Chapter 3

Getting to know you



"Then he did these moves. It looked like as if he were me wearing the suit. Have any ideas as to how he could do it?" McGinnis asked as was putting on his bat-suit.

Bruce Wayne sat down at the computer except he was facing McGinnis and not the computer.

"Could be many things?: Training, surgery, enhancements"

"Something was definitely enhanced."

"Think it could be, splicing?"

"I don't know about that. The goal of splicers is not to look human. This kid was human. I mean nerdy human."

"As opposed to loner?"

McGinnis just gave Wayne that now classic stare which meant basically back off. It was one of several things the both of them shared.

"Anyway," Wayne said as he turned to face the computer. "There's nothing in his background suggesting any of those possibilities." Wayne continued to look at the profile and then was surprised by certain things.

"What?" McGinnis asked

"Couple of months ago, a robber who stole the nightly receipts out of some wresting ring. Was believed to be the killer of his Uncle, Benjamin Parker. Not to mention the fact his parents were killed when he was quite young. The aunt, May Parker moved to Gotham and found a job at LS Financial in the Financial district. Says here that Peter works at the Gotham News Wire Service doing computer work.

"That's pretty much everything." He turned around to face McGinnis who now didn't have such a smug look on his face.

McGinnis now felt bad for what Peter Parker had to face in his life. For McGinnis he only had to deal with murder of his father. He couldn't imagine what Peter had to face with such extreme losses in such a short time. He felt sorry for the kid and wondered how did he get through the day.

"Better get going" Wayne told him

McGinnis picked his head up and then pulled the cowl over his face. He was now ready for his nightly crusade. He then walked over to the bat-mobile. Got in and then flew off into the night.

Wayne went back to the computer and continued to examine what made of the life of Peter Parker.





The city was a new challenge for him. Not only to figure out how to get to his job every day. But to navigate the massive towers. While New York had its buildings that climbed to massive heights. It appeared Gotham went even higher. For him the city felt five times more populated and ten times more disgusting. A perfectly place to do what he felt he had to do. An obligation that came with the amazing abilities given to him. A duty that could be summed up by what his uncle told him many times. "With great power, comes great responsibility."

He had just come through Chinatown and was heading towards the Diamond District. An area that still kept its name as a place for where Gotham's wealthy came to shop. It was also an area that catered to the city's criminal element.

He fired a webline attaching him to an eighty store tower and held on for dear life. This was one of the benefits of doing this type of work. The wind in his face, his pulse racing and the fact that time seem to have stopped; All were what made him enjoy what he did even more.

As came off of one webline. He fired another and instinctively held on. It wasn't too difficult for him to do such a thing. Since his hands and feet were covered in microscopic talons that pierced any fabric. But were so small that it would leave little to no damage to clothing.

When he arrived in the Diamond District, he noticed a young guy who was wearing clown make up and was garishly dressed. He hadn't gotten used to the fact that one of the major gangs in the city honored and followed a demented clown.

"These kids today" He said to himself. He let then get go of a webline and landed on a roof. He was able to keep a birds view on the entire thing.

The Joker hungrily eyed the couple who had been chattering to each other. The couple didn't realize what happened til the Joker came up and demanded for their credits and jewels.

The man who was with the woman tried to fight back. But he then got hit in the face with what appeared to be some kind of pie. Except the man fell to the ground screaming in pain.

"Put a little acid in the pie." The mugger said to the woman. "Gives it that little kick."

The woman screamed for help and she tried to fight back. The mugger grinned gleefully as he was about to strike.

That's when he went into action. He fired a webline across to the other building and dove off the roof. He swung towards the mugger and slammed into him feet first. The mugger had no idea what hit him.

He could hear sirens in the distance. That was his time to leave. The woman looked with fascination as to who was her savior.

"Sorry, Spider-man is the name." He said to the woman. "I figure it be good to spread that around. I've come to here the good citizens of Gotham." He said in a mock masculine tone. He shot another webline and then went back into the city. The entire thing took less than a minute yet the whole thing was ingrained into the woman's memory.

That was one thing for Spider-man. When the people saw him. It was usually a lasting impression. The combination of heroics, saving lives and a distinctive costume made him quite memorable. He wondered if he was starting to rival the Batman in popularity.

He swung between the canyons of towers and decided to head north. There was a monorail coming up fast nearby. That's when he used a combination of leaps, swings, somersaults and flips so he could land on the top of the train safely. While web-slinging was quite fun he didn't mind using mass transit when need be.



"All right, Ha Ha, nobody move!" The leader of one of the major Joker factions said as he and few others of his gang held up a Lex-mart on Dillion Avenue. The leader once had a given name but only went by a name used by a few of the senior members. He just went by "Buttons"

The other gang members went collecting credits and taking some merchandise. As much as they could take. A couple tried to stuff electronic equipment under their shirts causing some outrageous bulges.

"Come on" He said with similar glee. "The oinkers will be here soon."

"Be with you in a second." A gang member called out

"Well I wish I had this kind of service." Another but unfamiliar voice called out. "Usually only two windows are open."

"Who said-" Buttons voice was cut off because a strange substance covered his mouth.

Spider-man was in the store and jumped down. A couple of gang members laughed, the others were too busy shoplifting.

"Come on" Spider-man called out. "Too busy attacking the innocent. Oh what big men you are." He said in a mocking tone.

This caught the attention of all jokerz including Buttons. Who pulled out a gun an aimed it an the wall crawler.

"A gun?" Spidey called out. "I thought you guys had goofy ways of causing harm and dismemberment."

Buttons tried to say something but couldn't due to the webbing. They all converged on Spidey. They played right into his hands.

He kicked the legs out from under two of the gang members, grabbed one and used him as projectile at another gang member. They both crashed to the ground.

Spider-man then shot out webbing at the remaining members and soon it ended just like that. Things had been quite easy for him so far for him in Gotham.

"Is that all you got?!" He shouted to them

A gun shot rang out. Buttons still gripped his gun til a line of webbing snatched it out of his hands.

Spidey then enveloped all the gang members in webbing to make sure they wouldn't be going anyway. Then just as he came, he was gone. With evidence of his work readily found.

When the uniforms got there and saw what had happened. They knew the clean up job was going to be very, very difficult.