A/N: There's a slight team-up with two other heroes in this chapter.
Please read and review, as I've worked hard on this.
The next night, Mary Jane and Harry were both coming out from the movies, laughing with their arms around each other.
"Now that was a great movie." Mary Jane said.
"Sure was." Harry agreed.
They linked their arms together, when they saw a Taxi heading towards them - as Mr. Osborn had the limo.
"Taxi!" Harry called.
The Taxi pulled over near him and Mary Jane, then they both walked around to either side of it. They opened the back doors and got in, seeing the driver was male.
"So, where too?" he asked.
"Um..." Mary Jane began.
The man turned around at them, shocking them both as it was Eddie.
"Eddie?" Harry asked. "Where've you been?"
"Oh, this and that." Eddie said.
"You make up with Peter or not?" Mary Jane asked. "Or have you not met him yet."
"No, not yet." Eddie said. "But I will soon."
He grinned menacingly, shocking them both, before he put his hand over Mary Jane's mouth, gagging her.
"Ah!" she gasped.
"Hey-" Harry began.
They both watched in horror as Eddie turned into Venom.
"You're both coming with us!" he sneered.
He laughed evilly as Harry and Mary Jane both looked worried.
Later, the Taxi was being held by a giant black web at a construction site at New York Harbour, somewhere right near the top of it. Harry and Mary Jane both looked around horrified, as Venom stood on the web nearby, looking down, as a large crowd began to show up, which including Cops and Reporters.
"Time to get the message out." Venom smirked.
Down below, the large crowd of citizens, Cops and Reporters, including Capt. Stacy, Lt.'s DeWolff, Watanabe, and Officer Davis, all looked at the construction site.
"Is that a giant web?" Lt. Watanabe inquired, spotting it.
"Yeah, but it looks black." Lt. DeWolff noted. "Our Friendly Neighbourhood webbed duo's webs are white."
A male Sgt. ran over to them both, as the Capt. approached them all.
"Sgt., anything you wanna tell us?" the Capt. asked.
"From what we've gathered, sir, is that this is a hostage crisis." the Sgt. explained. "Two hostages inside that Taxi at least."
"Any demands?" the Capt. asked.
"Not yet, sir." the Sgt. said.
"What about the people who did this?" the Capt. asked.
"It's hard to explain, sir." the Sgt. said. "Every time we get near the building, Sandman drives us back."
"Sandman?" Lt. Watanabe inquired.
"Yeah. I know it's crazy, but he's a man made up of sand." the Sgt. explained.
"Right. Thank you, Sgt." the Capt. said.
Capt. Stacy approached a female Cop, who was looking up at the Taxi through a sniper scope, which she held in her hand.
"Can you see if the hostages are alright?" the Capt. asked.
"No." the female Cop replied, lowering her scope. "The Taxi's took high up for me to see."
"Do we at least know who the hostages are?" the Capt. asked.
"Yes, sir. Harry Osborn and Mary Jane Watson." the female Cop answered.
Capt. Stacy gasped, as he knew they were close friends of Gwen's.
"We've tried to get in close, but..." the female Cop began.
"I know about Sandman." Capt. Stacy said.
"It's not just him, sir." the female Cop said. "There's some black figure in there too, but we can't confirm who or what it is."
"Right." the Capt. sighed. "Thanks."
The female Cop looked back up at the Taxi through her scope. The Capt. turned slightly and walked off, when Officer Davis approached him, who'd overhead the conversation.
"I take it you know them both, sir?" he inquired. "The hostages."
"Two of my daughter's best friends." Capt. Stacy sighed.
"Oh, I see." Officer Davis said.
"I better call her and tell her before she finds out on the News." Capt. Stacy said.
"I think you're too late." Officer Davis said, pointing at some camera people. "They're gonna start reporting what's happening in a minute."
Capt. Stacy took out his phone, then dialled Gwen's number.
"I sure hope she's home." he said. "I don't want her to come over here. It's too dangerous."
"I know how it feels, worrying about your kid." Officer Davis said.
"You got a kid?" the Capt. asked.
"I've got a young son, only 13. His name's Miles. I'd hate for him to be up there in this situation." Officer Davis sighed.
Capt. Stacy smiled understandingly, before he put his phone to his ear.
"I guess that's something we can relate too." he said. "Come on, Gwen? Pick up?"
At the Stacy House, Peter and Gwen were both making out on the couch, when Gwen's phone rang.
"Oh!" she moaned, as they pulled apart.
She got off of Peter, then picked up her phone and looked at it, seeing it was her Dad.
"Dad, what's up?" she asked, putting it to her ear.
"Gwen, are you home right now?" her father asked.
"Yeah. Why?" Gwen asked.
"Just turn on the News and you'll find out." her father assured, before hanging up.
Gwen put her phone down, then picked up the remote turned the TV on, showing Pat Kiernan of NY1, was behind his desk staring at the camera.
"All of New York is holding its breath as a Hostage Crisis unfolds." he explained.
The screen showed live footage of Police Officers setting up a roadblock, as others keep people back, including Flash and Liz.
