All characters appearing in Spider-Man are copyrighted to Marvel Entertainment and Stan Lee. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are the property of TVfan.
Note: this story begins shortly after the "The Other: Evolve or Die" story arch, which is currently "in progress" in the Spider-Man comics.
A New Life
By TVfan
Chapter 2: Plots and Surprises
Avengers Tower
Peter calmly packed his Spider-Man gear inside a special compartment inside his briefcase and prepared to leave for Midtown High. He was still involved as a part time teacher, teaching science, and he was in a hurry to be there on time. The recent ordeal with Morlun and 'the other' had caused him to miss several days, and he had little 'vacation time left'.
"I'm going to have to let the Hobgoblin be for today," Peter mumbled quietly to himself.
Peter then patted a sleeping Mary Jane on the head and left the bedroom to grab a quick breakfast and then head off to work. He found Jarvis to be the only one else up.
"Good morning, sir," Jarvis greeted as Peter entered the kitchen, "Anything I can get for you this morning?"
"No thanks," Peter commented, as he quickly poured a cup of coffee into a travel mug and grabbing a donut out of the refrigerator, "I'm kind of in a hurry."
"I can see that," Jarvis commented.
"Have a good day, Jarv," Peter said as he left.
"Will do, sir," Jarvis answered.
About an hour later, Mary Jane woke up to find that she was the only one in bed. This didn't worry her, though. She knew that Peter had to teach school and she had some rehearsals later in the morning. She hoped that the day would be a normal day with as little trouble as possible.
Under Manhattan
"How are you able to do all this?" Kingsley asked as he marveled at some of the equipment that Tracer had in his base.
"As I said before," Tracer said in an arrogant voice, "I am the God of Robots."
Kingsley pressed a few buttons and a list of the Avengers, including past and present members that were still alive, came up on a screen and displayed their individual powers and abilities. It was if Kingsley were looking at a scientific examination of every superhero that ever lived.
"But this thing is able to see the strengths and weaknesses of every hero in existence," Kingsley commented, "No robot could know all of that."
"I can," Tracer smiled, "These heroes all have press coverage of some sort. Some are covered by newspapers, some by television. I've analyzed all of them through either the news sources or by secretly observing them."
Kingsley looked at Tracer and then at the computer he'd been marveling.
"But you're over there, and the computer is over here," Kingsley commented.
"The computer and I are one and the same," Tracer smiled and looked at the computer panel.
Kingsley watched in amazement as the list of known heroes changed to a list of known villains.
"Amazing," Kingsley said simply.
Tracer nodded, "Now enough with the marveling at my power. You have to accept or agree to follow any plan I have put forth that will see to the destruction of Spider-Man."
"That's because you've just talked about attacking him in broad daylight," Kingsley answered back, "Spider-Man is no fool and he's a tougher opponent then you think. Everyone that's fought him has underestimated him and end the end lost."
"Including yourself?" Tracer asked.
Kingsley growled, knowing that Tracer had him there.
"Yes," Kingsley growled, "And let's not forget that he beat you as well."
"I let him beat me," Tracer insisted.
Kingsley ignored him.
"Whatever," Kingsley sighed, "You still lost. Plus you've said that Spider-Man's gone and joined the Avengers. Even if he were easy to beat, the rest of the Avengers or the entire team in unison will not be easy to beat. Assaulting the Avengers's headquarters is a sure way to get us killed."
Tracer stood in silence, completely confident that he alone could defeat the Avengers or at least avoid them until he could get Spider-Man alone. The robot 'god' was only tolerating the man's presence because he felt that Kingsley would attract more attention and distract his foes.
"So what do you plan?" Tracer asked, "Since Spider-Man has beaten you multiple times, you obviously know better."
Kingsley cringed and considered trying to destroy the robot with a pumpkin bomb, but decided against it. He then pulled the ownership documents that he had taken from Osborn Industries which in a sense returned his company to him.
"You're the 'God' of robots right?" Kingsley laughed slightly, "Why don't you build an ARMY of worshipers?"
"I can easily do that already," Tracer said firmly, "Any mechanical device and anything that has a computer chip in it will gladly serve me to whatever means I see fit, but you have already 'overruled' that option because you didn't want your precious glider taken out of your control."
Kingsley sighed, "No, that's not what I mean. Do you see these papers?"
Tracer nodded.
"These are the papers that document the ownership of a company that I used to legally own," Kingsley explained, "I lost it to Osborn awhile back, but that's unimportant now."
"Yes," Tracer nodded, "You've already informed me of you scheme to gain more wealth, what does this company have to do with Spider-Man?"
