Behind the Mask

THIRTEEN: Catch of the Day

.:::.

Chase shifted the cruiser into park and killed the engine. "Maybe this isn't the best idea, Liv."

I smoothed a strand of hair on my head. "What do you mean?"

Chase peered through his rearview mirror at the bar in the distance. "You really shouldn't mess with these guys. They aren't...clean." He chose his words carefully.

I smiled and reached for the door handle, but he locked the doors in response. "I don't mind playing dirty, Chase. It's fool proof. I'll be fine, Spiderman will redeem himself, and you'll be praised for getting these creeps off the street."

I thought playing with his pride would convince him to let me go, but he was still on the border.

I didn't have time to convince him. "Spiderman's waiting. You'll see how well it works once we're finished." I unlocked my door and leaned to kiss Chase's cheek, hoping it was enough to satisfy him for now.

I wobbled a bit in my sky-high heels but I found my balance quickly. My coat was long enough to go a little past my knees, but it did nothing to keep me warm; I was only wearing a cotton tank top and shorts beneath it to play up the exotic dancer thing. To think this was what attracted men was beyond my comprehension.

I started walking down the abandoned sidewalk, feeling Chase's eyes on me in his mirror. The thought bothered me - They don't call it a rear view mirror for nothing. I made sure to save the hip swaying for later.

I spotted the neon sign of the bar up ahead. It didn't have a distinct name, the logos of dozens of beer brands covering the face of the building. There was a group of four men smoking outside the entrance.

My adrenaline kicked in. Four might have been a lot to handle, but I was confident in all of us. At least I wouldn't have to go inside the first time.

I couldn't falter my step like my instincts warned me. I had to appear as natural as possible. I felt exposed as I walked under a street light, but I didn't let it faze me. The few seconds that I was visible were enough for the men to notice me approaching.

One of the taller ones tossed his cigarette on the sidewalk, the bright orange stub catching my eye. "Hey, sweetheart. Where you headed?"

I slowed my stride to appear approachable after I turned on the hip swaying. "Nowhere important." My voice barely shook. I was proud.

This intrigued them. "Why don't you come inside? We'll buy you a drink?"

I stopped walking a few feet ahead of them and smiled slyly. "Isn't this Roy Stevenson's place?"

I almost had to squint to see their faces in the shadows. "What's it to ya? " A grungy voice asked.

It was enough of an answer for me. "My boyfriend was here last week. He got turned in a few days ago."

I didn't expect the silence that followed, and I allowed my discomfort to flash briefly across my features. I felt my stomach twitch as I realized I broke my character. They stared at me expectantly. "Damn bug got him?"

I nodded, sensing their mistrust. "He won't be let out for a very, very long time." I emphasized my apparent loneliness.

More silence followed, but I wasn't worried by it. They nodded slightly toward each other. "You should come inside. Maybe we can help you out."

Now that I'd thought I won them over, I needed to see if it actually worked. "This place is okay, but I know somewhere better..." I twisted my lips into that sly smile again. "Want me to show you?"

The taller one bumped another's shoulder and walked towards me. "Lead the way, baby."

I wanted to vomit at their pure indecency. It was disgusting! I followed his orders and started swaying my hips in the direction of the alley beside the building. My only motivation was knowing that Spiderman would be there, hiding in the darkest corner, ready to strike. And that Chase would be close behind.

"This way," I beckoned them with an outstretched finger. They followed like hypnotized little ducklings.

I could hear them speaking to each other as their voices bounced off the high brick walls, but they had no idea what was coming.

I'd made it halfway down the alley when a spurt of spider web shot past my shoulder and pinned the taller one to the wall. He couldn't speak, the wind knocked out of his lungs.

Before the others could react, another was pinned in the same way. The two that were left caught on quickly. "Ah, it's the Spider!" He had an evil grin on his whiskered face.

"Where you hiding, Spidey?" The other man taunted. "Come down here and fight like a real man!"

I flinched as Spiderman dropped down right in front of me. "Sorry buddy, but I don't see any real men around here."

I saw the shimmer of silver in the light before I realized it was a knife in the criminal's hand.

"Drop your weapons!" The voice, loud and authoritative, caught all of our attention. Chase stood at the mouth of the alley, his gun aimed straight down the center at all of us.

"Who the hell are you?"

Another flash of silver, but not a weapon. Chase's badge. "NYPD. You're all under arrest." As if on cue, a series of sirens could be heard in the near distance.

Spiderman noticed the knife flying at his throat before I did. Throughout another few spurts of webbing and a kick at the ankles of the two criminals, Spidey managed to have them all lined up on the brick wall. Ironically in height order.

They shouted and cursed in protest, but Spiderman solved that problem with a shot of webbing over their mouths. He finally turned around to face me. "You okay?"

"Yes." I glanced back at the line up, cringing as I was subject to their death glares.

I pointed at the taller one. "May I?" I asked Spiderman. He stepped out of my way.

