Part Six
George Stacy sat in the police station listening to the reports. His daughter seemed better these days, more joyful, whatever had been eating her up inside had let her up. Still, he was focused on the job.
"Hey, we've got a sighting!" An officer cried out, "Octavius and Spider-Man are tearing downtown a new hole!"
George had planned on coming home to Gwen tonight but his instincts as a cop told him he had better not miss out on this one. He ran with the rush of several police officers on their way to their cars. This'd be one hell of a show.
Dr. Octopus had chased down Spider-Man onto a rooftop several dozen blocks away much closer to the heart of the city. Already skyscrapers dotted the city's skyline. On top of a moderately tall building they confronted one another ready for the worst.
"Stop running, Spider-Man, I know you to be no coward. Face me like a man, damn it." Otto's tentacles propelled him across the rooftop at alarming speed.
"Who said I was running?" Peter dodged one of the metal tentacles as it slammed down into the roof. Peter rolled along the ground and fired a spray of webbing that enveloped Otto. He allowed himself to mistakenly believe it was over.
With ease, Dr. Octopus' tentacles broke free of the webbing, "It will take much more than that to stop me, Spider-Man." With his tentacles he lashed out with his enemy.
Peter dodged the first with a backwards flip and ducked under the second. The third however nailed him across the jaw. Peter fell off the roof, blood pouring from the gash on his jaw. He fired a web-line that connected with a building and used it to land on another clumsy.
Otto used his tentacles to spring forward like some sort of frog and landed not more than ten feet away from where Peter had landed. "I will tear you apart for what you've cost me, Spider-Man; I killed three people tonight because of you." A tentacle picked the web-slinger off the roof and held him above the ground dangling. "You deserve this!" He flung Spider-Man off the building.
Peter instinctively fired off a web-line that grabbed Otto's chest and took him along. The duo flew across the street below and smashed into an office building. The impact was painful but Peter managed to roll in on his shoulder taking the blow away from his ribs. His spider-sense screamed. Peter flipped to his feet, keeping his head low and managed to avoid another attack from an irate Otto.
Another tentacle came in and slammed Peter's face into the ceiling sending him crashing into the floor above to which Dr. Octopus followed.
"I've got to get him out of here." Peter said realizing how many people were being hit by debris. He got back up blocking out whatever pain his jaw ached with and spotted a window. Already Otto was coming up behind him, his tentacles angrily reaching for Peter.
"Come on, fat-boy, let's burn off those carbohydrates!" Peter sprinted for the window avoiding several of the tentacles that tried to grab his ankles. He smashed through the window and fired a web-line that brought him to an adjacent building's rooftop. Otto was human, a blow would take him down well enough, it's just that the trick was getting that needed strike in.
Otto screamed, "Stop running, you're only going to make this a more agonizing experience." He followed Peter with ease and also landed on the nearby rooftop. "End of the line, Spider-Man."
"Apparently, you haven't talked to the other members of the wacky psychos club. I've got tons of pep for a guy down on his luck." Peter leapt over a tentacle as it passed by and smashed into a vent.
The next aimed for his head but he ducked low enough. He now advanced, avoiding the third by mere centimeters. He was close enough now; Peter retracted his fist only for a tentacle to smash into his gut throwing him across the rooftop on which he landed clumsily.
"Crap." Peter murmured realizing he could barely stand. Otto's tentacles already reached out for him. With an adrenaline surge he rolled back and through an amazing series of contortions landed on his feet. Otto swiped away at Peter but missed. "This has gotten past the point of impressive, you're annoying me."
"Well you should have known from our little talks, Ock." Peter dodged another attack, "I'm a stubborn guy."
Octopus grimaced, "I tire of this!" He moved forward with such speed that Peter was stunned. Before he could react, Otto had slammed into Spider-Man with such force that they both fell off the roof.
"Let me fire my web-shooters!" Peter exclaimed, "Let my hand go!" He exclaimed at the pressure of the tentacle's pincers keeping his fingers from forming the much needed formation. "Let me go or we'll both die!"
"Do not panic, I am not suicidal, Spider-Man!" Otto planted one tentacle on the ground moments before they landed, "You see we are alive." He grabbed both of Peter's arms with a tentacle, "Which is more than I can say for you in a few moments."
They were on a crowded street full of people, stores and cars. Peter knew this was going to hurt and braced for it.
Otto smashed him straight into the side of a car destroying its frame permanently. He spotted the cars in the streets, its occupants all staring in disbelief. Otto smiled and without a second thought began to smash Spider-Man into the cars.
Peter screamed in agony as his back was rammed into a SUV overturning it with such force it was thrown into a store. Next was a smaller car filled with innocent people simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Peter did his best to minimize the damage he did but the effect was still devastating. He thought he heard the sickening sound of a young girl screaming. Finally, he was released and dropped down on the street.
"You're beaten, Spider-Man." Otto raised an occupied car with his tentacles. "Accept fate." He roared flinging the car.
"I am so sick of this!" Peter rolled on his back and created a web-net from pole to pole on which the car landed safely. Already he could feel the tentacles grab his ankles. "Aw nuts."
