Symbiotes and Surprises-Chapter Four
A symbiote Rhino! The Red Skull and the Kingpin! Carnage is still on the loose! Can it get any worse for Spider-Man? You'll see in this bulky chapter!
The journey was at an end. He had came back, and a terror was ready to once again strike the heart of New York. The Lizard was near. The Lizard, the very embodiment of fear, was ready to reign. No one would stand in his way, not even Spider-Man.
In yet another shadowy district of New York City, the colossal mountain of muscle the Kinpin lurks, surrounded by guards and hidden protection as he deals with a deadly ally.
For to many days had Shocker been cooped up. Jail wasn't exactly paradise, and the "Shocker could testify to that. From the minute he arrived to the minute the Kingpin's associates sprung him, he had done nothing but brood about Spider-Man. He had created plans, each one more ridiculous and fantastic than its predecessor. Not until he was away did he realize just how much he had lusted for freedom, how much he had needed to be free again. They'll never put me back in there again, Shocker thought, rubbing his vibro-gauntlets together as though grinding Spider-Man's bones into ashes.
"Hello, Shocker." Wilson Fisk said, sitting down and motioning for Shocker to do the same. "I hope you have enjoyed your freedom. Now, I did not spring you just out of the good of my heart. I sprung you because I wanted you. Now, you may be envisioning your job right now: another bank robbery, a hostage situation. You're probably thinking small time theft. However, the Kingpin does not deal with small time thievery. I want to involve you in one of the most important underworld take overs of the year. The Kinpin already reigns supreme in New York City, but no one else fears me. You will help change all that by taking out my first major victim: the Red Skull."
"Kingpin, have you flipped your lid?" Shocker asked, smiling. "Take down the Red Skull? The best of the best have tried it, hero and villain alike, yet he always lives. I don't see what
chance we have against someone like him."
"And I don't see what chance he has against people like us." The Kingpin replied, brandishing his cane in his huge, powerful fists. "He is already ensnared in my web of lies and treachery, and is ready for us to move in for the kill. I will provide the opportunity, and you will provide the man power."
"Then, I suppose, you will provide the money as well." Shocker asked, smiling under his mask.
"Yes, of course. Money is nothing to the Kingpin. Crime and revenge is my life." The Kingpin answered unemotionally. "Besides, how can you lose with the most powerful villain of all time on your side?"
Shocker turned to leave, walking out of the giant double doors in his office. He headed straight down the corridor to another door, walking through it as well.
"So, boss, what do you think about him? Is he trustworthy?" one of the Kingpin's guards asked, coming from his hiding spot behind the Kingpin.
"No one is trustworthy, Max." the Kingpin answered, smiling, "But some are gullible enough to attempt to be."
What a nut. The Shocker thought, chuckling to himself. He's just some overweight ex-sumo with a lust for power. If I had wanted to, I could have killed him off with a simple press of a button. He probably even thought I didn't notice his muscle hiding in the shadows. I could have killed them too anyways.
Spider-Man had left Mary Jane, ready to go swinging around, "looking for trouble" as some might say. He knew that it wasn't the most safe thing for Peter Parker to be doing, but he didn't really have a choice. With all of the criminals in New York City, no one would be safe without the Spider-Man around to watch over them. It was a good feeling to protect the city from danger, but it also meant that he had to take away from Peter Parker's personal life. As his Uncle Ben had once said, "With great power comes great responsibility." If anyone was an example of that phrase, it was Spider-Man.
He swung around the city, watching for a sign of a menace like the Black Rhino or Carnage. What he saw, though, was, yet again, not what he expected. It was a small figure, decked in yellow and red, creating havoc near a large building downtown. He was hammering away at the building, causing the sturdy bricks to fly. He was laughing, obviously trying to intimidate the people inside. But who could be inside? Spider-Man thought to himself, And why would Shocker be so dead set on getting to them?
"He's here!" Shocker whispered into a small microphone attached to his neck. "He looks like he's about to move in. I'll watch for him."
"Good." The Kingpin's voice rang over the microphone. "The Black Rhino is in position for the kill. He'll back you up as soon as you appear to need it."
