Episode 5: Crime Wave Part 2

Among the Rooftops, A Few Minutes Later

Peter, now as Spider-Man, lands on the edge of a rooftop and looks around like he's looking for something.

Spider-Man: They may have stopped measly teenage Peter Parker, but now, they will meet Spider-Man again… But, I have no clues on where they went…. I need to find some-

Spider-Man looks down and sees the man that sold Betty out to the Enforcers as his eyes squint as he shoots a webline and pulls the guy up as he dangles upside down as Spider-Man lands on the railing of a fire escape below the guy.

Spider-Man: Listen bro, I want a word with you. I want to know where the Enforcers are hiding. You better tell me…

Guy: No! I'd be dead if I learned that I was a snitch… You don't understand the Crime-Master like we do.

Spider-Man groans and crosses his arms.

Spider-Man: This guy's scared when he just heard their name… I may have to pull a page out of Christian Bale's playbook.

Spider-Man: You know… Maybe I could let you fall to the pavement… After all, I have to do is just snap the web line and-

Guy: Ok ok! I'll tell you! They're hiding out at 2345 Kane Avenue! Please don't kill me.

Spider-Man: Thanks and don't worry about it, once my webs dissolve in about a hour or so, you'll have a nice soft dumpster to land in.

Spider-Man shoots a webline and swings off as the guy just dangled there. Spider-Man swings as fast as he could just so he wouldn't miss the chance to intercept the Enforcers before something else happens.

Spider-Man: Maybe Crime-Master will be there as well.. I could get all of them in one go!

Spider-Man lands on a rooftop as he peeks inside the skylight to see a darkened room. He opens it and crawls inside and slowly lowers himself to the floor via hanging off his webline.

Spider-Man: This was where the goon told me to head to… But it sure is dark in here.. May have to trust my Spider-Sense on this one and-

The lights all of a sudden flash on as the Enforcers surrounded him and the Crime-Master walked towards him.

Crime-Master: Well well, Spider-Man. Finally, we meet. I admired your acts for a while, but as much as I'm sorry to have to do this, you're a threat to my organization.. So I must end you. Enforcers! Kill him!

Spider-Man: Fancy Dan! Montana! Ox! How are you guys? How was jail?

Fancy Dan: You lost us our job with the Maggia and embarrassed us in prison! Now's our chance to get even!

Spider-Man jumps, twists to avoid Montana's lasso as he kicks Ox in the torso.

Spider-Man: get even? Seriously? I took down you and a guy with a metal head. You lost. So I think we already got even buckero!

Spider-Man swings at Fancy Dan, but Fancy Dan dodges and tries to hit Spider-Man in the torso. Spider-Man moves to the side as he socks Fancy Dan. Spider-Man's Spider-Sense tingles as his wrist got grabbed by Montana's lasso and pulled back.

Spider-Man: Damn, I didn't notice Montana when I should have. He got my wrist… It's messing with my movements. I can't move in ti- OOF!

Ox runs and punches Spider-Man in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. Spider-Man kneels for a second, trying to breathe as he jumps away from the last punch as he flipped back and got himself out of the lasso.

Montana: Crap! He got loose! Look out!

Fancy Dan got up and kicked Spider-Man in the face, making him tumble. Spider-Man tried to get up, but he got uppercutted. Spider-Man clenched his fist and as he grasps both his fist and swung as hard as he can and hits Ox away.

Spider-Man: Wow, you guys work so hard! Gold stars for all 3 of you!

Spider-Man clings onto the wall, but he felt a slight dizziness as he rubbed his head for a moment.

Spider-Man: I felt a bit dizzy there… Doc Hobwell was right… I need to take it easy… My body didn't recover the blood I lost in the transfusion. I may not like this, but I gotta get out fast before I pass out.

Spider-Man jumps and handsprings through the lasso and side steps out of Fancy Dan's way. He sees Ox charging as he webs two of the light bulbs and pulls down, knocking out the two lamps, thus making the room dark again.

