Chapter 15
At one of Magneto's bases...
The Acolytes are passing their free-time with a poker game...which Gambit is winning quite handsomely.
Pyro frowns as he looks over his hand. It sucked as it did every time Gambit dealt. "Do you ever wonder what he finds so interesting in that journal?" he asks in relation to their boss because Mags spent most of his time these days reading and researching. It meant Pyro was bored out of his mind because they weren't out there burning something.
Sabretooth grunts. "No...and neither should you. What Magneto does is his business and not our care," he warns Pyro off.
"Boy he really has you spayed doesn't he," Live Wire remarks being deliberately insulting as spaying is what is done to female cats or dogs.
Sabretooth growls and glares at her across the table. Live Wire smirks. Makes her day to wind people up. The other week she even got Sinister's eye to twitch. He creeps her out to be honest. She has no idea what he gets up to expect he seems to have picked up his own little group of hanger-ons in the form of Vertigo, Hairbag, Ramrod, Slab and Gorgeous George. It was...suspicious.
Gambit chuckles. Live Wire could be amusing on her day.
Sandman rolls his eyes. "Are we playing poker or aren't we?" he complains at all the talking.
"Should you even be here?" Ruckus asks, as he shifts the cards in his hand about. "I mean isn't gambling a sin," he says, referring to Sandman's religious piety these days.
"I'm not that good a Christian," Sandman explains his presence at the table.
"You're not that good at being a man either," Live Wire mumbles under her breath because he tried to hit on her the other day. Lets just say she wasn't impressed.
Live Wire is sitting next to Gambit who overhears her. He holds back a line about how he could be all the man she needs as that kind of line needs to be saved for when they're not in all this company.
Elsewhere in the base Colossus paces back and forth as he waits impatiently for his 'reward' for being the good little lackey. He hates himself. He really does but what choice does he have.
The familiar green haze indicates the arrival of Alicia. Piotr stops pacing and waits until the blond haired teenager fully materialises with her passenger. A young girl with long blond hair.
"Piotr!" the young girl shouts happily, her whole face lighting up upon seeing the large Russian boy.
"Illyana!" Piotr returns the shout with an equal amount of happiness at seeing his little sister for the first time in months.
Haze releases Illyana and steps back a few paces. Alicia is to remain here in case Colossus tries something and she needs to teleport the girl away quickly. Alicia may still think it a little distasteful to hold a little girl against her will but what needs to be done for the good of mutantkind has to be done so she accepts what Magneto says needs to be done.
Upon release Illyana runs towards her big brother. Piotr kneels down and hugs her tightly when she runs into his arms.
It has been a long time since the two siblings have seen each other and there are a few tears of happiness.
Piotr, moisture still in his eyes, draws back and looks his young sister over. She looks to be in reasonable health. He speaks to her in Russian. "Snowflake," he addresses her using his nickname for her. "You have been treated well?"
Illyana's expression is sad. "They keep me locked up in this room," she complains, her reply in the only language she speaks, her native Russian.
"I am sorry," Piotr apologises.
"Brother why do they do this?"
Piotr sighs. How does he explain this to his 8 year old sister. "As long as they have you I must do what I am told to keep you safe."
"But we are together now?"
They may be together now but Magneto is no fool. Haze is still here and Piotr knows Magneto is watching along with Mastermind from nearby. If Piotr tries anything Magneto can either use his mastery of metal or use Mastermind to attack their minds. "They watch me constantly. They watch us now," he tells his sister, hoping she can understand why he can't save her.
"But you are so strong," Illyana argues, knowing how strong her brother is.
"Not strong enough," he replies, sounding truly sad. Piotr gathers himself. He isn't sure how much time Magneto will grant him so he wishes to use it as best he can. He reaches down and picks up a book and a gift he brought with him. "I bought this for you," he tells her handing her the gift.
Illyana's eyes glisten with excitement and intrigue at the oddly shaped package wrapped in shiny paper. She rips it off enthusiastically and her face lights up at the teddy bear that it is. She hugs it tightly to her chest. When she had been taken she had practically nothing but the clothes on her back and while clothes have been provided for her she has been given little else so she intends to hang on her brother's gift for all she's worth.
A watery smile comes to Piotr's face. It is not much but any tiny amount of joy he can bring to his sister's life brings joy to his heart. "I brought a book. Would you like me to read to you?" he asks her.
Illyana's face remains bright. Even before they lost their parents Piotr would read to her.
Piotr sits on the floor and lifts Illyana into his lap as he begins to read for her. For the moment he still cannot save her and he still cannot see a way out. This is only a short visit before Illyana is taken away again and he can't do anything about that but for the next little while he can pretend he doesn't have these problems and just imagine he is alone with his sister reading her a story just like it was before back home in Russia. For a little while he can just forget.
New York...
"You know Bruce I'm thinking it may just be easier to take a vow of celibacy. Why you ask? Come now you know all about my women troubles. Gwen and MJ barely talk to me, after last night Liz is mad at me and really don't get me started again on what happened with the Black Cat. I'm man enough to admit that wasn't my finest hour. What's that Bruce? Ok, yes, true I was being influenced by a psychotic symbiote that subsequently attached itself to a jerk who then tried to kill me several times over...and you know I tried to tell him what it would do to him but did he listen? No. You see Bruce I try to help people and they end up trying to kill me? I mean why is that? Sure I talk a little but I always thought it was one of my more endearing qualities and ...uh what was the point I was trying to make again?"
"That talking to a stone statue is a sign of insanity?"
Spider-Man looks to his right from his position stuck to a wall next to a stone gargoyle as Bayville's erstwhile hero known as the Blur appears. "Well you know my old friend Bruce here gives surprisingly good advice," Peter explains himself as he pats the stone shoulder of the gargoyle. He has often come here to talk out his problems with the stone gargoyle he calls Bruce.
Clark briefly looks over the edge of the building the statue sits on about halfway up and his head spins a little. Heights still make him a little uncomfortable.
"So find me easy enough?" Peter inquires after he and Clark talked over the phone and agreed a rendezvous point.
