Spider Man - Goblins, Kings, & Pretty Things
B. H. Ramsay
This is a partially my take on a possible movie scenario back when the movie was an urban legend at best. It also has some AU aspects that will become evident
Marvel Entertainment Corp wholly owns all characters appearing here.
Once upon a time, there was a young boy and a genetically enhanced spider. A gentle old man and the thief that took his life…but you probably already know this part of the story, so we will just cut ahead to the bit where things got interesting.
New York is sometimes called the city that never sleeps. This is not entirely true it would be truer to say that New York is the city that never relaxes. Everyone always has somewhere to be and something to do. Take Old Man Severinson he owned a mom and pop electronics store in mid town in a block of buildings that either were gutted out tenements or depleted pawnbrokers. You came to this neighborhood if you wanted it fast ad cheap and you weren't too fussy about were it came from. The old man has better things to be doing then minding the store and so he was off doing them tonight. Which is why when the Kingpin's thugs showed up to shake him down Deckard and his boys found they were playing to an empty house. Deckard was not daunted though, like any professional he felt this would be a good opportunity. Deckard was in the protection rackets. Not that prestigious, but it had it good points. You got to know the neighbors and you got to see the city and the best part was if you had a good block of property to deal with, you had unlimited sources of cash. Deckard liked cash. He liked it a lot, which was why, on the night he showed up and found the old man's store was closed and bolted; he thought "what a great time to rob the place. He could come back in the morning and remind the old man that he should be paying on time so that things like this didn't happen." Deckard thought like this which if you asked his boys was why Kingpin had him doing no brained stuff like collections & protection as opposed to something he could hurt himself doing.
Getting in was easy. It usually was in this part of town where putting a substandard lock was as good an invitation to rob it as leaving it in the open. Getting the stuff was simple as well. The four of hem scattered through the store and found a stereo, a VCR, DVD and a light TV (great picture and sound despite it's small size, normally retails at, but never mind back to the story)
Getting out was more or less easy since in a technical sense they actually got outside the store. Things went to hell right after that.
Bennett, Deckard's newbie choice for this assignment was the first to go. He was loaded down with the DVD. He headed down an ally way toward the van they had parked on the next block when he stepped in something sticky. No that unusual in this part of town but still distracting. The sticky mess on the bottom of his shoe prevented further movement. Rather then, bring this matter to his leader's attention and garner scorn. He decided to stop and get the stuff off, which is much the reason it was there in the first place. Bennett bent down dropped the DVD and pulled on the sticky stuff o the bottom of his shoe. He then gave up deciding to abandon the shoe. He straightened and found he was looking at a man hanging upside down from the shadows. The man was wearing a red mask. In fact he was wearing red every thing and a blue pullover with a hood in back, on the chest was stitched a black stylized spider. The man held up a finger in front of where his mouth would have been. He shushed Bennett. "Be very, very, Quiet I'm hunting scumbags." Bennett was astonished at this. He was even more astonished when a sticky string came out of the man's hands and blocked off his mouth. Then one of those hands formed into a fist and love tapped him on the chin knocking him out and preventing further astonishment.
The man grabbed the falling body and lowered it gently to the ground. He ascended back into the shadows, chuckling softly. "One down; three to go."
Charlie was the stumblebum of the group. Grace was not his forte His large size and burly physique was what had gotten him on Deckard's team. He was carrying a Mini System. He was frustrated at not having a chance to bend the old man. He was picturing what it would have been like when his feet dragged out from underneath him. He fell to the alleyway ground…or he started to, but something arrested his progress and he was hauled ten feet into the air. As he was raising a hand clamped over his mouth. His last visions before unconsciousness were huge white eyes and a voice hissing "If you don't mind, could I check the receipt for that purchase sir?"
Matt the bat was struggling with the weight of the light TV. He felt there was some unfairness in the world since he felt such grunt work should b given to Charlie. Matt the bat was professional as evidenced by his namesake slung to his side. Deckard was just up ahead and he was about to let loose with more bitching about the unfairness of the job distribution when Deckard stopped short and glanced around. Where are the rest of those bozos." He muttered
"I don't know, maybe they went off to Vegas. "Who cares? Deckard I'm a danm professional over here I should not be carrying TV 's at nine in the danm night.
