Chapter 4
Peter's room was your typical teenage boy's room. Clothes were strewn about the floor. A few empty takeout boxes littered the top of his dresser. A row of Star Trek action figures collected dust on a shelf. A slight smell would sting your nostrils every three or four whiffs. Peter may have been a nerd, but he wasn't spotless. Since becoming Spider-Man, he's added a few things you wouldn't likely find in a regular teenager's room. A compact sewing machine for patching holes in his suit. Random piles of webbing stuck to the walls after a few failed web-shooter tests. Scavenged parts to build his spider-contraptions. Aunt May chalked it up to boys being boys. To her, at least Peter wasn't out getting into trouble. Peter wasn't, but Spider-Man was.
Peter was asleep on his desk. He had barely slept since his encounter with Daredevil. Knowing that Tombstone was setting a trap gave Peter the upper hand. He had been staking out the warehouse where the fight was supposed to happen. He found access points and vital entrances that would help give him an advantage. Daredevil shared as much info as he could about the organization Tombstone worked for. Peter knew taking him on in a head-to-head fight would be risky, so he started working on a secret project. A little ace-in-the-hole in case he needed it.
When Aunt May knocked on his door, he was drooling on a screwdriver.
"Peter?" she asked gently.
Peter didn't answer; he was out like a light. He was firmly embracing dreamland when a shove knocked him from his chair. Peter groaned face-first into a pile of dirty clothes.
"Unhh…5 more minutes, please…" he pleaded, half awake.
Gwen was standing above him, holding a bag of clothes. She looked at Peter, then back at Aunt May. She swung her bag over her head and smacked the sleeping beauty. Groggily, Peter started to rouse.
"Good! You're awake!" Gwen stated with cheer. "Check out this pants-suit I bought. It's blue and has the deepest pockets! Yesssss!"
Peter lifted the bag as he gained 100% consciousness.
"Huh? What's this for?" Peter asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
Gwen furrowed her brow and made a face.
"Dude, for real? Harry's party! Err, his dad's party! Err, gala, whatever! You said you'd be there for me if I got overwhelmed. Remember? My therapist said having a safety net is okay since I'm just starting, at least for now. So, knock the crud from your eyes. Let's get some brunch, then find you some clothes!"
While preparing for the raid with Daredevil, Peter had forgotten about the gala.
"Crap," Peter said to himself. He tried not to let his face give him away. Peter knew how much the gala meant to Gwen. He put on his best smile and looked at Gwen.
"Yeah! The party-" Peter started. "Gala," Gwen interrupted.
"Right. The gala. I'm pumped!" Peter patiently replied.
Peter started to notice Gwen's eyes wandering around his room.
"Double crap." He thought to himself.
"So, you were saying something about new clothes?" Peter redirected Gwen's attention. Getting out of his room was best before she got too curious.
"Yeah! Well, I'd use the term "new" loosely." Gwen chuckled nervously.
"Ah. Well, I can't wait to see." Peter grinned as he put his hand on Gwen's shoulder.
Peter and Gwen said their goodbyes to Aunt May and went down the street to Gina's Diner on the corner. Gina's Diner was Peter and Gwen's usual spot. An old school diner with outside seating. The greasy eggs and thick bacon helped fuel them after many late-night study sessions. Peter and Gwen always ate brunch there on Sundays, but some weeks they doubled up. Even with all the hustle and bustle, being there had a calming effect on Gwen. With so much energy needed for the gala, she would need as much Gina's as possible.
They were seated in the back corner as the waitress took their order. Their food arrived shortly after. A television above the coffee maker blinked on as the waitress turned up the volume.
"Up next on Bugle Blast! Spider-Man: Friend or Menace? More like MURDERER! Join me, J. Jonah Jameson, as I deep dive into this so-called friendly neighborhood Spider-Freak and reveal how dangerous he is! Tonight at 11!"
Peter suddenly lost his appetite. Gwen balked in disgust with a mouthful of cheese and eggs.