"Well the guy dressed in the red and blue costume who sticks to walls can be a little tricky to find."
"Doth my ears deceive me? Was that sarcasm I did hear?"
"I was more going for dry wit."
Peter chuckles which feels good. There haven't been many people in his life lately he can banter off...apart from the villains who are always trying to kill him.
"So this is your city," Clark says. "Where do we go?" he asks Peter to pick what direction to go.
Peter starts pointing in varying directions. "Eeny meeny miny moe," he says as he randomly picks a destination. "Try and keep up," Peter teases as he leaps off the building and swings over the streets.
Clark bends his knees and pushes off towards the nearest rooftop. He still can't fly but he has learned to make himself slowly glide in descent.
The Daily Bugle...
"URICH!" J. Jonah Jameson's less than dulcet tones echo through the newsroom of the Daily Bugle as he summons one of his reporters to his office.
Ben Urich, a hardened reporter, gets to his feet and walks into Jonah's office. He was in his mid-30s with brown hair and wore a pair of glasses on his face. Right now he would kill for a cigarette. He was a chain-smoker but those blasted health laws banned him from smoking in the workplace. Of course that never stopped his boss who, as Ben walks in, is smoking one of his cigars. "You yelled Jonah?"
Jonah fixes him a glare. "Where's that report on the guy with the S who I saw last night?" he demands to know. He had given Urich the task of getting the background on this guy.
Ben had a feeling Jonah was after that and he, therefore, had brought the file he had put together with him. He hands it over and summarises what he has. "He's an ally of the mutant group known as the X-Men. He was there with them during that fight on the dam against the Juggernaut and Lionel Luthor. Apart from that he seems to have appointed himself Bayville's protector. The local press dubbed him the Bayville Blur."
Jonah snorts. "The Bayville Blur? That's crap," he expresses his opinion on the name. "He needs a better name. After all all these people need names now. What is the S suppose to stand for?"
"Don't know," Ben admits.
"Then what do I pay you for?" Jonah asks, seeing that response as completely unacceptable.
"Jonah the guy is like a ghost," Ben defends himself. "He shows up in a blur, deals with the crooks and vanishes just as quickly. A police speed gun caught him once running at over 500mph and he never stays long enough in one place for anyone to ask him what the S stands for."
Jonah skims through the file in his hand. Police and witness reports. Fires, bullets, explosions, things the 'Blur' has taken without a scratch. Hell they seem to have a hard time just trying to define what powers he actually has. Beams from his eyes. Ability to freeze things with his breath. Strength well beyond a human. Extremely fast.
Jonah was determined to find a fitting name. This was what he needed to show-up all those masked vigilantes/criminals that have sprung up recently. A real hero who shows his face and stands up for what is right. It had to fit the S on his chest. Jonah reels through some names in his head. 'Space-Man...no. Spandex-Man...no. Supreme something or other...no. Stupendous-Man!' Jonah thinks on that last one for a moment before dismissing it too.
Jonah continues to list through things beginning with S until he hits 'Super...'
"That's it!" Jonah declares suddenly startling Ben.
"What's it?"
Jonah holds his hands and fingers up like a box before him. "Picture it. The follow-up to the fight at the Opera House. Superman: A real hero."
"What about Daredevil and Spider-Man and all the others?" Ben dares to ask.
"Like I always say; Criminals!" Jonah barks.
Ben places a hand over his eyes. Like Robbie he didn't think that. He thought they did a lot of good...even if he felt it his job to try and ascertain who they were under the masks. "What about the Fantastic Four?" Ben argues as heroes who don't hide behind masks.
"What about them?" Jonah asks. "Old news. They got tiresome weeks ago," he dismisses them. Besides a big orange rock monster isn't exactly a role model. "Now why don't you get back out there and find out the real story to Superman." Jonah pauses and smiles to himself at how catchy that name sounds. He'll have to get it trademarked so he can get a dime every time someone says it.
Ben sighs to himself, gets to his feet and departs. He really has better things to do like making sure Wilson Fisk is proven beyond doubt to be the Kingpin and gets sent to jail but Jonah had other ideas so he'll get this done as fast as he can and get back to what he considers his real work.
Elsewhere in New York...
Peter is explaining how his summer started. "So there I am trying to save Norman Osborn's top secret bio-weapon from being stolen...which by the way I got no thanks for. In fact old flat-top tried to pin the whole thing on me," he complains in relation to JJ. "Ok so I failed to recover it," Peter concedes. "Or so it seemed at the time," he then amends. "The getaway van crashed off the bridge into the river and it looked like the weapon was lost. Little did I know what I thought was good old river sludge that was stuck to me happened to be the actual weapon. An artificial symbiotic life-form designed to enhance what it was bonded to."
"That can't be legal," Clark expresses his opinion.
"Lets just say Norm severely bends the law on stuff like that. Anyway take a wild guess who was the first living test subject it bonded to."
"Um...wow...ok. That's a hard one. He wouldn't happen to swing around New York on a web would he?"
"Good guess. It's like you're reading my mind or something."
"Can't do that. I leave that to the 2 actual psychics I know."
"Are you guys for real?" Clark and Peter pause in their conversation...and their beating up of this small gang of thieves as one of them asks that question.
Spider-Man looks to the Blur. "Uh...rude much," he complains. "We're trying to have a conversation here."
The Blur shakes his head. "People just have no manners today interrupting our pleasant conversation. I mean does he know how long it has been since we last caught up?"
"I know right? Is a little courtesy too much to ask for?" Spider-Man replies as he somersaults over two goons and knocks their heads together in the process knocking them down.
The one who asked the question pulls a gun out and aims it at the Blur. He fires as the Blur walks towards him. The bullets bounce off harmlessly. The Blur snatches the gun out of the man's hand. "Lesson for the day; I'm bulletproof." He then crushes the gun into a little ball before grabbing the man by his shirt and lifting him off the ground with one hand. "Also robbing a jewellery store run by a Jewish lady in her 80s?" the Blur queries. That's where he and Spider-Man came in just as the gang was leaving the store trying to make their getaway. "You're just lucky I'm a nice guy otherwise you would be in so much trouble," he points out. "Now if I caught you kicking a puppy that's a whole other story."
