Spider-man: Fighting with Whispers and Blades
Based on the short story "The Stalking of John Doe"
Peter Parker groaned and snuggled down deeper in the covers, escaping the chill of the room. Half asleep, he reaches out for Mary Jane's warm body. His hand touched a warm, damp spot and he slit open one eye to look at what was making his hand sticky. Dripping from his hand, like some nightmare gone mad, was fresh blood. Gaping in horror, Peter forced his eyes to M.J.'s side of the bed. There, on top of the blankets, lay Mary Jane's body. Bloody, beaten, and bruised the blood no longer poured from the many gaping wounds on her body. Hoping against hope, Peter reached for her pulse… and found none. His scream echoed off the walls of their bedroom.
Working the day shift at the Emergency Psychiatric Unit of Midtown Hospital was no less tolling than the graveyard shift, but slightly calmer. Dr. Gwendolyn Harris was thankful that her transfer had come though. A relatively calm day, Dr. Harris snatched a small moment for herself in her office and turned to do some paperwork. A knock at her door disturbed her. "Sorry to bother you doc, but we got a guy coming in that might need your special attention." Gordy said. Dr. Harris sighed. "When's he due?" she asked. "Now!" Gordy said as he walked out the door. Dr. Gwendolyn sighed again and began walking towards the entrance. A single security guard walked in with a sobbing man. Dr. Harris raised an eyebrow in surprise. She usually had to handle the real whackos. This guy was tame next to most of her patients. Never lifting his head, the patient was guided into one of the padded cells and seated on a bed. Dr. Harris stood at the door waiting for an explanation from the security officer. When he came out, he glanced toward the doctor. "What's his story?" she asked. "Poor guy." The guard said. "Found his wife beat to death and doesn't remember a thing. Says he did it in his sleep, but the wounds were too deep and precise for a man to do with his bare hands." "You think he's lying and just hid the weapons?" Dr. Harris asked. "Naw, they tore the place apart and the neighbors are sure no one went in or out all night." The guard responded, "It's going to be a tough case." The guard shook his head and walked away. Dr. Harris waved Flack over and asked him to help her keep an eye on the patient as she took his blood. Flack nodded and they went in to meet the newest patient.
The man laughed. "Perfect! Perfect! I knew he'd take the rap." He glanced over to his beautiful prisoner. Her green eyes were flashing as she struggled with her chains. "No need to struggle, my dear. You'll never break those chains. You're my prisoner, and I don't let prisoners escape. Of course, you might try to 'out fox' me." He laughed gleefully. The prisoner stopped pulling on her chains and glared at the man in front of her. He reached out and took her chin in his hand. She jerked away, but he forced her to look at him. The man stepped closer until their noses almost touched and whispered,"I won't kill you, my dear. I want you to know that." Then, with a thought, he kissed her. Her eyes opened wide in surprise. He stepped back suddenly with a shocked look on his face, then turned and scrambled out of the room.
Dr. Harris walked slowly toward the sobbing man. As she reached his side she whispered softly "What's your name?" The man, still sobbing, choked out "Peter, Peter Parker." Then, sobbing harder, looked up at the doctor. Realization dawned in his eyes as she stepped back in shock. "You!" They said simultaneously. Flack, looking worried, wandered to the doctor's side and gasped in astonishment. He also recognized the man on the bed. "It's that guy! The one that fought the Hunter!" He said. Peter's face collapsed. "Please, please don't tell! They'll kill me! Please don't tell." He sobbed once more and collapsed in a wet mess on the hospital bed. Dr. Harris looked over at Flack and nodded. They walked out the door and locked it behind them. "That won't keep him in, you know." Dr. Harris said. "I know." Flack responded, "But it makes me feel better. What will we do?" "First, we tell Gordy and make him promise to keep quiet, then we try to help him, the way he helped us." Dr. Harris said. Flack looked worried, then nodded. "He doesn't seem to want to escape. If I know him, he'll stay here until he figures out what he's going to do." Flack nodded again. "Oh boy…"
In the small padded room Peter lay silent, studying the blank cell wall through a haze of tears. How did this happen? Why didn't I wake up? I was always afraid one day this would happen. He thought to himself. I would have a nightmare and flail around and hit her with my strength and hurt her, but I never dreamed, never thought… Oh. "How could I do it?" He wailed. "HOW?" Peter once again collapsed onto the bed and continued crying, whispering "How?"
