Chapter 11: On the trail of the Mantis!

"I think I just heard someone describe themselves as 'bummed' about summer ending," Otto grimaced at the description, "I haven't heard that term for about twenty years."

"I for one am most definitely NOT bummed," Ada had to smirk as he winced again, "less heat. Means I can walk around without sweating. Plus, I like fall. Nice colours."

"You know 'bummed' has a different meaning over in England?"

"Thank goodness we're not in England," she said in a faux British accent, before speaking normally when someone shoved into her, "come on, we better move. The parade will be starting soon and that might mean we get a chance to get a decent coffee."

New York was buzzing a lot more than normal today. People had come out to watch one of the LGBT+ parades, this one celebrating a new school that had opened and since they didn't have to start work until a few hours later, they'd arranged to 'hang out'.

Though Otto adamantly refused to call it that, no matter how Ada teased.

"Do you want to try and grab a better spot now?" One of the claws peeped out from Otto's oversized and specially made coat, "I got get us quite some distance."

Despite people already giving him space and most already knowing who he was, Ada shook her head.

"No need to cause a panic. We can grab spaces if we're polite," she jumped a little when someone else bumped into her leg and rolled her eyes, "and use our elbows. Come on, follow me."

She led the way as they made their way through the crowds and only stopped when someone stepped in front of her without so much as an 'excuse me'.

She watched the man walk a few feet away and was ready to follow and bypass him when he turned and looked out towards the street.

There was something awfully familiar about him. She could only see a little bit of his face, but she was sure they'd met before. His dark brown hair. Pale complexion.

Slowly, he began to turn, seemingly caught up in looking at the crowd.

"Ada?"

She knew it was impolite to ignore him but waved her hand over her shoulder.

There was something cold growing in her heart. Something that made her feel nervous and made the adrenaline pump through her.

The man finally turned and looked back, his eyes flickering over her for a moment before looking away. But her stare must have touched him. Burned a hole in him. He turned back and their gazes locked.

And she remembered that he was the man who had broken into the lab that night.

The police had told her that the male mantis was likely responsible since it was his technology that she'd been studying and that the item had then mysteriously disappeared. And despite the gaps in her memory, she couldn't forget his eyes.

Even with that small voice of uncertainty clouded by rage in the back of her mind, it was the moment of realisation for him that he recognised her. The flash in his eyes. The fear.

That was confirmation enough.

He turned quickly and walked away, seemingly trying to appear calm.

But that just made Ada spring into action.

"Otto," she walked forward, trying to dodge people and weave in and out as best she could, "Otto that's him!"

She couldn't find it in herself to turn to look, her eyes fixed on the man ahead of her.

"That's the man that attacked me!"

Despite not looking back, she knew he followed. At one point, she swore she felt his comforting hand on her back and the looks on people's faces in front of her became startled as they saw them approach. She had a feeling Otto had something to do with that.

Despite her hurried footsteps and Otto's apparent help, the man was gaining distance and speed.

She couldn't let him escape! He could hurt someone else. She broke into a run just as he turned and vanished down the other street.

When she came to the same corner, her eyes searched frantically until she spotted his figure running at full speed.

"THERE! OTTO!" She broke into a run again, "WE CAN'T LOSE HIM!"

"Ada!"

Otto sounded distant somehow, but she wasn't sure why until she felt a strange grip around her stomach.

The crowds around her gasped as she was suddenly lifted into the air and she cried out in surprise when she arose higher and higher until she was almost at the top of one of the smaller apartment buildings.

"Hold on to me!"

Instinctively, she grabbed onto Otto, finally realising what was going on.

Otto, for the first time in a long while, was using his claws in a public place. Though this time, for good. He had torn apart his jacket and climbed the building faster than he could run, and after grabbing her, used the claws to climb his way along the tops.

"Which way?!"

"He was headed-Oh God, we're high," she tried not to get vertigo and willed herself not to be sick, "left, there's a left up ahead!"

Otto continued to move and despite the fear coursing through her, she still felt safe clinging to him. Knowing that the safest place she could be was in his arms.

Below them, the man turned down an alleyway, searching desperately behind him to see if he was being followed still.

He never once looked up.

The two dropped down so suddenly in front of him, that he tripped over his own feet to stop himself from crashing into them.

He attempted to turn and run, but the claws were already on him, two on either foot and he was quickly pulled and lifted into the air, dangling upside down.

"Is it really him?" Otto asked, his chest heaving, and his brow creased with anger.

"Yes."

