SPIDER-MAN: THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY (CHAPTER 15)
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS REALLY WORDY AS IT'S TECHNICALLY TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE. TAKE YOUR TIME READING THIS.
12:35 am Somewhere around Queens…
Peter had managed to finish up the new touches for his webs as he swung around late at night to resume his mission in stopping all of the criminal activity that is happening thanks to Hammerhead. He fitted himself a pair of orange rubber gloves that used to be owned by Uncle Ben, who had worked as an electrician.
"Alright, Uncle Ben…" Peter said looking at the gloves, "We're in the end game of this now. Please help me pull through this." Perching on top of a tree, Peter took out the walkie talkie he was entrusted with by George Stacy.
"Deputy? Are you there?" Peter tried saying into the device as it crackled upon being turned on. It took a couple of seconds before a voice replied to him. "Spider-Man? "George's voice groaned indicating that he had been asleep.
"Sorry to disturb your sleep cycle, but I need an update on police intel…" Peter explained, "Heard anything about our fish friend, Edward Lavell?" "Hang on…" George grumbled as Peter listened in on him getting up.
Moments later, George gave an answer, "Our current leads have been keeping an eye out for power plants. They say he's been seen trying to destroy the DB-127 substance by generating enough power to blow the stuff up. If I was still captain, I'd sip on coffee all night till we get through with catching him…"
"Unfortunately, I'm in a lower position and no offence to my colleague who's captain now… I don't think he has the energy to pull through. Our precinct has been destroyed and it's hard going around town getting to our resources." George continued.
"I'll deal with this… You can have your nap…" Peter replied. "Spider-Man, why don't I send you a map of locations that are being targeted?" George asked, "Do you seriously not have a phone number I can actually send to? It'd be a lot easier."
Again, Peter struggled as it was one way his secret identity could be leaked. And even if George was one of the honest cops who believed in him, he was reluctant to bring him into the fold because of the potential risk he could bring for George's career and safety. He also worried the consequences it could have against Gwen.
Peter's Spidey-sense then sprung to life as he heard the sounds of a small explosion, the lights near him all switched off indicating a blackout. "I gotta go…Seems like I have a lead…" Peter said as he switched off the walkie talkie and put it away. "Wait, what?" George said as his voice was muted.
"Better reach the power plant nearby… Should lead me to where he is…" Peter thought before swinging away.
1:05 am Oscorp Power Plant…
The nearby power plant which was owned by Oscorp was a mess as Peter arrived onto the scene. The transformers surrounding the area were broken as sparks flew. Using his flashlight lens, Peter looked around to study what had happened.
"Where could 'fish out of water' be?" Peter wondered as he slowly traversed the environment while avoiding the electricity. As Peter tiptoed around the corner, he noticed a trail of black negative energy that was associated with the Inner Demon gang.
Being near the energy made Peter a little queasy but it did not stop him from snooping around and seeing a broken suitcase in pieces which had bits of energy surrounding it. Peter noted that it was the same grey colour and also made out the letter 'D' on one part of the suitcase.
"This must be the stuff that Gwen's dad told me about…" Peter thought, "DB-127…" Suddenly, Peter felt a little creeped out as his Spidey-sense tingled as if he was stalked by a horror movie monster. A jolt of electricity came towards him to which Peter responded by turning around and held his gloved hands in the air.
The blast ended as Peter stood there and resisted the electrical blow through his rubber gloves. "Snaking up behind me, huh?" Peter said as he still held his hands up in the air. "Sorry you had to see the mess right there…" Eel called out from the dark, "But I had to find a good way to fry up the package."
"By cutting off the power supply of hundreds of New Yorkers? Gee… I wonder what the people staying up all night to watch Netflix would be doing right now." Peter said. "I know I got your attention by doing this. And you're definitely not here to sell your humour against me." Eel said trying to take the situation seriously.
"Well I give that out for free, like all the time…Generally speaking…" Peter replied. "Say…I'm surprised you borrowed a pair of gloves to this fight." Eel said. "Figures it helps with the amount of times you've zapped me." Peter answered back.
Eel shot out another streak of electricity at Peter's direction which Peter dodged. "You don't have to dodge my attacks, those gloves will do the job." Eel remarked. "So far, it's just you and me, Ed…" Peter said. Eel then repeated the same attack to which Peter dodged again.
"So how much is Hammerhead paying you to do his bidding? Is he gonna pay for the damages of this place?" Peter asked as he tried to form up a plan of attack while dodging. "I'll charge him real good for this one…" Eel said attempting to follow Peter's movements.
"Is that supposed to be a pun?" Peter said as he leapt off the top of a transformer before being hit. "It means that I'm not just a simple enforcer for him…" Eel said. "Ah, so do you want to call it quits now, so you can get your summer vacation?" Peter joked.
As the jolts of electricity kept spraying, Peter plotted on how he could web up his foe considering that physical attacks have little effect against him. "Gotta find a way to strap him up for good." Peter thought right before Eel stopped shooting and attempted to pounce at him.
"Whoa, did you grow up being a gymnast?" Peter asked as Eel tried to grab him with his electrified hands. "I've been through a lot of training to earn a suit like this…" Eel said as Peter kept his distance. "Oh, did the Maggia teach you to swim then?" Peter joked before trying to grab out a gadget from his utility belt.
In the midst of searching for a web bomb and a trip mine, Eel sent a shocking punch across Peter's jawline knocking him down. One web bomb fell out of Peter's hands as Eel pinned him down. Noticing the sphere-like object, Eel reached for it.
"Little toy of yours?" Eel asked, "Looks shiny…" "I don't use them unless I have to…" Peter replied while being choked. Eel crushed the web bomb and snickered as soon as his hand was covered in web. The satisfaction turned into disappointment when Eel discovered the web was stronger than usual.
"Da hell?" Eel said before Peter slipped away from the grip as the Maggia enforcer tried to rid the webbing. "Yeah.. Had get some little touch ups for myself, you see…" Peter said knowing he created a new form of web back at home to combat the amount of friction there is on Eel.
Eel was slightly distracted by the webbing which gave Peter more time to figure out what angles would let him tie down the rubber-suited man easily. The quick-thinking mind of Peter's kicked in as he began dropping down trip mines at different spots while circling around his foe.
The trip mines had heat sensors on them which causes them to shoot out webs in reaction to the target nearby. Eel struggled as the webs tied him down, even by activating electrical shocks they would not come off as easily as before.
To add another layer of struggle, Peter threw another web bomb at Eel which splattered across his body and cause high tensile silk to latch on. "So what if you have better webs? It can't last forever and there's no way in hell you can punch my face in. Not while I'm still wearing this suit." Eel said.
"Yeah about that suit…" Peter said before shooting out a string of regular web and running a jolt of electricity. Eel initially felt the tickle of the electricity shot out which nearly prompted him to laugh. That was until Peter detached the web off the web shooter and onto a transformer.