"Just 30 minutes ago, Police came across this starling sight. A young boy and girl, both held hostage in a Taxi suspended 80 stories above the ground, in what appears to be a giant web." reported Pat Kiernan.
Peter and Gwen turned to each other confused.
"A giant web?" Gwen questioned. "But how?"
"I think I know...but I hope I'm wrong." Peter hoped.
"Every known attempt made by the Police to rescue the hostages, have been thwarted by the Sandman, and a black hooded figure." Pat Kiernan explained.
The screen showed Sandman lifting up from the sand around the construction site, knocking over two Cop cars, injuring three Cops.
"AH!" they moaned.
The screen then showed a female Cop getting webbed up by a black web-line, before the camera showed Venom kicking her in the chest, knocking her away - fortunately landing on the soft sand.
"AH!" she moaned.
Peter and Gwen gasped, not believing their eyes.
"Venom is back?" Gwen gasped. "Guess you weren't imaging things after all."
"But how'd he come back, that's what I want to know?" Peter said.
"The hostages have been identified as Harry Osborn and Mary Jane Watson, a pair of High Schoolers at Midtown High." Pat Kiernan explained.
The screen showed an image of the Taxi, then a picture of Harry and Mary Jane inside it, that was taken from a Police Helicopter.
"Ah!" Gwen gasped.
"No..." Peter gasped.
"We're now going to take you live to the scene, with Roma Torre." Pat Kiernan said.
The screen showed Roma at the scene, who stared at a camera while moving past some Cop cars, as some ran past her.
"We're only about 100 feet away now, Pat." she explained. "There seems to be a large message or something in the web."
Her cameraman moved her camera up to the large web, showing there was a message in it. It said 'Spider-Man and Ghost Spider, come and face us, if you dare'.
"Apparently Spider-Man and Ghost Spider are both being challenged to some sort of fight." Roma explained. "Due to what they're up against, I think their chances aren't that good."
Peter and Gwen turned to each other as Gwen turned the TV off.
"We have to go." Gwen said. "Harry and MJ need us."
"Yeah, but this proves I wasn't imaging seeing Venom last week." Peter said, as they got up from the couch. "I just wish he knew how he returned."
"We'll worry about that later." Gwen said. "Right now, our friends need our help...even if it is a trap."
Peter nodded, before they both got up from the couch and then ran upstairs to Gwen's bedroom. They both quickly changed into their suits, then Ghost Spider opened her bedroom window, then they both climbed out of it, before she closed it, then they both began to swing off to rescue their friends.
At the construction site, everyone was looking up at the Taxi in the web, as Flash and Liz both pushed through the crowd to get to the front. Once there, they saw Anna Watson and Mr. Osborn pushing their way through as well.
"No surprise they're here." Liz said.
Flash nodded.
Lt. DeWolff approached Anna and Norman, who both turned to her.
"Are they okay?" Anna asked worriedly.
"From what we can tell, they're still up there." Lt. DeWolff explained.
"Haven't you met their demands?" Norman asked.
"Well...that's the problem." the Lt. said. "Look?"
She pointed up at the giant web, then Anna and Norman both saw the message.
"So unless the Spiders see the News Broadcast, there's nothing we can do." the Lt. sighed. "We've tried everything ourselves, but we can't even get close."
Everyone on the ground looked up at the giant web, when Morris Bench pushed past several people, stopping near Flash and Liz.
"Oh, no!" he gasped.
The Taxi then fell as some of the web snapped.
"AHH!" Mary Jane screamed.
"AH!" Harry yelled.
Everyone gasped as the Taxi landed on another piece of web, preventing it from falling to the ground.
"Oh, now that was close." Morris sighed. "MJ wouldn't be in this mess if she wasn't with Osborn."
"Hey, back off!" Flash snapped, pushing him slightly. "It was just random they were kidnapped. It's Spidey and Ghost Spider those creeps want!"
"Yeah, Bench!" Liz snarled. "I'm sure everyone's worried!"
Morris scowled, before he folded his arms and huffed.
"Those web-heads better get here then!" he huffed.
They crowd all looked up at the Taxi, when a little girl spotted something nearby.
"Look?" she said.
Everyone turned around, seeing two figures swinging towards them, before they swung up towards a building.
"It's Spider-Man!" a boy whooped.
"And there's Ghost Spider!" his sister cried, pointing at them.
The whole crowd began to clap - even Morris - as both Spiders swung up and landed near a building with a U.S. flag on, which blew in the wind. They both ran along the rooftop, then jumped off and glided down for a minute, before they swung towards the construction site.
"About time, you two!" Morris thought, annoyed.
Once close, Spider-Man shot a well at a flag pole on a building, while Ghost Spider shot one at a lamppost near the crowd, making the people near them back away. Both Spiders did a few loop-te-loops, before they shot up towards the giant web, spreading their arms out slightly to glide up towards it.
On the ground, Roma turned to her cameraman, as the crowd all clapped.
