8. Vulture

Kirby Air Force Base, 2001

"What do you mean they are shelving the program?!" Adrianne squawked, believing what she was hearing. Years of development, working out the kinks, searching for appropriate pilot candidates. Years of research, millions of dollars, they had fully functional, fully capable prototypes. Now, they wanted to drop all of it.

She was following the so-called Head of Development, who seemed to only have excuses. "I'm sorry Adrianne, It's out of my hands. The board agreed, and the Generals already pulled out as well. They have decided to explore other ventures"

"But I-I am on the verge of a breakthrough!" Adrianne insisted. They couldn't do this to her, not after all the blood, sweat, and tears. Late nights revising her designs. Weekends and social gatherings ignored to fine-tune the equipment. They knew it worked, and they want to toss that success for another decade of gambling with human biology? For another hushed up op destined to the boogeyman files, collecting dust in a warehouse within a warehouse?!

The man sighed. "I'm sorry Adrianne, but after what happened, they've decided the money is better spent toward jets than giving soldiers a pair of wings. Wilson has already signed his resignation, I can't blame him."

"Wilson knew the goddamn risks, they both did. We always anticipated something like this might happen, no matter how many safety precautions we took!" She didn't feel good about it, she felt horrible. But they signed up, and they weren't misled about what they were going to do, and what could happen. "How do I get through to you people?! They are completely underestim-"

Finally having enough, the man spun around, speaking over Adrianne.

"It's DONE. I'm sorry, the Falcon program is shelved."

One Hour Later

Adrianne stepped out into the night air, dropped her bag, containing what little she owned, and files for projects she couldn't officially continue without the military's "approval". She pulled out a Marlboro, something she didn't do often, often a whole pack was thrown after a full year, she didn't care. Lighting the cigarette, she contemplated her life choices. Soon a car pulled up, the driver rolled down the shotgun-seat window.

"So, it's done then, contracts over?" Gregory Bestman knew the answer already. He wasn't happy, but he wasn't exactly heartbroken either, not in the same way Adrianne was.

"Yep, that's all there is to it." Dropping the burning cigarette to the curb, she stomped on it roughly as she stepped into the vehicle. "Years of work, successful work done, because of those fucking idiots."

Bestman started driving again. "Well listen, we lost that, and I'm sorry we did. But we still have our company, and you are still an inventor! They can't stop us from going into business ourselves. We'll do fine."

"This is something I've wanted my whole life Gregory, and they decide to end it on a whim, like they haven't killed hundreds or even thousands fooling around themselves. We lose one person, one, and suddenly 'Oh the morality, the risks, the budget'. Fuckin hell."

"Life will get better Adrianne, just you wait." Putting on some tunes, he pulled onto the main road, and Adrienne watched as a piece of her life was left behind in the rearview mirror.

New York, 2019

She had a cough, it was more persistent than the usual cold.

"Miss Toomes? Are you still with me?"

A few days ago it got so bad that she fell to the floor in her workshop. Once she had recovered enough to stand, she went to the nearest hospital. Something had to be up, a lung infection maybe, or some kind of...

"Adrianne?" The doctor brings her back to reality. "You heard what I said?"

"Yes... cancer..." One of the last things anyone wants to hear. It was hard for her to speak, the shock of it was still overwhelming her.

"It's a good thing we caught it now. We need to discuss your treatments-"

"Am I going to die?" She interrupted. Her mind knew the facts, but...she was scared.

"No, it is not guaranteed. The best thing we can do now is start treatment and start attacking it before it spreads. We have a facility close to Queens, it has an excellent staff..."

One Month Later

Queens

Adrianne felt herself lull into a daze once again as she went through her chemo. She hated the machine she was attached to, the vein in her arm causing an itch that every so slightly irritated her. It felt like a cage, grounding her. There was no way for her to know how long the cookies on her little side table had been sitting there, only that they were the only food within reach. They also, technically, were for everybody. But they didn't look that good, but she was just...hungry.

At the moment she had lost her inner battle, and started to reach for a cookie, an angel intervened. "Don't eat the cookies, they are terrible."

"Huh?"

Turning to her left, she saw a thin old woman, her white hair in a messy bun, the first person outside of staff that spoke to her. "The cookies, even with milk, they are awful." The old lady leaned in a little, whispering. "I swear to you, they want our health to get worse with these, not better."

Adrianne couldn't help but giggle. "Thanks for the tip. I wish they had something edible."

"Lucky for you dearie, I haven't stopped baking." The older woman nudged a plate that was definitely brought from home, the open wrap unveiled home baked goods. " Do You mind chocolate chip raisin?"

Adrianne took the cookie slowly. Taking a bite, it was as fantastic as you expect home baked goods to be. The woman beside her was clearly a baker, as one would hope their family elder would be. It made her think of her own grandmother, long past gone. She showed her approval to the woman with an easy smile. "Screw the radiation treatments, I think you just saved my life. What is your name?"

"May dearie, May Parker." Such a nice woman, also apparently afflicted like her. Yet she didn't seem to mind the IV drip stuck into her arm. Adrianne's still itched.

"I'm Adrianne, Thank you. I don't think I've had home baked goods in years."

"Not a problem Adrianne. If it's not you, my nephew would eat them up." May looked out to the yard thoughtfully. "Of course, I would force them on him if he didn't, growing boy and all, working hard and doing his best in this crazy world."

Not knowing if she would ever speak to this woman again, Adrianne wanted to make the most of it. "Oh? What does he do?"

"Photography. You know that Spider-Man fellow? He takes those pictures."

"Really? I've only seen a few, but they are pretty good." It was definitely a big selling point for the Bugle. May had a smile of pride and joy.

"The best, and the only. Everyone else only gets blurs. But that's only one of his passions. My boy is a lover of science."

"It's good to know there are still some left.

"What about you dearie? Any nephews? children?"

"No, not that I'm aware of. I was a "career woman" if you want to call it that. Ever heard of BT? Bestman-Toomes, I was head inventor." She stared off for a moment, lost in reminisce.

"Did you make the toasters?" She nodded, and felt warmth at May's excitement. "Oh I loved mine, worked perfect for decades! Good for you dear."

Melancholy took hold."Sometimes I wonder if I made a mistake. I've had a few relationships...didn't work out. I preferred my work, and now I'm...here."

May laid a ginger hand on Adrianne's. "You know...I didn't have an opportunity to have children of my own. One day, my husband's brother and his wife disappeared, leaving an infant boy. He's practically my son, even if he calls me Aunt. I suppose what I'm saying is, it's not too late to turn things around."

"You think so? Even...here?" She didn't want to be a downer, but it was the truth.

"You may be here Adrianne, but that doesn't mean you will die here. You and I can still fight. And if we can still fight, we can still live."

"May, your nephew is here." A soft-spoken nurse said. "Would you like me to assist you?"

"If you would dearie, I need to save my energy." May excused herself as she was helped into the chair. "It was a pleasure Adrianne, I'll see you again I'm sure."

"Likewise." She gave a weak wave to the woman as she was pushed down the hall, before letting out a sigh.

Her arm itched.

"Peter, sweet thing, how was your day?"

That was just like May. Peter couldn't help but think. She always puts others before herself. She sat in a wheelchair, quietly fighting for her life as she went through therapy. Yet, she still smiled at Peter, like she did when he came home from school.

"It was alright, I took some pictures, helped out at F.E.A.S.T., nothing fancy." Stopped a businessman from leaping to his death, not sure if he's thankful. Peter was sure that man would be fine after sobering up, at least he hoped.

"Did they ever fix the plumbing on that one toilet? Poor Gloria raised such a hissy fit." May allowed herself a giggle, knowing her lungs didn't have the strength anymore.

"Yeah, we got a guy yesterday actually, a volunteer. Something was just...stuck." Peter was buying time, he knew May would want to talk about anything else but her treatments, and he didn't blame her. The doctors had told him before, privately, that it was a miracle for her to have held on. They also said it would take a miracle for her to recover.

"How about your other job at the lab? With Mr. Connors? How is he doing?"

"He's doing alright. Family is back home, he's not pulling all nighters every night." Peter didn't want to believe that-refused to believe that. May was a Parker, they were built of stronger stuff. Peter had lived through the impossible as well, even if he had the benefit of spider powers. The fact he didn't die from his spider bite was a testament to their will.

"Unlike a certain someone, hmm?" Just then, May had a cough. When it turned into a fit, she pulled out a hanky and pressed it to her mouth.

"Do I need to get someone?" He was about to get up and just find a nurse for help, but she put a hand on his arm.

"No, no, I've seen enough doctors today Peter. I want to spend the time with you."

"Okay." Peter agreed, no contest. He knew their time was limited. All he wanted, was to make her as comfortable as possible.

May seemed to be pondering something, and Peter was a second away from asking when she beat him to the punch. "Say, I would like us to take a trip to the Chrysler Building when I feel a little better tomorrow. Would you be okay with that?"

"Anything you want, May." If she asked him to kill, he would do it. She wasn't that type of person, but he would, for her. The woman had suffered so much since that fateful night, and he would do anything to make up for it.

"Good, it's a date. How about you grab some water from the cafeteria? I'm feeling Thirsty."

"Of course." He squeezed her hand gently. "I'll be right back."

As Peter walked away, May looked down at her handkerchief, and folded it to hide the dark red spot in the center.

5 Months Later

Adrianne's walk was slow but steady, after just getting out of a meeting with her doctor. Treatments were going well according to the doctor, but the cancer wasn't going away.

She was heading to May's room. The elderly woman had been assigned a bed after treatments became more... intense as May had described it. The pair had gotten to know each other well enough. May had filled a void that Adrienne didn't realize was present in her life. The woman's nature reminded Adrianne of what she had wished her mother had been like. Whenever Adrianne seemed down, the woman always knew what to say.

She had been intending to update May, to seek consolation, unity under sisterhood against their ongoing fight. Her heart stopped when she saw the bed being changed. The nurse changing the sheets noticed Adrianne in the doorway.

"Miss Toomes, are you-"

"Where is May Parker?"

The nurse was the same one that pushed May's chair what seemed like a lifetime ago, and she approached the topic as gingerly as she could. "I'm sorry Miss Toomes, May passed away this morning."

Adrianne turned around and left the doorway, ignoring the Nurses call. Wandering aimlessly for a while, she meant to lean against the wall for a moment to rest, only to feel herself sink to the floor in tears.

We were supposed to beat this together, TOGETHER. How can I beat this alone? May...

One Week Later

The funeral was bigger than she had expected. Still small enough, still personal enough, but many came to the wake to pay their respects. Even so, she was surprised at the turnout. A variety of people had come, some from F.E.A.S.T., others apparently old friends and colleagues. Adrianne herself couldn't help but feel like a ghost, a stranger among strangers. She almost felt like she didn't belong, had there not been a few staff members from the facility.

"Thank you for being here M.J."

"You know I wouldn't let you deal with this alone Peter. I can always catch another flight."

And how much worse could it be? A good woman was gone, a friend, a wife, a mother...

Her casket was closed due to light rain. Surrounded by beautiful bouquets, a small mural filled with pictures shared with Adrianne, a lifetime. There were pictures showing her through her life, the black and white baby photos. May as a young woman, when photos had color. Adrianne never knew she was a blonde. Her friend shared many of her photos with a strongly built, brown haired man who seemed to go gray with her as the years went on. She had spoken of Ben fondly, as though he wasn't dead. It wasn't denial, May simply cherished the life they had together.

Adrianne had come close to the casket, to take in the photo of her friend. They had known each other for such a short amount of time, yet May was close to her heart. Before long, she heard someone step up beside her, to her left. She turned-

Peter was right beside her. It was the first time she had seen the "famous" nephew up close. May had shown her photos of a much younger nephew, usually as a boy, sometimes fresh out of high school. She had somewhat seen him earlier at a glance, but wasn't entirely sure who was who, but up close it was impossible to mistake him for anyone else. He was a looker that was for certain, of course those thoughts stayed at the back of her mind. His chocolate colored hair was nearly combed, even as a slight drizzle put everything into a slightly worse mood.

Peter didn't seem to mind the rain, and it showed just how much he was grieving. The urge to remain silent was strong, but she felt she should say something, anything.

"I am so sorry for your loss."

Peter looked to his right, and saw a thin woman dressed in black. A dark veil covered her face, making her features someone blurry, he could make out a few distinct features, her nose, her jawline, something in her expression...

"Thank you. A part of me is just happy she can finally rest, but..."

"But you weren't ready to see her go."

Peter shook his head gently. "I never would be. I..." He didn't know how to continue that train of thought, so he changed the subject. "So many people came, whose lives she touched. Did you know her through F.E.A.S.T.?"

"No, I was going through treatments with her... my name is Adrianne."

Peter's eyes had brightened ever so slightly at realization. "May did talk about you. Thank you, for being her friend, during this time. She had several, but...you understand what she was going through more than others."

Adrianne shook her head gently. "I should be thanking her, she was a wonderful person. I regret not knowing her sooner. She was very proud of you."

His expression darkened, not in anger, but regret. "I wish I gave her more to be proud of. Not just my... career. I guess...I guess I wish I had a partner, kids, something to show her. Something she could tell Ben about when she saw him again."

She didn't realize she had her hand on his arm, when she told him what she should have heard years ago.

