ISSUE #2: Confrontation

As Peter swung into the blackness, he hit it like a wall and he dropped to the ground. It was like nothing he'd ever experienced. The darkness was almost tangible, one solid mass crushing him under its weight. This was accompanied by an overwhelming pain, a burning sensation that ran along his skin. Well, I guess I know what the Egyptians felt like during the plague of darkness Aunt May used to tell me about when I was younger. I never imagined it could be this bad, though. He tried to use his spider-sense to guide him, but whatever was generating the darkness was dampening his spider-sense too. He concentrated and was able to use what he did have of his spider-sense working to get into the building and to the vault. It took him several minutes, but he finally made his way into the main room. He was overwhelmed by the screams of pain coming from anyone unfortunate enough to be inside the bank when the darkness had descended. Without warning, cutting through that cacophony of agony came a voice he would never forget.

Vicki had experienced the same pain She tried to create an illusion to take away the attack on her senses, but it was impossible. The blackness wiped away even the most powerful of her illusions. She tried to steady herself, but the fear was almost overwhelming. Breathe, just breathe, she instructed herself. She slowly calmed down enough that she could at least try to help Spider-Man. She walked in the direction of where the bank should be, and felt the wall. Once she had her hand on something solid, she began to crawl her way to the front door. The voice had just begun to speak when she finally entered.

"Spider-Man! I have been expecting you. I would have thought you would have gotten here much earlier. As it is, I'm almost done looting this place. Of course, even if you had arrived when I was just beginning, it's obvious that you are in too much pain to be able to stop me."

"Wanna bet, creep?" Spidey rushed toward the voice and swung hard. Where he thought the mysterious man's face was though, was just the vault door. Peter's hand hit with a resounding CRACK and he fell to the floor, clutching his wrist in pain.

"Come now, Spider-Man, do you really think that I'd let you know where I was just by the sound of my voice? I hope you don't take me for a fool."

This time, the voice sounded like it was coming from everywhere, not just one place. "It wouldn't be the first time. I fought this one dude last week that was as dumb as a rock, literally. You'd really like him!"

"Silence, Cur! I have humored you long enough. And, it seems like we have a visitor that I did not notice before. I do believe I recognize the outfit of Mirage, correct?"

"Of course, dirtbag," Vicki managed to get out through her teeth that were tightly clenched in pain. "Now, I want to know who you are before I kick your sorry little ass."

"Now, now, watch that language, Mirage. Besides, it will be I, not you, who delivers the 'ass-kicking' today."

He walked over to where Peter was still down on the ground, now nearly unconscious from the pain, both from hitting the safe and from experiencing the strange darkness. Peter tried to get up and run, but he quickly stumbled and fell. The man was upon him like a flash, and before Peter could even realize what had happened the man had lifted Peter's sleeve and put his hand on Peter's arm. If the previous pain had been almost unbearable, there was no way to describe the feeling of being touched by the mysterious criminal. All of Spider-Man's energy felt like it was being drawn out of his body and into the man's hand. The touch was like a fiery acid, and Peter grew weak and sick.

"Thank you, Spider-Man; I have so wanted your powers." He turned his head toward Vicki and said with a deadly whisper, "Mirage, it's your turn."

" Never!" Vicki launched a wild kick that she knew she didn't have a chance of landing unless she got lucky. Lucky she wasn't; her foot just slashed at darkness and she lost her balance. She fell to the ground face first as the man grabbed her leg. The same feeling Spidey had experienced just moments before made her want to vomit. She passed out and the stranger headed for the door. As he opened it, he turned around and spoke for the final time.

"You'll have to try harder if you hope to defeat BLACKOUT!"

Outside, David pulled up just in time to see the inky darkness suddenly be sucked inside the bank, leaving the outside once again normal. The police on the scene rushed into the bank, and David followed quickly. He tried to stay out of the way and not get noticed. What he saw inside the bank was incredible. Everyone caught inside was now splayed on the ground, most in a state of shock. He saw an elderly couple with their eyes closed near one of the tellers. He rushed over to help, but dropped his head in sorrow after he could find no pulse. That dirty rat. I don't know who did this, but he will pay. No scum will escape me, I'll see to that. I will find out who this is, and I will put him in jail. From where he was standing, he noticed out of the corner of his eye what looked like a red foot sticking out from behind a teller window. Checking around to make sure no cops had noticed him yet; he hurried over to see what it was. Oh my God! It's Spider-Man! What in the world happened that would trash him so badly? Wait a minute! Jameson said Spidey might be in on it. Could this be a double cross? Was Spider-Man not expecting what ever it was that did this to him?

Peter groaned and looked up, seeing David's face. He tried to run, but David grabbed his ankle and yelled for the cops. Oh, great! Now, they are going to think that I robbed this bank. Maybe if I tell this dude holding my ankle about Blackout, the cops will realize this wasn't me.

"Hey, dude, who are you?"

"Name's Harvey, David Harvey. I'm the crime reporter for the Bugle"

"Good! Just the person I need! I'm gonna give you a scoop, do you think that you can deliver this to JJJ without the anti-Spidey bias?"

"Give me your story, and we'll see."

Peter quickly told David the story of Blackout, how he generated the blackness, and how he had defeated both him and Mirage.

"Uh, Spidey, Mirage ain't here. No one saw her at all in here. So how do I know you're telling the truth?"

"You just gotta believe me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get going."

Spidey yanked his ankle free and ran quickly toward the nearest window, tore the metal grating off, and jumped through it, letting the glass shatter and fall on the ground around him. He wanted to swing around looking for Blackout, but he was sure he'd broken his wrist hitting the safe. He healed a lot faster than normal people, but it would still be at least two days before he could go web-slinging again. He reluctantly found a place to change back into Peter Parker and took the subway home.

Nick stood outside as the bank as the blackness retreated and it was left looking normal once again. He removed one of his gloves, and flexed his hand. As he held his hand outstretched, he felt something brush across it, and his mutant ability kicked in by reflex. He was hit by a wave of nausea, and his eyes filled with a vision. Only this time, no scene in someone's future played in his head. Instead, there was only a blackness so deep that it couldn't be measured filling his sight. He grabbed at his eyes and collapsed onto the sidewalk.