"Both Spiders have just come out of nowhere, answering the city's prayers." she explained. "All hope was seemingly lost, but now it's come back."
Both Spiders shot up towards the web, then landed on it near the Taxi, then got up and looked around.
In the Taxi, Harry and Mary Jane turned as they heard something, seeing the Spiders.
"Hey, in here!" Harry yelled.
Both Spiders looked up at the Taxi.
"Hang on, okay?" Ghost Spider asked, holding her thumb up.
Harry and Mary Jane nodded, before Venom came swinging out of nowhere and kicked both Spiders in the chests.
"OH!" they moaned.
They both fell down through the gaps in the web.
"NOOO!" Mary Jane cried.
"Ah!" the crowd gasped.
Some - including Liz and Lt. DeWolff - covered their mouths in shock.
Both Spiders kept fall down through the web, before landing on another of it on their backs.
"OH!" they moaned.
They both looked up, as Venom landed in front of them.
"Eddie?!" Spider-Man gasped.
Venom retracted his mask and smirked.
"Yeah, bro." Eddie smirked. "And hello, Gwen."
Both Spiders gasped, before he took their masks off, but since they were so high-up, no one on the ground could see them, and they were out of sight from Harry and Mary Jane.
"How'd you find out who I am?" Gwen asked.
"I've been stalking and spying on you both." Eddie smirked. "Used it to get my friend back."
"So I wasn't imaging it? You just followed me in a made-up suit?!" Peter exclaimed.
"Yes." Eddie smirked, before his mask came back up. "And now, it's time for us to have our revenge against you two!"
He raised his right fist up, then went to punch Gwen, but she kicked him in the belly, making him drop their masks. Gwen and Peter grabbed their masks, then pulled themselves off the web and put them back on.
"Eddie, leave our friends out of this?!" Spider-Man asked. "It's us you want!"
"Oh, how touching." Venom mocked. "You really care about your friends, but you still ruined my life!"
"Eddie, that wasn't my fault!" Spider-Man argued.
"You need to understand, he'd never do it on purpose!" Ghost Spider said. "That Symbiote's poisoned your mind, just like it nearly did him!"
Venom laughed. "You seriously expect me to believe that!" he scoffed. "You won't beat me this time, not with the help of our new friend!"
Both Spiders Spider-Senses tingled, making them turn around, seeing Sandman growing bigger behind them.
"Oh, webs!" Ghost Spider gasped. "He's even bigger than you said."
"The more sand he's around, the bigger and stronger he can get!" Spider-Man told her. "That's probably why they chose this place as their battleground."
"Brilliant as always, bro!" Venom joked.
Both Spiders turned to him as he laughed.
"I knew a beach was out of order, as they'd be no where to put people to help lure you out!" he laughed. "Now, let's get this party started!"
He shot a web at both of them, but missed as they both dodged them by jumping up, then grabbed a beam. They both climbed up onto it, then their Spider-Senses tingled, making them turn around, before Sandman whacked them both with his right arm, sending them flying away.
"AGHH!" they yelled.
They both hit a floorboard and then rolled along it, before they both fell over the edge, making them grab a beam.
"OH!" they moaned.
"Oh, I felt that one!" Ghost Spider moaned.
"Sandman's not acting like he did last time!" Spider-Man noted.
"Really?" Ghost Spider inquired, scoffing. "What makes you say that?"
They both climbed up onto the beam, then turned around to Sandman, who now stood behind them both.
"Well, he's acting more violent!" Spider-Man said. "Last time, he was only out to steal money!"
"Oh, great! Thanks for the news!" Ghost Spider said sarcastically.
They both stared at Sandman, who raised his fist up, before sending a punch at them both.
In the Baxter Building, Johnny Storm was watching the News report on TV, as Reed and Susan were in the lab, while Ben was working on the Fantastic-car.
"The fight at the construction site is still going on, but it looks like Spider-Man and Ghost Spider might not be enough." Pat Kiernan explained sadly.
"Oh, no!" Johnny gasped, getting up.
The TV showed Sandman get a bit bigger, before punching both Spiders in the chest, knocking them away.
"Guys?!" he gasped. "That's it! No one messes with my pals!"
He quickly wrote a note down and left it on the couch, then he turned around and ran off towards the balcony, before he jumped off it.
"Flame on!" he shouted.
He flamed up and turned into the Human Torch, before he began to fly off.
"I hope I'm not too late. Besides, you web-heads still owe me that race that you promised me." he thought.
At the same time, in the city, Bobby Drake was walking down a street, before he stopped by a store window, seeing the TVs in it showing the News Broadcast of the battle. The screen showed Sandman stop growing, then reach his hand into the construction site.
"This could mark the end of both Spiders." Pat Kiernan explained.
Bobby gasped at the news.
"Oh, man! I need to help them." he thought. "They're my friends."
He turned and ran off into an alleyway, then iced up into Iceman, before he used his power to make an ice bridge up to the rooftops. He then jumped onto the left one, then iced down and changed into his uniform, before he iced up again.
"Hang on, web-heads. The artic cavalry is coming." he thought.