"You have plenty of time yet, it's hard, but you miss the shots you don't take. You're still young, so use that time. Not just on something like a career, but passions, people, friends and family...love. From what I've heard, you've helped a lot of people, and helping people is a wonderful thing."

Peter smiled, remembering an old saying. "She always said, if you help someone..."

"You help everyone." Adrianne finished for him. Peter only smiled, and they returned to silence, as others came to give their own respects.

As the service ended, the rain stopped, as the sun broke through the clouds.

Adrianne loved the feeling of flying.

It was 1970, and she was ten years old. Old enough for her dad to take her flying.Goggles were over her face to keep the wind from irritating her eyes, a jacket kept her excitement bottled up, keeping her warm. The plane was old, a World War I model her father had painstakingly restored over sleepless nights. It was painted deep green, like grass. He would take her for what felt like hours, to her, and she loved every second of it. If it wasn't so dangerous, she would have loved to stand up arms wide, as though she were flying herself. Her dad would dive the plane, before pulling them back up. Every time he made a curve in direction she was giddy with excitement.

The fields below them became more detailed as her father readied for landing. There was the usual slight jerk that came with landing, and the bumpiness of the dirt landing strip. It slowed to a crawl as Adrianne noticed her mother waiting safely to the side. She jumped down from the plane and ran to her mom. The car that was usually behind her, ready to take her back home was missing, as though mom wasn't angry at dad anymore. She almost tripped on an undone shoelace, bending down to tie it. When she looked up, her mom had disappeared along with the car, like she did when she dropped off Adrianne for the last time.

She turned around, and the airfield looked abandoned and rotted, the airplane she had adored so much, was covered in oil, and set aflame.

Her father was still in the cockpit, bones and all-

Tick-tock*

Adrianne woke up, teary eyed, a gasp escaping her lips. Reality didn't comfort her. Her parents were gone, long gone. There was no airfield, anymore, just the room she had at the Queens Treatment Center. She was in the bed she was ninety-nine percent sure she was going to die in. The funeral was still fresh on her mind, the people that showed up.

tick-tock*

How many would show up to her funeral? Bestman? Probably. Her father was dead, so was her mother, the extended family didn't really talk to her ever. Peter Parker-No...maybe... May would have attended if their roles were switched, Peter would have to escort her most likely. Maybe he would attend out of kindness.

tick-tock*

Is this all she had to look forward to? Pain... loneliness eating at her as the cancer consumed her body? They had caught it early... and she could struggle with this for another year...or a decade...

tick-tock*

A decade of pain... pain...was that all it led up to? Her degree in electrical engineering, the work she put into the harness. The bastards never gave her a chance. Wilson decided he could just pull out his wings from storage, become a hero. Because, apparently, heroes get to have that excuse. How dare he?!

tick-tock*

How many even acknowledge her work? She's half the reason he has wings to fly around in! Adrianne could do better, she knows she can. If the damn military didn't...

tick-tock*

What was she doing with herself? She didn't need the military. Her life was already an hourglass, the bottom filling at an alarming rate. Instead of sitting here rotting, why not do what you do best. What you love-

Tick-tock*-

Anger drove Adrianne as she grabbed the clock and threw it down on the floor. It kept ticking, so she grabbed it and threw it down again and again, until the thing was smashed, and she was too tired to continue.

tick-tick-tick...tick...*

The clock continued before finally falling silent. She looked at the broken clock, its fingers now frozen in time. After regaining her breath, she picked it up, throwing it in the trash before working to collect her things.

She was not going to die here.

1 Week Later

There was some resistance as the metal barn doors shuddered open to the side, allowing two individuals to enter.

"This barn is old, but it's made of sturdy metal. Anything you need, there's a town a few miles down the road." The man showed her around with a single wave of his arm. "I don't know what you'll need it for, but you'll have privacy for... whatever."

A year, that's what the doctor had estimated for her, without treatments. She would only need six months, maybe, for what she needed.

"Thank you." Adrianne sold everything she had no use for, packed up what little she had left and headed to upstate New York. Bestman had concerns, especially when she asked for a direct fund from her half of the company.

"Don't you want to think this through Adrianne? I mean treatment-"

"Is ineffective, I am no good to our legacy waiting for death. I can do this, Bestman, trust me."

"Well... alright, but keep in touch."

The Barn was pretty wide and even longer. The inside of it was barren, anything useful taken out long before she bought the place, the barn only existed due to the structure being too strong to break down simply, and no one caring to foot the bill. The land wasn't good for farming, another reason it was left to rust, until Adrianne came along.

She set up a sturdy foldout table, one of the few things she kept. She spread open a folder titled:

FALCON

"Think you can kick me off eh? I'll show all of you."

Her mistake was stopping because Uncle Sam didn't "need" her, or want to "fund" her. She let her bias for her dad's organization dictate her life's work. Sam Wilson was using his wings as a hero, pardon, as an Avenger. If he can get away with it, she was damn well going to! Hell she might just show him up! Because this was beyond the "Falcon Program", She'd have to think of a better name later.

She may not have had the funding from the military, but she had her share of Bestman-Toomes. She may not have the materials someone like Stark could provide, but she did have a scrapyard not far from the barn. What she did have, was her mind, and that was all she needed to start. She took out another folder, taking out a blueprint that represented unfinished business.

The Electromagnetic Wing Harness, or E.W.H.-It would have revolutionized the project, thrusters wouldn't be needed nearly as much, increasing stealth capabilities. Operating time could be indefinite. Maneuverability could double, perhaps triple, without the drawbacks of a purely jetpack based system. So many possibilities, but the first thing she had to do, was prove that it worked.

First Month

Scrapyard

The first thing Adrianne needed to do, was gather the materials she needed. The scrapyard was useful in that regard. Some people didn't know what they were throwing out.

"Ma'am, are you alright? Can I help you find something?" The owner asked Adrianne as she combed through the heaps of junk and metal. She paused, before pulling out a scrap of paper.

"Yes actually, metals, batteries, among other things. I have a list actually."

The portly man looked over the list, his eyes widening quickly at the ludicrous items.

"You seem to know your stuff lady. Pretty sure we have most of this stuff in some form or another." The man felt obligated to voice concern. "I have to beg your pardon ma'm. These are a lot of parts for a frail woman like you to drag out..."

Adrianne considered it, even with a truck, lifting the bigger parts and pieces could be hell, and she wasn't sure how often she would have to restart if a part ended up being pure junk, unable to function. It was a scrapyard after all.

"Would your boys like to earn some extra cash?"

Second-Third Month

Barnhouse

She rebuilt her wings, Ironically the easy part, The Falcon prototypes had to be reworked constantly during early development, and she had never forgotten. Wing structure was one of the first things they got right. The metals she used were lightweight, and while perhaps not the expensive types the military paid for, they would do. The thrusters of her pack were circular instead of rectangular, due to the substituting of certain parts, she was on a budget after all, but it wasn't about looks, it was about function. All that was accomplished so far was simply, elementary. A warm up stretch for her true challenge: The E.W.H.

The breakthrough that she was so close to achieving before she was stonewalled. Her passion outweighed her concern now, pushing past her old loathing of the military. Pushing past the barriers of limited supplies. Perhaps they weren't the exact quality she wanted, but she spent her whole life making due with what she had. This was no different. Health hazard? Not a concern for her at this point.

She had done all she could to make her device work. On the twelfth day of the third month, she finished it. Equipped to a battery pack she had locked into a modified carrying case, four slim cables connecting from the battery to the harness, she stood nervously, but ready. She was feeling that final layer of hesitance.

What do you have to lose Adrianne?

With a hard breath, she turned it on, and suddenly, she was floating, literally floating. She took a breath and attempted to move herself forward. It listened almost perfectly, almost. Move forward, but unable to stop herself, she flailed around in a desperate move to reach the off switch. Pressing it at the exact moment she crashed into the wall, Adrianne fell to the floor in a rough heap.

Even laying on the floor, struggling through a violent coughing fit, she didn't stop thinking.

Ok, I need to find a way to control my direction, but that doesn't help the weight issue, even if I can make the battery smaller. Perhaps a wire frame?

Fourth Month

The first day of the fourth month found Adrianne Standing in a standard flight suit, placed over the flight suit was a wire-frame exoskeleton. Thin metal struts ran down her arms and legs, metal braces covered her elbows and knees. For something made from scrap, even the usual above average engineer would be impressed. One could even argue she overdeveloped, not that she realised that.

Let's see how this goes.

Raising her self up like before, she purposefully headed toward the wall she had crashed into during the last attempt. This time, her arms out like wings, she maneuvered herself like a bird, sharply turning away from the wall. Ecstatic, she had little time before she had to sharply turn again. Each time she turned with more confidence than before, until she landed hard. Breathing heavily, she felt tears run down her face.

But something was off, that landing was rough, but she didn't feel it nearly as much as she should have, especially at her age. The metal exosuit was supposed to be able to handle a massive metal wingspan. She wondered...

She sent her arm through an old oakwood table the boys had left for her, snapping it like it was plywood.

Fifth Month

On a warmer day near the end of the fifth month, the sun was dipping into an orange hue. In a few hours it would bleed red before fading into night.

The barn doors opened on their own, a technical adjustment made by Adrianne, with some assistance from those boys who helped her with the scrap. A simple alteration that allowed her to save her strength. An onlooker would see the barn opening to unveil someone who seemed to wish to combine birds and pilots together in a strange artistic getup. Those who would think such were fools, who couldn't fathom the full extent of Adrianne's work.

Adjustments were made to her wings to connect with the exoskeleton, this would make it easier to fly. If she had the proper funding, this would exceed the original FALCON flight unit by far. It didn't matter if the specs didn't quite match. As of now, Adrianne had to test it, she had to prove it worked.

Currently equipped for the field test was a flight jacket she modified to allow the exosuit connection. On her head was a modern flight helmet, rebreather connected by tube to an oxygen tank on her front right, the battery pack on her front left. Refining her battery pack into a smaller, more convenient form didn't come without drawbacks. Having an extra battery pack within reach of her waist was a good precaution, after deciding She didn't fully trust her power source. Extra packs were ready to swap out, just in case. Adrienne was already risking everything, but she wasn't going to gamble on something easily preventable.

She walked out, and faced the open field that was right outside the barn. A dirt road meant to park vehicles was good enough to use as a "landing strip". Giving herself a check over before launch, making sure the exoskeleton was firmly in place, her knapsack of extra batteries was zipped and ready to move, Adrianne reminded herself she only had one goal: Fly to New York City.

Taking a breath, activated her E.W.H. as she rose up, she simultaneously spread her wings and began a gentle glide forward, slowly raising as she did so. Once raised over the treeline, she activated her main thrusters, and felt herself pushed forward.

At about a hundred feet high, Adrianne felt an urge to cry, as her dream came true.

The sun disappeared under the earth and night took its domain. Adrianne felt nervous as New York city came to view, the ever expanding sprawl glittered below her. In broad daylight, she would be noticed, ogled, considered a security risk. Yet, she felt like she belonged. she couldn't wait to tell Bestman, she would take her breakthrough to her business partner directly, deciding it was worth the risk. It wasn't like she was robbing banks. Heck, she meets that Web-Slinger, she'll give him a wave.

Flying to the penthouse Bestman had owned before they had worked together, she floated gently on his balcony. Her plan to call him up to the rooftops before she showed off, changed as she noticed he had company. Did he have investors? Finally? But wait...that man...?

That man wouldn't invest! Bestman hasn't shown anything significant in several years! Wait...

Adrianne glided out of sight before she could be noticed. Moving to the skylight, she turned her on her transmission interceptor, fixed to her wrist, built for the worst case scenario to contact any other flyers that might make the mistake of believing her to be hostile. After a little fiddling, it managed to tune into the conversation with a crackle.

"I hope you understand I want all assets you both had worked on, it would be a waste otherwise." Said Bestman's guest.

All assets? What in the goddamn-

"Of course, it won't be an issue. Toomes does not have long, I haven't even heard from her in the last month or so. It's possible she's already passed on, if she hasn't, she is well on her way."

Hearing Bestman speak of her in such a way, it was a knife to her heart. A knife that twisted, turned, and ripped its way out of her chest, leaving an immediate but visible change.

Toomes sent herself upward, before releasing a pent up screech as she entered a downward curve, smashing through the glass.

Bestman leaped backwards as glass suddenly rained down and a giant bird landed on his desk. Glued to the wall, he took in the thing crouched on his desk, gunmetal wings, crafted with finesse, yet showing the crude grafting lines like one of those metal sculpture things. The bird thing... raised its head to look at him, and he realized it was a person. It wore a helmet like one of those jet pilots, a breathing apparatus reaching down into a zipped up fur coat. Some kind of dressed up robot-

"Bestman, why?" It spoke to him, and the voice immediately glued together everything in Gregory's skull.

"Toomes? But...you, how are you...how can you even fly? You should be..."

Toomes rose from her perch, moving unlike someone struggling with cancer as she stalked toward him.

"Dead? Dying? Unable to have a voice?!" Her movement was fast, closing the gap before he could even think of moving. She had him gripped tightly by the throat. "You were going to sell our company? Our legacy?!"

Bestman felt his vision blur as her grip increased. He was momentarily saved by verbal intervention.

