Bitten by a radioactive spider, high school student Peter Parker gained the proportionate strength, speed, agility, equilibrium, and early warning danger sense of that irradiated arachnid. Hoping to use his powers for personal gain, Peter sought to make money as pro wrestler and a TV sensation, but with the death of his beloved Uncle Ben, a grief stricken Peter learned an invaluable lesson. With great power there must also come great responsibility. Armed with his wondrous web shooters Peter struggles with this lesson. Trying to balance an ordinary life with a day job and still divide time to be with his wife and to protect his fellow man. Due to the events regarding his personal life, Peter has given up the role to the one true Peter Parker whom goes by the moniker Ben Reilly. This is the story of The Amazing Spider-Man!
"Changes Part 3 of 3"
Dinah Murray made a series of staggered strides to her apartment when a figure in black crashed through the door of apartment 3B two doors down. She squinted her eyes trying to make sense of the blurry images playing out in front of her, but she was too out of it from the tequila. After she took another step she promptly fell on her face asleep. Across from her Spider-Man fought with the assassin known as Killer Shrike who was trying to carve the web-slinger up. Spider-Man planted his soles on the foul felon's stomach and with the amazing strength of his legs he sent Shrike back out the way he came. As Spider-Man sprung to his feet he made a quick examination of his drunken neighbor then shot out to engage Shrike.
---
Jessica rolled her eyes back and forth as the Editor in Chief Ralph Plasco grilled her about the lack of progress she was making so far. While he was ranting on Jessica saw Ben come in wearing a nice black theme set up with a black leather jacket and red T-shirt to give him a Michael Knight touch for the modern age. Sly dirty thoughts started to creep into her mind as she pictured Ben doing a slow, affectionate strip tease.
"Jessica, are you even hearing a DAMN word I am saying!" Ralph snapped.
"Hunh, uh sorry chief," Jessica apologized.
"Where the hell were you just now? Off in never, never land?" Ralph asked sarcastically.
"No," Jessica replied as she stole glimpse of Ben before looking at her feet.
"Okay, Ben. Here's the situation. Since Jessica here couldn't get any information on the murder of Fisk. I'm going to assign the job to you," Ralph said.
"But it's my story," Jessica protested.
"And you haven't done diddly in the past year. Now scram. This paper no longer requires your services," Ralph shot back.
"What about the Daredevil story I got you -- the Punisher suicide confession, and the Hulk story," Jessica responded. "I've gotten this paper some damn good stories and I helped it gain third place in the state wide readership polls."
"Don't I have a say in this?" Ben inquired.
Ralph shot Ben a heated glare. "What Reilly? You going to give me a sob story that you can't pull your weight or whine how much you have contributed to this paper?"
"No, I was going to say how I insist that Jessica do this story with me and we share the by-line," Ben said.
Ralph's jaw dropped. "Insist? You are going to insist?"
"Ralph, calm down."
Ralph looked to the door way and saw the Publisher of the Herald standing there in his pressed Armani suit. "We don't want to get rid of our two most valuable investments Ralph. If Ben wants to work with Jessica then let them do it."
"Oh come on Bill. You know that Jessica hasn't had a good story in a year. She's been a dud since she was put in rehab last year," Ralph said.
"She's still a hard worker Ralph and a good reporter when she really tries. And Reilly here is the only one who can get shots of Spider-Man since that Parker kid retired from Photography."
"Fine. Ben and Jessica will do the story -- together. Now go you two. Me and Bill have to talk about some things," Ralph said.
Jessica grabbed her coat and walked out with Ben following right behind her. As they got into the elevator and the doors shut behind them she immediately pressed him against the wall and kissed him right on the mouth. Ben was surprised by the notion and didn't know how to react to it. When she finished she rubbed her hands across his face.
"Thanks."
"Your welcome. I think," Ben replied.
She went back to her side of the elevator and smiled while Ben was trying to figure out what the kiss meant.
---
Detective Schroeder rubbed his chin and leaned back in his seat as he considered the tale that the Parkers had told him. It was a tall tale by his estimation, but given that Venom was captured and Schroeder had no reason to pursue the case any further he had no choice, but to let it go. He sat back up right and closed the file.
