Chapter 10: Confrontation
(2 days later.)
Spider-Man's P.O.V
Things had been quiet. Quieter than normal, anyway.
After leaving that girl – Jubilee – I had stayed in the city, only returning to the estate for water and a (largely) safe place to sleep. The hunt for a new place to live had kept me busy whenever crime didn't, but I still hadn't found somewhere suitable.
The abandoned buildings would let in rain and drafts at night, which was less than ideal for my new temperature range. Any of the more intact ones were closer to inhabited areas and due for construction work. Underground seemed to be a better option, but the sewers reeked and the noise from all of the vehicles or machinery on the surface echoed everywhere. Unless I ventured further to search, I would be stuck doing rounds of the other areas to see if anything changed. It was either that or I looked further afield.
I took a deep breath of fresh air, resolving to search a different region of the sewers when I got back. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. – John Heywood, 1546." An apt saying.
Landing on a tree inside the estate prompted a twinge in my lower shoulders and I hissed, rolling them once again to relieve the discomfort. "Shocker." I growled. It felt great to get memories back and fill in the holes of who I was, but I could have done without the concussive blasts. The man behind the mask probably regretted it too…
I flinched at the reminder, moving on to the next tree on the way to my cave.
Not everything had been bad – Aunt May and MJ were still moving on with their lives. From what I could see at that distance during the sunny afternoon, nothing had really changed, but at least they had each other. A boy had visited as well – Harry Osborne. A friend. It was amazing to remember someone else from my life who was able to support them.
"A good memory to balance out the worse one." I sighed. "Plenty more to go."
Mentally shrugging the thoughts away, I crept closer to the river, licking the last traces of the Chinese takeaway from the back of my teeth. It was unbelievably nice to feel fuller than I had in a long time because someone had abandoned their meal. The savoury scent alone had made me salivate and head towards the restaurant window, where the simple act of listening in let me overhear it had been sitting there for nearly an hour. As soon as the employees had moved away, I shot a web and snatched it, quickly moving to another rooftop to eat.
I missed the feeling already; the hunger of a crime-fighting spider monster already setting back in, but that meal would keep me going for a while. At least Aunt May didn't have to cater for my appetite anymore. That should help with her bills.
"Aunt May…"
Ignoring things until a later time was becoming a common practice. Focusing on getting a drink was easy with the river close by.
Hiding most of my body in the bushes, I dipped my jaw under the water and managed three gulps before my spider-sense prickled. I tensed immediately, fur bristling.
"The mutants?"
They had been quiet over the last day and a half, presumably underground, but now they were moving in my direction. They must have been out of range and watching on the cameras. One, two, three, four- I stepped back into the forest. "Why are they all out in a group?!"
This was not part of the plan – the show and tell session without the tell was supposed to keep me in their good graces for a while.
"Hopefully," I remembered.
It clearly failed if the rate they were travelling at was anything to go by – they would reach here in practically no time.
I jolted. "My cave." It was nearby this section of the river and there wasn't any time left to grab my things or destroy my web, not if I wanted to risk being cornered in it.
"No." They were clearly on the hunt again, but they could not be allowed to find my stuff. Incriminating evidence that Spider-Man had turned into a monster would undoubtedly be blasted over the new stations by…somebody. My head panged and I shook it away.
"Not important." The group was getting closer. I stared at the stones under the water, mind racing. "Another distraction then."
3rd Person P.O.V
The first step of the plan was obviously to locate the creature, then the X-Men could work on herding it into a trap. Any one of the camouflaged, tripwire-released nets or ambush spots where they would subdue it and then net it would be suitable. Outmatched by Wolverine's claws but resistant to Cyclopes' beams, the thick rope would hopefully be enough for their target. Once the creature was entangled, Beast or Jean would step in with a dose of tranquiliser.
Now they only had to locate it.
Jean and the Professor maintained a mental link with the entire team so noise was minimal without the need for talking, and as they knew their home inside and out, the X-Men planned to search in a formation where they could reach each other quickly if need be.