"He was, although he said your health was too dire to have a say in it Miss Toomes." The voice came from the side, the man Bestman had met with. "It seems someone has lied."

Adrianne dropped Gregory, but grabbed his shirt collar as she turned to the man. The man who had intended to steal away her company.

"Norman Osborn. You want to buy my company?"

The man, to his credit, was not visually intimidated by her. "I did, of course, now the plan has changed. Clearly Mr. Bestman was not being honest about your condition...not entirely. Then again, he clearly isn't the honest type."

Osborn then walked calmly over, and Adrianne believed he either had balls of steel or a head full of lead. He seemed more interested in the wings than whatever she planned to do with Gregory. "That is an impressive set of gear you have... I've seen Wilson on the news... a new model?"

"Work in progress."

He seemed to ponder for a moment, as though she was no threat, to him. "Before you splatter evidence all over the room, why don't you take your...partner, and meet me at, let's say... the Oscorp Headquarters landing pad?"

"What good is that to me?"

Norman gave her that smile that convinced stronger men to sell their entire world.

"I'd like to renegotiate the deal."

Peter slowly crawled into his apartment through the window. His body ached like he had just gotten clipped by a rhino into somebody's taxi. Not an entirely inaccurate description. He sure hoped Taxi's had insurance for Spider-Man made indents.

Jesus, some days Alexei, you think you could at least tell me to stop, instead of swinging the whole sign at me.

He pulled himself into the shower, and managed to limp himself out for some proper first aid. After applying Pain relief patches to his body, and taking some painkillers, Peter decided he could call it a night.

It will be fine...for tonight...

Peter's consciousness slipped away the moment he laid across his sofa.

Adrianne didn't know what made her agree, only that she did. Perhaps it was the rage she had focused on Bestman.

The slime was in her grasp now, she made sure to hold him by the elbows, taking her time getting over to Oscorp. Bestman's legs dangled freely, as he moved from panic to trying to convince Adrianne to let him go.

"I know you are upset, but listen, I was doing it with your best interest!"

"You mean, lying about my death, if not practically writing me off as dead and selling my legacy?" She practically snarled. "It might as well have been Stark, or some government spook in there. Point is, I gave you my trust, and you pawned it."

Bestman's shoe slipped off, and he watched as it fell down into the streets below. It's fate, either taken by a street urchin, or run over by hundreds of cars going back and forth, he would never know.

"Adrianne, come on this is insane. I mean you made your wings, that's so impressive-Jesus we are so high up. But what were you gonna do? Try to sell them or something? We already tried that!"

Shut up.

"I get it, that Wilson kid has been showing off on the news, I know that pissed you off, but he was one of a kind!"

Shut up.

"We both knew your health was not getting better. God you know I was doing the best I could for the company! How am I wrong for putting our legacy first?"

Shut. Up.

"You trusted me with financials from the very beginning! Are you trying to ruin what's left for us?! Just let me go?!"

He convinced her, so she let him go. He dropped fast, flopping around in the air as he screamed. She dove after him immediately, grabbing him. However, she flew downward with him, making him see the immaculate details of the streets below before suddenly flying upward. Bestman stayed quiet after that.

Soon, Oscorp Tower came into view. The building was a thick, wide structure, that made the buildings around it seem fragile in comparison. The company's name glowed orange, the letters Horizontally placed up front near the top, with another set placed vertically on the building's side.

They landed on the Helipad, Osborn already there, patient and waiting. The moment she landed, she dropped her former partner on the floor.

Osborn signaled to the men beside him. "Grab the slouch on the ground and bring him along. Take him down using the loading deck elevator. I will take the private route with Miss Toomes." He signaled his men to leave him be. "I am in no danger, this is a business proposal. Please, Miss Toomes, follow me."

They entered the smaller elevator, still spacious enough to not make Adrianne feel completely cramped, Norman had enough room. Both watched the city of New York as they descended.

"Have you ever been in the Oscorp tower?" Norman asked, as though the woman beside him didn't just crash through a skylight and ruin his takeover of her company.

"No." She replied.

"I think your wings are very impressive, if not a little rough. Where did you build them? what material?"

"A scrapyard up north...anything I could get my hands on." Why is he asking so many questions?

Osborn hummed in approval. "Imagine what you could do, if you had the resources to bring out their full potential."

"Yeah? You're gonna name a line of commercial personal flight units in my name? Give me a golden casket when I die?" She should just kill him now, at least she would be remembered for something. Maybe she could show the world that men like him weren't invincible-

"Who said you were going to die? Are you going to die? Are you going to give in? Give up? No I don't think that's what you want to do." He gestured around him, as though to emphasize Oscorp Tower. "I rebuilt my fortune from the ground up, after my father let himself become a pathetic waste."

He pointed at her wings, almost touching the metal. "You created this, while sickness is slowly killing you. I admire that more than you know. My wife, Emily, died fighting illness herself."

That caught her off guard. "I'm...sorry."

They had gone right past the main floor, into the underground. Adrianne noticed the change by the underground lights usually supplied to tunnels.

"Life was hard during those years, but I persevered. You and I, we are fighters, we earned our place. I believe, we can help each other achieve great things."

By the time the elevator stopped, they had moved from the roof of the Oscorp tower, to at least thirty levels below the streets. Norman stepped off confidently, before gesturing widely.

"Welcome to the Special Projects Wing."

Adrianne followed Osborn as he walked, the men holding her former partner following behind them silently.

Special Projects, to put it lightly, was underselling it, She could see several groups of scientists all around, each working on some bizarre looking project. To her immediate right when they had stepped off the platform, two white coats, one holding a touchpad, seemed to be observing an exoskeletal hand, whose claws resembled that of a grizzly. On a platform, she saw robotic kangaroo-like legs jump, the scientists seem to be measuring the height reached, while assessing the strain on the mechanical limbs. Hearing a humming sound, she turned and saw what appeared to be an active test of some kind of head apparatus, a crimson beam firing from the forehead, was melting down a metal plate steadily. There seemed to also be enclosed units, meant for more personal or private experiments.

"Oscorp does many things:Electronics, chemicals, manufacturing. One of our more brave endeavors, is bio-technology. I am not ignorant to your situation Toomes, you're ill. Gravely ill, and if it wasn't for that exoskeleton, I think you would be incapable of walking without a crutch, if at all...and I can fix that."

Norman walked over to a woman, standing beside a cylindrical tower that seemed to twinkle and pulse with multicolored lights, transparent plastic-alloy coating the electronics within. He addressed the distracted woman fixated on the console, seemingly in a rush to get something ready.

Benita Sanchez, who had been requesting for more time to properly test her device, had suddenly been told to prep her creation for a demonstration. She got it ready of course, you didn't say no to Norman Osborn. To his credit, he wasn't a belligerent fool, he could understand when something simply was not ready. He was smart, and that in itself was scary.

"How are we coming along Professor Sanchez?" Are we ready for trials?"

"Mr. Osborn, we may need to define 'ready'." It was then that she noticed the quite sickly looking woman, head shaven, wearing a literal pair of metal wings, a flight helmet tucked under her arm. "Who is this? A mercenary?"

"Adrianne Toomes, a promising individual, much like yourself." He turned back to Toomes, "This is the Juvenator Mechanism. Its purpose, is to transfer the life force of one being, to another."

Adrianne heard Norman, but it took a moment for her to process what he said. "You are saying... this could cure my cancer?"

Norman looked at Benita, putting the woman on the spot. She began to explain:

"Hypothetically, yes. In layman's terms, the healthy cells of the 'donor' will supercharge the recipient's cells. This effect could potentially reverse your condition, turning your body's natural defense into a natural offense. But we don't know the exact consequences, trials have been very limited..."

Norman took advantage of her silence to reintegrate himself into the conversation. "The effects can also potentially wear off, that is what we are still looking into, but that requires... testing." he motioned towards the metallic gauntlets connected to the big machine by tubes. "Go ahead, try them on."

"Norman, what-"

"You will see, Doctor. Get ready to activate the gauntlets."

Toomes took off her gloves, and fit the gauntlets on as Benita got everything ready on her monitor. Giving a positive nod to Dr. Sanchez, they came to life with a hum.

"How do they fit?" Norman asked.

"They fit...fine. How is it supposed to work?"

"Now that it's active...you just grab someone by their bare flesh, and the gloves will do the rest of the work. Why don't you try it out?"

Adrianne was confused. "But I don't see a..."

Norman had tilted his head at the shabby looking man without a shoe, whose face paled like Benita's, now finally coming to realize the situation. "What, no, Adrianne you wouldn't-"

"Did you ever wonder, Adrianne, how Bestman could afford a penthouse, yet the company was struggling? Embezzlement is such a shameful thing...isn't it?"

An eerie green glow encompassed Toomes's face. Her sunken eyes and gaunt face reflected death at her former partner. She began to walk towards him. Bestman tried to run and was grabbed by Norman's security personnel.

"Norman, Jesus Christ, stop this! I've learned my lesson, I won't lie! I'll leave town! Don't you have a guinea pig for this sort of thing?!"

"I do, Gregory, I'm looking right at him."

Doctor Sanchez felt she needed to say something. "Mr. Osborn, should we really-"

"Doctor Sanchez, You need to move on to the test phase eventually. Or did you wish to continue living paycheck to paycheck on hypotheses and theory'?"

Benita was silent after that. Adrianne hadn't spoken at all, only calmly waiting for the security to bring Bestman over. They shove him forward as he begged one more time:

"Toomes, wait, don't-"

He was cut off, as Toomes gripped him by the neck.

"You would take everything from me, leave me to die a husk, it's only fair I return the favor." The eerie glow brightened.

It took minutes, and Bestman stopped fighting after the first minute. Doctor Benita Sanchez looked away, disgusted.

Norman Osborn stared at the progression of degeneration in fascination. Gray hair turned white, before falling out softly. His face visibly aged until his eyes began to disappear from their sockets. Finally, Toomes grip seemed to be too much for the remains of Bestman, as he withered into a skeletal husk, skin becoming dust. Her hand crushed his neck disintegrating it. Skull and bones fell to the floor, crumbling on impact.

It was quiet around Adrianne, even as scientists kept to their own projects, ignoring the murder that just occurred.

"How do you feel?" Norman asked.

Toomes internally, felt stronger than ever before. Deciding to be bold, she dug her wings into a standing position on the floor, before freeing herself from her exosuit. Taking her first step out, she took another, and then another. Standing tall, she didn't feel any strain. Matter of fact, she hadn't felt like this for years, even before she learned about her cancer.

"I feel like, the world is within my grasp." Her voice was better too, strong and clear instead of dry. She looked at a reflective glass close by, and took in her appearance. The sunken, dying look was almost gone, the skin significantly smoother, her hair wasn't back, but she didn't feel like living death, she felt...alive again.

"And in a way it is. We can't guarantee the effects will last, Toomes. But if you work with me... you will benefit greatly." He turned to address an unnamed lab assistant. "Collect the remains for Benita to study later. If nothing comes of it I want it disposed of properly."

"I..." Adrianne was hesitant. As though reading her mind, he clarified his offer.

"How does a penthouse suite, and a private lab sound? Oh, and you can keep your business, we can work out a...contract later."

Norman Osborn offered his hand, and Adrianne gripped it with firm rejuvenated strength.

He Smiled.

Two Months Later

Alan Albert, Lawyer and career man for most of his forty-five years living, was busy typing away on his computer. A gun was placed on his desk, ready to be aimed at anyone that attempted to come in through the door. He knew this wasn't going to last, even if he managed to get his gun up first.

He should have come out earlier, should have gone straight to the bugle, but it was too late. He doubted he would be able to meet with Cliff, so he had to be sure his backup plan was running. Someone was going to be after him, it was too late to be paid off, too late to simply stop. But he had to make sure the files-

Hearing something outside, he reached for his gun, waiting to hear for more, before relaxing. He was in the upper levels of a skyscraper, on the side of the building that towered over the rest of New York's structure. To get to him, would take a ridiculous effort-

SHATTER*

The glass exploded toward him, a force of wind sending him back, his gun disappearing somewhere in the darkness. He wouldn't have reached for it anyway. Looking down on him, was a dark angel, it's massive wingspan only folding a little to better accommodate the space. Two green dots seemed to watch him, assess him.

It didn't speak to him, and he didn't dare try to speak to it, his computer monitor flickered as he realized what he had to do. Moving fast toward the keyboard, praying it was still connected, he hit the key to send before the winged creature grabbed him by the neck. Without hesitation the creature brought him to the window, a humming noise came from his kidnappers back-

Suddenly, they were flying out, high and far into the night.

Two Months Later

Adrianne Toomes saw her reflection on the sidewalk and paused. Not long ago she hated mirrors, hated looking at herself in them. She hated it so much that she had removed all the mirrors in her home.

The face she saw now, was almost unrecognizable, for the best reasons. Her skin, smooth and tight, and her red hair, full and lush once more. She would have been satisfied having a head of hair again. She took the time, for the first time in forever, to actually style it. Now, wavy red curls cascaded down her shoulders. She smiled, before Resuming her stroll, with an extra pep in her step. It was hard for her not to smile. Adrienne felt powerful on a whole new scale. She even wore nice clothes, a cream sweater and dark pants, with a coat that was a nice shade of green.

