"Boss? Are you okay? Mister Parker?" Marvel's voice seemed far away, but it started to draw Peter back to the light. He focused on it and pulled himself out. He came to.

"Status marvel?" "Shield is on-site boss. They are getting to you now." "Tasha?" "She is stable." "Stable? How bad is she?" "She has moderate wounding but is expected to pull through." That better be right!

Peter forced the debris off himself. "Agent Parker. Are you okay?" Shield agents asked. "Yeah. How's Tasha?" "She's on her way to shield medical now. Her outlook is good." Peter dissolved his helmet. Thank Christ for that.

He then saw a sight he hadn't seen in some years. Flint marko, aka sandman, was there too. "Spider-Man" he said walking up to him. "Sandman." Sandman had been a big villain of his at one time, but had become an antihero over the years.

Hill appeared as well. "Nat will be okay Peter. We're mostly taking her to medical as a precaution." "Are you sure?" "If she wasn't enhanced I'd say there'd be cause for concern; but not now." Peter nodded slowly. "Sandman here is an enhanced off book asset for shield." "No kidding." "That's right. They said if I helped them fight evil they'd never charge me for any crimes I committed before. It's worked well so far."

That made sense. Sandman was a tough dude to beat. Peter had learned that firsthand. Hill "with all the trouble we're facing right now and with Romanoff out of the field for the time being we felt this was the best choice for now." In short Peter would work with marko for the time being.

"What about what happened here?" He asked. "Did we get any valuable intel?" "We're still processing everything for now. It's gonna take a while" said hill. Peter didn't like what he heard. "Where's fury?" "In dc briefing the brass on things here and around it. We'll have everything sent to you suit as it becomes available." "Thanks."

Hill left him and sandman alone. "Sorry about your girl" he said. "Thanks. I need to reach her. Marvel: call Tasha ASAP." "Will do boss." Hopefully her comms were still online.

"Peter." "Tasha. Are you okay?" "Yeah. A few hours at medical should help. You?" "Good. Goblin and many purifiers got away." "I figured. That was Mephisto's plan all along." "Sandman's here too." "I know about his situation with shield. He'll be your partner for now." "My place is at your side." "Your place is out there doing your job Pete. Don't worry. We'll be together again." Peter hated hearing that but it came with the job. "Okay." "I'll be fine Pete. Don't worry. I'm in good hands." "Okay. Tasha." "Yeah." "I love you." "I love you too Pete."

Peter bowed his head in relief at hearing her voice and knowing she was all right. Sandman "you're in charge now Parker. Tell me what you need." Peter felt strange being in charge now. But marko was right. This was his show now. "We need to keep looking for goblin and the purifiers. This may be just the beginning of a night of terror." He dreaded saying the words but couldn't deny their total truth either. Sandman seemed cool with it either way. "Got it."

Peter exhaled and focused. "Marvel, compute the next target or other location of interest for the purifiers or the green goblin to be found at next." "Will do boss."

Peter reformed his helmet to see what she would come up with. She was usually linked with Stark and shield servers in real time so her info would usually be the best it could be.

"I have a lead boss..." Peter frowned from behind his helmet at the concern in her tone. "Marvel, what is it?" "I've just picked up comms chatter between other suspected purifier leaders and a Catholic Church..." "where?" "From the archdiocesan cathedral..." Peter sensed there was more. "Keep going marvel." "The cardinal appears to be involved..." "evidence?" "Confirmed texts between him and purifier members..."

Just great.

"There's more boss." "Go." "Daredevil has been sighted around the cathedral for unknown reasons." "Theorize why." "It is likely based on his profile that daredevil is there to assist the purifiers..." that doesn't sound likely "or he is there to protect the cardinal and possibly the purifiers without being aware of who they are." That could be true if Matt doesn't know what he's dealing with.

"Marvel can you call him?" "No boss. His comms are down." Damn. Sandman "what is it?" "I'll explain on the way. Let's go."

He flew while Marko turned into a sandstorm and flew off into the air with him. Peter didn't want this to become a misunderstanding with Murdock. Matt was a devout Christian but he was what a Christian should be. He wouldn't condone anti mutant activities. But Peter wouldn't know anything until he got there. As a shield agent he couldn't assume anything. Not anymore.

Xxx

They arrived a short time later. He'd gotten marko up to speed. They landed on a rooftop. Peter first then marko as he reformed back into his human appearance. The cathedral in the heart of Manhattan was visible below. There were a lot of people going into the building despite the late hour.

"How do we handle this?" Sandman said. Good question. "Marvel scan the area for enemy activity." "Working... numerous purifiers are present. As is the cardinal." Damn. "And goblin?" "Unknown."

"What's going on here?" Said daredevil from behind them. "There's a lot going on." Matt looked at marko. "You're working with him now?" "Trust me there's a lot going on. This is shield business." "And you trust them to come through?" "They have so far." "Stay out of this devil" said marko. "Go back to the kitchen where you belong." "I'll decide what I do."

"Daredevil, this isn't what you think. The purifiers are in the cathedral. They've been linked to the cardinal." "That's impossible. The cardinal is a good man. I've known him a long time." "Trust me; there is more to this than you think." "Such as the green goblin's return?" "Exactly. Think about it: he was dead. I saw him die years ago. How did that happen?" "I don't know." "I do. Mephisto." Matt straightened at that. Sandman "it was the real devil this time, devil."

Matt sighed and walked up them. He nodded. "What can I do?" Peter smiled. Now we're talking! "Black widow's been hurt. It's just us for now. We need to take these guys down."

"Boss, I've confirmed a new primary target: Elektra..." "what?" "She just went into the church." Matt "what is it?" Peter knew Matt wouldn't like this given their long troubled history. "Elektra just went inside." Daredevil bowed his head. Sandman didn't know all the details of that. "What is this?" "A wrinkle" said Peter. "We'll deal with it."