"Osborn was big into weapons and robotics and all the neat stuff that goes boom!" Kingsley laughed, "What say my old and 'new' company builds an army of robots for you to control?"
"I would need to see to their design and insure their capabilities are sufficient," Tracer commented, finally beginning to grasp Kingsley's suggestions.
"I'm sure that's manageable," Kingsley replied, "I've got Ricky scouting the place out right now, to see if my presumptions about Osborn are right."
Midtown High
"Well, lookie who finally decided to show up," one of the main secretaries jeered Peter as he walked slowly through Midtown High's hallways towards the classroom that he taught in.
"Easy, Janet, easy," Peter groaned, "I'm here today."
"We ought to hold a celebration," Janet smirked evilly back, "Do you have any interest in teaching, or is it just too difficult for you youngsters to get up before noon?"
Peter looked down. His life as Spider-Man had really hurt his life as a teacher the most. There were times when his adventures as Spider-Man had cost him a day or two, and the recent return of Morlun had taken several in a row away. This had also left Peter on very thin ice with people who ran the school. There were almost times when he wished he was only 'Spider-Man's unofficial photographer'.
"I'm trying," Peter finally managed.
"You ought to try more at teaching then taking those pictures of Spider-Man," Janet smirked.
Peter gasped at her.
"What?" Janet asked, "I can't read the paper? Jameson always has Spider-Man on the cover of the Bugle, and right under the picture in fine print is 'photo: by Peter Parker'. See. I know you. You'll be fired by the end of the week!"
Peter stood in the hallway silently as he watched Janet walk triumphantly into the main office laughing as she went. Eventually he sighed and continued on to his own classroom. There wasn't much that he could do about secretaries like Janet anyway, and if the Principal or the Superintendent of the school wanted to speak with him, they would have called him.
As he arrived at his classroom, Peter discovered that a run in with Janet wasn't going to be the only shock of the day. Flash Thompson was sitting in his chair with a somewhat cocky grin on his face. Flash looked up as Peter walked in. Peter looked somewhat confused as Flash looked somewhat curious.
"Puny Parker?" Flash gasped, "Is that you?"
"What are you doing here Flash?" Peter asked, "As far as I know you should still be recovering from the 'accident'."
"The nurse was annoying," Flash grumbled, "And I've been given a clean bill of health."
"Ah-huh," Peter sighed, "What are you doing here?"
"Right now I'm sitting down," Flash chuckled, "I'm here to teach Physical Education and bring Midtown some victories in basketball and football. I would say baseball, too, but the Principal told me they cut the program."
"Flash is teaching?" Peter questioned himself in his mind before speaking again, "You do know this isn't the gym, right?"
"Yeah, I do," Flash answered, "It hasn't changed much since we went to school here, hasn't it?"
"I'm surprised you remember anything besides the football field," Peter commented somewhat humorously.
Flash glared at Peter for a moment.
"Look who grew a backbone after he left high school!" Flash laughed loudly, "Man, you have changed a lot! Where are those dorky glasses that you always wore, and have you been to a gym? You look as if you've gained some muscle! That can't be possible."
"You okay, Flash?" Peter asked.
"Perfectly fine," Flash answered.
"Do you remember anything after we graduated high school?" Peter asked.
"Joined the army for awhile," Flash commented, counting down on his fingers, "rejoined the civilians and couldn't get a job, got hired by Norman Osborn, got in an accident, got hired here. Freaky."
"Yeah, freaky," Peter commented, "Do you remember seeing me or Liz at all since high school?"
"Were you in the army?" Flash asked.
"No," Peter responded.
"Were you ever employed by Norman Osborn?" Flash asked again.
"No," Peter answered very firmly.
"No, I haven't seen you since high school," Flash then said, "Hey… you said Liz? Liz Allen? How's she doing? I haven't seen her since high school either?"
Peter sighed, "She's fine. She married a friend of mine from College, your former employer's son, actually, Harry Osborn. Currently she's taken over Norman's job."
Flash raised an eyebrow, "You had friends in college? Wow. So I guess it's Liz Osborn now, huh? Can I meet the 'Osborns' then? Since Harry's your friend?"
"Harry died a few years ago," Peter said softly, "And Liz has been pretty busy, but I'm sure if you give her a call, she'd be more then happy to talk to you."
"Cool," Flash commented.
Peter looked at the clock that hung over the door to the room for a moment and noticed that the school's students would begin arriving soon.
