Half a week later at night Peter was out as Spider-Man and perched on top of a building; he saw some masked people in biker jackets breaking into a car and making a getaway. He web slinged down and chased it until he saw it drive into an auto repair shop. He broke open the door to enter and there were masked guards that he quickly took down.
He then noticed the place was filled with broken cars and parts where most of them were wearing biker jackets with motorcycles parked nearby. "I don't have a car so I never needed to use one of these things but I am pretty certain that it looks you're not using the usual auto repair uniform!" Peter joked as they gathered firearms and Peter went to work dodging, disarming and taking them down.
Soon some of them began calling on their phones for back up, "You don't know who you are messing with; our boss will be here soon!" ranted one of them and Peter laughed as he took them down.
"Oh; I am shaking in my boots! Biker leader is coming over here; truly the most dangerous threat that I had ever fought!" Peter laughed as he heard noises and soon he heard motorcycle noises coming from outside. He saw more bikers and at the centre was a a tall bulking brute of a man; a bald headed African-American man with pale bleached skin. "So you must be the oh so scary leader..." Peter laughed coming up but felt his Spider-Sense and was then punched so hard he was sent right through the window off the shop.
"Okay... Maybe I should be worried..." Peter grunted as the leader went up to him with the bikers following as well with their guns; Peter was then picked up by the neck off his costume and punched in the eye moaning. He gathered his senses to see the grinning face off the man.
"The name's Tombstone and I have been hoping that I get to see this Spider-Man for himself; guess the news make you sound more impressive than you actually are!" the man explained looking like he was about to sadistically pound him into dust when suddely a billy club was thrown at the fuse box causing the lights to go out.
There was a lot of confusing and Peter managed to heal and gather his senses enough to get free and fight what he could see off the bikers. There was confusion and the sounds of someone else taking them down and then the bikers began frantically firing around them.
Soon there was police sirens and Peter managed to get out; he climbed his way to the top of a nearby building overlooking the repair shop. He began resting as he saw the police take the bikers into custody. "You just put a target on your especially since not only did Tombstone escape but you put a target on your back since he is under the employ of the Hammerhead crime family." chided a voice from behind Peter and he got up.
"Who do you think you are..." Peter retorted only to spot that he was staring at a glaring man in a dark red bodysuit with a symbol that was a double D connected to eachother on it; a red protective mask covering his head except for his mouth and there were aesthetic devil horns. "Wait... I heard about you... Aren't you Daredevil?" Peter asked remembering reading about the urban legend off a brutal costumed vigilante who stalked the streets of New York; especially Hell's Kitchen; was active until a few years ago. Was said that he was the one who took down New York's Kingpin in a last physical brawl before the authorities took him away.
"And you are Spider-Man; the rookie who acts before he thinks. They might not be as powerful as they used to be but a Maggia crime family is still not what you should gain as an enemy without a plan as to what to do for when they come up to you!" Daredevil retorted and Peter sighed at this less than flattering description of him.
"I think that I will be fine; I have powers and I can take care of them and their guns..." Peter replied and Daredevil shook his head.
"Too many young people think of themselves as invincible! Your powers won't do you much good when you end up facing someone who is much stronger! Take Tombstone for example; he is super strong and feels no pain, an experimental drug that he took as a kid made him the biggest bully in the playground. He is not someone you should try to overpower; you have to outsmart him!" Daredevil told him and Peter took this in.
"So did you come here to talk me down and then take over this crime fighting business again?" Peter asked and Daredevil shook his head.
"No; long ago I had pushed my body past it's limit and I can't continue as I had before. I think your heart is in the right place but without proper training; you are a sitting duck so I want to offer you fighting lessons. Skill along with your powers can help you out if you use them with your brain." Daredevil told him and Peter took this in.
"I think I am doing okay but thanks for the assist..." Peter replied as he web slinged away with Daredevil shaking his head.