She stepped away, closer to the man and looked him in the eye. Despite his evident surprise, he gave her a crooked, upside grin.

"Could you put him down for a moment please, Otto?"

He hesitated for a moment but did as she asked. He dropped the man with a small 'thud', bruising his head in the process, but before he had a chance to get up and run, the claw pulled him up and restrained his arms against his sides so he could not hurt her.

She took slow steps toward the man who had almost killed her. She had so much to say. So much hatred and she'd mentally practised what she would say to him. The man who had brutalised and murdered multiple people. Who had destroyed families and was not sorry in the slightest.

A normal-looking man who had taken six weeks of her life.

He'd terrified her. Invaded her nightmares some nights. Caused her health issues she was still struggling with and worst of all, she'd seen how it had affected Otto. She'd noticed the anger in his face when they'd landed. How he'd wanted to inflict the same pain on him.

With all that in mind, when she came to stand in front of him, so close she could feel his breath on her face, she could not say anything.

She just clenched her fist and let logic and reason fly out the window, punched him as hard as she could in the face.

And since Otto was holding him firmly, she did it again and again, not letting up until his face was almost as bloody and bruised as he'd left hers. She stood, panting from exertion when she saw his smug smile was gone. Her knuckles hurt and she wasn't sure if her fighting form was right at all, but it was worth it.

The man seemingly looked ready to pass out and Otto, sensing no danger, released the claw's grip and he fell to the floor, moaning.

Ada watched him for a minute, before the police (evidently FINALLY catching up that something was wrong in New York City), appeared at the entrance of the alley and called to them.

"I hope….you rot," she was surprised by how quickly her heart was still beating and how breathless she was…but she felt amazing.

She turned away and looked back at Otto, who, despite his previous anger, now wore a very large and impressed smile.

She took two steps closer to him before his face shifted and his eyes darted behind her.

"GET DOWN!" A voice screamed far behind her and on instinct, she turned to see what the fuss was about.

But the world blurred again, and something grabbed her around the waist and she was jolted so fast that she couldn't really explain what was going on until she found herself pressed against Otto again, his arms immediately wrapping themselves around her.

There were shouts and one gun going off behind her, she was so startled that all she could do was bring her hands up and cling onto Otto's arms.

"It's alright. I've got you. It's over now."

She shut her eyes tight, his words falling over her and trying to soothe her, but a newer, almost frightening emotion took over.

She was in love with him. Being in his arms and having him holding her was not merely a crush or lust, but love. She wanted to stay there. Safe.

"Everyone ok? Miss?"

An unfamiliar voice asked behind her and Otto loosened his grip on her so she could answer.

"Ada?"

She only pulled back enough to look at Otto and nodded her head.

"I'm fine, I-oh," she turned, expecting to see a police officer, but instead so a familiar and famous red mask, "Spiderman. Hi."

"Hi," she noted a small hint of amusement in his voice and felt a twinge of something else familiar. Where had she heard that voice before?

She also felt a teeny squeeze and noticed that the claw that had grabbed her was pointing at her and seemingly, observing her like a worried animal. She put her hand out and let it rest for a moment, its cool metal on her palm. That it was worried about her and comforted by the knowledge it had saved her.

She looked over Spiderman's shoulder and saw he must have dropped in at the right time because there was one officer being helped up off the floor and the male mantis was suspended by a web, high into the air. A large knife fell to the ground below which the two of them had evidently not thought of.

"I'm fine. Thanks for dropping in."

"Don't thank me," Spiderman pointed to Otto, "the Doc here is the one who saved you. I just webbed the bad guy."

She turned back to Otto and smiled at him.

"Yeah. You did save me."

"Of course," Otto's eyes seemed to soften for a moment as he looked into hers, "I couldn't lose you-you…you're the best assistant I've ever had."

For some reason, she thought he was going to say something else, but they both laughed and took an awkward step back from the other, quickly turning to see that Spiderman had gone and the police were coming over to take statements.

The next two hours were spent talking to three different police officers and the two detectives from before, both of whom let them go once they seemed alright with their statements.

"Come on, let's go back to the office," he took her hand in his and held it up, "see if we have some ice in the box."

"Thanks."

When his hand dropped, his gentle grip remained and when he began to walk, she fell in step next to him. There was no awkwardness when she gave his hand a squeeze.

"Otto, do me a favour? Don't leave me right now, ok?"

She may have been more shaken up than she appeared, but Otto knew he wouldn't leave her, even if she hadn't asked.

"I promise."