"Well, Flash," Peter commented, "As much as I'd like to sit here and go back of the 'old days' with you, I have a class to teach at eight. I need to get everything ready."
Flash then looked at clock himself and gasped.
"Oh man, you're right," Flash said, "I gotta get down to the gym and get everything ready. See ya at lunch."
Flash then got up and left the room with little more then a polite wave.
"There is something seriously wrong with you," Peter mumbled to himself as he set about getting things ready for the morning class.
Tracer's Base
Ricky was out of breath when he returned to the underground base that he had found a few weeks before. He found Tracer working at one of the large computers on something while Kingsley was busy with making sure that all his assorted 'goblin weaponry' was still well stocked. It was Tracer who noticed his return first.
"You've returned," Tracer commented as he looked up from the computer screen, "What is the status of Kingsley's company?"
"Uh… I can only report that to Kingsley, himself," Ricky stuttered in a nervous voice, "He's my boss."
"Tell him," Kingsley smiled as he approached the two, "Tracer's finally come to understand my plan, so he might as well know what the report is."
Tracer glanced back at Kingsley with a look on his face that made it clear that he was only allowing Kingsley to make the plans. Ricky meanwhile nervously watched the two exchange glances. Eventually Kingsley gave a wave of his hand to indicate that Ricky could make his report.
"I managed to get on the basic tour of the building," Ricky commented, "Everything appears to have been changed exactly as you predicted."
Kingsley grinned evilly from ear to ear, "Excellent."
Kingsley then pulled his mask out from his belt and pulled it over his face, quickly taking on the Hobgoblin persona. He then put the hood on over his head.
"Excellent indeed!" the Hobgoblin laughed and then turned to Tracer, "Are your designs ready, yet? I'm ready to begin the next phase of my plan!"
Tracer turned and pressed a button ejecting a disk from the disk from the computer he was working at earlier. He then handed the disk to the Hobgoblin.
"This disk contains the designs for the robots that will serve in the plan," Tracer commented, "All you need to do is place it in any computer once you've taken over the building, and the factory will begin manufacturing them on its own."
"I can't 'control' the building," the Hobgoblin answered, "I can blackmail and I can bully, but I can't remain there for long. What's to stop them from turning the computer off after awhile?"
"Relax," Tracer answered, "It's my disk and my program. It's a part of me. They won't be able to turn it off."
"Okay," the Hobgoblin sighed in a somewhat disbelieving tone and jumped on his glider and flew out of the base.
Elsewhere
Mary Jane had just finished her morning's rehearsal and was simply out for a walk to get some exercise. Her mind wasn't troubled with worries about Peter's actions as Spider-Man, although that was mostly because she knew he was trying to catch up with his life as 'Peter Parker' and was teaching today. One of the other heroes would have to deal with the crooks and thugs today.
Strangely though, her mind dwelled on the things about Peter being Spider-Man that she liked. The couple of times when Peter would web her to his back and take her web-slinging was like going on the best roller coasters in the world. Before Peter's powers evolved after the battle with 'the Queen' and he no longer needed his web-shooters, Mary Jane occasionally thought about playing with the devices. Now that he didn't need them, he didn't make the web-fluid that they needed in order to work, so that option was no longer there. She obviously liked the way he looked in his costume.
"I've got to be the strangest woman in New York," Mary Jane quietly muttered, "I worry constantly that Peter will do something that will get himself hurt or worse… and on days when I don't need to worry, I fantasize about the aspects of him being Spider-Man that I like."
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a loud mechanical sound coming from down a side street. She paused at the corner and looked down the street where the noise came from. Despite the fact that the noise was very loud and clearly audible, Mary Jane noticed that the only place where a sound like that could have come from was a warehouse several blocks away. What startled her more was the fact that she saw a figure fly out of the warehouse into the sky. Shortly after, she heard the mechanical sound again as the warehouse doors shut.
"Oh boy," Mary Jane commented and reached into her purse to get her cellphone.
Avengers Tower
"I'll get it," Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman, said clearly as the phone rang.
She picked up the phone and answered, and was slightly surprised to learn that it was Mary Jane that was calling.
"Peter's not here right now, Mrs. Parker," Jessica said politely, "I can get May Parker if that will help. I think she's talking with Jarvis…"
"No, I don't need to talk to Aunt May," Mary Jane answered over the phone, "This call would actually be better taken by someone with powers."
Jessica sighed, knowing that this probably meant that the red haired woman had seen something.
"Was this one of Cap's, Wolverine's, Luke's, Iron Man's, mine, or your husband's villains?" Jessica asked into the phone.