"Ugh, Triple J sucks! Spider-Man is a good guy! He saved my neighbor, and no one likes my neighbor. That's heroics."
Peter nodded in agreement. He had no idea why Jameson had it out for him. He'd never met the guy or had any interaction with him. Of course, this wouldn't be the last time he caught the ire of Triple J.
Peter and Gwen paid their bill and left Gina's. Gwen hopped a couple of steps down the street before she turned to Peter.
"Okay, so do you remember Mr. Jankins?"
Peter scratched his head with an unsure look, "Um…no? Should I?"
"No, that's okay." Gwen shook her head. "I knew him from FEAST. He was one of the people they helped. Pretty sure he's the one that fell on that skateboard that one time…."
Gwen started to ramble. Peter clapped his hands, "Gwen."
"Sorry, sorry. Anyway, he died." Gwen said without skipping a beat. Peter suddenly needed several beats to stay on track.
"His brother came by FEAST the other day to share funeral details with May. Apparently, he used to be pretty wealthy. He was down on luck the last decade or so of his life, but his brother kept most of his belongings. He also told us he donated most of his brother's clothes to Mac's Thrift Store down the street. Mr. Jankins was a smaller guy, about your size. I'm betting we can find some sweet vintage clothes for you tonight."
Peter wasn't sure how he felt about wearing a dead guy's clothes, but Gwen seemed too excited. Gwen was used to this, though. With her dad always busy, she had to fend for herself with most things. Finding clothes was one of them. After processing donations, Mac's would put its best offerings on the show floor. Gwen knew what she was doing, so he followed along accordingly. Besides, it couldn't be that bad wearing someone else's clothes.
As Peter and Gwen make their way down the street to Mac's, a man on his phone exits the building behind them. He finished his call and entered a black SUV.
Hammerhead's real name was Joseph, but his last name was still mysterious. He was short, about 5'5", but was stockily built. Solid muscle through and through. His massive forehead was due to a birth defect, which worked in his favor. He immigrated to America after the fall of the Soviet Union. He had ties to the Russian mob, which gave him all the skills he needed to prosper in crime. Once in America, he was quickly adopted into one of the organized crime families. He worked his way from lowly enforcer to head of his adopted family. When the family wars broke out, Hammerhead schemed to stay on top. When the dust settled, only one family stood tall. Hammerhead became their most vital lieutenant that day.
Hammerhead closed the door and got comfortable in his seat. Tombstone sat next to him with a cigar in his hand. Lonnie Lincoln, also known as Tombstone, was a journeyman enforcer for New York crime families. Before the family wars, his crew worked for the highest bidder. If you needed someone roughed up or someone to pay up, Tombstone was your guy. He had no loyalties, only to the highest bidder. Once only one family remained, Hammerhead brought him in as their resident enforcer and goon wrangler. He was tall, at least 6'3". He had a variation of a skin condition called Scleroderma. Typically, it causes inflammation in the skin and other body areas. Scleroderma causes the skin to toughen, almost like stone. The variant he suffered from mainly affected his skin. His entire body was dry, gray, and rough. The plus side of his condition was that it made his skin ten times stronger. Something that worked in his favor in his climb to the top. Tombstone was staring out the window, watching two birds fight over who owned the top of a street lamp. He took a drag from his cigar as Hammerhead anxiously questioned him.
"The boss is on edge about this. Are we ready?"
Tombstone exhaled a plume of smoke. He continued watching the birds fight. He took the cigar out of his mouth.
"Yeeeeah, keep ya head flat. Stop doubting me. It'll be tonight."
Hammerhead seemed surprised by how sure and calm Tombstone was. Of course, it wasn't Tombstone having the boss breathing down his neck.
"How are you so sure?" Hammerhead asked, anxious still.
Tombstone tossed his phone to Hammerhead. "Look at the pics. New security system picked these up."
Hammerhead swiped through the still footage from the cameras. In every picture, a glimpse of Spider-Man was in the distance.