Megavolts of electricity were amplified in the process leading to Eel screeching in pain as he felt his suit begin to melt down. Peter watched as he noted the face mask was also starting to fall apart. He then stopped the transfer of electricity by snapping the string off as quick as possible without letting the electrical shock get to him. This was helped with the rubber gloves he had on him.
Worn down and possibly scarred, Eel looked down and breathed heavily in an attempt to catch his breath from all the electricity. Peter took off the damaged rubber mask to reveal the face of Edward Lavell. "Gotta hand it to you… You must have… Went through so many lengths… To coordinate that big shock." Eel said.
"Well, this is like the second or third time I fought you. Not counting the times I was possessed." Peter said. Dropping off the mask, Peter began to interrogate Eel, "Alright, Mr. Unagi. Since you claimed to be close to Hammerhead… How about you tell me where he is and what he is up to."
Before a direct answer could be given, Peter heard the sounds of Mandarin close by forcing him to turn around. "We're in deep trouble now…" Eel remarked knowing the danger that is approaching. In the dark, Peter saw with his flashlight eyes three Inner Demons carrying flashlight guns walking forward.
"Give us the prisoner…" One member said in English. "Fancy seeing you guys here…" Peter said, "But sorry, I don't think I can give you what you want." "Then you leave us no choice…" The member replied before he signalled the other two men to fire.
Peter dodged and webbed one gun out of the Inner Demons hand before swinging the weapon onto the face of all three knocking them. Using his fists, Peter punched and kicked all three down rendering them unconscious. He then turned back to check on Eel.
"I think one of them got me on the shoulder…" Eel said huffing in pain. "At least, you're alive still…" Peter said attempting to free Eel from his binds. "They don't fire regular bullets, you know?" Eel said.
"Am I expecting something?" Peter questioned. "Yes, you are." Eel replied before suddenly reacting strangely. Peter watched in horror as Eel turned photonegative monochrome for a brief moment before his eyes rolled right back. The next thing, Peter knew was that Eel stopped breathing.
"No…" Peter said as he ripped the webbing off Eel. Holding onto the dead body of Edward Lavell, Peter examined the bullet wound. Examining the crisped up body, Peter discovered the fresh bullet wound. It was still fresh but Peter felt something else as he noted traces of negative energy.
"What kind of side effect is this?" Peter wondered before letting Eel go and standing up. Using the walkie talkie, Peter informed George of the grim discovery, "Hey Deputy, I stopped 'fish out of water'. But I've got bad news." "What exactly?" George asked.
"Mr. Lavell is dead, shot on the shoulder by one of the Demon guys." Peter explained. "That doesn't sound right. People can get back up from bullets to the shoulder." George replied. "Unless your bullets are infused by their magic." Peter said back.
"There's no doubt the Demons are finally stepping up their game. I've been getting word that Hammerhead is trying to rile them up." George said. "Are the other guys we locked up, okay?" Peter asked. "They're all fine as far as I know. Transfer to Ryker's is happening. Kangaroo and Cyclone are specifically considered for the Raft." George answered, "We need a lead on Hammerhead now."
"I'm gonna try punch something out of those Demon guys." Peter said, "Stay sharp, officer Stacy." Peter hung up the walkie talkie and approached one of the unconscious Demon members. "Here comes the big hand." Peter said looking down at one of them.
Peter knelt down and took off the mask before giving one big slap on the face. Peter did so repeatedly until the man got up and tried to possess him. In swift retaliation, Peter jumped back and webbed the hands of his assailant up. "What is it with you guys wanting to mind control everyone, the moment you spot them?" Peter questioned.
The man struggled as his hands were tied up. "Great…Now I don't have any of those webs left…" Peter said realising he used a lot of synthetic mechanised webbing against Eel. "But at least the gloves made it." Peter said relieved that his uncle's belongings were safe.
Turning to the man again, Peter began asking questions, "You know where Hammerhead is? Or where your leader is at least?" "We do not speak to the enemy…" The man answered before Peter punched him. "I thought you guys put me on your side, come on… At least you guys will be happy to see me stop Mr. H." Peter said.
Police sirens sounded nearby as Peter heard police officers drew near with German Shepard dogs barking. "Stay right there!" An officer called drawing out a gun. "Uh officers, you might want to help me. If this guy talks, we can learn where to find Hammerhead." Peter responded.
The dogs were ordered to stop barking as Peter attempted to interrogate the man. "You know how many people I can take down right? Just tell me where I can find any of them." Peter demanded. Finally the man spoke, "The Roxxon Brand Corporation…Hammerhead is stationed there."
For the first time, Peter got a proper word out of a Demon's mouth instead of the crazy talk that he expected from their gang. "Oh you hear that? Useful information…" Peter said, "Anyway, you guys take care of this place. I need to be elsewhere."
Swinging away without any gunfire, Peter made his way out of the power plant leaving all the evidence for the police to deal with. His new goal was to stop Hammerhead for good.
1:32 am Roxxon Brand Corporation Power Plant…
Hammerhead had fortified the power plant and forced the employees there to work under his leadership. He was determined to squash his enemies once and for all by luring Mr. Negative and his gang to the area where he could render their supernatural powers useless.
There were two things that concerned him in which he did not know how to prepare for. There was the issue on Chameleon's whereabouts and also the issue of having to deal with Spider-Man if he comes around.
Two Roxxon company trucks rolled in front of the power plant gate entrance. Hammerhead's men observed that is may be part of the attack the Inner Demons were preparing and loaded up their weapons. "Boss, I think they're here…." One man said in his walkie talkie as he loaded a sniper rifle in front of the gate entrance.
Inside the power plant, Hammerhead waited in the generator control room with Jonas Harrow to give out the order. "Hands on the lever, Jonas. I'm ready to give them a ride." Hammerhead ordered before talking back to the henchman, "Keep your eyes peppered on them and prepare the arsenal."
Mr. Negative himself got out of one of the trucks wearing a demonic mask. "Sir, it's him…" The sniper said as he watched on. "Restrain yourself…We've got something else we can hit him with." Hammerhead said. Swinging his blade around, Mr. Negative was ready to lead an assault.
"Attack!" Mr. Negative yelled causing a group of Inner Demon gang members to get out of their vehicles and start firing. Hammerhead's men were startled before they were gunned down by the Demons. The remaining Demons used the trucks to ram through
"Let them in," Hammerhead ordered smiling at delight upon hearing gunfire through the microphone, "It's time for all of them to take the bait." Hammerhead's men began retreating back inside when word of their boss's orders came around.
1:42 am…
Peter arrived at the scene attracted by the sounds of gunfire and yelling that was happening. "Oh man, now that's a sight to behold…" Peter said perching on top of a lamppost. "Mr. Stacy, I'm at the place." Peter said speaking to the walkie talkie, "Looks like a bit of a party going judging by the flashing lights."
