The look on Jameson's face was priceless when that wall opened. And, though Spider-Man remained cool, his expression was about the same. It was so dark in the tunnel. I mean, sure, the basements were always dark, but this was a new, extreme dark. Darker than the dark on Venom's black costume dark. And that was dark. "S-shouldn't we call the police?" Jameson stuttered. Spider-Man rolled his eyes. What a baby.
The long stairwell ended soon, and it lead to a dim-lit room containing three doors. Spider-Man opened up the one all the way to the right just so he could peek his head in to take a look. He shut it instantly, followed by growling and pounding on the door. "You don't wanna go that way." He said, as he tried door number two, in the middle. This room was amazing. It had a lot of high-tech computers, and a bunch of paper work. Spider-Man hopped in the chair and starting pressing buttons on the keyboard like mad. "You know how to work that doohickey?" Jameson asked. Spider-Man leaned back and put his head beneath his hands. "Sixth grade."
The large computer screen revealed information on that fire that happened yesterday. "It was all planned?" Jameson said, in awe. "Ya think? And so was the attack on the Bugle." "Ya think?" Jameson mimicked. Spider-Man just realized how lame he had just sounded. "Okay, Kraven and Change-o have their h.q. Here. Question is, why haven't they been spotted? Where's the secret entrance?" Jameson went over to the table and looked through the papers. He found blueprints of the Daily Bugle offices. And, marked in red sharpie, was the secret entrance. Jameson showed it to Spider-Man. "Huh. An under ground tunnel hidden by a trashcan. Very impressive." "It is?" "Not really." Spider-Man tried his luck on a new folder. "Jackpot!"
The whole scheme was in this file. The entire plot. And Spider-Man couldn't believe it. "Counterfeiting! They burnt down that apartment because a resident had backstabbed them in the counterfeiting operation!" Jameson cried out. "Yeah…which means someone in your building is, too!" Spider-Man told him. Jameson turned red. "No one does illegal dealing in my building!" "That's the spirit, J.J.! Now huff and puff and blow the house down!" The two unlikely allies read on. It seemed that the counterfeiting was being done here, in the room next door! That was convenient!
The two downloaded the files to a floppy disk and put it in Jameson's coat pocket for evidence. Then, They sneaked out of the door and into the next one. This room was much bigger, and made both their mouths drop. There were Daily Bugle printing presses, which were used to print copies of the paper, obviously. But these were being used to print counterfeit money! Jameson looked like the f'in devil now, he was so red! "Well, we know where the money's being printed." Spider-Man said, to break the silence. "Oh, indeed you do." They spun around. Kraven, Chameleon, and The King Pin were standing behind them, smiling their evil smile. "Uh…hi guys? Any clue where the little superhero's room is?" Kraven knocked Spider-Man out, and everything went blank.
Spider-Man woke up, restrained by chains. Oh great. Jameson was attached to him! But…where were they? Spider-Man could easily break these chains. "A one, a two…" "Yow! Stop it! You're crushing my lungs!" Jameson squealed. Oh shit. They were tied so that if Spider-Man tried to break it, pain would rush over to Jameson. Smart…
The King Pin walked into this new room. "Hello, gentlemen." "Hiya, Fatso!" Spider-Man cracked. The King Pin growled. "You keep quiet, you pest." He scowled. "I just want to know, how did you find the secret operations headquarters? The police couldn't." "For long. The police are on the way!" Jameson lied. "I called them before we came down here!" The King Pin looked worried. He left in a flash. "Okay…now to get outta here." Spider-Man flexed his muscles, but it hurt Jameson's ribs. "Okay, J.J. suck it in!" Jameson held in his stomach, and snap! The chains were broken. Just then, water started filling up the room from small pipes. But the amount of water was enough to fill the room in minutes.
