HATRED REAWAKENED

As the Avengers take on the Zodiac, New York City police officers at still directing panicky masses of people into the lower levels of the city, trying to get them off the streets and out of the crossfire of this superhuman brawl. Leading the police was that of the grey-haired, steadfast Captain George Stacy, who takes a moment to look straight ahead and see the battle between the Avengers and the Zodiac. On one hand, he was happy to see Earth's Mightiest Heroes on the scene, as well as seeing Spidey among them, whom he always saw as a true hero. But on the other, he grew worried that the two groups of super-powered beings could actually be enough to tear the city apart, even when one of those groups trying to save it. Moments later, two of Captain Stacy's uniformed officers, one a female Native American in her early thirties named Jean DeWolff and the other a Caucasian male with brown-haired named Sergeant Stan Carter, both approached the concerned George with Jean noticing the Captain watching the battle between the two super-powered groups and thus decides to be the one to address him. "We almost have the civilians down in the subway tunnel, sir," said Jean, who then looks at the battle and was very worried herself, because for the longest time, she always believed that masked vigilantes, such as Spider-Man, Iron Fist, etc. always believed that they were making things worse for the city, despite their good intentions. "Would you like to call the National Guard?"

Upon hearing that request, George turns to the female officer sharply. "No," said the steadfast police captain. "Keep that option open, but not right now." Before continuing, George briefly turned is attention back to the battle. "I think the Avengers have things under control for the moment," moments later, he looks back at Jean and Stan with a serious expression. "In the meantime, let's just concentrate on getting these people off of the streets and out of harm's way."

"But sir..." said Jean, clearly worried about George's decision to let the Avengers stop the Zodiac, and with her opinion of costumed vigilantes notwithstanding, was just about to respectfully voice her objection.

However, Stan soon interjected by placing his hand on Jean's shoulder to stop her from speaking. "DeWolff! You heard the captain! Let's go!"

Jean, after letting out an annoyed sigh, turned and addressed Stan. "Right, Stage." With that said, Jean walked off with Stan to go back to directing the lines of scared people down to the lower levels of the city.

As George watched the rest of his officers evacuate the civilians, he caught a brief glimpse of a woman holding her crying six year old daughter as he made her way past the frantic masses, a sight in which reminded him of his daughter, Gwen, and took a moment to pull out his cellphone, dialed his daughter's cell number, and proceed to call her, who he last had left to go out on a date with Harry Osborn.

Elsewhere, inside the living room of the lavish apartment of the Osborn family, Gwen is standing behind the couch where Harry was sitting and watching the 'high in the sky report' covering the Avengers and Zodiac battle occurring in Times Square on the flat screen TV just as they were watching a romantic comedy film.

Gwen, upon seeing the report herself, grew fearful, not just for how the chaotic scene was and that people could get hurt, but also because she knew that her father was down there, as well as the rest of the police force, and grew fearful for his safety. Suddenly, however, she felt her cellphone vibrate in her pants pocket, thus prompting her to get up off the coach, walk just a couple of feet away from the couch and pulled it out. On the caller I.D. screen, she is relieved and ecstatic to see that it was her father calling her, and without hesitation, pressed the answer call button and holds the phone to her ear so she could talk to her father. "Dad?" she asked quietly.

"Gwen, thank god!" said an equally relieved George upon hearing his daughter's voice. "There's a situation down here, are you still with Harry?"

"Yeah, Harry and I are still at his place," said a concerned Gwen. "But what about you?! Are you okay down there?"

"I'm fine, I'm where I need to be," George reassured her, and though he wasn't too keen about Gwen being in another boy's home, he knew that she and Harry were safe being where they were and away from the danger he was forced himself to tell her this. "We're trying to keep the fight contained, but you and Harry just stay there and if his apartment building has basement or shelter, get down there just in case!"

"Okay, okay, fine just-just please promise me you'll be careful," Gwen pleaded to her father, despite knowing the risk his job always had risks.

"I will honey, I love you," George promised, even though the chances of him coming out of this in one piece were slim at best.

"I love you too, Dad. Bye." As she hanged up her phone, Gwen quickly turned and walked back to the couch to her boyfriend. "That was Dad, Harry does this building have a..." Before she could finish her sentence, she noticed Harry still staring at the screen with anger and sheer hatred in his eyes, causing Gwen to look at him with great concern. "Harry...?"

As it turned out, Harry was focused on one costumed superhero in particular. That being Spidey, who by this time was using his speed and agility to dodge punches and kicks from a blue-skinned, almost amphibious hooded man with the Pisces symbol on the chest. "Make him pay!" Harry thought bitterly as he watches Pisces throw a jumping right legged roundhouse kick, only to have it be avoided when the Web-Head leaned all the way back. "I don't know who you are or want, but I don't care. Just make that wall-crawling freak pay for taking my father from me!"