"There's officers coming your way. Also try and keep the employees safe from all of this. They're the ones suffering from Hammerhead's misguided war on others." George advised. "I'll try keep the body count low as much as possible." Peter said before switching off to face the problem.
Pushing through, Mr. Negative's skill in fighting proved to be too experienced for Hammerhead's men as they were cut left and right despite their use of firearms which Mr. Negative's sword blocked.
The Inner Demons were adding much more support as they covered their leader as he marched through the hallways bringing much fear in Hammerhead's men as much as possible. With only Hammerhead in Mr. Negative's mind, the Roxxon employees were left alone as they knelt down and put their hands behind their head.
Mr. Negative then noticed that Hammerhead's men were all fleeing to the direction of the generator room. "Hold." Mr. Negative said putting a hand up in front of his people. Kneeling down in front of gunned down henchmen of Hammerhead's, Mr. Negative looked at the body behind his mask.
He then tapped the wrist on his arm and slowly transformed himself to match the likeness of the man. At this moment, it turned out Mr. Negative was Chameleon in disguise all along and that the real Mr. Negative had persuaded him to take the lead.
Taking off his mask and putting away the blade through negative energy manipulation, Chameleon sought to fool Hammerhead and his people through the technology acquired from Oscorp. Pretending to be wounded, he ordered the Inner Demons to stay behind as he went ahead to see what was going on.
"Stay here until I confirm the coast is clear…" Chameleon said letting his Russian accent slip a little while hobbling to the generator room to pretend that he is injured. Meanwhile, Peter took out some Inner Demon gang members and occasionally some of Hammerhead's men along the way as he picked up the trail of where Chameleon went.
While doing so, Peter instructed the Roxxon employees who were held hostage to make their way out of the power plant. "Head for the main doors carefully, don't worry, there will be police officers to save you also." Peter said before heading down the hallway.
Chameleon on the other hand entered the generator room grasping his chest which caught the attention of Hammerhead's men. "Well looks like Bernie here has made it with just one hole." One man commented. "Take it easy, man. This room is a safehouse for us." The other said, "So long as we keep our distance."
"Gotta speak with the boss." Chameleon said in a normal American accent, "Where's he at now?" "The control room of course." The man said before Chameleon made his way forward. Chameleon hobbled his way up some stairs to the control room stationed on a metal platform.
Hammerhead stood alone casually assembling up a tommy gun. "What do you want?" Hammerhead asked as he slid in the bullets. "The Demons… They're just outside." Chameleon said pretending he was injured. "Oh, then you're gonna love the surprise when they come in." Hammerhead said.
"What might that be?" Chameleon asked curiously. "Take a look." Hammerhead then pointed out in a certain direction for Chameleon to see. Looking at the overview of the generator room, Chameleon saw Jonas help some men fit on some form of cannon blaster on their arms.
"See that? This whole place specialises in electromagnetic stuff. We're gonna strip away all that energy the Demon guys cough up using this tech. Better yet, we vaporise them out of existence." Hammerhead explained before taking note of Chameleon's false injury. "Feeling queasy?" Hammerhead asked.
"What?" Chameleon asked back. "If you've been shot by those Demon guys, you would have dropped dead by now. You know they lace their bullets with negative energy, right?" Hammerhead questioned with a bit suspicion. "On the contrary, I heard that the effects of negative energy vary." Chameleon said without a nerve.
"Where did you learn this stuff?" Hammerhead said walking slowly up to Chameleon. "From your doctor, of course." Chameleon said trying to excuse himself. "Jonas?" Hammerhead questioned before grabbing Chameleon by the shirt and slamming him on the control panel.
"I have a funny feeling that you'd be here. Dmitri…" Hammerhead said knowing that it was not one of his men. At this point, Chameleon could only admit to this deception and kicked away Hammerhead. Pushing Hammerhead back, Chameleon changed to his true self and tried attacking Hammerhead with his plasma knife.
Despite Chameleon being an expert fighter, Hammerhead being a man of control did have some punches up his sleeve. Getting up, he swung his fists around randomly while Chameleon ducked and weaved. The result of the wild thrashing caused Hammerhead hit a few buttons which switched up the generators.
The generators started to cause a strange sound to echo leading to a group of Inner Demons coming into the room to find out what was happening. Seeing the Demons enter caused Hammerhead's men to prepare their new weapons in defence. One man fired the arm cannon which sent out a laser beam of sorts that stripped away the negative powers.
The next thing that happened was the Demon disintegrating as every last molecule in him was ripped away. Seeing this deadly weapon caused the Demons to retreat a little and refocus their strategy as the generators also slowly drained away the negative energy in them.
While Chameleon and Hammerhead were fighting as were the Inner Demons and Hammerhead's gang, Peter had just finished rescuing the remaining Roxxon employees as well as beating some of Hammerhead's men and Inner Demons on the way.
"The generator room?" Peter said as he tracked the sound of the generator down. Using his superhuman strength, Peter broke down the door and was greeted by the sounds of gunfire and sizzling. Peter watched as Hammerhead's men were utilising arm cannons that shot particle beams against the Inner Demons, who were still putting up an equal fight despite their power limitations.
Jonas Harrow looked left and right before fleeing which caught Peter's attention. Jumping up and swinging in the air, Peter made an effort to grab the fleeing doctor. "Oh hey doctor, been a while." Peter said grabbing him and making him feel terrified by the gravity of the swing. As this happened, Peter stuck him onto a wall midway and high from ground.
After sticking Hammerhead's doctor, Peter focused his attention to the men that were attacking each other. Their attention shifted when they saw Peter, "Look out, it's Spider-Man!" Despite the new tech they had, they were the same old goons Peter fought in the past as regular thugs.
Even the remaining Inner Demons were taken care of not only because their powers were weakened by the generators but also because Peter learnt what makes them unique from other criminals. Beating down as many of the henchmen there are, Peter finally could focus on what is important. "Can't wait to tie all these guys up in a neat little bow." Peter said.
Near the control room, Chameleon continued struggling in his fight with Hammerhead who was defending himself good. "I hired you and to think you treat me like a thug in a cheap suit…" Hammerhead growled as he held a hand around Chameleon's neck.
Chameleon attempted to defend himself with a bit of power endowed by Martin Li but the negative energy wasted away as the generators near them continued operating which caused Chameleon to resort to the plasma knife he had.
Even by stabbing Hammerhead, the Maggia crime lord continued fighting not letting the blood spill stop him. While this was happening, Peter got onto the metal platform and close to the control room door. "I have to shut this place down first or it could blow up." Peter said as he entered the door.
