[Peter Parker Quest]
CHAPTER 55
Showdown at Stark
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?
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Are you listening? Right, probably not. Sorry for not talking to you more, but I was busy dealing with a bunch of pest. Not like you're aware. Or that you care. Or like you…
Nevermind.
Well, what should I say today?
You know Captain America? Well, probably. Anyway, he had this catchy song, y'know? It went some thing like… "When Captain America throws his mighty shield…. All who oppose his shield must surely yeild!"
Or something. But, yeah, I was thinking about heroes. What does it mean to be a hero?
Sorry. Being stupid.
Again.
So, stories? Hmm. Hmmmmm. Hmmmmmmmm.
So, I've done the lizard's tale. And m-the bird's tale. So…. Hmmmmm.
Well, how do you think the world will end? Will it be like the Book of Revelations? Aliens? Or will people just end themselves? They say the mark of the beast is 616, which strikes me as funny for some reason I can't understand exactly why. Maybe it'll be some guy in garish armor coming to eat the planet? Maybe it'll be a different guy with four horsemen. Or maybe it'll be aliens invading.
Heh, how silly right?
Sorry, I've got to go for now. Duty calls.
Resuming Operation Piggy Ninja.
PPQ resuming
Waking up in the morning, you yawn sleepily.
That's right, today is the next day.
As you wake up, you reflect on everything that totally just fucking happened yesterday. Pinching yourself does nothing.
You're a hired man now. And able to work when you want to, well, probably. More like when that battery is done you are.
Regardless, you have some time. You've slept in- its after ten- but who can blame you?
It IS time to get up though. Freshening yourself up, you head downstairs and grab a late breakfast making small talk with your aunt, who is mainly questioning you over things about your job. When she's satisfied, she's out the door to next door, no doubt to go talk with Anna Watson.
When all's said and done, its about noon when your phone vibrates- it's a text from doctor Spyral, who wants to know if you want a ride in to the office to work on the project. She'd like to get this one out of the way ASAP so she can get onto other works.
You text back an agreement and a few moments later your phone buzzes with her response. It's a shorthand sort of reply but it seems she'll be by within the hour. Which gives you about an hour to spend until you've got to head to work.
At the current time, Uncle Ben is at work and Aunt May is over at Anna Watson.
You head over to your neighbor's house and ring the doorbell. A few moments later, after being congratulated by Anna Watson for your success, you're headed over to the 'den' where Mary Jane is at. Currently, she's playing three games at once- one mouse with each hand and a stylus pressing buttons on a handheld with her mouth.
She pauses as she notices you before quickly stopping what she's doing and clearing her throat. Her hair's tired back in a ponytail as she clears her throat awkwardly. "So… um.. .hey."
Her voice is quiet and a bit embarrassed sounding. "Hey, Mary Jane."
"So, uh, I heard about the job. Congrats."
Sitting down the two of you talk in the freetime as Mary Jane fiddles with something, you feel your Spider-sense tingle from right behind your head. Seems like something's coming for your head from behind. Nothing too dangerous, but it'll hurt.
Your spider-sense grows more and more pitched as you nonchalantly catch the thing heading to the back of your head and look at it. Seems like it was an apple which was launched via some sort of catapult. Pretty clever.
You look at Mary Jane, who seems nonchalant. For her, anyway.
You open your mouth to say something, but you hear your aunt and miss Watson nearby as Mary Jane holds up her handheld- in shakily written handwriting- on the handheld she closed earlier is "All according to Keikaku."
Snapping the handheld shut, she chuckles as you hear your phone chirp. Pulling it out, it seems your ride is nearing. Mary Jane looks a bit triumphant as she waves you off. "We'll talk later."
Waving you off, she heads back to her computer as you head for the door- outside there's a cab waiting out on the street- you can see Spyral sitting in it, waiting. Not much happens during the ride- apparently Spyral's listening to something and keeps her eyes shut, her foot impatiently tapping during the drive.
Arriving at Stark Industries, Spyral is entirely in business mode.
[Miniaturization I (77/85)]
It's beginning to become evening when the two of you break. Spyral seems frustrated as the two of you eat in the employee cafeteria.
"We're so close, I can almost taste it. We're about to make that first breakthrough, Parker."
She almost looks a little desperate as the two of you finish up your food- a very late lunch- and get ready to go. "Let's work a little while longer tonight. Just for tonight."
Her hand is on your shoulder as she looks you in the eye.
Calling home, you're pleasantly surprised by the sound of your uncle answering the phone. "Peter, you need a ride home?"
"Nah, Uncle Ben ,we're about to make a breakthrough, so I'm staying late again. Sorry. Could.. Could you tell Aunt May?"
Your hesitant voice makes Ben laugh heartily- after a few moments he's taking a deep breath of relief. "You know Peter, you're just like your father. The moment he could, he threw himself into his work. I'd never seen him so full of life. You're really your father's son, alright."