"Oh yeah puppy kickers are just the lowest of the low," Spider-Man agrees. "That's right down there with tax collectors."
"Now Spider-Man while no-one likes paying their taxes they are diligent public servants in duty to the nation," the Blur mildly rebukes his crime fighting partner for the night.
Spider-Man cocks his head to the side to concede that point. "Alright. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt."
"Oh please just tie me up already," the man pleads as he looks back and forth between the two heroes. "I mean sheesh Daredevil never talks this much."
"Well DD is kind of dull that way," Spider-Man says as he shoots a web at the man. The Blur grabs the other 2 and the heroes end up webbing all 3 hanging from a street light before returning the stolen merchandise to the nice elderly Jewish lady who thanks them. "Ah," Spider-Man says admiring their handiwork of the 3 crooks hanging up as they prepare to leave into the night. "Another successful spider-job complete."
"Do you add spider as a prefix to everything?" the Blur asks.
"It's a trademark!"
"So where were we?" Clark asks, more to prompt Peter's memory of what they were talking about.
Peter takes a moment to think on it. "Parasitic symbiote," he remembers.
"Right. By the way you hungry?"
"Starving."
"I have a strange craving for dohnuts."
"I know a place."
"Really? At this late hour? On a Sunday?" Clark says in surprise.
"New York. What a town!" Peter praises the fact you can get dohnuts at this late hour. He fires off a webline and swings into the air while Clark runs under him at the same speed.
"We're getting jelly-filled right?" Clark asks.
"Is there any other kind?" Peter asks back, sounding surprised by the fact there could be.
A little later Peter, with his mask rolled up enough to expose his mouth, and Clark are sitting on a roof edge eating jelly-filled dohnuts while Peter finishes telling what happened with the symbiote that attached itself to him. "It brought out all my worst characteristics. Turned me into a real jerk. I insulted just about everyone I cared about. Gwen dumped me, not that I blame her. MJ barely talks to me, again I can't blame her. Aunt May only forgave me probably because I'm family. I was really nasty to them all," he says with loathing, appalled at himself for everything he did.
"I understand," Clark says softly.
"Not sure you can."
"There's this substance that affects me in a similar way. Strips me down to my ID and trust me my ID is a selfish jerk. The way you acted, I acted like that. Rogue and I came very close to breaking up because of what I did."
"Is that what you meant when you said you had one of those summers?"
"No. That happened before you and I met. My summer sucked for a whole different set of reasons."
"Can't have sucked as much as mine. Not only did the symbiote turn me into a jerk as it turned out it was actually trying to take me over. I barely found a way to get it off in time...only for it to attach itself to this even bigger jerk of a guy who hated Spider-Man called Eddie Brock. This is where it gets really weird. The symbiote was actually semi-sentient and when I rejected it I hurt its feelings and in Eddie it found a kindred spirit in seeking payback on me. They swore to become poison to me. Called themselves Venom and then sought to destroy my life which they could do because the symbiote copied all my memories, not to mention my powers. Only it was my powers on steroids enhanced to levels way above me. Thanks to the stolen memories Brock knew exactly how to hurt me in the worst ways. The things Venom did...well lets just say that would be more reasons Gwen and MJ aren't talking to me."
"Where is this Venom now?"
"I managed to separate Brock from the symbiote and then I buried it in the wet concrete of a building site. Without a host it should have died by now...and I really don't feel great about it before you say anything. I just didn't have a choice. It takes over anyone it attaches to in effect killing them so there was my choice. The symbiote or some innocent person it would destroy to survive."
Clark nods. That is a horrible choice but he can understand the one Peter chose. "Brock?"
Peter laughs mirthlessly. "After the fight he went around talking about how I took away his 'other'. Take a wild guess what people thought."
"That he had lost his mind."
"Bingo. He's locked up in a mental institution and even though he does know I'm Spider-Man he doesn't tell anyone that. Keeps it to itself so he can save me for the day he can get his revenge on me." Peter sighs at having to relive all that.
"Gwen and MJ?" Clark queries. "Do they know?"
"What happened?"
"Yeah."
"No. From their perspective one day I just turned into an obnoxious jerk without any good reason."
"Did you think of telling them the truth?"
Peter shakes his head sadly. "After what Venom did to them? Not a chance. All that proved is that it's better no-one knows who I am...I mean no-one who is that close to me," Peter clarifies because he can't undo Clark or the X-Men knowing who he is.
Clark looks out at the New York skyline for a moment. "I would like to say you should have phoned for help except I wouldn't have been able to," Clark says, sounding slightly irritated at that fact.
"Your sucky summer?"
Clark nods.
"Well it will have to go some to beat mine."
"I was abducted by my biological father and imprisoned against my will for 3 months while he wiped my memories and reprogrammed me into his obedient, mindless puppet."
"Oh come on!" Peter protests. "You can't let me have one thing. You already have all the cool superpowers!"
Clark chuckles. He knows Peter is joking.
"Your father really did that?" Peter asks, more seriously.
"My biological father," Clark repeats. "Jonathan Kent is my adopted father," Clark corrects any notion Peter has of blaming his dad.
"Why?"
"Long story. Peter...there's a lot you don't know about me," Clark has to caution Peter because explaining why goes into explaining who and what he is exactly.
"No kidding," Peter says lightly with an arched eyebrow under his mask. "I kinda figured that what with all the news stories about you being human not to mention all these powers you have. I watched the documentaries about mutants. You have way too many powers to be one...and even more since we last met. I mean you freeze stuff with your breath," he exclaims in almost disbelief.
Clark knows he should have figured Peter would work it out. Peter's too smart not to.
"You don't have to tell me," Peter tells Clark.
