Scarlet Spider #2 - Fiery Reunions part 1
Opposite the Centennial University, was the quaint coffee shop known as the Daily Grind, where Ben Reilly was under employment before he was forced once more into exile, by the evil Norman Osborn. Even though he still can't remember how he was brought back from the dead, or if he ever died at all. Ben stood across the road from the coffee shop, whose main clientele were generally young college students. Ben took a deep breath and crossed the road, "How can I tell them about what the Green Goblin did to me? They'll be suspicious. Maybe I could say the Goblin kidnapped me, faking my death. Wait, why would the Goblin be interested in kidnapping me? They don't even know I was Spider-Man! I can't do this, not now!" when Ben finally crossed the road, he looked in the window to see Buzz sitting over by the counter, reading his newspaper and stroking his beard like usual. And Desiree sitting at her usual table, with several of her college friends sipping on a latte. Ben walked away from the Daily Grind, down an alley behind it, luckily for him nobody saw him, and he continued brooding down the street, with his un-kept brown hair blowing in the mild wind. "Where can I stay? I can't keep sleeping rough. I can't go to Peter's house, not yet! Somebody else will be renting my old apartment. I know!"
A half an hours walk across New York later. At the apartment of the late Seward Trainer stood Ben outside. Ben put his hand in his jean pocket and pulled out a several keys, held together by a Yankees key chain. Ben searched through the small set of keys and pulled out one marked 'ST'. He walked up to the doormat, and knocked. After no response he knocked again, and again. After giving up Ben put the key in the lock and turned it left and pushed. The door opened with a long squeak. The apartment was full of everyday items like, a telephone, which had been cut off, a T.V, which did not work due to the electricity being cut off, several surfaces and tables which were layered with dust. Ben studied the walls, which had been re-painted, before Seward Trainer died, the color was now orange and was accompanied by wooden floorboards, which appeared polished, Ben however was unaware of Seward's death and was puzzled by the lack of power. Ben's mind drifted back to the days Seward Trainer was alive and how he had helped them determine who was the clone, and how he had originally given Ben a home after he was first sent into exile after losing a battle with the Peter Parker. Ben walked into Seward Trainer's spare room and began unpacking his backpack, which he had carried religiously for the past few days. He put the backpack on the single bed, which was covered by a white blanket and began taking his Scarlet Spider costume out and putting it in the wooden chest of drawers opposite. Next came the blue, armless sweatshirt, with the spider logo on it, which also got put in a drawer.
Meanwhile, outside the apartment block where Ben Reilly now takes residence in stood Mr. Nacht who was taking more notes on his computerized pad. His hand moved fast, as he wrote everything down in great detail, his eyes could be seen moving side to side in great haste, despite the shadow of his hat and his thick glasses. "Traveller will be pleased with this," Mr. Nacht thought to himself, as a small smirk appeared on his face.
Ben Reilly continued exploring the brownstone, as he made himself feel at home on the three-seater sofa. The walls were painted a night blue color, which matched the yellow sofa. The room had a small window opposite the door with red curtains. It seemed like hours since he was outside the Daily Grind. Ben arose from the first real sleep he had in several days. The sofa seemed more comfortable than he had first imagined as he looked at the VCR clock, to see that it was blank due to there being no power. Ben took a huge yawn and stood up and stretched, with his arms nearly touching the ceiling. He turned on his small portable radio, which he had also been carrying around with him for the last few days in his small backpack. He turned the round nozzle on the side and finally reached a station, "And so last night another homeless man was set alight. Police have the criminal known only as Fire Fist under suspicion right now, who escaped from jail a week ago. Fire Fist was imprisoned after being captured by Spider-Man, for slaughtering homeless people. All murders so far have happened in the Queens area in New York." Reported the female newsreader. Ben did not take his time; he ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time and quickly took out his Scarlet Spider mask.