"Thanks for your cooperation. You may go," Detective Schroeder said.
"Thanks Detective," Peter replied.
Peter and MJ walked off and breathed a sigh of relief hoping they wouldn't have to do that again. Once they got outside and into the car MJ turned to Peter.
"Peter, we should really consider moving far away. With Brock and Venom knowing you and Ben's secret May and I won't be safe and neither will you."
"I know. I guess we have no choice."
"As soon as we get back to the apartment. Let's pack up and move back to Portland."
"Honey, we sold the house there and there is no place there I can get a good job."
"Then let's go to Austin, Peter. I know of a place that we can stay for a while until we get back on our feet."
"All right. We'll talk about it once we get home, MJ."
"We'll do more then talk," MJ said softly.
---
Stark Enterprises at night was the perfect model of a modern technological Camelot. Inside of the pristine, triple layered steel walls laid the most brilliant engineers who were divided into separate tasks. One group worked on trying to unlock all the secrets of the Starktech armor. The other group was to finish the preparations for the phase shift generator's transfer to Gamma Base 2. The head of this operation was Stewart Clarke who had once been Rampage, a former Champions foe, but after a career of defeats that marred his reputation as an engineer he ended up a derelict on the streets until Virginia Potts offered him the position of head engineer in the weapons development division. A position that was his only out with all the problems he faced from enemies he made in prison and debts he incurred in his Rampage days. With SE he would be protected by the new Iron Man whose identity was kept a closely guarded secret by Virginia. As the two groups of engineers worked on their projects a sly tendril slipped through an overhead air vent and clacked its pincers together twice before being joined by another tendril with pincers at the end. The two tentacles wrapped around the air vent grading and pulled it out of place while a woman was lowered down to the floor by two other tentacles. Running a hand through her hair, Lady Octopus smiled and went about her plan.
---
The two guardsmen outside of Brock's cell were disturbed by his behavior. For the past six hours since his capture he had been rambling mostly to himself and appearing to be more unhinged then he had ever been before. They could not know the activity going on in Venom's joined mind.
We must collect the piece of our offspring and make it apart of us!
"Yes!" Brock said. "Then and only then can we be stronger then Spider-Fake and Spider-Man!"
We are not strong enough to break free yet... We must regain our strength...that surprise of Reilly's had taken more out of us then we thought possible, but next time we will not be taken so off guard.
"No, we won't. He is a tricky one. More tricky then Spider-Man, but he won't fool us again," Brock agreed.
Let us rest and recover. Sleep will restore more of our strength.
"Yes, sleep." Brock promptly fell asleep after he said that.
---
Bentley Whittman stewed silently in his cell as he regarded the lost to the black costume wearing Spider-Man and the Black Cat. How he hated those two for foiling his plans to double cross Venom. If that vial was what Bentley thought it was then he would have had more power then he could ever dream of to match his uncanny intellect. But, now that plan was gone because of Spider-Man's interference and the whereabouts of the vial was unknown.
When I get out of this cell and I swear I will. Spider-Man and the Black Cat will pay. And most of all Venom. Your secrets will be mine!
---
Time went slowly by as Peter and MJ packed their things. They had talked it over with and had decided on that moving if albeit temporary or permanent was the best solution for now. A knock on the door disrupted their moment of silence and when Peter opened the door he was promptly slapped.
"Bastard!"
"Felicia?" Peter said surprised and stunned by her slap and insult. "What was that for!?"
"You lied to me! You lied to me all these years! You were never the man I loved! You were just a clone! A test tube baby that some crazy scientist grew in his lab and I hate you for lying to me!"
"Who do you think you are for slapping my husband," MJ said as she started to round the corner.
Peter blocked off the door and his head was low. The pain caused by Felicia's words were visible on his face. Felicia just glared at him for a moment longer then left. MJ slipped under Peter's arm and watched Felicia's retreating form. She turned and noticed Peter going into the apartment and taking a seat on the sofa.
"You okay tiger?" MJ asked.
"No," Peter responded.
"She had no right to do that."
"Maybe she had every right," Peter said as he ran his hands through his hair. "My whole life is a lie.