Clark draws breath. He still hadn't told Paul and Taryn the truth either. He kept coming up with excuses to avoid it although he can't really explain why...or maybe he can. It could be Taryn's total fangirl craziness over his alter ego. Clark looks up. The light in New York blotted out a lot of the stars but he can dimly see what he is looking for. He points up. "See that star?" he asks Peter.
Peter looks to where Clark is pointing. "Yeah."
"That's a galaxy as matter of fact." It only looks like a star because of how far away it is.
"What about it?"
"That's where I come from."
Peter's eyebrows rise. He knows, somehow he just knows, that Clark is not joking.
"You're about to geek out on me aren't you," Clark dead-pans.
"No," Peter says in a squeaky voice due to the strain of trying not to geek out.
Clark smiles a little. "Go ahead. You know you want to."
It all comes out in a rush. "Oh my God that is so cool. I mean do you really look like that? What's your planet called? How did you get here? In a ship? Can I see it? Did you have to break the speed of light to get here? Is that possible? Are there others like you here? Is it an invasion? Are we going to have to bow down and work as slaves in your sugar mines?"
"Breathe Peter," Clark advises before his friend passes out. "And sugar mines?" he queries in disbelief. "You know I know that's off the Simpsons."
Peter smirks and shrugs as he takes a few deep breaths.
"Ok to answer your questions yes I really look like this. My planet was called Krypton. Yes I came in a ship and yes I broke the speed of light using Trans-Warp propulsion. No you can't see it because I blew it up. No there are no others here and no it is not an invasion so therefore your freedom and Earth's sugar resources are perfectly safe."
"What do you mean your planet was called Krypton?" Peter asks emphasising on the past tense Clark used.
Clark sighs sadly. "It's gone...and there are literally no others. I am the sole survivor."
"I'm sorry," Peter says because it is all he can think of to say.
"It's alright," Clark assures Peter even if it's not.
"What do you mean you blew up your ship?" Peter asks incredulous. He really wanted to see it!
"Long story."
"Don't want to talk about it?"
"Not if I can avoid it," Clark says because the reasons behind why he did that and the consequences...not his finest hour by a long long way.
"Yeah I have stories like that," Peter says sadly as he is referring to what happened when his Uncle died and how he is responsible. "So if you're the last how did your biological father brainwash you?"
"He sent along with me an AI copy of himself."
"Cool."
"I'm beginning to think its programming got corrupted somewhere along the way because it has this notion I have a pre-set destiny and to make sure I fulfil it it will do anything, even kidnap and brainwash me."
"Damn computer viruses. They just get everywhere now," Peter jests as the cause.
"I wish it was that simple."
"So what happened?"
Clark explains it. The fake cousin, getting sucked into the cave wall and brainwashed, what he did after his release up to being saved by Rogue and his mother.
"So your on old One-Eye's radar huh," Peter says in reference to Fury. "I know that feeling. I think he wears his underwear too tight."
"You said that to his face didn't you?"
"I might have mentioned it in passing," Peter confirms that yes that is exactly what he did last time he met Fury.
Clark chuckles at that image as he imagines Fury's reaction. He is almost amazed Peter isn't locked up.
"So your adopted parents. How does that fit in?" Peter asks, trying to see how all the pieces slot together.
"Krypton blew up when I was a baby. Add about 3 years to reach Earth and that was the state I was in when they found me." Clark then goes on to describe how he came down in the meteor shower and the first meeting with his parents and their upside-down truck.
Peter watches Clark as his friend stares into the sky looking at that faint galaxy that was his home. "I lost my parents too. I know what it's like," he says in an understanding tone.
Clark smiles thinly. He takes a moment and grabs another jelly filled dohnut from the box sitting between him and Peter.
"So your powers?" Peter inquires.
"Are natural for my species. Like I said when we first met I was born this way. What about you? You mentioned a radioactive spider?"
Peter nods and explains about a school trip to Oscorp and an experiment they saw that was being run involving radiation to be harnessed in a way to perform genetic engineering. Peter goes on to explain how he noticed a spider that ended up getting caught in the path of the radioactive beam and how that spider ended up biting him. He then goes on to explain feeling sick, sleeping for a couple of days and waking up seeming fine and thinking nothing unusual happened until he was almost run down by a car. In reaction he jumped out of the way and ended up to his complete shock sticking to a wall. Obviously the spider bite somehow injected some of the spider's DNA into his blood which altered his DNA in some way giving him his powers.
"You know I wish that was the strangest thing I had ever heard," Clark says lamenting a little his odd life.
"Tell me about it," Peter says in agreement because since he started this hero gig he has seen and experienced weirdness on a level he never imagined could exist. And he is thinking this why sitting next to a real life alien.
There is a moment of silence while the two teens take time to absorb all this. Peter takes another dohnut from the box. "So you missed the whole summer?" he inquires, feeling a change of subject might be good right now.
"Yep."
"Wow. You do realise how crazy the world went right?"
"I've been trying to catch up. New heroes and villains appearing. Tony Stark is Iron Man. The Fantastic Four...do you know them?" Clark asks as he points at a large holographic orange 4 within a circle in the sky above a building in the distance.
"Uh...yeah. We've met. I kinda asked them for a job," Peter says sounding embarrassed about it.
Clark looks at Peter with a curious and puzzled expression.
"I thought they were paid to be a team," Peter defends himself. As it turned out that was a bad misjudgement. They weren't paid to be a team and don't get him started on the Human Torch. Arrogant jerk!
Clark decides not to pursue that further. He changes subjects. "So what was the story last night with those 3 guys?"
Relief spreads through Peter that Clark didn't take up the FF story. He doesn't want to relive it. "I don't know. It doesn't make sense why they would be there. They hate each other. They've been battling it out for control of New York's underworld."
"I thought you said the Kingpin ran New York's criminal underworld," Clark remembers Peter saying.
"He did until a few months back. Someone set him up and now he has about 12 separate law enforcement agencies investigating him. Those 3 goons from last night have been trying to take advantage while KP's busy."
Clark bites into his dohnut and contemplates. "What if whoever set Kingpin up set those 3 up to get them out of the way as well," he suggests.