"He's been casing the place for 2 days. We've been giving him a good show too. Comings, goings. Don't mean nothing, though. Just messing with his head. It'll be tonight."
Tombstone's assuredness put Hammerhead at ease. He opened the door and hopped out. Hammerhead put his sunglasses on and turned to point at Tombstone.
"Good. Don't let me down, T." Hammerhead tried to sound stern.
Tombstone finally turned to face Hammerhead.
"Buzz off." He snarled at old flattop. The two men parted ways as the SUV drove off down the street.
Later that Evening –
Aunt May's late 2000s Ford Taurus pulled in front of OSCORP, where a makeshift red carpet was laid. Norman went all out for tonight's event. Photographers lined up outside to catch the who's who of New York's philanthropic world in attendance. Full catering, cocktail style. Photobooths, live music, and a portrait painter. This was the nicest gala Peter or Gwen had ever attended. Granted, this was the only gala they had ever attended, but the fanciness wasn't lost on them. May wished the kids a good night as they exited her car.
"Have fun, you two!" May shouts out of the passenger window.
"Thanks, May!" both Peter and Gwen waved back.
Tonight was a big night. Gwen never thought she'd have the nerve to step foot in a place like that, but there she was. However, now that she was waiting in line, she seemed to lose track of the nerve that got her there in the first place. Gwen twitched nervously in her pantsuit. The deepest pockets in the world couldn't hide her from facing her fears.
It was a big night for Peter, albeit for different reasons. Peter couldn't stop thinking about the plan. Did he remember everything? What if the entrances he studied were blocked? Would Daredevil show up? Peter started to nervously twitch as well. His mind began to wander further when he noticed Gwen looking uncomfortable. Peter snapped back to reality. He reached out and put his hands on Gwen's shoulders.
"Gwen, it's all good. You got this. I'm right here. We'll go in together."
Tears started forming in Gwen's eyes when Peter helped talk her out of a panic attack.
"Look at you. You made it all the way here. I believe in you, Gwen. I've never known you to give up on an assignment." Peter tried his best to sound fatherly.
"Yeah, Pete, but this isn't geometry or Mrs. Adler's history class. I…I just don't know if I can do this."
Gwen started picking at the loose string on her jacket. Peter was having none of it.
"Oh yeah? And what exactly did your therapist ask you to do?"
Gwen stuttered, but Peter continued.
"Get out there and experience something. As long as you're trying, you're doing your best. Isn't that what Ben would say?"
Gwen looked up at Peter for the first time since arriving outside the gala.
"Besides, I'm your safety net, right?" Peter smiled at Gwen.
Gwen dropped her shoulders and wiped her eyes.
"You're right, Pete. I can only get better if I make myself do this. Thank you."
Gwen hugged Peter tight before dusting herself off.
"Okay, Gwen, get it together." She slapped herself in the face. "Let's do this!"
Gwen stormed the red carpet like the beaches of Normandy. Peter trailed closely behind her.
Gwen noticed one of the photobooths in the corner as they signed the registry.
"Perfect start!" she said, dragging Peter along behind her.
For the next few minutes, Peter and Gwen took pictures with different props and digital backgrounds. Being there for Gwen, trying to hype her up, and having fun with her eased Peter's anxiety and nervousness about the raid. Peter completely forgot the plan existed at a certain point during the gala. He was living in the moment. It was rare that Peter Parker got to have experiences like this. He was so used to being wrapped up in whatever Spider-Man caught in his web that he had forgotten to just be Peter. Making silly faces with his best friend was something Spider-Man forgot Peter needed. Gwen grabbed the pictures from the booth.
"Meh. These filters are lame. You'd think a company like this could afford better options."
Peter laughed. She was right.
The night continued to roll along. Everyone was in high spirits. Gwen and Peter found their seats at a half-filled table toward the back. Everyone had assigned seating, but the most prominent people were at the tables toward the front. Peter and Gwen were low in the pecking order. Norman Osborn approached the stage.