He turned and began using his power to create an ice bridge as he ran along it, on his way to the construction site.
Back at the construction site, both Spiders lay on their chests while looking up, Spider-Man rubbing the back of his head.
"Oh! That packed a wallop!" Ghost Spider moaned, lifting her head up.
"Tell me about it!" Spider-Man moaned.
They both pulled themselves up, when Venom came up behind them both and split kicked them both in the back, knocking them away.
"AH!" they moaned, hitting the floor on their sides.
They both skidded along the floor, stopping near the edge.
"Oh!" they moaned.
They both looked up and saw the web, seeing the line the Taxi was on beginning to snap.
"Get the hostages!" Spider-Man said, as he got up. "I'll keep them busy...if I can!"
"Good luck then!" Ghost Spider grunted, pulling herself up.
She jumped up and began to swing up towards the giant web, as Spider-Man charged at Venom. He sent a punch at Venom, but he dodged to his left, then he tried to kick Venom, but missed as he grabbed his leg.
"Pathetic." Venom mocked.
He picked Spider-Man up by the leg, then began to spin around him while holding it.
"HEY! Whoa!" Spider-Man yelped.
Venom laughed as he kept spinning Spider-Man around.
"Getting tired, bro?" he asked, mockingly.
"AH!" Spider-Man yelped.
Venom let him go and stopped spinning around, causing him to fly away, hitting a support beam on his chest above them.
"OH!" he moaned.
He pulled himself up onto the support beam, then turned and lay down on it on his back.
"Oh, man! That really hurt!" he moaned.
Ghost Spider meanwhile, kept swinging up towards the giant black web, hoping her friends were okay.
"Hold on, guys?!" she thought.
She kept on swinging up towards the web, when Sandman slammed her in the chest with his fist - as he'd grown even larger near her.
"AH!" Ghost Spider yelled.
She went flying down and landed on Spider-Man, who was about to sit up on the support beam.
"OH!" he moaned.
They both looked at each other, blushing embarrassingly.
"Now this is awkward." Ghost Spider said quietly.
"Agreed." Spider-Man nodded.
Ghost Spider moved off of him, then they both got up and looked up at Sandman, when Venom shot a web at both of them, which wrapped around their necks.
"AGH!" they gasped.
"What the?!" Ghost Spider choked.
Venom pulled them both back, pinning them on the support beam, as they began to choke for breath. Sandman then banged his fist on them both, making them lower their arms, as Venom kept strangling them.
"AH!" they gasped.
Sandman raised his fist up, showing both their costumes now ripped open. Ghost Spider had lost her left eye piece, part of her hood, and the left half of her mouth area and chest, showing she had a sports bra on underneath. Spider-Man had lost his right eye piece, his mouth area, and part of his chest, and part of his hair was sticking out at the top.
Sandman punched them both again with his fist, as they reached their hands out.
In the Taxi, which moved slightly some more as webbing snapped, Harry and Mary Jane could now see both Spiders getting beaten.
"They really are getting beaten." Harry noted.
"They really need help." Mary Jane gasped.
The Taxi shook slightly, making them hold each other tight, but luckily it didn't fall.
"Where's a cavalry when you need it?!" Ghost Spider thought, moaning.
"We really need help with this one!" Spider-Man thought.
Sandman punched both Spiders again, knocking them out.
"AH!" the crowd below gasped.
Some of the girls - including Liz - began to cry slightly, while others looked shocked, including most of the Cops, Flash and even Morris.
"It's hard to believe what's happening." Roma Torre said, as her Cameraman kept filming. "This is brutal. I don't think we can keep filming."
(NY1 building)
Pat Kiernan stared at the cameras, as the image of Roma vanished behind him.
"This is a tragic day for New York. It could be the end of Spider-Man and Ghost Spider." he explained.
(Construction site)
Several people in the crowd gasped, not believing what they were seeing.
"The Spiders are losing?!" Flash exclaimed. "That can't be?!"
"This whole thing was a trap, and they walked right into it!" Lt. DeWolff gasped.
"I may not have liked them like you, Jean." Lt. Watanabe said. "But they were our only hope in stopping those freaks."
"Those web-heads failed!" Morris scowled, clutching his fists. "Great! Red's a goner now, thanks to them!"
"Hey, shut up!" two men roared, behind him.
A third then whacked him in the back of the head.
"You can't blame them for this!" he snarled. "Those creeps really planned this well!"
Morris gritted his teeth, then turned around and punched him in the eye, knocking him back.
"OH!" he moaned, covering it.
Officer Davis came over to them, then pulled Morris back before he could punch again.
"Hey, let go!" Morris snarled.
"No, kid!" Officer Davis said. "You need to clam down!"
"But-" Morris argued.
"Either you clam down, or I'm escorting you outta here!" Officer Davis warned.
Morris glared, but then huffed and backed away slightly.
Everyone looked up, as Sandman raised his arm to strike again, looking sympathetically, when something caught his eye on his left.
"Huh?" he muttered.
