Author's Note: Another entry is here folks! I'm sorry to be late and I hope everyone understands. Time for writing is a precious thing. One must not waste it and use it wisely. Anyway I hope you enjoy this one folks. It's a good one. I also want to say thank you to all those that have stuck around since the beginning. You're not just readers and writers, you're heroes. Now on to the show!
Growth Episode Four
Going through the thick tangle of brush and everything that was brown and green one slow step at a time, the woman tried to be as clandestine as she can be and so far, she was exceptional. Being elusive was becoming second nature to her. Despite her weapons which were only a knife, a Glock 19 and her AR-15 which she was presently holding, nothing came at her. No defense on her part had been made. The region was the very opposite of friendly and it wasn't because of what dangers nature had to offer but who was inhabiting the area. She had to be ready anything. Coming up close to being in range of the target. The woman put her back first behind a large tree, she took a careful look around it and saw the place of interest ahead. Using her binoculars, she saw the encampment.
'This mission better be my White Bronco!' she hoped.
Every now and then, she had to slowly make her way to the center of the compound. Once she managed to and stepped foot, she used the backs of vehicles and buildings to hide from soldiers.
'Why the hell do these people want with her?' she asked that question and it wasn't the only time she asked it. No rational theory came to mind. She then got to work. She placed an explosive on a vehicle and then another and another. Soon she made her way to several of the buildings and did the same to each of them.
She spotted the main building. It looked like the one. Going in through the window, she took out her Glock with a silencer installed and held it tightly with both hands. So far, it was quiet and no one was around. Getting out of the room, she made her way down the hall. She took out a man from behind and then another. Stopping at the door located at the end of the hall. She took out the detonator and her thumb hovered over it.
"This better be worth it..." she said and finally pressed it.
Mayhem immediately ensued. Explosions occurred. Outside, Soldiers ran out yelling frantically.
She kicked the door open and pointed her gun at the ready and soon she saw an old woman, the only person in the room, lying on her bed. Her feet were unmoving. She moaned in either distress or pain. Her eyes were blank and almost milk-white.
"Ma'am? I know you can't see me but believe me, I'm here to help you...can you stand?"
"N...no..." she said wearily.
"Well this is getting better by the minute here..." she muttered and moved around the room faster. "We only got a few minutes. The people that have you captive know I'm here. You need to move now!" she then grabbed a wheelchair she found sitting in the corner of the room.
"Come on, I need you to get on..."
"T-this is not how it used to be..." the old woman said barely breathing while the agent helped her straighten her legs out. "The world...the universe...how did I get here?"
"Looks like I have my work cut out for me alright..." Julia said breathing heavily, being alert. The woman continued muttering incoherently.
While securing the area, the agent thought the woman to be extremely senile. She also didn't know whether she was being delusional or philosophical. Her continued muttering indicated it was both. However, orders were orders and she needed help.
"Everything's...changed..."
Suddenly a man barged into through the room with a gun. Julia was already ready before she even turned around.
"Aah..." the woman blind as she was, had sensed somehow, that there was a danger in the room. She had screamed when several loud shots rang out. It was over fortunately.
"Alright he's down. Come on, we got to get you moving, ma'am. I'm taking you out of here!" she placed the wheelchair beside the bed.
She curled up in a ball on the bed, shivering. "Why? Why did this happen?" she wailed.
"Stay still ma'am..." she holstered her weapon and prepared to move out the old woman. "Calm down. I got to move you, careful now. Just to be clear..." she said quickly as she went through the process of freeing her. "...you are Cassandra Webb?"
"Y-Yes. And you...are..." the woman managed to say despite her heavy laborious breathing. "...Julia. Julia Carpenter. A government agent. Sent to rescue me."
She froze and stopped moving the woman's legs, Julia looked at her in astonishment. "Yes! How? How did you know that? How do you know me?"
"It doesn't matter...it doesn't matter...I'm dead anyway...and you don't have much time, my dear...they're coming for you. More men!"
Six Hours Ago
Peter couldn't sleep and eventually got up late at night. Having gone outside of his dorm to get some fresh air outside, Peter had been contemplating as he always did. Until he had a ghostly visit from his Uncle Ben much to his delight. They had been talking for a while now.
'Am I doing the right thing? Or am I just going crazy and going into things for the sake of 'going into things'?' Peter had asked Uncle Ben.
'I think what you really are right now is happy. Content rather, and you're overwhelmed by it, Peter. You have to stop questioning things. I think there's a side of you that wants to return. Think about why you started. With you being a hero, all you had was a messiah complex and so many enemies...'
'I still get the feeling something's wrong. Like something...like a part of me inside is trying to get out.'
'Peter, we both agreed your responsibility is over. Whatever you think needs fixing, it can't because...it doesn't need to be fixed to begin with.'
Uncle Ben disappeared. Peter turned around and thought over what he had talked about with his uncle.
'Peter?' a voice called out.
Turning back around, he saw someone appearing from the corner of a building hall.
"Sharon?"
'Peter hey. Glad I found you, were you talking to someone?' she asked.
'Oh...umm...no...just thinking out loud is all." he said.
'Oh. Way to process thought." she chuckled. "Listen, I can tell the change you're experiencing is not what you asked for. You feel guilty being this: not having certain weight on your shoulders because of what you've been taught before. And you feel even more frustrated given that the people who raised you: friends or family are now saying the same things I am saying to you. You have a habit of wanting to obey what used to be. I understand. We're all held hostage by the will of our peers and family. But we're trying to make you see that you're no hostage."
"We?" Peter asked.
"Yes. Come with me..." she led him outside and down the streets. Passed alleyways and gates until they came to the backside of a random building.
Peter was led by Sharon to an underground lair. He followed eagerly. Sharon told him earlier on that there were some people he had to meet.
'They just got here recently.'
'So this thing here...are you guys a cult or something?'
"You can refer to us as a club.'
'They your friends?' he had asked her.
'And yours.' she smiled warmly.
After coming down a stairwell, Peter saw the people were three young women. Very lovely and wore robes.
"You see, Peter. Good things or better yet, great things will happen to you soon. Trust me. It's all worth the...wait."
The area was large and several large foods of all kinds were seen. They almost filled up the room entirely.
"This is Peter Parker." Sharon told them.
They came over to him, surrounding Peter, circling him as if they were encasing him. He was taken aback by their approach. Each of the women looked up and down at him. Peter didn't know if they were studying him or examining him. Their eyes went from his forehead and face to his feet and to his belly of all places. They soon detached from him and looked back at Sharon.
"We like him." one of them nodded.
"Is that a good thing?" Peter frowned.
"Oh yes...yes it is." Sharon said.
Soon they all hung out and danced. It was as if Peter lost all control and became free. Careless. To him, it had been exhilarating. The feeling of letting loose. To Peter it had been a momentous occasion or close to one anyway. Whatever negative feelings he had, they were subsiding and were going away. Eventually they offered him treats and all kinds of food. Peter couldn't refuse and ate what they gave him.
When he ate, it was pure bliss. Soon, Peter was drinking a very large over exaggerated goblet filled with strawberry milkshake. The amount of it was enough to fill two gallons. Peter's face was already stained with the liquid as he attempted to drink all of it. Everyone included Sharon cheered him on.
