Ring. Ring.

I paced back and forth along the rooftop, ignoring the throbbing, sharp pain in my right hand. I couldn't care less about it; it would get treated later and it was healing on its own. But Dad…

I should have gone back to the ambulance earlier to check where he was. I shouldn't have talked to that police officer. Now I didn't know where he was and I didn't know what to do.

Ring, ring.

I looked back down at the street. People didn't know I was here, watching my world begin to crash around me. I had known that being Spider-Man was dangerous, that it would hurt the people around me if the whole world knew who I was, and all of this had proven me right.

I was such an idiot. I should have tried harder to escape when I was kidnapped. Especially since I could have gotten out, but I had listened too hard to my stupid spider-sense. I should have gotten myself free, no matter the consequences, before I was unmasked.

Because this wasn't about me anymore. It never was. But stopping crime had put me on too many peoples' radar and now-

Ring, ring.

My breath hitched as I swallowed the sob. I would blame it on my new wound, not the swirling cloud of emotions hanging like an anvil above me.

Dad got shot in the foot. Because I'm Spider-Man. Simple as that. I craved so hard to wake up, find that the kidnapping had been a fever dream. It wasn't. It never would be.

If I had never been Spider-Man to begin with...

I couldn't stop, though. I couldn't! I had to face Kravinoff, at least. He would kill Mum and Dad if I didn't participate in his sick game. But I couldn't not stop OWL, either. They were experimenting on humans and I had to shut that down, as much as I wanted to block the image of that man out and never think about it again.

I have to stop it. Whatever it takes.

Ring, ring.

Click.

"This is Rio. Give me a call back or leave a message and I'll be back to you as soon as-"

I ended the call, leaned against the closest wall and crumpled into a ball. This was all my fault.

I took a deep breath. I couldn't stop now, I had to keep on moving. If I went back to the warehouse and checked out what had happened to the lab, maybe I would see what my next move was.

Alchemax was working with OWL, there was no doubt about that. So, maybe if I targeted Alchemax instead of OWL they would let that pass? Oh get real, they wouldn't care. They just wanted me to stop getting involved. But I couldn't stop, not if they were experimenting on humans using my DNA.

But if I was captured, if I was stupid like last time and fought fifty scientists at once, then what little protection Mum and Dad had through me was gone. Kaput.

I put my head in my hands. I was Spider-Man, I could figure this out. The real Spider-Man, Peter's Spider-Man, always came out on top.

Except when Peter hadn't and had died at Kingpin's hands.

I swallowed my hysterical laugh. Think, think. I couldn't take Alchemax down on my own, but Alchemax could be shut down by, say, the government if malpractice was shown. If I got the evidence that they had been the ones to kidnap me and that they were experimenting on humans, that would be one thing out of my hair.

Since they were working with OWL, there should be some sort of lead into where the OWL had set up base. Leland Owlsley was at the top, right? So if I linked him to Alchemax and the human experiments, and anything else he was up to, it would crumble down with him. No more replacement Kingpin situation.

Simple, right?

I took a deep breath, wiping away my tears. I still didn't know where Dad was, he hadn't picked up his phone either, but I would know soon enough. If I went to Alchemax first, got my evidence and then left, enough time should have passed that either Dad was home or he would pick up his phone. Yeah, that would work.

Maybe then I could stop by May's and get the new suit, so it wouldn't be as easy for skeleton guys to stab me through the hand.

I absently looked at the wrappings. It hurt like hell, and I should probably get it treated now… but it would be fine if it waited a bit.

Now-

Ring, ring.

I jolted, picking up my phone. Unknown caller. Maybe it was Dad, or the hospital? I wiped my face and before the third ring could end, I picked it up.

"Miles Morales," the person on the other end cooed, like I was a child. The hairs on the back of my neck jumped up.

"Yeah?" I said, slowly getting up. My spider-sense wasn't going off, but I felt like it should have been. This? This was just a bad gut feeling.

The person tittered, "You've been booked in for an appointment with Mr. Fisk at Fisk Tower. Such a shame you're late, he wanted so badly to see you."

My hand clenched beside me. "Is this a joke?" Fisk was supposed to be in jail.

"Of course not, no one wants to waste anyone else's time in this business. Come by as soon as you can, and he'll see you," they told me. Before I could ask any other questions, the line went dead.

I reluctantly pocketed my phone. The horrible gut feeling sitting in my gut got worse, if that was even possible. I hadn't known he had been let free from jail. Surely that would have popped up on my radar? Why hadn't it?

I stepped forward onto the ledge. Either way, I had to know what Fisk wanted.

I buried my head in my hands and paced. If I didn't go and see him, that might bite me in the ass later. But it could also be a trap. But maybe I should go anyway, see what he wanted.

Worst case scenario, I can just kick a window in and get out of there. I took a deep breath and began swinging.

The new Fisk building was tall, shiny and pretentious. I couldn't help my scowl at the very sight of it. Nevertheless, I walked through the lobby and to the front desk, ignoring the astonished looks following my every move. I kept my head held high.

The lady at the desk barely even blinked at me. "Here to see Mr Fisk?" She drawled, typing rapidly into her computer.

"Yeah, turns out I have an appointment," I said, looking around. There were security guards everywhere. I wasn't surprised, but it did put me on edge.

She pointed with her thumb, "fourth elevator on your right. He'll be right with you."