You feel your clench at those words- in both fondness and pain. He suddenly speaks again, his voice an almost whisper. "Yikes, that's May. Gotta go, Peter!"
He hangs up and you get back to work- the two of you have firmly finalized a smaller battery- smaller than a golf cart's battery, you still don't think it's small enough- far larger than even a C-battery its like a small brick now. Still Work needs to be done, and done it shall be.
The two of you keep at it and make some progress into further miniaturizing it before calling it a night- Spyral walking off on her own. Seems like she's in work mode until this project is considered 'over' for her.
Considering that it probably has some impact on her contract here, though, you can't really find it in your heart to blame her.
Returning home, you head and start getting ready for bed, when your phone rings. Checking the number, it seems to be Gwen.
"Peter? Its tonight. They moved it up to tonight!"
You pause as you listen to Gwen's panicking voice. "What do you mean? Take a deep breath and-"
"SHUT. UP. THE KINGPIN. TONIGHT. STARK. BATTERY. GOGOGO!"
"What?"
The phone line cuts dead- redialing it only gives you the message that the person you've reached is currently unavailable.
Hurrying on your way down the road- you make a quick stop and then are web slinging at the MAXIMUM SPEED OF SPIDER! You slingshot yourself by using the momentum you gain from turning 'corners' to pelt yourself forward, twisting and flipping through the air like a missile.
It doesn't take you long to reach Stark Industries- going to and fro for the past two days has given you an idea of where it is- so reaching there isn't' hard.
When you get there, you see an armored truck slammed through the front doors with lights on and windows broken out- the police in the distance- and the police scanner in your ear- tell you that all staff got out safely, so it should be safe to go in.
Heading past the truck, you head inside and see the general line of destruction the goons must have taken- right towards your lab. Heading there- you see two goons on lookout- they haven't spotted you yet.
Moving quickly, you move to take them down before too much time can pass. "Think fast!"
Slamming into them midswing- feet first- you clam them into the wall before webbing them to it, making sure their arms are restrained and they can't do anything- but that did leave a loud noise when they hit into the walls.
Heading down the next hallway that leads towards the labs themselves you hear talking as you dart down the hallway- near the end- near the cracked door.
Is- is that Russian?
Opening the door- you see a silver book enter the lab- your lab- as a large Muscular man grunts something in what you're PRETTY sure is in Russian and cracks his knuckles and slides back his brass knuckles on.
"You. Spider. Get Lost."
His voice is booming and firm, his eyes narrow as he seems to snort at you with a heavy Russian accent.
"Sorry, I don't speak giant Russian thug."
Running forward, you flip into the air and kick at him as he grunts, the kick having done nothing as he arm wraps around your leg- following the danger tingles of your Spider-sense, you lat yourself fall back- arching your back as you come back up and hit him in the jaw- wincing at the blow yourself- taking a moment to free yourself when is grip weakens slightly as you land in front of him.
As you shake the pain out of your arm, his eyes narrow.
"I. Do. Not. Like. Spider."
"It's 'spiders.' 'I do not like spiders.' Plurals are important. Unless you meant "I do not like the Spider.' That's different. Or did they teach you how to speak like that in your class on being a Russian thug?"
You cock your head as his eyes narrow.
"Because, honestly? 'Big dumb Russian thug' is that even still a thing anymore? I thought that whole cliché went away when the cold war ended. Because, y'know, Russia lost."
His eyes narrow further as you imagine an atomic bomb going off, like on one of those old cartoons.
"I. Crush. Spider."
He punches at you as you nearly get out of the way- his brass knuckles grazing you as you get out of the way- your thicker costume prevents some of the damage, but it isn't comfortable. The big guy curses unintelligibly in Russian.
Yeah, its time to take this guy down. Ducking beneath his swing, you punch him hard in the gut as he goes flying back and groans. His eyes narrow before rolling back into unconsciousness as you shake your arm.
Damn was he made out of bricks or something?
Regardless, you need to get moving- after webbing him down- you turn towards your lab only for smoke to start billowing everywhere- smoke pellets you notice- as your mask helps protect you a little from their effects.
As smoke billows everywhere, you barely- BARELY- keep yourself from doubling over from the smoke. Its noxious and makes your eyes want to water. There's noise- alarms and sprinklers- covering up the other person's exit.
Heading for a window- stumbling for where you think one is- you force it open with all your strength and drink in the air. Above- you see a figure ascending rapidly. In the night lights from nearby buildings- it seems to shine silver.
This person, whoever it is, is heading for the roof.
The figure still manages to keep a lead on you- even as you climb as fast as you can. As you near the roof, you notice that a window is broken- inward- but there's nobody there. On the next floor- right below the roof- however, you see the Scarlet Spider grab a chair and slam it into something for half a second- as you keep going- and arrive on the roof.
