision to make." she said kissing his cheek softly and placed his head back on the pillow gently.
Felicia stood up now, ready to leave.
"I'll let you be. I just came by to see you and...probably will again. Later on today...I'll decide if I want to come back and...I don't know...it's probably best if I don't tell you." she shrugged and went to the window but before she got out, Felicia gave another look to Peter's sleeping form.
"You keep winning..." she muttered and shook her head in annoyance. Felicia then jumped out.
"In light of recent events. We're interrogating every single one of you to find out where you were the day the police came in and discovered the whereabouts to the underworld and of the bank heist. We feel there is a traitor in our midst. Questions will be asked so please be honest. Obviously, if we find any inconsistencies in the story that you lay out with, punishment will be carried out. The same goes to anyone who does not comply with our interrogation. What kind of punishment, you might wonder, well let's just say we have a very active imagination." Martin Li had said and the process had begun with everyone participating.
Sable meanwhile, didn't seem to flinch when she walked by a locked door where screaming from a man went. Came. and ended. A single shot from a gun had followed.
The girl was next after the tenth, a big man in a tank top, checked out, albeit with a cold sweat. Sable saw the newcomer had tattoos on her arms and shoulders. She also had her hair in a ponytail. She looked worried.
Sable along with Luchino and Martin Li sat across from the timid gang member.
"Nervous?"
"A little..."
"Good. It means you are aware that this is a serious matter." Martin Li spoke.
"Let's start with the obvious, which shouldn't be too hard. Where were you the day Felicia took her team to the bank?"
"I was just hanging around here in that building we used to be in down at the dock. Not doing anything."
"Not doing anything?" Luchino repeated.
"OK! OK! I...was smoking weed. A guy gave me some. That's all."
"And?" Sable asked.
"We slept together..." she said rather embarrassed.
"And you saw no one who was acting suspicious throughout?" Sable asked.
"No..." she shook her head.
"What about Felicia Hardy herself? Did she give any indication that she no longer wanted to be part of the underworld?"
"Look, I'm just a nobody. I don't know anything. Nobody tells me anything. I just participate in a life of crime because my other job doesn't pay very well. I'm a model, OK? But there are other prettier girls who get paid more there. Mainly this other one girl...Mary-Jane Watson. God, I hate her."
"You know Mary-Jane Watson?" Sable frowned.
"Only from a distance."
"What's your name, Miss?"
"Paige...Paige Adams. And I'm just a random model who doesn't get paid well even from online." she added that with a slump.
"Your pictures are also sent online?" Sable frowned. "I mean of course, they are at times to promote clothing wear. But why is that aspect having you upset?"
"Lately, I've found out there's been another way. A horrible way. A way that I can't talk to anyone about or he'd do something bad to me! That's why once I saved up enough money, I'm leaving that awful place! Jonathan, our trigger-happy boss...came up with this idea of how to make the company make more money if our photos were...upgraded somehow. Jack, his assistant told me he'd do something bad to anyone who finds out."
"Explain." Sable frowned.
"This is not even relevant, Miss Sablinova!" Luchino cried.
"I agree!" Martin Li said.
"I said explain..." Sable ignored the men and remained focused on Paige.
Mary-Jane sat on a bench at the park. The same park where Peter and she used to go and hang out. Everything around her seem to be flourishing with life. The sun was out and the sky was a clear cut blue but it still didn't make her happy. Only Peter did. Sullen was truly her current state and it didn't seem to go away anytime soon.
"So this is where I find you." a voice called out.
Mary-Jane looked up to see Eddie Brock standing in front of her.
"Hey." he said.
"This is getting to be a small city, alright." Mary-Jane muttered. She really didn't want to speak to anyone.
"I guess I'll take that as a 'happy to see you too'." Eddie said sitting down next to her and giving her a small coffee.
"Sure why not?" Mary-Jane shrugged.
"Still bummed huh? Peter's not awake yet, is he?"
"No." she said rather angrily.
"I know it sucks not having him around but...even I know he'd want you to be a bit more lively."
"And you know that huh?" she muttered.
"You'd be surprised."
Mary-Jane didn't seem impressed.
"So what happened the other night?" he asked.
"You tell me." Mary-Jane said.
Eddie gave a weary sigh. "Cletus Kasady is back."
"What?!" Mary-Jane was alarmed.
"Yeah and I almost took him down but...he escaped."
"Great. More good news." Mary-Jane muttered. "To add insult to injury, Felicia escaped too. She uhh...it's not important."
"What you say is always important." Eddie said.
"She...kissed me."
"Huh?! Is this you kidding around right now? Really? I mean, not that I wouldn't love to see that happen-" Eddie stopped when Mary-Jane gave him a deadly look.
"Sorry." he then cleared his throat. "So it was spur of the moment?"
"Pretty much."
"Well, seems like she's nuts."
"Oh...yeah." Mary-Jane said nodding. "That I got."
"Or that maybe she's taking an interest in you?"
Mary-Jane gave Eddie an appalling stare.
"Hey, it's the 21st century. Some people don't have a preference these days!" Eddie smiled sheepishly. "If you liked it, cool. They say 'different strokes for different folks'..." he shrugged.
"You scare me more now than in your other form! You know that?" she said in both awe and disgust.
Eddie gave a slight chuckle. "OK, sorry. I know I'm trying to get the hang of this whole serious talk, so here's my opinion, maybe she didn't do it as a distraction. Maybe given everything that's happened. She's overwhelmed. She can't beat the two of you. You and Peter. For that, she admires you."
"That doesn't make any sense at all." Mary-Jane said.
"In order to overcome something. To accept something. You have to appreciate it. Admire it. But who knows? Maybe I'm wrong. Nobody knows what the future will bring. Me...I wish my life would have been different."
"That makes two of us." she managed to say. "I'll give you credit. You're changing for the better. Hopefully it lasts."
"Well...they say nothing lasts forever, right? But I guess we'll just wait and see."
Through his purple visor which was a part of his helmet, he could see that the man was still no more a threat.
They pulled the man by his arms. His legs dragged on the floor. The bag on his head had blood stains on the outside of it. The men pulled him at the end of the hallway where the door was. Inside the small cell, Sable had waited ostensibly. But she seemed to be satisfied when she saw the man in the center. The bag had been pulled off.
"Nice move. No one has ever caught me before..." Foreigner now bloodied and beaten, managed to say.
"There's always a first time for everything." Sable said.
"I guess so."