Peering down onto the control panel, despite having no experience with the operations, the emergency stop button was pretty visible for anyone to see. Peter slammed down on the button and waited until the generators shut down completely. "Sorry to the people of Queens out there." Peter said completely aware he shut down an electricity power source.
With the safety of Queens ensured, Peter was certain Hammerhead was next. Both Chameleon and Hammerhead fought desperately as they tangled on the metal platforms of the power plant. Fashioning out his silver knuckles, Hammerhead made sure every blow hurt.
Chameleon backed up a little as his former boss loomed in the distance. "That Mister Negative was a smart cookie for sending you here to do the job." Hammerhead laughed, "He understands the idea of appearances being deceiving. Ironic, is it?"
"He sent you a nice fancy suit and I bet he's waiting in a chair to hear the bloody mess." Hammerhead taunted while his forehead bled a little from the fight. "I promise you are dead by the end of this." Chameleon spat as he tried to save himself.
"No, Dmitri," Hammerhead replied, "I'd be alive long enough to clear my name and restore order in this town. While you'll become immortalised as the freak who terrorised countless New Yorkers. I bet your mother is waiting in the heavens… Dosvidaniya, you repulsive puke…"
Chameleon readied himself as Hammerhead began beating him down as much as possible with even his vibranium-laced forehead being used to knock him down. Chameleon's life-long goal of going back to his glory days were coming to an end. "Make sure you head to the lights in the sky instead of the flames down below." Hammerhead mocked as he prepared to finish Chameleon off with another head knock.
Just as Hammerhead was ready to deliver the killing blow, Peter jumped in right behind and shot out a pair of web strings that attached to both the back of Hammerhead's head and back. Tugging the two strings, Peter brought him down and attempted to drag him.
"He's a lot heavier than I thought…" Peter thought to himself as he tried dragging the crime lord. Hammerhead's instincts kicked in as he quickly got up and shook the webs off before turning around to face Spider-Man. "Fancy meeting you again, web-head…" Hammerhead said pretending to be delighted.
"It's over, Hammerhead. I'm bringing you down." Peter replied. "That the best quip you got now?" Hammerhead said rolling his eyes, "I've got a traitor to take care of and many other problems after that. Why don't you swing away? After all, we had a deal in the past."
"That deal didn't include killing him off." Peter said. "Oh right…" Hammerhead laughed pretending he did not know, "Probably should have gone with my personal enforcer in the end." "You mean Edward Lavell? Hate to break it with you, but the guy's dead by the men you hired." Peter replied.
Hammerhead stopped entertaining himself and dusted his knuckles. "Knocking you down will be double the reward for today." Hammerhead said as he charged forward like a bull. As Hammerhead came forward, Peter jumped up and leapt over to Hammerhead's back.
He then turned around and shot strings of web at Hammerhead who began using his arms to shield himself from all the webbing. "Nasty…" Hammerhead remarked as he tried charging at Peter again. "You kind of make a fool of yourself when you charge like that." Peter commented.
With an angry yell, Hammerhead came forward to which Peter responded by jumping and sticking to the side of the wall and landing a swift kick onto Hammerhead's face without hitting the vibranium part. While Peter did land a kick, Hammerhead managed to grab on and throw Peter down from the metal platform.
Peter landed with a thud as he felt some bones crack as soon as he hit the ground. "Ow, my back…" Peter said as he tried to lift himself up. Seeing Peter in this state gave Hammerhead an idea, running back to the control room, Hammerhead attempted to reach his tommy gun that he left behind.
Hammerhead made the sprint as fast as possible before Peter could recover. Grabbing the gun, Hammerhead cocked it and came out of the control room door to blast Peter dead. Peter's Spidey-sense alerted him to the danger to which he quickly dashed away as soon as bullets flew to his direction.
Swinging across to the side and moving himself underneath the metal platform as cover, Peter avoided the firing as he moved towards Hammerhead by running on the wall. Hammerhead stopped firing and waited for Spider-Man to show himself.
"Hey Blockhead! I'll take that away from you." Peter said as he flipped back onto the platform and webbed the tommy gun away from Hammerhead's hands. To make sure the weapon would not be used, Peter snapped the gun into two.
"That's an antique!" Hammerhead yelled. "Well you could have spent money doing fundraising, then maybe you won't be such a bad person, JoJo." Peter taunted. "Without me, Queens won't develop to its full potential. We can never build skyscrapers like Manhattan and the city will be filled to the brim with scum." Hammerhead said walking forward carefully.
"Funny… I think you caused everything that's been going on. You start up a gang war with one of your henchmen and then you invite a bunch of people over only to go to war with them. You've got a bad case of disloyalty for a guy who claims to be making the city better." Peter said.
"That's enough talking!" Hammerhead angrily yelled as he tried to tackle Peter down. Being as nimble as possible, Peter ducked and weaved the amount of punches and kicks Hammerhead threw at him in a narrow metal platform. "Man, you are nuts." Peter commented.
Suddenly, Hammerhead stepped on Peter's foot and grabbed his wrists to prevent any web shooting. "Gotcha!" Hammerhead said before attempting to knock Peter hard with his forehead. Peter quickly used his feet to stop the incoming head before flipping Hammerhead over from the metal platform.
Hammerhead took a hard hitting fall to the generator floor which in contrast to Peter was more serious. Despite being more human than Peter, Hammerhead still stood strong. His clothes were all dirty as well as torn from all the fighting. More importantly, Peter could faintly see the metal on his forehead.
Peter got up and watched Hammerhead attempt to lift himself up. "This is the part where you surrender." Peter said. "You think I'd wimp out right now?" Hammerhead said huffing in pain. "No, but for the greater good. I think you'd save yourself for the better." Peter replied without a nerve.
Hammerhead rushed forward in frustration as Peter took his time to take out the crime lord once and for all. As usual, Hammerhead was all about brute force and tried taking the webslinger down the hard way. To Peter's advantage, the space on the generator floor was wider which gave Peter a huge environment to interact with.
Peter's webs were of great use as he made an effort to stun Hammerhead and put him down. When it was done, Peter could deliver swift amount of blows to damage him. This routine worked for Peter so much that Hammerhead was getting both tired and weaker.
The final blow to Hammerhead involved Peter launching himself with two webs attached to the walls of the generators on each side. With one kick on the jawline, Peter kicked Hammerhead hard. After the kick, Peter thought Hammerhead still stood strong until he realised that a guy like him takes long to fall unconscious too.
Hammerhead gritted his teeth as he fell head down onto the ground. Peter heard the sound of the metal forehead hit the ground when the fell happened and stood behind Hammerhead like he was a samurai who had won the duel. "Thank god…" Peter said before webbing him up.
The next thing Peter wanted to check on was Chameleon. Racing back to the metal platform, Peter found the impersonator lying on the ground hurt. Upon examining his vitals, Peter was surprised that he was still breathing.