Jesus Matt do you ever change the channel. You're like my old lady. When are you going t move up in the rackets, when are you gonna get a real job, Christ its enough to make a man want to go straight.
"Yeah ain't it a bitch when people wont let you enjoy that gainful career criminal thing you have going." The new voice had a sneer attached and Decked look up to see a man standing in the mouth of the alleyway dressed in a Halloween getup.
"Who are you supposed to be." he sneered "Bug Guy?"
The man startled as though he had been punched. "Bug Guy, Bug Buy oh you are so getting your ass kicked tonight."
"I don't think so. Matt knock him out of the park."
Matt stepped forward drawing his bat out of his belt as he did the man in red kept up a steady stream of banter all during Matt's attempt to hit him all of which he dodged.
Hi Matt allow me to introduce myself I am the …(swipe) ever amazing…(swipe) super spectacular…(swipe, swipe) Friendly Neighborhood (swipe) Spider-man." The man reached out and grabbed the bat freezing it in mid swing. "Matt if I don't know better I would say you were trying to hit me with that baseball bat " he released that bat and stepped back.
Matt already heaving from his exertions took a good hard swing at Spider-man's head. Spidey leapt up in the air about fifteen feet and gracefully inverted his body and returned to the earth landing lightly on one hand a few inches above the ground and underneath Matt's batting radius. Then thrusting out his arm he clenched his fist and a web-line shot out snagging a garbage can then with a smooth jerk he pulled it toward him. The can smacked into the back of Matt's head staggering him. Spidey swept his feet around in a circle causing Matt to cartwheel high into the air before landing senseless on the pavement. He sprang to his feet and surveyed his work. "Using a garbage can to take out a piece of trash, Bruce Valance, Where are you when I need you?"
Deckard turned and darted up the alleyway Spider-man took off in abound after tying up the, out cold, thug. He bounced from wall to wall to gain speed. Hitting a t-junction, he bounced off the walls and headed right toward the van that had been parked earlier. However, Deckard went left at the junction. "What the fu…Dexxy where are you going? Don't you want to play anymore." he stopped and cling to a wall then backtracked bouncing back and forth from wall to wall, gaining steadily on the fleeing Deckard.
The thief skewed to the right as he dashed out of the alleyway and across the street. Spidey leapt to the top of a streetlight. He prepared to grab Deckard. Suddenly, Deckard collided with a fleeing woman. Spider-man smiled underneath his mask and throw out his arm to fire a web-line across the street. He swung down to the street. Deckard got off the ground and seeing Spider-man closing, he grabbed the fallen woman yanking her to her feet. He pulled a small '38 from is jacket and pointed it at the woman. "Ï don't know who you are freak but you'd better back off or she's gonna be…."
What the hell are you idiots doing on my set?" The voice cut across the confrontation. Bright lights flared to life. Film crew filled the street. The shrill voice belonged to the director. Spiderman looked around the area taking in the rolling cameras. He began to snicker "Bravo Decks, leave it to you to take a hostage in full view of movie cameras, I thought that too dumb to be a criminal stuff was BS, but man you are a shmoo. "
Shut up, just shut up or I'll kill you man. "The gun was held out in his shaking hand. Time telescoped outward and several things happened at once. Spider-man fired a web-line at the pistol and when it leached on, he tore the pistol from Deckard's grip with a flick of his wrist.
At the same moment the girl, who was far from helpless, stomped on Deckard's foot. Deckard released the girl instinctively to cradle his damaged arches. In the next moment, he found himself two feet off the ground being held by the red clad super hero.
"Have I mentioned how much I hate cowards who use guns to threaten innocent people." He punched the thug twice. Then he hurled the half-conscious body across the street into the lamppost. He fired a thick mass of webbing at the body so that it enfolded his carcass as it landed against the pole.
Spider-man stood breathing heavily calming himself down. The woman stepped up to him.
"Hey are you alright." the girl laid a gentle hand on the hero's shoulder. He startled as though shocked at the contact, but recovered quickly.
