S.H.I.E.L.D air Tri-Carrier:
Currently over New York.
Nick Fury stood in front of his desk, contemplating how so much paperwork had gone unattended.
I suppose this is what I get for putting Spiderman in charge for so long. A low grumble passed through his lips as he rubbed away the wariness from his eye.
What in my right mind gave me the idea of letting Spiderman, of all people, take charge? The man lamented. The answer came in a sigh. He knew that the young man was the most capable of directing S.H.I.E.L.D during the time he'd gone away to protect Madame Web with Nova. And he also knew that he was his most trusted 'agent' aside from Coulson and Connors. Which was both scary and reassuring, but mostly scary.
After returning from his mission to find a new safe place for the superhuman, months had passed with Spiderman in charge at the Triskelion…And since Peter was more of an action type of guy, he had neglected to do the paperwork, thus leaving Nick with a mountain of papers.
With another sigh, he sat down, and picked up a report from Dr. Connors lab. All the papers from his office in the Triskelion had been moved (in crates because of the amount) to the Tricarrier, where he was currently.
He glanced out of his window, watching the calm waves of the ocean pull and push, and the silent cries of the seagulls lost to him behind the steel structure of the air vessel. Once again, the russet colored man sighed, returning his focus to the mountain of words and blank lines needing his signature.
For the third time in two minutes Nick sighed in thought. Even if it's all paperwork, at least that damned meeting is over with.
Just then, the doors to his office slid open and in walked Phil Coulson. Marching to the front of Nick's desk, he held a small stack of more papers, extending his hand for Nick to take.
Wonderful. Thought the one-eyed man. More work for me to do. I swear if this is another report on damaged property because of Spiderman I might just send him back to the Avengers.
"More papers, I'm sure you're having fun?" Coulson chuckled with a smile.
Nick grunted in reply. "What's this for? Did Venom break something again? Or was it one of Amadeus' experiments gone wrong?" Nick asked with a tinge of exasperation.
"Neither. It's for the young man who appeared last month."
Nick recalled the strange event that occurred not a month prior. The Director had been in his office going through the pile of paperwork on his desk when Nova burst into his office with news. When Nick entered the center of the commotion, a young man lay passed out on the floor. Seeing that he posed no threat, Nick ordered the mysterious young man be taken to Dr. Connors. Despite multiple tests, including a face scan, DNA test, and a search in the database, the only result the computer gave was "no match found". Essentially, he didn't exist.
Whatever that meant.
After a further investigation, Peter came up with the hypothesis that he wasn't from this universe—that he had come from one of the Spider-verses, as he called them. It made sense to Nick and Connors. While the DNA result returned no answer to who he was, did show that he was human, extinguishing any idea of the man being an alien.
Nick sighed, bringing him back to the present. "With the amount of paper here, I wouldn't be surprised if the Department of Environmental Protection sued us." He groused as he took the files from Coulson, who chuckled.
"How'd the meeting go?"
Nick gave an eye roll, sorting the papers on his desk to make some room. "The same. The NSA is adamant that I tell them Madame Webs location. They're paranoid." Ever since Nick returned from his mission, the NSA insisted that he gave up all information of Madame Web to them. And every time Nick would tell them that it was confidential, and if they were to find out Crossbones would one way or another find the information. "And now they've given me more paperwork."
Coulson grinned, he was tempted to laugh at the situation of his friend, but doing that would mean he would be left without a head. Or his tongue, if he was lucky.
"If it's any consolation, at least doing paperwork will be peaceful."
The moment the words left his lips, an alert no one wanted to see appeared on Nick's holographic computer. After reading Amadeus' alert, Nick looked up and glared at Coulson.
"I think I may have spoken too soon." The man remarked with a nervous smile.
"If I were Spiderman, I would have said you jinxed us." Nick snapped.
The director of S.H.I.E.L.D sighed once again; a sinking feeling settled in his chest that he was about to be handed even more papers.
"Shit!"
Flash rushed forward, grasping at the empty space where Loki's Portal had been. Cursing to himself, Venom kicked at the debris on the ground in annoyance. "We let them get away!"
"No, they're still in the Triskelion! I just got an alert from Dr. Connors Lab, unrecognized guests just entered!" Iron Spider turned to Spiderman, the rest of the team snapping around, prepared for orders. Some exchanging glances at each other, looks speaking, that can't be good.
"They're still here? Why?" Spider-Woman wondered aloud. Peter hummed in response, helping an agent on the ground up.
Turning to said agent, he gave his instructions, "Okay, here's what we'll do, Agent Swaffered, you and your men clean up here, search for any missing objects, Team, let's go get those villains."
"I'll have back up head your way immediately." The Agent nodded, before glancing at his men. 'Good thing no one was seriously injured…' "You heard the hero, let's take care of this. I want a report on everything in place and missing on my desk in an hour! Go Spiderman we'll take care of this." The older man sent the hero a reassuring smile before walking over to one of his men.
As the agents got to work, Peter called out to his comrades to follow absentmindedly. His focus turned to the threat at hand.