Peter chews slowly on his dohnut. "That could make sense...but it would mean there's another player in the game. One who keeps to the shadows out of sight."
"Very astute thinking."
Clark's brow furrows as his head snaps round. It is the police Captain from last night he saved walking towards them.
Peter, pulls his mask down fully and gets to his feet. Clark gets to his feet as well.
"Captain Stacy," Spider-Man greets the man a little surprised to see him. "So what brings you up to visit? The wonderful New York air with its 106 identifiable air pollutants that, as we speak, are creating Godzilla to come and ravage our fair city?"
"That was nuclear fallout that created Godzilla," the Blur corrects him.
"Trust me New York's air is way more mutating than dull old radiation."
Captain Stacy laughs.
Clark looks to Peter for an explanation as to what this man is doing here.
"It's alright. He's a friend, ally, compadre, drinking buddy, amigo..."
Captain Stacy interrupts. "I think he gets the idea Spider-Man."
Spider-Man holds out the box of dohnuts. "Dohnut?" he offers one to Captain Stacy.
"I'm trying to watch my weight," Captain Stacy politely turns him down. He then looks at tall young man who saved him and being as he was on the ground last night he never got to fully appreciate just how tall the young man is. He was easily a few inches over 6 foot. "I never got to thank you for saving my life," Captain Stacy says.
"That's not necessary sir," the Blur assures him. "It's kinda what I do."
"I see. I did some research on you. The Bayville Blur."
"That's what the press call me...and I haven't come up with anything better."
Captain Stacy nods in acceptance. He looks to Spider-Man. "Interesting friends you have," he remarks.
"Yep. I'm thinking of starting my own team. Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends! Catchy right?"
Captain Stacy doesn't give a response. "We need to talk about last night. I overheard that last part. I agree. I think it was a set-up."
"By whom?" Spider-Man asks.
"That's the question and after last night we have opened the door for him. I expect it to get very messy shortly as our mystery friend attempts to move in and assert control."
"You make it sound if we did something bad."
"That 3 criminals who have caused massive suffering are in jail? No. That's not bad...but it does leave a vacuum and nature abhors a vacuum," Captain Stacy gives the slightly dire warning about what is to come.
Elsewhere...
When Fisk ended up under investigation Tombstone saw it as his chance to stop being someone else's lackey or hired help and claim a piece of New York for himself. He even got himself his own hired help in the form of Hammerhead and it is Hammerhead who is responsible for what happened at the Opera.
Tombstone had spent his time in jail thinking on it. Hammerhead had been the one who came with the supposed message. Tombstone would make him pay when he could. For now he had to be careful. He had managed to get himself out on bail thanks to a slick lawyer but knew he was being watched.
Tombstone strides back into his home and into his study. He pushes the door open only to find someone there, sitting behind his desk with their feet resting upon it. "I should have known," he says in a low voice. "Hammerhead never showed this type of initiative. You set me up."
The figure behind the desk is dressed in green and purple and upon his face is a green mask...a green goblin mask. The figure known only as the Green Goblin grins wickedly. "Guilty, guilty and oh so guilty," he admits with a gleeful pride. He stands up and raises his hands in triumph. "Now I'm the new Kingpin of New York!" he proclaims his victory. It had taken a long time and careful manoeuvrings behind the scenes and in the shadows to get where he is today but it was all worth it. True Spider-Man's little helper from last night had not been in the plan but it all still worked out in his favour in the end.
Tombstone's eyes narrow. "I wouldn't celebrate just yet," he warns his enemy. "I'm not finished yet."
"Oh I disagree," the Green Goblin says in a complete rebuttal of that view, waggling his finger at Tombstone in a dismissive manner.
Tombstone snorts. "You're taking a lot for granted if you think Fisk is about to hand you his crown. He'll weasel his way out of what you did to him eventually," he argues, revealing he knows that the Goblin was the one who set Fisk up in the way that ended with Fisk's illegal dealings being revealed to the authorities.
The Green Goblin chuckles and even to one such a Tombstone it is a disconcerting sound. "Don't you fret there my dear Tomby. I have plans in place to deal with Round Boy when the time comes."
Tombstone watches the Goblin pace back and forth. What he wouldn't give to just get his hands around that green neck.
The Goblin glances at him. "I know what you're thinking. I wouldn't try it if I were you," he warns Tombstone in a deadly serious tone. "I'm more than prepared for you. Did you know for instance that a certain combination of chemicals in gaseous form can paralyse even you? This same gas currently fills my little pumpkin bombs," he says as he pats the bag that hangs over his shoulder down to his waist that contains bombs encased in shells resembling pumpkins. It's an aesthetic he runs with.
Tombstone's hands clench into fists as he barely restrains his anger.
"Wise decision," the Goblin praises him. "Now you're asking yourself what does the handsome genius that is the Green Goblin plan to do next hmm?"
Tombstone can't help but wonder.
"Well I'll tell you. With Fisk, Octavius, Silvermane and yourself out of the picture there is only one left who can stand against me. Spider-Man."
Tombstone laughs in a mocking fashion. "You're kidding right?" he scoffs at the Green Goblin's next plan. "Do you know how many times we've all tried to kill that wall-crawling pest?" he asks rhetorically, pouring scorn on any attempt to be rid of Spider-Man. The webslinger was worse than a roach for his ability to survive.
Green Goblin looks amused. "My dear Tombstone. Who said anything about killing him?"
An expression of complete bafflement comes to Tombstone's face.
"Now I could. He and I could battle over and over again. Kill and destroy huge swaths of New York until one of us is dead. That would certainly be entertaining but not very productive." He holds a finger up as if to say for Tombstone to pause and consider what he is about to say next. "But imagine..." Even through the mask you can almost see Green Goblin's eyes light up at the idea in his head. "Oh just imagine what could be accomplished if he joined me instead!"