The figure you've been pursuing is on the roof, standing on the far edge, a briefcase in hand, the familiar voice speaking in harsh, clipped Russian.
You approach as quietly as you can- the person's back turned. A familiar height- with long, but familiar silver-ish white hair. The figure isn't talking anymore as you get within arm's length.
"Black Cat?"
The figure turns- a familiar face- the exact duplicate of your girlfriends' stares at you coldly- the same face but colder, harsher with eyes that look like they're made out of steel as a harsh, confused voice with a heavy Russian accent questions you.
"Who's 'Black Cat?"
As you freeze- in confusion- you hear the sound of something break behind as Scarlet Spider's form goes tumbling past as she gets back to her feet. Behind her, from the floor below, a large, hulking form emerges.
Rows of sharp teeth in a large mouth, along with two twisted versions of your own lenses- town and narrowed- are upon a hulking black background as a large twisted version of your own spider symbol drapes across its monstrous chest and two white patches appear on the back of its large claw-like hands.
Project…
"Venom."
The word is a curse-like whisper from your own lips.
"WE KILLLLL YOU!"
It roars as Scarlet staggers to her feet, fists balled. Behind you, you can hear the sound of a helicopter approaching- fast- as you stare at the thing.
And it stares back at you, eyes only full of rage.
You try to retrieve the battery, but as you stare at Venom, you stagger, clutching at your chest.
Oh, god. Your heart. Your heart. Why isn't your heart beating? And then its fucking HAMMERING IN YOUR CHEST. Clutching at your chest you barely pull part of the mask away as you feel something force itself up your throat as you hurl out black ooze.
Oh god. Oh god why. Why. Why is that coming out?
You were clean! YOU WERE CLEAN GODDAMN IT! The doctor said so!
You stagger back as Felicia? Steps back, concerned as you see, a hand, made out of black ooze and cobalt flame grab the suitcase- her hand recoiling as if burned by invisible flames as you feel it- looking at Venom.
Your vision swims as you see it screaming as blue flames coat it- as it writes in agony and goes running-tumbling- off the side of the building, screaming in agony.
Everything fades to black as you feel arms holding you even as you hear Scarlet Spider screaming for you- not saying your name, but desperate all the same- sounding heartbroken and horrified. And then her voice fades to as you fall into utter blackness.
In the distance, you can hear countless horrible voices, held at bay, their horrid voices all screaming in unison.
PREY
As you fade into the unconscious blackness, the arms gently carefully holding you, you can't help but think that you've been held like this before- dearly, as if made out of a thousand pieces of glass- liable to break at any time.
Only once before.
But when?
Eventually, the warmth fades and you awaken to find yourself laying in your bed, your alarm going off at eight in the morning, feeling perfectly fine.
No, that isn't exactly right.
You can feel something behind you, faintly. But when you look, there's nothing there.
...
Interlude
...
Tonight…
Tonight was weird.
And I'm saying that as I choke out what feels like blood, (maybe pus?) From my lungs. The smoke probably didn't help. Going off of my information, I went and found where they were meeting- stealing from- Stark Industries.
Ballsy move, but it was the kingpin. They drove in with a truck- was forced to watch from outside as the cops did everything- brought the bodies of the tied up thugs- Russian- and their boss- Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich. Tons of aliases and pseudonyms, but most commonly known as 'The Rhino.'
Why?
Because he's as big, strong, tough and stupid as one.
But yeah, so that's when it got weird. Like bad Halloween movie weird.
Because when that helicopter arrived at the roof? That's when a big, screaming thing slammed onto the cop car in front of me. I was already being covered by a cop- Captain Stacy. He doesn't like me, but I think, right now he's pitying me. That's fine. I'll take it if it helps me get leads.
Where was I? Right. Bit black monster thing gets up, writhing in pain- tons of sharp teeth and monstrous claws- and a parody of spider-man's symbol on its chest. And then, as police shoot at it- it flees, like hell is after it.
Because it is, because this? This is the really, really, really weird part. A black figure in a black trench coat and helmet that seems to have blue flames emit from the cracks of its helmet drives down the side of the building on an angular, loud bike that looks like its made outta obsidian- slowly crumbling into blue will wisps or some shit.
The Bike roared as it drove past- nobody noticed it but me- a figure draped across its back, hidden by its exhaust of blue flames as it drove off into the night- but not before dropping a briefcase at the Captain's feet.
And then it vanished into the blackness of night.
They're calling it the 'Ghost Rider' because it appeared and vanished like a hellish ghost. Or an evil spirit.
God, the world only seems to get more and more interesting as I'm nearing my deathbed.
How's that for irony?
You suck, God.
-Eddie
END
To Be Continued
NEXT: AN EVIL SPIRIT?!