SPIDER-MAN: THE OTHER SPIDER (CHAPTER 21)
Local café at Forest Hills 11:05 am…
Gwen in her civilian costume rang up Ned in frustration over what had happened as of recent from stopping the sniper from attacking Ned at the Wilson Fisk's election speech.
"Hey, asshole…" Gwen greeted in the most monotone voice ever.
"Hey, this isn't a good time to chat about this." Ned said back.
"Sure… But I'm telling you. What I went through… Was unpleasant." Gwen said, "Worse… I feel as if I'm under huge scrutiny now as well."
"Look, I'm sorry about this. I swear. But you did your job at least." Ned replied, "Don't worry, I'll fix this."
"You better. And you know what? I'm going to do some things on my own terms now. So, see ya." Gwen said before switching off the phone.
Putting her head in stress, Gwen waited for her long-shot coffee order and pondered what she was going to do next.
"Maybe just forget about the freaky powers and focus on acting like a normal human being." Gwen thought, "I don't need them to find out what happened to Peter, right?"
"Long-shot, mam?" The waitress asked putting the cup down.
"Thanks." Gwen mumbled.
As Gwen tried to take a sip out of her cup, she was distracted by the television.
"And now for a breaking news update…" The broadcast spoke on the screen.
Gwen watched as the news update was shown.
"Wilson Fisk's election at Flushing Town Hall was almost intercepted by a potential sniper attack from afar. The unknown assassin who presumably attempted the assassination wore black clothing concealing the identity. The person was stopped by one of Fisk's own security crew…." The broadcast reported.
"Really? That's how they report this?" Gwen asked as she watched in disbelief.
The broadcast then made her realise that further attempts at being vigilante would be risky and that she should lay low. Gwen then got up and attempted to leave the café before stopping to look at a stack of Daily Bugle newspaper articles.
"That would be $1, mam." The waitress who served her said as Gwen attempted to pick one up.
"Oh, it's charged?" Gwen asked half-surprised before deciding to spend a bit of extra money.
As she walked out, she stared at the big headline of the newspaper, 'MISSING BUGLE EMPLOYEE AND I BLAME SPIDER-MAN'.
12:02 pm Daily Bugle meeting room, 4th floor…
Today, John made every employee at Bugle bring their lunch to the meeting room where they talk about their work plans daily.
"You all know why we're eating in this room today." John said, "I was nearly a casualty in one big assassination attempt!"
"It wasn't targeted at you, though." Robbie said bluntly.
"Of course, I don't pay anyone if I'm dead." John half-heartedly joked, "I already know that there are people out there who hate Wilson Fisk. But I think whoever tried to kill him feels familiar."
"Oh shit, here we go again…" Ned said.
"Hush!" John snapped before going about into his thoughts, "From what I saw, it looks as if some other lunatic trying to copy Spider-Man has risen up. I'm telling you that masked menace brings the worst out of people!"
"Jonah, take a pill." Robbie said.
"I can't, Robbie. The only cure for this is always open my heart on things!" John said before facing the whiteboard.
"Leeds, tell me you still have those pictures." John requested.
"I have them." Ned said.
"Good. Foswell needs all the evidence he can bring in for that slam-dunk of an article he's writing." John said.
Frederick looked at Ned briefly before facing John.
"Maybe it's a good idea for me to get Fisk's opinion on what he believes instead of the assumptions we're making." Frederick said.
"Sure but…" John said before realising, "Brilliant. I'm proud to have you, Foswell. You're the one person in this team I can count on who can get close to people I otherwise can't."
"Alright, take your food elsewhere! And Leeds… Stay with me for a moment." John said.
As everyone left the room, Ned thought he was going to be criticised more from John about his poor photography skills.
"Leeds. Look. This is about your friend, Peter." John said, "I just want to share my sentiments about him if anything is legitimately wrong."
Ned was taken in by the empathy displayed by John as he thought that he was reminded that despite his crankiness, John is caring towards the people close to him.
"Thanks, Mr. Jameson. That means a lot." Ned nodded.
"I'll tell you this…Me and the rest of the Bugle. We're not giving up on him and forgetting him like he's nothing. He's a good boy and…" John then stopped talking before going into deep thought.
"What is it?" Ned asked.
"I'm thinking…Maybe I should sort this out with the lady who looks after him." John said thinking about the grief Peter's aunt might be going through.
6:05 pm Fisk penthouse…
That night, Wilson and Vanessa returned to the penthouse that they bought.
