Anything in Italic means the character is thinking.

Investigation and the Reunion

Even though he was worried about Barbara and wanted to do everything to get her back, Peter felt some kind of confidence boost. He had no fear of going in the Iceberg Lounge, even though it was the hideout of a crime lord. He had bought a nice suit for the visit and withdrew enough money to get in, he liked "working" for Bruce Wayne. He however informed himself a little about the place and its owner first with the help of Alfred, who also gave him a phone and a watch, the watch being a communication device in case something happened to the phone.

Get in, have a chat with the fatty, get on his good side, and hopefully he will give me an opportunity to get answers from him. Can't be too hard right? He thought as he casually walked to the night club, some people looking at him briefly as he passed them.

He hoped he would find her, he just could not let history repeat itself. For some reason, even if he was angry, he was not feeling the strange burn from before. He dismissed it and focused on the task at hand. Bruce told him the place was a front, so everything he would see would probably be bought with dirty money, or stolen.

When Spider-man gets a hold of him again, he'll go straight to jail. But not before I draw every single information from him. He thought as he neared the location, briefly wondering what Bruce was doing.

With Bruce…

Bruce was at Wayne Towers, being greeted by everyone on the way up. He was growing weary of this entire situation. Unknown to everyone, Bruce was carrying Spider-man's upgraded costume in his briefcase, he almost smiled at the scenario of someone seeing the suit and assuming he is the young hero.

When he arrived on the top floor, he walked to his office and saw Lucius was already there. But something was off: He looked agitated.

"Mr. Fox, what is wrong?" he asked while locking the door behind him.

"I discovered something with the boots Spider-man brought us. The boots in question are almost completely saturated with a chemical powder, one that is only found at Ace Chemicals."

"That is good news, I'm calling him right no…" he was interrupted before he could get the phone out of his suit.

"Let me finish, the strange thing is that these particular boots were reported stolen months ago…" Bruce instantly understood the possibility.

"So the men in the fire departments may be under surveillance, or at least regularly checked. Which means Spider-man's attack on the corrupted firemen is already known. They will be more cautious…"

"Which may prove dangerous for Miss Gordon." Lucius finished.

Bruce lost himself in thoughts for a second, pondering the risks.

They most likely know that Spider-man brutalized their accomplices for info about Barbara's whereabouts. And Peter is going straight to their leader. I must find a way to warn him. He can't go there like this, the instant Penguin will suspect any kind of trickery, he will try to kill him. And Peter Parker is no fighter without his mask. Barbara could be hurt as a result of the threat. Bruce thought while giving the briefcase to Lucius.

Lucius opened it to reveal the suit he made. But Bruce suddenly heard an almost inaudible sound coming from the suit he did not hear before. Bruce quickly put on the mask, which was too tight for his taste, and checked the glove: A spider-tracer had been activated and was giving off a signal. When Bruce saw where the signal was coming from, he removed the mask and immediately began typing on his phone.

"What is it Mr. Wayne? Where was the signal?" Lucius asked in worry.

"Iceberg Lounge, it was sent several minutes ago." Bruce simply answered while Peter's phone rang. He hoped the young man had not already done something that may compromise him.

Back with Peter…

Peter was sitting in the club alone at a table, the bouncer had been quick to accept a generous offer, letting him enter the huge building with little trouble. He just sat there, trying to spot the Penguin. According to Alfred, there is supposed to be some kind of room upstairs where the fatty oversees everything.

So, little guy is shy? Might as well walk around and inspect the place until he shows up, might help later.

Peter stood up from his chair and walked a little, smiling. He suddenly felt his phone vibrating but as he was about to pick up he saw Cobblepot walking around innocently in the nightclub, two bodyguards behind him. He let the phone ring.

Time for some detective work Spidey, but don't forget the guy is not a complete idiot.

He bought a glass of Champaign and walked toward him, he raised his glasses when the little man turned his head to him.