"I think it was the Hobgoblin, but I don't know who it was for certain," Mary Jane answered slowly, "Whoever it was flew out of a warehouse and headed north."
"If you don't know, Mrs. Parker, then you shouldn't sound alarms," Jessica said calmly, "For all you know it was some other hero stopping a crime, or that warehouse was his base of operations."
"I'd tend to think it was the person's base of operations, but I don't think it was a hero," Mary Jane answered nervously.
"I can't go around investigating things without all the facts," Jessica pointed out.
"I'm not asking you to," Mary Jane replied, "It's just… well, Peter's school day ends before my afternoon rehearsal does. Could you tell Peter that I think I know where the Hobgoblin is hiding?"
Jessica stared down the hall and then sighed.
"I can do that," Jessica said after a few moments.
"Thank you," Mary Jane answered over the phone and hung up shortly after.
Jessica only sighed again as she hung up the phone and continued to go about what she had been doing earlier. She would tell Peter if he arrived back at the Avengers Tower before his wife did. If not, she decided to let that honor go to Mrs. Parker.
"She ought to get her own superpowers," Jessica sighed to herself, "And then she can check these things out herself if she's nervous about something."
Midtown High
Peter sat down in a quiet section of the cafeteria to eat his lunch. Once he had sat down, students generally avoided the table, mostly out of fear that they would be quizzed over something. It had been a fairly hectic morning as Peter had to deal with a few students who had a bad habit of being tardy and the printer failed to work for few of his students when he took them to the computer lab to type up a few science reports.
This, however, was what was primarily on his mind. At the moment he was wondering why Flash was here. The man obviously had not fully recovered from the car accident that Osborn had arranged for him. It was obvious to Peter that he was suffering from some form of amnesia. He couldn't remember any of his encounters with Peter after high school. Yet, Flash's actions seemed to indicate that the former jock was being rather friendly. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard another voice cut in.
"Here you are!" Flash exclaimed and sat down across from him, "Do you know they let you sit in the teacher's lounge now?"
Peter looked up to see Flash sit down.
"I prefer it out here," Peter commented, "There's more space out here."
"Yeah, but why get all the perks of being a teacher, and then don't use them?" Flash asked, "I would have thought that you yearned to get into the teacher's lounge."
"There are some people here that I just don't get along with," Peter answered, "They usually don't come in here."
"That better not have been a shot a me," Flash said firmly.
"I was referring to some the secretaries, Flash," Peter explained.
"Oh," Flash nodded, "Yeah, I met one today. She didn't seem to like you very much."
"That would be Janet," Peter sighed back.
Flash nodded.
"So, how is you first day going so far?" Peter asked, trying to be friendly.
"Interesting," Flash commented, "The standards for physical education have gone way down since we graduated. The average student isn't much better then you were in high school, and the athletes aren't much better."
"Oh this must be fun for you then," Peter commented somewhat humorously.
"No, it isn't," Flash answered, "I came here to try and get the school to try and win some championships. Midtown was one of the best schools in its conference when I was in high school. Now, the school is lucky to finish a season with a five hundred record."
"The neighborhood has changed, Flash," Peter pointed out, "When we went to school this area wasn't exactly the richest part of New York, but it wasn't the poorest either. Now, it's gone so far downhill that most parents would prefer to send the children to schools that are in safer locations."
"And most of those schools are the ones that are more successful in sports," Flash sighed, "I've got to do something to get better athletes here or get the athletes that are here to get better."
"Well, if there's anyone who could do that, you might have the best chance," Peter answered, "As for getting new students to come here, I don't think you'll be able to do much. Parents aren't going to send their kids into a bad neighborhood because they like the school's coach."
"So what do you suggest?" Flash asked, "Or have your beakers gone to your head already?"
"I don't know really," Peter answered, "The city has the police and Spider-Man, but they can't do everything."
"Spider-Man?" Flash asked.
"He's one of the Avengers," Peter answered, "A big time super-hero. I work as an amateur photographer, taking his pictures for the Bugle, on the days that I don't teach. Sometimes I can get a few shots in on days that I do teach if I'm lucky."
"Wow," Flash commented, "Who would of thought that you'd go into dangerous situations to get a photograph. That must be why you went to the gym. So you can protect yourself in case the villain this Spider-Man is fighting starts to come toward you."
"Yeah," Peter shrugged, knowing that letting Flash think he'd been working out in a gym to photograph Spider-Man would be better then admitting that he was Spider-Man.
"Say, does he know you take his pictures?" Flash asked, "You're not going paparazzi on him are you?"