She struggled to walk before, and now she felt like she could run a lap around the entire city. She had to reign herself in, unless she wanted to actually try a city wide lap!

Of course there weren't only physical benefits . She had money, for better clothes than a jumpsuit. A new career, one she wasn't going to be nearly as fixated on, and most importantly: Time, a second chance to do better. At first, she was conflicted about Osborn's offer, but now it felt like a boon like no other. For the first time, in a long time, she was happy.

Adrianne had a second chance at life, and she was taking it by the horns. No more would She spend thankless hours on projects she hated. No more sleepless nights stuck in a workshop. A second chance to experience the world has come!

She could walk, she could fly, she could breathe. Her life was hers to live again. She was a whole other person, and no one could-

"Adrianne? Adrianne Toomes?"

She froze, wondering just who the hell could have recognized her. When she turned around, she saw a familiar man with kind brown eyes and hair to match, his face not nearly as heartbroken as it was almost a year ago.

Peter Parker's stunned look quickly reverted to a slightly embarrassed form, as he attempted to dismiss himself. "I'm sorry, you look like someone I knew. Sorry to bother you."

He began to walk away-

"Oh, wait!" Peter stopped and looked back at Adrianne, and she had to say something quick. "You must mean-"Think, you stupid bitch. "-My mother, Adrianne."

"Yes, yes I did." He admitted, a tad embarrassed. "I'm sorry, when I met her, it was...at my Aunt May's funeral. She was friends with May at the treatment center. Her face was covered, so I couldn't exactly tell..."

"Yes, I know, and please, don't apologize. It wasn't a good day, and she was very insecure about her appearance since the...cancer came along." She flashed him a smile. "You must have an eye to have seen the resemblance."

His cheeks reddened, but he kept himself composed. "Were you at the funeral as well? I'm sorry if I didn't notice, I was-"

"Grieving, and I understand. You are the last person that needs to apologize, I can imagine you have a lot on your mind."

"I-" The poor guy was able to stop himself before he apologized again. "Yes I do. It's gotten a little better... but I seem to have interrupted your day, I will let you-"

She put a hand on his arm gently. For some internal reason, she wasn't just letting this man get on with his life, like she should, but she just...

"Are you busy? At the moment? I wouldn't mind...talking more."

"That sounds nice."

Coffee Shop

The little cafe that was neatly tucked away in New York was both warm and welcoming. The familiar smell of freshly brewed coffee dominated the sense of smell, while the dimmed lights gave a more relaxed vibe. Patrons were few and scattered, making conversion easy between the two newest entrees.

"So you know about me, and my name, but I haven't even gotten yours." He started.

Withot thinking she responded. "Adrianne." Dumb. Ass. Bitch. "My mother liked her name a little too much. Dad didn't complain, he wanted a Junior, in one form or another."

Nice save, dumbass.

"It is a nice name." Peter said, genuinely smiling.

That smile, finally arriving since Adrianne last saw him at the funeral, was aimed at her, and she was completely unprepared for it.

Holy shit, that's a deadly weapon.

"If it's not an issue to ask, how is your mother?" Her heart warmed at his concern. She couldn't help but feel guilty about the lie she would have to craft. But what should she say? What could she say?

You are in deep now Adrianne, dig those trenches, the truth works enough, doesn't it?

"She went up north for treatment." Now that she established her old self as her mother, it was easier to weave the lie. "She is doing better."

Peter smiled again. Her heart thumped a little harder. "That's good. My Aunt would talk about her. She really liked her, and believed that if anyone could beat it, it was her."

Adrianne wanted to cry. To say nothing in return, would feel like spitting on May's grave. It was easy to speak the truth. "Thank you for saying that. Your Aunt gave her so much strength when I wasn't around.".

"May was like that. She was so good to others, in spite of her own problems." Peter's brow creased, and he seemed bothered by something. "She had been sick for a little while before she told me. But the signs were there and I..." His hands clenched hard. "I was so up my own ass, I didn't notice until..."

He wasn't being fair to himself, and she couldn't let him fall deeper into a rabbit hole of guilt.

"You were busy trying to keep both of you alive. If you're guilty then I am twice as guilty. I spent so much time bitter and angry-" She stopped herself from fixating on her old life, on her old mistakes. She risked saying too much. "My mom told me a lot about what she and May talked about. And she always spoke highly of you, of how hard you work. The sacrifices you made for her."

Could I have helped May? If I had a stronger resolve?

"I know...we talked about a lot of things, before she passed. It hurts, But I know she wouldn't want me to put life on pause, she just wasn't like that. Yet, a part of me can't help but think about what I didn't do."

In a moment that was so brief, yet so crucial, Adrianne placed her hand on his, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"If half of what I've been told was true, there was very, very little, that you didn't do."

An hour later they were right outside the entrance of the coffee shop. She honestly could have spent another hour with him, but she had to go. Peter clearly wanted to say something, Adrienne apparently did too, as they both spoke at the same time.

"You go ahead." Peter said.

"You spoke first, don't give me that lady's first crap." She said with a smile. Not yet at least.

"Well, um, I-Do you want to exchange numbers? I enjoyed talking with you, but-"

"Yes of course!" She had already answered him. They exchanged numbers. "I hope to hear from you soon, Peter."

"Same to you, Get home safe Adrianne."

Adrianne felt her cheeks warm as she walked away, unable to rid herself of the smile plastered on her face.

Peter didn't expect his day to take such a turn, for the better. He has been doing better, his days going back to a sense of normalcy. It didn't change the pain he had felt, but he was learning to cope.

Then, while walking home, he caught sight of her. Her hair, though distinct from the other redhead in his life, attracted him first. Then he took in her face, for the briefest moment, and he had the strongest sense of Deja vu. For a fleeting moment, he had thought he had seen the woman at May's funeral.

Peter did not know much about Adrianne's mother, only that she has been in treatment with May. With her dark clothing and her veil covering her face, she could have been old or young, May always said it was impolite to ask a lady about her age.

Before he realized it he was calling out to the woman. At that moment of truth he felt like he had made a huge fuckup. Mistaken identity was one thing, but he had accidentally referred to the woman's daughter, instead of her. That easily could have been insulting. Instead, she understood his confusion, because she was there, at the funeral. He was barely functional at the time, but he still felt guilty for not noticing her before. Then they went for coffee. She asked him.

He found he liked his new friend, if he could call her that. He didn't mind having someone to talk to. He had some friends at the bugle, F.E.A.S.T., but they weren't exactly people he would ask out to coffee out of the blue. He was a little too awkward for that. Connors occasionally, but he had a family to get home to. Still, maybe a new face in his life, was what he needed to-

His new mood was interrupted by a phone call, and it wasn't for Peter Parker.

N.Y.P.D. Precinct

Spider-Man swung upward with practiced ease and finesse. He showed off a bit more than he needed to, landing on top of the Precinct's rooftop. When he landed, he saw the look of his friend, and went straight to business.

"Yuri...What's going on?"

"I need your help, we might have a new problem on our hands." She signaled him to follow her inside, and he did.

Yuri's department was different from others. There was an unspoken agreement, developed from years of trust built, that allowed Spider-Man to walk freely among them...if Yuri was around. Simply put, If you saw Spider-Man with the lieutenant, You saw someone hired to dress up like Spider-Man, make up a reason, usually with the word "cosplayer" thrown in, to answer anyone who had a question.

The truth, however, was that Yuri needed his help, his unique set of skills to do what the N.Y.P.D. couldn't.

"Do you remember that weird occurrence, two months back? Alan Albert, the missing Lawyer?"

Spider-Man tilted his head in thought, then snapped his fingers. "Yep, Missing persons. Shattered window, forty stories high. And a whole lot of confusion."

Yuri Nodded. "No sign of entry from the building, so it had to be from outside. Not suicide, because we'd have a mess that would have been called in first."

"Not to mention, the glass was shattered inward, as though something broke in."

"No indication of anyone or anything climbing, nor were there hints that someone came from another building. What there was, were burn marks on the floor, like a jetpack or something. But nothing was heard, nothing was seen, and nothing came of it."

The closest they had to a suspect was "The Beetle". But Jenkins was retired, and even if he wasn't, he was a thief. If it was a kidnapping, cash or something of value would have been demanded by now.

They entered the morgue, and Peter didn't like where this was going. "I'm guessing you found something."

"We found him, Spider." She went straight for a cabinet, pulling out the sheet covered body.

"After months? How?"

"He was left on a rooftop." She took off the sheet. Spider-Man never expected it to be pleasant, but it was still jarring compared to what the man had looked like when he was alive. He had been in his mid forties, but was relatively healthy, and stayed in shape. Now, he was literally a withered husk. It was as though the man had calcified like a mummy.

"Jesus, what did the autopsy tell you?"

"That there isn't a single bit of nutrients left in his body, nothing for the birds or rats to feed on, literally. His skin somehow became some weird form of preservative."

He pieced it together fast. "He was drained."

"Do you have any idea who or what could have done this to him?"

"I'm...not sure..." He took a moment to wrack his brain for possibilities. "Michael Morbius is a Pseudo-Vampire, but this doesn't fit him at all, he drains blood, not to mention he is still in recovery... are there any bite marks?"

"None, could it be a mutant?"

"...That I can ask around about that, if anything it can help narrow down what we know that it's not."

"I have to take what I can get, but... you really don't have any idea?"

Spider-Man could only shake his head. "No, this is someone, or something, new."

Oscorp

Special Projects Wing

Adrianne still had a smile on her face when she stepped off the elevator into the science lab, her lab.

"Miss Toomes," Benita greeted Adrianne. "You mind if I give you a check-up?

"Of course." Adrienne was still giddy about her encounter today, so much in fact, that she was fine putting off her own work for the moment.

Adrianne's role was both patient and co-worker. She had used the Juvenator the most, making her the most viable subject for research. It helped her work, and vice versa. She took off her shirt, and sat on a chair opposite Doctor Sanchez. Benita performed the usual procedure that every doctor does for a check up. Benita started with the usual question as she looked at her patients pupils. "How are you feeling today?"

"I'm feeling wonderful. absolutely wonderful." That wasn't a new response, so Benita didn't notice her patient's glowing expression.

"That's good to hear, no problems then?"

"Not at all."

Benita couldn't blame Adrianne for feeling so good, considering the state she was in when they first met. The woman was dying, wearing a literal pair of wings that, while keeping her upright, seemed to weigh down on her just as much.

In spite of being the creator of the Juvenator Mechanism, She was still floored at the change. A woman in her late fifties, afflicted with cancer, had now become a relatively young woman, cancer free. You shouldn't ask a lady her age, but Benita estimated that physically, the woman could be in her late twenties to early thirties, and either would be believable.

But they were both explorers in this unknown land of bio-technology. She had to keep watch over Adrianne, and make sure that any and every change was noted.

"Well, no real change Adrianne, you're still looking healthy and fresh."

"Good, no distractions from work then." Putting her shirt back on, she got up and walked over to the platform that held her suit.

It was, in fact, the third iteration of her "Wings". The first was that hodgepodge prototype she literally scrapped together. The second, put in storage, reflected what she could do with a budget. This third iteration, was nearly identical. The difference was in the direct integration of a Juvenator Device, a "smaller" version of Benita's Mechanism, requested by Mr. Osborn himself.

Sanchez had been taken aback by Osborn's request at first. But, she accepted the challenge. If Benita regretted the two projects being integrated, she didn't show it.

Going over to the console, Adrianne pressed a few keys, and multiple parts of her suit began to glow. Benita looked at her screen. "It looks like everything is running as it should be, Rejuvenator is still running with no problems. The 'Vulture' is mission-ready."

"Can we not call it that? I know Norman likes it but..."

"Sorry, we'll change it at some point. How have the gloves been, in the field?"The gloves Sanchez was referring to, were a bit more than gloves, they were gauntlets, giving Vulture's forearms a slightly more bulbous appearance, that and her torso. That didn't particularly matter anyway, the harness already made her chest more armored by default, with the refined exoskeleton, she just looked like a slightly bigger than normal man, or, bird-man.

"I think they work fine, draining isn't as intense as it's big brother. The only issue is I can't really fly while I'm performing an energy drain, I end up pretty open, just kinda floating."

"Far from an issue Miss Toomes, even so I'm sure you can find a solution eventually."

Adrianne was quick to acknowledge the man that gave her second life. "Mr. Osborn, a pleasure... what can we do for you today?"

It wasn't romantic, but Benita could tell that Adrianne was genuinely loyal to Norman. She wasn't the first, nor the only one.

"Today, nothing, but we believe someone might be trying to expose some of our secret projects to the world. I felt it was prudent to tell you that I may need you soon."

Knowing Norman wanted another head to roll, chilled Benita to her core. Adrianne was the ever dutiful soldier. "Of course, I'll be ready to fly."

Norman placed a grateful hand on Adrianne's shoulder. There were people who would kill for such a position. "You understand my goals better than most. The red tape caused by most of my rivals is infuriating, and anyone that threatens progress needs to be taken care of. I do not enjoy making you do the dirty work Toomes, but I would not ask you to do something I wouldn't do myself."

