CHAPTER 21: IN A NEW YORK MINTUTE
Peter had been sitting around in Harry's room which of course had all the finer things. Since Harry's dad was the type to buy his son's affections or at least to make up for his lack of affections. There was a widescreen flat HD TV on the wall, game consoles and a bunch of other stuff.
But he was just catching up with the others for the past hour. It was great to just sit back and relax not having to worry about anything. Although he still worried about Rogue now and then he knew he shouldn't since she was fine but damn it he still did.
"Peter? You okay?" Liz asked him seeing him space off again, "You've been zoning out a few times."
"Huh? Oh sorry about that," Peter starched the back of his head a little embarrassed. He hadn't realized he had been doing that.
"Peter, are you okay?" MJ asked him gently she knew him well enough to know when something was bugging him and at the moment she wanted to know what was going on.
Peter thought about blowing it off as nothing but looking at Mary Jane he just knew that he couldn't get away with it. He sighed as he decided on what to tell them, "Well, remember Rogue? Well she's a bit…sick. She's better but I guess I'm a little worried about her."
Harry nodded he did remember that girl and from the talks he and Peter had, "Well you didn't have to come here then Peter if she's not doing well. I would have understood."
"Yeah I know but she threatened to kick my ass if I did," He chuckled to himself.
"Who's Rogue?" Liz asked as she was a bit lost in all of this.
"My girlfriend," Peter smiled he loved being able to say that. All these years of nothing and fate steps in and now he's living with a bunch of people one of who he's dating. "I got a picture if you want a look."
"You bet," Liz said happily as Peter dug out his wallet. He pulled out a picture of him and Rogue together and showed it to her. "Wow…Didn't know you had a thing for goths there Peter, and yeah I can see her kicking your butt." She giggled and Peter took the photo back with a mock glare.
"Gee thanks for taking my manhood down a peg," He said deadpanned, "Anyway not that I'm complaining about you dating my buddy Harry. Lord knows he needs it."
"Hey!"
Peter smirked as MJ covered her mouth, "But I thought you were with the evolutionary throwback Flash?"
"Ugh, please don't mention that jerk to me again," Liz crossed her arms. She told him how about a month ago she caught him making out with Erica from the cheerleader squad in the back of his car. She pretty much had called it quits on him after that and swore off jocks.
"Wait Erica the Erica? One of the most popular girls in school who every guy has tried asking out, Erica?" Peter said surprised both that Flash got some and that her standards were so low. 'Damn if I had known she would make out with Flash of all people I would have given it a shot back then.'
Liz rolled her eyes and nodded, "Yeah well she can have him." Harry went over to her and started to rub her shoulders a bit and she seemed to like it. Peter had to smirk at that, he remembers doing the same with Rogue a few times and it was a good sight. But then he caught MJ looking a bit happy and sad, and he knew that now she was the single one.
Peter didn't know why she was, she was beautiful and a great person. He kind of hated to see her without someone but then again relationships weren't his specialty. After all several of his dates with Rogue had gone pretty much as bad as they could get not to mention how long it took to just get the two of them to date.
But still he wanted to help MJ out in some way he just didn't know how. "So anyway guys what's up in New York, anything interesting?"
"Well other then that serial killer going around," Liz shuttered at that, "Man how can there be people in the world that sick?"
"Oh god yeah I know I heard about what he does to people and it's pretty gross," MJ agreed to that, she didn't even go out at night sometimes at least not alone. The entire city was kind of scared of this freak of a person. "Be thankful you're in Bayville Peter this is not the best time to live in New York."
Peter nodded he had heard about this of course but seeing the looks on their faces he could see that this was a lot more serious then he thought, 'Well if the police don't catch this guy then maybe if I'm lucky I can help out. Besides dealing with super powered nut jobs and psychos it's nice to deal with the regular nut jobs and psychos for once.'
-Bayville, Brotherhood House-
Sandra Dean was in the room she shared with Delilah on her bed. She was still fuming over the bombshell her mother had told her about Rogue being her sister. Well at least foster sister but still she didn't like it, plus there was one major thing that was bothering her.