"Good evening, everyone!" Norman announced to the crowd. "I would like to thank everyone for being here tonight to support the Osborn Initiative. We've been fortunate to raise funds for a plethora of different groups. From the philharmonic to law enforcement. From cancer charities to homeless shelters, the Osborn Initiative has been dedicated to bettering the lives of the citizens of New York."
Applause rang out across the room. Norman humbly waved them down.
"Philanthropy isn't the only commitment that's important to me. Through OSCORP, I have worked with brilliant minds from all over the world. They came to work for me because we shared the same goal. A commitment to science. Through our commitment to science, we can better our commitment to people. And if we commit to people, we commit to bettering the world."
Applause once again broke out across the room. Norman let this round linger for a moment.
"On a personal note, there is one other commitment I made that holds an exceptional place in my heart."
Norman motioned toward one of the front tables.
"Fatherhood."
Peter and Gwen turned to see Harry and his date sitting at one of the head tables. Norman motioned for Harry to join him on stage. Harry begrudgingly made his way up. His date followed behind him. Gwen's eyebrows raised in surprise as Peter's heart sunk into his stomach. Mary Jane was Harry's date.
"Huh…" Gwen whispered, half surprised.
Peter started to feel nauseous when he looked at a nearby clock. 8:00 PM.
If seeing MJ with Harry didn't suck all of the air out of his lungs, realizing he was late to the raid finished the job. Norman ended his speech and beckoned everyone to the dance floor. Peter walked to the bathroom.
Peter stood in front of the mirror, trying to hype himself up. He knew how important this night was to Gwen, but the raid was just as important. Peter started to get serious. It was now or never. He had to make a choice. Peter returned to the dance hall. He spotted Gwen talking with Harry and MJ. Peter tried thinking of excuses to get out of the gala.
"Pooped my pants?" Peter seriously considered that excuse. Too gross. Peter stepped toward the others when he saw MJ playfully put her hand on Harry's chest. The color drained from Peter's face. He decided to just leave.
"Gwen is with Harry and MJ; she'll be fine."
Peter snuck away toward the exit and found an open window. He sprung out the side of the building and swung toward the dock district.
Across the City –
Peter flipped onto the roof of the building next to the warehouse. It's a location he had become familiar with in the last few days. Peter had stashed a bag on the roof with a few surprises for that night. Next to it, he wrapped his gala clothes and cell phone in a web ball, stashing it off to the side. Peter noticed his phone light up and vibrate, but it was too late to answer. He checked the bag to ensure everything was accounted for as Daredevil silently emerged from the shadows behind him. Peter jumped.
"Geez, man. Do you always have to do that?" Peter sounded exasperated.
"Do what?" Daredevil dryly replied.
"You know, the whole shadowy entrance thing. It's too spooky, bro. Three spooky, even!" Peter tried to make a joke.
"…right." It didn't land on Daredevil.
Peter stood awkwardly for a moment. Daredevil seemed to stare straight through Peter. Almost as if he was looking at nothing. Peter broke the silence.
"Okay. You ready?"
Daredevil silently nodded.
"Cool, cool cool. Here." Peter reached into his bag and removed a device. He webbed it up and slung it over his back like a knapsack. He handed the bag to Daredevil.
"What's this?" Daredevil asked.
"It's for your part of the plan." Peter seemed confused. "Remember?"
"Oh. You were serious about that?" Daredevil dryly responded.
"Uh, yeah? It's, like, one of the biggest parts." Peter was insistent.
Daredevil sighed and took the bag.
Both shook each other's hands but didn't say a word. Daredevil slunk away into the shadows as Peter turned to face the warehouse.
Peter took a step onto the ledge of the building and webbed the street lamp across from him. Yanking the line, Peter flung forward and did a double front flip. He landed right in front of the big rollup door entrance to the warehouse.
"Hello?" Peter asked, hands on hips. "Is this where I get my car's extended warranty looked at? Hello?"
Two shipping containers lined the entrance to the warehouse. A squad of goons was waiting on Spider-Man to make his appearance. Although they were anticipating Spider-Man's arrival, the goons didn't expect him to drop in announced like that. The goons took a moment amongst themselves before bursting out with extreme prejudice.
