The New Sinister Six
Chapter 5
Spiderman woke up in a haze. He realized he was shackled on his back to a steel table. His hands and feet were bound and he could not break the cuffs around them. He recognized the place he was held in. It was Crime Central, headquarters of the Kingpin. He knew two things: he still had his powers and he was still wearing his mask. What he did not know was why he was still alive. After all, he had been a major thorn in the Kingpin's side for quite some time now. The only explanation was that the Kingpin wanted him to be awake and alive for some reason.
"At least it smells clean in here," Spiderman thought and chuckled to himself. "I wonder what he pays the cleaning crew."
"He's awake," Smythe said to Kingpin. They were in the Kingpin's main office. They were watching the captive Spiderman on a video monitor.
"At last, the wall-crawler will meet his end," Kingpin told Smythe, "I have waited for this day for far too long."
"And now that day has arrived," Smythe said, "I suppose you will cherish every moment of this."
"My dear Smythe, I would not presume to gloat until Spiderman is rendered powerless and I have unmasked him myself," Kingpin said. "Now let us attend to the matter at hand."
Kingpin and Smythe entered the room where Spiderman was held.
"Isn't kidnaping a little small-time for you, Fisk," Spiderman asked as Kingpin and Smythe entered the room.
"Ah, yes, you know my true identity, yet, I do not know yours," Kingpin said to Spiderman. "Alas, that ironic detail will soon be remedied, Spiderman."
"Where are your goons? I figured you would have guards posted everywhere," Spiderman said.
"You think too highly of yourself, Spiderman," Smythe told him, "within moments your powers will be gone and you will be no more a threat than anyone else."
Smythe hit a button on his hover-chair and the neogenic recombinator descended from the ceiling.
"You see, Spiderman, I have been able to learn quite a lot about you with nothing more than a hair sample from the mask the Beetle took from you," Smythe said.
"I'll bet you learned I don't have dandruff," Spiderman said.
"You'll forgive me for not checking," Smythe snapped back, "instead I was able to surmise that you were not born with your powers."
"Yeah, well I got lucky and won them at a carnival," Spiderman told Smythe.
"Joke all you want, Spiderman, I have found the genetic key to remove your powers once and for all," Smythe said.
"Once you have been relieved of your powers, I shall destroy the neogenic recombinator, Spiderman," Kingpin said. "There will be no way for you to regain them. And once I have taken your powers away, I am going to finally unmask you."
Spiderman was silent. He knew all too well that the neogenic recombinator could remove his powers. Without his powers there was no way to prevent his unmasking. He saw the neogenic recombinator lower itself in place in front of him.
"Say the word," Smythe said to Kingpin.
"At your leisure, Smythe," Kingpin told him.
Smythe pressed a button on his hover-chair and the neogenic recombinator charged up. A few seconds later, it fired its beam at Spiderman. Spiderman screamed in pain as the beam hit him. He could feel his powers leaving him. Spiderman blacked out from the pain.
Spiderman awoke several minutes later, still in shackles. Smythe had removed his gloves and the webshooters beneath them. He still wore his mask, he could feel the spandex material on his face.
"It is done," Smythe said to Kingpin.
Kingpin walked over to Spiderman.
"And now, let us end the great mystery," Kingpin said. He grasped Spiderman's mask at the top of Spiderman's head. Spiderman struggled in vain to escape. Without his powers he was helpless. "At last I will look upon the face of one of my greatest enemies."
Kingpin pulled on the stretchy mask. At first, it did not seem to come off, but, once it stretched enough, it began to lift off. Spiderman felt the cool air hit has skin inch by inch. Spiderman was unable to stop Kingpin as his mask was finally pulled completely off.
"Nooooooo," Peter cried as he was unmasked.
Smythe hovered over to see the face beneath the mask.
"Peter Parker is Spiderman," Kingpin asked.
Peter was unsure about what to do. Aunt May...was she in danger? Would he be killed now? What would happen when his secret identity was revealed to the world? How could it end like this?
more to come...