Rogue was just like her, a girl that Mystique took in as her own. Only Rogue turned to the X-Men, Sandra had learned all about the things that Raven did. Making it look like the X-Men were after her and then posing as Risty from older members of the Brotherhood. But now knowing that Rogue was an adopted daughter she could see why Raven did those things.
She just wanted Rogue close to her, she had already lost a son and she didn't want to completely lose another daughter. But what did that make her then? Was she nothing more then a replacement for Rogue to Raven? That was what really hurt more then keeping this from her, the fact that she may be nothing more then just a spare.
It was bad enough having parents that had ignored her, verbally and physically abuse her so why did this hurt so much more then that? Why did the thought of this just make her entire life seem like crap?
She was interrupted in her brooding when Delilah came in looking like she had just come in from a jog. "Oh that was great, hey why the long face? You're usually not this dark I mean even with your black goth look you're usually kind of upbeat."
She just turned away form her on her bed, "You wouldn't understand."
Delilah sat on her bed with a slight frown, "Oh come on let Delilah in on the secret so she can make it better. You're the only other girl here and where else can I find any intelligent conversation in this place?"
"The boys? Please most of them are uninteresting, Pietro only things with either his ego or lower brain. And Max…Well he's not very social and I don't really like the guy that much."
Sandra sighed knowing her roommate she won't let this go no matter what. Delilah didn't let anything get in the way of what she wanted and if she wanted answers then she wouldn't hesitate to do anything to get them. So here she was telling her friend all about her whole new family tree, parents that she couldn't care if they were dead or not, an adopted mother with one son and another adopted girl.
Delilah listened in interested in this little news, it was sure something. When it was all over she had to admit that was one hell of a story, "Wow…You know you got one messed up family.
Sandra glared at the other girl and was tempted to slug her one but she only had enhanced strength not super strength like Delilah. The other girl just gave a small laugh, "Hey don't take it so seriously. So the main problem you got is that you feel that you're no longer special in Mystique's eyes."
Sandra just nodded letting the other girl go on with this.
"So then just make yourself special then, put yourself up on the top of the food chain and let nothing get in your way," Delilah said as if it was just as simple as that although Shriek wasn't sure what she was getting at.
"Wait what are you talking about?"
Delilah rolled her eyes and sighed, "Look you already got the inside track. You're with her and accept her while her other kids don't. Now you're the 'good' daughter in the family and all you have to do is just make her proud. I mean it would be easy for you to do that, just prove that you're the daughter she always wanted. It's pretty obvious that your mom already cares for you she didn't have to take you in you know. So just be the daughter that would make her proud."
"You mean like kicking X-Men ass?" Sandra got a small grin on her face and it was mirrored by the other girl.
"There ya go," She grinned at her maybe there was hope for this girl yet. "You're already in her good graces so it shouldn't be hard to make her proud of you."
Then she sat herself up off her bed and took a towel, "Well if you'll excuse me I need to go and shower, then maybe play with Pietro a bit. It's just so fun to have that guy keep trying to impress me." She gave her a winked and walked out of the room.
Sandra was now alone but now she was in a different mood, 'If Raven wants a daughter to be proud of then she'll get one.' She thought to herself. She could prove who would be the best child of Mystique and there would be no one to get in her way. She let people walk all over her, her entire life well it ends now. She could train hard and fight hard and make her mother proud, and if she had to step on her 'siblings' to do that well then she was just fine with that.
There was room for only one kid in this family and she was going to be it.
-New York-
In a modified loft in Manhattan, on the top floor there was a large open space. It was heavily modified with machine parts, equipment, a large computer over in one corner. There were no windows at least none that weren't sealed over now, this was a sanctuary a place for privacy and for work.
Off in one end where there was a personal gym set a man worked on pull ups sweating as he worked his body to its best. He liked to keep in constant shape since his job demanded that of him, plus he liked to keep en edge in a fight as well. He wasn't overly built but he was strong and in good physical shape.
There was a beeping noise over by the console there was only one man that had access to this computer and he knew better then to keep him waiting. He took a towel and started to dry himself off as she sat down at the computer chair and pushed a button. On the screen there was the larger then life Mr. Wilson Fist AKA the Kingpin of crime, but also his boss. "What can I do for you tonight?"