And once he had Spider-Man under his control there would be no more need to hide in the shadows. He could come out into the light and claim what is his. As the image of that future plays out in his head the Green Goblin throws his head back and an insane cackling laugh escapes from his lips. "HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"
"I was meaning to ask," Clark says to Peter as they continue their night patrolling round New York. They had stopped various muggings, and store hold-ups and an attempted bank job all of which gave Peter plenty of ammunition to fire off his endless quips, chatter and occasional narrative monologues and Clark ended up playing off of him. It was really fun actually. Clark could see why Peter did it.
"About?" Peter inquires.
"Captain Stacy. He just happened to show up where we were?" Clark inquires.
"Oh that. That building is one of the places we set up to meet. I didn't expect him to show up tonight."
"So that bit about you being allies?"
"True. He's...he believes in me. Believes I'm a hero. Is probably the only one in the police force that does."
Clark can hear the emotion in Peter's voice that shows that that fact means a lot to him. "Even after the symbiote?" he asks as in how did Captain Stacy react to that.
"I explained what happened to him...short of revealing my identity I don't know why. Just felt I needed to tell someone you know?"
"Yeah. I do know."
"He was...understanding. He listened. I needed it at the time. I was thinking of quitting. He was the one who got me to keep going by showing me every one of the Spider-Man related case files he had and he showed me a picture of everyone I had ever saved and pointed out that if I quit who would save all the people like them. I couldn't let them down. Not like I had my..." Peter trails off before he says 'Uncle Ben'.
Clark looks at Peter swinging low just above his head and briefly wonders if he should ask. He can pretty much guess the next bit would involve the name of someone close to Peter. After all Clark has let people down like that. His parents, his mother's lost baby, Kyla, just to mention a few of his failures.
'No,' Clark decides. He won't ask because he knows how painful it can be to dredge up memories like that. What he can do is perhaps is come up with a way to cheer Peter up. Despite hiding it behind his jokes Clark can tell Peter is not exactly thrilled at the way his life is going. If anything he is almost depressed. "So my friend Chloe is coming over next weekend for a belated birthday party. Want to come?" he invites Peter.
"What? Me?"
"No. I was asking the other guy in the red and blue costume swinging through new York," Clark says sarcastically.
"There's another Spider-Man" Peter queries in shock. "I'm really got to get trademarked."
"You know you are as bad as Dom," Clark complains.
"Dom?"
"Someone I live with who talks just about as much as you."
"I like him already!"
"Her," Clark corrects Peter's misnomer. "But back on subject. Will you come?"
Peter ums and errs a few times before answering. "I'm flattered you would think of me but I'm going to have to turn you down."
"I see," Clark says with a frown. Normally he is a consensual person by nature but he really thinks this party would be good for Peter so he'll just have to take a page out of Rogue's play-book and get devious.
At one of Magneto's bases...
Live Wire's eye rolling for the night was reaching a record level. Too much alcohol during the poker game had made a few of her team-mates brave or stupid enough to attempt a pass at her. She is not interested. She had even given them a small sharp electrical jolt when hands started to stray where they shouldn't.
Finally having had enough she left the table to return to her room. She hears someone jogging up behind her.
"Leaving so soon Cherie?"
Gambit. Cue another eye roll. "What do you want Cajun?"
Gambit jogs up beside her and slows to walk at her pace. "Gambit can't help but notice d'at you are unhappy."
"Really? What clued you in?" she mutters in an acerbic tone.
"Maybe Gambit can help," he makes a very open sounding offer.
Live Wire stops as does Gambit. She turns to look at him, as he flashes that easy going smile of his. He is attractive. Live Wire wouldn't deny it but she has other occupations on her confused, conflicted mind. "What makes you think you can?" she bluntly asks him.
"Gambit has lots of experience helping de tres belle femme."
Live Wire arches an eyebrow. "Uh huh," she says sceptically. "Is this the same way you helped yourself to my money tonight?"
Gambit shrugs "What can Gambit say? He has a gift for de cards."
"Like the ones you stuff up your sleeve so you can cheat you mean."
Gambit looks offended. "Gambit have no idea what you mean."
"No of course not. Don't treat me as blind nor stupid Gambit!" she tells him off in a sharp aggressive tone. "I saw you...and don't bother pulling that innocent look of yours. It doesn't work no matter how cute you are."
Gambit grins. "You d'ink Gambit cute?"
"I didn't say that," Live Wire tries to backtrack.
"Gambit has noticed how you do not insult him as you insult others."
Live Wire snorts but does not deny that.
"If you knew Gambit cheat then why did you not say so to de others?"
"Maybe I just wanted some leverage to use against you later."
"Gambit d'inks he would like to be in debt to you Cherie," he says flirtatiously.
Live Wire glares at him before suddenly she grabs Gambit by the lapels of his long brown coat and yanks him forward until her lips smother his and she kisses him forcefully. She pulls back breathing hard and licks her lips. "When you get tired of the little girl and want a real woman you know where I am," she says in a husky tone revealing she knows all about Gambit's tryst with Haze.
Live Wire then heads off to her room and as Gambit watches her depart he can't help but note the slightly sexy sway she has added to her walk no doubt for his benefit. He can't help but smile to himself. Gambit lives for excitement and challenge like this and Live Wire would certainly be a challenge. The kiss was just her showing him she was interested. Gambit knows this game.
As for Alicia...sure he likes Alicia and has no intention of hurting her. After all what she doesn't know can't hurt her.
Live Wire smiles to herself for a couple of reasons as she walks away. First it has been an inordinate length of time since she simply shared a kiss of any sort with a man and second her plan begins. There is so much of her past missing she has come to realise. Flashes of memories that are hers yet she can't place them. Someone has messed with her head is the only possible conclusion...and chances are Magneto has something to do with it considering the ease with which he was going to use a telepath on his own daughter.
That and Live Wire got a flash of memory the other day of her strapped to a chair with Magneto standing over her in a menacing manner which she couldn't place. Therefore the question became how does she get answers. Solution; get them from someone who was here before she can remember joining 'voluntarily' and choose the weakest link to extract this info from.
Gambit.