Peter's spider-sense went off like the 4th of July.
Peter flipped and dodged around the parking lot as 12 goons poured onto the pavement. Peter was extra focused amongst the barrage of bullets. He snagged the two most left goons with webs and pulled them off their feet. Two quick web blasts glued the goons to the ground.
Peter's spider-sense rang again.
Three goons jumped at Spider-Man, missing him by inches as he backflipped away. He webbed the three of them, violently knocking their heads together. The three goons crumpled unconscious. Three more goons reloaded their weapons as the remaining four goons charged at Spider-Man with knives and pipes. A bevy of swings and stabs were flung at him, but none connected. Peter dodged the first pipe and knife swings, responding with a double drop kick to the offending goons. The second piper lifted his weapon overhead, but Peter caught him with a forearm smash. Peter flipped back onto the fourth goon's shoulders using the momentum from smashing the second piper. Peter covered the goon's eyes and pretended he was riding a bull.
"Yee haw, ride'em, partner!" Peter was having a bit too much fun.
The goon blindly swung his knife at Spider-Man, who dodged every swing effortlessly.
The last three goons reloaded their weapons and opened fire on Spider-Man's makeshift rodeo.
Peter's spider-sense yanked his head around to the three shooters.
At that moment, Peter wasn't just worried about himself. He had to make sure the goon below him didn't catch a few of those bullets. He may be a criminal, but Peter wouldn't let another life get taken on his watch.
Peter did a reverse frankensteiner to the goon, knocking him unconscious, and drug him behind an abandoned car.
Peter ripped the white shirt off the goon and waved it above his head, imitating surrender. Confused, the goons stopped firing and looked at each other. Peter put both hands up from behind the car.
"I surrender, I surrender!" Peter shouted in a sing-song voice.
Two goons slowly approached the car, guns drawn on Spider-Man's hands. The goons didn't know Peter was peeking through the bottom of the driver's window. Watching the goons move closer, Peter waited for the right moment.
"Wait for it…waaaait for iiitt…" Peter mumbled to himself.
With his arms straight above his head, Peter flicked his wrists at the goons and webbed them, each with one line. Peter yanked them forward while kicking off the car. Both goons went face-first into the right side of the vehicle. A couple of teeth trickled out of one goon's mouth.
Peter used his momentum from kicking off the car to land on the hood of another. The last goon raised his gun and started firing at Spider-Man. Peter ran for the goon, dodging each shot. He ducked under a detached shipping trailer and dipped behind it. The goon changed positions to get a better shot. Using the reprieve from gunfire, Peter dove toward the goon. The goon started blasting, but Peter dodged the bullets by rolling and leaping into the air. Peter twisted and flipped, hitting the goon with a web blast. The goon, unable to properly move, fell over and writhed on the ground. He was shouting obscenities, so Peter webbed his mouth shut.
Peter stood tall, taking in the scene around him. 12 goons tried to get the jump on him, but he was prepared.
"That…was too easy." Peter thought to himself. "I'm kind of disappointed. I was expecting something beefier than that. But, like they say, it's tough to find good help these days."
Peter approached the rollup door when his spider-sense lit up his senses.
Peter stepped back and took a good look at the door. He noticed small wires sticking out of the edges of the door. Almost as if they weren't supposed to be there. Peter moved closer and looked through a crack in the wall.
"Aye, so there's ya problem!" he said with a thick Brooklyn accent. "Ya got bombs all in ya whatsit!"
Tombstone had lined the front door with explosives. Peter couldn't see all of them, but at least 15 explosives had to be shoved between the door and the wall. Peter stepped back and looked around the front of the building. On the edge of the Western roof, Peter spotted a security camera. He shrugged his shoulders.
"If you don't mind, I'll take the scenic route." He said, looking directly at the camera. "Sorry for being rude!"