I don't need the help of some freakish weirdo with some crazy costume. Shocker thought, continuing to blast away at the bank wall. Gosh! Why can't I use full power? Usin' this low power shock is really boring.
"Come here, Spider-Man!" Shocker yelled, raising his fists as Spider-Man swung down towards him, feet first. "You can't take me out that easy!" he yelled, dodging the kick just in the nick of time.
"But I can take you out this easy!" Spidey yelled, coming at Shocker's head with a flying punch. Shocker just stood there, apparently not fast enough to dodge the fist.
"I could have taken that one even as my old self!" Shocker yelled, pressing another button on his gauntlets. "But now it will be all too easy!"
Spider-Man's punch hit home, but Shocker did not budge. It was Spider-Man who reeled back in pain, collapsing to the ground. "Hah! See, Spider, I've upgraded the hardware since we met last! Didn't see that coming, did ya?"
No, I did not. Spidey thought as a pain like no other he had ever felt ran through his fists. In fact, the thought of you having power like that hasn't really brightened my day.
Shocker aimed his gauntlets, preparing for the killing blow. "Here it comes, Spider-Man! You'll find out that my wrist gauntlets are upgraded as well!"
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a figure came dashing at Shocker, lowering his head. It was none other than the Black Rhino. "Hah! You thought I would let a wimp like you finish him off? The Boss said I could do the honors!"
"I don't think so!" Shocker yelled, leveling his gauntlets on the Black Rhino. He fired, unleashing a twin shock-wave that hit the Black Rhino right in the chest.
The Black Rhino barely budged, more angered than injured by the blow. "You'll pay for that one!" he yelled, charging again. Shocker couldn't fire this time and was caught off guard. The twin horns on top of the Black Rhino's huge head slammed into his side, causing him to fall backwards. Shocker grunted and fell to the pavement. The Black Rhino smirked and proceeded on to Spider-Man.
"Finish him off, idiot!" the Kingpin yelled through the microphone. "Now!"
The Black Rhino walked up to him, preparing to land a few life-ending punches right into Spidey's jaw.
The Lizard was ready to make his first move. He would simply spring into New York, creating much excitement and many rumors. Then he would head to somewhere inconspicuous and prepare to kill Spider-Man and use reptiles take over the world. The Lizard would reign supreme over all other beings!
The Black Rhino flew up into the air, threw off balance by a sudden thrust from underneath him. He watched as a large green body emerged from the man-hole. "Hisssss!" it yelled, "The Lizard has returned!"
"You, you, you ruined it!" the Black Rhino spat, scowling at the Lizard. "You saved him! Look! He's getting back up!"
And sure enough, Spider-Man had recovered, and not a second too soon. He unleashed webbing onto the Lizard, hoping to keep him out of the fight. "Try this on for size, ugly!" he yelled as the webbing engulfed the Lizard. The Lizard stumbled, knocked off balance by the webbing. However, he wasn't off balance for long. He broke through the webbing as though it were nothing and charged at the Black Rhino. "You fool!" he yelled, "The Lizard is supreme! How dare you shoot webbing at me!"
"I didn't! It was him!" the Black Rhino yelled, pointing a finger at Spider-Man.
The Lizard hissed, realizing that Spider-Man was there. "I'll kill you!" he screeched at him. "And then the Lizard will reign supreme!"
"Don't bet on it, big guy!" Spidey yelled, swinging around the Lizard onto the side of a large building. "If I've learned one thing in the super hero business, it's know when to run!"
Spider-Man flew off around a nearby corner. The Lizard ran after him, screeching into the wind. He sped around the corner, stopping to watch for any sign of Spidey. "Come out, little spider!" he hissed, his tongue curling out.
"All right!" Spider-Man yelled, jumping down from his hiding space on a wall right above the Lizard. "But be careful what you wish for!"
The Lizard was fast, but not that fast, he was crushed by Spider-Man's fall and fell to the ground, in a completely shocked and unconscious state. Spider-Man walked over to him and picked him up, proceeding to carry him towards a certain apartment building being rented by a Dr. Curt Conners nearby.
