Chapter 4
Connections
He had been enjoying the minor league baseball game near Coney Island when his cell phone rang. It was a call he had been expecting for some time and since he didn't anyone over-hearing the call. He rose up from his seat and went to a deserted area of the stadium.
"Yes?"
"The team's been put into place."
"That quickly huh? Well I'll meet them shortly. Where's the location?"
His employer told him the location where he was going to meet the capture team. He knew he was only bait but since he was being paid well beyond his fee it didn't matter to him.
"You'll meet them at 9:30" His employer told him
Looking at his watch. He saw he could finish watching the game and make it to the location in time.
"I'll be there." He said to his employer
"Good, I don't want anything mucking this up."
"I understand." He then hung up his phone and went over to the concession where he bought a pretzel and then went back to his seat. Just as he sat down, a foul ball landed near him. He picked it up and then noticed a small kid about a couple rows above him.
"Here" said to the kid as he handed the ball to him. "Enjoy"
"Thanks" The kid told him
"Sure"
The kid squealed with joy as he ran back to his parents. Now he went back to watching the game and enjoying the pretzel he bought.
Travis cut through the stagnant air as he ran through Manhattan. He enjoyed how he could do this. Everything seemed to be calm as he raced past cars. He didn't know what this thing was that allowed him to do this. He figured it must not be of this Earth.
As he cut across Times Square, Travis turned and headed east towards Queens. It was time to get back home before his parents would question him for hours on end.
Just as he crossed the street, Travis noticed something fall onto the ground. He wasn't sure what it was but he figured he would easily run right over it. That's where he was wrong.
Right when he made contact with the object, Travis suddenly found himself falling forward and in less than a second he fell right onto the ground. It was painful but surprisingly he had no broken bones. He looked closely at what stopped him and discovered it was spider-webbing.
"What the....?"
"I don't know how it happened but it's connected to me, Vengeance." A voice said to him.
Travis tried to find a face to the voice but couldn't find one.
"Up here" It called to him.
Travis looked up and noticed a black figure crouching on a fire escape. While it was night, he had no problem seeing who it was.
"Spider-Man?"
"The one and only."
Travis was surprised while he maybe in an alien costume this was the first time he ever came in contact with a super-hero.
"So tell me Vengeance when did you first notice you could do the mile in pretty much a minute."
"Uh I dunno. But first off why are you calling me Vengeance?"
"Simple" Spider-man produced an object from his costume and threw it at Travis. Travis saw his right hand instantly transform from its usual scythe shape to that of human right hand. He caught the object and noticed it was a folded up Daily Bugle. He opened it and read the front page.
"CALLS FOR VENGEANCE!" The headline screamed. Travis scanned the article and learned that two people were brutally murdered and the word Vengeance was spray painted on the car they died in.
"Vengeance" Travis thought about the name. "I can see that."
"That's great" Spider-man told him. "But that doesn't explain why you've got a gold symbiote?"
"Symbiote?"
"That's what allows you to move faster than an Olympic ice skater. It's a symbiote and unless a store has opened up and selling them to the public. I figured you must've come in contact with me."
"This is the first time I've ever seen you."
"Well what do you remember before your symbiote came?"
"I was working and I had stepped in this black goo. Almost like tar. It stuck to my shoe but since I was so busy I didn't notice. I went home, took a nap. Next thing I know I'm racing through Brooklyn acting like Captain America."
Spidey nodded and knew that whoever was behind that gold symbiote came in contact with a piece of the suit. Although he couldn't imagine where since he was very careful.
"Okay you seem like a good person. Why don't we talk tomorrow?"
"Where?"
"Underside of the George Washington Bridge."
"Okay"
"What time?"
"How about around now?"
"Sure"
"All right to be formal I'm Spider-man."
"I guess you can call me Vengeance."
"Hey, they're a lot worse names out there. That one sounds pretty good. Some might think you're a wannabe Punisher. But what can you do?"
"I know. Okay I'll see you at the George Washington bridge."
"Good"
"New York or Jersey side?"
"Which do you think?"
"I don't know I can go either way, seeing how it'd be less than a minute for me to get across."
"Just keep it, New York."
"Okay, see you then Spidey."
"Will do"
Spider-man fired a webline and then swung away leaving Travis behind.
Travis looked down and noticed he was still tethered by the webbing. He thought about what to do and then came up with an idea. He let his right hand transform back into a scythe-like object and then he cut through the webbing easily.
"Best be getting home now." He said to himself
Travis got into position and then started to run. He quickly neared the 59th street bridge when he heard a gun shot and a scream.
*Guess I'll continue my work at being a superhero.* He thought and then turned and ran towards the noise.
Rather than go and hunt someone down. He decided to stand at the designated location and fire his gun into the air. He would fire three shots, wait about a minute and then vacate the scene before the cops came.
He fired another shot when he noticed something coming up the street fast.
"Be advised" He said into his hidden mike. "Subject is moving west and coming to the target fast." He then played his part. He dropped the gun and then put his hands into the air.
"I'm unarmed!" He shouted at Vengeance.
Vengeance stopped a few inches from him and for the first time he got a glimpse of the creature that he had been told to get.
"What are you? He asked Vengeance
"Vengeance" He told him as his hands reverted to normal which allowed him to look for ID.
"Good name"
Vengeance went into the man's pocket and felt a wallet. He opened it up and learned the man was a Richard Manheim out of Maryland.
"Why are you firing a gun?" Vengeance asked him
"So you could come to me."
"What?"
Several men came from the shouters. All of them wearing gas masks and each had a high tech weapon.
One of the men fired a cannister at Vengeance's feet. It made a quiet thud as it hit the ground and released its contents: A sweet smelling gas.
*What is going on here? Who are these people?* Travis thought as the gas made him tired and he soon passed out.
Both he and Manheim dropped to the ground and were unconscious.
"What should we do now?" One of the men asked
"Take the symbiote and leave Manheim with evidence connecting him to the double homicide. He served his purpose."
"Yes, sir"
The team leader looked at the creature that lay on the ground. "Get that thing to the lab ASAP. They're going to have fun with that thing." He said to the rest of the team. He watched as the other men enveloped Vengeance and placed special restraints making sure he wouldn't escape.
Then a modified semi-truck trailer appeared and pulled up. The back opened and the team loaded Vengeance onto the truck.
The first part of their plan was complete. The team leader hoped the next part was going to move even quicker. They had one symbiote and now they needed the other one. The one that spawned the one they captured. They were going to go after Spider-man.
To Be Continued