In a dark alley in Queens, blanketed in litter stood the imposing man known only as Fire Fist. Little could be seen of his red and yellow costume except what was highlighted by the eerily bright full moon. Fire Fist leaned over a tattered homeless man, wearing a green jacket and some dirty jeans, which had once been blue. "Please don't hurt me!" whimpered the tired and weak homeless man, as Fire Fist stood, imposingly over him. "Oh, I won't hurt you it'll be very quick!" replied the psychotic Fire Fist, dressed in his red fire proof costume with yellow straps, as his hand began glowing red and nearing towards the homeless man's face, "It's just the anticipation, which gets most people!" Before Fire Fist had a chance to do anything else he found himself being knocked in the face by two feet, covered in red spandex, "Pick on somebody uglier than you are next time, Fire Fist!" joked the heroic sounding Scarlet Spider. "Spider-Man, you'll pay for throwing me in jail!" shouted Fire Fist as an angry expression, above his goatee became visible on his sinister face. "How was that? And, 'Spider-Man'? We're just good friends." Joked the arachnid as he dodged a fiery fist, thanks to his vibrating spider sense. "You can call me the Scarlet Spider." As Scarlet Spider dodged another punch, he noticed the homeless man get up and run away, "You're welcome!" yelled the Scarlet Spider. "Son of a.!" yelled Fire Fist as the Scarlet Spider did a back flip over the villain before kicking him in the spine with both of his feet launching himself back down to the concrete in the process. And knocking Fire Fist into a large black bag full of garbage as he did so. "Language now!" said the Scarlet Spider, in a disciplinary voice, as he shot a strand of impact webbing at the villain, while wiggling his index thing on his left hand from side to side, as he went - "Tsk, tsk." "Not again, it can't end this way!" Fire Fist yelled psychotically, however the arachnid vigilante did not pay any attention, as he shot a web line, which landed on a ledge of a building; the Scarlet Spider then bent his legs and launched himself off as he swung towards the glowing moon.
In what was becoming Ben Reilly's new routine, he once again found himself standing by Centennial University; twenty-four hours fresh off his battle with Fire Fist. "I've got to do this, I can't keep running away. It's been such a long time since I've seen any of them, Desiree, Buzz, Devon and especially Shirley." Ben thought, as he tried to build up his self-esteem. After a while of standing, suspiciously at the corner of the road the brown haired Ben decided to cross. The small headlights lit the professional sign of the Daily Grind. Ben once again peered through the window to see everybody where they were the day before, almost giving Ben a sense of déjà vu. "I can't do this." Ben thought as he looked at Desiree Winthrop's face through the window, before turning to leave, but little did he know that Desiree saw him, as she focused in on him her face lit up with a look of happiness but at the same time disbelief. Desiree got up out of her seat and ran out, her bounced up and down, with every step she took, she shoved open the door, and ran after Ben, who had his hands in his pocket as he walked slowly down the pavement, with his head down. "Ben! Is that you? Wait up." she realized that she thought she was out of her mind, she had been like that ever since she began believing she had psychic powers, Ben finally turned round as her sharp voice reached his ears. Desiree's eyes expanded as she saw his face, "What I don't know what you're talking about?" pleaded Ben, as he tried to keep his low profile. "Don't play that with me, Ben!" lectured Desiree. "What?" replied Ben still trying to stay in disguise. "Or is it Spider-Man, or even Scarlet Spider again?" snapped Desiree, as she was excited to see him once again. Ben grabbed both her arms and pulled her into a nearby alleyway, "How did you know?" whispered Ben. "I don't know!" stuttered Desiree; "You're alive?" "It's a long story!" Ben whispered "You can't tell anybody else.Not yet.Please!" pleaded Ben.
After several hours of 'catching up', despite Desiree having not quite gotten over the shock of Ben's return, and Ben having not quite gotten over the shock of her knowing his secret identity. Ben and Desiree had still not come up with a logical reason for his return, which he could explain to his friends at the Daily Grind. Desiree had informed Ben of her psychic powers, causing Ben to try and get into a conversation about that, dodging the subject of his resurrection every time. After five hours of nothing but talking in Desiree's apartment, apart from the first hour which was an awkward silence, they decided to turn the small television on. Desiree pressed the small green '6' button on the regular size remote control, to see a surprise news bulletin. "After being reported last night that the murderer named Fire Fist had stopped attacking homeless people due to a run in with the previously thought deceased, Scarlet Spider, the police are once again trying to track him down. He was spotted killing someone little than half an hour ago. Police are asking anybody to come forward with any help with the murderers whereabouts," droned the newsreader's voice. A look of concern spread across Desiree's face, "You better go!"
