The Tangled Webs We Weave

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Chapter 2- Into the Darkness

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A.N: OMG! Thank you so much all you lovely reviewers, well really Spider-Grl mostly, big shout out to her lol. I appreciate the support very much and I hope you enjoy this chapter, I'll try and get the next one up sometime in the next week!

Thanks again.

xXx

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"A hero's work is never done." Spiderman sighed, shooting out another sliver of webbing to attach to a new building. His 'spider sense' had warned him of a robbery only a couple blocks away from where he had talked to MJ, so he had swung there promptly.

"Guess I spoke too soon when I said it was all too quiet tonight." Spiderman alighted on a ledge jutting from the building.

He glanced down and heard the sounds of the would-be robbery taking place beneath him. Then four criminals burst out onto the bustling sidewalk, guns in their hands and masks obscuring their faces.

Uh oh, this could be a little more difficult. Spiderman thought, immediately swinging into action, sending a shot of web fluid to yank away two of the guns and block up a third.

"Huh?" The men frowned in confusion then realising their enemy instantly organised themselves, barely showing any agitation, which was disconcerting. They immediately pulled out spare guns and one was typing something into a small keypad that looked like a personal organiser.

"Hey guys sorry to break up the party, but this is the part where you girly scream and try and run away, then I swing down, pull off some fancy moves, generally kick your ass and then you get hauled off by the cops and I go off swinging to fight the good fight some more."

"Not tonight bug boy." One of the butch criminals growled, pointing a gun in Spidey's direction.

"Nuh uh, play nice baby, those are the growed up toys!" Spiderman made a grab with his webbing for the gun but another of the crooks pulled out what looked like a can of deodorant or spray paint and he sprayed the liquid in the direction of the webbing. It dissolved the web fluid instantly, in midair.

Okay, that can't be good. Spiderman leapt up onto the wall as the first thug sent a shot in his direction. He crawled up the wall, back flipped down onto the sidewalk and kicked the gun from the shooter criminal's grasp.

Luckily there wasn't a crowd of bystanders and the street had emptied quite rapidly at the sight of the guns.

"You aint getting rid of us that easy Spider, we've got some power behind us guys."

"Whoa, someone needs to learn to talk proper. Did y'all just go to thug school? They all say they've got the power thing, you'd think these criminal 'masterminds' could come up with some new lines once in a while, is that too much to ask?!"

The goons didn't dignify this with a response instead, three of them rushed him while one pulled out the can again.

Spiderman jumped over two, but the largest of the three caught him mid-jump on the leg with a hard punch and he tumbled roughly to the ground, ducking into a roll. He landed hard and a large foot stamped down on his wrist. He grunted as he was hauled, up, his head spinning from a heavy hit to his gut. He raised his fist to spray them with webbing but before Spiderman had a chance the first thug raised the spray can in front of his face and sprayed a whitish blue spray into his masked face.

Spiderman felt his body go numb, he couldn't control his senses. He gasped as his vision began to blur.

C'mon Spidey keep it together, you can't let these goons beat you, if you get knocked out they could find out who you are… Oh god. Spiderman fell to his knees, head lolling weakly. He heard the crooks laugh as his body met concrete, although he could hardly feel it. He heard the sound of sirens and raised voices as the darkness claimed him.

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"Yo, Spidey! Wake up!" Spiderman was aware of someone patting his cheek, hard as he regained consciousness. He sensed someone raising his hand to hit again so shot his hand up and gripped the wrist of the offending policeman.

"Don't do that." He warned. Then he realised where he was and brought a hand up to his face, checking his mask was still in place. The cops could have taken advantage of his situation for their own gain while he was out.

"Naw it's okay superguy, we didn't sneak a peek, not that some of the guys didn't want to. But we aint all like that, took a bit of persuading though, your identity is a valuable thing around here."

"Oh I'm so glad your conscience prevented you from seeing who I really was, what a damn shame for you guys huh?" Spiderman retorted sarcastically.

"Sorry! Look you were out cold, anyone would've been tempted, we didn't though okay? Those cocky bastards got away anyway, what did they do to you?"

"Hell if I know." Spiderman pushed himself to his feet.

"We disturbed them, if we hadn't showed up you could've been fish food. You were outta it. Some superhero."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't need a lecture thanks bud. You do your job, I'll do mine, at least you get paid!" And he held out his wrist, ready to web sling away, but nothing happened. He choked back panic as he tried again.

Hey! Oh I guess I'll just have to climb home. He was too tired and bewildered to argue, or even pay much thought to this, he felt weak and drained. He tried to jump up the wall but gracelessly bashed against it and bounced off.

What is this, maybe the effects of the bite only lasted for a certain time? Does that mean I'm not a superhero anymore? What's happened to me?

He was grateful the cops were all preoccupied as he slunk down the alleyway.

"Guess I'll walk then." He murmured.

~

A couple of blocks away from his apartment he found his strength returning. Spiderman tried his webbing and it zipped out, strong as ever. Grabbing hold of it thankfully he swung up it and away towards his home.

So that stuff they sprayed at me, it must've been some type of power duller or something, it took my powers away and knocked me out. But where would some common crooks get that kind of firepower? And what was that guy typing on that organiser, and who to? So many questions, but I'm not sure if I wanna know the answers.

He swung into the open window of his room, and quickly pulled off his outfit, checking the time on his alarm clock. Almost 3 A.M, he sighed, collapsing into the softness of his bed, no doubt his nights exploits would be smeared across the front pages of every newspaper in town, showing his obvious weakness at some run of the mill criminals.

Except they weren't run of the mill. At least I got to talk to MJ, being Spiderman is the only chance I'll get at the moment. Peter sighed and fell into a restless sleep, plagued with dark dreams, of masked attackers, power numbing sprays and Green Goblins.

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