Venom turned, seeing two figures heading towards the site from different directions. One was orange flying quickly towards them, while the other was a like-blue color, creating a slide towards them.
"Huh?" he muttered.
The orange figure flew over towards Sandman, who then began to fly circles around his head and body, burning him slightly, as the crowd all watched, making most of it cheer.
"Wow!" a boy said.
"Wicked!" another said.
"Cool." a third said.
"Who is that?" a girl asked.
"That's...that's the Human Torch!" a woman exclaimed, pointing at him.
"All right!" Flash whooped. "The Spiders have some help!"
"But who's the other guy?" Liz questioned, pointing at the other figure.
Johnny kept flying around Sandman, before he spotted the other figure moving towards Venom and the Spiders on the ice slide, showing it was Iceman.
"Who invited him?" he wondered.
The crowd searchlights shined their lights up at him and Iceman, as Sandman fell to his knees and grabbed some of the supports, squashing them.
Iceman kept creating more of his slide, then shot ice from his left hand once near the battle, hitting Venom and his webs, freezing the webs.
"What?!" Venom exclaimed.
He turned to Iceman, who then jumped off his slide and kicked him in the chest, knocking him away, smashing some lose bricks.
"AH!" Venom moaned, hitting the floorboard on his back.
The webs then snapped over, freeing Spider-Man and Ghost Spider, who coughed as sat up and looked around, before seeing Iceman.
"Iceman?! What are you doing here?" Spider-Man asked, as they jumped down.
"Hey, no kind words for him, Spidey?" Johnny asked, jokingly.
Both Spiders turned around, as Iceman looked up, and saw Johnny was flying just above them.
"Johnny?" Ghost Spider questioned. "How'd you guys find out about this?"
"I was watching it on TV from the Baxter Building." Johnny explained. "Thought you might need help."
"I saw it on a TV while walking down a street." Bobby answered. "Got here just in time, the way they were pounding you both."
"AGH!" Venom growled.
The four heroes turned to him as he got up and glared at the four heroes.
"This wasn't your fight, Human Torch and...Frosty!" Venom roared.
"Okay, 1st: We've made it our fight!" Johnny roared.
"And 2nd: the name's Iceman, you freak!" Iceman yelled.
A loud grunt made the four heroes turned around, seeing Sandman getting up, his burn marks completely gone.
"Okay...didn't expect that." Johnny admitted.
"It's all the sand on the ground." Spider-Man explained. "The more he has, the bigger and stronger he gets."
"That's why they chose this for their battleground!" Ghost Spider snarled.
"Right." Johnny and Bobby said.
"How can we help then?" Johnny asked.
"You two handle Sandman. Ghost and I've got Venom." Spider-Man told Johnny and Bobby. "We've dealt with him before."
"Got it, Spidey." Johnny said.
"Right." Iceman said.
He turned around and created an ice slide, then moved along it towards Sandman, as Johnny flew towards him.
Both Spiders turned to Venom as he snarled at them.
"Your friends coming here have just marked their own end as well as yours!" he snarled.
He pounced towards them, but they both both jumped away - Ghost Spider to her left, Spider-Man to his right. Venom landed crouched down, then got up and turned around, as both Spiders shot a bunch of web balls from their hands, hitting him all over.
"AGH!" he moaned.
He ripped them off his body quickly, then shot his own webbing at both Spiders, blinding Spider-Man, but Ghost Spider managed to jump up to avoid hers.
"AH!" Spider-Man moaned.
"Ah, yeah! You're suppose to be the faster of the two!" Venom smirked. "Not that that won't matter to us!"
He shot webbing from both hands at Ghost Spider, who flipped backwards and landed on the support beam. She then jumped away from it as the webs hit the beam, then dived towards Venom.
"You missed, Eddie!" she mocked.
She then punched him in the chest with both fists, before she back flipped away from him as he hit the ground. Spider-Man then pulled off the webs from his mask, then he shot webs from both hands at Venom as he got up, covering his face and shoulders.
"AGH!" he moaned.
Ghost Spider jumped over Venom like in a game of leap frog, then somersaulted over him, then landed near him. She then turned around and punched him in the chest, then spun around and kicked him in the chest knocking him down.
"OH!" he moaned.
Ghost Spider smiled as Spider-Man came up beside her.
"Nice moves, Ghost." Spider-Man said.
"Thanks, Spidey." Ghost Spider grinned, as they bumped their fists together.
"AGH!" Venom growled, getting their attention.
He ripped off the webbing from his face and shoulders.
"You two are dead!" he declared.
Iceman and Johnny both stared at Sandman, before looking up at the Taxi on Venom's web, seeing some bits starting to snap.
"We've gotta get them outta there." Johnny said.
"I agree." Iceman said. "You keep Sandy busy, and I'll get them out!"
"Hey?!" Johnny exclaimed. "Why do I have to keep him busy!"
"You're flamed up!" Iceman argued. "You might accidently burn the hostages! At least I'll just make them cold for a bit!"
"Okay, fair enough." Johnny said, seeing his point. "But make it fast, okay."
"On it!" Iceman said.