Norman walked away, towards the Bio-Lab unit Adrianne had seen during her first visit. He seemed to have his own little project in there, but even Benita couldn't say what. Once out of earshot, Benita got close to Adrianne to whisper her concerns.

"Adrianne, are you fine? We have to be honest about what this is. Don't tell me you actually enjoy this..."

"It's not about whether I enjoy it or not. These people are trying to get in the way of progress. embezzlers, crooks, thieves, bastards. They need to be taken out so Oscorp can help the world the way they won't. I never planned to be like this... But it's the only way to test out the...suit. It's not forever. When the dirty work is done, I'll come out of the dark, get a proper place in the company, and in public."

Benita accepted the answer, retreating back to her own work. Returning to her console, Adrianne struggled a bit to return to her normal pace.

"It's not forever..."

A Few Days Later

"So, with this operation, you think we'll be able to 'unweave' the tail from his spine? How long would that take?"

"That's the hard part. Even with what we know now, even if we had full confidence and mastery over this, the process could take a long time. We are talking about multiple sessions, each session being hours. That's if all goes well, and if we can properly numb the patient." Connors manipulated the large touchscreen, reframing the diagram of Gargan's spine. "All it takes is one wrong move, and we ruin what's left of his life, potentially take it."

"I know...I hope we can still try though. What Mac is living through... That isn't life. His consent should be relatively easy to get."

Conner nodded in agreement, before checking the time. "Well, this is all I think we can accomplish for today, why don't you head out early? I still have some things to double check."

Peter nodded, unworried about Connors having a...change occur, they had security measures in place for that. He grabbed his bag, and turned on his phone as he headed out the door.

First thing was another promotional email to apply for a job at Oscorp. They had a massive presence in the city, bought a lot of ad space on essentially every platform possible. Their stocks were at an all time high as Roxxon's stocks seemed to dip. Harry probably would have pushed him to just accept it already. Peter would have a life of scientific discovery, while his best friend bothered him to take an extended lunch break in his executive office, at least every other day.

God, I miss you Harry.

He had also received a text from Ned Leeds at some point.

Nee Leeds was a friend...but it wasn't always so...nice between the two. Ned worked as a journalist for the Bugle. He also had an interest in Betty Brant, Peter did as well, at the time. Betty Brant had initially seemed interested in Peter, but he let her go, realizing she would never accept Spider-Man. Ned and Betty married, and Peter moved on with his life.

Opening it, he gave it a read:

Hey Pete! I know this is probably odd, but you remember Cliff? Has he been around the office? Last time I checked he was digging around. It's probably nothing, but tell me if you see him. Thanks.

Of course, there wasn't much to do now today, besides patrol. But Peter just didn't want to. He found it easier to listen to his gut feeling some days, and let Spider-Man take a back seat. Unless some crooks and baddies pushed him into action.

This would be the perfect day to spend with someone...if he had a "someone". He hadn't seen Mary Jane since May's funeral. He visited Gwen, Harry, May, and Ben not two days ago, and didn't feel strong enough to visit again, yet. Then, a thought came to him.

Adrianne. He shook it off. No, you just met her, it's only been a few days.

Once the idea had come into his head, however, it was there to stay. As he stood at a stoplight, waiting for the walk signal, his mind countered him, saying: It's not weird if it's been a few days, a few hours is a bit weird, every day after would be creepy. It's been two days, you know how to take no for an answer.

Peter eventually found himself sitting on the edge of his bed, looking at his phone. The alphabetical order of his contact list put Adrianne right at the top of people he knew.

Fuck it.

He hit the call button, and waited, feeling suddenly nervous as the phone rang.

Bestman-Toomes Warehouse

Adrianne was in the middle of blowtorching when she heard, for the first time in her new life, her cell phone ringing, as the Rolling Stones rift played.

Can't you hear me knockin~

Lifting up her faceplate, she shut off the blowtorch and looked at her phone. Seeing the name, she tore off her gloves scrambling to answer. "Hello?"

"Adrianne, hey, it's um...Peter."

"Peter! Glad you aren't acting like a stranger. You doing okay?"

"Yeah I'm alright, I hope I'm not calling at a bad time.."

She looked over at her handiwork. Another "Award" for Bestman melted down.

"No no, I'm just...working on some metal, a little passion project. What are you up to?"

"Well.. You see, I sort of realized that my schedule is pretty empty today. I figured...I'd call and see if you were available to-"

"Yes!" She said too quickly. "I mean yeah, I'm available, did you have anything particular in mind?"

Luna Park, Coney Island

The shots were a bullseye, each and every time. Even Peter couldn't help but be floored by the accuracy the thin woman beside him was demonstrating.

The carnival man himself was far too impressed to be pissed, and showed genuine jubilation as she struck the last duck dead. "And there it is! You're a crack shot lady! What's your prize?"

Adrianne pursed her lips in thought. She turned to look at the little girl who, unable to hit a target, looked glum. Crouching low, she tapped her shoulder. "Hey, what do you think I should pick?"

The little girl, taught to be a good sport, pondered the question. "I like the big Spider-Man."

"Then I'll get Spider-Man, sir." The carny passed it to Adrianne, who then gave it to the little girl, whose eyes lit up.

"Thank the nice lady." The girl's mom gently reminded her. And the little girl gave an excited thanks as she danced with her new "Spider-Man".

Leaning close to Adrianne, he said. "That was sweet of you to do."

"Well, for me that game is pretty easy, Air Force made me a crack shot in three weeks, see it, believe it." She let herself feel a little pride.

"I think after that I know it. Air Force huh? Are you still in the service?"

She waved that idea away entirely. "No no, I'm a civilian, and I'm gonna stay that way. My father was the lifer. I got out, now I have a Master of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering." She felt comfortable saying it around Peter. When she dated before, mentioning her degree wasn't really interesting, even kind of a turn off for some. May always told her that her nephew was "bright as the stars." He proved so with his reaction.

"That's incredible!" His enthusiasm warmed her in a way she was genuinely not expecting. "I tinker a little bit, but no way I'd get a PhD, I'm too...all over the place."

"Now don't you flatter me Mr. Parker." Calling him out, she poked him in the ribs. "I heard in the grapevine you have a few degrees of your own!"

"A Graduate Degree in Bio-physics, and Doctorate in Bio-chemistry."

She couldn't help but poke his cheek gently. "See? That's amazing. Let me guess, Empire State?"

"Yep, good ol' ESU. window of opportunity and a pain in my ass." He smiled as she laughed. "Of course I'm employed there now. Me and Connors."

They sat down at a bench for two. It was quiet under the lamplights , the park becoming a bit more spacious as people left. Adrianne asked Peter. "Well, don't leave me hanging, what kind of work do you do at ESU?

"We are trying to fix the unfixable. Superhumans, mutates as some are called. Today we were trying to figure out how to separate Mac Gargan from his Scorpion tail without killing him."

"You really are trying to help people." May would be so proud of you. She is proud of you.

"What about you? Any particular dreams?" He asked her. Adrianne suddenly felt put on the spot. She realized, again, that she just needed to tell the truth.

"I'd like everyone to have a chance to fly. I mean, can you imagine, construction workers being able to save their strength from walking hundreds of staircases? Medical personnel able to bypass traffic? Or just the bare minimum of giving someone a chance to fly, how fun it would be!" He didn't mock her, instead he smiled, and she knew he believed her, that she could do it. She felt like a schoolgirl, the kind that got attention from the boy she liked, instead of how she really was, a bookworm isolated from everyone else. "Wow, look at us, couple a'nerds."

"No way you're a nerd, you're beautiful." Peter felt himself freeze, red with embarrassment, at Adrienne's wide eyed stare. Before he could form any sort of excuse or sentence, she moved in on him. Her lips felt nice on his, and he couldn't help but bask in it, as her hand rested on his cheek.

A few passersby smirked and smiled at the couple, before going about their business.

Four Months Later

He didn't stop running until he reached the subway, collapsing on a bench, exhausted. The burnout of his fear induced adrenaline catching up with him. He was supposed to meet Alan's contact from the Bugle. He was so close, just about to reveal himself.

And then it appeared, and the man had no way to be prepared. He was taken, just like that, and He knew it was done. He would still have to show up to work, pretend nothing happened, until what...they sniff him out? No, there had to be another way. One thing he remembered was a backup, someone Cliff could count on in the worst case scenario.

That worst case scenario was here. They would find out, they will eventually. It didn't matter how well they hid. Oscorp didn't allow rats for very long, they had their methods. It was just a matter of who got to him first he supposed. A guilty conscience brought him here, he only hoped he could do what was asked of him.

And that it wouldn't be in vain.

Adrianne woke up to the sight of Peter, bare chested, bed sheet barely over his stomach. His eyes were on his phone, checking his email most likely. Usually he woke up only moments before her, and that was the first thing he did.

He felt her stare, and turned to look at her. "Hey."

"Hey yourself." She gave him a quick peck, before she got up to start her routine. Borrowing his shirt off the bed, she pulled it over her bare form to fight off the chill, Peter watched as it concealed her wiry-fit form.. "You want some coffee?"

"Sure...you working today?"

Walking into her modest kitchen, she opened an ebony wood cabinet to get her grounded coffee. "I have to go to Oscorp for a few hours at least. Part of the contract work, for B.T." Filling the pot, she set the timer, taking a moment to look at the framed photo of her father, a thin bald man with a flight jacket, his arm around a much smaller, younger Adrianne. She used to hate the nose she inherited from him, but experience made her realize she wore it much better. I wonder if Peter would ever want to fly.

"Alright, I'll probably stop by the Bugle. Let me know when you're home later?"

"You know it..." Then, looking at him on the bed, she decided to set the coffee pot on a slower brew. Then she tossed Peter's shirt at him, he pulled it off to see her crawling back into bed. "On second thought, why don't we have another round before I head out?"

Peter didn't argue.

Adrianne was already working on her console when Benita walked in. "Hey Doc, don't mind me, I'm just running through some diagnostics. It's all looking good. Business is good~."

Benita took note of Adrianne's positive glow. "Well you are looking especially chipper today. What's the occasion?"

"Is it that obvious?" Adrianne thought back on her morning. Why not tell Benita? She's a friend, her work saved my life. I can trust her. "I've...met someone."

Benita's typing paused. "You are.. dating?"

"Yeah, why?" Adrianne felt the change in Benita's demeanor, and turned her head to look at her. The woman had been nothing but good to her, so hearing what sounded like disapproval was, alien.

"Adrianne... I hope you understand that I have a healthy respect for you. For what you've been through, and what you accomplished in spite of... everything...but I hope you are not too serious about this guy."

"And why the hell not?" Adrianne felt a fire starting in her chest.

"We are still in the experimental phase Adrianne. We have to consider the long term-"

Adrianne stood up, glaring at Benita. "I am considering the long term. I have a second chance, I'm not letting my life waste away like I did before."

"Do you plan on telling this guy your actual age? Who you actually-" Adrianne glared furiously. Benita had her hands up in surrender, but didn't relent on her argument. "Adrianne... This isn't fair to him, are you going to spend a lifetime lying to him?"

Adrianne's eyes widened, as Benita's point seemed to finally reach her. "No! No, I...I can-I will tell him the truth...when it's right. Like you said, we just have to be sure that this is a permanent solution..." She sat down at her desk, and continued typing, now more mechanically. "I can resume work, continue my life again. We can be happy together..."

Daily Bugle

"I want three hundred."

"Three hundred!? That's robbery!"

Don't talk to me about robbery, after all these years. "Three hundred, of course I can go to the Daily Globe."

"Fine, three hundred. This time." Jameson decided, as though Peter was still a kid, and without another source of income. Still, Peter was fine letting him believe he had control.

"Thanks Triple J." Peter's friendliness was a facade, but Jonah was too hyper focused on people that wore literal masks to care.

Obsessed libel printing prick...

Peter made a straight line for the elevator, giving a wave to a few friendly faces as he went.

If it wasn't so easy to milk Jonah's personal hatred, Peter might have left for good and never looked back. Sadly, it wouldn't stop Jonah from writing about him, so Peter figured, just take the cash, smile and go on with your day. Now to go home, maybe see what Adrianne is up to-

"Hey Peter! Hold up!" someone called out to him. He held the elevator door open, as Ned Leeds slipped in. "Thanks for stopping."

"No problem. Finally tired of using stairs?"

"Well, to be honest. I wanted to catch ya. I kinda need your help." There was a nervous hitch in his voice, which Ned only has when he had bad news, or forgot the milk in Betty's case.

"What's going on?"

"I need your pal Spider-Man too, if I'm being honest. It's-um, better if you don't mention the Spider-Man part to Betty."

"You aren't gambling or some shit are you?"

"No no, Well, if you count my life. I've got myself pulled into...well I hate to say it, conspiracy." Finally getting the words out, Ned seemed to hit his usual stride in conversing. "Remember Cliff Garner? Resident conspiracy guy?"

"Yeah, you texted me, But I thought you saw him after that."

"I did, but he's missing again. Now, that's common, except he told me last time I saw him, if he went missing, that I had to pick up after him, because something went wrong. A contact of his reached out, and wants to meet, but I don't know if I'm walking into a trap."

The elevator doors opened, letting a few others in. Peter and Ned stayed quiet until they reached the ground floor. Once they were out of the elevator, Peter continued the conversation. "So you want Spider-Man to play security?"