Opening up his eyes, Chameleon looked left and right before he saw Peter in front of him. Laughing softly, Chameleon began to speak. "Peter Parker…Just couldn't stay at home, could you?" Chameleon said before coughing, "I have to say…I'm grateful you spared me the quick death."
"I didn't come here to save you…" Peter said, "I came here to stop all of you at once." "Sounds like you want me dead…" Chameleon chuckled, "But killing is not your rule, of course." "Never in my lifetime will I do that…" Peter said. "Oh, but you have to make the hardest decisions sometimes, Parker. We were all born with this choice. Makes me wonder what happens if I go after more people like your Aunt May." Chameleon said cracking a smile.
"Don't you talk about her!" Peter angrily snapped, "Everything you did was selfish reasoning." "Can a person like me who's lost so much in life ever show compassion to others?" Chameleon asked, "Isn't that why I shared my story with you beforehand?"
Peter took a moment of silence to think about those words. "I've been nothing but a tool in my lifetime. Working for others but never for myself. I made the same mistake again but I had no choice. If only you were not in the picture." Chameleon said softly.
Due to being hit hard on the head by Hammerhead's forehead, blood dripped from Chameleon's mouth. "You can rest easy now, Parker. I'm about to pass on from this lifetime. But you can still save me…" Chameleon said, "If you can." Peter watched as Chameleon slump further on the floor.
"Even if he tried to hurt you multiple times, saving him will make the better difference.", Peter's mind thought. On the other hand, Peter's mind clashed with his other side. "He's hurt so many people just for his gain. This is his comeuppance."
Peter's mind soon tethered to not save Chameleon however upon examining the electrical rubber gloves on him, he was reminded of something by Uncle Ben. "Let go…" These words echoed in Peter's mind as he watched Chameleon succumb to his own wounds. At last, Chameleon stopped breathing and Peter was left to stare at the body.
2:45 am…
Peter watched from afar on a tree as the prisoners were rounded up. At least two armoured police trucks have arrived to round up as many of Hammerhead's men as well as the Inner Demons. Jonas Harrow also joined the others while insisting that he was a victim in his involvement. "I barely held a gun, please excuse me…" Jonas said trying to defend himself.
The officers ignored these pleas and shoved him into the truck. Two officers walked alongside Hammerhead who was still in his torn clothes. With not only handcuffs on him, he was also fitted an electrical collar to prevent him from using his vibranium-laced forehead.
"An electrical collar? What am I? Some dog?" Hammerhead questioned as he escorted into the back of the truck. "Mr. Joseph Cavallaro, you are charged with multiple offences ranging from first-degree murder to illegal extortion of property. We have a cell waiting for you at the Raft." One officer said reading his document paper.
"The supermax prison?! This is blasphemy!" Hammerhead called out before the backdoor closed on him. As Peter watched the prison roundup, he noticed George standing afar watching the act take place as well. Peter jumped from his tree and landed close to George tapping him on the shoulder.
George quickly turned around before he was relieved to see Peter. "Well, you sure did heroes work in there." George commended. "Yeah, though it's not without its consequences." Peter replied noting Chameleon's death. George sighed, "We'll see what the news has to say first. I know you didn't kill him. Don't let any of the demises that happened get to you."
"You know… I think I'll go rest now. This has been excruciating." Peter said. "Yeah, I understand…" George replied before Peter took off. While swinging away, Peter stopped briefly to look at the electrical rubber gloves, "Thanks you, Uncle Ben. You've been real good help for all of this."
EPILOGUE
7:45 am Parker residence…
A few days later, Peter's life went back to normal schedule. He walked downstairs rubbing his eyes to meet Aunt May in the kitchen sipping her coffee and crunching on her toast. "Good morning, Aunt May…" Peter said. "Good morning to you, Peter." Aunt May replied back.
Peter opened up the fridge and began searching for the eggs. "I have some news I'd like to speak on, Peter." Aunt May said. After grabbing out the eggs and closing the fridge, Peter listened. "Yeah?" Peter answered.
"I'm unemployed now." May said. "What happened?" Peter questioned. "Martin made the decision to close down the F.E.A.S.T. organisation meaning that there is no place for me to work at now." May explained, "It was very odd and quite unfortunate."
"I have a letter by the way." May continued before going to the coffee table and retrieving a letter for Peter to read.
Dear Mrs. Parker,
I regret to inform about my decision to close down the F.E.A.S.T. organisation here at Queens. Recent times have forced me to reconsider the budgeting. Even though the organisation is closing, the goal of F.E.A.S.T. should never go away. I am blessed by the people we help and the people who come here to lend a helping hand.
As someone who founded the organisation, I am inspired by your kind service to help others and it will always leave an impression for me. For the future, I am more than happy to be a reference for you in case you are searching for a new career. Please stay strong for your own sake and I wish you the best.
Yours sincerely,
Martin Li
"Hey, at least you have a reference. Come on, people will definitely welcome you into new jobs." Peter said hoping to inspire some optimism. "And you?" May asked. Peter said nothing before he gave an answer, "I'll get it."
"Graduation day is coming up soon, Peter. Are you ready?" May said as she went to sit down near the table. "Yeah, it's gonna be amazing." Peter said as he cracked an egg and put the contents into a frying pan with oil. "More importantly, are you ready for that Gwendolyn?" May asked.
"Don't worry, I got this." Peter said reassuring his aunt as he watched his egg sizzle. "Oh by the way, Peter…" May said. "Yeah?" Peter said concentrating on his egg. "I noticed some funny things in the garage the other night. Ben's old gloves are missing." May said.
"Oh, don't worry I needed them for sure. I wanted to test a science theory from my physics textbook." Peter said knowing he messed around in the garage making the tensile strong webs as well borrowing the gloves.
"Well, I guess you better for the exams, Peter." May said, "You might want to check on the eggs by the way." Peter turned around surprised that his eggs were starting to burn up quick and started to panic, "Oh sh-"
8:13 am Leeds residence…
After breakfast, Peter made his way to his friend's house to check if he was doing okay. "Maybe not a good idea." Peter thought as he stepped in front of the doorway. As Peter rang the doorbell, he noticed the family cat, King watching him from the distance.
A few seconds later, the door opened and Peter was greeted by Ned. "Hey dude, what's up?" Ned asked holding the door. "To be honest, not much. I'm not even sure if I should be here." Peter answered. "What are you talking about? Come on in." Ned insisted.
"Oh really?" Peter asked. "Yeah, it's fine…" Ned said. Peter then walked into the house with Ned and explored the inside. The house may be old but Peter felt a friendly presence walking in it. "I'm sorry if the place smells funny." Ned apologised. "Nah, Aunt May's old house was definitely something like this." Peter replied.