After nearly a full hour, Professor Xavier spotted movement on a camera. "Team, there is movement by the lower river. I would suggest making your way there swiftly." If the creature had the chance, he had no doubt it would disappear again as quickly as it had been noticed.
Surely enough, as the X-Men drew closer to the area, the grey limb that was sitting in the top corner of the grid retreated.
The Professor returned to scouring the cameras surrounding that section, but there was no further indication of where it had gone. It was disquieting to say the least.
"Crafty," he admitted, "but my team will find you."
"Guys, I think I have somethin'," Gambit relayed five minutes after the Professor receded to answer a phone call.
"Affirmative, we're on our way."
True to form, it did not take long for everyone to gather, as planned. Gambit pointed to what he saw. "Looks like it's been climbing a long time fellas," he said aloud.
There were gouges in nearby tree trunks. Some were shallow scrapes while others were substantially deeper.
Both Beast and Wolverine stepped closer to one set, both having had rather close contact with nature. "This diameter could match what Jubilee saw of the creature's claws," Beast commented, telepathic channels forgone as they were clustered in a group.
"Nothing else could'a made 'em anyway," Wolverine grumbled. "Territorial marks?"
Just as Beast opened his mouth to reply, a growl sounded from their left. Wolverine – the closest – immediately jumped back and the rest of the X-Men gathered around him.
Two red eyes appeared in the bushes, quickly multiplying to six glowing red orbs staring back at them. It was expected, but there was still something unnervingly strange about having three times the normal number looking at them. Yet, Wolverine finally saw his target. He growled, unsheathing his claws and stepping forwards before pausing and taking stock of what was happening around him. Or rather, what wasn't.
Cyclopes' hand was going to his goggles; Gambit had unlocked his staff and was reaching for a card; Storm began hovering, but Beast was slow to react, lowering into a crouch late. Jean, Rogue, and Jubilee didn't even move, their eyes glazed slightly.
"Guys?" he tried, the lack of a familiar link meeting him.
The others were very quick on the uptake. Cyclopes grabbed Jean's arm. "Jean, what's going on?" When she gave no answer he traced her gaze back to the bushes. "It's hypnotising them!"
His exclamation made the rest of the unaffected try and rouse the two other women. Storm landed next to Rogue while Gambit nudged Jubilee. Wolverine did not move, eyes moving steadily between Beast and the red eyes still in front of them – but they were getting smaller, further away.
"That's it!"
"Beast?" he growled the question.
"Hm?"
"Good, you're not all gone. Stay here." With that, Wolverine took off into the shrubbery as the eyes finally moved out of sight, the creature turning and fleeing.
Spider-Man's P.O.V
I didn't want to do this. The marking worked by grouping them all together, and my growl certainly got their attention, but actually making them chase me needed my aura.
"It worked though."
Wolverine did not take kindly to his buddies getting hypnotised.
"Can't blame him."
I crashed through another plant, leading him further from my cave. Somewhere behind us, I heard the ones my aura did effect begin to come round, asking what had happened.
"Jean, snap out of it!"
All except one apparently, but what could be taking her so long when the others had already recovered? Beast was new to it too, but he was fine. The voices continued, rising in pitch as I led Wolverine away.
"What if she can't fix it herself?"
The thought almost made me stop and turn back. I had no idea what her abilities were, and I still had no idea about what my aura actually was, never mind what it could do. It could affect males too – I learned that today, and it can be used in a group, but –
Wolverine was chasing me and a monster couldn't turn around and try to fix something he had just done. Especially when that monster couldn't even talk. The near-instinctive need to help someone faded after I recognised my reality again.
"Way to go Spidey."
I had to hope she could deal with it and focus on the bright yellow problem at hand. Wolverine was doing well at keeping up with me through the forest, but in order to lose him I would only need a burst of speed. That was easy enough to do, except then there would be nothing stopping him from going back to his group and investigating that area. "My cave." Something needed to pull them all into a chase to a different part of the grounds entirely.