He ran along the floorboards, then stopped at the edge, as Johnny flew up towards Sandman, who stared at him. Sandman tried to grab Johnny, but missed as he flew off, then stopped and stared at him.
"What's the matter, Sandy? Can't catch me?" Johnny joked.
"AGH!" Sandman growled.
He went to punch Johnny, but missed as he flew off.
Iceman meanwhile began to make an ice bridge up towards the Taxi and the web, unnoticed by anyone expect Johnny.
"Go for it, frosty." Johnny thought.
Iceman kept moving up towards the web and Taxi, before he stopped near it, as Harry and Mary Jane turned to him.
"You two okay?" he asked.
Harry and Mary Jane both stared at him.
"Who...Who are you?" Harry asked, shocked.
"I'm here to get you two out." Iceman explained. "Spidey and Ghostie have their hands full."
"Wait, there's someone in a boot." Mary Jane explained. "A little girl with a crutch."
Iceman turned around, then jumped off the Taxi and onto the web, landing behind the Taxi. He opened the boot up, and saw it was Penny.
"Okay, I got you, kid." he said, picking her up.
"Just how are you gonna get us down from here?" Harry asked.
"Simple." Iceman smirked.
He turned and shot ice from his left hand, creating an ice slide which stopped near the crowd in a slightly up position, making several people back away, including Flash and Liz.
"I know it's not the best way, but it's your best chance down." Iceman explained.
Harry and Mary Jane stood up in the Taxi, seeing the ice slide had edges on each other, to prevent them from falling.
"Beats being stuck up here." Harry reasoned. "Ladies first."
"Oh, thanks." Mary Jane scoffed, annoyed.
She took Iceman's free hand.
"Ow, that's cold!" she complained.
Iceman then helped her onto the slide, then she lay down and slid down it. Iceman then helped Harry onto it, who slid down it, then he got on with Penny.
"Hold tight, kid." Iceman advised.
He lay down and wrapped his arms around Penny, before he began sliding down his slide.
Once at the bottom, Mary Jane got off the slide, followed by Harry, and then Iceman got off with Penny. Several people in the crowd stared at him, before Mr. Osborn and Anna Watson both pushed past everyone.
"Mary Jane!" Anna cried.
"Aunt Anna!" Mary Jane said, hugging her.
"Son, are you alright?" Mr. Osborn asked, touching Harry's shoulders.
"I'm okay, Dad." Harry assured.
Capt. Stacy and Morris both pushed through the crowd towards them all.
"You two okay?" the Capt. asked.
Harry and Mary Jane both pulled away from their relatives, and turned to him.
"Yeah, we're fine, Capt." Harry assured.
"Red, are you-" Morris asked.
"I'm fine, Bench!" Mary Jane snapped.
"But-" Morris said.
"She said 'she's fine'!" Harry snapped.
Morris glared at him, but backed away slightly.
"You okay, kid?" Iceman asked, holding Penny.
Everyone turned to them both, as he approached the Capt.
"A little girl was being held up there too?" Anna exclaimed.
"She was in the boot. Don't know why though." Harry assured.
"Here, take her." Iceman said, handing her to the Capt. "I need to get back in there."
"Alright." the Capt. said. "Come on, let's get back."
Iceman watched as they all moved back behind the barriers, then turned around to Sandman, seeing Johnny flying around his head like a fly.
"Okay, think, Bobby?" he thought. "What's sand's greatest weakness? Wait, it's water!"
He looked up at Johnny again, as an idea came into his head.
"It just might work." he thought.
He began to create an ice slide up towards Sandman from behind him, then stopped near his head as Johnny came flying towards him.
"You get the hostages down?" Johnny asked.
"Yeah, and listen, I have an idea." Iceman said. "Just keep him busy for a minute?"
Johnny sighed, before he flew back towards Sandman, then began to fly around his head again, as Sandman tried to grab him.
Iceman then shot ice from both his hands, hitting Sandman's chest, who turned around.
"Huh?" he muttered.
He looked down as Iceman kept spraying ice all over him, until he froze completely soiled.
"Now that's what I call stopping him cold." Iceman smirked.
Several people in the crowd watched in amazement.
"That is so cool, literately." a boy said.
Johnny flew over and came up beside Iceman.
"You expect that to hold him?" he asked.
"No, but if you melt it, it'll melt him as well, at least for a while." Iceman hoped.
"Meaning only that creep will be left?" Johnny deduced. "Good thinking, frosty."
"Oh, just do it, you hothead!" Iceman snapped.
Johnny shot fire from his hands, which hit the ice around Sandman, melting it quickly, turning it into water, which began to melt him.
"AHH! AH! NOOOO!" he yelled.
He began to get soggy as he melted down into the sand below him.
"Hey, it actually worked." Johnny admitted. "Not bad...Iceman."
"Thanks." Iceman said. "Come on. The Spiders still need our help."
Johnny flew into the building as Iceman extended his ice bridge and got into it, before he ran off slightly and looked around.
