The shock and reality of the situation hit him instantly like a brick. Electro. Mysterio. Vulture. Chameleon. Sandman. Kraven. And to top it all of, Doctor Octopus himself! They laughed and circled him and the unconscious Human Torch. Spider-Man had his fists clenched in his ready position. Okay, he thought. First, go after Kraven. Dodge Doc Ock, Mysterio—but his thoughts were cut off by a metal arm. Spider-Man managed to dodge the blow, only to be hit by one of Electro's electric blasts. It happened continuously; he dodged an attack only to be hit by another. Spider-Man knew he had no way to beat all them in his condition; if he were bruised anymore he'd drop down dead! He knew what he had to do; he had to run and get the Human Torch to safety.
Spider-Man leaped over Mysterio's fishbowl head and latched onto the Human Torch's shirt collar. He literally dove off the rooftop and swung from the fight. Damn it, he thought. I'm running away again! Jameson will have such a…Jameson! That was it. Spider-Man changed his direction towards the offices of the Daily Bugle. With his news cameras stationed there, his appearance and struggle would appear all over. So, maybe help would come there!
Spider-Man threw himself into a lower window. He guarded Johnny Storm as they skidded to a stop through the broken glass. Perfect! As he planned, Spider-Man landed in the newsroom! He advised everyone to leave, but, of course, they stayed to film the epidemic live, as any dedicated reporter would. He knelt down and checked Johnny's pulse with two fingers; he was alive. "Johnny, wake up, man! I need you!" Spider-Man pleaded as he shook his shoulders. "Johnny!" Spider-Man stopped to catch his breath. He was winded and hurt from his crash in there.
A reporter came over. "Spider-Man? Are you okay? Is he okay?" "I don't know. We were ambushed by a group of bad guys called the Sinister Six." Just then, Mr. J. Jonah Jameson himself came barging through the double doors and into the room. "Ambushed you? You're working with them, you menace!" "Gee, J.J., I would think by now you would've found a different insult to call me!" Spider-Man responded, getting up. "Oh, yeah? How about this—you're a F#$ing lunatic!" The room fell silent. "Wow." Spider-Man said. "Holy Sh…cow." Johnny was awake.
"Are you okay, pal?" Spider-Man said, helping him up. "Yeah, but you don't look too good either." "If you think my costume is bloody…" Then, Johnny pulled out a piece of glass from his flesh. "This was in your shoulder, didn't you feel it?" "No, I didn't. The window must have…" Just then, Johnny remembered the events that had passed. "Doc Ock, where is he? What happened?" "Calm down, Johnny." Spider-Man laughed. "I got you and ran away from all of them. I came here, where I knew they'd broadcast live. If trouble should come from the Sinister Six, the live footage should be enough to send for help." "Sinister Six?" Spider-Man nodded. "It was an ambush. I had to get you to safety." Johnny picked up a communicator. "Fantastic Four. Do you read me?" He said into it. A muffled voice answered, "Johnny? Is that you? Where are you?" It was Ben Grimm, better known as the Thing. "Spider-Man and I have minor injuries. We were ambushed by the 'Sinister Six. We need transportation to the H.Q. where we can be bandaged up." "I read you. Someone will be there in five minutes."
Just then, Doctor Octopus came through the already smashed window. The injured heroes just stood in pain and fear. "Ben, I don't think we have that long!" Doctor Octopus grabbed the communicator from Johnny's hands and spoke into it himself. "Mr. Grimm, I presume. This is Doctor Octavious. I have the entire Daily Bugle office, and Spider-Man and Human Torch, of course, hostage. The other members of the Sinister Six have different floors and different people. If you want the civilians here to be safe, I expect five million dollars." "What about Johnny and Spidey?" The voice on the other end asked. "For Johnny, make it another five million. The Spider, though, I am not sure if he is part of our bargain." He laughed at the sight of Spider-Man, wounded and unable to do anything. "Call me back on this line in exactly one hour, or everyone dies. Oh, and tell the others on the end of this speaker line to hurry. Time starts now."