I nodded and strolled over to the elevator. I felt like I would trip on thin air or something equally embarrassing any moment now. I was torn between watching my feet and making myself smaller and puffing my chest out and showing I wasn't afraid of Fisk.

I was sure, to the onlookers, I just looked dumb. Like a little kid wearing his dad's suit. Actually, I kind of wish I was wearing a business suit because at least then I'd fit in a bit more. The mental image of wearing a suit over my spider-man costume made me snort. The tension released from my shoulders.

Fisk already had a criminal history - what could he possibly do to me? Nothing, because I was Spider-Man and had already beaten him once. I could totally do it again! One hand skewered or not.

I stepped into the elevator, no one following me in. There were only two buttons, up and down. Guess this was a super special elevator.

I pressed the button up and stepped back from the doors, leaning against the walls. I absently picked up at the wrappings around my hand. I really did need to replace these soon - the webs would only hold on for an hour before dissolving. And also it needed to be treated and all that.

I wondered what they were thinking at school … meh, any school work I can just make up tonight. If another villain doesn't pop out of the woodworks to try and threaten me too, that is. They knew I was Spider-Man, it would be fine. Besides, 'my Dad got shot' is a stellar excuse if there ever was one.

It wasn't like I was trying to skip school, it's just that things happened. My track record so far was pretty clean, at least?

The elevator pinged, the doors opening wide to a big open space with a desk on the far side by the windows. There was nothing in between me and the desk to warrant this waste of space. Honestly, you could fit my apartment in here! Rich people, gross.

And sitting behind the desk, pudgy head sticking out of his square body, was Fisk in all his glory. I strolled up, folding my hands and hiding my injured one.

Fisk grinned at me, teeth and all. "Miles Morales, the newest Spider-Man. I never got the chance to... congratulate you on taking down my tower and plans last year."

I shifted my weight from one foot to the next. Yep, still hated this 'villains knows my secret-not-so-secret-identity' thing. "Yeah, thats me. Why are you making appointments for me without my knowledge? Like, dude, it's a school day."

He shifted forward, clasping his hands together. "When you're in the business I am, you tend to hear about what your colleagues are up to. Like, threaten people, for example."

I narrowed my eyes, "What, getting all chummy with The Owl now? Should have known."

His grin got even toothier, somehow, "Oh, no, at all. The Owl is trying to take over my terrority. Bad for business."

"I don't get it," I began suspiciously, shifting one foot back with tense anticipation, "We're enemies. You tried to kill me last year. Why am I up here in your cozy tower talking to you? Why shouldn't I try to get you arrested right now?"

That brought a chuckle out of Fisk. It was ugly. It sounded like a small, bright-eyed bushy-tailed animal getting hit by a pick-up truck and smeared across it's grill. I barely suppressed my shudder.

"We have common goals, and I can help you," he finally said.

I squinted at him, "With what? My homework?"

"Don't be stupid," he spat. He sat up and straightened out his suit, scowl easing off until something resembling pleasant. It was like putting a bowtie on a tiger. It's still not a kitten - we can see the jaws of death. "No. I can protect you, your family and your school. In exchange, you will stop The Owl when I cannot. Do we have a deal?"

I turned away. Protect everyone I care about… stop Owl… but work for Fisk. A bad guy and one of my enemies at that. But they do say 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.' "What if I refuse?" I asked, peering back at him.

He leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "I know where your family is. I can easily track them, kidnap them, torture them. We don't want anything… unsavory to happen to them, now do we? After all, you took my family from me."

A shiver ran down my spine. I scuffed my foot on the carpet a couple of times. There was no way I should take this offer. But, I already had too many people gunning for Mum and Dad. I knew that The Owl probably had many contacts, like skeleton guy, and who knew about that Kravinoff guy. But Fisk? Fisk was the Kingpin of New York. He was in every criminal underbelly. He was everywhere. And he had the man power to back himself up.

If I didn't take his deal...

Even the thought of Mum and Dad dying, and it being my fault, made my stomach twist in knots and my throat close up. I couldn't let that happen. If only Uncle Aaron was still around. He had known how to fight. He could have helped me.

But there was no one. It was me against the world.

I sighed- I had to make a deal with the devil.

"How am I supposed to trust you?" I asked finally. Maybe he would only protect Mum and Dad so he could kill them himself. I had no way to trust his word.

Fisk leaned back in his seat. "Helping you will only help my PR. I want OWL taken down just as much as you do. Think about it, Miles-" god, I hated him saying my name. "You get the protection for your loved ones for doing what you're already doing. Right now? You have none."

"That still sounds like a threat," I said uncomfortably. But he was right. What choice did I have? I couldn't be everywhere at once, and he probably had the police in his back pocket.

...Just for now. Just until I had taken down Kravinoff and The Owl.

I clenched my eyes shut, took a deep breath and held out my right hand. My injured one. Fisk didn't even bat an eye. "Fine. We have a deal. You protect my family and my school and I'll take down The Owl for you."

He took my hand and squeezed, shaking it. I was so grateful that my mask hid my wince as sharp pain tore through me at the motion. I felt warm, sticky liquid start flowing beneath the webbing. Blood. The webbing felt minutes away from falling apart and releasing the now pent up blood. "Good boy," Fisk whispered. Another shiver went down my spine. Creepy.

I took my hand back and left with hardly a glance back. I just wanted to be out of this too big, too fancy tower and back home. But I couldn't go back home, either. I still had things to do.

I knew this had been a big mistake. I should have never come here. God, what had I done?