"Seems like you're not as strong as you thought..." Sable said standing close to him and looking down at him.
Foreigner gave a scoff. "Gloating is for the weak!" he shouted at her.
"I'm looking at a weak man right now! How was the flight by the way?"
"Entertaining, thank you." The foreigner muttered.
"Good...wouldn't want you to suffer a lot. This is all for what you've done."
Sable smiled and turned to face the mercenary.
"Thank you, Paladin." she nodded and gave her a briefcase containing the money.
"How'd you find me?" Foreigner asked Sable.
"I didn't. Although you do have some former acquaintances here in the underworld. They have fond memories of you."
The Foreigner took a glance to Luchino who gloated with a smile.
"It was you, wasn't it?" Foreigner said angrily.
"No hard feelings. I just want to get paid." he shrugged.
"You'll die one day believe me on that."
"Ooh wow...my feelings are broken."
"It is sad in a way that you never got what you wanted." Sable sneered.
"You don't even know 'what' I wanted..." Foreigner whispered. "What 'our' people wanted."
Sable made no remark against that.
"So what now? You have me. What do you want to do to me?" Foreigner asked tiredly.
Sable slowly took out a pistol from her holster.
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised." he gave a scoff and cursed at her in their native language. "You're a disgrace to your own people! Come on! Come on then! You want to be better than me? You want everything you've ever wanted? Then shoot me! Kill me!"
That was when the shot rang true. No hesitation whatsoever. The bullet went through and out the back of his head, making for a slight splatter of blood on the floor and a slight spray of it on Sable's face. She gave a satisfied expression.
"Alright...we got you what you wanted...now what about our money?" Luchino said.
"I said I had a few things I need your help with. You are to do one more thing..."
"Which is?"
"What Felicia Hardy seemingly enjoyed in her spare time...stealing something."
"Oh man..." Mary-Jane said dreamily as she saw a big slice of chocolate cake sitting inside a display case. It looked too delicious. Her hands pressed to the glass as well as her pretty face. 'Must you be my weakness...?' she wanted to ask.
"Can I interest you in some?"
That made Mary-Jane's eyes bulge in surprise and stood back up and looked at the man behind the counter. "Thanks but please no...I got abs and enough junk in the trunk. I do not want that to change, mister. Just the coffee!" 'Having a big butt is a problem...' she thought miserably.
"You fitness girls you..." the man shook and handed her her drink.
"Yes! I avoided chocolate cake!" she said in triumph as she got out. She went behind the building, the parking lot where her car was stationed.
Some guys stood by as she passed giving her lustful stares. Mary-Jane rolled her eyes and focused forward. Some sniggered. They followed her.
"Where you going, sweet thang?"
"Go away." she said.
"What you need is a big, strong man to take care of you."
"Already have one, thank you." she said strongly. 'Just go home guys...' she thought as she rolled her eyes. '...another day in the life of Mary-Jane Watson.'
"What? You're not big into compliments?"
"Not from you..." she said as she kept walking.
The men were not swayed and merely uttered 'whoas!'
"We're just saying we're proud of you. You have a nice ass!"
"What did you just say?!" Mary-Jane was enraged now.
"Don't take it the wrong way, hun'. He said-"
That was when she let loose. She punched him square in the jaw and without turning and looking, elbowed the other man in the face behind her. She kicked the other man in the shin, making him bend over and Mary-Jane took the opportunity to punch him hard. That was when she was grabbed from behind.
"We were just trying to be nice here, sweetie!" the hoodlum said in her ear angrily.
"LET GO OF ME!" she yelled.
That was when another figure entered the fray. A black latex-wearing woman that Mary-Jane unfortunately knew all too well and was stunned to see. Immediately all the men took off when she had entered behind both Mary-Jane and he. She twisted the man's neck before he fell, yet he was still alive only paralyzed and desperate for medical attention.
That left them the only ones standing: Mary-Jane and Felicia.
Mary-Jane waited for an explanation.
"Just happened to be in the neighborhood. Nice to see you can still hold your own..." she smiled. "Yeah..." Felicia inspected her up and down. "...you 'are' dressed like you're saying 'take advantage of me' alright." she nodded.
Mary-Jane didn't talk for awhile. She looked at her in fury.
"What's the matter? Having trouble saying 'thanks'?"
"I didn't ask for your help."
"Yet, you needed it but hey, you held your own as always. Still have that good ol' Mary-Jane Watson fighting spirit!"
"I thought you were gone..." she said trying her hardest to remain calm.
"I don't know...I'm still thinking about it though."
"I should never have let you get away." Mary-Jane shook her head.
"Yeah about that. Why didn't you...hmmm?" she walked a little closer yet somehow Mary-Jane didn't move.
She got too close that their bodies touched and Mary-Jane can remember the kiss the other night.
Mary-Jane didn't answer. She felt bewitched.
"Was it because of this?" Felicia said deeply. She then kissed Mary-Jane again, slow and good.
Mary-Jane snapped out of it and yelled in fury. She grabbed her and pinned her to a brick wall. Her face to hers.
Felicia giggled in delight. "I gotta hand it to you, big red...you sure make a straight woman go the other route pretty fast..." she let her hand caress her face but it was only a second before Mary-Jane smacked it away.
"STOP IT! You...almost killed Peter!"
"But apparently I didn't...and I also couldn't kill you. I don't know what more I can do except to express my compliments to you both..."
"He's never going to forgive you when he wakes up."
"If he wakes up."
"Screw you!" Mary-Jane yelled to her face and pushed her back further to the wall.
"God, I love that fire..." she then pulled her close to her where their lips locked again.
Yet, Mary-Jane broke free and quickly punched her very hard in the nose, successfully knocking Felicia to the ground.
Mary-Jane panted while she waited for Felicia to retaliate.
She didn't. Felicia could only feel the trickle of blood coming from her left nostril and licked it when it ran down to her lip. She began to laugh. From either what she did or from the pain.
"Alright...I'll give you that. I just love your reaction." Felicia panted. "Just know...I was supposed to be the one with Peter...not you."
"Keep thinking that. Now...you ever come near me and Peter again and I...will end you! GOT THAT?!"
She then walked away in a huff and out into the city street. Mary-Jane continued to walk fast and fast, away from what she had experienced. She finally ran, ran with her eyes closed. She just wanted it to stop...whatever she was feeling.