His womanising, gambling, thieving ways made him easily the one she could most likely seduce the answers out of. She isn't above using her body to get what she wants.
Live Wire strides into her room and shuts the door behind her. She stares at her walls upon which she has written over and over and over, until it covers every square inch ,what it is she wants to know.
Who is Leslie Willis?
The next day at the Parker household...
Peter walks in the door after school and after dropping by at the Bugle to get paid...no wait scratch that...to get underpaid by JJ for his Spider-Man and Blur pics the other night. Well no longer the Blur since JJ had decided to rename him. Peter wondered if Clark had seen it. He might phone his friend just to see because Clark's reaction would probably be priceless. "Aunt May!" he calls out. "I'm home!"
"In the kitchen Peter!" he hears his aunt shout back. He assumes she is having a cup of tea or something.
Peter walks into the kitchen and he blinks...twice. Sitting at the table with his aunt is a tall guy with curly black hair and nerdy glasses. "Clark?"
Clark turns his head, smiles goofily and pushes his glasses up his nose. "Hi Pete," he greets him in a completely calm tone.
Peter nervously steps forward a pace or two considering his aunt is giving him her disapproving look.
"Peter," May says in a slightly sharp tone. "How come I've never met your friend here before?"
"Ah...well you know aunt May...he lives an hour away in Bayville and I didn't want to put anyone out," Peter comes up with on the spot hoping that doesn't contradict anything Clark might have said.
May frowns at him. "Oh pish posh," she dismisses Peter's argument. "Such a nice polite young man like this," she lays praise on Clark. "He wouldn't have minded coming I'm certain and if you had asked Peter I would have allowed him to stay for a visit or allowed you to visit him," she adds and she says this with full knowledge about where Clark lives after he told her.
"I was just telling your aunt how we ran into each other when you came to Bayville for that school assignment," Clark says, letting Peter know where he can jump off.
"Yeah that was some day," Peter tries to joke, still a little off about the fact Clark is here.
"Clark was also telling me about the party he is planning to have for his friend," May says.
"Yeah. About that..." Peter starts to say how he can't go but May interrupts him.
"I think it's a wonderful idea that you go."
"Huh?"
"You need to get out and meet new people," May tells him and she is saying this because Peter has been very distant from herself and his friends ever since the episode he had where he became this...well May didn't like to dwell on what Peter had become. The important part was that is was obviously only a phase that passed. However she knows it damaged his friendships and he hasn't put the effort in to repair them despite her telling him he could. If he goes then he can make new friends without the baggage.
"But aunt May," Peter starts to protest.
"Peter. You're going," she states in a no room for argument tone.
"Yes ma'am," Peter mumbles in defeat. He knows not to argue with that tone.
Clark smiles slightly. It is very reminiscent of when his mother is taking him to task.
Peter sits down at the table and pulls out today's copy of the Bugle from his bag. "By the way have you seen the Bugle today?" he asks Clark, seeing a chance to get back at his friend for what he has done.
"No," Clark replies.
"There's a follow-up story about that person who aided Spider-Man the other night."
Clark silently groans. Why do people think it necessary to be so obsessed with what he does he has no idea. "It's not an anti-mutant rant is it?" he asks, because he has no desire to read another one of those.
"No."
"Thank goodness," May says in relief. The kind of bigotry mutants get is something she never thought she would see again in this country. Personally she has nothing against mutants and as she and Clark have talked, while they waited for Peter, he spoke of his mutant friends in warm terms so they can't be anywhere as bad as some in the press try to portray them as. As for Spider-Man...well to be kind she is undecided on how to judge him. The Bugle's stories don't give her confidence but Peter always defends the arachnid themed hero/vigilante. Although how Peter gets those pictures is a mystery to May.
"Mr Jameson gave him a name," Peter reports as he hands the folded up paper to Clark.
Clark frowns as he unfolds the paper. The last thing he needs is another ridiculous name thought up by the media. His eyes widen when he sees the headline with the name he has actually heard before. Superman. In his head he groans, 'Not again!'
The only positive Clark can say as he skims the article is that it isn't like the ones the Bugle writes about Spider-Man. If anything it's kind of supporting about him. Not overwhelmingly so but still generally positive. It makes him feel bad for Peter. This is the type of article Peter should get written about him. Clark can't figure it out why he is the one getting good press.
May gently picks the paper from Clark's hand and reads the article for the first time herself. "I do suppose it fits the symbol he wears," she remarks. "Although I'm not certain his outfit is quite reflective of such a name," she slightly criticises the whole leather biker-esque look as she would ascribe it as.
'Ooh. That would upset his mother,' Clark muses...and it's not a S!
A short time later Clark makes his farewells to Peter's aunt who is a really nice lady but Clark needs to be getting home.
Peter walks Clark out the door. "So what did you think of JJ's name?" he asks, now that he is out of earshot of his aunt.
Clark raises a hand to his head and shakes his head. "Would he be terribly upset if I said someone beat him to it?"
"Really?" Peter queries interested, loving the idea of JJ being shown up.
"My codename as an X-Man was Superboy but the first suggestion was Superman but since I was only 16 at the time we decided that boy was a more appropriate suffix."
"Well I suppose you could go explain to JJ that you're only 17."
"Nah," Clark replies. "After all if you can get away with it I can. Besides truthfully it doesn't really bother me what I'm called. I think I said that to you when we first met that all I really want is to help people. What others call me...well that's up to them."
Peter nods. He does remember words to that effect. "By the way what is your name? I mean your...uh...alien name," he says trying not to sound offensive by asking this.
"My birth name," Clark informs Peter of the term to use. "It's Kal-El...and by the way before you ask it's not a S on my chest. It's the family crest. It happens to resemble a S. That's all."
"Funny coincidence," Peter remarks.
Clark shrugs. What can he say? "By the way can Mr Jameson really get away with all the wild speculations?" Clark asks Peter about the many wrong assumptions about him in the Bugle.
"It's an editorial. An opinion and besides what can any of us costumed heroes do. It's not like we can sue him," Peter says but boy how he wishes he could.