One of the girls motivated him the way a fitness trainer did. "Come on! Just try to get one more gulp..."
Finally Peter finished and everyone applauded him. Peter got up and shot his hands in the air.
"I did it!"
Suddenly his belly and love handles expanded an inch very drastically and fat spilled further out from underneath his shirt, making his midsection look more doughy than it already was. A button had popped hitting one of the girls in the forehead, knocking her out.
"Sorry..." he said sheepishly.
Morning
In his room, Peter woke himself up from a peaceful sleep only this time, he hadn't been lying in bed. He had been seated in front of his study table, hunched forward with his face on a plate of half-eaten cake. He wiped it off.
"Got carried away last night..." He then washed his face and went with a new method for jeans now that he had outgrown all of them. Sweatpants.
His room was empty of food and he had no other choice but to go to Sharon's room.
"Guess she's not in yet..." he thought and walked at a brisk pace despite his bulk to the cafeteria where he quickly bought a few items and then went to his class. Arriving in time to the lecture hall, out of breath, Peter struggled to fit into his seat much to the delight of several students.
"What the hell is this?" he said. The adjustable desk seats apparently were designed to have a tied-in arm welded to the back. Peter couldn't close it down.
"It's the battle of the inevitable bulge. Time to lay off the ice cream there..." a girl said impishly.
"Yeah. Ever heard of lifting weights, dude?" the boy next to him told him.
"Yeah and there's also this invention called a treadmill..." another behind him suggested.
Soon many more laughed along with him. Peter couldn't help but feel rather embarrassed. The red-hot sensation got to him until Professor Warren, all serious with no other emotion available, came in and told everyone to settle down and be quiet. Peter felt relieved. Everyone in the audience did indeed get silent within a second while Peter immediately and as hard as he could, squeezed himself into the seat. He got in with a struggle despite the discomfort and it felt that the arm rest was cutting off his circulation. In the end, he looked ridiculous.
"I'm assuming every single student here is restless, stressed, tired, annoyed at me for giving you countless quizzes both online and paper form every day?" Professor Warren asked every one in the room. Every single student did indeed keep their mouth shut for fear of what would happen if such true feelings were to be expressed.
"Well, too bad. The children of the future must always be ready and able to confront challenges of today. I don't expect you nor anyone here...to like me. To hate me is actually a pleasure for me...and what can be motivation if you wish to succeed."
A boy beside Peter told his friend next to him in a whisper. "Hate him? I want to say 'that ship has sailed'."
His friend agreed with a scoff.
Peter still wiggled slightly in his seat. Giving up, he merely raised the arm portion and merely sat with the desk part opened and raised. Soon the class began and the lecture started with Miles Warren explaining the subject.
"The human system, wondrous and complex as it may seem, resonates with mathematical precision. Our cells, our building blocks of life can be solved with mathematical formulas, so to speak, which in turn allows us to figure out our biology. Why we are the way we are and why we live the way we live. That is Biophysics in its basic form. Can anyone here in this very audience tell me what cross-species genetics is?"
"It's the next level. You ESU students along with the people of New York and soon...the world...will be shown my new creation. Perhaps all of you will each be a witness to history in the making..."
After the lecture, Professor Warren stood by the door near the whiteboard. He appeared to be on the phone talking with someone and immediately went irate to the point where he stormed out of the room. Peter frowned as he saw him.
"Pete! Come on, it's snack time!" they said and Peter blinked in surprise as the thought of food pleased him.
"Ah! The sweet smell of freedom!" the sweatshirt-wearing Gigi said as they got out of the room and into the hallway.
"This or Alcatraz?" Brad began to say. "There's no difference..."
"Especially with Professor 'high and mighty' making it that way..." Gigi nodded.
"Uh-oh..." Brad said.
The friendly moment was over when a group including Cassie from the study group showed up and blocked their path in the hallway.
"They say you are who you hang out with." the guy said. Cassie was by his side.
"And your problem is?" Brad asked appearing aggravated.
"We are just amazed at how someone who came into the school so thin managed to pack on so much weight." the guy said looking at Peter.
"Hey!" Gigi was at Peter's side.
"It's alright." Peter said to her. "It's none of your business."
"In a way, we're giving you compliments. I wouldn't be surprised if you gained weight on purpose. In a way, you enjoy it, don't you, fatty?" the muscle-bound guy in the center said.
"Don't call me that." Peter said.
"Why? Because 'fat-ass' is taken already?" Cassie asked. Her friends and boyfriend laughed.
"How about 'lard-butt'?" another boy beside Cassie and her friend suggested to which the whole group roared with laughter. Peter couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
"Is there a problem here?" Turning, Peter saw Sharon. He couldn't help but feel glad she came to his rescue.
"Well, well...if it isn't the chubby chaser." Cassie piped up.
"You're too stupid to talk, Cassie. Please don't for your sake and everyone else's."
"Hey! You disrespecting her?" the large muscular boy stood in front of Sharon now.
"You're disrespecting them."
"Because they're losers. Especially him." he pointed at Peter.
"I think he's fine the way he is."
"Then you need to get your eyes checked!" the boy who looked like a jock said as intimidating as he could.
"You're about to get your eyes checked soon if you don't get out of here."
"Oh! You saying you're gonna give me 'black eyes'? Is that it?"
"Wow...you are smart." Sharon said not backing down.
"How about we just go about our ways? Huh?" Peter started. He turned to Cassie. "You don't like me fine. But don't act like you're high and mighty. No one is perfect."
Cassie agreed. "Absolutely. You know the funny thing about humans is...in the end...you're all the same on the inside and you always hate and fear what you don't get. This race is doomed if it continues with such a mentality.."
"Wow...you're more crazy than we thought you were." the boy said.
"You know what? You're right let's go..." Cassie told her boyfriend. "Let the fatties eat." she then took a look at Peter directly. "It's not about being perfect. You lost control. If I were you, I'd get it back."
Peter couldn't help but feel affected by Cassie's words.
"Come on. Forget them. Fatphobics..." A joyous Brad said grabbing Peter's shoulder, snapping him out. "Let's eat."
"Mornin'. Welcome to a brand new day..." a man spoke in a nonchalant manner.
She was still on the bed strapped from head to toe, screaming in pain as another injection was administered. She shook wildly. The pain was truly unbearable. She didn't mind death but everything leading up to it was a Hell in and of itself.
"You must understand why we're doing this..." the aide Aaron said. He had been standing beside the door. The doctors were readying another dose.
"I do." she said weakly. "I know what I did."
Aaron Warren came closer. "Which was foolish. You brought this upon yourself and I wonder if your efforts were even worth it. You see, I'm loyal to my brother. Everyone here is expected to be. Where did your loyalty go, I wonder? Hmmm?" he said rather playfully as he walked toward her and looked down at her. "Where is he?" he whispered menacingly.
"Even if I knew where he was, it wouldn't help you."
"Why is that?" Aaron leaned forward to her.
"There's a defect. An abnormality in his genetic make-up..."
"He's dying..." Aaron said horrified.
