A Storm is Blowin' In
Both Peter and Mary Jane keenly realized the danger that everyone on the ship was in. They didn't have to just worry about his archenemy, Shocker, but his hired men as well. If everyone was going to make it out this situation alive, it would be up to him as Spider-Man.
"We have got to find a way out of here to inform the captain what's going on and try to contact the Avengers," Peter quietly mentioned to Mary Jane.
"Any ideas on how you're going to do that?"
"Maybe, but I want to find out what he wants first before—"
Peter was cut off when a couple members of the ship's crew charged the Shocker.
"People never learn," Shocker said as he fired at the two charging men with his vibro-shock devices.
The blast hit each man square in the chest, sending both across the room. They were slammed into the wall with extreme force, knocking them both out.
"Now that I have everyone's attention again, listen and listen well," Shocker informed the room in a calm voice. "My men and I are hijacking this ship. The cruise line will be informed of our demands very shortly."
"And what are your demands?" someone asked.
"One hundred million dollars or else we'll sink the ship."
That last comment drew a gasp from the passengers who were now more terrified than they already were.
"You see, I had several bombs placed throughout the ship before everyone boarded," the Shocker stated and he held up the detonator. "This device gives me control over each one. I can set them off either one at a time… or all at once. But let's hope it doesn't come down to that."
That wasn't good news for any of the passengers. Suddenly, a male passenger that was close to Peter and Mary Jane began to moan in pain and then grab his left arm. The man's girlfriend or wife, including Peter and Mary Jane, noticed this and went to the man's side.
"Harold!" the woman exclaimed with worry.
"We'd better lay him down," Mary Jane told the woman as she and Peter helped out.
"Try to loosen his collar. I'm not a doctor but I think your friend here might be having a heart attack," Peter told Harold's companion.
"This was supposed to be a stress-free vacation. His doctor recommended this and…" The woman started to sob uncontrollably.
"What's going on here?" one of Shocker's men asked at the commotion that was going on.
"This man may be suffering from a heart attack and needs to see a doctor," Peter told the man calmly.
"Please, I beg you, I don't want my husband to die," the woman said.
"All right, I'll talk it over with the boss and be right back."
The man left and went over to Shocker to inform him of what was going on. It wasn't long that both men came to where the quartet was.
It figures Shocker would come over here, Peter thought none too happily. I have to keep my interaction with him to a bare minimum or else it may tip him off to who I really am.
"Are you going to be all right, sweetheart?" MJ asked, concerned.
"I'll be fine, I just don't like having to deal with Shocker," Peter told her.
Mary Jane had a pretty good idea what Peter meant. Before she could say anything else, Shocker and the man they had talked to were right in front of them.
"I hear someone needs to see a doctor?" Shocker asked, looking the group over.
"Yes, my husband could be having a heart attack. Please, we need to get him some medical attention," Harold's wife pleaded, sobbing a bit.
"All right, you and those two with ya can help take your husband to the ship's doctor. You won't be going alone; my friend here will accompany you."
"Thank you, thank you."
Peter and Mary Jane got on either side of Harold, helped him up and began to take him out of the room. Before they left, Shocker stopped them and approached Peter.
"You know, I've tangled with the webhead on a few occasions," Shocker mentioned to Peter. "If you were really him, I would've had to rough you up a bit before I tossed you off this ship."
"Makes me glad I'm not him then," replied Peter, feigning worry.
Shocker stepped aside to let them take Harold to the doctor.
If he only knew, Peter thought with a smirk as the group put some distance between themselves and Shocker. Luckily for them, the ship's doctor was only a couple of decks below them and the nearest elevator wasn't far so they would be able to get Harold some medical attention rather quickly.
The journey down to the doctor was done in silence, for the most part. Harold's wife sobbed with worry off and on as they went.
Mary Jane was about to knock on the door to the doctor's office when it suddenly opened.
"Please come in," a nurse informed them and brought out a wheelchair and assisted in putting Harold in the chair. "The doctor has been expecting you."
They quickly wheeled Harold in, placed him on an examination table and then got out of the way so that the doctor could do his job.
"Is my husband going to be all right, doctor?" the concerned wife asked.
"I'll do my best, ma'am," replied the ship's physician.
"How did you know we were coming?" Mary Jane asked the nurse.
"The doctor was informed that someone was being brought down who could be suffering from a heart attack. We were also informed about what is currently going on with the ship," replied the nurse.
"I wonder when the rest of the ship will know of the current situation," mused Peter.
"They'll know as soon as the boss wants them to know," the Shocker's henchman informed Peter. "Now that this guy is getting taken care of, you and your girlfriend can go back with me."
He flashed his gun; Peter and Mary Jane knew that he meant business. If Peter wanted to do something, it would have to be soon. I think I have an idea, Peter thought as he and Mary Jane were escorted back to the ballroom, where this whole mess had started.
As luck would have it, the Shocker's goon was beside both Peter and Mary Jane which would make what Peter had in mind that much easier. They approached the elevator and had to press the button to bring the car to their deck. With their escort back to Shocker between them, Peter unfurled one of the Waldoes and tapped him on the shoulder. As the man turned around, with spider-like quickness, he hit the guy square in the jaw, knocking him unconscious.
Peter immediately webbed the man up.
"I've been itching to do that since Shocker's little comment. Too bad it wasn't him – but he'll get his eventually," Peter said as he propped the unconscious man up against the wall.
"What are we going to do now?" MJ asked.
"First, we get this guy out of the way so he won't get back to Shocker any time soon. Next, we'll need to go to the bridge and make sure that the captain has control of the ship and try to contact the authorities. You can help me with that by going back to our room to get my ID card so I can try and reach the Avengers to let them know what's going on."
"Sounds like a good plan to me. I'll make a quick change out this costume because I probably won't be any help to you in it."
"But you look so beautiful… Ow!" Peter rubbed his arm where Mary Jane had smacked him. "All right, go ahead and change. I'll go take our friend here back to the doctor's office and find out where we can keep him."
"I'll be back as soon as I can, Tiger."
The elevator arrived and Mary Jane left to do her part while Peter picked up his fallen adversary to get to work on freeing the ship from Shocker's control.
AN: I haven't been seeing a lot of reviews lately and that's disappointing because I would like to hear what people think of this story. Constructive criticism is more than welcome but please, no flames.