READ FIRST

Hello again everyone! Sorry, sorry, sorry for the wait. I've been busier than I thought I would be. Too much to do, too little time. Thank you for the reviews, I'm glad you like my story so far!

Sapphire Spider is my personal character. I do not claim any of the Marvel characters at all.

Warning: You...might not want to be eating towards the end of this one...I don't know how people's stomachs are.

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Chapter 3. Fifteen Minutes at the Bugal.

The next day, Eddie Brock trotted through the Bugal carrying a brown envelope filled with pictures he'd taken the day before. He smiled as he spotted Jameson's office. Finally. I've got something that Parker kid doesn't. This time, I'll have front page again. He chuckled as he opened the door. "Hey Jonah, I've got some pictures from . . ." he stopped as soon as he seen who was in the room.

Peter Parker sat in a chair in front of JJ's desk. He turned around to see who came in and smiled. "Oh, hey Eddie." he said friendly.

"Parker?" Eddie said as he walked up to the desk. "What are y . . ."

"Unless you have pictures of that Spider-Woman, Brock, don't bother. Parker already has pictures of the scene." Jonah interrupted as he flipped through some of Peter's pictures.

"Uh, sir, the police said that her name was Sapphire Spider. Not Spider-Woman." Peter corrected.

Jonah stood up and thru a couple pictures down on his desk. "Sapphire Spider, Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl, Spider-Queen. Whatever!" He crunched his cigar and walked over to the window, still holding a few pictures he liked. "First Spider-Man, now this! Pretty soon there's gonna be an entire population of spider people crawling around the city. There's probably an entire cult of them hiding out there somewhere as we speak! Planing to take over the city! This is a story alright, this will . . ."

Peter tuned him out for a minute and looked back to see if Eddie was still in the room. He found Eddie hunched over Jameson's desk, staring at the pictures. He looked . . . shocked.

He stared at the pictures, amazed and confused. How did he get these pictures! I was there from the time Spider-Man left until they cut the robbers out of the webbing! I was there when these were taken! Where was that comadreja hiding! He felt his face getting hotter and turned away from the pictures. He was going to find out how Peter Parker got his pictures if it was the last thing he did. Until then, he was going to find this Sapphire Spider and get some pictures of her before Parker did. There was no way Parker would be able to get pictures of Spider-Man, and look for her at the same time. Sapphire would be much bigger news now.

"We're going to need plenty of pictures. Parker, I want you to find this woman and get a photo of her. Better yet, try and get one of her and Spider-Man together." Jameson said as he stared out the window. Eddie snapped out of it and turned towards JJ.

"Mr. Jameson, I usually take pictures of Spider-Man. I don't know if I'll be able to get a picture of her." Peter said uneasily.

"I can!" Eddie shouted.

"Of course you can Parker. You already take pictures of one wall-crawling freak, what's one more? Besides, they're working together, so you should have no problem getting them both. Just track down Spider-Man and wait for her to show up." Jonah said as he walked back over to his desk. "Here, I'll give you fifty for these." he said as he waved the pictures in his hand.

"Uh, sir . . ." Peter started.

"Buh . . . but JJ, I . . ." Eddie stuttered, his mouth dropped open.

"Don't worry Brock, I've got an story I need you to cover." Jameson said as he walked over to the door.

"A story?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah. Doctor Curt Conners is revealing his latest experiment to the public today in his laboratory." JJ answered as he opened the door. "Hoffman!"

"Yes sir?" Hoffman said as he ran up to Jonah.

"Take these and put them on the front page. 'Webbed Wonder Infests New York City!' I want the story out on the streets before she has a chance to pop up again." Jonah said as he shoved the pictures into Hoffman's hands.

"Doctor Conners?" Peter asked.

"He supposedly found a way to regrow body parts. He's going to demonstrate his experiment today in his laboratory. All the media will be there." Jonah answered as he walked back into the room. "Everyone's busy with other stories they're covering. You're the only person we have that isn't doing something, Brock."

Eddie turned his head away and mumbled something that was too soft to hear.

Jonah walked back over to his desk and picked up a small sticky note with something written on it. "Here's the time and place. Miss this and I'll hang you, Brock." he said as he handed him the note.

Eddie took the paper and read it, then looked down at his watch. "Well, Brock? What are you waiting for? I don't pay you to stand around. Go get me that story. You too Parker." Jonah snapped. "Something's bound to happen at something like this."

"¿Qué!" Eddie gasped.

"You get the story Brock, Parker will get the pictures. One less thing you have to worry about. The last time we had some kind of scientific show, we ended up with a destroyed building, Spider-Man, and the birth of some metal armed freak bent on destroying New York. Something's bound to happen again." Jonah said, almost smiling.

Peter looked away and shifted uneasily in his chair. Maybe...maybe he should talk to Dr. Conners before his presentation. He didn't want something bad happening again. His thoughts started to drift back to the day Otto's experiment went out of control. Then he thought about the news Sapphire had given him.