They were clearly after me, no doubt about it. On my way to where I marked those trees I noticed ropes hidden amongst the branches. Following them led to the discovery of a net under a pile of leaves. Original, but I shuddered to think what they would do with me if their plan did manage to work somehow.
"I can't let them catch me…but maybe catching a Wolverine would get them all here."
I altered course accordingly, increasing my strides to pull away from him slightly and hopping over the tripwire when I reached it, fur bristled and listening closely to the gruff panting that signalled my pursuer getting closer.
"1…2…"
My spider-sense needled.
"Now!"
3rd Person P.O.V
Wolverine's enraged yell made the majority of the X-Men's heads snap in that direction.
"Logan!"
"Go," Cyclopes said, still holding onto Jean, who was finally beginning to come around. "We'll catch up. Make sure Logan's alright and that it doesn't come back this way," he continued, looking them all in the eye.
"You got it sugar." Rogue lifted off and the rest followed her, sprinting through the path of damaged plants Wolverine and the creature had left behind.
"…Scot?" Jean murmured after a few seconds, blinking dazedly up at him.
"Hey," he said softly, "are you ok?"
"I…I am. What happened?" she asked, straightening.
"I'll explain the details later, but you were hypnotised. Logan drove the creature off but we need to catch up with the others. He yelled out and we don't know why."
"Right." Jean nodded, centering herself. When she looked back up her eyes shone with new determination. "Let's go."
Spider-Man's P.O.V
I climbed into a tree on the opposite side of a clearing to catch a breather after the chase, fur flattened from the force of Wolverine's yell. The crashing of the ocean waves had nothing on that guy.
With the claws literally sticking out of his hands, it did not surprise me that he managed to get free fairly fast. What was surprising was a thundering of footsteps and his team bursting out of the tree line, Jean and Scott being the last to join them, but they were there.
"She's okay."
I only had a few seconds to feel the relief unfurling in my chest before my spider-sense kicked in.
"Is…is claw-guy sniffing? He is, but why? Oh. Wow. That's why."
He had turned in my direction. Heightened sense of smell, check. My spider-sense grew to a drone and I hurriedly scrambled to get my feet under me, ready to jump.
"What is he, a bloodhound? Is that stronger than an actual wolverine or – Whoa!"
He only looked in my direction, but they must have all been linked telepathically again. Nobody said a word as Cyclopes also turned and a blazing red beam shot from those goggles he was wearing. Laser vision, check. Now the codename sort of made sense.
I leapt up, spider-sense screaming as the ray followed me, streaking up the tree and leaving splintered wood in its wake. It cut off briefly as I pulled myself onto an adjacent branch, giving just the barest of seconds for my spider-sense to quiet before it shrieked another warning. I twisted away from another flash of heat, scrambling to stretch for another branch through the leaves.
Just as I touched one and leant over, it was destroyed too. Then I was in free fall.
"A web – something –!"
My fur flattened and I tried to find a vantage point, but solid ground knocked my breath from me faster than I could look for one. I gasped, air tearing up and down my throat as my heart began hammering.
"No!"
I was in front of them. No bushes; no hiding spots. Unobstructed air breezed through my fur, bristling again with the undeniable presence of the mutant group right there.
"They can see me."
Properly.
"What…"
The voice barrelled past my suddenly freezing insides and I managed to get my claws under me, pushing myself up onto all eight limbs and raising my head so my six red eyes could meet them dead-on.
They stood as if they were made from stone.
3rd Person P.O.V
Spider-Man's eyes flicked between them, taking in gaping mouths and widened eyes. His spider-sense drilled into the base of his skull, urging him to move, but he was caught under the same spell as the X-Men; locked in a stalemate where they could only stare.
"What else did you expect Spidey?" he admonished himself as the roiling in his gut grew. "These guys are…"
They were mutants, but not the same kind as him. No wonder they were staring, frozen.
"They're staring at a monster."
A monster that could not sing nor dance but would happily run to get out of the spotlight.
Spider-Man took a step back. That was exactly the trigger Wolverine needed to charge. The rest of the X-Men swiftly followed.