"How?" Twitching his tail, the Fox paced the floor. "What was that? Totally unprofessional, completely out of it! What am I doing? How did that happen? All my plans could be affected! What possessed me? Ach! Hormones." Stopping suddenly, he spun. "Almost forgot the first rule of villains: never leave a prisoner alone." Striding back into the windowless room, he focused his gaze on his gorgeous prisoner. She stared back, studying his mask and still twitching tail. Ah, his tail. The one inhuman factor that separated the Fox from others. That beautiful red tail. Twitching again at his thoughts, he sat on the empty floor of the empty room and contemplated his quickly maturing plan.
Dr. Harris paced her small office as she spoke to Gordy and Flack. "Okay, this is the plan. We wait for the coroner's report and try to dig up anything we can on the murder scene, anything." Glancing up at her silent companions, she kept her face blank. " You guys work on the police, do whatever is necessary, but find out what happened! I'll work on finding the results of the coroners report. Now move!" She said as they pushed their way out the door. She grabbed her phone and started calling. Five hours later, they had their answer. Once again together in Dr. Harris' office, they compared notes. Flack started." The crime scene is a bust. There is blood everywhere, still checking what kind, everything else is untouched." Gordy broke in." No murder weapons found. No evidence of a brake in. No nothing!" Dr. Harris shook her head. " I'm afraid I've done no better. Actually, it's not my fault. The body has disappeared." "What?" cried Gordy and Flack simultaneously. Flack finished the thought. " Where did it go?" Dr. Harris shook her head. "Who knows? Who…"
"…knows! No one even suspects my genius!" The Fox cackled. "Even your husband is clueless! Ha! No one can outfox The Fox." Cackling gleefully, he reminded himself not to reveal his plans to his prisoner. His rule number two of villains. Only the dead tell no tales and she isn't dead… yet. His plans have barely begun. "Oh, what fun we shall have." He laughed.
"Ha!" she laughed out loud. Dr. Harris ran to Gordy and Flack's side. " I've found out whose blood was everywhere. It was pig blood. There's no body and no blood! That means that there's no crime." Gordy and Flack just stared incomprehensively at the gleeful doctor. "It also means that we can let him out!" she said as she ran out of the door. Gordy jogged to catch up and unlocked the door to let her in. She ran in and hugged Peter. "What?" he said, "What's going on?" he asked. Dr. Gwendolyn smiled. "You're free!" she said. "Your wife's not dead. According to flight records, she left last night on route to her sister's house." "She's alive?" he asked. "She's alive!" he smiled and ran from the room. As he reached the front door, he turned and yelled "Thanks! Thanks a lot!" then he disappeared.
Heart beating wildly, the red headed prisoner tried to shoot lightning from her eyes. As of yet, there was no effect on the creature in front of her. Maybe a different tactic was in order. Opening her perfect lips, she asked, "What are you doing?" Startled by the sound of her blunt question, the Fox turned and glanced at her calmly. " My dear, I'm afraid I've been terribly rude. Allow me to explain my odd behavior." The Fox bowed slightly." As you can guess, my name is The Fox. I am relatively new in the super-villain business, but I have been studying it for some time. Currently I am attempting to enhance my name by using your husband for purposes of my own." He stopped and looked gravely into her eyes. "It won't work 'Fox'; he's smarter than you think." She said. " Ah. That is so true. But I have not told you how! It is so lovely, so very…"
Stupid! I'm a fool! Spider-man thought to himself as he flew along the rooftops toward his apartment. I shouldn't have broken that easily, should have thought! Letting them take me back to that hospital and that doctor. What was I thinking? He winced as he remembered exactly what he was thinking and ran faster than ever. Thank goodness they helped me. She's alive. She's alive! He reached his apartment and scrambled in the still open window. The place had been torn apart, but his workroom was untouched. He ran through the apartment, snatched up the address book, and began calling Mary Jane's sister. The phone rang several times before a man picked up. "Hello? Who is it?" the man asked. "This is Peter Parker." Peter replied. "Ah, Peter! This is Mr. Watson. Is there anything wrong with Mary Jane?" Mr. Watson asked. "Isn't she there?" Peter asked anxiously. "Why, no. Was she supposed to come?" Mr. Watson replied. "Um, well I thought… Oh well, I'll figure it out. Goodbye!" Peter slammed the phone down and began pacing the room. "Did they lie, or was this all a set-up? Where is Mary Jane!"