"Yes. He is. Sad to say. You were going to kill him either way but he was still a person with a purpose. He's out there fulfilling his damn purpose and soon, he will die. I knew that. But before that happens, I'm giving him a chance to live."
Looking through the photos through her computer on her table in her apartment, Betty couldn't make heads or tails as to what to make of the woman Peter was with.
"It's as if she just popped up out of the blue..." she muttered as she looked at the information in front of her, or lack thereof. The information was not just vague but not a lot.
She then got a phone call. Picking it up she answered. She knew who it was.
"Hey Fred, that was fast."
"Yeah because there wasn't a whole lot. In fact, there's nothing at all...'
"Say again?"
Fred explained on the other line. "You heard me right. We had to break all ethical boundaries here. Believe me, there's no Sharon Keller ever having been in the university let alone having ever been born. She never even left digital footprints in the past."
"You're kidding..."
"Nope. Even for us Betty, it's weird. Extremely weird."
"Just as I thought..." Betty realized. She tried contacting Peter on his cell only to get no response after several seconds. Giving up, she packed up her stuff quickly to go to work soon so she can see him.
"His body's decaying."
"What?!" Miles shouted. He was beyond astounded.
"You mean to tell me this spider-freak we made is 'damaged goods'?" Jameson barked and stood up now, fully irate.
"According to his most recent blood samples, his blood, cells rather, created a phenotype just out of nowhere. A potential catalyst. Soon it will spread to his entire system."
"Something doesn't just come out of nowhere!" Miles shouted in disbelief.
"Freakin' A!" Jameson agreed.
"Well, it did, sir and not that I'm questioning your intelligence sir, but even you should know that any kind of syndromes in any beings on this planet can manifest here and there, now and again."
Miles sighed. "Tell me more."
"Better yet, explain!" Jameson said moving aside Miles.
"He was created by RNA sequencing. That way we could age him to a late adolescent being in a short amount of time. But we tweaked the sequencing somewhat so that we could allow his abilities, Spider-Man's abilities to manifest and be brought forward quickly as well and even...make him stronger than the original. His cells had to be mutated using different formulas. It was a 'petri dish-mix'-kind of a solution. It may be that one of those alterations had been a faulty one."
"All I got is that he's stronger..." Jameson looked at Miles, appearing completely lost. He on the one hand, looked as if he were going to shout.
The aide continued with hesitation. "While we were making him more powerful, we thought his physiological state would adjust as well. Apparently we were misinformed. Turns out, the new change isn't sticking. Adapting, in lack of a better word. It had been a great risk to make the alteration but like you said, Miles...all great things need great risks."
"Aaron...you may be my brother...but that can only help you for so long."
"Miles-"
"Don't you 'Miles' me!" he shouted. "I assumed you of all people to know the concept of zero room for error!"
"We did everything you asked! This wasn't our fault!"
"You inadvertently created a virus in the asset!"
"You told me to do whatever it takes." Aaron said. "I shot the gun...but you told me to pull the trigger."
"Hey! Boys! boys! boys! Don't get both your panties in a bunch...for my own sake, I mean I'd hate to want to see that. But I mean what's the big deal? OK, fine...so what? He's a defect." Jameson said carelessly. "There's gotta be some other-"
"You don't understand!" Miles turned to face Jameson impatiently. "He's...going to die!"
Jameson was shocked for a while himself before finally replying.
"I need to get some coffee..." he said leaving the room rubbing his forehead.
Miles and Aaron looked at one another unsure of what to do. Miles kept his glare while Aaron gave him back a look that suggested everything will be alright. Outside the door, they heard Jameson talking to someone.
"...pitch black like my shoes and a crap-ton of sugar cubes!"
He pretended to be asleep in the first few hours but not long after, he did.
Yet it was time, he could feel the day. He could feel a sliver of sunlight touching his face. With great anticipation, Cain opened his eyes and turned to look at Felicia laying next to him. Her beautiful eyes closed, she continued to sleep soundly. Her face peaceful, tranquil and flawless. She might have been enjoying a wonderful sleep herself. She was undeniably beautiful. Her body was beyond perfect. She literally was the woman in his dreams. The other night had been a great one. He had experienced such pleasure with her that he wished he could do so again soon. He admired her greatly. The admiration eventually grew. To something much more.
He touched her upper back softly.
"Hey." he smiled.
"Good morning." she said happily. "And yet...it's barely five..." Felicia groaned yet smiled.
"Sun's rising. It's beautiful like you..."
Felicia gave a seductive smirk. "Very charming..."
"Last night...was amazing."
She chuckled. "Tell me about it."
"This is like a dream..." Cain murmured.
"I know and you're probably still wondering if this is all too good to be true and wondering when you'll wake up."
Cain looked impressed. "I have wondered a bit." he nodded.
"I can't stress so much how sorry I am that I took so long. I had to do things that I will never forgive myself for doing." she said softly. "But I had to if we were going to be together."
"Some things are just worth the risk." Cain said with a smile.
"I guess they are. I don't need to ask what you've been up to. That's kind of a no-brainer..."
"No-brainer?" he frowned.
"Well, yeah. But...I just want you to tell me, did you miss me? I mean, I know you did but...better yet, how did you go on without me?" she whispered, getting close to him.
"I saw you in my dreams...and it seemed to be enough. I saw you and I knew that you were my reason for being..." he said cupping her cheek with his hand. "...and I missed you when I woke up. But I realize that nothing can compare to the real thing. So, yes. I think in a way, you were always with me."
Felicia smiled warmly and leaned forward to kiss him. Her soft full lips were a marvel. She broke it off for a moment.
"I'm never letting you go again..."
"Good." he said.
They embraced again and the moment intensified when they held onto one another, pressed tighter and harder. Their bodies were the only form of communication. He knew where it was leading to. He paused and he admired her face as he did so.
"Really?" he asked happily.
"Come on..." she nodded and whispered, her nose was practically touching his. "...show me what you got."
The kissing and moving went quicker. Cain explored her. Her skin. Her hair. Her lips. Her warmth.
"You drive me crazy..." she said kissing him rapidly all over his face and neck.
"So do you."
He turned her over where he hovered on top of her. He gently went inside her and the pleasure was once again happening. It was easier now. His concentration turned to enthusiasm and it overwhelmed Felicia to the point where the immense force was too much for her.
Both her hands and the top of her head pressed the headboard of the bed so hard, the wooden base of it began to bend and crack. Her legs resting on his shoulders with his hands keeping them in place.
Soon, she had let out the loudest grunt of her life when it was over. They both lay right next to each other, trying to catch their breaths.
"Guess some things get better over time..." Felicia said staring at the ceiling, panting. She looked back at him. "I love you Peter Parker."
"My name..." Cain began to say but then he saw the frown beginning to settle in on Felicia's glistening face. He went with another approach. "...sounds so good coming from you." he finally said.
"You're so cute." she kissed his cheek and gave an annoyed sound. "I got to go to work. Sorry, but like the old saying goes 'all good things must come to an end'." she said, getting up once her bra and underwear were on and prepared her clothes for the day.
Cain went into the bathroom and as he was washing his face happily, he saw something in his face change and it unsettled him. He leaned closer. He was sure he wasn't imagining. It really was happening. He was seeing his face break apart. The skin was getting cracked and mangled. He also felt wrong.