Of course, nice action with the foot stamping you wield a vicious sling back pump." The web slinger deadpanned.
The girl blushed and smiled "You don't grow up in New York without learning a few things."
"I thought you might have the look of a native about you. Listen sweets, I have to swing, but when the cops get here could you make sure they get this, along with the love packages. I'll see you around Ms…"
Watson…Mary Jane Watson
The soap actress, No kidding, well …well…You play Raven Bludsoul on Secret Hospital, The bad girl with a scarlet past.
He dropped a small card into her palm and then back flipped to the side of a building. He threw out his arm and a web line fired up into the shadows
"I hope that Anastasia can forgive me for rescuing the woman who broke up her marriage to Blaine. See you around."
He swung out and away from the crowd.
The director stared at this action aghast, then he turned to his cameraman. "Your answer to this next question will determine if you ever work in this business again. Tell me you got that on film."
"Every second."
"Yes!"
The girl ignored the proceedings she was entranced with the card in her palm and the writing scrawled across it.
"These felons foiled, courtesy of your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man."
A fan, a super hero rescued me from near death, he watches Secret Hospital, and he's a fan. "Oh Mr. Spider-man you will be seeing Mary Jane Watson again and sooner then you think …if I get my way.
***
Almost an hour later a black sedan pulled up in the street and a yellow trench coated woman poured herself from the car like old coffee left too long on the burner. She looked around at the busy activity surrounding her and, concluding that no one was going to mind, struck a match and lit a cigarette that she immediately screwed into a holder and clenched in her teeth. She was tall and had short red hair that curled out form under the yellow snap-brim fedora, she wore at a tilted angle. The black pinstripe suit and black and white two tone shoes underneath her coat had the same vintage look as the rest of her ensemble but then detective Janet DeWolf liked to make an impression wherever she went.
She motioned to an older looking flatfoot that who was keeping one of the growing crowd of onlookers back from the lamppost where Deckard was still trussed up like a Christmas goose.
"Sargent" She snapped. "Why does my crime scene look like the back-lot of Universal Studios?"
"They where filming a movie here sir, Matter of fact they got that guys capture on tape." he pointed at Deckard.
DeWolf smiled evilly "Well I if it isn't my best friend in the world, Deckard, what is this the fourth …no the fifth time in six months we have had the pleasure of your company downtown.
Deckard tried to be as cool as possible considering he was hanging off a post. I got nothing to say to you Officer Dyke-wolf just get me a lawyer and go play with your vibe."
"Would that be one of the Kingpin's high priced mouthpieces doing the honors."
"I don't know any Kingpin." Deckard said smugly (or as smugly as he could manage.)
"Sure and this isn't disputed territory"
The only disputed thing that around here is if you're a man or a woman.
Unlike you, obviously you're everybody's bitch
Deckard could tell he was losing this battle and tried one last time to redeem himself. You just want me downtown so you can be with a real man DeWolf.
Janet casually smiled at his attempt "Oh that is so right Deckard, with your loutish behavior, dubious personal hygiene and oafish appearance your perfect for reminding me why I don't waste time with men." She blew smoke in his face and strode away.
The sergeant snickered openly and trotted after her "Why is he still stuck to the pole?" She asked taking another drag off her smoke.
"Never been to a Spider-man call before have you sir. It basically means waiting around for an hour looking at the evidence."
"Why?"
"Whoever this guy is he uses some kind of adhesive to tie up the bad guys, until it dissolves it's the strongest stuff I come across and my brother works for one of the guys what makes glue."
"So how long does it take to dissolve?"
"Usually about an hour or so."
"And in the meantime."
"Statements from witnesses and the usual time wasters."
"Is there any other evidence."
The note the officer handed the calling card to DeWolf who scanned it quickly
"What is this guy a refugee from some cheesy seventies cartoon show?"
"Actually, I think it's somewhat charming." The officer muttered knowing that DeWolf would ignore him.
"You said there was camera footage of Deckard being captured do we have anything on the actual break-in
"Photo evidence"
"Taken by whom"
"Him" the sergeant jerked his thumb over his shoulder at one of the growing number of photographers now that the story had broken of an actress mugged on the streets of New York.