People screamed and gasped, cried and swore. "My people, if these two mutant freaks cooperate, than none of you shall be harmed. Well, freaks?" Spider-Man and Johnny turned to one another. "We're not strong enough to fight, Webster. What to we do?" "These people will be hurt if we don't do what he says. He's after me, not them." Johnny nodded. "Alright, Ock. We'll cooperate." Spider-Man groaned. A huge smiled appeared on his face. "I thought as much. Spider-Man, Human Torch, I do realize that you are injured." The man-octopus laughed. "I'm bleeding really bad, Ock. I need a bandage." Spider-Man said. Doctor Octopus laughed. "Okay…" Johnny said as if he were crazed.
The Vulture came down and went straight to Doctor Octopus. "Why aren't you killing them right now? Spider-Man is right there! I can just kill him!" He said at the sight of Spider-Man. "He requires medical attention. Fetch him bandages, will you?" "You're kidding, right?" "Oh, no. We need to keep our hosts alive, incase we need to kill them later." Spider-Man and Johnny Storm weren't able to think of their plan. Why wouldn't they just kill them on the spot? Money? No, people would pay money to unmask his dead corpse! So why was he toying with them? What was his angle?
The Vulture came back minutes later and wrapped Spider-Man's slash with an ace bandage. "Thanks?" Spider-Man said awkwardly. "Yeah, I'd never think I'd sink this low." Vulture told him. "You? Look at me dude; you think you've got problems? I'm a superhero taking a time out 'cause Mr. Eight Arms says so." The Vulture laughed. Spider-Man was his prisoner. Finally, he was his! Then why didn't it feel so sweet? Maybe because Spider-Man was hurt, and only did it to save those people. What a selfless man, The Vulture thought. He's giving up his life to his mortal enemies just to save a bunch of people he doesn't even know! Especially to save J. Jonah Jameson, who had thrashed him from day one! The Vulture thought on and on about this, and how brave Spider-Man truly was. And though he did not know it, The Vulture was not the only one thinking this.
J. Jonah Jameson was sitting in a corner, puffing on his cigar. He was sweating, no doubt scared to death. He took off his tie and hung it around his neck. He slowly got up and went over to Spider-Man, stopped once by Doctor Octopus. Jameson mumbled something to him that Spider-Man or Johnny couldn't understand, and then he came over.
"Spider-Man, Hunan Torch." Jameson greeted. "Well, Hi'ya J.J.! Lemme guess, you want an autograph." "No, Listen Spider-Man, I can't believe I'm saying this, but we all need your help." Spider-Man's eyebrow raised under his mask. "What did you just say?" "Spider-Man, I thought I'd enjoy it, but seeing you prisoner…lives are at steak here, man. And we need you." "He'll kill everyone if I try. And I'm in no condition to fight! I've got more bruises than the Hulk could give with one blow. I wish I could, but I can't. I lost." Jameson starred at him. "That's not the Spider-Man I know. He wouldn't give up. Not when he knew he could beat Doctor Octopus. Spider-Man, people need you. People here have their children they brought to work today." "There are kids here?" Spider-Man asked, worried. "Yes. Tracie! Send over Billy and Jane!" Jameson called over. Two kids, nine and thirteen, walked over cautiously.
The boy Spider-Man hadn't seen before, but the girl was very familiar. Spider-Man thought and thought. Finally, he realized that she had gone to a science camp he'd taught at as Peter Parker. This girl was a genius, especially with robots and circuitry. "What are you doing, Spider-Man?" The girl asked. "I don't even know." He answered the teenager. "I'm sorry, I thought I could do this. I thought coming here was a good idea. But it wasn't. I screwed up big time." "No kidding!" The young boy yelled. The girl smacked his head lightly. "If Spider-Man can't help us, than no one can!" "Than we're doomed. I can't risk all these lives, kiddo." "But we want you to. I have an idea," She told him. She pulled out a Bobbie pin from her hair. I can sneak around and short circuit Doc Ock's arms! It'll work!" Doctor Octavious must have overheard, because he used his metal arm to lift her up.