Jameson tried the door. "It's locked!" "No shit, Sherlock!" Spider-Man groaned. "Move over!" Spider-Man tried ramming the door down, but he just smashed into it. It was steel. A lotta steal. "They designed this room just for me. How nice." Jameson was panting. "We're gonna drown! We're gonna die! Of all the people to die with, why'd it have to be you?" "Don't go writing your will yet, J.J.," Spider-Man said. "I've got a few tricks up my wrists."
Spider-Man didn't know what to do. The walls were too slippery to climb up. And then, like a ton of bricks, an idea hit him. But the water was up to their waists! He had to hurry.
Spider-Man pointed his wrists up high and started spinning webs into the air. Jameson was in disbelief. "I knew it! You've flipped your lid! We're seconds away from drowning, and your shooting those nutty webs of yours into the empty air! I was right about you! You're batty as a bug!" "Arachnid, thank you very much!" Spider-Man corrected.
The water was up to their chests now. Time was grim. "Keep your fingers crossed, Chuckles!" Spider-Man said, the web forming into a net above them. "For what? The waters' up to my tonsils, and your playing games! You're a nut, like I always said!" Spider-Man still ignored him. The net above them was his main concentration right now.
The net would meet the water soon. Spider-Man needed to hurry. "Well, no ones perfect! I do have flaws here and there, but that's all part of my charm!" The water was a little higher. "A nut! I'm finally going to that 'ol newspaper office in the sky- and with a full time, web-slinging nut!" "Jameson, bend your head closer to me. Jameson! Do as I say!" Jameson managed his head near the net. "Why? The waters' up to my chin! It'll all be over in a few minutes!" "Drama Queen!" Jameson was really freaked out now. "They can't do this to me! I'm in the prime of life!" "And if you wanna get any older, shuddap and hold your breath!" Spider-Man lifted up a part of the web net. "Now, get that pointy head of yours under this webbing!" Jameson did so as Spider-Man finished up this net. "I don't get it! What are you doing?" He asked. Spider-Man hated explaining to idiots. "I've made my webbing triple-ply thick…dense enough to hold the oxygen within it against the pressure of the water." Jameson nodded, beginning to understand. "So it'll be like being inside a giant air bubble! The only problem is…how long can it last?"
Jameson had shut his mouth, trying to save the little air they had. The chamber they were in should be all filled by now, thought Spider-Man. They shoulder come to collect the bodies. And, sure enough, they started to float downwards with the emptying water. They felt like they won the super bowl and world series in one game.
Kraven and Chameleon came out talking. "What the hell is that? A cocoon?" Spider-Man leaped through the webbing, punching Kraven really hard. With the force, he fell to the floor... "Aw, you noticed! I wanted it to be a surprise!" The Chameleon took out a gun. Spider-Man leaped up on the wall, dodging bullets. "Stickin to the wall aint gonna save ya! Not while I have my blaster!" He beamed. Spider-Man hopped over and kicked the gun out of his hand. "What blaster?" Spider-Man didn't feel like a big battle. Instead he grabbed the Chameleon by his shirt collar and smashed him on the head. "That was easy."
Jameson walked over, looking at the two unconscious super villains Spider-Man had beaten within five minutes. "You know, a plain 'Thank you for saving my life' would be fine any time, J.J." Jameson didn't answer. Shock, probably. "Come on, let's go," He managed. Spider-Man nodded. "The King Pin?" He asked as he walked. Spider-Man thought. "Not here." "Then where?" "We'll have to find out. Hopefully not the hard way." Jameson turned around to look at him. "Hard way?" Spider-Man nodded. "With fights, cursing and blood. My usually weekend."
Spider-Man and Jameson made their way up to the basement. "We need to call the police." Jameson said. "Yeah. You do that. I'll go back through the secret entrance and after King Pin." "Of course." Spider-Man then remembered. "The disk with the files! Check to see if the water didn't break it." Jameson nodded as he went up to the elevator. As he walked into the elevator, soaking wet, he smiled, "I'm never going swimming again!"