Red eyes widened at the sudden movement and increase from his spider-sense. Adrenaline spiking, Spider-Man turned and rushed for the trees. He could not hurt them; could not fight them when they were only defending their home.
The redhead flew in front of him just before the treeline, so he veered left, but the blue form of Beast was there. Again and again the X-Men blocked his escape while Wolverine kept up a constant pressure chasing his non-existent tail. After avoiding a cautious swipe of Gambit's staff, Spider-Man decided to go over their heads. Literally, by running straight through a suspiciously strong gust of wind towards Jubilee and jumping over her. As soon as he touched the ground he was off it again, leaping to the nearest tree, only for events to repeat themselves.
A red beam obliterated the branch just as he landed on it, and for a second time he was falling to the ground.
He cut off a growl in his throat as this time he was able to turn the fall to his advantage and twist in mid-air, landing on all eights, only for pounding footsteps that had kept up with him this entire time to vanish.
"What –"
There was a faint noise that reminded him of Aunt May whetting the knife for Thanksgiving – Aunt May – that was out of place in a forest. He made to turn towards it –
A substantial weight crashed onto his back in a wave, and Spider-Man's spider-sense went haywire.
Beast's P.O.V
"What is he doing?!"
We had shared the alarm Jubilee had felt when the creature ran at her, yet Logan's response put us all in such disbelief that our telepathic link broke from our combined shock.
"Logan, what are you doing?!" Jean voiced my thoughts.
"This ain't a rodeo Wolverine!" Rogue added from her place in the air.
It certainly seemed like one. The creature had stilled for the briefest of moments before it went completely berserk. With one cut-off snarl it had started slamming against the surrounding trees, long limbs throwing it wildly from place to place.
"We need to get Logan off of it quickly. It is not accustomed to contact and is panicking."
The difficulties with that were that Logan was now holding on with all his might and the creature was impossible to corral. I jumped closer to try and grab a hold of it myself, but the sharp flash of claws forced me away. Above me, Storm swerved, presumably trying to gain an opening herself.
I frowned. "There is too much incoordination."
We were in shambles, running after the creature as best we could as it gradually headed towards the cliff. "Maybe –"
The idea ground to a halt when the creature swung its head, my inner animal rising at the glimpse of teeth as it panted. Then it did something entirely unexpected.
Using its hind legs only, the creature stood upright, like a man.
Spider-Man's P.O.V
"You metal maniac!"
I stopped another growl, spider-sense disorientating in its intensity.
Wolverine's grip still tried to tighten, and the extra pull from gravity alongside his weight didn't help, but a shift of my lower shoulders made his hold loosen slightly every time. This time the movement prompted another twinge of pain right as Wolverine's arms curled tight again.
The resulting throb made me hiss. Bitterly, I could admit it was an effective strategy. "If the recipient doesn't have extra shoulder blades for protection. Now get off me!"
I ran – our vertical position adding another brief layer of confusion. When was the last time I chose to run like this? – and twisted right before I hit a tree, slamming Wolverine against it. The pained grunt made a flicker of guilt flare to life before my spider-sense drowned it out.
He wasn't letting go.
I tried again, eyes scanning for anything else I could use. The group had stayed close, but there was an opening by the cliff, the rock towering above us. "That's it."
I dropped onto all eights again, clearing the distance in a few seconds and latching onto the wall of stone, beginning to climb. I kept my palms as far from the wall as I could, using only my claws so that I was not climbing at full speed. There was no need to show them everything I could do, not when I only needed to get high enough that Wolverine would let go.
Cyclopes' P.O.V
Now it was climbing the cliff, Logan still hanging on to its back. "Wolverine, you need to get off of that thing NOW!" I yelled. It was climbing rapidly, Storm and Rogue hovering nearby, but none of us could do anything unless we wanted both bodies to fall. Logan would heal, but that was not the point.
He didn't even answer my yell. Instead, he raised his right arm, unsheathed his claws, and struck down.
The next thing I registered was that the two of them were falling.
"Rogue -!"