"Peter?" Felicia's voice was heard behind the door. "You almost done in there, babe?"
"Yeah, sorry. I'm just coming out." he managed to say.
'Peter Parker is who she thinks I am..." he marveled. "And Peter Parker...is Spider-Man? All this time? Where is he then? What has happened to him?'
The pain was getting to him and he concentrated on making the discomfort go away. Looking back at the mirror, the veins and discoloration dissipated and he was once again, his usual self. Yet, what he just experienced was never going to be forgotten.
"I'll have to find Peter Parker..." he whispered.
"Peter...is that...you?" Those were the words that were finally let out.
She had opened the door and immediately May was taken aback by Peter's appearance. Before then, she had a smile. Now her face had traces of shock.
"Hey Aunt May! I promised you a visit and here I am!" he said happily.
It was as if she were staring at a stranger. 'Is that Peter? My goodness! His weight! I mean, I wanted him to eat a little more...I guess I got my wish...' she though.
They hugged one another to which her eyes widened from the immense, but yet quick squeeze. "How are you?! You...look...it's great to see you!." she said awkwardly, having changed the subject just in time so as not to say anything insensitive. 'You were all stick and bones last time!' she thought.
"Meant to visit you sooner. Sorry for the wait."
"Wait? Oh! Oh...um...yes. It's fine." May thought Peter had meant something else. "I know you have a lot to go through. With studying and exams. But tell me how-"
But Peter looked too eager about something and quickly spoke. "Later, Aunt May, right now I'm smelling food and I'm starving..." he went into the kitchen.
"Well, what is it you want?" she called out.
Soon, Peter was surrounded by all kinds of foods that he ordered his Aunt May to make. From biscuits to pasta and pies. He ate fast making Aunt May, who only had a salad, more astonished.
"Are you sure this isn't a lot...?"
"I know my limits..." he smiled as he chowed down a croissant.
"I'm happy you stopped by. It's...been awhile. But...Peter, don't you think you should slow down though?"
"Yeah, I was starving all day. Aunt May. Sorry..." he said with mashed potatoes in his mouth.
"Nice to see you're...finally eating plenty. But tell me, how are things going with Felicia?"
After Peter gulped down a piece of chicken, he answered. "We're on a...break, I guess you could say."
"Oh no. What happened? Can you tell me?"
"It's best not to talk about it, Aunt May. Things were done. Things were said. At this point, I don't know who's fault it was anymore. Nor do I care. I don't think she's coming back to my life."
"Oh, Peter. I don't believe that. I know there's a part of you that still cares for her. And I know she loves you too."
"If she did, she wouldn't have done what she did. Besides these things happen. They happen for a reason. Isn't that what people say?"
"What 'did' she do?"
"Aunt May..." Peter said rather strictly. "...these are my problems not yours. So don't worry. For now, I'm dealing with it the best way I know how." he said taking another bite off of a chicken leg. "Now, is there any ice cream here?"
Aunt May looked at the empty dishes and back at Peter who had just suggested he eat more.
'Something's wrong...'
Cain was still in high spirits. He was dressed and ready to go out.
"Shouldn't we go out to eat first?"
"Don't have time to, babe. I'm almost late as it is. Besides, don't you have to go to school?" Felicia asked.
"School?" he frowned.
"Yes, you have a class today, don't you?"
"Oh um, yes. Sorry I guess I was a little..."
"Preoccupied. I get it. We're back together. Nothing else was on your mind, huh? Just us?" she smirked.
"You know it." he smiled.
"Well, hopefully they won't flunk you, if they do, they have me to answer for." she smiled and left. "Bye!"
"Bye."
After giving her a quick kiss, Cain left through the door of her apartment and out of the building entirely in almost a flash. Behind the building where no one was seen, Cain put on his mask and took off his jacket. He had no time to look for a school. He was going to do what he did best.
The group consisted of a few members and with their clothing, it heavily suggested that they were uncouth, uncivilized and because they were not out fully integrated with the rest of the people going about their day, Cain knew something was up with them. From behind the dumpster, he heard the commotion at the far end of the alley.
"Hobie. Mr. Prowler himself...is in the can. I can't believe this!"
"I can't believe you!" another guy started on him now. "You were the one that recommended that weirdo in the first place!"
"It wasn't me! Jack was the one who told me all about him!"
"Well, Jack's wack!"
"And they'll be a bullet in his head, if he ever comes back!"
"OK! OK! Guys! Enough with the Snoop Dogg antics..." a young woman was heard. "I may have a plan or close to one just bare with me..."
It was time. Whatever they were planning had to be stopped. Cain was not wearing showing his suit. He wore it underneath his regular clothes. He was going to surprise them. 'They're about to know who I really am!' he thought.
He jumped down startling the gang members.
"Wow...who are you? The Spider-Wannabe? If you are, that is either desperate or pathetic!" the bald thug said smugly and came towards him in a threatening manner.
It was only one punch that Cain administered that had a profound effect. The punch knocked the man down, blood had squirted out of his nose and mouth before he fell to the ground. The group readied themselves for retaliation.
Cain was prepared to fight while out of nowhere a woman ran up to them and stood in the middle of them.
"Wait, stop! This is such a waste of time. He's not even worth it. Now lay off. Besides, we got better things to do." she told the gang and hen turned to face Cain.
He saw that she was tan, pretty and of what he had been read, of Hispanic descent. The young woman with heavy makeup and a ripped up leather crop top jacket, also had a gold necklace that read ARACELY. He didn't know why she was interfering. She had a no nonsense tone.
"You know how this goes, they beat you up and leave you where no one can find you. Get that? Do not fight just because you think you can! You don't like it? Too bad. This is how we live! This is how we help our families! Who do you think you are? A hero? Spider-Man? Get real, he's soon to be gone! Now you be gone! You really think you can go up against all of us?"
The anger seemed to paralyze him, Cain was about to respond. But her words were echoing in his head.
But she spoke before he even had a chance. "I didn't think so! Now go and never come back! Believe me, I just saved your life, handsome!" she shouted. Her men turned from him reluctantly and prepared to go back to the building through the alleyway entrance.
"Why?"
"Huh?!" she turned back to him confused.
"If that's...the way you feel, why save me?"
"Figure it out!" she said rolling her eyes carelessly and slammed the door behind her.
All alone now, he then walked away and stopped soon when he saw a reflection of himself in a window. His face was beginning to crack again but he concentrated on making his complexion clear again.
"I'm like Spider-Man..." Cain muttered in amazement. "I didn't think I'd be but I guess I am."
While he didn't have a suit like his, Cain had to find one of his own. In the alleyway, Cain took out something Bella had given him before her death. A black and red suit. He stared at it in wonder. It appears he indeed had a suit.
"I 'am' Spider-Man..." he nodded. "The new one! I'm not Cain anymore! I'm Spider-Man and I'm also...Peter Parker!"
His face cleared up once more.
Peter was now wearing suspenders over his flannel shirt to support his large width and frame. His jolly demeanor never wavering.
"Hey, Joy! Great day today, isn't it? How are you?!" he greeted her as he passed by.