"Uh...JJ, what if Spider-Man shows up someplace else during the demo? Better yet, with that Sapphire girl." Eddie said. My luck they will...

Jonah stopped and thought for a moment. "I'll get Lance Bannon to cover the streets. Something tells me something big is going to happen at the demonstration. I can feel it!"

Eddie sighed and started for the door. No use arguing this one. At least he'd have a story.

"Mr. Jameson..." Peter started in an unsure tone. "...I don't think that anyth..."

"Tell you what Parker, If anything good happens, and you get me some good pictures, I'll pay you double!" Jameson blurted out.

"Feh." Eddie smiled. Now where have I heard that one before? He'll just take some pictures, come in later, ask about being paid double, and Jonah will say "Double! Who said anything about being paid double!"

"Double, sir?" Peter asked, raising an eyebrow as if he too knew that Jameson would never do such a thing.

"Sure! Ask Brock, he'll tell ya."

"Yep! Whatever you say boss! (whatever you say...)"

"But that's only if something good happens. Just think of what all we could write." Jonah said as he sat down behind his desk. "Oh, and if that Sapphire woman shows up, we can have a picture of her and Spider-Man together. Think about the possible stories there! If movie star couples are big selling stories, just think about what a super powered couple will do! I can smell the profits already!" Jonah exclaimed smiling.

Eddie looked back at JJ suspiciously. He'd never seen Jameson act so excited about something that hasn't even happened yet. He must really have a good feeling about this one.

"Are you sure you won't forget to pay him, sir?" Hoffman asked peering through the door, startling Eddie.

"Are you still here? Fine! Here, I'll make myself a note." Jameson said as he ripped off a piece of paper and grabbed a pen.

What! Eddie spun around to face Jonah's desk. "What if something happens and I get a good story!"

"We'll see your story when you make it. Then we'll talk." he replied as he motioned Hoffman in. "Happy? Give this to miss Brant. I'll be so flustered, I won't even want to know I paid him double for a good picture."

Eddie felt his jaw drop. "Sir...this hasn't even happened yet! And your making a memo to pay him double! The guy could do the experiment and...and...and...just grow more hair or something!"

"Can it Brock. When you've been in this business as long as I have, you know when something good is going to happen."

"I've been in this business for..."

"Your wasting time Brock. Go get me that story and then we'll talk. Oh, and don't add stuff just to make the story sound better this time."

"My last story was on 'Mr. Meaty's Meat Shop finds a dead rat in packaging room.' Now who's gonna wanna read about someone accidently ordering a rat thinking it was a ham sandwich? The story needed som..."

"Ok, so it sold some papers and the guy lost a couple customers. Point is I want every detail on this. Nothing added. Now get going. Parker will be there to verify what happens."

That was it. He whirled around and marched out the door. "¡Estúpido Hombre-Araña! ¡Estúpido Parker! ¡Estúpido patrón! ¡Estúpida Ciudad! ¡No sé por que yo aguanto to do esto! No sé por que . . ." his voice roared before the door slammed shut behind him.

Peter turned back to Jonah. "Uh, Mr. Jameson, could you . . ."

"If you're asking for more money Parker, forget it. You've asked me the same question every month. You want more money, get me those pictures. Anything good and you'll be getting double for crying out loud." JJ snapped.

Peter stood up and started for the door.

Peter sighed. He needed the money. Mary Jane was helping him with the rent until he found another little job. He'd already been fired from six jobs in one month. What he really wanted to do was get enough money for him and MJ to have their own little house. But that was just another dream that would never come true as long as Spider-Man kept getting him fired from every job he tried for. Maybe he could get a picture of Sapphire Spider. That might bring him a little extra money. Maybe he could call her and . . . no. No, no. If he did that, then she might make the connection that Spider-Man was Peter Parker. But, did she already know? And how was Jameson so sure that something was going to go wrong at Dr. Conners experiment today? Would something really happen?

"Ugh . . ." He didn't know. Right now his head hurt.

Just then he remembered his science report was due today. Oh, no! I promised Doc Conners that I wouldn't turn my report in late this time! I gotta get home, get my paper, get over to the school, and turn it in to him before he has his demonstration. He took off down the hall and raced for the exit.

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Well, there's chapter three. I hope you all liked it. Please read and review so I know what you like and don't like. I'll try and get the next chapter in as soon as I can, but I can't promise it'll be anytime soon. Like I said, I'm very busy during school, and even on weekends. There will be some action coming though. Hopefully I'll have enough time to make the next chapter be about the birth of the Lizard.

TRANSLATIONS (at least close translations)

comadreja— weasel

"¡ Estúpido Hombre-Araña! ¡Estúpido Parker! ¡Estúpido patrón! ¡Estúpida Ciudad! ¡No sé por que yo aguanto to do esto! No sé por que . . ." ------"Stupid Spider-Man! Stupid Parker! Stupid boss! Stupid City! I don't know why I put up with this! I really don't know . . ."

"¿Qué!" ----"What!"