"No, he knows," Peter said, "We sort of have an unofficial agreement, and even if we didn't, I'm sure he reads the Bugle."
"Man that's interesting," Flash commented, "I don't suppose you could introduce me to him?"
Peter nearly spit out coffee he was drinking. He considered himself lucky that he was able to keep himself from doing that.
"You want me to introduce you to Spider-Man?" Peter asked.
Flash nodded, "Yeah, you said he was a superhero, so he sounds like my kind of guy."
"I don't know…" Peter began to say.
"Come on," Flash insisted, "You said you knew him."
"I said he knows that I take his pictures," Peter insisted, "I didn't say I knew him."
"If he knows you're taking his pictures, wouldn't he contact you in someway to give you permission or to tell you to buzz off," Flash pointed out, "Guys like that attract attention will either stop to say 'go away' or 'I love me some me'."
"I don't think Spider-Man is either of those two guys," Peter answered back.
"Come on," Flash pleaded.
Peter sighed and saw that the lunch hour was beginning to draw to a close.
"I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise anything," Peter sighed.
"Thanks," Flash smiled, "You know, I like the change you've gone through since high school, Parker. You've gotten more manly. Workin' here will be a hoot!"
Peter only sighed again and finished his lunch in silence.
Elsewhere in Manhattan
Felix Jork sighed heavily as he sat at his desk. He had just gotten out of a long phone call with Liz Osborn concerning the company's security. The woman was ranting on about the Hobgoblin and how he had stolen the documents that proved Osborn Industries owned the company that had once been run by a Roderick Kingsley. Jork had spent several minutes trying to explain that the company still belonged to Osborn Industries legally and that he wouldn't simply let the Hobgoblin be the CEO now that the criminal had the documents. Liz Osborn struck Felix Jork as a very paranoid woman. He sighed again when the door opened revealing one of his assistants.
"What is it, Jerry?" Felix sighed as he looked at the man.
Jerry only looked at him with a very nervous look on his face. After a few moments, Felix saw a shadow appear behind the assistant, and the only thing that Felix could make out clearly were two red eyes. The figure then clubbed Jerry in the head and knocked the man out. The figure then stepped over Jerry as the victim fell to the floor, unconscious.
"You!" Felix gasped.
"Yes," the Hobgoblin smiled, "Me."
"You attacked Osborn Industries!" Felix accused.
"That I did," the Hobgoblin laughed and reached into a bag that he was carrying with him, "And in the process I gained these."
The Hobgoblin then presented the stolen ownership documents.
"This company still belongs to Osborn Industries," Felix said, trying to sound confident.
"But Osborn Industries can not legally prove it," the Hobgoblin laughed, "Because I have the original documents, and possession is nine tenths of the law. You will work for me."
"Companies don't work that way," Felix said weakly.
"Maybe," the Hobgoblin smiled, putting the ownership documents back in the bag he was carrying, "But I'm not a company. I'm the Hobgoblin."
Felix reached with one hand toward a hidden alarm button underneath the desk he was sitting at, hoping to call for security. The Hobgoblin only pointed at him, and fired an electric blast from his glove. The resulting shock forced Felix into the back of his chair, and pushed the chair away from the desk.
"Now, now," the Hobgoblin laughed, "I can't have you calling the police and getting me arrested. I have many things that I want you to do for me and many things that I must do."
The Hobgoblin quickly closed the distance between himself and Felix, lifting the man out of the chair he was in.
"What do you want?" Felix asked nervously.
"This," the Hobgoblin smiled, "The company. You can continue to do some things that Osborn Industries tells you to do, but your ultimate boss is me. Shoot, you and your employees can even accept your paychecks from Osborn Industries, and I'll even add to that. But, I am to get the bulk of the profits that this company earns."
"You'll pay us in addition to what Osborn Industries pays us?" Felix asked nervously.
"Of course," the Hobgoblin laughed, "You don't think I can go around in public as a CEO like this, do you?"
Knowing what the Hobgoblin could do, Felix shook his head, "No. We'll do whatever you want. Just don't kill me."
The Hobgoblin tossed him against a wall and smiled.
"Good," the Hobgoblin smiled, "I'll be making some periodic visits from time to time in the future, so naturally I want a skylight installed in the roof."
Felix said nothing and watched as the Hobgoblin hopped off of his glider and placed a disk inside his working computer. He kept watching as a new face suddenly filled the computer screen. What surprised Felix more was that a robotic voice soon came out of the computer's speakers.