"The great Oswald Cobblepot! It's an honor for me to meet in person the man who made this great place and makes Bruce Wayne look like a common rich boy." At the insult towards Wayne, he immediately felt his enemy's interest, as the latter made a small sign to his guards to stop them.

"That is me, and who are you young man? I never saw you around."

Might as well make fun of someone when you are not in the same universe hehe.

"My name is Eugene Thompson, and you further demonstrated your knowledge. As I indeed come from Metropolis, I only came recently to Gotham."

"Why would you want to come here mate, I like your boldness, but who in their right mind would leave Metropolis to a city like this one?"

"The same reason as pretty much everyone: Money is easy to come by and most rich guys are too stupid to know when someone working for them is actually just making money off of them."

"Who do you work for?"

"I, for the moment, work as a temporary messenger for Wayne Enterprises. But I'm planning to go to something else soon." Cobblepot cringed a little but did not leave.

"And what would that be?"

"I'm underpaid for the sheer boredom I must endure. I'm looking for a job that actually requires a little action, when I was in Metropolis I worked as a field photographer. That was more interesting since I had to be in the field." Peter said as Penguin lightly chuckled with a weird sound.

"Tell ya what mate, you want a job of action, and I could make a few phone calls. Anything to remove something from Wayne. You do seem a little frail for physical work though."

"You don't need to have much muscles to be efficient anyway. You're proof of that, I mean I learned your name from some random men during one of my jobs. You seem to frighten people just by the power and influence you yield now thanks to your knowledge." Peter saw Cobblepot almost take a step back at the comment.

"Young man, I've just met you and you make more sense than most of the people I've known during my life. If you want a job, I can definitely find something for ya with me."

"That would be an honor to work with you, I'm pretty sure I would do and learn a lot more than right now. Speaking of which, I learned from the news, and from some police officers that speaks louder than a parade, that the police Commissioner's daughter is missing. With your influence you could easily find her and maybe get a reward of sort for your act. It would be more than those wannabe heroes could do." He saw him smile a little.

"You read minds young man, I am actually already doing this. I have people trying to find her right now.

As the little man said that, Peter saw one of the bodyguards whisper something to him. He suddenly extended a hand and Peter shook it.

"I must leave mate, but I hope we cross path again, I will try to see what I have." Peter turned on his heels and left after Cobblepot was out of view. He finally picked up the phone who was still ringing.

"Yeah?"

"Peter, the suit detected a spider-tracer signal." At these words Peter dashed to the exit and quickly walked away from the club. He was pretty sure the Penguin had already forgotten about him anyway.

"Barbara had a tracer, where is it?" he asked in a voice that did not sound like him.

"Apparently from the basement of the Iceberg Lounge, where are you right now?"

"Peter is gone, Spider-man is going there." He lowly said as he ran in an alley and quickly changed.

"You can't just charge like that, don't forget that even if the place is the hideout of a crime lord, it is a legal nightclub in the eyes of the law. Don't do something that could destroy Spider-man's image." Bruce continued in the mask's radio.

"You don't get to tell me what to do. I'm not stupid enough to smash the front door. Just send the signal location to me." He said in an annoyed tone. Which worried Bruce.

"Peter, what is wrong with you? Since when do you talk like that?"

"Since I'm tired of being one step behind every piece of information that comes by." A few seconds of silence and the signal appeared in his vision.

"Thanks, now, since Batman is not saving people during the day, Spider-man will do it." With these words he leapt from his roof and swung away, landing on the roof of the giant club, he made sure he was not making too much sound. He looked around while crawling on the roof, looking for any window or ventilation shaft.

I only need one way in, there's gotta be one…

After he reached the other side he peeked down from the roof and saw three big guys, probably thugs disguised as bouncers, and he did not need his spider-sense to notice the guns hidden not-so-discreetly in their tux. He simply jumped in front of them, landing in a slightly crouched pose.

"Hey guys! I was just wondering if you saw a pretty girl with red hair around here?" he asked, not really expecting the trio's reaction.

No spider-sense, no danger. Aren't those guys thugs? He asked himself as his sixth sense did not warn him.