After checking his prisoner's chains and securely locking the d or, the Fox donned his large overcoat, hiding his tail, and took his first personal steps in his quest to make a name for himself. As he walked, the folded note in his pocket seemed to grow ever larger until it consumed his thoughts and deadened his path. Walking calmly into an apartment building, he slipped the note under a door and faded away, as though no one had ever been there.
Peter decided to go out and search for clues on his own. As he passed the front door, he saw a note sticking out. Thinking it was from Mary Jane; he snatched it up and unfolded it. His eyes grew wide and his blood chilled as he read the letter.
Dear Mr. Parker,
As you have figured out by this time, your wife Mary Jane is currently out of circulation. I assure you that she is alive and relatively unharmed, for the moment. I would suggest, however, that you comply with my demand, or her condition will rapidly worsen. My only demand is this- that you proceed directly to the editor of the Daily Bugle and unmask yourself. Remember that any trick, or any other plans that you may consider, will result in a detriment to your wife's health. Please consider before you act.
Sincerely,
The Fox
His anger past the boiling point, Spider-man threw himself out the window and sped towards the Bugle building. Black eyes watched his departure and smiled. Reaching for the pay phone, the man called the police. The phone rang twice and a woman picked up. "Police tip line. How-may-I-help-you?" The woman asked tiredly. "I'd like to report that Spider-man will be in the Bugle Building in fifteen minutes. Just in case you would like to bring him in for his many crimes." The man hung up before the woman could respond.
An angrily thrown open window disturbed the two combatants. Joe 'Robbie' Robertson spun and ignored J.J. Jameson's angry ranting. Climbing into the window was Spider-man. "What do you want, you wall-crawling weasel?" Jameson hollered. Spider-man seemed to conceder his words. Suddenly he raised his palms and glued the door shut with his webs. Robertson stood calmly and waited for Spider-man's explanation. The one thing he never expected happened. Spider-man reached up and pulled off his mask.
Peter winced as the mask tugged at his ears. He had never felt so vulnerable. Robertson was silent and in shock. J. Jonah Jameson, however, responded loudly in a string of obscenities. "Parker! No wonder you were never a good photographer! I had a bad feeling about you and now I know why." Robbie interrupted. "Peter, is it true? Why did you show us?" Peter shook his head and grinned. "It's true. It isn't voluntary, but it's true. A guy has my wife and he is going to kill her if I don't do what he says." "Oh, Peter. Mary Jane?" Robbie said compassionately. Peter turned as his spider-sense warned him that the police were coming. He slipped his mask back on. "Please let me catch him before you tell. I have to save my wife!" Spider-man jumped out of the window. Robbie glared at Jonah. Jameson sighed. "Okay Robbie, but as soon as she's safe I'm getting the scoop of a lifetime!" He muttered, "I'm getting soft."
Spider-man sailed over the police cars. Suddenly, he jerked as his spider-sense screamed a warning. A dart flew by, missing by centimeters. Turning to find the shooter, he felt a sting and looked down. Directly above his ankle was a tiny dart. He stared and whispered "Oh boy." He had just enough time to slow his fall with a quickly manufactured web line. A wave of blackness rolled over him as he fell.
Miss. Hermia was the best marksman on the force and had just proven it. She had shot Spider-man. Scrambling her troops, she grabbed the specially prepared handcuffs and ran towards Spider-man. As she handcuffed the unconscious, and probably bruised, man she gave strict orders that at least two guns must be pointed at him at all times. A second pair of cuffs was clasped around his ankles. The men loaded his boneless body into the waiting truck. Lights flashing and sirens wailing, they sped off towards an especially prepared prison and Spidey's assured future residence.