"Well done, Hobgoblin," Tracer's voice said through the computer's speakers, "I'm now into the company's computer system. This factory will now begin assembling my robots according to my design."
Felix watched as the Hobgoblin watched the computer screen.
"I've made sure that no one can stop the process or get into the building from the outside," Tracer's voice continued, "Although it also means that no one can leave from the inside until the construction program is finished."
The Hobgoblin nodded again, knowing that he could use his glider to simply go through a window.
"Once the robot army is finished, the factory's computer system will crash, making it impossible for any of its current files to be accessed in the future," Tracer's voice finished, "Allowing the Hobgoblin to start the company over."
The Hobgoblin growled at the screen at that moment. Starting the company over would take too long and would actually be a drain on his funds.
"Can the files be accessed now?" the Hobgoblin asked, hoping that the Tracer program could somehow hear him.
"Only until the manufacturing process is finished," Tracer's voice answered, "Only programs that could stop the manufacturing have been blocked. You have one hour to transfer the current files to paper. Good luck."
With that Tracer's image disappeared from the screen and the normal desktop appeared.
"We can't lose all the previous files!" Felix exclaimed from his spot on the floor, "The employee list is there."
"Get everyone you can find and have them start PRINTING out your files," the Hobgoblin snarled, "I'll leave you with a code from which you can access the money you'll need to install a new computer system when I leave. Right now I'd best make sure that none of my new employees try to stop Tracer's little manufacturing project."
The Hobgoblin then hopped back on his glider and left Felix's office.
Off-Broadway Theater
"Good job, people," the director said in a loud voice as the actors finished a section that he had been working with them to get it right, "Take five."
Mary Jane sighed and sat down on the edge of the stage to drink some water from a water bottle. The afternoon rehearsal had been fairly hectic as they started getting into the most complex parts of the current play they were performing. It had been interesting though and a good part of her was anxious about how the play would turn out once they got to performing it.
She had just taken a sip from her water bottle when someone came running from a back room behind the stage. Mary Jane turned to see that it was one of her co-actors.
"George, what is it?" the director asked, seeing the man's panic.
"You won't believe what's on the news right now!" the man, George, answered, "The Osborn-Kingsley Plant is in a complete lockdown. No one can get in or out."
"What?" the director gasped in surprised as Mary Jane stood up.
"It's on the news right now," George answered.
Everyone that had remained in the auditorium ran after him into a small break room. The found a few other actors and theater employees watching a small television as an emergency news broadcast was being displayed. Mary Jane could see several policemen trying to break their way into the building, but having no luck.
"No one can be certain as to why or how the building has gone into this sudden 'lockdown', but police are determined to find away to enter as reports from witnesses indicate that the costumed criminal known as the Hobgoblin crashed through a fifth floor window about an hour ago," the reporter announced.
Mary Jane watched in shocked silence as suddenly the police on the screen fell through the previously locked doors, as if the doors had never been locked. A few seconds later, the news cameras caught screams from the crowd and the camera looked up to see a goblin glider fly out of a large glass window on the fourth floor. What shocked Mary Jane more was that she also saw six robotic figures follow the glider through the air.
"Oh man," the director commented.
"Spider-Man will stop him," one of Mary Jane's female co-actors spoke up.
"I hope so," Mary Jane muttered, knowing that Peter was still at school and wouldn't know this was going on, and hoped one of the other Avengers would make some attempt to stop the Hobgoblin.
Under New York
"You could have told me you were going to shut down the company's computer system!" Kingsley yelled at Tracer, "Do you realize how much it would have cost me to rebuild that company from behind the scenes if they hadn't managed to get their files printed out?"
"No," Tracer answered simply, "And honestly, I don't care. Mortal and organic businesses don't concern me that much."
Kingsley only growled, "Well, I hope you're happy."
"I am indeed," Tracer nodded, "I have six robots who will deal with the other Avengers. You can have your 'revenge' against Spider-Man and I will be free to accomplish certain other goals."
"I never said I wanted revenge on Spider-Man," Kingsley answered, "Killing him would simply be better for business."
Tracer shrugged, "Regardless, you will have your opportunity. You should be happy as well."
Kingsley watched as Tracer began to walk away.
"And we will be attacking the Avengers Tower very soon," Tracer commented.
Midtown High
Peter stretched himself out as he finished his day and left the building. He sighed as he stepped down onto the sidewalk. He had been greatly surprised showing up at the school as a teacher and the fact that Flash had partial amnesia still troubled him.
"Hey, Parker! Wait up!" came Flash's voice.
Peter turned to see Flash running out to catch up with him.