"Spider-m…"

"Don't speak too loud, I'm not supposed to be here." Peter interrupted before the guy could yell.

"Spider-man, we see a lot of people, we saw many girls with red hair. Do you have anything more precise?"

"Well if you looked at the news you'd know the Commissioner's daughter is missing." At this moment his spider-sense rang and he side-stepped just in time to evade a crowbar swing. He turned around and saw a few men, all dressed in black and white outfits.

That's more like it, some classical thugs that will squirm.

"You're going to regret coming in this city, bug."

"You're really going to fight a known hero behind the nightclub of Cobblepot? What would happen to his reputation? And to you?" Peter asked in a mocking voice.

"Why would we care? Once we kill you, the boss will give us anything." And with this comment, the man and his comrades charged Spider-man under the surprised looks of the three men.

With Bruce…

As he heard the insult from Peter he gave the mask to Lucius and went to his car to return to the Batcave. Once he arrived he made a small sign to Alfred and they both went to the computer.

"Master Bruce, may I ask what are you doing? Batman is not supposed to be there during the day…"

"Batman can't go there himself, but he can help with a small distraction. After all, the mere mention of Batman or his allies causes panic. I don't need to be there to help Peter. He can't do this alone, he's changed. He is reckless, he is letting his feelings get in the way."

"About that sir, even if I could understand you do not want him in…" he was interrupted.

"It's not the fact his feelings are making him more reckless, that is completely normal even if it's not desirable. It's the fact he changed in a matter of hours. He was concerned before, but not arrogant. I fear the particles in his blood…Are no longer particles." He said in a grave voice while using the computer to find every single hackable camera and microphones near the Lounge. There were a few, not surprising since the place is huge and owned by a crime lord. He watched through the cameras and saw Spider-man fighting a couple of henchmen. He was not worried about Peter physically, but his image in the eyes of the public could be destroyed and the Penguin might see it. He quickly proceeded to hack and sabotage the cameras seeing the fight to prevent further attacks. He could not help but notice Peter seemed almost bored while fighting, not caring that three men watched the fight with astonished looks. He ignored it and started to hack every microphone and camera the computer could find, almost smirking as he prepared his diversion.

Back with Spider-man…

Peter did not even try to jump away, he merely blocked or side-stepped everything. He was having fun putting on a show for the three guys. After the brief skirmish he picked the last man and lifted him off the ground by his collar with one hand. The three men behind him advanced and withdrew their weapons. Spider-man did not look back as his spider-sense was not warning him.

"Hero, we will call the police for these guys. That was really impressive." One of the men said.

"I try to be, you still did not answer me earlier though." He said in a somewhat grave voice.

"We swear we did not see the girl, we were waiting for a friend when you showed up."

"Hmph, fine. Call the cops, but try and stay discreet please, hide the unconscious ones while I have a chat with this one." He said before jumping away, holding the man with one hand, ignoring his cries and going back on the roof.

"Now little man, since you work for Penguin, maybe you will be nice and tell me where the girl is?" he asked mockingly while still holding him. He was enjoying his expression, and if he was not worried about Barbara, he would wonder why.

"Please don't hurt me! I don't even work for that little dwarf!"

Spider-man slightly tilted his head at this, who was he working for that wanted to kill him?

"Let's pretend that I believe you, who do you work for?"

"He'll kill me if I tell you!"

"I'm not Batman, but I could stick you to the roof and deliver you to Batman, maybe he will beat the words out of you." At this the man's eyes went wide.

"We work for Two-Face! He wants you out of the picture to prevent having to worry about another good guy. I don't know where he is now, last time we saw him we were in a hideout in the subway."

"Thanks, now you go to sleep." With these last words he punched him and got him back with the men who were busy calling the police, happy that the street was almost deserted and that the few people were either busy or did not care.

"The police will be there soon, hero."

"Who are you guys anyway?"

"We are bodyguards, well, unemployed for the moment. We were waiting for a friend that may have work for us in the Lounge but I think that's now out of the question." The man said, sounding a little disappointed.