Just then a peculiar man bumped into her which in the process sent many contents spilling to the ground. A hoodlum who dropped a box beside the other man, a man with an awkward goatee and chin patch. The sides of his head had hints of gray. The hoodlum on the other hand, was knocked out when his head had hit the pavement.
"Sir, you alright?"
"Thanks." the man told her, getting up. "Perfect timing even though I almost had him."
"Right place, right time...I guess."
"Still impressive of you, I have to say. You were lucky you came out." the man said as polite as he could.
"Luck is something." Mary-Jane said getting up and got out her phone, typing on it. "I just texted a buddy of mine who works at the precinct. A squad car is coming. I'm Mary-Jane Watson by the way." she shook his hand.
"Thanks, Miss Watson. Sorry about all this. Still trying to get used to this whole 'new' thing of mine..."
"No, it's alright, sir. I deal with creeps on a daily basis. Here, let me help." Mary-Jane helped pick up several jewels on the ground. "What are these?" she picked up one, a purple gem.
"Oh I uh...deal with jewelry."
Mary-Jane gave him a dubious look.
"I'm not a thief. I swear. These belong to my friend Wong. I'm supposed to deliver them to him. I'm...sort of an apprentice of his."
"I think I get what you are. Alright well, hopefully you got all your stuff. Listen...good luck to you, Mr..." Mary-Jane waited for his name while a squad car came up to them.
"Doctor."
"Doctor?"
"Well, it's a long story...it's...Strange by the way."
"Yeah, I believe you." she smiled.
Both of them gave their report to the officer, who just arrived now.
At Horizon Labs, a project was close to completion.
"So it's finished?" Max's assistant Marla asked. She was known to have a flair for advanced technology but so far, she was unimpressed with the project laid out in front of her. Max, nervous as he always was, tried to explain.
In the laboratory near his Horizon company office, Max showed her his most-recent invention. A battle-armored exoskeleton suit. It looked heavily fortified and equipped with various gadgetry.
"Not exactly. Prototype stage only. The last shard of what OsCorp had basically." He answered.
"I don't follow, sir."
"Well, a….worker of mine…" he cleared his throat and looked away. "…gave me the schematics, the matrix, for this. Somehow he had a hold of OsCorp's future plans before it all ceased. They had big plans for this design in particular. This would be used one day by the military. This suit is unlike any other suit. This has both the components of Otto Octavius and Norman Osborn. The navigational capabilities to manually control the glider here…"
The glider was indeed beside the suit on the table.
"…and…"
Four large tentacles were produced from the back of the suit and slithered and hovered in mid-air.
"…those, of course."
"This suit has the capabilities of two of the city's previous villains?"
"Best of both worlds. Yeah, I know where you're getting at. But…what if we can take their attributes and used them for good?"
"You sound naïve as always. This crosses the line between revolutionary and insane, Max."
"Like I said, it's a prototype. Not even patented."
"But what do you think?" Marla asked.
"I think….maybe…maybe I'm just desperate. Or I was just making this thing as a mental exercise. You're right. It's nuts. It's too much. It's obviously never going to see the light of day, let alone even be considered for mass production by the powers that be and if I suggested that notion, I'd get laughed at. But look, Alchemax is growing bigger by each passing day and I don't want it to come to a point where one of their stuckup reps come in here and suggests a merger should be enacted. I…I don't want this company…us…being finished." He said slumped.
"I would rather see us finished then see 'this'…" Marla looked at the suit again in disgust. "…thing get finished. Who knows what would happened if it fell into the wrong hands?"
He gave a weary sigh. "Waste of time making this thing now that I think about it." Max said solemnly. He then gave a nod to a guard behind him. "Get someone to get rid of this thing." He pointed and walked away sadly.
He passed the hallway when a security man stopped him.
"I'm uh…here to pick up that thing? Where is it?"
Max told him it was near his office. "Just four doors down."
"Thank you." He said.
When he got into the elevator, Max spoke up in a soft mutter. "Have I seen that guy before?" But the doors closed and Marla was on her phone not paying attention.
The security guard went into the room while nodding to the previous guard who stepped out. Martin Li discarded the security persona and finally approached the suit in the room. He slowly paced around it until he came to the front of it again.
"Well…is the city going to be ready once more?" Li whispered as he eyed the suit up and down.
The woman came to the hospital with her usual silver based fur coat catching suspicious glances from both hospital staff and applicant. She entered the room and told her guards to wait out.
Sable stood and saw the unmoving Peter Parker on the bed. The only sounds were of life support systems chiming. She walked over to one of them inspecting his life signs on the screen provided. Only a few lazy lines formed.
Sable then sat beside Peter and for awhile she didn't speak, she just stared at him, almost to the point in which she just glared. Yet, the fixation was there.
"I'm doing all this because of you..." she whispered. "...that is the only reason. The foreigner debacle is done. You and I are...no longer...married. I have the chance to make this city what it should be. What it can be. All this for you. For now, I have one more thing to do. " she stood up ready to leave but not before giving him a kiss on the cheek.
She then left while she took out her phone and a call was made once she walked down the hallway.
"Hello?" the girl's voice was heard.
"Miss Watson. Sable here. I have something you may want to see..."
"She's here." Colleen told her.
"Very punctual."
In her office at Silver International, Sable was a bit surprised at Mary-Jane.
She arrived fast and a bit on edge. She understood that. Given everything that has happened to her, it was useless to be patient. Sable saw that and still she thought Mary-Jane should at least show decency and respect to herself and others.
"So what is it?" Mary-Jane asked placing her hands on her hips.
Sable saw that her underwear straps were raised above her jeans passing her hip level almost reaching her impressive exposed midriff.
"What?"
"Always with the too-casual wear...you women today have no shame..." Sable shook her head.
"Didn't you kinda wear almost the same thing not too long ago?" Colleen said to Sable's side, nodding and rolling her eyes to her.
"Oh, you did, did you?" Mary-Jane crossed her arms to her chest in a 'ha, ha' manner.
"That's different." Sable said now irked.
Mary-Jane was annoyed. "Whatever. Did you ask me here for something because I did not come here to get judged on my fashion sense. Hell, I can get that at work from my boss. If you don't like how I dress up, I can leave!"
"At least that spirit of yours hasn't waned."
"Nice of you to notice!"
"There's one thing you should know about your boss. Bring him!"
It was Jonathan's assistant Jack, with his head low and looking embarrassed about something.
"Jack, hey! What are you doing here?" she frowned but eagerly pleased to see him.