"I want Spider-Man to play security, and I'd appreciate it if you got photos of the meet. insurance and evidence."

"You think it's that dangerous?"

"I know it's that dangerous. Because Cliff Garner was in communique with the Alan Alberts, and right before he was supposed to meet Cliff, he disappeared, taken straight out of his office apparently. Now there is this guy that wants to meet. Tom and Mike don't want to touch it. And Jonah, Jonah told me to let it be."

Alan's name caught Peter, bait on a fishhook. "What was he doing? Alberts I mean."

"He was looking into Oscorp. Their financial numbers are off. you wouldn't figure, looking at a glance but they are. Cliff had a bit more in his office. But there's more to this. Cliff could be a... strange one, but he wouldn't have held off if it was just some... monetary dishonesty."

Peter didn't know what he was getting into, but if he could figure out what happened to Alan Alberts...

"Ok, I'll do it, but listen, Spider-Man knows a few people on the force, they were looking into Alberts..."

A Week Later

Ned Leeds pulled up to the parking lot in a Sedan. Driving all the way to the top, he parked in reverse in the case he needed to run and pull out of the parking lot fast. He had a .32 revolver in his coat pocket, and a recording device he activated the moment he pulled in. He saw a man come out as he had finished his parking job. Hand in his jacket, he came out slowly. "You my contact?"

The man spoke first. "We can't be too long, I don't want them to even consider that I am a part of this." The man stepped into the light, and Ned recognized him from Cliff's evidence wall. It was Charles Standish, Chief Financial Officer at Oscorp!

"Why say anything? You have that much of a moral conscience over funds-"

"It's not the funds, it's what they are used for. You don't get it, but Cliff did, that's why they killed him, this is so much bigger."

They killed Cliff!!??

"What do you mean?"

"Oscorp is involved in so much more, people don't understand what they are hiding, what he is hiding." He slipped Ned a USB drive. "People have to know, we are running out of time, and allies."

Around That Same Time...

It was so that Spider-Man found himself waiting for the supposed whistleblower to show. He was in between buildings, given a full view of the parking lot. Ned arrived, and it was then that a man in a dark coat approached. Peter began snapping Pictures.

Peter couldn't hear the hush hush conversation. Ned had at least two different devices recording, at least one of which was going straight to his computer at the Bugle. He just made sure to get good shots of the "anonymous source". He had no clue who the guy was, and would have to try to look him up later. His thoughts were more preoccupied with Adrianne. Calling her was tempting, but professionalism took hold.

A part of him was worried about how fast they were moving. Not too long ago they had coffee, next thing Peter knew they were kissing on a bench in Luna Park. Then, he spent the night with her. He didn't expect to be , physically intimate so soon. Yet, it didn't feel wrong at all, and he supposed that felt strange. Felicia would dine and dash per-say, gone before Peter woke up the next morning. Waking up next to Adrianne in the morning, her smile-

God, I wish I could see Adrianne right now, instead of this.

[Targets acquired]

[Facial recognition complete]

Spider-Sense worked in mysterious ways. It honestly did, but Peter did learn over the years how to translate what exactly his unique "Sixth Sense" was trying to tell him.

At the moment, it was telling him something bad was about to happen. Not directly to him, but near him. Letting his instincts take control, his gaze moved upwards above the two men. He noticed... a dark winged figure, heading straight for Ned!

The assailant was fast, pouncing on Ned's contact, while knocking Ned aside with one massive wing. It stood tall, Standish in its grasp, the Wings folded into a resting position. The chest piece began to glow, before spreading to the rest of the body. Standish began screaming as it began to suck the life out of him-

And was interrupted violently as Spider-Man made contact, feet first, into the assailant's back. Remaining connected as Standish was dropped, Spider-Man put his hands on his new avian friends shoulders and leaned in like a lover.

"Excuse me, I think you've invaded his personal space. I-"

The assailant boosted up and backwards, Spider-Man was slammed into the brick of a building. Birdy removed itself, before spinning counterclockwise-

SMACK*

-sending a bird's equivalent of a mean left backhand into the Web-Head."

The Assailant rushed back towards the parking lot. Standish had managed to limp himself into the staircase, out of sight. Ned had started his sedan, and peeled out into the curving road downward towards the exit. Ned swore as a bladed wingtip tore through his roof. His car made a grinding sound as it rubbed against the concrete, leaving sparks.

"Oh, Betty is gonna fucking kill me if this psycho doesn't."

Right as the exit was in view, a sharp wing swooped low taking out two wheels on his left side. The sedan veered off, and Ned tasted blood as his airbag only partially came to his aid. Pushing his car door open, he was greeted by his attacker landing gracefully, striding towards him, two green dots staring into his soul.

He whipped out the revolver, and fired three shots.

BANG* PING*

BANG* PING*

BANG* PING*

A wing blocked his shots, before it extended out towards him, shooting a steel blade-a feather-out, obliterating the revolver-

SHUNK*

-before embedding itself in the car. It retracted itself, flying right back to its original place.

Moving to grab Ned, a van pulled up, and the side door opened to Yuri and a few other officers unloading rifles at the assailant. The Assailant used both wings to protect itself.

"Get the fuck in!" Yuri commanded Ned. The reporter never listened to a police officer so fast. The van sped off, but not before the attacker scanned the licence plate, registering it. Flying out into the city, it looked around, scanning before locking on to its prey. Catching up quickly, it was above the van...

Charles Standish was heaving heavily. That brief brush with death had taken more than a breath out of him. He felt terrible about the man named Ned Leeds, knowing the assassin went after him first, possibly believing Standish was in the car with him.

He couldn't give up yet. He hoped the USB he gave Ned would reach someone. If it didn't, he'd have to-

He thought he heard someone. Turning around, he saw nothing. Turning back, sharp claws grabbed him roughly.

Spider-Man, who had shaken off his headache, intercepted the attacker.

He gave a second greeting with a swing kick, putting full force behind the motion. The right wing folded on impact, and sent the Assailant spiraling. Quick to realign themselves, they made a sweeping motion, sending out a feather. It grazed the Web-Slinger's arm. Redirecting its aim at the speeding van, it launched two more feathers, one penetrating the front engine, the other piercing the top of the cabin. Inside the van, Ned screamed at the protruding blade yelling, while Yuri yelled at him to shut up.

Peter launched himself into the Assailant, sending both of them into the wall. Spider-Man leapt away, and had to contort his body-

SLICE*

-to avoid vivisection in midair. Shooting a web, he swung himself around, landing on a nearby rooftop.

The Assailant floated down calmly, as Peter took in the details. The wings were like Falcon's, but not only bigger, more menacing. They seemed cybernetically enhanced, if not some sort of exoskeletal armor was helping support the weight. The chest and wrist were bulbous, in a sleek way. It didn't help him figure out any more about his assailant. There appeared to be faux fur around the neck, but he imagined it got cold flying high. The face... was a cybernetically advanced flight helmet, but the mouthpiece was longer, more like a steel beak. The visor had two glowing green dots where eyes should be, glaring at him.

"So, you're definitely a bird, but you don't scream pigeon or Rooster. That puff, are you some kind of Vulture?" He could have sworn that caused the "Vulture" to bristle with anger.

"You, are getting in the way, back off." The robotic echo in the voice didn't help Peter narrow anything down, except that they were, in fact, mad.

"Getting in the way of murder? I tend to do that, pardon me. I just can't help myself."

"You're messing with things that you don't understand! I won't ask again." Flinging another feather at him to make a point, they quickly boosted away to find their quarry.

Spider-Man followed.

"Be careful, be careful!"

"I got this!"

"Why the hell do you have a wrench THAT big?!"

Attempting to dislodge the Blade, or feather, from the roof, seemed pointless. Then, without warning, it pulled itself out, right back into Vulture's wing. Digital green dots stared into the open wound of the van, right at Yuri.

"Oh shit."

Spider-Man shot out a web, and it stuck to the assailant's back, distracting them from their target. Vulture twisted and turned violently to shake off the menace, before finally slicing the offending web with an aggressive sweep. Spider-Man flew past, and Shot another web to their chest, pulling himself in to launch a haymaker directly between the eyes.

CRACK*

A spiderweb crack spread through the visor, as they were launched back. They fell downward, then twirled as they reignited themselves into flight, boosting past Spider-Man.

"Hey! aren't we still fighting?!"

Where are they, where are they!?

Adrianne's headache was the least of her troubles. Spider-Man's haymaker threw her off course right before an intersection, the target could have gone in three directions. Her cracked visor wasn't helping, and even worse was the glaring message

[TARGET LOST]

[SCANNER ERROR]

[TARGET LOST]

No, no not both of them?! GodDAMMIT-

Fury coursed through her veins as she craned her head to see the Web-Slinger catching up with her.

Spider-Sense barely came in time as Vulture defied gravity, suddenly changing direction, and coming at him full speed. They collided hard, but Vulture didn't relent, sending a flurry of slashes. Peter had been completely unprepared for this assault. Getting a punch in, he gained a few feet of distance, before having to block another hard smack from a wing. Hands and feet caught the wall hard, and he quickly had to flip himself up, over and around to avoid the feathers. He narrowly dodged the Vulture, as they drove their wings into the concrete. Ripping out their wings, bits of debris were falling down towards people below.

Leaving himself open, he shot webs at the falling debris, catching it before it could fall further. A foot claw clamped around Peter's bicep painfully, tearing through his costume and lifting him up high. Vulture spun around fast before releasing him, whipping him through the air.

His body clipped a building roughly, and he Rolled hard onto a concrete rooftop. Barely up in a crouch, he wasn't given a moment to recover, as the avian slammed into him. Flying upward, Grabbing a wrist in each hand.

His web shooters wheezed as they were crushed, but Peter didn't give up without a fight. He sent a kick upwards, loosening the grip long enough to throw himself onto the right wing, he sent a punch directly to the center of it, leaving a hard dent and causing the flyer to veer off. A clawed hand gripped his bare bicep, and Peter felt the combination of burning and numbness, as the Assailant's eyes and wings began to glow a yellow-green. His arm became dead weight. It was do or die, as he began to brutally punch and kick at whatever he could reach with his good side.

The Assailant, finally having enough, threw him downward, losing him in the darkness, between buildings. They waited, watching for the Spider to try to come back up. When there was no sign, they reactivated their flight module, and flew upwards into the dark sky.

Benita was on her way to the Special Project Wing once she heard Adrianne had returned, apparently damaged. The elevator door opened, and before anyone could say anything to her, an empty lab table was thrown hard against the wall, breaking apart at the force of it.

"GodDAMMIT!"

"What happened?" Benita took in the cracked visor, and the wing that clearly had dents in its expensive frame. Her presence stopped Vulture from wrecking the area further.

Adrianne moved to the docking platform for her suit. Slamming her feet into the locking mechanism, the foot claws locked in, before the rest of the slim exoskeleton released her. She had some bruising around her face, the biggest one in the center of her forehead. Trying to compose herself, she ended up slamming her fists on the remaining fold out table, thankfully bare of anything dangerous. "He got away! That goddamn interfering Insect! Getting in the way-"

"Who interfered? Benita asked.

"Spider-Man. I don't know if he came across by accident or if he was waiting, but he was there." She went to her console and ran a diagnostic on her suit for damage.

"So what happened to the Web-Slinger?"

"I broke his stupid little shooters, then I tried to drain him. I grabbed him but he fought, I had to drop him... from... high up." Her anger vented, Adrianne suddenly realized the consequences of the night, and slumped into her chair. "Fuck, I might have just killed him."

"I wouldn't count him out yet." Osborn had a way with making his presence known. Coming from the direction of the private Bio-Lab unit, he must have waited for Adrianne's anger to cool. He addressed Benita. "Get some assistants to grab whatever blood samples you can from the Vulture suit. We may not get another opportunity."

Adrianne stood up violently, wincing as her head ached. "Mr. Osborn, I'm sorry, I failed to get the target-"

He stopped her with a raised hand. "It is forgiven Toomes, I'm surprised our resident bug didn't come across us sooner. We now have an idea of combat performance. Next time, if there is a next time for Spider-Man, you will be ready for him. Now, do we know if the Juvenator is damaged?"

He looked at Benita as he asked this. Running her own diagnostic, she frowned at him, but answered. "There is some power fluctuation, but nothing we can't fix."

"But sir, Standish got away."

"Yes...Standish...don't worry about Standish...I have a full legal team ready to discredit him, should he decide to show his treacherous face. For now, relax, lay low. We just need to be patient."

"Come on Adrianne, you should get your injuries looked at. We developed some unbelievably fast-working healing gel." Adrianne looked to Norman, making sure he approved.

"Go on, heal up, I just need to borrow Benita for a moment, and Toomes?" She stopped, looking at him. "Next time, if there is a next time, I'd like you to bring Spider-Man back here, in pieces or not, it doesn't matter to me. I am not picky."

As she moved on to a proper medical bay, Norman motioned Benita over. "You already did as I asked regarding adjustments to the Juvenator, correct?"

She nodded quietly.

"Good, make sure you are performing your checkups as well, like we discussed."

Connors had been in the middle of locking up the lab when he heard someone stumbling in. He came upon Spider-Man, who had seen better days, cut up, one arm hanging limply.