As they walked to the kitchen, Peter saw two people sitting at the table. There was bald woman who Peter knew was Ned's mother and Ned's little sister, Mandy whom he had met before playing around with a bowl of cereal. "Hey, mum. This is my friend, Peter Parker." Ned said.
"Ah, the nice schoolboy you told me about." Ned's mother croaked. "Mrs. Leeds…" Peter said addressing her. "Have you had your breakfast yet, young man?" Ned's mother asked. "Oh no, I actually did have my breakfast." Peter replied.
"Uh, mum… Peter and I want to discuss some things privately. I hope you don't mind." Ned said. "Have you washed your dishes yet?" Ned's mother asked. "Yes, mum. My plates are all shiny." Ned answered. "Then go ahead, honey." Ned's mother replied.
"Nice meeting you, Mrs. Leeds. And to you as well, Ned's sister." Peter said. "Bye…" Mandy said waving her hand at Peter before he was escorted out. After the brief chat, Ned and Peter walked up to the basement door outside where they set up the hideout.
"So…Um, Peter. Let me ask… Do you want that old homemade suit back?" Ned said as he picked up King who happened to stroll by. "I'm...Good with the suit I have. Besides, keep that suit safe here." Peter said, "I kind of wanted to talk about something else though."
"Go ahead…" Ned encouraged. "I'm just wondering if you think the Spider-Man stuff is a burden to you as of late." Peter said staring blankly at the basement door. "What? No.. I mean…" Ned stammered, "Why are you asking this?"
"Well first of all… The good news is that all the bad stuff with Hammerhead, Chameleon… It's all over." Peter said, "Now, because of all the people in my life… You, Aunt May, Phillip… Gwen. I have to worry about all of you at once. Come to think of it, does the stuff with your mum interfere?"
"No way…" Ned said dropping King down, "I mean… My mum taught me how to look after her and I eventually learnt how to cope with it. If one of these days she goes… Then I'm the one man only to look everything. Me, my cat and my little sister."
"Hey, I'm here for you. I can help you like anytime." Peter said putting on a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'd say we're both pretty fragile. You're lucky Aunt May is still with you." Ned said while being afraid that he offended Peter. "I get it…I guess that's the problem with Spider-Man." Peter responded.
"Peter, Spider-Man is a huge reason on why I want to keep on going. It's why I want to stay hopeful for the rest of my life and not let everything weigh me down." Ned said. Peter's eyes lit up before asking, "Are you saying…"
"I'm saying that I believe in your crusade. Your responsibilities. They help me through a lot." Ned said. Peter nodded, "I'm so glad to hear that." "Hey, it's not just Spider-Man alright? You also helped me against people like Flash." Ned said feeling a little more optimistic.
"Don't worry…Even my mum tells me that." Ned said smiling. "Well, I don't know what emotion I'm gonna run on, Ned." Peter said trying to hold a tear back. "I know… Since graduation is coming up. I wonder how are things going for you?" Ned asked.
"Oh that… Yeah, I'm gonna sort all that up." Peter said. "Now I need to know who I'm gonna get as a dance partner?" Ned wondered, "I'm kind of worried with Flash though." "Hey I got your back…" Peter said starting to laugh. "Back me up then… By the way, heard he's a fan of Spider-Man too ironically." Ned said.
The two friends then laughed together ready to embrace the future in both their civilian lives as well as with Spider-Man.
9:05 am Chang residence…
Later, Peter went to check on Phillip at his house. To Peter's surprise, he saw Phillip dragging some suitcases out to a car in the front yard. "Peter?" Phillip said dropping his suitcases to greet him. "I don't recall you telling me that you're going on a trip or something." Peter said.
"Oh no…Well, I am leaving New York. I'm actually… Moving away to another state for my tertiary studies." Phillip explained. "What? What happened with Empire State University? Whereabouts are you heading to?" Peter asked.
"MIT…Cambridge." Phillip answered. "What? That's insane…" Peter said in disbelief. "Yep, turns out I have the smarts to go there." Phillip said, "By the way, I heard that you finally taken Hammerhead out and such." "Yeah, it happened." Peter said reflecting back, "I wonder how my actions are perceived."
"Well, I've got this to show you…" Phillip said showing a blog post on his phone.
WAKE UP, SPIDER-MAN IS A PROBLEM
BY J. JONAH JAMESON
As one of Americas and all of New York's biggest voices, I am bringing you the biggest topic that my Jonah sense needs to talk about. For those of you who have been to Queens or live there, I'm sure you're all aware of a red and blue menace that swings around the neighbourhood known as Spider-Man.
This "man" for around three years has been terrorising his local neighbourhood claiming to be a superhero. Everyone believes they're doing good, including the ones who are absolute psychos! And now we must reignite the debate of vigilantism all over again.
Now surprisingly, I want to address some positives. Joseph Cavallaro (aka Hammerhead) has finally been arrested. First and foremost, the Bugle will retract the time he provided a quote to us. The Daily Bugle is a clean industry! So long to one of New York's infamous Maggia dons.
Dmitri Smerdyakov, Mister Chameleon himself has been confirmed deceased. Although because the guy knows how to put on a good disguise, who knows if he's playing dead? Rest assured, my condolences to the families who have lost people to this monster. Actually, the true monster I believe was Hammerhead himself, the guy started up a gang war in Queens for crying out loud.
And for that, Spider-Man. You deserve some credit for bringing some tough cookies down, now onto the rest. This menace is nothing short of a reckless young person who is acting out a child's fantasy. Boom. Boom. Crash. Crash. I understand if you're looking up to people like Captain America or the Fantastic Four, but for god sakes!
You see, there's a lot of makings that go into the best superheroes. Now here's where I stand with this, I started a magazine company in the beginning addressing things like the latest shopping discounts, the latest fashion trends or any other stuff to make life wholesome. Then vigilantism/super heroics started climbing up the hill.
At first, I was baffled when everybody got disinterested in the NOW! Magazine but then I realised this is the new life trend. We want these role models to look up to and we're getting them at exponential rates. But I want people to be smart and recognise what's good for them. So as an upstanding citizen myself, take a note at what I have to say.
Spider-Man is a problem. From what I heard, he's cheerful and absolutely nothing short of risking the lives of many people by swinging around and spitting webs. Not just that, when he does the rescuing, stopping the bad guys or anything…He likes to do property damage!
Which let me ask my fellow New Yorkers, how does this affect your work? Let's take a look at economics. In the recent days, tourism and immigration into New York has gone down the drain after what happened at JFK airport. And it's here, that Spider-Man amassed his rogues gallery. Encouraging his foes to take up some suits and be more lethal in what they do.
Don't believe me? Tell me if you haven't met the Shocker before. That's right, this yellow costumed foe spawned right out into existence thanks to the actions of the person he's fighting. Don't forget the Kangaroo or Cyclone.