"Tell you what guys, since you helped a little, I can try and find you some work with someone who might want bodyguards during the day. Where can I find you?"

"Thanks Spider-man, but we will surely be in the GCPD for questioning about this…"

"Don't worry, say my name, describe the fight and they'll understand." With those words he looked around and finally found out why those men were there: there was a back door.

Probably where their friend was supposed to come out of…good, now to find her.

He went to the locked door and opened it with ease, well for him it was easy. He walked in and closed it behind him. He found himself in a corridor that looked like crap compared to what he saw before.

Well Spidey, time to follow the signal. Please be okay…

Elsewhere…

Barbara was being dragged on by the Goblin, completely tied up so she could not escape. She was still afraid for Peter as she knew this maniac was extremely dangerous. In the back of her head she was still unsure about how this Green Goblin came to Gotham.

He knows Spider-man…So he comes from the same world, did he arrived the same way? How did he develop any kind of partnership with Cobblepot? Not even Hugo Strange was able to directly do that.

"I'm sure you are thinking about your dear hero, well I know he is coming. I'm not stupid enough to ignore the fact he works with Batman but I know he will come alone for me. This time I will win, and the doctor is next, no one manipulates me and lives long. Even if it gave me the chance to kill the spider." The Goblin said while still carrying her.

The doctor? Strange brought him here? How?! Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar and ugly voice resonating through the hallway.

"What do you want Cobblepot?" The Goblin asked in an annoyed tone.

"I heard that you were moving the girl, why? You know the plan, we are supposed to keep her hostage until they pay us, then get rid of her. The guys are almost ready, just a few more days and…" he was interrupted by the Green Goblin, now seemingly angry.

"I think it's time I tell you this: I couldn't care less about your ransom. I only joined you because you had the means to kidnap her without compromising the knowledge of my presence here." He said while dropping Barbara and suddenly running up to the little man, grabbing him and lifting him up with seemingly no effort. "You have outlived your usefulness little brat." As he raised a fist a bunch of henchmen showed up behind the Penguin, some of them armed with various improvised weapons.

"Did you really think I would come to you without backup?" the Penguin laughed but stopped when he was thrown aside and heard the sinister laugh coming from the green-armored maniac.

"Hahahaha! You will never cease to amuse me. You actually think those simpletons are useful? You think you have any kind of power? Let me show you." With these words he threw a small orange grenade at the men who had no time to react. Penguin watched in horror as he saw a dozen of his men getting blown to bits while the maniac still laughed. Only two of them, those who were lucky enough to have someone in front of them, remained alive. The Goblin ran to them and simply kicked one, smashing him on the wall, and grabbed the other.

"You want power? Then watch." He said as he crushed the man's skull with his bare hands under the terrified look of Penguin and Barbara, the latter more disgusted than frightened. He then turned back to the Penguin and simply threw another grenade over his shoulder, killing the man on the floor in a burst of electricity, slowly turning him into a burnt body. The Goblin then walked to Cobblepot, who shook his head while crawling backward.

If only I could crawl… Barbara thought as she desperately tried to loosen her bonds, without much success. She watched as the Goblin picked up the Penguin again.

Even if he is a crime lord, nobody deserves to die like this. She struggled harder, at least trying to release one arm but the bonds were too tights. Suddenly she heard some kind of alarm resonating.

"What?" The Goblin said while dropping Cobblepot and looking at a monitor on the wall. When he saw his arch-enemy running in a hallway he took a step back.

"How did he... No matter, I should have known, he is smart after all." The Goblin almost growled before quickly picking up Barbara and walking away. "To the bridge now." He said while leaving.

The Penguin got up and ran away in the other direction whipping his phone out and calling his men, he had every intention to kill him but realized something after a few minutes.

He is taking the girl and seems to want the spider…That means the spider knows the girl and probably care about her…maybe I can evade his wrath. Penguin thought while not noticing Spider-man before being pulled by a web and landing in Spider-man's grip.