"Oh...hi..." she was appalled seeing Peter carrying a large assortment of junk food in both hands. A few were bags of chips.
As Peter sat down, Betty approached him.
"Peter-"
"Brant, in here! You too, Parker." someone shouted. Ahead it was Robbie, who stood beside his doorway to his office.
"On my way..." Betty said.
Inside, Joy and a few others were already in. Peter finished gulping down his eclair and wiped away the crumbs from his face as fast as he could. He stood as straight as possible and came in last.
"Parker, nice of you to join us..." he said frowning at his unorthodox way of coming in as well as his appearance.
"Anyways, the reason you're all here is because well, I understand Jameson liked doing these kinds of things. Letting certain people know of what's going on. Looks like I'm carrying that tradition now. As you all know, there's been a bounty on Spider-Man and now despite the reward some people are now turning the other way given that he saved a few people last time."
'I need to find out who this new guy taking up the mantle is...' Peter thought.
"It's like people are believing in heroes again. Anyway long story short, we need to find out more. The bounty is still up. Jameson once said this: the story is not over because there's still extra pages to go...what does that mean?"
Peter didn't realize that back then Jameson had words of wisdom.
"Parker?" Robbie eyed him.
Peter nodded mechanically and looked away.
"Ahem!" Betty motioned for Peter to look back at Robbie.
"Oh, sorry. Couldn't tell if that was a rhetorical question or an actual question..." he chuckled weakly. "There's always sides to the story?"
Betty rolled her eyes.
"It means one has to dig further, Parker. Anyway just wanted to say that and with our circulation increasing. No retractions. No errors in writing. We're making business. It's OK business but business nonetheless. I'm proud of all of you. Now let's-"
"Actually, now that we're all here, Mr. Robertson...I feel I should express upon all of you why I should be brought in to be a photographer."
"You want to be demoted?" Robbie said.
"Look, I like the job you've given me, Mr. Robertson. But I feel that since…Spider-Man only confides in me, it seems to be a good idea to-"
"Forget it, Parker." Robbie said shaking his head. "We already got someone to cover Spider-Man's pictures."
"Y-you do?"
"Yeah, which reminds me…" he began to address everyone in the office. "This new photographer's coming in in two weeks, people. So be ready."
"Hold on…I got to say something here, Mr. Robertson. I've been taking Spider-Man's pictures for a very long time now and I know what angles to get and what sides to get. But above all else, I….know Spider-Man. He trusts me and I trust him."
While Peter was talking, her friend Joy with wide eyes pointed to Betty what she was seeing that was making her stunned. Betty became equally appalled and squeamish when she saw that underneath Peter's shirt was a trickle of swelled-up fat trying to burst forth. The button was barely holding on. 'At least have the decency to suck that in, Peter!' she wanted to say so badly.
"Everyone leave. Except you, Parker." was the only thing Robertson said.
Betty shook her head at Peter as she left with the rest.
"Parker..." Robbie crossed his arms to his chest. "What's happened to you, man?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean. I'm not going to spell it out for you. Whatever is going on, you need to fix it. See a doctor or something. Because now that more weirdness is happening...again. Even if I wanted to give you back the photographer position which I can't either way, I'm not sure you can do it in your condition."
"Well, I can! Spider-Man...I have to get in touch with him. There's a lot I got to ask. Rather, know."
"You sure because you don't want to alert him that we're still after him?"
Peter was taken aback by that. "Of course not. I don't repeat what goes on here, Mr. Robertson."
"Even so. My decision still stands. Also because your constant eating and snacking is affecting your performance. You're under threat of going, Parker. Do you want that?"
"No, Mr. Robertson."
"Then shape up..." he said opening the door. "...so to speak."
Back at his cubicle, a disheartened Peter was about to reach for a doughnut in the box when a hand appeared out of nowhere and closed the top flap.
"Nope!"
Peter found himself looking at Betty, who had a serious look to her now.
"I was gonna eat that!"
"Yeah, I know. I believe you. Come on, it's diet time!" she pulled him out of his chair.
"What the-"
"Peter...we have to talk..." she turned to face him properly.
"I already got the speech from Robertson. I don't want to hear it again from you, Betty..."
"And I do not want to hear how you're 'ok' with this because nobody in their right mind would. This is important!" she said as she struggled to pull his broad arm and made him walk or wobble rather, to an empty corner.
"I don't have time for this right now, Betty!"
"Even Robbie told me you need help. You gotta lose some weight, Peter. Get back into proper shape!"
Peter was about to say something when Betty cut him off.
"Don't say 'round is a shape'." she said rolling her eyes.
"I wasn't going to even say that..." Peter frowned in confusion.
"Back to the point. You're acting out of character. Hence, there's something wrong happening with you..."
"I can't believe we're talking about this again...Isn't there better things to talk about? I'd rather talk about getting new chairs. The one I have is small."
"Yeah! Because your butt's turning into the size of Texas, Peter!" Betty said annoyed.
"Hey!"
"I'm serious and it has something to do with your friend. Sharon Keller."
"Sharon? How do you know about her? Have you been snooping?"
"Don't turn this around on me. There's something weird going on. I think she's fattening you up for some...unknown reason!"
"That's crazy! And you're crazy for believing that!"
"Peter...I checked the school's system with help from some old friends with some serious hacking mojo. Turns out her information, her past history...they were all falsified. Made up. It's as if she just appeared out of nowhere."
"I don't believe that."
"Well, believe it. This is the truth, Peter. We got to figure out why she's making you fat. She's up to something and you're the only who knows where she is. You got to find out what or otherwise you're gonna get so big, it'll be too late! If you think I'm wrong, then find out for yourself. Please. Do this for me. We're friends and I do not want anything bad to happen to you. I want the old Peter back." she then took the box of pastries away giving Peter non-blinking a look saying 'do something about this!' and walked away from him.
It had taken her a long time to get to her target. The reverse held true. Now she had hours and many more to go to her point of arrival.
"According to the coordinates, the extraction point is still hours away..." Julia shook her head. She had commandeered or stolen rather, a jeep from the camp. The escape was an easy one. Too easy. The old woman Webb was still in a state of incoherence. Hysteria. Feverish. Whatever it was.
"Lost...he's very lost."
Trying hard not to roll her eyes, she responded. "What?" Julia looked back at her.
"I...I have to help him!" she cried. "He's not who he should be!"
"Who?"
"It was wrong of me to leave him! He needs help! I thought-"
"Who are you talking about?"
With her eyes shut, Cassandra ignored her and wailed on. "He has to be saved! Save him!"
"Ma'am, I don't know who you're talking about! I think you're suffering some kind of dementia. Try to remain calm."
Without her ever changing her facial expression nor turning her head, Cassandra shouted.
"The trees to the left!"
"What?" A bullet hit the sides of the window, barely hitting Julia.
Shots rang out. Julia took Cassandra's head and lowered it gently. Slamming the accelerator with her foot, she gunned the jeep to go faster. Putting the window down, she managed to duck and shoot whomever was lurking in the trees. After a few more shots, a man fell out of the tree.
"Fire again! NOW!"
Julia somehow obeyed and fired a random shot. Someone cried in pain.
"To your right!"