DeWolf looked over the crowd of media sharks. She marched up to the crowd of reporters and camera guys clamoring for face time with a well dressed good looking girl with long red hair.
Janet announced in a raucous voice. "All right boys and girls, I have a big fat Obstruction Of Justice charge waiting for the person who does not produce the photos of my criminal gift pack."
The crowd of reporters looked around at each other gauged her seriousness and took a collective step back except for one young man.
He was 5ft and change and his brown hair made him look very ordinary. He had a leather bomber jacket that had a weathered look to it.
"Parker, ma'am, Peter Parker, Detective I mean, well… that is, not me being a detective I mean you're a detective. I'm a photographer for the Bugle, mostly freelance, but you know when they need an extra hand or anything I…"
" Relax Parker, I don't bite, some corporal punishment occasionally, but nothing nasty you know and only with "special" friends."
She slid her arm around his shoulders and guided him away form the pack of media vultures. One of which detached from the band and followed at a discreet distance. "Parker I realize you media types have The First Amendment memorized backward and forward. I won't waste both our times by trying to strong arm you into giving up that film, but I will take this opportunity to tell you. Your little friend's work is appreciated, but the New York City Police Department officially has a policy of arresting and prosecuting vigilantes, regardless of how much public good is served by their work, that includes the masked variety.
"He saved that actress."
"Like I said Parker we like public minded citizens, but would she have been taken hostage if your hero-boy hadn't been chasing him?"
"Who knows, but she definitely might have been hurt or worse if Spider-man hadn't taken his gun and trussed him up. I might also point out Detective, that Deckard's men have hit this block in the past. The storeowners that he was strong-arming haven't reported it and wouldn't have reported this crime. If Spider-man hadn't caught them in the act, and saved a high profile actress, would the police have sent one of their top investigators down here to check out a routine break and enter in a no-go area?"
"Touché Parker, nice to know that you have a pair. I will have someone down at The Bugle in the morning to get a copy of your evidence."
Parker turned to go.
"By the way Parker how did you get the word your man was going to be in this part of town breaking up this little party."
Parker stopped and swung around. "Spider-man is my beat; Detective, where he is; I go, I got a call he was sighted in the area an I took a chance."
"That would be on a cell-phone The Bugle pays the bills for and keeps records on right?
"I believe so, why?"
"Parker I'm a Detective and a good one. I reached that lofty height by following my hunches and one I have now is there's more to you then meets the eye."
"Let's hope that's true of both of us Detective." Parker turned and walked to meet the man who had been following them. Ben Urich was a good reporter not that you tell at first glances. His good looks spoiled only by a goatee and ponytail that seemed to clash with his appearance more then anything else.
"Way to put The Wolf in her place Parker. I might develop real respect for you."
"Ben isn't there something you should be doing other than listening to private conversations."
"Out of such conversations are good stories made. The Wolf has proof of the existence of the Kingpin, but no one will take her seriously. Deckard over there represents the only connection she has ever had to the overlord of New York criminal activity."
Rumored overlord, The Kingpin is an urban legend Ben; nobody believes that any one man could control a vast criminal empire and remain hidden for as long as The Kingpin has.
"True but, I thought I might take a stab at convincing them otherwise since I believe it and the Wolf believes it too. You wanted to know why she's down here tonight. It's not to see a soap star it's because Deckard's the closest thing she has to proof that Kingpin is real and he wants control of the city."
***
Across town a small nebbish hurried through the halls of a downtown, Brownstone followed by a casually dressed man in short sleeves and black Dockers munching on an apple he had snagged from a fruit bowel in the hall. The décor was a tasteful mix of contemporary and traditional Japanese. He was on his way to deliver bad news. Delivering bad news to his employer was a risky proposition at best and downright life threatening at the worst of times. His only happy thought was that this time, he was blameless and guilt free. His name was Hermann "The Arranger" Blum. The other man had no name he committed himself to other the one he had acquired in light of his superlative skills, Bullseye.