Hmm. Spidey thought, That must mean the Lizard's mind took control of Dr. Conners's body. How could the Lizard rent a hotel? Or else Curt had a reason for being here and the Lizard somehow escaped again …
Back by the man-hole the Lizard had emerged from, the Black Rhino laughed at Spider-Man's stupidity. The Black Rhino had been rattled, so why didn't Spidey come after him? Now all the Black Rhino had to do was report back to the Kingpin and all would be well. Besides, the Kingpin hadn't really expected Spider-Man to be defeated in only the second encounter. He was meant to be battered and tired, but not dead. After fighting with both the Black Rhino and the Lizard, that was probably exactly what Spider-Man was: exhausted, worn out, tired, shaken. That would pay off in their next encounter, the one that was really expected to defeat Spider-Man once and for all. With not only the Black Rhino but Shocker as well fighting him, Spider-Man was sure to be beaten then.
"Uhh!" the Kingpin grunted, taking another stab at the huge punching bag in the middle of his room. He shifted his weight, attacking it from the side. The bag shook and fell to the ground under the force of a few Kingpin-punches.
"Want another one, boss?" the Kingpin's newly appointed right hand man, Jacques, asked.
"No, four is good enough for one session. Don't want to waste too many, now do we?"
Jacques smiled at his bosses strength and how easily the Kingpin would take down Spider-Man if they happened to fight again.
"All is well, Jacques. My plan has been set in action and my pawns, such as the Black Rhino, are sure to make quick work of Spider-Man."
"How is your plan for the assassination of the Red Skull proceeding, Kingpin?" Jacques asked, now interested in his master's plans.
"The Red Skull will be deceased by dawn tomorrow." The Kingpin said with no tone of worry in his voice, "Shocker will make sure of that."
1 Day Later, at the Red Skull's "hidden" lair …
"Hello, Carnage." The Red Skull said, smiling at the murderous symbiote. "Ready to kill the Spider?"
"Yes, we are!" Carnage yelled, grimacing at the Red Skull. "And we want you to help us!"
"Of course you do." The Red Skull answered, "And I shall indeed aide you."
The Red Skull led him out of his office, whispering soothing words into his mouth. "You'll kill him, Carnage, you will. He will fall to your immeasurable might, and then you can dispose of the Black Rhino, that symbiotic mistake."
At that moment, the entire building shook with the wrath of a great explosion. The Red Skull turned towards his office, realizing that was where the tremor had come from. He stood, in deep thought, watching the door for signs of someone coming through. Slowly, the Red Skull drew a gun, pointing it directly at the door.
The missile shook the building, causing a great hole to be formed in the Red Skull's office. The helicopter that had fired the missile swung around, drawing its side close to the building. A figure, dressed in red and yellow, emerged from the craft. It was the one known as Shocker.
Shocker walked through the room to one of the two untouched walls to the sides. He approached the door, readying his wrist gauntlets for a swift attack. He fired, unleashing a twin blast of shock, causing the door to fly back into the room behind it.
The Red Skull was hit, with the gun in his hand, by the door. It smashed him into a wall, causing him to drop his gun and go partially unconscious. Carnage, however, had already gone, scared off by the loud explosion.
Shocker ran in, catching sight of the fallen Red Skull. He aimed both gauntlets at him, preparing to unleash a few death blows.
Suddenly, he was attacked, hit viciously from the side by the Red Skull's new aide, Martin the Slasher. Martin's long, dark hair flew up behind him as he bowled Shocker over into a wall. Shocker's blast went wide, smashing into the very wall he himself was rolling towards. The shock waves created a hole, large enough for a helicopter to go through. Shocker continued to roll, out the hole and into the foggy skies.
Is Shocker dead? What about the Red Skull. Who is Martin the Slasher, and how powerful is he? Where has Carnage gone to now? Will the Kingpin's plan proceed as planned? Has Spidey really wrapped up the Lizard for good? We may have not seen very much of Spider-Man this chapter, but we can almost promise you'll see more of him in the next chapter.