'Loki said that he formed allies to help him with his plans, of those allies we know of Taskmaster and The Beatle, but there's gotta be more than just them.' Spiderman frowned in concentration; blue orbs trained on the hall in front of him as he swung from one web to another.
'If Loki's planning some sort of world domination scheme again, then he's gotta have bigger badder people in on it.'
"Yo Webs."
So, we know that he's working with some top-notch villains, who? Not sure, but that leaves us with what is he planning, and why he was here.
"Uh, hello? Web Head?"
He said that he already got what he came for, so that means he took something from the vault, but if so, why is he in Dr. Connors lab?
"Spidey!"
Did he need something that was actually in the lab but thought was in the vault? Any item of value that was in Connors laboratory was moved after Rhino broke in. So, what…Could it be-'
"Earth to Spiderman?" After several failed attempts, Nova flicked Peter in the head, finally gaining the young adult's attention.
"Ugh, Nova, what?"
His friend gave him an annoyed look, and Peter realized that his team had been looking at him as they charged down the halls. "Stop zoning out and tell us what you're thinking. Any ideas as to why Loki went to Connors?"
Turning back to the halls, Spiderman swung left, flipping mid air before shooting a web from his wrist. "Well, I do have a theory. It could be—Wait!" Peter's eyes widened, hoping that his idea was wrong.
"Agent Swafford," The boy in blue and red called through his watch, "Check safe 23! It's possible Loki was here for that."
"Copy that Spiderman." The voice of the agent crackled back of the com.
"Hold it, what's in safe 23?" Ava questioned, eyes narrowing.
"Not the Siege Perilous!" Miles exclaimed, knowing that Loki and that stone was quite possibly the worst pair up. "Don't tell me he's planning to go into the Spider-verse!"
MJ glanced up, a sense of worry washing over her for a second. "Shit." She-and the rest of the Team- had heard Peter's stories from his time in the Spider-verse, and knowing that Loki might have access to another dimension was worrying.
The group of heroes exchanged grunts (and some cursing) before picking up speed. They had to stop Loki at all costs.
"What are you thinking Spidey?" Amadeus asked as he flew up next to him, the lab now coming into view.
"Well, I'm not totally sure, just…What reason does Loki have doing in Dr. Connors lab, unless he's there—"
"—for him. Do you think he's connected to Loki? Another ally perhaps?"
"I'm not sure, but possibly. I mean, it can't be a coincidence."
"What the hell are you two talking about?" Scarlet mumbled behind Spidey, clearly lost.
"Yeah, some of us can't keep up." Flash added, clearly annoyed that he had no understanding of what was being said.
"Are you talking about Connors?" MJ wondered. She found it hard to believe that Connors would work with Loki.
"Connors?" Spidey asked back questioningly. "No, not Connors…"
Before waiting for answers, Nova rocketed towards the doors to the lab, kicking it open, the sound gaining the attention of the inhabitants inside.
Loki growled in irritation. 'Like a fly that somehow evades every attack, yet is always buzzing around your head. Ironic considering his name is Spiderman'.
The sight in front of MJ was enough to explain Spiderman words. Laying behind protective glass on a recovery table was the mysterious young man, his chest rising and falling to a steady beat, red hair flopped over closed eyes. Loki, The Beatle, Taskmaster and his remaining underlings stood over the unconscious person.
Peter, who'd been squatting on the ceiling, landed gracefully in front of his group. "So Loki, you gonna introduce me to your friend over there?"
Loki looked up at him curiously, an eyebrow raised at the words directed at him. Taskmaster stepped forward, years of practice masking his swift movements of drawing his gun, creating the illusion that it appeared in his hand out of nowhere.
"Though your observation and deduction aren't bad, you're mistaken. We have nothing to do with this boy." Cocking his gun, he nodded to Loki, and took a fighting stance.
The Ultimate's eyes narrowed, Iron Fist and Power Man raised their fists, waiting for Peters mark.
"From past experience, I wouldn't believe you so easily." Spiderman shot web at the masked offender, who moved, the web hitting the wall behind him.
"Your mistake." Signaling towards his minions, Taskmaster began shooting at the heroes.
Scarlet Spider produced his stingers, a growl erupting from his tongue. He shot forward, eyes narrowing. His spider sense activated, warning him of an attack from an underling. Grabbing his opponents' collar, he flipped him over onto his back, before picking him up and sending him into another minion.
Spider-Woman landed next to him, she nodded and pointed to one side of the room, "I'll take care of the weaklings on this side of the room, take the rest?"
Silently Ben nodded, and did as he was asked. Peter quietly thanked MJ in his head for putting her faith in Ben. Maybe it was because she joined the Web Warriors after the Sinister Seven, but she was still the most accepting of Scarlet Spider's reunion to the team.
'I think the team will eventually come around, but maybe they need Ben to prove himself, which, I guess, I can respect.'
The familiar tingling sensation at the base of his skull nudged Spidey out of his thoughts, encouraging him to move. Without a second's hesitation, Spiderman listened to the wise suggestion of his Spidey-Sense, dodging a bullet that was directed at him from The Beatle.