"Hey, Flash," Peter answered back.
"Mind if I walk with ya?" Flash asked.
"Uh… I guess not," Peter answered.
"Alright!" Flash smiled and pulled Peter in the direction of Queens.
"Uh, Flash?" Peter commented trying to get Flash's attention.
"Yeah?" Flash asked back, "Don't you and your Aunt and Uncle live in Queens?"
"My Uncle died while we were in high school, Flash," Peter answered, hiding his own guilt, knowing that it was his fault that Ben was dead, "And I have an apartment in Manhattan and I was on my way to the Bugle to see if there was anything they needed me to do."
"You are the busy bee today, aren't ya?" Flash laughed, "Okay, we'll walk to the Bugle."
Flash turned around to see a red haired woman, who was a little shorter then Peter was standing on the sidewalk in front of them. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a button down short sleeved shirt. Flash also found the woman to be very attractive.
"Well, hello," Flash said to her.
"Uh, hi, Flash," Mary Jane answered, "What brings you out here?"
"Teaching," Flash answered and then pulled Peter forward, who was surprised to see Mary Jane there, "I'm teaching at my old high school buddy, Peter Parker. Can you believe this guy used to be skinnier then a sheet of paper in high school?"
"I know Peter," Mary Jane answered, "You don't need to remind me, Flash."
Flash looked at her for a moment and then asked, "Say, who are you? I haven't seen you before, and how do you know my name, anyway?"
"You don't know me?" Mary Jane asked, "Peter and I, along with Liz, tried to help you after the accident."
Flash looked at her like she had grown a third leg.
"I think I would remember who helped me with all that," Flash answered, "It was some strange nurse. And how do you know about the accident?"
Mary Jane looked to Peter who was mouthing the word 'amnesia' and sighed.
"I'm sorry, I must have mistaken you for someone else," Mary Jane then said slowly, "Peter and I are good friends with a guy named 'Flash' that's recently been in an accident. My name's Mary Jane."
"Eugene Thompson, but I prefer it if you call me 'Flash'," Flash answered in a flirtatious voice, "So, how do you know Parker? You're his sister or something, right?"
"I'm his wife, actually," Mary Jane answered.
Flashed looked at Mary Jane and then at Peter, with an utter look of shock on his face.
"No way!" Flash exclaimed, and turned to Peter, "How'd you land an utter hottie like her?"
"Lucky, I guess," Peter shrugged.
"Wow," Flash commented, "So, how'd you two meet?"
"Her aunt was friends with my aunt and they set us up," Peter answered.
"That's the lamest thing I've ever heard," Flash snorted.
"It's true though," Mary Jane laughed, "Where are you off to Flash?"
"I was gonna walk your husband down to the Bugle and try to catch up on some old times," Flash smiled.
"You bullied me in high school, Flash," Peter pointed out, "Not many 'old times' that both of us would like."
"Yeah, but as you can see, I had a positive affect on you," Flash smiled, "You went to a gym and grew some muscle and nailed a hottie."
"Shouldn't you focus on preparing tomorrow's lesson plan?" Peter asked, "I only teach on a couple of days, but you're supposedly teaching every day from what I've heard."
Flash sighed, "Aw man, you always reminded me about homework I had to do… guess it'll have to wait till the weekend when we can catch up. We can meet on Saturday in Central Park and catch up on everything."
"Sure," Peter answered and watched as Flash then slowly walked down the sidewalk toward Queens.
"He doesn't remember?" Mary Jane asked, curious.
"He remembers some things," Peter sighed, "But he can't remember any of his interactions he's had with me or anyone else from high school since we all graduated. I think it's partial amnesia, but then again, I'm not a doctor."
"It has to be part of the brain damage caused by that wreck that Osborn put him through," Mary Jane sighed.
Peter nodded, "What's brought you out here, MJ? I thought you had a full day of rehearsals."
"I did," Mary Jane answered, "Until an old friend of yours decided to attack another business."
"The Hobgoblin?" Peter guessed, since the Hobgoblin had been the only real active foe that he had faced.
Mary Jane nodded, "Yeah. We hit a break in our rehearsal and someone saw a news report about it in a break room. The director ended the rehearsal then and there, saying his heart wasn't in it for the rest of the day."
Mary Jane paused before continuing her explanation in a low voice so that no one else could hear.
"He attacked the Osborn-Kingsley Plant," Mary Jane sighed, "The reports say that he shut down the entire building's computer system."