She was already swooping in to catch Wolverine, but the creature hit the ground hard. Then it rolled over, coughed, and got up.
"It's like it didn't just fall fourteen feet! What is that?!"
Logan dropped the last couple of feet to the ground just behind the line the rest of us had formed. I found myself lunging alongside Beast to restrain him.
"Let me at it!"
"Logan, calm yourself!"
"We need a plan Wolverine!" I gasped. Our previous plan was already a failure; we couldn't have him charge blindly at the creature again.
It bolted.
"Oh no you don't!" With a surge of strength, he pulled out of our hold and took off after it. I stumbled back but Jean steadied me before I could fall. "Thanks," I gasped as we joined the others in chasing after Logan again. "See if you can reconnect us," I said as we ran. "We might need it."
Spider-Man's P.O.V
"Reconnect." Another telepath? Laser vision, Beast, two flying women, one of which had super strength – she had caught Wolverine like he weighed nothing, two unknowns in the girl and the other man, then Wolverine himself, who was following my scent again.
"Lucky me."
I ran towards the sea cliff. There was no way I would get past the group without a fight and with Wolverine tracking me. "Here's hoping the salt throws him off." If I managed that, putting some distance between us and grabbing my things should be possible. Then I could run, leave like they wanted. Staying in a collapsed building would be fine for a while.
Approaching the area – high tide, waves crashing against the bottom of the cliff – made me pause even as my claws carried me onwards.
The soil here was looser than expected; vibrations spreading further each time I touched the ground. "Not good." I glanced at the cliff edge. "A fight can't start here. That is a long way down."
I ducked into a bush this time, pressing low to the ground and waiting, listening to them get closer. Soon enough, Wolverine appeared and skidded to a stop. The rest of his group weren't far behind and they regrouped while he stepped away and started sniffing.
A spike of giddiness passed through me when he frowned, tempered by caution. "Did it work?"
I almost thought it did, before he lunged at the bush I was hiding in.
My spider-sense shrieked and I moved without thinking, throwing myself clear of those claws. They were not touching me again.
He came after me with another swipe – of course he did – and I hissed before clacking my jaw shut, backing away. Those things were more dangerous than mere claws. With the ability to apparently numb the area they touched, though not completely, it was enough to surprise me and make us fall from the cliff. I was lucky that I moved my arm down from the pointy end before he could actually do some damage.
My back still hurt though.
Wolverine stopped, bracing himself as I realised I was stuck between the mutants and the cliff edge. "Nowhere to go now," he snarled, nearly brandishing his claws. I growled in return, uneasy. My spider-sense buzzed as I looked for a way out of this.
"This was not the plan." Why had everything gone so out of control?
I would have huffed if I was relaxed enough for it. "Parker luck."
"Logan, stop! You have it cornered and it feels threatened. It might attack if you do not back away!" Beast warned as the sky darkened…really quickly, his team spreading out behind him, cautious. Understandable, but still.
"Would I?"
Strange weather aside, these people were a threat, but it was to ensure their home was safe. My spider-sense couldn't determine motivations after all, but the only option I could see out of this was diving into the sea voluntarily and swimming along the coast until I could pull myself up the cliff further along. It would be freezing though, and as the winds picked up, so did the waves.
I glanced back to the mutants. There may be better chances with them, but I couldn't. I shook my head at myself. "I won't hurt them!"
Then Wolverine growled and took another step. My spider-sense rang a warning.
A lightning bolt struck the ground between us.
I jumped back at the same time Wolverine did, landing on my feet. That was an efficient way to separate us, but the earth began crumbling, the direct lightning strike too much for the unstable soil and rock.
Wolverine ran back to his team, but I had nowhere to go.
"Plan two it is!"
I turned to face the approaching ocean. Just a metre or so away from it, my spider-sense spiked. "More danger?"
I twisted my head, unable to see anything significant enough through the falling earth around me. Next thing I know, something heavy hits just above the crook of my right leg as I plunge underwater.
I gasped as pain shot up my limb, barely having time to take another breath as I was dragged to the depths, earth and rocks sinking all around me.