Venom glared and shot a web at Ghost Spider, which hit the back of her left leg as she tried to dive away.
"AGH!" she yelped, falling onto her chest.
She turned to Venom, and saw her legs were webbed together tight, preventing her from moving.
"We've been waiting a long time for this, Stacy." Venom snarled.
"Leave her alone!" Spider-Man roared.
Venom turned right as he dived forward and kicked him with both feet, knocking him away.
"AHH!" Venom roared, as he back flipped away.
He landed on his feet, then stared at both Spiders, as Ghost Spider pulled his webbing off her legs, before she got up. Venom glared at them both, when he spotted Johnny and Iceman coming towards them from behind.
"Your little friend's gone, Venom!" Iceman smirked.
"So now, you're on your own!" Johnny smirked.
"No matter!" Venom spat. "We can handle you all by ourselves!"
"Is he calling himself 'we'?" Johnny inquired.
"Sounds like it." Iceman noted.
Venom growled and shot webs at both Spiders, hitting their chests. He then pulled them both towards them, then he jumped and kicked them both, sending them flying into a beam each, hitting their backs against it.
"AHH!" they moaned.
Venom then shot one at Johnny, but missed as he de-flamed and landed on the floorboard crouched down. He then charged at Venom at foot, then tried to punch him, but missed as Venom spun around quickly, then elbowed him in the back.
"OH!" Johnny moaned.
Venom then shot a web at his back, then web-yanked Johnny towards him, before punching him in the back, knocking him away.
"OH!" Johnny moaned, hitting the floor on his chest.
"All right, that's it!" Iceman roared.
He shot ice from his left hand and began to make an ice bridge over to Venom.
"Need to make this count." he thought, as he raised his right hand.
Venom however jumped up and whacked Iceman in the chest once he was close to him, knocking him off his ice slide.
"OH!" he moaned, flipping forward into the air. "OH!"
"Iceman!" Spider-Man yelled, getting up.
Ghost Spider woke up and stared at Iceman, who banged his head against a beam above him, then dived down and knocked a bunch of metal pipes down with him as he hit the floor, which all made a racket while landing around him.
"AGHHH!" Venom yelled painfully.
Johnny looked up as both Spiders stared at Venom, who touched his head as the Symbiote began to move off him, then Iceman lifted his head up.
"That's it, the pipes!" Spider-Man said. "Guys, gather up all the pipes around the place, then bring them to us!"
Iceman and Johnny both turned to him as they got up.
"What for?" Iceman asked.
"Just do it!" Spider-Man snapped.
Iceman and Johnny began to gather up all the pipes around the place, as Ghost Spider got up, just as Venom stopped shaking.
"We keep him busy then?" she inquired.
"Yeah." Spider-Man nodded.
Venom glared at them both, then jumped and went to kick Spider-Man, but missed as he jumped up and grabbed a beam above him. He then flipped himself onto the beam, then Venom moved to jump after him, but Ghost Spider shot webs from both her hands, hitting his legs, then she pulled him to the ground.
"AGH!" Venom moaned, hitting the floorboard on his chest.
He turned around, then shot webs at Ghost Spider from both his hands, but missed as she ducked down quickly onto her back, then shot one at him, hitting his face, blinding him.
"AGH!" he moaned.
He stumbled around while trying to pull off the web from his face, as Johnny approached Ghost Spider, while Iceman approached Spider-Man, each with half the pipes.
"So what'd you want these for?" Iceman asked.
"Just watch." Spider-Man said, taking two of them.
Venom ripped off the webbing from his mask, then growled at the heroes, before Spider-Man banged the pipes together.
"AGHH!" he moaned, as the Symbiote began to wail around.
"I see, Spidey." Johnny said. "Loud noise is this dude's main weakness."
"You got it, Johnny." Ghost Spider said, before she banged two pipes together.
Johnny banged two together, while Iceman dropped his.
"Maybe this'll make it louder." he said.
He shot a bunch of ice from his hands around the area, creating an ice carven, which made the banging noise echoey.
"AGH!" Venom moaned.
He fell to his knees as Iceman picked up two pipes and banged them together like the other heroes.
"It's over, Eddie." Spider-Man said, as they gathered together.
Venom got up in pain and stared at the four heroes, as they kept banging the pipes together.
"You win this round, web-heads!" he roared. "Your little friends may have helped you this time, but we'll be back! This ain't over!"
He turned around and ran off, then jumped off the construction site, before he began swinging away, as his suit healed itself.
"Oh, he's getting away!" Johnny complained, dropping his pipes.
"Forget it, Johnny." Spider-Man said. "We still got Sandman."
"Yeah. We'll get Venom next time." Ghost Spider assured, as she, Spider-Man and Iceman dropped their pipes. "Besides, I'm too tired to catch him."
"Guess we are worn out, especially you and Spidey." Iceman said.
On the ground, the whole crowd looked up, when Johnny began to fly down towards the ground. Both Spiders then jumped off and began to swing down towards the ground after him, as Iceman made another ice bridge and moved after them all. As soon as they all reached the ground, they all stared at the crowd, when they heard a noise.