"I need you to take care of a building for me, it's used for money laundering and I would like it taken out of the picture," Fist told him flat out as a map of the city showed up. One place was marked in red as an address and several images of the place were on the screen.
The man grinned, "Oh I can do that, I'll get right on it."
The large bald man nodded, "Good, when it's done I'll wire the money into your account as usual." Without another word the viewer clicked off and he pushed himself off the chair and went to a locked door. He pressed in a code and it hissed open, he walked inside and there he saw several of the costumes that he wore.
One was a little messed up from one of his last jobs so he pulled on one of the others. First was the grayish-green body suit that was actually a high class body armor that would protect his body. Then the brown boots, orange vest top, and brown cloak that looked torn at the bottom. The brown gloves came next as he also started to attack his weapons to his belt and travel back slung over his shoulder and chest, resting at his hip.
Then there was one last detail, he pulled on the garish mask. He actually liked it, it really sent terror into his victims. "Well now New York get ready for a night of chills, thrills and chaos. As the Hobgoblin makes goes out again tonight!" He said to himself laughing as he left the room and jumped up onto his bat glider. He pressed a button on his belt and part of the wall on one end opened up to the outside.
He started his engine and took off like a rocket into the night sky as it closed up behind him.
Across town night had fallen and everyone was sleeping in the Osborn mansion. Liz had gone home with MJ walking her back and Peter now was in the guest room which was just perfect for him. He needed to get out tonight and being in his own room meant that he could change without Harry noticing.
Peter had just finished putting on his Spider-Man suit and went out to the balcony and looked down, "Well at least this far up no one will see me jump out of here." He said to himself before taking a flying leap off the building, he allowed himself a little freefall for the moment just feeling the wind rush by him gave him a little of an adrenalin boost and a sense of freedom before he threw out a hand and fired a web line out into the city.
He loved web slinging and he had finished up most of his homework and since it was the weekend he figured he could stay up a bit later then he normally did. After all a hero's work is never done right? Well at least that was one of the excuses he had lined up for Logan and Xavier if he ever needed it.
'You know Bayville is a nice small city but this place has always felt like home to me,' Peter thought as he swung through the skyline. He was a New York kid at heart there was just so much in this city, he grew up here and he always loved coming back now and then.
After a few hours he had already managed to stop two car jackings, three muggings, what looked like someone trying to bust into an electronics store and of all things a flasher. Peter was on a building as he saw the man in the large coat webbed up to the street light in the park as cops took him in, "God of all the things to run into. Only in New York man I swear it, what is it with guys like that? Ugh, I'm going to have to wash my eyes tonight or maybe ask a telepath to wipe that image from my mind. You never heard about heroes dealing with this type of thing that's for sure."
"Oh well at least it's a…no…I'm not going to say it," Peter crossed his arms he knew that if he said it he would jinx it, "I am not going to say it and then the universe can't screw with me and make something bad happen. This time I am not falling for it."
Then there was the sound of an explosion a few blocks away with bang sounds that from experience he knew were gun shots. "Oh come on! I didn't even say it! I wasn't even thinking it for crying out loud!" He looked up to the heavens, so much for his quiet night out. "That's it the universe hates me, it has it in for me I don't know why but it does…"
He sighed as he went off to see what was going on and kissing his not so quiet night goodbye.
A few blocks away the Hobgoblin was having the time of his life, he loved his job and the violence that went with it. He threw more of the bat-like boomerangs that were razor sharp and the small pumpkin shaped bombs at the crooks that were fighting back.
It looked like the remains of a Laundromat, the irony of it all wasn't lost on him for this place to launder dirty money kind of funny in a way. Well he took care of that with a few explosives and now the place was on fire. Those there were there were running out with both as much money as they could carry and weapons.
But it was hard to hit a flying target in the air in night while he was laughing maniacally while firing at them and a raging inferno behind them as well. Some of them came out of the building with burns, smoke in their eyes or cuts from the explosion.
"Oh this is just too easy," Hobgoblin said and pointed his two fingers at one man, as an electrical current came out and zapped the man in the chest. "Isn't there any of you that's a challenge?" The rest of them were running away and he was pretty disappointed.