Spider-Man: Time to get out of here. If I use my Spider-Sense I can find the front door… But that Crime-Master ditched while the fight was happening.. WIsh I knew where he went.

Spider-Man reaches a side door that leads to a alleyway as he leans on the wall to catch his breath, but when he looked up, he saw Jonah walking past the alleyway, not noticing the masked teenager.

Spider-Man: Mr. Jameson? What is he doing here? Wait… Crime-Master has to be smart.. Wealthy… knows everything all at once… no.. It can't be.. Is he..?

Spider-Man shakes his head to focus on getting home as he climbs and hitches a ride on a bus as he tries to head back to Queens, with his head still filled with thoughts

Forest Hills, Queens, Later

Spider-Man takes off his mask after he climbed into his bedroom window and closed it. He tries to take his phone out of the utility belt under his costume and scrolls down his contacts, trying to find Betty Brant's number.

Peter: Betty might have some clue as to why Jonah was in the area and-

He tried to call the number, but no one picked up as it went to voicemail.

Peter: Voicemail? Huh… She didn't answer.. I hope she's actually okay…

Peter: Hey Betty. It's Peter. Peter Parker. You know, your friend from work. Are you okay after what happened? I want to ask you something. Please call back or talk to me at work tomorrow alright?

Peter sighed and hung up after leaving a message as he changed out of his costume and went to take a shower.

Daily Bugle, The Next Day

At the Daily Bugle, Peter's eyes widened after he went to talk to Jonah about Betty as she didn't show up for work.

Jonah: Look kid, I don't know where the hell Brant went! All she did was call in sick! Damn it! There goes one of my best reporters.

Peter: So wait… She just left without saying a word to you and to Urich?

Jonah sighed annoyingly and leaned forward on his desk.

Jonah: Look, I already got my own blasted problems, Parker. I have a damn newspaper to run. Anyways, I don't pay you to just stand here like some dope, I pay you to get me some pictures.. So GET OUT AND DO YOUR JOB! Oh, on the way, go talk to freaking Nick Lewis and ask where the blasted story about Spider-Man that I requested is!

Peter, obviously upset towards Jonah but trying to hide it to not cause chaos, walks out of the office and heads down the rows of desks and cubicles as he stops at Nick Lewis's cubicle, where the reporter was typing away on his computer.

Peter: Uhm.. Mister Lewis, I got to ask, Do you believe in the stories of Spider-Man that Jonah forces you to write?

Nick looked up at the teenager.

Nick: Look kiddo, I just simply write what he wants to hear. After all, He runs things in this office. I would even type that the Hulk was Crime-Master if he asked me to. You don't know what it's like to do my job around him.

Peter sighs and looks down.

Peter: I guess you're right on that.. But, it just seems unfair…

Peter turns around and heads home.

Parker Household, Later

Peter was in his sleepwear as he paced around barefoot on his ceiling, his mind full of thoughts about his suspicions about Jonah and him possibly being the Crime-Master.

Peter: Why is Jonah so desperate to accuse me of being Crime-Master… Why would he coincidentally be in the same neighborhood as the Enforcers… Is Jonah trying to pull off a secret identity bit like me…?

Peter lands back on the floor as he sits back on his rotating desk chair and looks down.

Pter: Let's recap.. Betty mysteriously disappeared and told no one… Jonah, as usual , thinks Spider-Man is some crime lord… Crime-Master is running a major crime organization that everyone is scared of.. And here I am, sitting here and trying to make some type of plan! Some-

Peter's eyes widen as he has an idea on what to do next.

Peter: As Spidey, I can take down all of the Crime-Master's operations… But I need to find where his main hideout is and finally figure out who he is. But wait… They surely won't send a party invitation for their gathering.. But maybe, Peter Parker can find a way inside…

Peter turns around and looks out the window.

Peter: It may be risky to go get myself captured by dangerous criminals.. But, there's no other way…

Next Time on TASM: Crime Wave Finale!