Julia obeyed and shot another. Soon the truck began moving again. It went fast.
"We're OK now..." she said as nothing more happened.
"We're about to hit a pothole...no..." she said softly.
"What?"
The tire on the passenger side stepped on a small dent in the ground. Julia and Cassandra slightly jumped from it and a steel bar they ran over in conjunction, spun in the air and hit the window, poking through it and impaled Cassandra's right shoulder.
"Aah!" she screamed.
"Ms. Webb!" Yet, Julia had to keep driving.
"I forgot how pain truly felt..." she said with her eyes closed tightly shut.
As soon as they got to a clearing up ahead. She took Webb to the empty field of weeds and gently took out the bar. Webb screamed nonetheless.
"How did you know that was going to happen?" she said putting some gauze on it.
"I see..." she tapped her forehead. "...just not in the way...you do..."
"God, you sure know how pick 'em, Jules." she muttered to herself. "We need to get you to a hospital. I think the bar hit an artery."
"I know. This is it for me."
"You really believe you're going to die?"
"I do..." she said sadly. "But...it's alright...I've done what I could. I lived a life. A wonderful one. And now...the most I can do is try to make it through the end."
"So you can't predict everything huh? If this is true...then what happens to me? Do you know?"
"That's the thing with you, my dear...I can't see your fate. Not yet anyway."
"Maybe that's a good thing." Julia said looking ahead.
"I do know...that you took this mission not because you took it upon yourself to care for a helpless old woman. You took it because you think this will put you at a higher level. A better career. Better pay. Become stronger as an individual. I'm sorry to say but in a way, you're selfish, not selfless and all the rewards in the world will not remedy that."
Julia was about to object.
"And that's fine..." Cassandra got to her in time. "...there is hope. There always is. All good people start off as uncaring. Once this is over, you'll...see things a little differently.."
Cassie felt good that she had finished her workout. Anything to forget anything that was unhealthy these days. Peter Parker for one. The thought of him made her want to exercise more. Noticing her shoe was untied, she went into an alleyway where she proceeded to tie it.
That was when a door somewhere opened. She heard several people getting out of a building adjacent to the one next to it. They had a bad vibe about them. It was evident in their clothes and in their way of talking. Behind a dumpster, Cassie proceeded to hurry up. Yet, the voices were building.
"He's in the slammer but where did they put all that fancy-schmancy equipment of his?"
"It's at the cops's house, forget it. We ain't breaking in!"
"We could infiltrate." The girl suggested.
"It's Prowler tech. They have it guarded to the extreme!"
'Prowler? The supervillain that recently showed up?' Cassie couldn't help but pay attention now.
"There's got to be a way to get that equipment…"
Cassie's foot fidgeted and knocked over a glass bottle. It broke as soon as it fell over. The noise startled not only Cassie but the gang up ahead. She gasped. Not wanting to know more and just wanted to mind her own business now, Cassie turned to run to the sidewalk area only to be blocked by a thug in a tank top.
"Enjoying the show?" he then grabbed her.
"Wait! Don't!" she pleaded as he led her to the group ahead. Cassie struggled but it was no use. He held her by her shoulders from behind and made her walk towards them. She was getting closer to them. They all eyed her.
"There girl here overheard us." he said continuing to grasp Cassie's shoulders tightly. Cassie saw she had a necklace with her name on it. Aracely.
"Are you saying she was snooping?" Aracely asked him before eyeing the girl.
"That'd be 'one' way of putting it..." Nodding, the thug replied as if it should be obvious.
A stout gang member spoke up. "Come on guys! Let's just take her with us and sort this out. OK? So, slow your cool."
"It's slow your 'roll', idiot!" Aracely growled in annoyance and turned back towards Cassie.
"I'm assuming you know what we were up to so…today is not going to be a good day for you, is it?"
"I don't know anything!"
"Yeah right!" the thug holding her said.
"Here's the problem. You know what we look like and you might tell this to someone. My number one rule is, no witnesses!" the girl Aracely produced a gun from her back pocket. The end of it touched her forehead.
'Oh my God! No!' she wanted to say. But the fear kept her from speaking. 'Talk, Cass! Talk your way out of it! Think!'
The gun clicked and yet at the same time so did something in her brain. An idea. She acted in time.
"I know where the equipment is!"
"You just came out of nowhere, overhearing us, and you expect us to believe you know where the Prowler tech is?"
"I do. I show you, you let me go." she said fast. "Will you? Please. I won't tell anyone about this. I hate cops too."
"Maybe. Assuming it's there." Aracely said. "Besides anyone can hate cops." She shrugged. "If you're doing this just to stall, God help you."
Nobody else had seen it because it was too deep inside the alleyway, but Peter had always had a magic eye and for that, he had seen it. The whole thing. The girl looked remarkably like Cassie from ESU. 'Is that her? That 'is' her!' Once he did, and understood the gravity of Cassie's situation, it felt as if he were coming out of a disorientation.
'I don't have my powers! I'm not Spider-man anymore! I gave it up! But this is Cassie and maybe I can prove to her that-' That was when he reached a decision.
Looking at his burger, he dropped it on the wrapper and as if something or someone drove him, he went out as fast as he could to try and save Cassie. 'Just because I'm big doesn't mean I can't help!' he thought.
"Come on..." he panted as he tried to run to the other block. But he was getting tired. His new added bulk made it difficult for him to run. He stopped a few times to catch his breath. "Guess there's only one thing to do..." he said.
A taxi was parked nearby. "Taxi!"
Felicia at the coffee shop was in line when she saw something peculiar outside. Through the window, he saw a young, big-bellied individual struggling to get into a cab. He looked very familiar through his double-chinned face.
"Is that-?" she turned away. The frown never leaving her face but she still kept thinking.
"Ma'am?" the clerk at the counter said to her, snapping her back to reality.
"Oh yeah, just a Frappuccino." Felicia said and went on back to thinking. She then realized. "Nope. No way..." she then laughed and shook her head.
Getting in in time, Peter told the driver where to go.
"Follow that white van!" he said panting.
It took awhile and it felt as if the van were taking its time and there wasn't a lot of traffic. Yet, he knew now where it was going.
Looking at the building ahead, a sweaty Peter panted hard but a smile of relief showed when he realized he had found where the thugs took Cassie. He got out and ran as fast as he could despite him looking ridiculous.
Going into the parking lot, Peter's large gut trembled and growled. Despite the situation, the hunger was getting to him. Wincing, he steadied his belly with his hand. "Not now..." he told it very annoyed. He got to the van and no one was inside. He opened the side door and found nothing inside.
"Hey fatso! You stealing our stuff?" a bald thug with tattoos appeared out of nowhere. But apparently he had been a lookout.
Peter saw the gun.
"You took a girl..."
"Too bad! The Lord giveth and the Lord..." the goon blinked rapidly and lost his train of thought before he got annoyed. "Eh, you know the rest!" his finger grasped the trigger.
He walked over to him but then slipped on a bottle on the ground and stumbled. Peter thinking he was a goner, immediately acted and opened the van door wildly beside them, slamming the man's face.
"And I thought I had bad luck..." Peter muttered and went inside the building.