The next morning in Midtown Magnet High School during lunch period and in the school library; Liz and Harry were both having a double tutoring session with Peter with Harry struggling to understand while Liz was doing her best putting down notes. While a little more advanced than his own year's lessons' Peter was able to understand it well but trying to go over it with Liz while going over his own year's teachings with Harry was getting hard.
"Come on Peter; you think that you can go over it again please? Slower and easier to understand?" Harry pleaded once again interupting Peter going over something with Liz much to their irritation.
"Harry; Liz kind of needs more help and you were able to understand this stuff enough to pass the homework that we got so can you try self-study for a second please?" Peter asked taking a deep breath and Harry nervous opened up his book allowing Peter to focus on relaying the material to Liz.
Soon lunch period ended up being over and Liz as she was getting up told Peter "thanks for this Peter; I hope I can memorise enough off this stuff to get my grades up..." Peter smiled at this and as they were leaving there was Sally coming up to Liz to meet her so that they could go to class together.
"Can't believe you had to pay the freshman dweeb to tutor you; the sooner you get your grades up and can dump him to the curb the better!" Sally yelled looking like the situation was ridiculous; utterly ridiculous.
"Don't worry Sally; I can't wait until I no longer need him either!" Liz told Sally as she saw there were people around as she walked with her as Peter just looked on frowning as he then began walking to class with Harry.
"Nice to me until we are out in public and she is with her friend..." Peter muttered as Harry put a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't sweat it Peter; she and Liz have been best friends since they were children. Sally loves being in the spotlight and putting down those beneath her and so Liz would follow." Harry told him and Peter could see that the two were close but it didn't make it any easier for Liz to be nice and then basically insult him a second later. "You know that you don't need to rely on tutoring Liz for extra cash. Since you know Martin Li you can ask him for money?" Harry suggested and Peter shook his head.
"This money is to help my aunt out plus Mr Li is my aunt's employer; he already does so much to help out the city so I don't want to take advantage off his generosity." Peter said as they were on their way to class.
"So instead you want to take advantage off a bunch of kids with well off families who need tutors?" Harry asked and Peter blinked but Harry started laughing with Peter following.
In a secret hideout; Tombstone was in an office on a video call with a man with a large forehead with a scar on it; a dark blue old fashioned gangster like suit and he had a scowling demeanour about him. It was none other than Maggia crime lord Hammerhead.
"So not only did Spider-Man end up ruining one of our chop shop locations but he got away thanks to an accomplice! It's bad enough that I have had to bail out men that got embarrassed by that masked freak but if he is directly targeting my business now... It would have been worth it the loss of that one location if you took care off him but you seemed to have let him out of your grasp Tombstone!" fumed Hammerhead and Tombstone grinned. "What's with the grin? Do you find this funny?" Hammerhead demanded but Tombstone shook his head.
"Don't worry boss; I can make it up to you! You know the Jameson guy that runs the Bugle? The one you are concerned about winning the election?" Tombstone asked and Hammerhead nodded. "Well he has that party where has that space rock that his son brought back; I am going to crash the party and not only make him look bad to the public whose votes he are trying to get but steal the space rock for you! As an extra bonus if the Spider shows up then I will squash him for you!" Tombstone offered as Hammerhead thought it over.
"If this turns out to be a bust then your body will be used as the tombstone for your own grave!" Hammerhead warned as the call ended.
Late that afternoon Peter was in the crowd in front of the Daily Bugle Communications building gathered to see the the guests for J. Jonah Jameson's election party; the night before the election. Peter thought that Jameson was a loudmouth who was basically trying to buy votes with this party without actually paying voters for their support but he sure knew how to make a spectacle so he did have a good chance off winning.
He managed to get a glimpse off Jameson in a fancy expensive suit coming out of a limo followed by his son Colonel John Jameson in his own suit; along with John's wife and their young son Neil. Then came more guests like Norman Osborn and backers of Jameson's election campaign.