"I don't know about this house, Wilson." Vanessa said concerned.
"I do and I won't let them stop me…Stop us." Wilson said as the car parked in front of the house.
As soon as the car stopped, Wilson paid the chauffer and escorted Vanessa out of the vehicle. He unlocked the door to this house where there was nothing but dead silence and darkness. Wilson then turned on the lights before walking to the living room.
To his shock, Wilson found a sleeping Miller Warren on the couch with his shoes on the furniture. Miller slowly woke up before Wilson furiously grabbed him and slammed him against the wall.
"Who are you?!" Wilson asked.
Miller who had woken up completely from Wilson's anger began to slowly speak out his words.
"Finally, I was waiting to speak to you." Miller answered.
"Waiting? What kind of a person are you to slip into my house undetected? Where was the security in this house?" Wilson asked.
"They're fine. I just did some things with a little bit of restraint." Miller said, "Let me go and I'll show you."
Wilson let Miller go and watched as he stumbled his way to the good pantry door. Opening the door up, a bound and tied up security man fell out astounding Wilson and Vanessa.
"He tried to keep me out but I had to insist I stay in." Miller explained.
"And you did this?" Vanessa asked.
"What can I say? Are you impressed, Mr. Fisk?" Miller asked.
"Just tell me what it is you want?" Wilson questioned.
"Well it's something that you may want yourself." Miller said with a smile, "I want you to have someone who can help you with the spider dilemma you are facing."
"If you are referring to Spider-Man then he's already taken care of as we speak." Wilson replied.
"Oh no…I meant the grotesque spider creature you keep at the Raft." Miller said referring to Man-Spider.
"What about it?" Wilson asked.
"I know how to study it. I'm the one responsible for its creation." Miller explained.
"You created it?" Wilson asked with curiosity giving him pause.
"Yes. I'm Professor Miller Warren. By the way." Miller introduced.
"Whatever proposal you are offering, I'm declining." Wilson said looking at Vanessa in concern behind him, "You are going to have to leave."
"Leave? I need to explain first." Miller said.
"You won't need to explain anything to me. You came into my house uninvited." Wilson said before attempting to drag Miller away.
"I sent that voicemail to you!" Miller said as he tried to struggle against the tight grip of Wilson's hand.
"I need this chance please!" Miller pleaded as Wilson dragged him to the front door.
Vanessa watched as Wilson dragged Miller by the neck and continued watching Wilson drag him until he furiously threw Miller out of the front gate once it was opened. Wilson then returned back indoors and looked at Vanessa.
"It's alright, Vanessa." Wilson said, "We're going to be safe."
Meanwhile the force from Wilson's throw broke Miller's glasses. Miller laid helplessly on the ground and looked at his glasses. Inside him, his heart started beating and a consciousness in his mind began to snap. As this happened, droplets of rain began to hit the ground as well as a thunderstorm brewed.
7:30 pm Stacy residence…
The Stacy family were all together on one big dining table eating their food silently in hindsight to the rain that was happening outside. That was until George started talking.
"Believe me, this storm is going keep us together." George said before talking to Simon next.
"How's school today?" George asked.
"Meh… Except that time in PE when Brandon got hit by a ball during dodgeball." Simon replied.
"Ah, so that bully you say finally got a bit of comeuppance." George said.
"I didn't throw the ball." Simon replied again.
"Ah, that's too bad. Hey, um… Gwen. You okay there?" George asked as he noticed playing Gwen with her food.
"Oh, I'm okay." Gwen said, "I'm considering Columbia University by the way."
"Oh, that's nice to hear. I'm noticing that you're looking down a lot of the times." George said.
"It's not depression, dad. I promise you…" Gwen assured, "I'm in deep thought."
"Okay then…" George answered before giving his wife, Helen a smile.
After a few more rounds of eating, George started talking again.
"My case that I'm working on has gotten a big update." George said.
"Oh really, George?" Helen asked.
"Yeah… It's more connected to Wilson Fisk's big election by the way." George said, "I'm correlating the attacks at F.E.A.S.T. with the recent assassination attempt made on him."
Gwen's heart paused as she began listening in on her dad's words.
"You see…I think there's a hidden cult around here that's building its way up. I think there's a hate group for Fisk out there. After all, Fisk's ideology is…" George attempted to explain.
"Alright, George. Let's not talk politics here. The kids and I are quite bored about it." Helen said.
"Oh no, it's just some things have got me thinking." George said, "And our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man hasn't been around lately."
TO BE CONTINUED…