"Tell her." Sable said rather adamantly.
"There's-there's something I want to say. Better yet...maybe I should show you and explain."
Mary-Jane saw the disgusting website and Jack explained how Jonathan had used all facial cut outs from past magazine shoots and placed them into other nude models.
"He photo-shopped them basically and the rest is...close to history." Jack said miserably.
"You gotta be kidding me." Mary-Jane said angrily as she looked at the images.
"Up onto now, I thought you were aware of this. That was why I thought of you as an annoyance. Someone who uses their image for money and...other things." Sable said.
"Why are you showing me this?" Mary-Jane said as she was barely able to control herself.
"Because I'm not the villain like you think I am. I hate these kind of men and I want to help you make sure he never does this again!"
"Meaning?"
"I used to be like you. Being used. Having my image account for something degrading. His lifelihood will be destroyed among other things." she smirked.
With everything that has happened to her in her life, Mary-Jane had to make a change. Something was off. And for that, so was she. Going to her modeling agency with both rage and determination, a plan had been put in place and she was sure it was going to work.
She found him on the phone and hung up right at once when Mary-Jane stepped in the room. Already Jonathan was there upset at the sight of her.
"Let's start with the obvious which shouldn't be too hard for you...what the HELL?!" Jonathan asked angrily.
"Yeah, that's obvious alright..." Mary-Jane said with much sarcasm.
"You 'like' taking off for no reason?" he asked her.
"There's a reason." Mary-Jane nodded looking annoyed.
"You don't call. You don't text. You don't give me any form of communication as to where you are. Better yet, why didn't you tell me you were going to take a leave of absence beforehand?! It breaches company policy for crap's sakes! I have cause to fire you!"
"Yeah, about that..." Mary-Jane said going bold. "...no need. I quit."
"OK look..." Jonathan sighed. "...I'm sorry I threatened you with the firing bit. I got a little worried over you, is all, call me crazy. You just need to learn this little thing called 'accountability'. I'll let it slide. Just call next time. OK?"
"I'm serious. I'm here because I want out. I got all I could from this...wonderful experience. Now, I want to try something new with my life."
"Your resignation's not accepted."
"Excuse me?"
"You're what keeps this agency above water! Where would you even go?"
"I guess I'll just have to figure it out and personally, I've had enough. I had to degrade myself for you time and time again! It's time for me to go!"
"What do you mean, 'degrade'? You were getting paid! You made other women want to become better! This is insane. Without you...this agency is nothing. These girls I have, even Jack...they're nothing. And if you go, 'I' am nothing!" he said desperately.
Mary-Jane was aghast with what she just heard. "I can't believe you. You know I always thought of you as a blockhead that I had to deal with on a consistent basis but no more. The jig is up buddy! You're really just a slimeball!" she said angrily. "And I'm not the only one who thinks that!"
That was when several girls, dozens. All models by their makeup and dresses stood behind Mary-Jane. Even Mary-Jane's rivals: Michelle, Paige and Rachel looked upset. All of the young women looked cross and shocked. Even Jack, the assistant appeared beside them.
"What the hell?!" Jonathan was indeed taken aback by the ambush.
"I know what you've been doing!" Mary-Jane asked. "We ALL know now."
Jack came forward shaking his head. "I can't help you anymore, Jon. All the secrets. Your methods. Everything you're doing. Yeah, you give these women money to be put on magazines and posters...but what about in places where they are seen rather...too much?"
He continued. "I found out you've been doing some illegal online activity that involves making websites that display nudity with their faces on them!" Jack shouted, finally making his anger shown. "Mostly Mary-Jane here!"
"I did it to make sure this business keeps on earning! As well as you all! What do you think made you get those handsome checks every week?!" he felt maligned now.
"You were involved?" Paige asked Jack.
"No...I stumbled into it. When I found out about it, I cornered him about his breach of company policy but he threatened me and made me keep my mouth shut. That's my major regret. Not having a spine myself and actually help you ladies."
"You sack of crap! You have the balls to betray me?!"
"I do and unlike you I deserve punishment for not speaking up. The question is can you? I mean, this kind of stuff is not what we do here, Jon. Are you really willing to pay the price?"
"Wow..." Mary-Jane turned to look back at Jonathan in the face. "It sucks when everyone's against you, doesn't it? I dealt with it from my dad and peers. My boyfriend dealt with it too, many, many years ago. You people are the real ones that need to be taken down!"
The police also came in now standing beside the modeling crews.
"Surprise..." Mary-Jane added.
"What the hell is this?"
"I think you're under arrest." Mary-Jane shrugged with a smirk.
"Because you broke company law, you're out...and with us." Hutchson said.
"My lawyer will get me out of this!"
"Yet, you'll come back here with nothing but an abandoned building. The modeling branch here is done." Mary-Jane said.
"How?! Who can do that?!"
"Let's just say I know a few people in high places." she thought of Sable.
"This was my fantasy!" Jonathan declared as two other officers handcuffed him and escorted him out.
"You should try being in reality." Mary-Jane said as he passed her.
From off somewhere on the other side of the city, Felicia hardy was hanging off the side of a very tall building on a pipe using only her legs to hold on. She was upside down but pulled herself up over and over, doing as many crunches as she could.
Finally stopping, Felicia closed her eyes and shook her head.
"What if...I?...No...No, what's done is done..." she said sadly and thought out loud in complete melancholy. "I'll-I'll never get Spider-Man. I...I guess I'll just have to accept it. I'm too much woman for him. We wouldn't work. It wouldn't but then...why? Then why am I thinking about him now? You're thinking about him, Leash. Don't think about him. You're still thinking about him. Stop thinking about him. I'm going to stop thinking about him. Period. Done!" she said and added a huff while she crossed her arms to her chest, looking determined.
But she knew she was being ridiculous.
"Oh, it's no use!" she muttered in despair and began to cry.
"I'm sorry, Peter..."
That was when the depression settled in which brought in hopelessness, anguish and more pain. The pain being images of Peter in her mind. She felt being crushed. It was too much to bear.
"Screw this..." she stopped exercising and went back inside the building using the window just a few inches above her. Inside, she proceeded to cry on a couch. Wallowing in misery for over an hour, Felicia finally made a decision.
"I'm done with it...all of it! It's time to finish the job!" she said angrily holding up a gun and loading it.