Peter decided to leave and got to a nearby parking lot where he spotted coming out of an expensive car was to his surprise Liz along with an older boy who he guessed must be her brother and a couple who were their parents in fancy suits. Peter did hear that Liz's parents ran Allan Chemicals which made chemicals for medicine and food. However before he could leave he felt his Spider-Sense go off as coming up on motorcycles were Tombstone and his gang.
The Allans noticed them and then began running away before the bikers began surrounding them; they looked threatening at them with Peter ending up gasping. He was scared for them and if he had enough time to find somewhere to hide before the Allans could get hurt.
They noticed him and Peter mustering up courage shouted "You leave them alone!"
"Looks like we got a hero on our hands..." remarked one of them walking up to Peter to take him by the neck but Tombstone stopped him as Peter noticed Liz was open mouthed.
"Don't worry pal; just catching up with old friends. You see when I was a little boy one of their executives used me as a test subject but it seemed to have mutated before I was given it and I became what you see in front of you!" Tombstone said patting Peter on the back as if it was trying to be reassuring.
"Listen please; leave the boy and our children alone... It was never meant for testing on you as it did; we took care off those responsible but if you want to blame someone then blame us!" Mr Allan said as Tombstone snorted as he had his men go off.
"You misunderstand me; I am not angry because I am quite grateful! Lonnie Lincoln was just a dumb kid with little future but you turned him Tombstone who is going to be one of the top crime lords one day! So why don't you all run along now! I would love to catch up more but I have got bigger fish to fry!" Tombstone said as he began directing his gang to the side entrance off the Daily Bugle Communications building.
Peter saw that the Allen parents were motioning for Peter to run away as Liz looked scared as she was directed along with her brother to the Allen family car as the parents went to call the police.
Peter complied as it gave him a chance to change into Spider-Man...
The press were inside the Daily Bugle Communications building for the party taking pictures off the exhibits as well as the guests along with getting statements. Jameson smirked as he looked at the backdrop off a moon where the Promethium-X was on display with John posing for pictures. "You see that Neil my boy? Your old man is a hero!" Jameson told his young grandson picking him up so he could stare in awe at the astronaut with Jameson liking to think that this as much a celebration for his son as it was a way for him to get enough good press to guaranteed an election win. Sure he has had his differences with his son (including the rant he had when John named his first son Neil and thus breaking the naming tradition off the Jameson family) but how could he be anything less than proud off his astronaut son?
First man to play football on the moon; brought back that unknown alien rock on his last voyage and managed to lead the crew to a safe return against all odds when there was a severe malfunction on the shuttle.
More deserving off the press' attention than masked hooligans like that Spider-Man; a nuisance like that Daredevil guy that beat people up in Hell's Kitchen years ago. The good people with a badge would have been able to land Fisk in prison without the need off a masked vigilante; cowards hiding their faces from the public.
Costumed weirdos; just like the youthful terrorists that had been targeting Roxxon properties around the state. The ones that have been dubbed 'Cloak' & 'Dagger'.
It will be up to him to start getting things back to normal when he wins the election and becomes the mayor; law and order and making people feel straight will be his top priority.
Jameson was distracted from his thoughts as then busted in were armed bikers who demanded that they all go down on the ground right now firing some warning shots. "Hi everyone; no one has to get hurt so as long as no one tries anything funny and do what we say then everything will be just fine. We are here for the space rock but we will be happy to relive you of all valuables worthy any money! If you have any actual money then even better!" Tombstone said trying to look affable and Jameson glared at the criminal trying to ruin this event as well as put them all in danger.
The bikers then began collecting valuables but then they heard sound of gunfire, webs and physical moves outside the room as came in Peter wearing his Spider-Man suit. "Sorry; I was running late and forgot my invitation; your friends were rather quite rude Tombstone!" Peter said casually as there were mutterings and glares from the bikers as well as Jameson who was unhappy about him showing up. However Tombstone was grinning.