To be continued.
Opposite the Centennial University, was the quaint coffee shop known as the Daily Grind, where Ben Reilly was under employment before he was forced once more into exile, by the evil Norman Osborn. Even though he still can't remember how he was brought back from the dead, or if he ever died at all. Ben stood across the road from the coffee shop, whose main clientele were generally young college students. Ben took a deep breath and crossed the road, "How can I tell them about what the Green Goblin did to me? They'll be suspicious. Maybe I could say the Goblin kidnapped me, faking my death. Wait, why would the Goblin be interested in kidnapping me? They don't even know I was Spider-Man! I can't do this, not now!" when Ben finally crossed the road, he looked in the window to see Buzz sitting over by the counter, reading his newspaper and stroking his beard like usual. And Desiree sitting at her usual table, with several of her college friends sipping on a latte. Ben walked away from the Daily Grind, down an alley behind it, luckily for him nobody saw him, and he continued brooding down the street, with his un-kept brown hair blowing in the mild wind. "Where can I stay? I can't keep sleeping rough. I can't go to Peter's house, not yet! Somebody else will be renting my old apartment. I know!"
A half an hours walk across New York later. At the apartment of the late Seward Trainer stood Ben outside. Ben put his hand in his jean pocket and pulled out a several keys, held together by a Yankees key chain. Ben searched through the small set of keys and pulled out one marked 'ST'. He walked up to the doormat, and knocked. After no response he knocked again, and again. After giving up Ben put the key in the lock and turned it left and pushed. The door opened with a long squeak. The apartment was full of everyday items like, a telephone, which had been cut off, a T.V, which did not work due to the electricity being cut off, several surfaces and tables which were layered with dust. Ben studied the walls, which had been re-painted, before Seward Trainer died, the color was now orange and was accompanied by wooden floorboards, which appeared polished, Ben however was unaware of Seward's death and was puzzled by the lack of power. Ben's mind drifted back to the days Seward Trainer was alive and how he had helped them determine who was the clone, and how he had originally given Ben a home after he was first sent into exile after losing a battle with the Peter Parker. Ben walked into Seward Trainer's spare room and began unpacking his backpack, which he had carried religiously for the past few days. He put the backpack on the single bed, which was covered by a white blanket and began taking his Scarlet Spider costume out and putting it in the wooden chest of drawers opposite. Next came the blue, armless sweatshirt, with the spider logo on it, which also got put in a drawer.
Meanwhile, outside the apartment block where Ben Reilly now takes residence in stood Mr. Nacht who was taking more notes on his computerized pad. His hand moved fast, as he wrote everything down in great detail, his eyes could be seen moving side to side in great haste, despite the shadow of his hat and his thick glasses. "Traveller will be pleased with this," Mr. Nacht thought to himself, as a small smirk appeared on his face.
Ben Reilly continued exploring the brownstone, as he made himself feel at home on the three-seater sofa. The walls were painted a night blue color, which matched the yellow sofa. The room had a small window opposite the door with red curtains. It seemed like hours since he was outside the Daily Grind. Ben arose from the first real sleep he had in several days. The sofa seemed more comfortable than he had first imagined as he looked at the VCR clock, to see that it was blank due to there being no power. Ben took a huge yawn and stood up and stretched, with his arms nearly touching the ceiling. He turned on his small portable radio, which he had also been carrying around with him for the last few days in his small backpack. He turned the round nozzle on the side and finally reached a station, "And so last night another homeless man was set alight. Police have the criminal known only as Fire Fist under suspicion right now, who escaped from jail a week ago. Fire Fist was imprisoned after being captured by Spider-Man, for slaughtering homeless people. All murders so far have happened in the Queens area in New York." Reported the female newsreader. Ben did not take his time; he ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time and quickly took out his Scarlet Spider mask.
