(Sorry about the last update kerfluffle. Here's another to make up for it.)
"Ok. Breathe in", Spider-Man inhaled, "and out". He exhales and lands in the middle of the armed mob leaving the local First National.
Before the first thug called out in alarm, the hero was a blur of motion. Quick, efficient strikes against weapons and body armor rendered the group defenseless.
Spider-Sense and the Way of the Spider, mixed with a new sense of calm and focus he's been working on, allowed him to flow around the criminals like they were statutes.
The first unconscious body dropped as soon as he finished his attack. The rest fell like dominoes shortly after.
Surveying his work, Spider-Man nods in satisfaction. That was all of them, knocked out without a shot fired. No jokes, but no one hurt. The police stood behind their vehicles in awe.
He looked to the assembled officers slowly approaching from their perimeter. "All your's guys", he shot a web and swung away, "be sure and tip your waitress!"
Well that wasn't too bad he thought, swinging through the buildings. Quick and simple. Everything was coming together.
He had years of experience and his Spider-Sense gave him an edge in any fight. The Way of the Spider was a great addition to his combat repertoire. And he asked Laura for help training to clear his mind recently, to try and get a grip on the 'taking to ghosts' thing. Who knew it would help in battle? Ok, he's seen enough old martial arts films to figure meditation and fighting would fit together like peanut butter and jelly, but knowing that and EXPERIENCING that were two different things.
He kicked butt out there! It was like when he started all over again. No trouble, no worries, just the knowledge that he could do great things if he tried.
The smile he had on his face lasted the entire time he dressed in his civies and walked back to his lab at Marvel Knights HQ.
Getting back into 'work mode', he addresses one of the latest hires for the Science Wing, "hey Mig, what do we got?"
Miguel O'Hara looks up from his microscope and rubs his face. Dark bags line under his red eyes. "This doesn't make any shocking sense."
Peter wasn't sure how Miguel being here would work out. The guy was arrogant around the test tubes, but had the skills to back it up. It's been working out... so far.
"I've run the process against every known weapon and power set of this decade", the future man grabbed a nearby clipboard and was thumbing through the papers. "Unless someone had a Cosmic Cube, one of the Infinity jewels, Molecule Man decided to go on a murder spree, or some shocking mad scientist designed a man melting gun we don't know about, I have no shocking clue how this human soup popped up!"
Peter grimaced over the 'human soup' comment. While accurate, it was disturbing to think that someone or something could do something like this.
"Not entirely true", the other person in the room, someone Peter never would have thought he would have seen again, spoke up.
Peter turned to the lady, "you got something Carlie?"
Carlie Cooper. An ex of his. Mutated by Osborn, she was cured and took off for parts unknown for a time. She came back recently, and Steve grabbed her to work with us, her recent history of superhuman dealings qualifying her for a spot in the lab.
There didn't seem to be any hard feelings, but Peter gave her a wide berth just in case.
She cleared her throat and informed her colleagues. "Several key chains in the DNA appear to have simply, degenerated. The person pretty much just melted into-"
"Human soup", Peter finished for her. Her specialty was Forensics, but she knew her way around some interesting sciences.
Horrible superhuman dealings, and him in particular, was what she left to get away from. As glad as he was to see her, he did wonder why she returned.
"And you found this out, how?" Miguel questioned with a raised eyebrow.
And here they go...
"Scientific investigation. Why? Future boy having trouble?" Carlie taunted him.
"With this primitive equipment? I'm surprised we're all not banging rocks together", Miguel fired back smirking.
"Alright", Peter cut them off. They joined around the same time. Miguel was playing nice until she figured him for one of the Spiders. Since then, he's taken an almost perverse pleasure in snipping at her, and she responds the same way. Peter almost feels like a third wheel sometimes.
"Ok", he says after getting their attention. "We know where to start, that's good. I'll take a closer look at some samples and see if I know something. You guys", he stopped, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He wasn't trying to boss them around, just keep them on track. "Do whatever it is you do?"
The two glanced at him, then turned back to their stations. He technically IS the head of the lab, but they're professionals and didn't need him telling them how to do their job.
"Yeah, uh... ok then", he let it drop and went to his locked lab. With just the three of them, he left the large door open. Inside was various tech that he had developed for the Marvel Knights and for his own use. There was enough of a budget that he could indulge a bit here and there.
Over the next few hours, he examined the samples they had found. There were reports of strange noises and odd behaviors from several people here and there. Suddenly, their bodies broke down into cellular matter. This was too much for the NYPD, so the Marvel Knights were called in to investigate. Now it was up the the three of them to figure this out.
"Peter?" Carlie called from the entrance of his box.
"Hey Carlie", he called back, stretching his arms.
"How have you been?" She asked walking inside.
"Eh, up and down. Things seem to be on the up though lately. You?"
"About the same actually", she leaned on his desk. "Things were ok and I got the last of the Goblin Formula out of my system. Enjoyed some time away. But, New York is my home. I couldn't stay away for long."
"I hear ya", he looked at her face. Not a trace of Goblin left.
"When Steve Rogers offered me a spot on his lab team, I was hesitant. But I thought I might be able to do more good here than on the NYPD."
"Ah. Well we're lucky to have you", and he meant it.
"I didn't realize I would be working with you though."
And there drops the other shoe. "Oh. Yeah, I kind of work here", he scratched his face awkwardly.