Peter webbed the street light, flinging himself on top of the building. He landed next to a blackened skylight. Thanks to Peter's sleuthing, he knew this skylight led directly to the main room. He had secretly unlocked it the night before. Peter flung the window open.
"Oh boy, an open window!" he announced with glee. Peter looked back over his shoulder to the camera.
"I promise not to break this one."
The camera's eye led to a security control room in the warehouse. A goon sat in a chair, staring intently at the monitors before him. A gray hand rested on the back of the chair. Tombstone was watching as well. He grabbed his radio, "Be ready. He's about to drop." The signal crackled to life and echoed through the main room. Another ambush squad was lying in wait. This one is even bigger than the last. The goons in the room tightened with anticipation, guns at the ready.
Peter repositioned the makeshift knapsack over his shoulder. During the scuffle with the goons, he was worried that his little surprise wouldn't make it through the fight. Peter cinched it tight and clapped his hands loudly. He was leaning on the window's opening.
"Okay, here goes nothing! GERONIMO!" Peter yelled at the top of his lungs.
Blackout. All the power to the warehouse suddenly evaporated. The second ambush squad murmured anxiously. The goons couldn't see the ends of their guns and were seconds away from ending the Spider forever. A loud thud drew their senses to the middle of the room. One goon lit a flare and held it above his head.
He waved the light around, taking steps through the pitch-black warehouse. He turned to the right and stepped. Two goons tightened their grips. He turned to the left and took another step. Nothing but the abyss. The goon spun around and smacked face-first into a solid object. He stepped back, allowing his eyes to adjust to the flare's light.
Spider-Man towered over him. Spider-Man punched the goon, who dropped the flare and quickly fell unconscious. The rest of the room shouted, "Get him!" and "There he is!" The only light source in the darkness became the strobe-like light from the goon's gunfire. Through the flashing images, Spider-Man could be seen weaving through the goons, brutally beating each one he comes to. Spider-Man moved with a violent purpose. Each strike hit harder than the last. It was as if Spider-Man was possessed by the devil.
Tombstone and the lone goon frantically restored the power in the security control room. The goon furiously flipped a sequence of switches, desperately trying to find an answer. Tombstone's eyes narrowed, and he shook his head.
"Something ain't right. Keep working!" He barked at the goon.
Tombstone stomped out of the control room, disappearing into the dark hallway.
Gunfire finally ceased in the main room. Low, guttural moans echoed through the room. A loud click broke the tension. Every light in the facility burned at once. The control room goon fell back in his chair with an audible sigh. He wiped his forehead and turned to the security monitors. He squinted his eyes.
"What the…" The goon leaned closer, staring in confusion with his mouth open.
In the main room, looming over the beaten bodies, a tall, muscular man rolled his head on his shoulders. He was wearing a stretched-out, holey, stained Spider-Man costume. The spandex suit was stretched to its limit over the thick, red leather suit he was wearing underneath. The man ripped the mask off his head.
Daredevil sighed. "Good luck, kid. You owe me a pizza after this."
Peter crawled through the air ducts of the warehouse before kicking out the vent to a room. He slid out onto his hands, somersaulting to his feet. He got a good look at the room. Peter found Tombstone's office. The shelves on the walls were lined with different items. Each one is presented like a trophy. Peter felt a chill run down his spine as he lost count of the various keepsakes. A large metal desk sat at the back of the room. A chairback faced him. A gravelly voice called out from behind it.
"I knew you'd try something freaky. You masked assholes are all the same. Especially this part. Where I break all'a ya bones."
Tombstone spun around in his chair, facing Spider-Man.
Peter paused, getting his first good luck at Tombstone. Sweat rolled down Tombstone's gray, dry face. He stared a hole straight through Spider-Man. Peter finally spoke.
"Dude, are you okay? Do you, like…have a dermatologist or something? Or maybe some lotion? That… has to be a medical condition, right? I mean yo-"
"ENOUGH!" Tombstone shouts, flipping the desk over in front of him.
"I'm ending this, NOW!"
End Chapter 4 -