That was when her eyes bulged and her mouth dropped. So did the gun. A strange sensation, one of discomfort entered her system, mostly in her head...her mind. And body now all of which became paralyzed. She only had a fraction of a second to see a shadow to her left side along with a bony hand pointed at her. She shook from head to toe.
"You suffered too much pretty one and you've gone through too much pain." the man said quietly. "But...you'll get what you deserve!" he growled.
Martin Li and his men were getting impatient with the traffic in front of them. The car's windows were soundproof so that he can listen to the radio clearly.
"What do we do if she doesn't give us the money, boss?"
"Well, then obviously we have to take matters into our own hands..."
"Man I miss Hardy...she knew how to run things."
He took the traffic as an opportunity to call the rest of his men back at the Underground. But he stopped.
Martin Li was seeing a big truck coming straight at them. It was too late. The impact knocked him out.
"This is a big misunderstanding, guys!" Jonathan said fidgeting with his arms behind his back. The cuffs apparently digging into his skin. "I swear my lawyers are gonna have a field day with this one!"
"Be quiet!" DeWolff said. "Besides we already got ahold of your lawyers, or I should say 'former lawyers'..."
"Wow, you sure have some luck pal..." Hutchson chimed on in.
"I still have friends, officers. OK, I hope you two got your basic security guards skills still in handy because you might be reliving memory lane pretty soon!"
"Hey! What part of you 'anything you say can and will be used against you', do you not understand?" Hutchson barked with a roll of his eyes. "But I mean, if you want to make it worse, by all means, continue to blab on."
Their fellow police backup in front of them got hit by a large cement truck which continued to drag it to the corner of the street and to the traffic post.
"What the hell?" DeWolff cried.
A red-haired deranged-looking man came out of the truck in front of them.
"It's him..." DeWolff whispered.
"Oh, excuse me officers. You wouldn't mind if I let loose, now would you?! I just hate traffic!" he had a bazooka on his shoulder.
"Something tells me..."
"I'm ahead of you, come on! Get him!" DeWolff cried.
They got out with Jonathan in tow. Hutchson made sure he didn't leave his sight. The car in the meantime was now a smoking pile of wreckage. DeWolff ignoring the explosion shot at the man, now recognized as Cletus Kasady. Hutchson also fired. But their shots only missed, making holes to the truck and open driver door. Kasady's weapon was also shot off. He began to run.
Hutchson turned around and saw that Jonathan ran away.
"HEY!"
"We'll find him later! Come on! Kasady is a murderer!" DeWolff said already running. Hutchson sighed in frustration and ran after her. Kasady moved from the street to going into an alleyway.
Hutchson and DeWolff continued to chase down Kasady down alleyway to alleyway.
"STOP!"
They turned around a dark corner and thinking they finally cornered him. They saw no one. Out of breath, Hutchson and DeWolff stopped going further in the narrow pathway. "Something tells me he was going to lead us here..." DeWolff whispered.
Slowly they walked down the narrow corridor with their guns tight in their hands. Their flashlights as well. They finally got to the end and saw nothing or nobody.
"Where the hell is he?"
DeWolff turned to face Hutchson when she saw someone behind him.
"LOOK OUT!"
Turning around was too late and Hutchson felt the blade pierce his side, turned him around placing him in a chokehold.
"Let him go..."
"I HATE COPS!" he growled as he held the weakened as a shield in front of DeWolff.
"I said let him go!"
"Or what? You cops have laws and you can't kill me..."
"We're smart though." DeWolff said rather smug.
"Yeah and he proved that huh?" Kasady sneered pointing the knife further to Hutchson's neck.
"We are!" someone cried.
A shot rang from behind and the bullet hit Kasady's left shoulder making him free Hutchson and run away. DeWolff got to him immediately and put her hands on the wound. An officer ran past them and ran off.
"Stay with me."
"I will." Hutchson nodded.
The officer came back towards them. A new recruit.
"He's gone. Disappeared. Couldn't find him in this dark." he looked at DeWolff and nodded. "You guys hurt?"
"Just our pride." Hutchson panted. "That's two guys we let go free. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Just..." DeWolff shook her head and looked back at the officer. "You're the rookie that just got assigned?"
"Yes ma'am. I was in one of the cruisers when it turned over. I got out OK. I'm Officer Vin Gonzales, ma'am. I guess so far I'm on a roll, huh?" he gave a half smile to them.
"I wish...I wish...I had a different life..." she said softly while walking away. "I wish Peter was back...what if he hadn't gotten shot? What if I never became a friggin' model? What if things had gone differently...what if...what if?" she asked over and over.
She got a text from her phone making her stop her wish. Mary-Jane sighed. She picked it up and had wide eyes.
'I'M WATCHING YOU.'
"What?" Mary-Jane gasped.
"...EVEN NOW.'
That sent shivers down her spine and she reacted like a bolt of lightning. She jumped to her feet, alert now and turned sharply around and around her apartment and even looked out every single window. No one was out there.
'WHO THE HELL IS THIS' she typed.
'YOU'LL KNOW.'
"Felicia..." Mary-Jane frowned. "...it's gotta be her."
Her phone acted up again to which she quickly looked at it.
"OH!" she gasped.
A pic was sent revealing a gruesome image of a man's body brutally murdered. Blood spilled to the floor. It was Jack.
"MY GOD!" she said putting a hand to her mouth.
'SEE YOU SOON.'
"No...this has got to be Cletus Kasady..." she said very sure now. "But I want to see Peter first. He's my world. Nothing else matters!"
She got out of her apartment. Nothing but her confidence as a weapon. Getting out of the taxi, Mary-Jane approached the hospital ground when something bothered her. No one else was in sight.
'Come out...come out...whoever you are...' Mary-Jane wanted to say.
Mary-Jane let her instincts guide her. She then reacted. She turned around and gave a punch to the mysterious person. The person revealed to be a young woman who staggered and cried, apparently taken aback by the hit. Mary-Jane even shoved her to a wall where she saw her more clearly. The woman was revealed to be a fellow model from her former company.
"Michelle?"
"Mary-Jane..." she managed to say. "Oh my God! It's you! So glad I found you!"
"W-what are you doing? Why are you following me?" she asked suspicious.
"Jack is dead." Michelle said with panic in her tone. "Paige and Rachel are missing."
"I got a text that Jack was dead too. How'd this happen? Do you know anything?"
"I don't know. I don't know who's doing this! I tried calling Paige many times but she doesn't answer. I think something may have happened to her too! "
"It's Cletus Kasady." Mary-Jane finally said.