On the top floor of an empty building, Eddie waited. Looking out the window, he looked and looked. He had left signs to let him know he was here. Now that Betty was gone from his life. He had nothing else. No one else but Kasady.
'This all ends…when he does.' he said.
He heard a sound of commotion. He sensed it rather. A group of people coming in. He didn't need Venom to tell him that.
"Great…I didn't realize this place was a gangster's paradise." He said.
To her dismay, Cassie wasn't able to think of anything that could get her out of her predicament. What she had said before was out of reflex. It was the only thing she could think of that could buy her some time. But since her mind didn't come up with anything that could equal an escape plan, she was in trouble. There were too many thugs guarding her and making sure she wasn't the wiser.
'Who knew gangs can think better than I can?' Cassie thought morosely. The dread continued to pile on and pile on.
The building was the only thing she could think of given that most gangs used the construction as a smokescreen to conduct illegal business without anyone finding out especially police. She had heard about it from a friend.
They were soon on the first floor and Cassie began to get sick to her stomach. The place was looking as if it were in the process of being renovated. Because it was, empty was the perfect word to describe the room.
"Do you smell BS?" one of the gang members said next to Cassie. "Because I sure smell it."
"I'm smelling wild goose chase." The gang leader Aracely said.
"It was supposed to be here. It's somewhere in this building." Cassie said sheepishly.
"Let me guess? You lied and you think it's gonna help you."
"I'm not…"
"Your eyes say differently, cabrona tonta…!" she sneered.
Cassie began to shiver in fear and closed her eyes as she waited for the consequences.
A snarl came out of nowhere. It then echoed in different parts of the room.
"Something is here alright..." one of the gang members aid.
Soon an elongated mass of red webbing were attached to the bodies of several of the thugs and pulled back and disappeared somewhere in the exposed ceiling where they screamed loud.
"What the hell?!"
"It's Spider-Man!" Aracely sneered.
"I don't think so…" Cassie said.
Suddenly a creature landed, a horrifying grotesque one at that. It wasn't Spider-Man, that was for sure. The face was long with a mouth stretched opened revealing a strong pointy jaw and sharp teeth. It gave a screech and a cackle after.
"Aah! What the hell is that?!" the bald member said before he was then impaled by the creature's sharp finger.
The gang shot at it but the bullets were merely absorbed and the creature merely roared again.
Cassie took the opportunity to run only for her to run into another terrifying sight.
Appearing at the end of the room, a creature, different in color. It was all in black and just as imposing and large as the other one. Cassie and Aracely screamed. They backed away while many of gang members were being taken down by the other one. The black hulking figure approached slowly.
"Out…!" he told them.
She didn't need telling twice. Cassie ran.
"Brock!" Carnage sneered. His human face showed. "You're here..."
"Yeah. I am." he replied, revealing his own face.
"One might think you're...stalking me..."
"Where you go...I go."
"And I like it..." he grinned.
"What the hell are you on about now?"
Carnage bared his horrible smile. "I'm just the unsung creature who's giving it all to make his feature."
"That's funny and unoriginal. And you're really here this time because?" Eddie waited and answered. "Bored? Got nothing meaningful to do in life?"
"I just thought I'd drop in unannounced and mostly because I'm just letting out some repressed rage."
"What? Killed off your anger management classes because they didn't do diddly?" Eddie said bored at this point.
"That and because...my Barrison is gone. I know. I always know. You...did something with her...I can sense it."
"Maybe." Eddie shrugged. "So you two really were a couple? That's so sweet...shame what happened to her though. Sucks, doesn't it?"
"You uh...have any idea who did this, Eddie? Because I would hate to think it was you..."
Eddie gave a grin that matched Kasady's. "Maybe I didn't...maybe I did."
"My one and only is gone because of you, Eddie..." Cletus gave an angry grin, making him looked deranged. Red veins in his forehead began to pulse.
"Now you know how people feel..." Eddie's black symbiote strains were beginning to crawl on his cheeks and forehead like veins spreading.
"And so will you...when I find 'your' one and only!"
Eddie angered beyond measure, morphed into Venom within a fraction of a second. Cletus also angry, turned into Carnage. Both symbiotic creatures roared at one another before charging at one another head on. Venom gave a massive hard uppercut to the jaw of Carnage, knocking him back. Running, Venom was caught by one of Carnage's tendrils. One of which gripped tight around his neck.
"Better yet...I will put you out of your misery!"
Carnage tore off a part of Venom's face by having pulled at it, revealing Eddie's face. Fortunately, the torn piece around his face reassembled itself fast.
It had been a while now and Peter was inside the building and tried climbing upward the old fashioned way but was getting tired given that he had to get to the top and do more running.
'Help!' a voice called out below.
"Cassie…" he rolled his eyes and realized he had to go back down. He groaned in frustration. "Just when I was getting used to climbing again..."
Both of them Aracely and Cassie ran towards a door, an exit sign was posted above it.
"It's locked." Cassie said looking at the lock on the doorknob.
That was when she was knocked away by the butt of the gun.
"I'm the survivor here not you! You…die…" Aracely said to her unconscious form.
She shot the lock off and was about to open the door when it exploded from the outside. Aracely fell far back from the force. The two monstrous beings tackled one another. Each one trying to go on top of one another. Aracely tried to leave only to be smacked accidently by one of the creatures knocking her out cold.
Peter came and saw Carnage and Venom. He saw them for a while before he came to a conclusion.
"Not my area anymore…" he said as he saw them and eventually saw Cassie beside the two fighters. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath in, he lifted her with a struggle but managed to take her in his arms and without doing anymore waiting, Peter left the two monsters to fight.
"So what now, Brock? Gonna keep fighting to the end?!" Carnage cackled.
A blur swept by and kicked Carnage in the chin, losing his hold on Venom. Both creatures snarled at the newcomer.
"I am..." he said.
"Spider-Man!" Carnage screeched with fury.
Upon hearing Spider-Man coming into the fray, Venom's face receded and Eddie was revealed underneath his still-symbiotic form.
"No! Peter, get out of here! This is between him and me!" he yelled.
Spider-Man apparently didn't listen and attacked Carnage. Carnage gave a fast punch to Spider-Man to which he threw him back some feet away. Venom hit Carnage in the back of the head twice but Carnage retaliated and held Venom's head to a wall. Growling, Venom's fist dropped down hard on Carnage's bicep, releasing him. Carnage turned his remaining hand into an axe shaped weapon and sliced down on Venom's arm, making him screech. He fell down and a foot was planted on his chest, making remain on the ground.
"You're now at my mercy, Brock! I so love this..." He was about to swing down when he screamed. The axe never came down.
"What is this?!" Sounds like crackling flame were heard. Eddie saw that Peter was on his back, burning him with just one hand on Carnage's shoulder.
"You're now at mine!" Peter yelled.
Venom's face was gone but his body remained, Eddie was perplexed at Spider-Man's new style and power. His colors were different. No longer the traditional red and blue but red and black. With one touch, he had Carnage weakened and down for the count.
"AAAHHHH!" Carnage continued to scream.
He spun and thrashed about while Cain's hold continued. The burning intensified.
The carnage symbiote had retreated into Kasady's system.
