The three clones return to the Jackals lab through the secret passage. While still hidden they hear the doctor talking to Debra Whitman. Really Ms. Whitman, your concern for these clones borderlines on disturbing. After all we can always make more." The doctor says as he has five fresh clones in the tanks. "We need to speed up the process if we are to meet the deadline. Is that understood?" Michael holds Patrick back as they remain in the shadows.
"Y…Yes sir." Debra says as she looks out of the corner of her eye and sees the three slip back out the passage.
"What was he talking about deadlines? He never mentioned that before." Vana asks as they swing off.
"Who cares, right now we need to focus on what to do ourselves." Patrick says.
"I think we need to tell Spider-man and the others about this."
"Oh great idea, we can walk in and tell them how we get out every now and again and tell the doc all their secrets. Yeah that will turn out so well. If it was up to me…" Patrick says as he is cut off by his brother.
"But it's not, it's my decision."
"Says who?"
"The fact that I'm older than you."
"By five minutes." Patrick says angrily
"And the fact that you know that makes my point. But you're right we can't go back, so here's what we'll do."
A week after the death of Captain George Stacy, friends as well as fellow emergency rescue service members attend his funeral. As the casket is lowered down Peter, Mary Jane, and Liz stand together. Hobie is present with Mindy and in the back of the crowd a husky young man with curly blonde hair, better known as Frogman stands silently. He turns his head slightly and sees the three clones perched in a tree in the distance before they disappear.
Peter looks over at Gwen who is standing next to Harry. "You were right Liz I should have told her. She was so angry when I told her about me, the secrets I kept from her, I had so many chances to tell her and now it's too late." Gwen looks over at him for a moment before turning away.
Liz puts her arm on Peter's shoulder. "It's not your fault okay? Don't blame yourself. We'll get this guy don't worry." Peter looks up and sees Eddie Brock keeping his distance from the proceedings.
Just then Gwen walks over to the group. "Hey guys." She says
"How are you holding up?" Mary Jane asks.
"I'm alright all things considered. Officer Dewolf is letting me stay with her until I can get my things packed and sent to my aunt's house in Virginia. Do you guys mind if I talk to Peter in private?"
"Sure, no problem." Liz and Mary Jane leave as Gwen and Peter walk off a short distance to be alone as a shocked Harry looks on.
"Listen Gwen, I really am sorry for everything. I should have told you from the start, I just didn't want to put you in any danger." Peter says before she cuts him off.
"I'm not mad about that anymore Peter. I didn't come to talk about that."
"Then what..?"
"I want you to help me kill the Hobgoblin." She says stunning Peter.
"You're not serious?"
"I am, he killed my father and he's still out there. You're my friend Peter. I thought we could have been more than that, and I really need your help."
"Gwen…this is wrong. Your dad was a police officer. You know he wouldn't want you to do this."
"Peter, if you had the chance to get even with the man who killed your uncle Ben, would you?"
Peter pauses. "No, I wouldn't, and I really hope you don't do this Gwen, because if you do, I'll have to stop you. Please, for your father, don't do this."
She looks at him with utter contempt. "I knew you wouldn't understand." She says as she walks away furiously, leaving Peter alone.
Later that day Peter sits with Liz, Mary Jane, and Hobie in the Spider's web as they discuss the recent events. "Do you think she'll actually go through with it?" Hobie asks.
"I don't know, but what I do know is we need to get this guy before he hurts anyone else. Any leads on where we might find him?" Peter asks.
"Not a single hint, but the Frog guy's not here either. Where is he by the way?" Mary Jane asks the group. "I haven't seen him all week."
"He said something about heading to an appointment. I guess he'll pop up sooner or later." Liz says as she sips a cup of tea. "We should really make an effort to find out more about this Hobgoblin. We'll split up and see if anyone knows anything about him."
"Hopefully we'll get to him before something else goes wrong."
At a small bar in the city, Comet in his civilian guise is having a drink. As he orders another Gwen Stacy walks in wearing a black shirt, blue skirt, and long black boots with a trench coat and sits across from him. "Before you say anything Ms. Stacy, know that I had nothing to do with your father's death. And no I don't know the location of the Hobgoblin. So you're out of luck."