"Why is he so negative on you?"
It's Peter's turn to shrug. "Who knows? Maybe a spider bit him as a kid and he's been holding onto the grudge all these years and sees me as a way to vent."
"You deserve better."
Peter smiles slightly at that one. "You're one of the few people that thinks that."
"One day I'll write something positive about you," Clark promises.
"That'll be something to look forward too," Peter tries to joke but it comes off a little flat. "By the way that was low," Peter suddenly complains.
"What was?" Clark asks, a little put off by the sudden change in topic.
"Going behind my back to my aunt."
Ah the party. "Worked didn't it."
Peter sighs. "I really don't want to go...no offence."
"Peter don't take this the wrong way but you need to go. You're mopy and depressed and it is just weird to see you like that."
"Mopy?" Peter questions that. "How am I mopy?"
"Well you do hide it well under your babble but trust me I know mopy. I have a degree in it. Just ask my mom if you don't believe me."
"Have you always been like this? Feeling the need to stage an intervention?"
"Nope. I blame Kitty," Clark says with an 'aw shucks' lopsided grin. Well actually it was Rogue's influence that made him be this devious but he would never say that out-loud in case Rogue heard. He would like to remain breathing. Hence he said Kitty...and he isn't being completely untruthful in blaming her. Although of course in reality she really is his good friend. He just likes teasing her.
"Kitty?" Peter questions that. He remembers her. Brown hair, blue eyes, pretty looking, phased through things and was able to actually hold a conversation with him however brief it was that morning he was at the mansion and she was kind of sweet really.
"Kitty is not as sweet as she appears to be. Trust me on that," Clark mutters darkly at what she did to him to get back at him for his redecorate her room prank. He doesn't like to think about it. "So will you come or do I have to abduct you?" he half-threatens.
"Oh god! There's going to be anal probing isn't there!" Peter jokes referring to that common joke about alien abductions.
"Hardy har ha," Clark replies in a flat sarcastic tone. "Seriously though do I?"
"It's an hour...on public transport," Peter continues to try and weasel his way out of it.
"I'll pick you up. I've got the trip down to 3 minutes," Clark offers shooting that argument apart.
Peter groans. "Ok I'll come," he submits to the inevitable.
Clark grins. "Great!" he cries cheerfully at his success. "I'll pick you up bright and early Saturday morning," he tells him. "Bye Pete!" Clark says before he walks off to find a place to superspeed off home without being seen.
Peter sighs. He knows he'll probably regret agreeing to this. Why? Two words. Parker Luck.
Smallville, the offices of the Torch...
"No."
"Come on Chlo. I want through all this effort. I've already made the arrangements with Smallville."
Chloe huffs. She can't believe Lois went behind her back and arranged a party for her in Bayville at the Xavier Institute. Sure she would love to see Clark. He is her best friend after all but she isn't in a celebratory mood what with her father away.
"Chlo you're only 18 once. Let me make it memorable for you," Lois almost pleads with her cousin. "Give me one reason why not?"
Chloe opens her mouth but Lois cuts her reply off.
"A good reason," Lois insists on.
"How about I would have to skip school to take the trip to Bayville," Chloe argues.
"Oh wow you'd have to take a few days off. It's the end of the world as we know it," Lois says being over-dramatic about it to emphasise her point. "Nope. That's not good enough," Lois decides.
"Well how about...uh...there's...err...how about I just don't want to be a nuisance."
"You're never a nuisance Chlo. That's me!"
Chloe can't stop the snigger escaping her lips.
Lois smiles. "Come on Chloe. Smallville said it was no problem and I've already passed on my instructions about what kind of party to set up. The only reason I'm telling you this far ahead is that I know it's a bit of a long drive and you need to make sure everything is covered with the house and stuff," she says in a softer tone.
"Alright," Chloe gives in. "I'll go."
Lois grins triumphant. "See. Was that so hard?" she asks rhetorically. She places her arm across her cousin's shoulder. "We'll have a great time. You'll see couz," Lois promises.
Chloe smiles at Lois' optimism. "Thanks Lo," she says, truly grateful Lois put all this effort in to make sure she has a nice brithday.
"So you'd be the infamous Lois Lane Chloe talked so much about."
Both Chloe and Lois look to the doorway to see a girl with long dark hair and a slight exotic look standing there. Chloe's eyes widen in shock. "Lana!"
Lana smiles. "Hi Chloe!" she greets her friend warmly
Chloe runs over and hugs her old house-mate. She steps back and looks Lana over. "What are you doing back?" she asks, since as far as she knew Lana didn't have any plans to return from Paris any time soon.
Lana shrugs. "Got a little lonely...a little homesick Thought I'd come home. See Lex and yourself," she explains why she is back.
"I'm glad," Chloe says genuinely because yeah her relationship with Lana hasn't always been easy especially when they were both chasing after Clark but that was no longer an issue so that leaves her friendship with Lana and no real issues between them any more. In fact she has found herself missing Lana.
"Me too!" Lana says in her perky tone, agreeing with the sentiment of being glad to see her friend.
Chloe leads Lana into the Torch office so she can introduce Lana to her cousin. "Lana I'd like you to meet my cousin Lois. Lois this is my friend Lana that I told you about."
Lois looks the girl over who is dating the King of the Trust Funds and all round scuzzbucket Lex Luthor. She isn't impressed. She hides her feelings for Chloe's sake. "Yeah. Nice to meet you."
If Lana picks up on Lois' lack of enthusiasm in that greeting she doesn't let on. She instead asks a question, with keen interest in her eyes. "So did I hear something about a party?"
Author's Note: Lana's back! Or is she? Anyone who knows I'm writing a version of Spell soon can guess what I mean when I ask that and yes I'll be including Peter in it. I had to make a choice about which version of Venom to use. The alien creature or the artificially created life-form. I chose the artificially created one because it allowed me to throw in a link to Norman Osborn. My poll for who gets possessed is now closed. The winners were Rogue and Wanda so that's who'll you see. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; It's Chloe's birthday party...with surprise guests!