"Cletus Kasady? The serial killer?" Michelle gasped.
"Yes. I know it's him. Because he's loose. A friend told me."
"I'm scared I might be next!"
"Just go to the police, Michelle. I'm sorry but I have to go see my boyfriend now."
"You have to take this seriously, he might be after you!"
"Michelle...I'm sorry I don't have time for this! All I can tell you is go to the police! I'll be there after I see Peter!" Mary-Jane then ran off.
Finally getting to the hospital in a hurry, Mary-Jane was in dismay that once again Peter was not responding. Connors was by her side as they were watching him through the window to his room.
"We've scanned his brain by tomography. We're raising the amount of glucocorticoids he already has. We're giving everything he needs, Mary-Jane." Curtis assured her. "His vitals are trying to adapt."
"But he's not awake. I'm waiting for him to wake up. Why can't he?"
"It's his mind. Not the body. He sustained too much from his many battles. The stress. The pressure. The wounds, emotional ones...the trauma. It's all too much for him to bear. The mind is basically trying to reboot itself. Start over essentially. But...it's taking a long time, I'm afraid."
"It's like you're saying...he doesn't want to wake up."
"Precisely. The mind is protecting itself. Reality can be overwhelming if you knew that you still have many people to fight. Many problems to solve. What is there to do but cower and flee?"
"I refuse to believe Peter's a coward, Curtis."
"Miss Watson-"
"I'm sorry. But you don't understand what I'm going through! I just told that crazy bitch Hardy the other night that Peter was still alive. But if he's still like this...it's as if she won all over again!" she cried.
"I'm sorry you have all this to bear." Curtis then gave a huge breath in. "You can see Peter now."
Mary-Jane went in and wasted no time touching his left cheek, giving it a kiss and sitting down, taking his hand with hers.
"What would you do?" she asked him softly as she held his hand. "I wish you'd wake up now tiger...I need you...now more than ever. You've become my compass and my guide. I think I have...what you do call those? Trials. This situation I'm in. It's another one. A trial. If I'm going to resolve this on my own, I want to hear you say I can do it. There are things in my life that are worth forgetting and there are things that are worth remembering. I don't ever want to forget you and I hope...I really hope I don't want to have to remember you..." she said tearfully. She gave a sob.
"I don't want the only memory to be us in a hospital, Peter."
"You have to have faith..." someone stood by the doorway.
Aunt May.
"Oh, hi, Mrs. Parker." she smiled.
"Mary-Jane." she sat down next to her. "I couldn't help but overhear. You have a problem?"
"I do. I'm not scared. I dealt with these kinds of things before. But normally I'd be the one being the saved. I want to show Peter that I can be capable."
"Why makes you think you're not capable?"
"I feel inadequate. Purposeless. Weak. I want to prove myself to him. A lot of people would wonder as to how I could end up with someone like Peter. No one could understand. I do though. Well, I think it was when I was little, I think it was the second time me and Peter interacted. At least I think it was an interaction. Peter...he was so cute and quiet. Me...I was on the stairs crying because my parents were yelling again. I was hungry at the time and I thought they would never stop yelling. Peter...he uh...slowly but surely...gave me some candy..." she sniffed. "I wanted to thank him but...he just ran away. Scared. But it was that act of kindness that wanted me to reach out to him but...somewhere along the way or as the years passed...we drifted and I was...forgetting him. Until a year ago when I...hit him in the face with a bathroom door. By accident of course."
Aunt May smiled. "Peter has proven me he can take care of himself and because he does, he knows how much other people can take of themselves too. He does see you as strong. I know it because I feel it. When he left, I regretted it but in a way...it was necessary. Both of us have to move on. Grow. Maturity goes a long way. You two grew up way too fast. You both suffered differently. Peter lost his parents and uncle and you grew up with a cruel father. Yet, miraculously...you both turned up alright. You're good people. Something tells me he's with you because he can see you're many things. I myself thought of it as well when I saw you as a child, growing up under such drama and suffering."
"Y-you remember me as a little girl? You and Peter?"
"Peter said you were very pretty and he was so...so shy to approach you, let alone talk to you. He told me he loved you. But he was sure you would be repulsed by him. I told him 'one day...she'll protect you.'"
Mary-Jane blinked in thought. She could see over the years how she helped him with Flash. "Wow." she marveled.
"So you see? You're strong. And strength comes in all forms."
Mary-Jane left the hospital much more content. She closed her eyes and breathed in a sigh of relief.
She then received a text snapping her back to the situation she was dealing with.
'MEET ME UNDERNEATH THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE AT 7. I HAVE YOUR FRIENDS! DO NOT GO TO POLICE OR THEY WILL DIE!' was what it read.
"Cletus. So I'm next..." she whispered to herself. "I guess it was only a matter of time."
Mary-Jane had no powers and she may have had only today but regardless, she had to be ready. She only had a few hours.
Back at the apartment, she gave herself a few workouts in order to test herself. She did one-arm push-ups. Did as many pull-ups on Peter's pull-up bar. Did crunches while having her feet placed underneath the couch and even managed to lift some weights using Peter's bench pressing station lifting 145 lbs.
'I guess I finally have to resolve this for myself! Show that I'm strong!'
"I'm not Spider-Woman. I'm not Red Sonja. I'm Mary-Jane Watson!" she said and went out and got to the bridge with a few minutes to spare.
She looked at the water to her left and to the massive bridge itself. She searched around and around the area.
"He said underneath..." she muttered and finally after a while, she found them.
Michelle, Paige and Rachel were shackled to a column, a base that supported the bridge. Each one was bound with their hands and feet to the wall by metallic clasps. Both of them were gagged with tape in their mouths. They mumbled rapidly at the sight of Mary-Jane. They shook their heads wildly.
But she knew what they wanted to say.
"It's a trap..." she said.
"WHERE ARE YOU?!" she called out.
An aerial screech was heard somewhere.
Mary-Jane was suddenly grabbed from somebody behind very fast, giving a gasp and in a second that she could grasp, realized she was finding herself flown upward passing the horizontal and diagonal suspension cables and thrown towards the top of the suspension tower itself.
Shaking off the discomfort, Mary-Jane stood up and saw that she was very high up. She also saw the attacker. The one who had grabbed her. He took off the visor which went back behind his head giving him a pointy ear look.
It wasn't Cletus Kasady at all. Never was.
"So what do you think?" he said.