"What are you doing?!" Eddie came up to him and said. He grabbed hold of Spider-Man and took off his mask and saw the misshapen face. He shoved Eddie back and put his mask back on.
"Staking out my territory. This is my mark!" he responded, holding his hand.
"Wait a minute...you're not Peter!" Eddie realized.
"I WILL BE!" He then touched Venom's chest.
Eddie began to keel over. He had clutched his chest and appeared to be in discomfort.
"You're nothing...but an imposter!" he growled. The hand continued to press against his chest.
"I AM SPIDER-MAN! You're all going to die!"
Alarms blared making them gasp in discomfort. That was when a fire began with the smoke billowing all around the room and all three saw the girl starting a fire using a lighter and lighter fluid. She turned and ran.
Venom and Carnage were gone. Not wanting the flames to touch them.
Cain stayed behind and tried to find the girl. He did so finding her passed out on one of the floors. Apparently the fire left little to no oxygen in the area. Once outside, he took off his mask and put his suit away underneath the long jacket he wore.
"Hey, are you OK?"
Aracely blinked and opened her eyes. She was stunned at seeing him and got up quickly giving him a slap to his face.
"Go to hell, cabron!"
"I don't understand. I saved you..." Cain said to her.
"I didn't ask you to save me! Because of you, now you made me feel like a victim again..." Aracely said.
Cain was all alone now, looking confused and frustrated. He looked upward at the sky.
"Who needs to be saved? What is the right way?"
He then threw away his jacket now.
"My way is the right way."
He held Cassie in his arms. Her small, slender form finally shook which made Peter all the more relieved. Her eyes fluttered and finally jolted open. She was gasping.
"You alright?"
"My...l-leg...it hurts..."
"You're going to be fine..." Peter said and he blinked in surprise saying that. It felt as if something was coming back to him. Fire fighters and Medical personnel came and grabbed Cassie now.
The paramedics took her in a gurney to the ambulance. She gave him a nod as she passed by.
"Thank you."
Peter continued feeling rather elated that he made somewhat of a difference. That very feeling caused him to grow some clarity within him.
"Peter!"
Turning around, he saw Sharon of all people running toward him.
"What happened here?"
Peter told her everything. "It was hectic. How I survived is anyone's guess..." he finished.
"Peter, you should have called me."
"It's fine. Despite the ordeal, I'm glad I did what I did. Also, I think you're not being honest with me. I found out you're not really a student at ESU."
"That's ridiculous. Who told you that?"
"A friend. Sharon, what's going-"
She then opened her purse and spoke up quickly. "Peter. You've went through a terrible ordeal. I feel you need a drink after such distress. Here, I have some tonic. You look thirsty and we'll get some food after this..."
"Umm...actually I-"
Sharon raised the little bottle in which the cap had been taken off and the odor, the scent was getting to Peter. So much so that he agreed at once.
"You're right." he said and took it at once.
"Good..." Sharon smiled.
She took him back toward an alley.
"Does anyone suspect anything?"
"Yes. From the Daily Bugle. Betty Brant. She's onto you."
"Then she must be dealt with..."
"I know."
"So she's Sable Manfredi..." he whispered to himself.
After signing his name on the list of visitors, Cain had gone into the cell of one of the most notorious criminals in New York. He now saw the woman ahead.
She sighed. "Are you angry, I take it?" Her voice echoed.
Cain went with the 'Peter' persona.
"I guess I should be..."
Sable squinted and frowned. "You...look different."
"I'm more evolved." he shrugged. "What can I say?" he came closer. "I uhh...heard you told Felicia that you stopped with trying to kill us. Why is that? Losing your touch? I have to say, I'm not convinced. No. Even I know that someone like you wouldn't stop. Tell me your reason."
"You're quite right. Long ago, I made myself hold on to a notion that if you had made killing your whole life whether it be for good intentions or bad, you have to keep on killing. But at this point in my life, after so many errors made, I guess you're no longer worth the effort..." She then stood up. "Whatever I wanted...is gone. The symbiote. And you armed with knowledge of whatever misdeeds you think I've done...I guess you can go about your way."
"I'll believe that. To go on a broader level...I was a waste of time."
"I did have feelings for you."
"Which makes no sense given there are plenty of other suitors out in the world. But going back to what you said before. Killing. Killing is a drug...isn't it? It makes you potent...it makes you relish the fact that you were the strongest and that you prevailed against someone. It makes you feel...like a God..."
Sable stood up now. She was startled by his appearance as he came forward to her in the light. His face was grotesque and misshapen. He gave off a grin.
"Aah! W-who are you?"
"I'm Peter Parker..."
"You're not!" she said terrified.
"I am now..." he then raised a hand. A burning hand. "And you should be grateful! What I'm going to do to you is nothing compared to what I'm going to do to Peter Parker!"
The jeep had long since run out of gas and that was an hour ago. Julia felt her luck was running out. She felt she was losing Webb. She also felt as if they were still hunted. In the fields, she carried her as if she were a small child now. The wheelchair left behind.
"Remember...you're strong."
"People kept telling me I was weak all my life."
"I know and you wanted to prove them wrong. Don't take this as a defeat. You did all you could today."
"We're going to make it." Julia simply replied.
"Bless your heart."
That was when gunshots were fired. No one was hit and Julia and Webb ran to a forest to their left. Only for her to be tackled and dropping Webb on the ground. The next thing she knew she was seeing stars. She had been hit in the face and knocked to the ground. A kick to her gut had been issued immediately after, making her roll away.
She screamed in anger and got back up tackling the man backward and elbowing him in the face. Her throat was then grabbed and pressure began to rise. Julia saw that he had a bullet wound on his arm and plunged her fingers into it, making him cry out in pain. She then punched his face again and again. Now focused and in control, Julia hit him with an uppercut which didn't make him fall down but made him dizzy though.
"What's she to you anyway? She's a freak!" the man yelled.
Julia finished him off with a spinning kick to his head, bringing him down and making him fall down hard where his head hit a rock, causing his end instantly. She went to Cassandra who was beginning to convulse. Julia dropping her was a fatal move apparently. Cassandra was breathing rapidly or tried to. Julia had her in her lap.
"We got to survive this. Don't you dare go."
"You'll survive...I won't." Cassandra said wearily.
"You 'will' survive this. Don't hold out on me."
Cassandra shook her head. "My time is up."
The bleeding in her shoulder was getting bad. The wound had festered beyond and Julia tried to be optimistic.
"I just need to apply more pressure." she said putting her hands on her bleeding shoulder.
"I told you...this might happen..."
"Just hold on."
"No...I'm sorry. I'm sorry but it's too late. Don't feel bad though, Julia. You've done well. Very well."
"Ms. Webb-" But her hands were grasped by Cassandra's.
"You are worthy, child. Here. Take my gift..."
"What?" she said as she looked at the palm of her hand.
"It's your turn to carry on my legacy..."
"Ma'am..."
"Please..."
Julia did so and her body felt it was getting struck by unusual energy. It was warm and powerful. She was taken aback and breathing heavily now that the sensation had stopped.
"What-what just happened?" she blinked.
"Run...and save Peter...Parker..." Cassandra Webb lay motionless now. Dead.