"Well little bird, we meet again. And there's no one to help you this time. Where's. The. Girl?" Peter asked in a threatening tone, surprised that the little man seemed to be in bad shape.

"What happened to you?"

"Funny you should ask, since the guy who did this to me is also the one who took the commissioner's daughter. I can tell you where he is going and who he is, if you let me go." Cobblepot asked, knowing he had the hero's attention.

"I'm listening."

"Last time I saw him he wanted to go to a bridge."

Peter almost had a heart attack when he heard "bridge" in the sentence.

"He calls himself "Green Goblin", what kind of name is that?" Cobblepot added.

"He is far more dangerous than you can imagine, I must stop him."

"Since I helped you, can you let me go this time? You may save her life thanks to me…"

Peter thought about it for a second then put him down.

"I don't have time to deal with you, see you later." He then ran back to the door he came from and quickly started to swing away, going as fast as he could to the nearest bridge, hoping he would arrive in time.

With Bruce…

Bruce could see most of what was going on, thanks to the cameras, and he did not like what he saw.

I have trouble imagining what a madman like this could do to Barbara. No more time to lose.

"Alfred, I will send the Batwing to assist Peter, this madman has too many advantages right now, we need to limit his options. What are the whereabouts of Nightwing?"

"He is currently in Blüdhaven, sir. I am afraid we cannot count on him right away."

"Then it is up to Batman to help." He said as he walked up to his Batsuit.

"Sir! What are you thinking? You cannot fight against this man." Alfred declared. "He is…"

"Stop, Alfred" Bruce interrupted. "I am not going to fight the Goblin, I am going to assist indirectly, I know my limits and giving Peter another reason to worry is not my goal. I have no doubts he can fight him, but if what I'm thinking is right, I may be able to sabotage some of the Goblin's equipment, at least enough to give Peter an edge. And hopefully I'll be able to recover Barbara so Peter can fight without worrying about her."

After those words he quickly put the suit and walked towards the Bat-shaped jet.

I know it is not my fight, but I will save Barbara. I have faced greater danger than this man.

With Spider-man…

Peter was swinging as fast as he could after the Goblin, his trail was not hard to follow. He just followed the smoke trail that the glider left behind it.

Please don't let it happen again…

Every second that passed made Peter even more anxious. For painful minutes the air remained silent until he heard the most dreaded thing: His laugh on the distance. He looked up and saw a bridge, looking a lot like the bridge of his nightmares, with the glider flying in circles over it.

As he landed on a building, he saw the glider land on the top of the bridge. He quickly shot two webs on nearby buildings and slung himself toward the bridge. What he heard when he landed on the side of it paralyzed him.

"Hahahahaha! Finally decided to show up to the repetition? You truly like to suffer…"

Spider-man quickly climbed to the top and saw Norman facing him on the other end of the overpass, Barbara behind him.

"Leave her out of this Goblin, this is between us."

"You really think I'm going to miss a chance to make you live it again? Have you ever wondered if it was YOUR fault? After all, you did catch her quite abruptly with your web…" The Goblin answered, laughing softly.

From Peter's perspective, all he wanted right now was to strangle him, but he could not risk it, yet.

"No, you killed her. You killed her like you killed hundreds of people, like you almost killed your son." Peter responded.

"Hahaha, you really think you are going to bring Norman out by using Harry's name?"

As he was about to answer, Peter heard a voice.

You need me…Let me help you…

Before he could grasp who was the voice, his spider-sense made him dodge a razor disc and he went in a fighting stance.

"You want to fight? It's time to get you off the street, maybe this world's prison is a bit more cautious." Peter said to keep his calm.

"I've been waiting for this for a long time…" Norman answered while jumping on his glider.

Both were ready to fight but as the glider advanced on Peter, a weird blue projectile collided with the glider, causing it to fly in the wrong direction.

No time to try to understand…Peter thought before launching himself on the glider, starting a fight that could be his last. Both fighters unaware of the small plane over them…


Phew! After so long I finally got the time to continue. The story goes on, it is not over, far from it. Leave a review it always help! See you in the next chapter.