But Jonah, some of these guys existed long before Spider-Man was a thing. Oh you mean people like the Beetle? This guy has amplified his criminal ways and adapts to his enemies making them more dangerous than ever. So Spider-Man being an inspiration to all would mean he's an inspiration to his foes.
On the other hand, Oscorp and Roxxon have taken some pretty big hits thanks to this menace. Oscorp is gonna spend so long doing PR control after Spider-Man and his nemesis crew have been stealing and crafting gear based on their own original research. And just like that, Spider-Man is technically a thief.
As for Roxxon, who are a controversial group throughout history, let's take a look on how the people who work there feel. As many of you probably know, Spider-Man ended the gang war conflict by cutting off the power at one of their power plants. And think how not just the people working there have lost their jobs but also the upstanding New Yorkers who need the precious electricity in their lives. But at least, we know exposed an illegal power source at the power plant, right? Wrong!
So to all you people out there, think before you make 'memes' of him or use him for merchandising purposes. This is a problem, wake up. If we continuously praise him like an upstanding citizen who saves the day then one of these days, he could possibly turn into our worst enemy. Till then, remember to subscribe to this blog as well as read the Bugle.
"Sounds like a big unfocused rant." Peter commented, "Why does Jameson even care about me?" "Never met the guy, but you're a hot topic now." Phillip answered, "Also don't take this guy's words seriously. Believe me, a lot of people have genuine reasons for looking up to you."
"What about the people who are affected by loss?" Peter asked concerned. "I can only hope they understand that you were only trying to do the right thing." Phillip said, "I can't speak for people who might resent you."
Phillip's dad then honked the horn on the car telling him to hurry up. "One minute!" Phillip shouted back before he continued talking. "Oh yeah, this also means that Spider tech support won't be the same as before." Phillip said, "You're gonna have to figure stuff on your own now."
"I can get behind the work. You just send me the specs." Peter replied. "Yeah, you better get that laptop of yours first." Phillip said picking up his suitcases, "See you around, Peter." "Wait, aren't you coming to graduation?" Peter questioned.
Phillip looked back and smiled, "Nah, I've got other ways to celebrate the end of school. Take care of yourself." Peter watched as Phillip got into the back of the car before watching him drive away to his own future ahead of him.
9:35 am The Raft…
Hammerhead fumed about in his cell sporting an orange prison suit. The electrical collar was still wrapped around his neck as he pounded the transparent cell door with his bare hands. The guards around his cell watched as he muttered curses beneath his breath.
Even his vibranium forehead served no purpose in escape as the prison door reflected the blow through some form of energy force-field. "We have a visitor for Mr. Joseph Cavallaro." A guard said walking into the area.
Hammerhead then turned his attention to the person approaching him. From the shadows, it was none of other than Martin Li himself. "Please let me talk to him privately." Martin said looking at the guards at both sides.
The guards did as they were told which surprised Hammerhead. "I've been practicing my powers as of late." Martin said, "I would have been much happier to see you not locked up in this cell." "You mean free?" Hammerhead questioned.
"I mean dead. You and your Maggia filth deserve to brought to unmeasurable levels of pain." Martin stated. Hammerhead laughed before speaking, "Take it up with him. I have nothing to do with the freak you are today." "I will. But seeing you trapped behind this wall is the first step to victory…" Martin replied.
"Please…Spider guy aided you, didn't he?" Hammerhead questioned. "Your incompetence as a leader paved way for that victory. Manipulating your former and weakened assassin you waged petty war on was key into taking you and the Maggia out." Martin said.
"You do realise the Maggia is more than just people in suits?" Hammerhead asked raising an eyebrow. Martin responded by touching the prison door and conducted waves of negative energy into Hammerhead's cell. Hammerhead yelped in pain before kneeling down once the negative energy disappeared.
"I have some business to attend to." Martin spoke before walking away, "See you in hell." As Martin walked away, Hammerhead slammed his fists on the floor in fear that everything will be taken away from him.
10:05 am Stacy's Private Investigations…
In his Spider-Man costume, Peter visited a new venue he heard of based on George Stacy's resignation from the NYPD. Stopping by on the street, Peter saw George standing on the footpath attempting to light up a cigarette. Landing onto a street lamp, Peter began conversing.
"Smoking? Really?" Peter asked. "I'm not an active smoker but I need to refresh my mind a little." George said putting away the cigarette pack. "There's always fresh air, Mr. Stacy." Peter replied before looking at the recently renovated building in front of him.
"So, you quit the police department for some small shop?" Peter questioned. "It's a private investigation firm that I'm putting my soul into." George explained, "I want to do a job that I can work on my own pace with. That's not to say I hate the NYPD though." "Cool, anything special?" Peter asked.
"Yeah, unless someone needs my help. I've got all the time to worry about my family more and I've got to thank both my brother at London as well as you for helping me to settle on this." George stated. "Your brother?" Peter asked again. "That's right. My brother from London takes the same job I'm about to do." George said, "We really kept Queens safe, you know?"
"I know. Apart from Jameson, I heard people are calling me stuff like amazing or spectacular. Flattering, but it's really nothing." Peter stated. "Please… Don't let those people get to you. I think you deserve those titles regardless if you think you're worthy or not. " George assured, "Oh, I have something for you."
George then pulled out a stapled hand drawn comic book for Peter. "My son completed this and said he wanted to give this to you." George said. Peter grabbed the comic and flipped through the pages. "Wow…Can we print these out in high definition?" Peter asked. George laughed before taking out his phone.
"Today, my daughter is graduating from high school. I need to check on her." George said dialling the phone. "Okay, I'll guess I'll go elsewhere." Peter said. "You take care of yourself, Spider-Man." George said listening in on his phone.
10:40 am Stacy residence…
Even though he had met the family, Peter felt nervous approaching the doorway and it was technically the first time he had ever been to the house. Knocking on the door, Peter was greeted by Simon Stacy. "Oh, look who it is…" Simon said, "Hey Gwen! Your boyfriend's at the door."
Peter heard the sounds of music playing as he stepped into the house, more importantly it sounded like drums were being played. "She's down at the basement by the way." Simon said before going away to do his thing.
Peter opened up the door to the downstairs and followed the beats of the drums while rock music played. As he tiptoed down the stairs and was surprised to see Gwen jamming on a drum base kit with headphones on. When Peter moved down further, Gwen was alerted.
"Oh hello there, Peter. Sorry I was just…" Gwen said putting away the drum kit as well as turning off the music. "I am literally stunned at what I just saw." Peter answered. "Yeah, I don't think I told you about playing the drums before, didn't I?" Gwen replied, "Why are you here?"
"Uh…To see if…" Peter stammered. "To see if I'm ready for graduation? My dad was just asking me about that. I'm all set for that." Gwen said. "Okay…Um, now I feel a little awkward. I think I should go." Peter said about to leave.