Jonathan wore a strange battle suit and his face was a familiar, but a hideous green one. Four mechanical arms appeared from behind.
"Jonathan...just so you know...this doesn't surprise me...that you would break to this point after what we did to you!"
"So you understand my motive. Wow...you're smarter than you let on."
"Wish you were smart." Mary-Jane frowned. "How did you become...this?"
"I escaped the cops. Found this in the trunk of a gangster's car. Man, am I glad I did. It called to me. Now I have a new identity." Jonathan patted the armor on his chest proudly. "Vengeance is getting sweeter and sweeter so far."
""What the hell happened to you, Jonathan? Stop this!"
"Not Jonathan anymore...I am now...Octo-Goblin!" he cried maniacally.
Mary-Jane had to scoff. "Bet it took you all day today to come up with that, huh?"
"Everyone will remember that name! Now as for you...I made you what you are! You're somebody and yet you repay me by making me be nobody!"
"You always were..." Mary-Jane managed to say.
"You were always my one and only! How can you do this to me?!"
"Because no deserves to be degraded. We're human beings and we should all be treated the same! With respect!"
"And I'm going to get that back by seeing you on your knees! No webslinger to save you this time, beautiful!" he cackled.
"Keep dreaming!" she did something so bold, she wasn't sure if she had done or something else made her. She jumped from the tower and onto him and his glider. She punched his face angrily over and over only to find Jonathan laughing as she did.
The glider swung and moved wildly, forcing Mary-Jane to hold onto him now. But one of his tentacles tore her off him and held her in the air. She tried to hang on.
"That was ballsy. You know what happens now, right? You heard what happened to that Gwen Stacy chick a while back? It was something like this!"
"Go to Hell!"
"You put yourself in this position! So to speak!"
Mary-Jane sighed. "You kill me...you have nothing, remember?"
"Will you join me? And be my beauty forever?"
Mary-Jane looked down and saw she was higher and higher and away from the bridge. She was about to take a great risk.
"I'm not going to do that." she then took a device out of her pocket. The size of a pager and pressed the button on it.
'Peter's EMP! He gave it to me as a date gift long ago!' she thought. 'I always loved his brainy things!'
"It knocks out anything electrical!" he had said.
That was when the glider and the arms ceased to function at once, causing both of them to fall.
"What the-! NO!" Jonathan cried.
They screamed and the glider managed to land on a thick strand of suspension cable. They both detached from the glider. Both of them hung on but Jonathan still had one hand grasping the suspension cable while Mary-Jane practically managed to sit on it.
She looked down at Jonathan.
"Help!" he called out.
Mary-Jane grabbed his hand but his other one pulled her arm harshly making her almost loose her hold on the cable.
"Gotcha! If I go down! You go down with me!"
"I'm not! No one's gonna remember you!" Mary-Jane cried. She then hit him in the face with her free hand, making him loose his grip and finally let go, making him scream all the way down. His body didn't hit the water...it hit the street of the bridge.
Mary-Jane shook her head in horror. She then crawled on the steel strand and managed to get back up to one of the suspension towers. Taking the time to get back down was not an easy one. She freed the girls who thanked her.
'I can't wait to tell Peter this!'
"I gotta go!" she told them.
Mary-Jane arrived at the hospital with a proud smile. 'I'm such a badass!' She had taken down Jonathan and wanted Peter hopefully, recovered today, to hear all about it.
Doctor Connors was there too. Along with other doctors and even nurses rushing into Peter's room, which didn't help settle Mary-Jane's incoming nerves.
"What's going on?! What happened to Peter?"
"Mary-Jane-"
"What happened?! TELL ME!"
"A hemorrhage. He...he doesn't have long..." he whispered hoarsely. "Oh damn!" Curtis ran into the room.
"What?!" Mary-Jane desperately asked and followed him in. "What's happening to him?! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO HIM?" she repeated over and over.
A flatline was heard which made her world fall apart. Her heart seemed to stop beating. Aunt May sat near Peter's bed sobbing wildly into his chest.
"Time of death: 9:57P.M." a doctor called inside.
"NOOO!" Even with Mary-Jane's hands to her mouth, she couldn't stifle her wail. Both of the orderlies tried to restrain and tried to get her to calm down but it was no use. She didn't want to hear anything.
Mary-Jane in great anguish and shock, stormed out of the hospital. Away from what she just heard. She hoped it would end. The devastation. She hoped it was a bad dream but once she was outside and the cool night air hit her, it was truly viable. She crumpled to the ground in the parking lot. It was no dream. What she feared the most had transpired. On her knees, she sobbed.
"Such sweet misery..."
"Oh, believe me it's what calls me..."
Mary-Jane looked at the mysterious man. His face was hidden and a long cape flowed sluggishly behind him. He had a strange dark aura. She recognized the man's face however as he pulled his hood back. The man who tried to get her to become the warrior woman she was a while ago.
"You! Leave me alone! Why won't you creeps just go away?!" she shouted.
"Because you are involved with a man with special abilities. You will always share his battles and you will always share his dealings with powerful people even like me!"
"STOP TALKING LIKE THAT! YOU'RE NOTHING TO ME! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? A GOD?"
"As a matter of fact...I was and I still am. I'm that particular entity your mother and good-for-nothing daddy warned you about when you were just a little girl. What you would call Lucifer...Satan...the Devil...oh...so countless more names..."
The man's eyes glowed bright red now and his entire skin was turning scarlet red.
"You...you're really...!" she asked angrily.
"Yes, really. I am...Mephisto."
"W-what do you want?" Mary-Jane stood up and sniffed. The fear settled in.
"Well, you called me, my dear. If anything, I should ask 'you' what you wanted. You summoned me...you said you'd do anything to have a different life. Remember? I'm willing to make a deal."
"I know better than to make deals with people and even if you are the Devil himself!"
"Wise of you to be so reluctant but are you sure you should? I have the power to bring him back from the dead, my dear. The power to alter reality. Your reality and his. His soul can be returned to his shell."
"I'm not falling for this! This could be a trick!"
"You're very smart, young one. But...you asked for a second chance. What if, you said. Second chances come at a price. Don't tell me you have doubts now? If so, maybe you're not meant to be with Peter Parker. At least not yet."
Mary-Jane shook her head. "No. He's the one for me. I 'am' meant to be with him now! And he's meant to be with me! I've always loved him."
"How much do you love him?"
"Intensely. The amount of love I have for him...is infinite."
"Then in order for him to live...you must let him go. Life for love. Love for life."