"Hey gruesome! Halloween isn't for several months!" Spider-Man shouted out and this caused the Hobgoblin to turn around only to get knocked in the chest by Spider-Man's feet. He fell off his glider but its systems were designed for this and flew under him to catch him.
He looked over at his enemy and he actually grinned, "Ah so I finally meet the wall crawler. You know I've heard all about you…Funny I thought you wouldn't be so…"
"Handsome? Dashing? Heroic?" Peter quipped as he landed on the side of a building.
"I was going to say short and slim." He crossed his chest.
"Ouch…you know that really hurt, although coming from a guy that looks like a reject from a sideshow circus I'm not too hurt," Peter said back.
"If you think that hurt then…Try this!" Then he threw several razor bats at Spider-Man but was amazed at his speed and agility. It was then that he knew he actually had a decent challenge this time. He flew up into the air and lunched one of his pumpkin bombs at Peter.
Peter felt that same buzzing sensation in the back of his head as he dodge, he saw the pumpkin things explode when they hit the street, "Exploding pumpkins? Where the hell do you get those? Not to mention why you would have those? What you wanted to complete the Halloween thing you got going?"
"Oh great looks like I got someone who won't shut up," Goblin muttered as he threw a few more razor bats.
"Whoa," Spider-Man had been standing on a building and pulled a move that would be the envy of limbo professionals around the world as they sailed just over his chest and face. He looked at them and got back up, "Dude you better hope that no one finds out you're ripping off Batman with those things they will sue you for that."
"I just blew up a building you think I care?" Hobgoblin asked him sarcastically as the two fought on.
"Yeah point taken ugly," Peter jumped out of the way. Although by then all of this had caught the attention of the fire department, police and even a news chopper were coming onto the scene. Hobgoblin knew that the Kingpin would have his hide to the wall if he was exposed now.
"Damn well sorry to run but I'm late," He then opened his palms and bright lights blinded Peter while he was swinging in the air. He lost his grip and fell onto a building it had hurt but not too much only now he couldn't really see thanks to all the spots in his eyes. "Later wall crawler and remember the name Hobgoblin because I'm sure we'll meet again and finish this, I just want to be sure you know the name of the guy that will put you six feet under."
With that he laughed as he rode off, Peter thought about chasing him but by the time his vision was cleared enough he already had a few helicopters on the way. "Damn…Another time but first I better get out of here before someone sees me."
-Oscorp-
The doctors in a secure place inside of one of the Oscorp buildings were looking over Norman Osborn. So far he was stable but he had been exposed to large quantities of an unknown chemical. By the time they had found him his pulse had been weak and he was in effect comatose.
They had worked on him but found no physical injuries in fact he was in perfect health better even it seemed. No one knew what to make of it although his blood samples showed signs of having something unknown in it they weren't sure if he would be okay. For all they knew he would stay in a coma, or pass in the night.
He was also kept under strict security as Dr. Octavius was still on the loose as he had managed to flee the building that he had attacked. By now the NYPD were looking for him and there was talk of the FBI getting involved but so far he had gone underground for the time being.
"So how he is doing?" A female doctor asks her male counterpart as he was checking the readouts as she walked in.
"He's stabilized still no real change, at least at the moment." He said writing down his observations down onto a clip board.
"Well it's late we might as well clock out then, I doubt he'll have any real change anytime soon." She told him and he nodded his head so far it looked like he would stay like this for a long time. "Come on I'll buy the coffee this time."
He smiled as he put the clipboard away, "Sure thing I could use a nice cup."
They walked out of the room shutting off the lights leaving Norman in near total darkness. In the middle of the night though was when the first signs of life started to show. The heart rate monitor started to beep a bit faster as his breathing became deeper as well. His fingers started to twitch at first his eyes moved under the lids as scenes of the accident replayed in his mind.
Running from Dr. Octavius and then being trapped in the Goblin weapons room. Trying to fight against his enemy then the canisters being broken open the gas was the one of the last things he remembered. Those last few moments played out over and over again in his mind. But there was something else like there was something in the shadows looking at him.
In his dream he looked and saw a shadowy form and then the laughter, haunting laughter. Just when the image was going to view it was interrupted.
Norman's eyes opened wide in the waking world as he finally woke up.
NEXT UP CHAPTER 22: LAST DAY IN TOWN