A few hours later, a much more aware Peter was laying on a medical bed. "Sorry doc, I wish I had better timing."

His mask and upper part of his outfit tossed aside, he was apologetic as Connors checked over him again. "Well your timing is impeccable, considering I was at the lab."

"How bad is it Doc?"

"Frankly, for you, not bad at all. Your cells are regenerating rapidly due to your healing factor. Your cuts will recover within hours. your arm is broken, but that will heal with relative speed. I am concerned about this handprint..." Pulling up a new screen on his computer, Connors showed a side by side, of healthy DNA, and the DNA he scraped off of Peter's arm. "The skin around here has...decayed on some level. Had that-draining-as you described it-continued, it could have killed you, draining you of every healthy cell in your body."

Peter gently facepalmed himself with his good arm. "So now I'm dealing with an energy vampire bird. Fantastic."

"Do I put this under a file called: Energy Vampire Bird?" Connors asked as he rolled his chair over to a computer.

"Vulture, call it Vulture, seemed to Piss them off."

Connors was typing away at the new file, quick to compile all known information. "You said it happened when Vulture grabbed you?"

"Yup, I couldn't move my arm when he did so. That part of my suit was already torn. I can't know for sure, but the wings glowed when they were doing it, so I'm almost sure it's tech-based.

"So it seems like skin contact is required for this "draining" to occur. Did you feel their hand?"

"No, some sort of glove, the gloves wouldn't be so bad, if not for the rest of him." Peter thought back on the fight. "He's like...Falcon but... His wings are at least twice as big, he's got some kind of exoskeleton to help support that weight. But the thing is, he's not just maneuverable, in a way that shouldn't be possible with his wingspan alone, he was quiet. I couldn't even hear him until it was almost too late."

"How did you get away?"

"He destroyed my web shooters and decided to toss me...it was pretty high up. I played dead, to be honest."

Connors hummed as he typed..."You need to use that to your advantage, allow yourself to heal. Hopefully figure out how to beat him next time."

"Yeah, hopefully. I gotta figure out how to ground him, but it's like he defied gravity when he moved."

Maybe, I can ask Adrianne? No, no I won't involve her, I can't involve her with this...

Central Park, The Next Day

"Yo Adrianne!" Peter called out to the pretty woman waiting for him. The reference was not lost on Adrianne, even as she still nursed a headache from her bout.

"Rocky? How could I not see that coming?" Adrianne turned around with a smirk on her face. "Peter he-Jesus Christ your arm!"

She marched over to assess Peter's arm, currently in a sling. Her arms reached out and around, yet not not touching the arm in fear of causing him pain. "What happened? Did you challenge Ivan Drago to an arm wrestling match?!"

"Well it's...it's a little crazy." Cover story number three hundred and... "You know how I told you I take pictures of Spider-Man?"

Adrianne's face paled, then she asked something that threw Peter off.

"Did he do this to you??" I swear to God, if he hurt Peter, he'll be dead if he isn't already, Norman can have him in pieces- Her thoughts were quickly countered-and the flaring in her skull soothed-by Peter's explanation.

"What? No no, listen. I was...I was taking some photos, for a friend. Then this...bird thing, started fighting Spider-Man. Some shit hit me, I fell and landed wrong, bingo."

Adrianne paled further, remembering that bit of the fight... it was her fault. "Did you see what happened after?"

"No, I lost track after I got hurt. I heard some people say they saw Spider-Man falling, but nothing much else." Adrianne could barely hold her tears as she embraced Peter on his good side, head leaning into his shoulder. "I was going to ask around at the Bugle if they knew what was up."

Adrianne pulled back, but kept her hands on her lover. "Peter, I'm the last person to tell you not to take risks, but you can't go after this. No one has seen Spider-Man in days, and if this... Vulture comes around again. I can't bear the thought of you getting hurt in the crossfire."

Peter was surprised by her calling it the same thing, but didn't dwell on it.

"Well, as long as Spider-Man is out of the picture you don't need to worry about that." Her shoulders visibly relaxed, and he could help but peck her on the lips. "Thank you, for caring."

"Sly dog." She gripped his good hand as they began to walk. "You should take some time off work, I might have to go into Oscorp every once in a while, but besides that, I could spend the time with you."

Peter thought about it, then decided: "You're right. I'll only need a few days anyway. Doc said I should just make sure not to use the bad arm."

"I could think of a few fun things to do, that don't require two arms." Adrianne said. Peter couldn't help but laugh and pull her in for another kiss.

Unknown to either of them, they shared a similar thought:

I hope the day comes soon, that I don't have to lie to you.

Under the guise of checking into work before officially taking the time off, Peter arrived at the hideout Yuri was keeping Ned in. Wearing his Spider-Man mask while dressed like a bum was odd, but Peter remembered the legend of Bag-Man, and figured it could be worse.

Sneaking in through a vent purposely left unscrewed so he could slip in, Spider-Man heard an argument between cop and reporter.

"Just send some damn cops to the building! Get a search warrant!"

"I could, and then Oscorp can use dozens upon dozens of lawyers to stall, meanwhile they shred evidence and it's business as usual. If we have no one to even testify, this is all hearsay!"

He knocked loudly in code, and Yuri whipped open the door. "You talk to him, he's been at it since he got here. He's running on caffeine and stress."

Ned definitely looked like he ran on caffeine and stress. "Stress? you wanna talk about stress? I have become another player in this company conspiracy."

"Conspiracy?" Spider-Man questioned.

"Oscorp has been killing people for years. And I got a bloody paper trail to prove it, check it out." He signaled Spider-Man over.

The Web-Head walked further into the room. "What are you-holy shit."

Ned had an evidence wall, with red strings connecting to the equivalent of a chaotic Spider-Web. There were faces and names connected to Oscorp, Roxxon, and the Daily Bugle alike, with a few other newspapers in between.

"So, Mendel Stromm, co-founder of Oscorp. In Two-Thousand-Six, he goes missing, without a trace. Everyone was wondering, Where did he go? Where is Mendel Stromm?" Using his finger to trail the red lines, Ned lands on a photo of a woman. "Teri Kidder, she was investigating Stromm's disappearance right? She was a reporter for the Daily Bugle. She's missing, not a trace."

Before Spider-Man could say anything, Ned was pointing at another photo.

"Jeffrey Haight, looked him up, nosy bastard. He was also a reporter for the Daily Bugle. Attempted to get info from Octavious after his breakdown in Twenty-Eleven. Found dead, mugging. Cash wasn't even taken."

His finger moved again.

"Simon Lagrange, and before you ask, yep, Daily Bugle. He was persistent, right? So persistent that Jonah fired him. He didn't stop, later found dead." Ned seemed to calm down enough, to get his real point across. "These are just reporters for the Daily Bugle, there are others too, stories that end more or less the same. Now, recently? Roxxon has been losing stock, as well as Vice Presidents, chairmans, Vice Chairmans. One most noticeably, had a plane crash. You wanna know the problem with that? The man's body was found, far away, not just falling far away, I mean away. When I looked at the photo they recovered from the body, he was in pieces, but there was no blood, not even dry. The corpse had a close resemblance to Alberts too, post-mortem."

Yuri updated Spidey on that connection. "I gave him the info about Alberts. I'll give him credit when it's due, he put this shit together fast once we got that USB hooked up. The problem is if we just 'leak' this, we just add a conspiracy theory to the internet. Oscorp can't be held legally accountable until we can actually connect them. Like I said, evidence, or a witness."

Spidey suddenly had an idea. "And what better witness, then Vulture."

"Vulture? What-Oh, that's what you're calling it now. That sounds neat, but if I remember they literally dropped your ass. How do you plan to stop them from just...flying away?" Count on Yuri to keep it real.

"I underestimated them, that was my mistake. As for grounding them, I have a theory. I think Vulture is manipulating gravity, it's the only way to explain the silent attacks, the maneuverability. I need time to work on it though."

"What do we do in the meantime?"

"Ned you keep laying low here. Yuri, can you put Betty into protective custody?"

Ned suddenly paled. "I haven't even told her about the car..."

Two Months Later

Adrianne's Suite

Adrianne hadn't needed to use the suit for months, and that was a relief. Whoever Standish had been meeting with seemed to slip into the shadows. Standish himself disappeared too, Norman said he had people on it, and to consider the matter concluded. She relaxed with Peter on her sofa, a moment that occured more often than not.

"I'm surprised more people aren't freaking over Spider-Man."

Spider-Man also hadn't been seen around, and that ate at her. She never hated the guy, she felt more guilty when it came to Peter, who got hurt because of her fight with the arachnid. Thankfully, Peter had recovered fast. Like he had said, it wasn't serious. He was surprisingly chill about the whole thing, despite personally knowing the hero on some level. But the average New Yorker seemed pretty worried about Spider-Man. Online rumours spread about the winged villain that "killed" Spider-Man. But, no one was mourning...yet.

"He's gone AWOL more than once. He needs a break sometimes, I can't blame him." At that moment, a pulsing headache returned, and Adrianne squinted in pain. "Adrianne? You okay?"

It came and went, Benita was sure it was because of her overworking, not to mention the wicked head injury Spider-Man had given her. "Yeah, it's nothing, I've just been having headaches, too much time on monitors."

"Do you wanna call it early tonight?"

"No, but I could use a pick me up... so how about a little..." She came in close, and he was as receptive as always. Peter's touch always made her feel better. A nice increase of dopamine made the pain recede. Peter had his fingers in her hair, then, he stopped. His hand pulled back as he removed his lips from hers.

Adrianne, confused, opened her eyes, seeing a stunned expression on his face, and a rather large lock of her hair in his hand.

Adrianne screamed on site, leaping up and running immediately to the bathroom before Peter could process what had occurred. Her bemoaned cries were quick to snap him out of it as he strode to the door.

"Adrianne?" Peter tried the door knob, despite her having locked it. Adrianne had quit screaming. From behind the bathroom door, Peter heard muffled sobbing. "Adrianne, please let me in. Please don't shut me out. Talk to me."

The bemoaned cries continued. Peter felt an urge to break the door open, but that would do nothing but terrify her. This wasn't a villain holding her hostage, something he could solve physically, it was...

"Adrianne?" He tried again. "Adrianne, I'm not upset. I'm just concerned. Are you okay?"

"No...no. I'm not. I'm sick... I've been sick."

Peter heard that before, and his mind tried to narrow down what it could be. His personal experience came to mind, and the words she used...

"It's cancer isn't it?" There was no sound of denial, and that was all the confirmation he needed. "The same as your mother?"

"Most likely..." It came out choked, but clear enough that Peter could understand.

"Why didn't you tell me?" It came out of his mouth, simple enough. he couldn't hide the anguish that came with it.

"I didn't want you to know, because I didn't want to acknowledge it. I've been getting treatments, I've been getting better, but it's supposed to be gone. My time with you has never made me feel more alive. I didn't want to bring it up if I didn't have to, not now... I'm hideous."

"No, no you are not." he faced the door again, as though he could see through the door at Adrianne. "You are wonderful. beautiful. Intelligent, and a crack shot! I'm lucky to have you. You think you have to face this alone, but you don't." She didn't respond, so he continued. "My Uncle Ben told me the best things are worth fighting for. You make me feel, something I haven't for a while. I'm not giving up on you, and I won't."

He stopped himself for a moment. He felt the words in his heart, he had been afraid to say them too soon. Afraid of scaring her off by going too fast. If she didn't want to see him after this...then he wanted to tell her at least once.

"I love you Adrianne."

Silence, Then there was a clicking sound, as the bathroom door unlocked, and it moved to reveal the teary eyed Adrianne. She looked at him, lip quivering. Her body shook with Paranoia and fear. Looking into her eyes, they contained sadness...hope.

"I love you." He repeated.

Her arms were around his neck instantly. She held onto him as though his very being gave life to her. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to put you through this, again."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not." She pulled back from him, to look into his eyes, to show him how she felt. "I love you, Peter."

Peter held her for the rest of the night, the only way for her to get any rest until morning, when she would leave to go to a meeting with her "doctor".

Oscorp Lab

Next Morning

Adrianne charged into her shared lab with Benita, emotions overtaking her. "Why am I regressing!? I was healthy, even before the last few targets I drained. Why. am I. Regressing..!?"

She had already messaged Benita about what happened, but the rage in Adrianne's expression made the scientist take a step back, as she tried to give an explanation as to why. "There a-are multiple reasons why Adrianne, the effect might still be temporary after all."

"That doesn't make sense with the timeframe, not at all! There would have been earlier signs, I've done my homework!" Lab rats and mice were not human beings...yet at Oscorp...

"It could be a f-"

"We knew this was uncharted territory, Adrianne, please, don't be upset with Benita." Norman had an excellent sense of timing, interrupting Benita before she could imply fault with the Juvenator. Neither woman was sure if he was coming from or to the bio-lab, or if he heard about Adrianne's issue. "Let's look at this from a stance of reason. Is there any reason for us to believe Spider-Man's cells have anything to do with it?"

"I...I don't know. His cells were odd, but I don't have enough data, and if he's still missing or dead..." Benita trailed off.

"Then let's assume, either option is correct. You need to heal." His "simple" solution was not what Adrianne wanted to hear.