"That's okay, because this might convince you." She pulls out a large stack of money and lays it on the table. "You may not know where to find him but you can help me with some equipment."
He looks at the stack, picks it up and, after counting it slides it under the table. "Okay, well I might have something." He places a small device on the table. "This was a part of Mysterio's equipment from his prison bot. The rest was fried in the breakout but a buddy of mine managed to grab a few pieces and save them for me. I was going to use the thing myself but since you're so keen on getting the goblin take it."
"Anything else that might help?" she says as she pushes another stack toward him.
He sighs. "Alright, ever heard Scream?" she shacks he head in disagreement. "She's got some kind of living suit that can morph weapons and gives her powers like Spider-man. She's been seen in town lately. If you can get it off of her you might be able to use it. Of course that all depends on whether you can trap the goblin and make him fight your fight."
"Oh don't worry about me. I have everything under control." She says as she gets up and leaves the table.
"Oh and one more thing," Comet says as she stops and turns back to him. "if you see my friend T.C., and I'm sure he's talked already, tell him this." He points his left hand like a gun, holding a drink in his right. "Bang." He says as he bottoms up the drink, watching the girl leave.
In a warehouse on the docks a large crowd of criminals and thugs are collected in a meeting. Frogman makes his way into the crowd although not feeling too out of place as he sees Mysterio, Man Mountain Marco, and a collection of others. He looks over at the door and sees the guard stopping a kid in a red hoodie and blue jeans. He instantly recognizes the kid and walks over to the two. "Hey I told you to wait outside. It's cool he's with me. Thought it would be good for the kid to see how daddy gets the bills paid."
The guard lets him in. "Stay close to him. I don't need the boss coming down on me." He tells them as they walk in.
"What are you doing here Patrick? Where are your brother and sister?"
"They're around. We needed a new place to stay and we don't have money for any food, and the others frown on stealing."
"Why aren't you guys back at the hideout?"
"I actually have a confession. We weren't really that secure in the cell. One of us would break out every once in a while and head back to the doc's lab. We fed him information about you guys. After what happened it didn't seem right going back. So I thought I could make some easy money signing up with Mr. Negative."
"Well I think you're going to be disappointed." Just then Black Cat grabs Frogman from behind and throws him to the floor. "Oh hey Cat, I take it your still mad about me taking the Eye of Barcelona?"
"Any last words?" she says as she raises her claws.
"Well I thought Julie Newmar pulled off the cat thing better, but you're a close second." He pulls out the gem and gives it to her.
"Thank you kindly, and now that business is over we can get back to friendship." She says as she helps him up as Patrick looks on. "And who is this little guy?"
"This is Patrick." He introduces the two. "So what happened, Cat? You usually don't get involved in big operations like this."
"Yeah but this guy's making his presence felt in the city. So I thought I might as well see what he has in store for everyone." just then Hammerhead takes the stage in front of the assembly, an inner demon on either side of him.
"Alright you mooks listen up. This is how things are gonna be from now on. You's work for Mr. Negative now. Any operations, any heists you got planned, you okay it with him first. Understand?"
"Actually, no I don't understand." Frogman shouts out as everyone in the room turns their attention to him, Patrick and Black Cat surprised. "Why should we work for this guy? The last time I worked for him one of his guys tried to whack me during a mission. If that's the kind of job security he's offering no thanks." A few of the guys begin to murmur. "And anyone who would hire you has got to be crazy. Hey everyone, this guy turned traitor on the Big Man and didn't even have the guts to take power for himself. Who's to say he won't do it again and leave us all fighting for scraps or under another wacko goblin? I don't know about you but I have no intention of listening to this mook." He turns and heads to the door.
"Watch out!" Patrick and Cat yell as Hammerhead charges off the stage and rams him in the back, picks him up off the ground and begins pummeling him. Patrick attempts to rush over and help but cat stops him. "No it's too dangerous." She says as they watch the beating.
Hammerhead picks up a battered Frogman and slams him through the floor as he falls into the water as his two friends look on in horror. "Any of you mooks got any other objections. Good now as I was saying,"