"I know", she took a deep breath. "It's, not as difficult being around you as I thought it would be".
Peter was slightly shocked. Last time he had seen her and MJ, they both swore him off.
"I was, upset when I left. The formula may have been messing with my emotions, but at that moment there was nothing I wanted more than to get away from you".
She crossed her arms in deep thought. "I took some time and thought about it. And... s*** happens".
Peter chukled a little at her profanity, and she grinned at him. "Just wrong place, wrong time. I was targeted because I took the time to get involved. You do a great thing Peter. I may not feel like I used to about you, but, I think we could be friends." She held out a shaky hand.
He took it immediately. He smiled back at her, "friends".
They went back to work on good terms.
That's one woman he gets along with again. Last he heard about Mary Jane, she was doing trashy nude scenes in some tv show on late night satellite. Felicia was still evil and ticked at him. And Carol.
Carol...
The mother of his child. He hadn't spoken with her since that night on his roof. He still wasn't sure what he could do about it, but he kept working on it.
His apartment renovations were coming along. Some time this week it should be done. Laura was keeping an eye on it, then after that she'll start work as his assistant. Steve signed off on it and thought it would be a good idea to have an extra set of eyes on him.
May had been swinging by from time to time. She says she's been spending time around the city, getting to know it in this time. He gave her some spending money and told her to be careful.
Aracely had been talking with Laura more. Apparently Kaine came down with something so she's been getting tips on how to take care of him.
Jessica too seems to be under the weather, but MJ has been taking care of her. Pete was having a great time with Doreen and they apparently had a double date with a friend of her's and some guy. Name started with an, M? He wasn't paying too much attention at that point.
No word from Ero, but that was to be expected.
McCoy, Pym, and Banner have been working on the Apocalypse thing. They've kept him up to date, but there wasn't much he could help with at this point. Bobby was fully recovered, but they were still checking on Warren. They did ask if he'd seen Havok lately, but he figured he was busy with the Unity team.
Aunt May... he hasn't looked in on her in awhile. He'll need to build something to keep tabs on her.
Mystique, Logan's book, his unknown possible powers, things have been on the back burner for awhile.
A lot going on, but he felt he had a decent handle on things. For the time being anyway.
"Peter, you coming for drinks?" Luke Cage called out. A quick look at the time told him it was time to clock out. He was so in thought he didn't realize Luke showed up.
"Nah, got things to do", he answered. Luke gave him a knowing nod and took off.
A few minutes to close up and leave and he was swinging through the air again.
Two muggings and a minor villain later and he was ready to call it quits. He was swinging back home, the last rays of the sun were racing over the city, when he got a call.
"You have reached the offices of Banner and Walters. Need something smashed? We're your people", Spider-Man quipped over his earpiece under his mask.
"Peter? It's Steve", Commissioner Rogers announced himself in a serious tone.
"Steve? What's up?" Spider-Man parked himself on the side of a skyscraper.
"There's been another call. Someone reported the same circumstances of the melted victims", he took a breath. "Are you near the Bronx?"
-In a Few Minutes-
Peter Parker flashed his badge and slipped through the cordon line. Down the hallway and into a room the NYPD directed him to, he saw the half melted person slowly dissolving into a familiar pile of goop.
"Do we know who this is?" He asked a nearby officer.
"Yeah", the office turned a few pages in his notebook. "A Mr. and Mrs. Warren".
"There's two?" Peter asked.
"Yeah. The other is in the bedroom. The melting seemed to happen at the same time".
Peter nodded and grabbed a few samples with the evidence kit they provided him.
He then moved to the bedroom.
The body was found on the bed, in slightly better condition than the other.
She was blonde, and probably a beautiful woman at one point. The vaguely human shaped mass still had stands of blonde hair. Peter took a few and put them in a bag.
He didn't know what caused this, and he didn't know what else he could do at this point. He backed away from the body and started for the door before a picture caught his eye.
An older gentleman with a younger blonde woman. Smiling and looking like they were having a good time in some kind of lab.
But their faces...
Mr. and Mrs. Warren... Mr. MILES and Mrs. GWEN Warren.
Clones...
He reviewed everything he could on the case in his mind.
Cellular Degeneration.
The same thing Kaine suffered for years.
What happened to Ben Reily after the last blow.
Something has been affecting clones, breaking down their genetics, turning them into piles of DNA mess. Something going around the city.
"No... KAINE!"
-Another Apartment-
Carol finished the stir fry she was making and turned off the stove.
There was enough for 5 full grown people, so enough for her and a plate left over for her guest she was expecting.
And like clockwork, the young woman swung into her living room.
"Just in time", Carol told her and began setting the table.
"Sorry", the young woman said, letting her mask peel from her face. "Foiled a few petty crimes on the way here".
"Yeah, I'm used to hearing that", the older blonde commented in good nature.
Taking her place at the table she waited to be served. "Heh, yeah. So where was I?"
Carol made her own plate and sat in her seat. "You were telling me about making the basket ball team".
"Oh yeah", the young woman replied. "So dad was hesitant about letting me join, but mom told him it would be alright..."
-Another School-
A dark, imposing figure watches his servants build his glorious alter. Only days remain until-
Hmm. One of his servants have been cut off from his power. This was... disconcerting.
No matter, the survivor has been captured, and his engineered disease had begun spreading through the world, so his greatest enemy will soon be indisposed.
Only time remained. And he was VERY patient.