In a dark alley in Queens, blanketed in litter stood the imposing man known only as Fire Fist. Little could be seen of his red and yellow costume except what was highlighted by the eerily bright full moon. Fire Fist leaned over a tattered homeless man, wearing a green jacket and some dirty jeans, which had once been blue. "Please don't hurt me!" whimpered the tired and weak homeless man, as Fire Fist stood, imposingly over him. "Oh, I won't hurt you it'll be very quick!" replied the psychotic Fire Fist, dressed in his red fire proof costume with yellow straps, as his hand began glowing red and nearing towards the homeless man's face, "It's just the anticipation, which gets most people!" Before Fire Fist had a chance to do anything else he found himself being knocked in the face by two feet, covered in red spandex, "Pick on somebody uglier than you are next time, Fire Fist!" joked the heroic sounding Scarlet Spider. "Spider-Man, you'll pay for throwing me in jail!" shouted Fire Fist as an angry expression, above his goatee became visible on his sinister face. "How was that? And, 'Spider-Man'? We're just good friends." Joked the arachnid as he dodged a fiery fist, thanks to his vibrating spider sense. "You can call me the Scarlet Spider." As Scarlet Spider dodged another punch, he noticed the homeless man get up and run away, "You're welcome!" yelled the Scarlet Spider. "Son of a.!" yelled Fire Fist as the Scarlet Spider did a back flip over the villain before kicking him in the spine with both of his feet launching himself back down to the concrete in the process. And knocking Fire Fist into a large black bag full of garbage as he did so. "Language now!" said the Scarlet Spider, in a disciplinary voice, as he shot a strand of impact webbing at the villain, while wiggling his index thing on his left hand from side to side, as he went - "Tsk, tsk." "Not again, it can't end this way!" Fire Fist yelled psychotically, however the arachnid vigilante did not pay any attention, as he shot a web line, which landed on a ledge of a building; the Scarlet Spider then bent his legs and launched himself off as he swung towards the glowing moon.
In what was becoming Ben Reilly's new routine, he once again found himself standing by Centennial University; twenty-four hours fresh off his battle with Fire Fist. "I've got to do this, I can't keep running away. It's been such a long time since I've seen any of them, Desiree, Buzz, Devon and especially Shirley." Ben thought, as he tried to build up his self-esteem. After a while of standing, suspiciously at the corner of the road the brown haired Ben decided to cross. The small headlights lit the professional sign of the Daily Grind. Ben once again peered through the window to see everybody where they were the day before, almost giving Ben a sense of déjà vu. "I can't do this." Ben thought as he looked at Desiree Winthrop's face through the window, before turning to leave, but little did he know that Desiree saw him, as she focused in on him her face lit up with a look of happiness but at the same time disbelief. Desiree got up out of her seat and ran out, her bounced up and down, with every step she took, she shoved open the door, and ran after Ben, who had his hands in his pocket as he walked slowly down the pavement, with his head down. "Ben! Is that you? Wait up." she realized that she thought she was out of her mind, she had been like that ever since she began believing she had psychic powers, Ben finally turned round as her sharp voice reached his ears. Desiree's eyes expanded as she saw his face, "What I don't know what you're talking about?" pleaded Ben, as he tried to keep his low profile. "Don't play that with me, Ben!" lectured Desiree. "What?" replied Ben still trying to stay in disguise. "Or is it Spider-Man, or even Scarlet Spider again?" snapped Desiree, as she was excited to see him once again. Ben grabbed both her arms and pulled her into a nearby alleyway, "How did you know?" whispered Ben. "I don't know!" stuttered Desiree; "You're alive?" "It's a long story!" Ben whispered "You can't tell anybody else.Not yet.Please!" pleaded Ben.
After several hours of 'catching up', despite Desiree having not quite gotten over the shock of Ben's return, and Ben having not quite gotten over the shock of her knowing his secret identity. Ben and Desiree had still not come up with a logical reason for his return, which he could explain to his friends at the Daily Grind. Desiree had informed Ben of her psychic powers, causing Ben to try and get into a conversation about that, dodging the subject of his resurrection every time. After five hours of nothing but talking in Desiree's apartment, apart from the first hour which was an awkward silence, they decided to turn the small television on. Desiree pressed the small green '6' button on the regular size remote control, to see a surprise news bulletin. "After being reported last night that the murderer named Fire Fist had stopped attacking homeless people due to a run in with the previously thought deceased, Scarlet Spider, the police are once again trying to track him down. He was spotted killing someone little than half an hour ago. Police are asking anybody to come forward with any help with the murderers whereabouts," droned the newsreader's voice. A look of concern spread across Desiree's face, "You better go!"
To be continued.