I marched proudly up to the man and glared right back at him. "Filthy pig." I finished it off with a clean slap across his face.

"Nicely done." Spidey mentioned.

I ignored the throbbing in my hand. "Thanks."

Three squad cars arrived on the scene and took the four of them away without catching the attention of the bar, ridden with gang members. Chase was helping shovel the handcuffed criminals into the back seats.

He beckoned me over to them. "I'll be right back..." I looked for Spiderman on my left, but he was gone that fast.

"Liv organized this all by herself." Chase praised me as I approached them.

The other officer nodded in approval. "We've been trying to find these guys for a while now. You managed to do it in one night."

I blushed, both humbled and proud of myself.

"Look, Liv." Chase leaned into the squad car and jerked the criminal's chin to the side. A small tattoo was placed just below his ear on his neck. "See that?"

"I see." This one was dedicated enough to get a tattoo of the spider symbol. "The others, too?"

"You bet." Chase released his chin, the death glare returning before Chase could shut the door. "We're helping out a lot of people by getting these guys off the street."

The third officer wrinkled his forehead as he stared at me. "Aren't you the writer of that column in the paper? The one about Spiderman?"

I was suddenly too afraid to answer. Chase spoke for me, which didn't really help. "She's got some kind of crush on him." He smirked, looking for his friends to smirk with him.

I would have rather been celebrating our small victory with the person this helped the most. Chase didn't completely understand how huge this was toward Spiderman's safety.

They did, and I blushed again despite my efforts. "He's a really nice guy once you get to know him." I said.

"Sure, but he could use a healthy slice of humble pie. The guy acts like a little Silly String can fix everything." They laughed like ten-year-old bullies on the playground.

I tucked my coat tighter around me, my adrenaline slowly starting to dissolve. "You should probably save some of that pie for yourself."

I spun on my heels to make a grand exit but I bumped into Spiderman's chest with a gasp before I could make any progress.

I looked up at him, but he was more interested in the officers and their taunting smiles. "Good evening, officers." He made his voice deep and intimidating. I stifled a few giggles.

"Spider." Chase took an extra step forward. His eyes looked Spiderman up and down, his mouth pressed into a line. "Nice work."

Spiderman nodded once in return before turning his head to me. "You must be freezing."

I hadn't noticed my chattering teeth until he mentioned something. I tried not to look so pathetic, but it was very cold outside and I was wearing next to nothing.

Spidey curled his arm around me and aimed his web at a very tall building. My feet were suddenly dangling in the air and I gripped onto his body for dear life.

"Don't let go!" I begged, though I knew I didn't need to beg at all.

He didn't respond much, just held me a little tighter than before. It wasn't enough to settle my fear of falling.

I was glad to stand on my own two feet again when we touched down at my balcony halfway across the city. I patted down my wind blown hair and hurried inside.

"What's wrong?" He was Peter now, the mask peeled off of his face.

"I need to shower." I said, heading straight for my bathroom. "I feel dirty."

My feet suddenly stopped propelling me forward. Something was holding me back, something stronger than my will to escape before I gave in to my feelings for him.

I looked back over my shoulder and followed the string of web that strung from Peter's wrist to the small of my back. He had this humorous look in his eye.

I grunted as I tried to fight the hold of his impossibly strong Silly String. I realized if those big bad criminals can't escape it then I don't have a chance in hell.

The harder I fought, the easier it became for him to reel me in like the catch of the day. He pulled me all the way back to the doors of the balcony.

He would always be able to pull me back to him, even without the web. It was too dangerous for either of us to consider now, especially since we were able to work as a team with Chase.

If I left Chase now, he would never help us catch the bad guys again. That man would hold a grudge against me forever. I couldn't test Peter's safety like that.

"That's not fair." I pouted, a double meaning hidden in my words. I still wouldn't look at him, because I knew what would happen if I did.

He unhooked the web on me and laughed a little. "You're funny."

"Well, I'm glad I amuse you."

His response tested my will power. I could barely stand it when his fingers ran through my hair that way. "You did so well back there, I couldn't have done it better myself."

"It's nothing special." I said curtly. I started imagining the fate of another girl that would have walked past those creeps if I hadn't first and nearly shuddered.

I flinched at the sound of my front door handle rattling. It unlocked and opened up. I heard Chase's voice approaching us.

I felt Peter's hand slip out of my hair before I saw him slip away entirely, completely unnoticed.

Chase finally found me standing there by myself. His grin was huge. "You were unbelievable, Liv! I'll be surprised if they don't start paying you to work for them undercover."

"I don't need money." My response was delayed just a little, but enough to make him suspicious.

"What's the matter?" He approached me immediately, tangling his fingers deep and securely in my hair. It didn't feel the same way as Peter. "You're not hurt, are you?"

I needed to make it feel better than Peter, for both of our best interests. I anchored my hands in his sides and tilted my head up, asking for one of his mind-fogging kisses.

He delivered my request, but it wasn't enough. I knew it would never be enough, but it would have to do.