Glancing behind him at the upside-down image of The Beatle, Peter latched a web onto said offenders ankle, knocking him backwards as Spiderman landed from his flip in perfect unison. Unfortunately, The Beatle simultaneously cut the string on his leg and flipped around, firing at the blue and red hero once again.
Danny let out a cry before intercepting Beatle's attack, giving Peter enough time to move. The chi-fist slammed into the armoured menace's side sending him flying into a wall. Peter called his thanks before swinging over to Miles.
He surveyed the room from his spot on the ceiling, taking note that most of Tasky's minons were already on the ground, unconscious. Ben and MJ had begun webbing the supporters together. Across from them, Beatle had recovered from Iron Fists blow, preparing to attack again. Agent Venom dropped down beside Danny before the two struck again. Taskmaster was being handled by Ava and Cho, between Amedeaus' tactics and Ava's man, or rather, womenpower, the two were doing well. On the other hand, Nova, Agent Venom and Power Man, due to the power of the Tesseract, weren't even able to get a hit on Loki, who was-'What is he doing? '
Peter watched as Loki, attacking with his staff, produced an object from his coat and turned to face the unconscious patient, allowing Beatle to guard his back. To the expectance and annoyance of Spidey and Kid Arachnid, the very object he pulled, was in fact, the Siege Perilous, which began to absorb strange particles from the guy.
Then it clicked, sky blue eyes widened in realization. "Wait, is he trying to draw the residual dimensional substance stuff from him?" The memory of Dr. Strange doing that very thing in an attempt to open a portal to Miles' home universe popped in his head.
"Wait, what?" Kid Arachnid glanced at his friend, unsure if his ears betrayed him or not. "Why would he do that if he has the Siege Perilous?"
"I'm not sure, but it's what it looks like-"
Before Spiderman finished his sentence a swirling vortex opened in front of Loki, his features growing into a maniacal grin, teeth glinting like a snakes before it strikes.
"What is that!?"
"What the hell!?"
Luke's exclamation was almost in perfect unison with Sam's, the two stepping away from the god of Mischief.
"Kid Arachnid, we need to get the Siege Perilous. You distract, I'll try and swipe it from him."
Nodding, Kid Arachnid pumped a fist in the air. "I hear you, let's see how he does with my Venom Blasts!"
Like a wolf spider when it's prey has been targeted, Miles pounced, the red crackling venom dancing long his fingertips.
"That's a portal guys, Loki's trying to cross dimensions!" Peter flipped down as he explained the hole in the space time continuum. "We can't let him go through-that would cause a world of trouble!"
Ava, who Spiderman landed next to, slammed a fist into her teammates shoulder, eliciting a soft moan from him. "Stop making puns, Web Head."
"Hai-ya!" Miles landed on the asgardians shoulders before pushing off again, not without sending a venom blast through the other man, earning a half-scream half-angry-yell-of-annoyance.
"Ohh, that was...Shocking." Peter grinned.
Ava groaned again, "Stoooop."
As Loki stumbled forward, he yanked Miles, who was sitting on his shoulders off and slammed him on the ground with a yell. Miles grunted before jumping up and out of the way of Loki's second attack.
Horn helmet man swiveled around towards his comrades, "Hurry! We don't have much time!" he dogged an attack from Scarlet Spider, hitting him in the ribcage with the end of his staff.
Miles quickly glanced at Ben to check if he was alright. "You okay?" grabbing his forearm, the young teen helped up his teammate who nodded.
An exclamation arose from somewhere behind the two, and the spider heroes turned to see The Beetle flying overhead to join his peers, Ben growling at the sight.
Ava growled as she stepped back in line with the other heroes, "what do we do now Spidey?"
Peter thought quickly. The layout looked something like in the right hand corner area, by the mystery fellow was Loki and his gang, with Miles, Scarlet, and a few others distracting the remaining three offenders while the rest of Spidey's team was moving in.
"Well, we certainly can't let those three into that portal, that could lead us to a disastrous event!"
Ignoring his pun, Amadeus landed next to him. "We get that, but how do we-"
"Kid look out!" Flash's interruption caused the three to focus on said boy.
Miles and gone in for an attack, Loki doged easily, shoving his back forward towards the portal.
With a scream, the young hero tumbled head first into the swirling abyss, not before latching a web on to Scarlet and yanking him forward.
"Kid what tHE HELL-"
The team watched in surprise, the villains taking the moment to jump in as well.
"No!" MJ's outstretched hand closed as a sigh of exasperation left her lips. "Great."
"Well!? What are we waiting for?" Nova looked at his fellow heroes, before turning his head back to the portal.
"What are we to do Spiderman? We have to hurry to decide, the portal is closing." Danny's calm and calculated voice sounded, causing the red and blue hero to look at him.
Peter sighed, placing his fingertips to his forehead. "Ahh what the hell, Sam's right. Let's go after them."
And with that, the team entered the portal to another dimension.
"Well, I guess it's back to portals and new worlds."