"Is May a lie? Are we a lie?" MJ ventured.
Peter got up and rubbed the back of his head. "No, I don't think so."
"Peter, look at me."
Peter turned and gazed into emerald eyes, "We are not a lie and neither is our daughter. Now that Felicia nows doesn't change anything between us. She was never apart of the picture and never will be. She has to accept that."
Peter nodded and kissed MJ's forehead. "You always bring me back to earth you know that?"
"That's what a woman is supposed to do."
They shared a kiss and went to get something to eat.
---
"Is this the place?" Ben inquired as he checked out the large steel gate that blocked off the long stretch of driveway that would lead to the obscured mansion in the back.
"Yep," Jessica responded. "So how do you suppose we go in? We try the press badges or we sneak in?"
"Press badges and if that doesn't work we try the sneak in method," Ben said.
"I like your style Mr Reilly."
Ben and Jessica got of the car and walked up to the guard at the check point and flashed their press badges. The guard nodded and allowed them to pass much to the surprise of the duo. As they got the car and drove up the driveway to the mansion Ben felt slight tingles from his spider-sense, but they were relatively weak. He had to suppress the notion to react on his instincts until he knew what was generating the signals. When Jessica parked in front of the mansion they got out and were escorted inside where they were brought before Vanessa Fisk. She took a glass of champagne that was offered to her by a servant and greeted the two.
"Welcome to my home. What do I owe the pleasure?"
"We were wondering if you had any inkling as to how some one got past the security of Fisk Tower and killed your husband," Jessica asked.
"My husband had many enemies not only in the spandex set, but those who were on the wrong side of the law. Any one of them could have done the deed easily and not broken a sweat," Vanessa replied.
"Was there any in the employee of Mister Fisk that wanted to see him dead?" Ben ventured.
"I don't know," Vanessa responded. "Wilson over saw the decisions that his managers made when personal was hired. I never heard of anyone that had any problems with my husband when they worked for him."
"Thanks for your help Mrs Fisk," Jessica said.
Ben waved to Vanessa as he and Jessica left.
---
Spider-Man kicked Killer Shrike as soon as he leapt out of the hole that hadn't yet been repaired in his apartment. Shrike rolled with the blow and let his anti-gravity belt adjust his descent so he could come around to attack Spider-Man's flank.
"Your not going anywhere Spider-Man! I don't know why you are at Reilly's apartment, but it doesn't matter since you are saving me the trouble of finding you and killing you for the bounty on your head!" Killer Shrike said as he wrapped his arms around Spider-Man's waist and shot them toward the building across from Spider-Man's third story apartment.
Bounty on my head?
Spider-Man pried Killer Shrike's arms from his waist and rolled along the villain's back allowing Shrike to barrel head first into the building while Spider-Man fired a web-line and anchored himself. He watched as Shrike floated unconscious in the air and he grabbed Shrike's belt as the costumed killer flew by.
"Don't ever say I didn't do anything for you Shrike."
---
Moments later Shrike was left for the police and Ben had his things packed up in a carry case. Since his apartment was wrecked and he was promptly kicked out of the complex he needed a place to crash until he could find a new place to live. He had told the manager that he didn't know why Venom had come through the wall, which was a white lie and that made the manager relent enough to were he was going to let it slide since Ben's insurance deposit would cover it, but then Shrike came by and made things worse. The tenants felt that Ben's job as crime photographer was a breeding ground for enemies that could hurt them so they complained to the manager and that led Ben to where he was now. There was only one other place he knew of that he could go to, but Peter, May, and MJ didn't need to be put in danger especially with what had happened with Venom. So the only other option was to rent a room for the night and find an apartment tomorrow.
Next Issue: Seven Ways To Hell
Amazing Fantasy: Here we are true believers with Ben Reilly the Amazing Spider-Man #3 and wow I have my first arc done. I just want you readers to know that this isn't my first time with Ben. I used to write Ben Reilly as the Amazing Spider-Man for Avengers/Marvel Reborn, but I quit the site and group fan-fic due to the bullshit politics. I hope you enjoy my newly, re-energized run on the Amazing Spider-Man!
7/26/07
-Mimick