Spider-man groaned and stirred, or rather tried to stir. He opened his eyes and looked down to see his arms and legs chained to the bed. His gloves had been removed and his web shooters were missing. He looked to his waist and saw that his belt had also been taken. He was weaponless, and, as he tried to break his chains, found that he was also quite trapped. The chains were made of a metal composite strong enough to resist even his strength. He studied the plain walls and ceiling of his prison as he thought. His spider-sense buzzes distractingly as the single metal door slid aside to reveal a squad of heavily armed men, and, in the center, a striking woman with a dart gun. "I knew I took a wrong turn at Albuquerque." Spider-man quipped, feeling not the least bit confident. "Ah, Spider-man, your famous wit. Frankly, I expected more of a fight from you, but, as luck would have it, I have managed to bring you in with only two darts." The striking lady sneered. "Aw, you're just lucky I was distracted by all the pretty lights madam, or I wouldn't have the pleasure of this meeting." Spider-man replied, still pulling at his chains. "That may be so Spider-man, but let's see what you've got to say once we remove your mask. I felt it all the more special that you were up and around before we removed it." The woman said, moving towards Spidey's head. "Now ma'am, we haven't been properly introduced. I think it is a bit presumptuous for you to be taking my cloths off." Spidey said as he struggled to move as far away as possible. His struggles were futile as Miss Hermia grasped the top of his mask and began to pull. Still struggling, Spider-man shouted "No!" Ignoring his cry, Miss Hermia kept pulling.
I'll be the first to see his face! She thought gleefully. He's mine! His mask was almost off when a sound came so loud and penetrating that it knocked her to her knees. The men around her fell and Spider-man's struggle ceased as he passed out. Through her force of will, Miss Hermia looked up to see the shackles on Spider-man open and his body drift out the door. The world grew fuzzy as she fell beside her men.
Spider-man awoke. Once again, he tried to move. When he failed, he opened his eyes. He was chained to the wall in a small room with no windows. Curious, he looked for the door. As he turned to his left, he saw his wife. Chained to the wall, her body was cut in many places and steadily creating a red puddle beneath her feet. Her head hung down and she didn't stir. "Mary Jane!" Spider-man screamed. "Mary Jane! Get up MJ! Are you alright? Mary Jane!" When she did not respond to his cries, he pulled unmercifully at his chains. The Fox walked in. "What have you done to her you, you, you…" Spider-man seethed. "Villain?" The Fox asked happily. "Is that the word you're searching for? She is alive." The Fox said. Spider-man calmed a little at that and just glared at The Fox. "What do you want from me?" He asked. "Your pride," The Fox responded. "Your body, and perhaps your life." The Fox turned to a table behind him. Turning back to Spider-man, the Fox released him from his chains. Landing nimbly, Spider-man snatched the objects The Fox had thrown at him. His web shooters and belt, together and unharmed. He replaced them, and with a glance towards his helpless wife, stood ready to fight. "Be warned, Spider-man. Any harm that comes to me lengthens your wife's entrapment." The Fox crowed. "Okay, Fox. What do you want me to do?" Spider-man asked. "I want you to step into the other room with me, if you will." Fox asked politely. Together they walked into the other room. A huge machine sat in the center. Two glass tubes, just human sized, sat empty waiting for a person to enter. "Go into the tube." Fox commanded. "What does it do?" Spidey asked with a mix of curiosity and fear. "Does it matter? It lets me be you. Our minds will switch and for a short time I will control your body." Fox answered. "Now get in and no more questions!" Spider-man shuffled into one of the glass tubes. Once he was centered, the door of the tube slammed shut and spider-man was trapped. Calmly, Fox strolled into the other tube and the door shut behind him. Working by mental commands, the controls moved and a strange buzzing sound filled the room. The room seemed to move farther away as the sound grew in pitch. Undulating nauseatingly, the world turned white and disappeared.
Peter stirred as the whiteness gave way to the machine. He twitched his tail in annoyance in being once again trapped. My tail? He thought. He turned to see a great bushy tail flailing wildly behind him and shrieked in surprise. "What happened to me?" Peter asked in a strange voice. "Why Spider-man, I explained, did I not?" Spider-man replied. "I now have your body, to do with as I will. Please forgive me for leaving so fast, but my time is limited. By the way, the door is mentally controlled, by me, and impenetrable, so make yourself comfortable." Spider-man snickered and jumped from his tube. Ah this body! Fox thought to himself. Wonderful and no tail! Leaping out the door, Spider-man swung gleefully away, going who knows where.