"That would hurt Osborn Industries," Peter sighed, "But, Norman Osborn isn't the CEO anymore. And if the current Hobgoblin is in fact Roderick Kingsley, which given my last encounter with him I think Kingsley is back, he wouldn't gain anything financially by simply shutting the computer system down."
"He escaped with six robots," Mary Jane added.
"Six robots?" Peter asked, "The Hobgoblin's never used robots before."
"He still had six robots with him," Mary Jane repeated.
"Great," Peter commented, "My life can't possibly get any worse."
"Don't go there," Mary Jane warned.
Peter only sighed, "Do you have any other news?"
"Well, I think I saw where the Hobgoblin's base is," Mary Jane commented, "But I'm not sure…"
"Where?" Peter asked quickly.
"I saw someone or something fly out of a large warehouse-like building, not to far away from where the theater is," Mary Jane answered, "I called the Avengers since you were teaching, and Spider-Woman told me that there was nothing they could do without definite proof."
"Have they done anything about this?" Peter asked.
"I don't know," Mary Jane answered, "I just headed straight here to tell you, since Midtown apparently doesn't have any televisions."
"They do," Peter sighed, "But only in the teacher's lounge. I was teaching at the time this apparently went on."
They were both quiet for a few moments before Peter began speaking again.
"It'd be best to head back to the Avengers Tower," Peter sighed, "Maybe one of them did take a look at after they saw the news report, and if they didn't, it's the only place where I can change into my spidey-gear without being arrested."
Mary Jane nodded in agreement and walked silently beside her husband.
Under Manhattan
Kingsley had quietly taken Ricky just outside the base that Tracer had claimed as his own. Tracer was busy briefing the robots on his plan to take out the Avengers by assaulting the main Stark Enterprises building, where the Avengers lived. Kingsley didn't like a lot of it. Tracer was too direct for his tastes and wasn't really concerned about gaining something from the battle, other then the destruction of the enemy. Kingsley didn't like it. Destroying Spider-Man and gaining nothing other then Spider-Man's death would be a hollow victory. That may have been something Osborn would try, but it wouldn't be something he would want.
"Tracer doesn't appear to be as smart as I thought he was," Kingsley commented quietly to Ricky, "His plans are taking me far away from the plans I intended to follow in the beginning."
"Shall I deal with him, sir?" Ricky asked drawing a gun.
Kingsley shook his head, "No. He took one of my pumpkin bombs in chest and came back fighting. That handgun won't do squat to him, and more then likely the Avengers will hand this guy his robotic rear end in the coming battle so it won't be necessary. We need to find an alternate base. Some place to fall back to when Tracer decides our alliance isn't worthy of him anymore or when the Avengers find this base. I came back to New York because there was an opportunity for more power. I'm not going back to the Caribbean empty handed."
"Right, sir," Ricky nodded.
"Don't forget a flashlight," Kingsley told his henchman.
Ricky nodded and pulled a flashlight out from inside a pocket in his jacket and flicked the light on and off and then on again and proceeded to walk deeper into the tunnels under the city.
Avengers Tower
"What?" Peter gasped in shock as Jessica Drew informed him about what had happened.
"Just as I said," Jessica answered back, "I tried, but the Hobgoblin had disappeared by the time I got there. I even checked the warehouse that your wife thought she saw the Hobgoblin leave from. I couldn't find a sign that ANYONE had ever used it. Going out now would be like a trying to find a needle in a stack of needles. The one you're looking for could be anywhere."
"Didn't any of the others see the news report?" Peter asked.
"Captain America is busy with SHIELD matters, Tony Stark was occupied with a business meeting that he couldn't get out of, Wolverine was with the X-Men, Luke was dealing with some problem up in the Bronx, and you were busy teaching," Jessica answered counting down the five Avengers on her fingers, "Which left me. Unless you expect your Aunt and Jarvis to fight the Hobgoblin and six robots."
Peter only sighed and looked down, "Things are going from bad to worse. And the difficult thing is that this isn't the Hobgoblin's thing. The Hobgoblin has always been motivated by the want for more power and money, and he's not stupid either. He knows that the Osborn-Kingsley plant was a place where he could gain power and money, especially since he's already stolen the ownership documents to that company."
"He's not into simple mayhem?" Jessica asked.
"Not when it doesn't help his financial situation," Peter answered, "That's why I've got to stop him. I think he's working with someone that's playing a different game from the one that the Hobgoblin prefers."
"I'm sure you'll get both of them," Jessica commented, "If not, then the Avengers as a team will."
"Right now, I think that's all I can hope for," Peter sighed, not knowing what was coming.
To Be Continued…