"That's some plan for a teenager." He laughed. "I'm excellent in science, Octopus! You used to be my idol. But you went all psycho and evil with your work." Then the mother pleaded to put her down. He smacked her across the room. "Mom! Oh, you big bully!" The girl yelled, pounding on the huge man. "You seem more mature than your age." He told her. "I'm not scared of you! We've got nothing to lose!" She announced to everyone. "How do you figure?" The human octopus asked her. "You'll kill us all anyway!" Everyone started listening. "Don't you all get it? He's a monster! He's using us all for money! Once he gets it, he'll blow up the entire building. Didn't you all notice the blinking red bombs? The cops will be so busy looking for survivors, that he can escape easily!" The man laughed. "Impressive, girl."
Spider-Man knew this girl was smart in science, but she also must be CIA or something to figure that out! He stood up. Pain rushed through his body. "I can't do this, Torch." "Don't worry. I'm feeling better already." "You're not in this alone, Spider-Man." Jameson said. All the men on the floor stood up. "You stupid girl!" He said to the girl in his clutches. He started squeezing her tightly. "Put her down." Spider-Man ordered. "You'll all die!" He yelled at them, panicking. "I've got no where to go without dieing. Let's do this!"
He and the Torch rushed at him, knocking him down. Spider-Man quickly grabbed the girl and rolled to a safe spot. "Are you okay?" "Yeah." She coughed. The girl handed him a Bobbie pin and kissed his mask. "Kick his ass." She told him. He nodded and went into action. Just as he jumped in, Doctor Octopus knocked him over into the wall. The workers couldn't take him! He had to get them to safety. Spider-Man rushed over to the back wall and smashed it with his fists. He couldn't break this! "Johnny!" He screamed over. He nodded and yelled "FLAME ON!" He blew out the wall with a huge fireball. "Everyone out!" Spider-Man yelled. People started rushing towards the rubble. He carried the injured girl out to the police. "Take her to the hospital. And call the Fantastic Four! I need backup NOW!" The cop nodded as Spider-Man rushed inside to join the battle.
Spider-Man knew he needed to get everyone to safety before bombs blew them all to oblivion. He skimmed the walls for the mini bomb. Finally, he found it underneath a window. It was tapped to the wall. Spider-Man ripped it off. He flipped over and re-tapped it to Doctor Octopus' back. "You fool! Now we'll all perish!" Doctor Octopus screamed. "Then disable all the bombs!" Spider-Man told him. "No!" "Then splatter your disturbed brain all over the wall!" Spider-Man yelled. "Johnny lets go upstairs and get those civilians!" They quickly raced to the stairs, dodging the Octopus' grasp.
They went into the room. This was odd…people were ducking, but no super villains were here. "Everyone, downstairs! Now!" "We can't the bomb!" "Bomb?" "Its thermal energy. If anyone goes near it, boom!" The civilian told them. "Ugh! Where's Ice Man when you need him?" Johnny said. "My fire power won't be good here." "Maybe my webbing would work." Spider-Man said. He spun a web line to the bomb. Nothing! It worked! "Phew! Okay, Everyone, stand clear." "Spidey, I know that voice. What are you planning?" Johnny asked him in a concerned voice. "I'm gonna fling it to me. These bombs go off ten seconds after, I think. So I'm going to jump out the window with it." "But the people outside?" "I'm covering will webbing. It should decrease some of the damage. I'm putting it on that abandoned apartment across the street."
Everyone fell even more silent. Spider-Man sighed. Without warning, he lashed the web-coved bomb towards him. He speeded out the window, cutting himself. His spider-sense was going out of control. He counted in his head, Ten…nine… he reached the rooftop and webbed it up as much as he could. The webbing was thick and sticky. …seven...six…. just a little more….four…three…Spider-Man started running away from the bomb. His spider-sense was going nuts! Just a little further and I'm off the roof, he thought. Just a little farther…almost there……one.