Unfortunately for the Fox, he had forgotten the multiple people after Spider-man and as he made his way downtown, getting more adept at every swing, he enjoyed his feeling of power. His enjoyment was momentary, however, as a shot pierced the night. The faux Spidey looked down off his high perch and saw a group of cops with massive weapons. Miss Hermia was leading them. She raised her dart gun and fired, unheeding of the great height of Spider-man and the long fall to the ground. Unfamiliar with his powers, the faux Spidey failed to respond fast enough and was caught in mid swing by the dart. The sudden rush of numbness effected Spider-man faster than he could react. Where the real Spider-man had fallen from higher places and survived, this fake Spider-man did not have enough experience and was not familiar with stopping at high speeds. Although he shot multiple web lines, his aim was off and none caught. Flabbergasted by Spider-man's lack of skill, the police did not respond in time to get a net under him. Spidey hit the cement hard and didn't move. Miss Hermia ran towards him. Shouting to her men to keep him covered in case he was playing possum, she edged towards him. When a moan broke though the silence, Hermia took a chance and squatted down next to him. "You are under arrest." She stated harshly, then more gently she asked, "Are you okay?" Spider-man moaned again and whispered,"I...I don't think so. I can't feel my legs." He cried louder. "I can't feel my legs!" "Shh! Shh!" Hermia whispered. "It's okay. We'll take you to the hospital and they'll fix it. They'll fix it." "No! No! You don't understand!" He responded hysterically. "I was a doctor! I know! My back is broken and you can't fix it." He finished with a shriek and struggled to sit up. He raised his head and looked around. Faster than the police could respond, Spider-man shot a web line to a nearby building and, using only his arms, pulled himself to the top. Swinging towards his hideout, Spider-man left the police too stunned to follow quickly.
Throwing himself once again against the tube walls, Peter used his weak body as a battering ram. Still not affecting the hard walls of the tube, he fell in a heap at the bottom. "Mary Jane!" He cried. "Mary Jane!" When he heard no answer he tried once again to escape. Crawling through the window, Spider-man fell in and glanced in surprise at his body being used as a battering ram against the tube walls. The screams of "Mary Jane" echoed though the room as The Fox's body slammed again and again against the walls. Amazed at the strength of Peter's will, Spider-man shouted at him to stop. When The Fox turned, he gasped in surprise at Spider-man's condition. "What did you do to my body?" He shouted. "Let me ask you something." Spider-man said. "If I let Mary Jane go, will you stay?" Peter didn't pause. "Yes, yes! Let her go and I'll stay." Spider-man nodded slowly and crawled toward the tube. He crawled in, shut the door behind him, and mentally threw the switch. Both men blacked out and seconds later woke up in their own bodies. The Fox opened his tube and walked over to Spider-man's tube. "I will let you out if you promise not to try to escape, and do everything I tell you." The Fox said. "It's not as if you left me a choice, is it?' Spider-man responded from his half sitting position. Fox laughed wryly and shook his head. He opened the tube door and helped Spider-man crawl out. Opening a small, hidden door in the corner, The Fox rolled out a shiny metal table with lots of medical instruments on it. "Get onto the table." Fox ordered. When Spidey was lying on his stomach on the table his spider-sense screamed. The Fox grabbed a small mask and pushed it over Spidey's mouth. Surprised, Spider-man took a breath before he ripped it off. He drifted into a deep sleep.
Spider-man walked calmly into the Bugle Building. This late at night everyone was gone except a few of the higher ranking journalists and the editor. Walking into Robertson's office, Spider-man surprised J.J.J. and Robbie. "Spider-man! What do you want?" Jameson yelled. "Peter? What are you doing back here?" Robbie asked. "Actually, I'm neither." Spider-man said as he flickered and the hologram faded away. The Fox stood in the editor's office. "I have had the pleasure of Mr. and Mrs. Parker's company as well as Spider-mans for the last two days. I thought you'd like to break the news to the city. The real Spider-man should be back now. By the way, tell Parker he deserves her." With that, The Fox turned and ran out of the room, disappearing before the elevator stopped at the bottom floor.
Peter woke up uncomfortably. As he stirred on the hard table, the last few hours came rushing back. He moved his legs and sighed in relief. He reached around to his back and felt a loose bandage there. Being careful not to open the bandage, he slid off the table and ran towards Mary Jane. When Peter reached her wounded body, it flickered and dissolved. Underneath, an unharmed Mary Jane was unconscious. Snapping the chains, he lowered her to the floor. She moaned and awoke. Opening her eyes she looked into her husband's mask. "Oh, Peter! You found me!" She cried. They sat on the floor for some time, just holding each other. Slowly they began their journey home.