Smoke and Mirrors

Part One

            When the police arrived they found Spider-Man in the lobby of the abandoned apartment building. The wounds from numerous bullet entries riddled his body. They pulled back his mask and gazed upon the slain hero's face.

Earlier:

            "What is your opinion of Spider-Man?" The female Globe Network reporter asked a NYPD officer standing outside his station on live television, while she adjusted her delicate hair carefully.

            The officer, who seemed surprised by the cameras staring at him intently, stuttered at first trying to find a way to start his sentence, "Spider-Man? Uh…I guess he's been pretty bad for the city." He seemed to be formulating his sentences still, "Yeah, I mean how much has he caused in property damage, has to be a couple of million, right? If we did that, jeez I don't know what would happen." The officer elaborated.

            The scenery changed from a parking lot to the inside of a plush office, "I'm speaking with Dr. Reinhart, the leading psychologist in the field of the superhero psyche, doctor what can you tell us about Spider-Man?" 

            The old doctor rubbed his glasses for a moment, "It seems to me that Spider-Man is relatively young. He's youth would likely contribute to his wanton disregard for life and property. In addition, it's possible he could be impotent and believes the spider to be an aphrodisiac. Spider-Man may also have issues with abandonment possibly from his father who may or may not have been a transvestite."

            The report moved on for several minutes listing some phony Spider-Man death toll that reached close to the hundreds. What came next was revealing. "Mr. Mayor, what will you do about Spider-Man? It's been a month since Spider-Man had another warrant placed on his head for the death of ten-year old Anthony Hernandez who died in his battle with Otto Octavius but there seems to be no real effort by the Federal government or the local police to apprehend him."

            "Believe me, work is being done." The mayor responded ascending the steps to City Hall. "I've been informed that we're coming close to capturing him and when we do he will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, thank you."

            Peter turned the television off, "That's just great."

            "It's okay, Tiger." Mary Jane assured him sitting at his computer surfing the net for a project that was due the following morning, "I know you didn't have any intention of hurting anyone."

            "I appreciate that, MJ, but a kid did get hurt." Peter lay down on his bed and sighed loudly, "Now the entire city hates me, I got tomatoes thrown on me yesterday, who carries tomatoes in Times Square with the intention of throwing them?"

            The redhead turned away from the computer, "Maybe you should lay low for a while?"

            Peter nodded, "I wish I could but Uncle Ben's pension can barely pay for the house anymore, Jameson needs pictures and I need money. It's still hard getting a paycheck, whenever I look at Betty I think she's going to stab me with her eyes when I'm not looking." He stood up and gripped the wall tightly, "Besides whenever I decide to cool down some wacko with some ridiculous superpower shows up." He climbed up the side of the wall in thought, "If it's not the Green Goblin then it's Doctor Connors rampaging their way into my life."

            "Just hang on tiger, you've ran a pretty good score so far." MJ leaned into her seat, "Do you think Mr. McDonald is going to check the English homework tomorrow?"

            "I don't have him, remember?" Peter crouched on the ceiling and rubbed his chin, "It's like I'm being tested for something and I don't know what it is. I had never even seen a member of the Avengers in person before this, now I have an entire list of lab freaks who want me dead. I mean does this come with the territory? Can I be Spider-Man and not have to worry about whose going to come out of the woodwork?"

            "Hand me the diamonds now or I shall separate your skull from your neck." Said the Vulture in the shop with one of his stun grenades ready to go.

            "Please don't hurt me; I swear I'll do whatever you want!" The owner asked begging for his life.

            Adrian Toomes, the man behind the armored face-plate laughed, "Your living depends on how fast you can fill this bag." He said handing him a paper-bag he'd gotten from a grocery store earlier in the day.

            "Nothing can stop me." He said gloating in his newfound power, "And with these diamonds I'll be able to fund further improvements in my flight-suit. The Vulture will be indestructible."

            The owner frowned, "Did you just refer to yourself in the third-person? And why are you telling me all this?"

            Adrian snarled after being broken from his trance, "Shut up and fill the bag."

            Gwen lowered her shoulders rather frustrated as dinner slowly began to cool in front of her, "Dad, I'm telling you Spider-Man could not have purposely killed that child."

            "Gwen, you can't know that." George responded sternly, "You weren't there, I was. Maybe he didn't throw the chimney himself but that boy died because Spider-Man wasn't responsible, surely you can't deny that."

            "What if he couldn't help it? I mean there's got to be some guys that don't care who they hurt but Spider-Man isn't one of them." Gwen said adamantly not caring how interested in the subject she seemed.

            George stared very curiously at her daughter, "How would you know, Gwen?"

            She raised her head proudly, "I just do."

            Flash threw the small rubber ball against the side of the building and caught it as he and Phil walked down the streets despite the late hour. "Spider-Man can't be like that, trust me. How many times has the guys saved people, it just doesn't add up."

            "I don't know." Phil replied eating from his bag of chips, "Maybe he just went crazy or something. Happens all the time, my uncle once came down the stairs from his room, naked and declared he was running for President."

            "If he was part of your family, I'm not surprised." Flash replied, "Spider-Man has been on the level for months, I don't believe what the news people are saying, he's not a cold-blooded killer."

            Phil grimaced and in between bites brought up what he perceived to be a valid point, "What about all those killings when he was in the black costume?"

            Flash laughed, "Do you think that was the real Spider-Man? Remember when Dr. Connors was fighting with that black creature, his costume was almost the exactly the same, a frame-up, that's what even the police figured out, come on, man!" He said bouncing the ball off the side of Phil's head mischievously.