"UH!" it grunted.
The four heroes all turned left, seeing Sandman slowly rebuilding himself up from the sand on the ground.
"Well, guess we're not done, guys." Johnny said.
All four heroes got ready to fight, as Sandman fell to his knees and looked up at them, now back as Marko.
"So, you want some more, Sandy?" Bobby inquired, icing up.
Marko turned to the four heroes, as everyone in the crowd stared at him.
"I'm sorry, everyone." Marko said. "I didn't want to fight you."
"Didn't want to fight us?" Ghost Spider inquired. "What are you talking about?"
"Daddy!" a voice called.
Everyone turned as Penny came limping from the crowd towards Marko on her crutch. Once at her father, they hugged each other tight.
"Did she just call him 'Daddy'?" Bobby whispered.
"I think so." Johnny nodded.
"She's your daughter?" Spider-Man inquired.
Marko nodded as he and Penny pulled apart.
"Venom threatened to harm her if I didn't help him." he explained, as several Cops - including Capt. Stacy and Lt. Watanabe - approached them all.
"He blackmailed you?" Ghost Spider questioned, shocked.
"Yes." Marko sighed. "I may have stolen money...but I'm no killer."
"Since you were blackmailed, that might lower your sentence, Mr. Marko." Capt. Stacy said.
Penny hugged her father's side tight, before she began to cough.
"Is she okay?" Bobby asked.
"She's very sick." Marko explained.
"That's why you stole the money, to pay for her medical bills isn't it?" Spider-Man inquired.
Marko nodded. "I couldn't think of another way...since it's expensive...and I don't want to lose her." he explained.
Capt. Stacy approached him and cuffed him.
"I still have to take you in...but I'll let you say goodbye." he said. "Then we'll take her to a hospital."
"But I can't pay for it." Marko sighed. "I can't lose her."
All four heroes turned to each other, all feeling sorry for Marko.
"I...might know someone who can help with that." Johnny said, getting Marko's attention.
"And I know someone who can help too." Bobby said. "Just...tell us where she's gonna go?"
"The best children's hospital around is Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital." Capt. Stacy explained.
Bobby and Johnny nodded, as the Spiders turned to them, knowing who they were thinking off, Reed Richards and Charles Xavier.
"Come on, let's get outta here." Johnny said. "Flame on!"
He flamed up and flew off, the Bobby iced up and began to make an ice bridge as he ran after him, as both Spiders jumped up and swung after them.
Later, all four heroes were on a rooftop together.
"Of all the villains we've faced, Sandman is the most sympathetic we've ever met." Ghost Spider sighed.
"Yeah, since he only stole to cure his daughter." Spider-Man sighed. "He was never greedy or anything."
Johnny and Bobby turned to them both, as they looked up.
"Thanks for coming to help us back there." Spider-Man said.
"Don't mention it, webs." Bobby joked. "Glad to help."
"And besides, you two still owe me that race that your promised me." Johnny said.
Both Spiders gasped, for due to the Green Goblin menace at the start of Summer Vacation, they'd both completely forgot about it.
"Oh, webs! Sorry, Johnny." Ghost Spider said. "We've been so busy we forgot."
"Look, some time after the New Year, we'll promise to do it." Spider-Man said.
"Deal." Johnny said, shaking his hand.
"Look, I need to get back." Bobby said. "The Professor's gonna be asking me questions about this."
"Same with Reed in my case, even if he is my brother-in-law." Johnny sighed.
"He and Sue married now?" Ghost Spider inquired.
"Yeah. The wedding was last August, about six weeks after we met." Johnny said. "Surprised you didn't read about it in the paper."
"Well, the Daily Bugle was busy with other articles. Guess Jameson didn't have room for it." Spider-Man said.
"Oh..." Johnny said.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now." Bobby said. "See you guys."
"And don't worry, we'll make sure to tell our friends about Sandman's daughter." Johnny promised. "I'm sure they'll be willing to help make her better."
"Yeah. I know Hank will, since he's a Doctor." Bobby assured.
"See you, guys." Ghost Spider said, as Spider-Man waved.
Bobby turned and walked off, as Johnny and the Spiders turned to him.
"Hey, frosty!" Johnny called.
Bobby turned to him as he iced up.
"You're alright, for a cold guy." Johnny joked.
"Same here, you hothead." Iceman joked back.
They both laughed as Johnny jumped off the rooftop.
"Flame on!" he shouted, flaming up before he began to fly away. "See you later, my friends!"
"Till next time, webs." Iceman said.
He began to make an ice bridge, then moved along it, as the Spiders stared at him.
"Good thing they both came along, or else we'd have lost that one." Spider-Man said.
"We'd better get home." Ghost Spider said. "It's almost curfew, and I promised Dad I'd stay in the house."
"Right." Spider-Man said.
Ghost Spider raised her mask to her nose, then kissed her lover's masked cheek.
"See you tomorrow." she said.
She lowered her mask, then they both jumped off the roof and began to swing off towards their homes, hoping to get back before 10.