The two men stepped into an open studio space converted to a dojo. There in the center kneeled a vast mountain of a man. A quarter of a ton and built like it too. He was naked from the waist up, wearing a combination of Tabai and gi pants his smooth shaven head glistening even in the subdued lighting of the workout space. His name was Wilson Fisk, but to all who worked for him he had but one name and it was always used without fail, The Kingpin.
At the sides of the room were three men in workout sweats who bowed to him and to each other. Then they rushed him. The First man to reach him jump kicked him. The fat man blocked the foot and slapped the man's body to the ground hard. He planted his foot squarely in the boy's chest and turned himself quickly to intercept the next attack. The fact he crushed the boy's chest barely registered. The next attacker tried to cripple him. He unleashed a kick aimed at the Kingpin's midsection the big man reached out and slapped aside the attacks of his opponent. Then reaching past, Kingpin clamped on to his throat and squeezed hard. The snap was audible all the way to the other side of the room. He dropped the body. By this time the third boy had figured out this practice was for keeps he threw a series of blows and when a opening showed itself he tagged the big man on the nose causing it to bleed. He tried following up the attack but the big man ensnared his arm and snapped it in two places than slapped him across the face knocking him senseless. The boy dropped to the floor in a heap.
Blum picked up a towel near the door and marched to the middle of the room. "Did you enjoy your workout Mr. Fisk"
"It was adequate. What news do you bring me?" Fisk rumbled as he toweled himself and wiped his bleeding nose.
"There has been a snag concerning our… Urban Renewal project." Blum always chose his words with care.
"Can the Police be dealt with?"
"Not this time, a costumed vigilante caught Deckard in the act. In addition, a freelancer for The Daily Bugle photographed him."
"Jameson" the huge man hurled the towel in annoyance. What about this photographer?"
"Parker…Peter Parker, Freelance photojournalist. He brought Jameson the first pictures of Spider-man in action."
Ah Jameson's wall crawling menace, the only menace he seems to be, is to my business. Bullseye, deal with those two. And no eating in the hall your mother doesn't clean up after you here."
"For all you know of my background she might." Bullseye muttered "Which one?" The man continued to chomp on the half-finished apple.
The Kingpin looked at the two who were still alive. He pointed to the unconscious youth. "He put up a fight he gets the health plan and full treatment." he looked at the other lying on his back groaning. He was useless dump him."
Bullseye shrugged his shoulders and raised the apple high in the air and throwing it down with great force. The fruit bounced off the bridge off the man's nose with an audible crunch that silenced his moans. The apple bounced back into the air. Bullseye snatched it out of the air and proceeded to wolf down the rest of the fruit as though nothing had happened.
Blum watched this with a critical eye and then followed his boss out of the dojo and down the hall o the palatial office that was the real workout space for the 450-lbs. man.
A dresser waited for him and proceeded to buzz around him clothing him in a cream colored three-piece suit. Kingpin considered his woes and dealt with them the why he always did, at distance and effectively. "Deckard has become a liability send a Turk from legal to bail him out and a car to pick him up. Give him retirement. As long as it's not in front of this building or the police station, you can deal with him however seems appropriate."
"And, Spider-man?"
"A showoff, have this Parker tailed for a while, see how he gets those photos of his. We can use him to find the insect. Bullseye can take it from there. Have you any good news?"
"WE may have found a way for you to size control of Osborne Industries."
"Ah crime is my life and my livelihood Arranger, and all of it is threatened by the sudden appearance of costumed freaks and rich boys who don't know their place in the world."
"Well this should appeal to you then Mr. Fisk. The method is almost legitimate and would be a good idea even if you weren't trying to muscle Norman out of his own company."
"How?"
"Little Harry Osborne may have been embezzling funds to pay for a substantial gambling problem."
"Who does he owe the money to?"
"As of this evening, us. I… arranged to buy up his debt. The bookie that he owed money to has been …retired."
"If I were a stockholder, I would be concerned if I heard something like that was going on."
"Perhaps the benevolent Wilson Fisk, philanthropist and Oscorp board member should have a meeting with Norman Osborne to discuss the future direction of his company."
***