"I-I don't understand?!" she shook her head.
"Your destiny has come to an end, Mary-Jane Watson. You served your purpose. But Spider-Man's destiny extends beyond..."
"Why are you doing this?!" she shouted while crying.
"Well, I admit I have my own interest with Peter Parker. Much to deal with Spider-Man rather, but I cannot do that if his soul is in the afterlife. Now, if I bring him back with your permission...some things...will be changed. Not just events but more, my dear. Believe me...this is the only way.
Mary-Jane's tears ran down her face.
"If I do this...he'll live? You swear?"
"I honor my deals, my dear."
'He's destined to save people...the city...the world!'
Mary-Jane gulped and finally opened her eyes. 'I'm doing this because I love him. I love you...FOREVER...Peter! Please...please...'
"D-do it." she managed to say with a croak in her voice.
That was when Mephisto raised his red scaly arms and produced a red wave of energy from his fingertips.
"It shall be done!" he declared with a maniacal look.
She had a change of heart but it was too late.
His eyes snapped open. He took in gulps of air while he heard alarming beeping nearby. Peter Parker was awake and in a hospital room with doctors and nurses looking stunned at his apparent revival.
"What the-?! Where-?"
"PETER!"
He turned to see his Aunt May with tears in her eyes. Her eyes red from having had cried for awhile.
"Aunt May!" he hugged her back while he was still in bed.
"OH! Oh, thank God! This is a miracle!"
"How can this be?" a nurse said in shock.
"Impossible!" another, a male nurse replied.
Curtis Connors barged into the room in surprise. "Peter?!"
"Doctor Connors!" he frowned. "Well, I gotta say that was a hell of a miracle you guys came up with. Bringing me back."
"But we didn't!" he shook his head in amazement. "Peter, you were dead!"
"I was?" he frowned. "I uh...I don't-"
"Hold on." Curtis went out the room to check on something.
"Peter...what do you remember?" an amazed Aunt May said pressing a hand to his cheek.
"I don't know...I-I...don't remember much." he shook his head wildly. "I remember...some words. Like someone was telling me a story. It's silly but then there was a bright flash when I came to-"
Curtis came back in.
"Peter...she's here."
"Who?"
Behind Connors, his girlfriend came in with a look of delight and relief. "Oh my God! Peter!" she hugged him and cried softly on his shoulder. "I'm so, so glad you're back! We all thought we lost you!"
Aunt May stood back and nodded to her. "It's a miracle."
"I would have called it great luck."
"Luck had nothing to do with this. Neither did modern medicine apparently." Peter said with a scoff.
"Whatever the case is...you've been given a second chance. We both did. I don't know what I would have done if I lost you forever. You're my soul. My heart. My everything. The only man that I would ever devote myself to. You won. You won this. Now we have the rest of our lives. I love you, Peter Parker."
"I love you too..." he smiled. "...leash."
Felicia Hardy gave him a warm, loving smile.
"Got you something." she showed him a ring. Walter Hardy's ring.
Peter gratefully put it on his finger. "Thanks. Was wondering where this was."
"Don't worry. I'd never let you lose it." Felicia said kindly.
"Nice to hear you say that. Now it's right back where it belongs." he showed it to her.
Aunt May smiled happily. "I guess this means the wedding's still on..."
"It better be..." Felicia said happily and touched Peter's cheek. "...cutie-pie!"
"You know it!" Peter smiled back and caressed Felicia's white hair. Blinking, he then began to think. "I-I remember someone shot me."
"Three times." Connors nodded.
"Who was it?" Peter asked.
"Sable Manfredi..." Felicia replied angrily.
"Her." Peter said disappointingly. "Yes, I remember now..."
An image of the woman's dark silhouette came up from behind. But it was too late. Peter had already been shot twice but with the little amount of strength left within him, managed to turn around and see a glaring Sable, fully revealed with one hand holding a gun, firing one last time.
"Yeah. It was her." Peter said as he stopped the memory.
"She controls the entire mob and all other gangs! She's been doing things like this for so many, many years. No one can stop her!" Aunt May said hopelessly.
"I can't believe this..." Peter said confused.
"Just try not to think about that, Peter. We'll deal with her soon, OK? We'll take her down. For now, just be glad you're alive." Felicia assured him.
"Yeah, you're right."
He and Felicia hugged each other again but Peter couldn't help feeling something was off. 'Probably coming back to life is getting the better of me.' he shrugged and embraced the moment.
Mary-Jane remembered where she was. Hearing the faint murmurs from the crowd of people behind the curtain told her what she was about to do. Backstage, she quickly put on her makeup and earrings. She had to look, sound and become her character Catherine Linton. She took a deep breath in. "This is it...you can do this..."
"You've been like the daughter to me. I know you'll nail this." Her manager told her kindly. "Now go on out there."
"OK." she nodded.
The live adaptation of Wuthering Heights had a full house apparently. People of high class were seen in the seats. She went and gave her performance and soon it was over.
The applause was much appreciated. It was so loud Mary-Jane almost blushed from such praise. The show was a success apparently. She put on her casual clothing and once that was done, she was ready to go home.
"You nailed it! You nailed this performance. I don't know what to say! You keep leaving them breathless. Just wait and see, you'll go to Broadway! I guarantee it." her manager whispered gleefully.
"You don't need to exaggerate, Mr. Carr."
"It's the truth. I'm so proud of you, Miss Watson."
"Thanks. You sure you got agents looking?"
"You're already going to get a call tomorrow morning!" the portly man said generously.
"Are you serious?" Mary-Jane had squealed with delight.
"Of course. After all, I honor my deals." he smirked.
That was when Mary-Jane blinked and frowned. Her smile diminishing. "Honor my deals?"
"That's what a manager is supposed to do. Anyway I gotta go, I gotta pick up my wife. Congratulations again. Take care." he then went off giving her a last gentle smile.
'Honor my deals?' Mary-Jane felt she heard that before. That was when she felt something in her pocket. A small gem that was glowing purple.
She held the object in her hand and stared at it. It glowed brighter and brighter.
That was when her eyes widened and images. Bright flashes appeared in her mind's eye. Fast images of her in high school, dealing with her abusive father, dealing with boys at school calling her a sex-addict, being a model, dealing with an illness that almost killed her and above all else, the image of a boy...They were all memories that interfered with her other ones.
The boy in particular, was fully materialized in her mind.
"Peter...!" she realized.