"I was hoping that you would show up for round 2!" Tombstone grinned as bikers readied their firearms and Peter looked at them and the hostages with him gulping. He didn't think this through very well...
John then began directing the people on the ground to the door and gave a quick nod to Peter who went to work disarming and fighting the bikers while dodging gunfire as well as Tombstone charging at him. John had gotten the rest off them out with his wife and son at the door motioning for him to follow but John had to dodge as Tombstone grabbed him by the neck.
"You are my ticket out of here! I will probably get a ransom from your old man..." Tombstone remarked as Peter webbed his eyes so he could get John free. However Tombstone then caught Peter into a tight bearhug but much to Peter's shock John tackled at Tombstone's neck as Jameson and their family was watching by the door.
There were sirens coming and Tombstone picked up John and threw him at the display where the Promethium-X was and it broke open the display and the Promethium-X rock. Peter was stunned and gasped as from the rock came a purple substance that covered John.
"You are in for it now bug man! I wanted that rock for my boss so I will need to suceed in bringing back your skull so it's not a total loss!" Tombstone shouted and charged at Peter with him deciding to think quick; not bothering to correct Tombstone on spiders not being bugs but arachnids.
Peter then thought to stand by the window and moved out of the way as Tombstone was charging cuasing him to charge through the glass and Peter quickly webbed him up and caught him by the web. So he was hanging there.
The police and ambulances arrived and Peter saw that John's wife and son came in and ran to John's side; distraught as he was passed out covered by the purple space dust. "Sorry about that..." Peter spoke but Jameson went into his path furious.
"Sorry? You're not sorry; not yet! You and your brute friend just ruined this party, you put us all in danger and now my son is out! I don't know what will happen and neither does his wife and son! I will make damn sure that the whole of New York see you for the menace that you truly are..." Jameson ranted and Peter had no response.
He was reckless in how he handled it; barged in while Tombstone and his gang had them all at his mercy. All those people put into danger and when he crashed in; he could have spurn them all to be killed on the spot. Colonel John Jameson tackled Tombstone to help him and paid the price.
Peter then jumped out and get his stuff so he could go to his apartment through the window; change into his pyjamas and lie on his bed in despair thinking about what had transpired.
Last night was definitely going to be the talk off the news media but what transpired was different than what expected; Jameson made sure the Bugle reported on his account on how Spider-Man recklessly endangered everyone there and his son put his life in danger to heroically try and take the ringleader down. It was reported that John was put into a coma and was now in hospital with doctors and Oscorp scientists looking him over; the scientists gave a statement that there appeared to be alien spores from Jupiter inside the Promethium-X so they wanted to observe and check on the effects, to determine what could happen and if he could recover. Online opinion polls already showed that there was growing support for Jameson's view on what had transpired and view on Spider-Man.
The photo of John at his bedside table surrounded by his wife, son and father was making the rounds.
Peter had his face down as the story played on the couch; "I know Peter; depressing stuff... Let me change the channel..." May said getting the remote.
"Aunt May; did you ever get a job that you felt was important but you screwed up badly and just want to quit?" Peter asked since if there was a chance any off his guilt went away during the night; seeing the story on the news and on his phone had it back full force.
"Anything that brought this on Peter?" May asked worried but Peter shook his head. "Well if you insist that nothing brought this in, I will take your word for it but to answer your question: I don't think that I did but if I did I will just have to keep doing my best the next time." May responded and not quite what Peter was looking for.
"But what if you screwed up so badly that everyone loses faith in you? That you don't think that you can go on?" Peter asked as May put a hand on his shoulder.
"Peter; failure is apart of everyday life. Some failure is bigger than others; if we never failed then how do we know what went wrong so we can correct it the next time? It's important to learn from our failures to do better. Sometimes it could be that we just have to quit but if you think something is important that you have to do yourself then it's up to you. You may have people lose faith in you but what's important is if you have faith in yourself." May told Peter as he took this in to think about it.