Gwen then grabbed Peter's hand, "Come on, don't you want to chat for a while. I could share my music backstory." Peter then accepted and listened. "You know… Back then, MJ and I both love music. She had a pretty great voice while I was a fan of certain bands which led me to playing those drums." Gwen explained.
"Oh, I heard her sing before." Peter stated. "Yeah, anyway. We actually wanted to start a music group together. She wanted our group to be called the 'Em Jays'." Gwen said. "Wow. Really?" Peter asked puzzled. "Yeah, it was her idea. But I'm kind of sad we never grew the band even further." Gwen said in a sad tone.
"Were there other people in the band as well?" Peter wondered. "Oh sure, we considered some candidates. Like Cindy Moon or Sally Avril to people like Jessica Jones." Gwen said. "Man, I'm wondering about the soundtrack now." Peter said.
Gwen then saw Peter look as if he misses Mary Jane. "Hey…" Gwen said placing a hand on Peter to confront him. Peter looked up and stared at Gwen in the eye. "Peter, I know she meant a lot to you as she did to me. Do you think…We can move on?" Gwen asked.
"You mean forget about her?" Peter wondered. "No… I mean…" Gwen tried to speak out until Peter realised what she meant. "I think I know what you mean…" Peter stated. At it was at that moment, Gwen summoned the courage to put her lips onto Peter's. Peter felt comforted and relaxed feeling like he was entering a new stage of happiness. Once Gwen let go, Peter licked his lips tasting the fruity flavour, "Sweet." "Guess we're good for graduation then…" Gwen stated.
4:30 pm Parker residence…
Coming back home after a day going around town as well as swinging around Spider-Man, Peter was prepared to dress up and go to Midtown High. Just as he got back inside his house, he saw a strange and funny old postman putting in two letters into the mailbox.
The postman turned around to see Peter and greeted him. "Ah, you're Mr. Parker are you?" The postman asked. "Uh…Yeah." Peter replied. "These letters are you, young man." The postman said grabbing the letters out of the mailbox and giving them to Peter.
"Have a good one. And remember: excelsior!" The postman said before walking away. "Excelsior? What?" Peter wondered before opening up the letters. Peter then opened up the first letter to see what was in it.
Congratulations on your graduation. -Signed Osborn
"I wonder which Osborn it is though." Peter thought before moving onto the second letter. The second letter made Peter's heart light up a little.
Dear Peter,
How have you been? I hope you've been doing well back at New York. I know that you're moving on from high school to college or university. It must be exciting. I wish I was there though.
I've been all over the world as of late modelling and stuff. It's exciting but both exhausting. I don't mind though, I'm pretty happy. You should really see the places I went to. Anyway, whatever is happening in your life right now. I hope you're happy as I am.
In fact, why don't we try connecting with each other on social media? There's a lot we can go over.
I miss you,
MJ
"Someday then, MJ. We'll talk soon." Peter sighed before finding a photo of her attached on the letter looking dazzling as ever in her white dress and hat on the grasslands. She was still as beautiful as ever.
6:00 pm Midtown High School…
Aunt May drove both Peter and Ned to the high school where a number of students were lined up in front of the school entrance. "Okay, thanks Aunt May." Peter said kissing her goodbye. "Bye, Aunt May." Ned said as he followed Peter out of the car.
"Take care, you two. Don't drink too much." May stated before she drove off. Peter and Ned were dressed up nicely together as they walked to the school entrance. "Well, if it isn't Parker and his fat little Hobbit sidekick." Flash said taking notice at the two.
"Just ignore him…" Peter said to Ned as they went to the school entrance. "Aw, come on. Why are you guys ignoring me?" Flash asked. "Cause you're clearly trying hard to be like Spider-Man, right Flash?" Ned asked.
"What's wrong with that? Of course, looking up to him is no big deal." Flash said rolling his eyes, "By the way, have fun time tonight, you dickwads." As the two of them made it inside the hallway, they were greeted by faces like Principal Harrington as well as Mr. Warren.
"Okay, I'm gonna see if I can find Gwen." Peter said. "Yeah, and I'll go finding if anyone wants to dance with me." Ned stated. "Don't get kicked in the balls for anything, dude." Peter said patting Ned on the back before searching for Gwen.
Going through the crowd of students, Peter found Gwen chatting with her friend Cindy. "Oh, here he is." Cindy said before walking away. Peter was impressed by the red dress Gwen picked out. "I like your hair, your dress and eh…" Peter stated. "Likewise." Gwen nodded before taking Peter's hand.
"So how are you holding up now?" Peter asked. "Just like I said back at home…" Gwen said. Peter's phone then buzzed which prompted Peter to find out why. There was a message tipped by an anonymous caller saying, 'Shocker is back. Trouble at Kew Gardens.'
"Um… Could you let me go for a second?" Peter asked. "What?" Gwen asked back. "It's really urgent." Peter said excusing himself and running away leaving Gwen puzzled.
6:45 pm Kew Gardens Queens Community Bank…
Shocker was back on the streets after being released on parole. Out of all the criminals locked away, the sentence for Herman was short. Walking out of the bank, Shocker carried two bags of cash and was prepared to go away. The bank employees cowered in fear as they let him walk past.
Jumping onto a lamppost as Spider-Man, Peter greeted his yellow costume wearing nemesis. "Herman, back to business as usual. Who are you working for this time?" Peter asked. "Ugh, go away…" Shocker grumbled dropping the two bags.
"Come on, Herman. Surely there's a good reason why you are stealing again." Peter said. "It's for myself. I'm never working for anybody again but myself. I need the money, now go away." Shocker replied. "Ah, but you do realise that's one way to go back to a cell right?" Peter asked.
Shocker was agitated despite the mask covering his face. "I see you've copied my eye lens. Was that intentional?" Peter asked. "No, it's better this way!" Shocker stated before deciding to launch an air blast at Peter.
Peter slid down the lamppost as it was knocked down on the ground. "You know, I think you really helped me out in my life." Peter cheerfully said. "What are you talking about?" Shocker asked. "Ah, you know. Like the fact, I made this suit thanks to you and…I also learnt that bad guys in teams usually don't go well because they're just bad…" Peter stated.
Shocker had enough and started blasting Peter once more to which Peter dodged. "You're a good boy, Herman. Surrender now and I promise your jail sentence will be half the number of the days the police will charge you." Peter demanded.
"I don't trust you. As soon as I'm done, I'm leaving town." Shocker said. "But it is me, Herman. The old me not the negative me." Peter said before engaging Shocker in battle. "I guess this is the great responsibility of being Spider-Man." Peter thought as an incoming air blast was fired.
THE END…
Note: Congratulations on reaching the end of the story. It's been a tough but rewarding journey for me to complete it. Of course, this is not the end of the saga as I do have some plans on what I want to do next. Feel free to ask me anything and stay awesome.