Otto threw Peter into the side of a building smashing him through the entire wall. He laughed and approached the downed hero lying in somebody's bathroom being covered by the water flowing from the sink. "This engagement is finished." One of his tentacles became erect, "And so are you." Otto's tentacle stabbed forward aiming for Spider-Man's heart.
Peter relying on little more than adrenaline and determination grabbed the tentacle with his hands stopping it mere inches from his chest. Otto sent another tentacle in for the kill only for his wounded foe to hold it back with his heel. Peter clung to the floor of the bathroom with his remaining foot and even as his strength began to fail him he fought on.
With every passing second, Otto's tentacles drew in closer. Peter cringed anticipating his demise at any moment. Then in a grim manner, Otto's final tentacle became erect. To block it, Peter would have to let go of his grip and then he'd be at Dr. Octopus' mercy either way.
It was over; Peter firmly believed it to be true as the tentacle began to slowly make its way towards his face. He'd failed everyone. The cardinal, the mother, the city and now Mary Jane, he had let them all down. Otto stared at him oddly; he seemed to have been defeated even in victory. Regret swept across his face only to be replaced with a cold determination.
There was a scream.
The sound of a gun being fired had preceded the yell. Otto suddenly backed away from Spider-Man without a moment's hesitation. He gripped his bleeding arm in which a bullet had lodged itself and stared at his attackers.
More than two dozen police officers had created a blockade on both ends of the streets and now aimed at him with their handguns and rifles. Otto grimaced. "I ought to kill whoever said there's never a cop around when you need one."
"Put your…arms behind your head and lie on the ground!" Ordered George Stacy as he took cover behind the driver-side door commandingly.
"You're all fools, each and every one of you." Otto vowed, "I will kill you." He said his eyes filling with tears, "I will kill all of you!"
"Don't bite off more than you can chew, Ock." Peter said rising back up to his feet weakly.
Otto raised an eye, "You are no better than they, Spider-Man. I've beaten you fairly, no tricks no deceptions no master plans. When it came down to one-on-one I defeated you! Now lie back down."
"Stuff it down that asshole on your face." Peter remarked.
"What?" Otto asked curiously, "What was that?"
Peter stood erect defiantly and stared the madman in the eyes, "I said stuff it down that asshole on your face…Fatty."
Otto's entire face collapsed. He stood there, his tentacles limp on the ground unable to speak. Then without warning he exploded. He lashed out at Spider-Man with every inch of his being.
"You can't hit a guy like me, Ock." Peter clamored dodging the tentacles as they came. "I've got too much agility for a fat old dude such as you." This only provoked Otto more. He swung wildly but failed to realize he was only serving Peter's abilities. Without focus he was sloppy and revealed his attacks before they came.
Peter dodged an entire series of attacks and then leapt onto the wall of a building, "Come on, Ock; let's take this somewhere more private, this is if you don't want to drop by a KFC first."
Otto's eyes widened, "I'll destroy you for this, I promise it." He said in pursuit.
Peter sprinted across the roof only for a tentacle to intercept him in his escape and bring Otto directly ahead. "Not bad, you'll be a shoe-in for the special Olympics this year, that kid from Kenya won't know what hit him."
"Shut up!" Otto screamed attacking mercilessly.
Meanwhile, down in the streets the police moved into the war-zone led by George Stacy to see what could be done for the victims.
Up in between the brick chimney-stacks, Otto and Peter struggled. A tentacle punched Peter in the jaw sending him falling onto the roof. He coughed up the blood but slowly rose nonetheless.
Otto grabbed him and picked him up, "Die damn you, just die already!" He threw Peter into a chimney starting off a chain-reaction that would haunt the wall-crawler for the rest of his life.
He smashed through the chimney and bricks were sent flying like deadly projectiles in almost every direction. One smashed into Otto's face sending him rolling across the rooftop.
Peter meanwhile managed to halt his fall on the ledge of the building despite the force with which he was thrown. The debris from the chimney continued on course however. Each brick and fragment of metal tumbled down on the police below. Thankfully most were able to escape, yet when a small child leaving his destroyed home found he was caught in the deadly downpour. The first piece of debris shattered his spine. The next broke his hand and the third finished him when it crushed his skull and with that he was dead.
"No." Peter said stunned watching the dust clear to reveal the dead body of his former girlfriend's body. "Not this, anything but this." Peter faced his new nemesis "Ha!" Otto laughed victoriously while blood seeped from his mouth as he rose back up, "It seems I've won this night after all." He rubbed his face slowly, "I grow weary of this game, Spider-Man; rest assured we will meet again. Until then remember tonight, never forget how it was your fault, the death that you caused, and remember me as I would like to be thought of; as your superior." Ock escaped into the night leaving a shell-shocked Peter to watch the chaos below and the angry eyes of the officers staring back at him.
George raised his weapon, "Take Spider-Man down!" He yelled in his ignorance believing the web-slinger to be responsible.
Peter retreated from the scene dodging the volley of bullets with the grim knowledge that tonight had changed everything.