Peter soon walked to school and overheard people talking about it in the busy crowds:
"Can you believe that menace? Hopefully the police will bring him in now!"
"All those people and there were kids at the party!"
"Did we really need to have Jameson's son hospitalised to find out he was right?"
"I never liked him; trying to show off with his face hidden and those bright colors as he zips across our city!"
"Remember how he assaulted that Gargan guy at Oscorp? I bet he set off the fire alarm himself!"
"Aren't spiders scary be the first tip-off that something isn't right about him?"
Peter grimaced overhearing them but:
"As if the police could do much better; what were the police going to do against that giant scary man?"
"My brother almost got run over by a speeding car before Spider-Man stopped it! Excuse me for being grateful that he wasn't sent to the hospital himself!"
"Do you think the cops would have been able to stop Toomes?"
"Wasn't no cop that saved me from two goons with knives; it was Spider-Man! He was trying to call himself a human spider but am I supposed to listen to Jameson and badmouth the guy that saved my life! Those goons were trying to extort money out of me!"
Peter was began hearing more blame on Spider-Man but more accounts of people that he actually helped in his short time. Perhaps Spider-Man deserved another chance anyway...
He made it to the gates of Midtown and just like on the streets; the students wanted to talk about the story last night with Spider-Man and Colonel Jameson being in the hospital. Peter felt a smack on his shoulder and turned around to see Liz glaring at him. "That's for worrying me and me family last night! Putting yourself at risk and having making me scared that you were going to get yourself killed in front of me!" Liz chided before her face softened up. "I am glad that you are okay Peter; wait for me after school as I told my parents that the little hero was my tutor and they want to give to you an advance." Liz told him softly and Peter was surprised as she walked off before he smiled.
Liz definitely was nicer than she appeared when seen together with her arrogant drama queen of a best friend.
Soon the election results were counted and whether it be sympathy points; strong belief in his policies, wanting to see Spider-Man taking down or a combination of all of the above: Jameson won the election and was sworn in soon enough. That night Peter was out on a building in Hell's Kitchen looking on his phone to watch the speech that Mayor Jameson gave that afternoon during his sworn in:
"My first priority is to bring law and order back to our fair city! Spider-Man: your days are numbers! I bet that you made your flashy colorful suit and decided that you wanted to make yourself famous! Well I am going to make you infamous and give you all the attention that you want with it coming from the proper authorities who are trained to actually tackle crime! My first order of business is to call in an official arrest warrant for that masked vigilante and from now on he is Public Menace #1!"
Peter put it away as he got up and stared at Daredevil; "I hope that you understand that if you continue to put on the mask and do this: you are not only putting a target on your back for the Maggia, the criminal element that plagues this street but the authorities with the new Mayor himself gunning for you." Daredevil warned and Peter nodded.
"If I don't do this then people could get hurt or worse; the powers are a responsibility and I need to learn how to do the best job that I can be!" Peter said as Daredevil shook his head.
"Stubborn idiot who doesn't know when to quit... You remind me off a younger me." Daredevil said as his face went into a grin. "I have stories about when the police were gunning for me but here is your first lesson in combat..." Daredevil said as Peter got his first lesson to be a better fighter.
Tombstone is inspired by his PS4 incarnation and John's son Neil is inspired by the Annual of the Spider-Man: Life Story miniseries. I have to say that it is a series that started off strong but went weaker and more frustrating as it went on. I like the early ideas it had like Cap going to Vietnam only to go rogue but seeing my fave superhero becoming more jerk as each issue... I do recommend the Annual issue though starring Jameson.
Plus my reason for deciding to adapt Jameson's term as New York mayor for this story? To be different from other Spidey reboot stories and for me to do more than just adapt MCU's updating Jameson to be a take on online conspiracy theorist news podcasters; being mayor would mean he would be more than just someone pointed out as badmouthing Spidey.