"How? Who? Who have I not eliminated for you? I can't just hurt innocent people."

Norman, as always, had full control. "Who said you had to hurt innocent people? Boys, bring Standish in here." Two men entered, dragging Charles Standish in front of the scientists, dropping him at their feet. His were clothes torn, cuts decorating his body, some resembling claw marks. "We caught him not long ago, I was poking him for info, to see if we had any other traitors. I was considering what to do with him... go on, Adrianne."

Benita was pale, but Adrianne was resolute, as she equipped the gloves of the original Juvenator Mechanism. Standish sat, no resistance to his fate. Adrianne grabbed the man, and began his death sentence. There was no relishing, no enjoyment from the euphoria of rejuvenating, only wishing for the minutes to pass faster...

When it was finished, Adrianne didn't look at the remains. "Thank you, Norman."

It was a hollow thanks, mechanical.

"I told you Adrianne, we are a team, and you will be taken care of."

One Week Later

For the past week, Adrianne wore a beanie over her head to cover the fact that her hair had returned. Peter probably thought it hadn't grown back, and politely didn't mention it.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked.

"Yes, the treatments aren't...pleasant, but the end results far outweigh the discomfort." She replied honestly, adding in her mind. Every moment with you is worth it. You are the balm for my wounds, inside and out. For the things I do, have done...

"If it's a financial problem, I can offer some assistance, I'd be more then-"

"NO." she was almost violent in her rejection, but quickly softened her tone. "No, Peter, the money isn't an issue. Even if it was, I will not take your money. You are here, beside me, and that does more for me than anything monetary gain."

"Okay, Just know, I'm here, okay?" He pulled her in close with a smile. "Now, what do you want to do today?"

It was a nice day in the park. Peter suggested it, she was sure. They sat together on a bench, as Adrianne tossed birdseed on the ground. Pigeons chirped happily.

"I'm glad you suggested we come here. The park is a refreshing sight."

"I'm glad you think so, May liked coming here you know."

"She brought it up, Ben would take her, sometimes you would go with." His face became crestfallen, and she tried her best as a dutiful girlfriend to comfort him. "I know you miss her, but I think she'll always be with you in some form or another."

Adrianne then noticed a dark avian figure was in the trees, as Peter spoke. "I just wish...why couldn't you save her?"

Her head snapped back to him. "What?"

"May, she was struggling, you know? She was old, but she could have been around longer. Why did you take so long? Why do you gorge yourself like these birds."

Adrianne looked down. The Pigeons had turned to Vultures. Large, exposed skin grotesque and covered in tattered feathers. They picked at rotting limbs and skulls filled with decaying brain matter. Feeling the urge to puke again, then she heard a branch snap. Looking up, the dark shape in the trees moved faster than light, and she was knocked off the bench. Recovering from a coughing fit, she looked up, and Peter was dead, his eyes glazed upward at a non-existent sun, as a nosferatu-like creature in black tatters feasted, its face half buried in Peter's torso.

It looked up, and Adrianne came face to face with herself, bald and dressed in a getup that made her resemble the vultures far too closely.

"It will never be enough, we must sustain ourselves. " As she smiled at Adrianne, her face rotted away, as her fuel flames engulfed the fiend. "We need to feed Adrianne, we need to feed. Yummy young flesh, all ours, we need to feed!"

"NOOO!"

"NOOO!"

"Adrianne!" Peter grabbed her as she woke up screaming. He forced her to look at him. "It's not real, okay? It's just a dream. Just a dream..." He eased her back into bed. She stopped screaming, but tears were fresh as she lay on her side, shivering. "Adrianne, it's ok."

"I'm hideous." She cried.

"No, no you are not." Peter pulled her in close, holding her around her waist. He kissed her shoulder, burying his face in her hair and breathing in deeply. Her body calmed, but tears still flowed.

"Do I smell like death?" She asked.

"Lemongrass."

"You realize I do this, it can cost me my career, and Betty's, as such with the bugle, is potentially ruined for life?"

Ned was hesitant, for all his excitement about exposing Oscorp, he definitely wasn't happy about the plan. Neither was Betty necessarily.

"It cost Cliff and multiple others their lives, I think we owe them now to see it through. Between me and Yuri, no one's going to get their hands on you." Spider-Man reassured him.

"You got your...what do you call it? Vulture Jammer?" Yuri asked, pointing at the cylinder Spider carried with him, using a belt to keep the soda can-sized device close.

"Anti-Magnetic Inverter. If my theory is right, it will disable Vulture, and he'll crash down to earth. Then we bring him in."

"How did you make such a thing in a short time?" Yuri wondered.

"Well... Peter Parker made it... in High School. He got first place at the Science Fair. I just asked him to make a stronger version." Yuri and Ned just stared at Spider-Man.

"What the fuck..." Ned said, baffled.

"My name is Ned Leeds, tonight, I am going to make a public announcement, regarding Oscorp Industries. They have been misleading us for years, and I am going to expose them for what they really are. Many people have died because of this knowledge, and I see it as my responsibility to make it right."

Hideout

As Ned's proclamation of war went live. Spider-Man headed outside, Yuri followed him out.

"You sure this will work Spider?"

"It might, it might not. If this doesn't call out Vulture I don't know what will."

"I'm gonna have one of my guys cover you. I know we won't be able to do much, but...we can't let this thing kill anymore people. Just...don't lose, okay?"

"...I'll give you my best." He looked outward, toward the Oscorp Building he could barely see in the distance. "You should head inside, I gotta call someone."

The moment Ned made his announcement, Adrianne was notified. They were going to need her to silence Ned, witnesses be damned.

Can't you hear me knockin~

Her phone rang, right before she was about to suit up. "Hey sweet thing."

"Yo Adrianne, I wanted to call you, you at work?"

"Yeah." She looked at the monitor displaying newscasters buzzing about Ned. "I'm probably going to be all night. But tomorrow morning, I'll bring home some coffee and donuts."

"I look forward to it. It's gonna be a long night for me too. Hey, listen, I need to tell you something really soon. It's...kind of a big deal."

"Is there another woman?" Peter couldn't see her smile, but she could see him seize up.

"Is there anoth- NO, my god Adrianne, no, nothing like that, I promise. But it is important."

"Okay, I actually have something to tell you as well. But it can wait. Tomorrow?"

"Let's shoot for it. Anyways, I'll let you get back to work. Don't overdue it. And Adrianne-"

"I love you." She says first.

"I love you, plus one."

[TARGET ACQUIRED]

The Vulture had Ned Leeds in her sights. He was stepping into a podium prepared for him by the Daily Globe, who were playing this out as a kind request from the N.Y.P.D. Set up right in front of the building. She didn't want to engage with so many people around, but Norman told her they had a plan to turn things around. What was important, was that Ned Leeds didn't get a chance to speak.

The reporters surrounding Ned seemed to quiet down, and she fell forward as Ned made his introductions. A few stray eyes caught sight of the Avian, pointing Vulture out to others. But nobody would be able to react in time. She came in fast and hard.

Before Vulture could grab Ned, before anyone could scream, Spider-Man landed on her back, causing her to veer off course. Her wingtip grazed Ned's suit jacket. Screaming in frustration, she spun viciously upward.

Spider-Man let go, waiting mid-air for Vulture to stop spinning, only to web-zip straight into her, clotheslining her. He spun around, ready to shoot another web, and instead contorted his body to avoid two Feathers.

THUNK* THUNK*

They penetrated the building behind him. Vulture landed on the side of the building, launching two more Feathers before ripping out the ones stuck in the wall with her hands. Spider-Man dodged and weaved the slashing frenzy, only getting a cut or two across his chest for his trouble. The Web-Slinger needed to find a window to use his trap. He has to get close, but if he wasn't careful he would be missing an arm, and if she saw him try to use it too early..

Jumping back, he shot a web, and pulled himself upward. Vulture followed after him, Feathers reattached to wings.

Swoosh*

Spider-Man narrowly dodged the winged uppercut, delivering a kick to the Vulture's head once again. He knew he was aggravating the assassin, just as he intended. Vulture would need to focus on him, Ned was already safe inside somewhere. A web shot out, clinging to Vulture's chest as Spider-Man used her as an anchor point for his webline. Swinging about her, before yanking hard, His enemy veered away from his next strike, and boosted upwards.

Vulture came around and went in for a swooping attack. Spider-Man jumped to the side, and Vulture slowed, as though pulled by gravity, and slingshotted back, straight for the Web-Slinger. He braced, ready. A glob of web stuck Vulture's left arm to their chest, as he leapt on, Vulture-Jammer in hand.

Vulture immediately thought it was a bomb. Swerving violently into a wall, Spider-Man dropped his device as he was dragged across brick and mortar. Pulling himself over the Vulture's Wings, he kicked off before shooting a web, catching the device and pulling it back to him. He swung away, the Vulture hounding after him.

Their mid-air dance was fast and violent. The rain seemed to occasionally freeze in place as Peter fell and rose, the Vulture zooming past in an effort to bisect him.

Vulture came at him once again As he shot a web. Only receiving a shoulder cut as Vulture flew past, he used his momentum as he swung hard after Vulture. He Let go of his web, aiming himself at the side of the building. Wall-running for a few seconds, he kicked off closing his right hand into a fist. Cork-screwing his body mid-air into a haymaker, his fist collided with the Vulture's Helmet.

Vulture careened into an Alley. He web-zipped ahead and shot out a web-bomb, creating a net that entangled Vulture. For a moment it seemed to have worked. Peter was about to activate his Jammer, before Vulture suddenly ripped out of the net violently. Gripping his suit in clenched gauntlets, Vulture boosted upward. Rising above city structure, Vulture went for a throat slash. Spider-Man sent out a straight jab, grabbing a hold of Vulture's shoulder, before using his other hand to activate the jammer.

There was a pulse, then they were falling. separated mid fall, they landed on the glass roof where a gala was being held. The partygoers looked up at the noise, confused. Spiderweb cracks spread from their mutual landing spots. Yuri's helicopter could be heard in the distance, as both rose painfully. She tried to send out a feather, and it didn't work, just like her wings.

"It's not going to work like that anymore."

"Why, why can't you stay out of my WAY!?" Vulture screamed.

"You've killed too many innocent people, it stops now!"

In fury, she slashed at Spider-Man with her wings, the bladed tip still sharp as ever. He ducked then weaved. Yuri's helicopter hovered above them, its searchlight attempting to follow their movements. A rifleman was ready to take a shot, but he couldn't, not while they were moving. There wasn't a way to know how long the Jammers effect would last, so Peter had to make it count.

The moment she sent her wing too far outward, exposing herself, he sent a fist flying hard, and ended up clipping Vulture's helmet. The strike broke one half of the bird-like helmet broke off. Vulture fell hard, more cracks spreading from beneath her. Rising to her hands and knees, reddish hair spilling out of the left side. Spider-Man grabbed her shoulder, planning to give her a straight knockout-

Peter stopped his attack, seeing Adrianne, bruised, wide eyed.

"Y-You-"

"NOOO!!" Adrianne screeched, knocking him off of her. She didn't give Spider-Man a break, lunging for him as his back hit the Glass. She went for a strike, and the Spider dodged it narrowly.

"You can't do this to me! I can't lose!" He saw her face, he would tell everyone, he had to die, now. If he didn't, her life would be ruined a second time. "Peter needs me!"

Drawing up her wing, she brought down her primary like a sword. The insect dodged again. She was yanking her wing out, before using her other one in an attempt to skewer the Spider, several strikes sliced at his side, the cuts paper thin, but long and dangerously close. "I must be rid of you! To go home, to him!" Another Stab came close, catching on a loose piece of Spiderman's mask, making a tear, chocolate hair spilling out. Adrianne didn't notice in her frenzy. "I won't let you take my life-"

Spider-Man tore off his mask. She froze, Her blade tip was still raised up high to kill. It was the longest second of her life.

"Peter?"

PING*

The sound of a rifle being fired rang true, as blood sprayed Peter's face in red as the bullet exited Adrianne, stopping inside the glass right beside his head. She gasped, as her raised arm slumped down, she tumbled down the glass. Peter lunged after her, her body reached the edge and slipped off with little fanfare. He used the edge to Propel himself at her falling form with all his strength.

The ground was coming up fast.

"Does anyone have a sight in Spiderman OR Vulture?" Yuri should have figured Spidey would have gone for the bastard, even if he didn't deserve it. "I repeat, does anyone see the target?"

"Saw a web-swing ma'm, couldn't catch anything else."

"Start looking then, Spider could have hurt himself trying to save Vulture."

Spider, where are you?

Kurt Connors was working a late night, trying to work out a resolution to the Gargan problem, they had most kinks worked out, but yet-his phone rang. Peter calling at this hour was already a bad sign. "He-

"Connors! I need you at the lab, now!"

"I'm already there, what's going on?"

"Gunshot wound, I need you."

"What? are you-"

"Not for me, it's an emergency, get the double doors wide open, I need the room."

Connors was already ready for them when Peter got to the University Labs. Connors already had gloves on. The doctor's eyes widened at the site of the cybernetic predator Peter was carrying, but old training pushed it to the back of his head.

"Put them on the table. Where were they shot?"

"Her torso, I didn't get a good look."

"We need to get this suit open."

Peter tapped Adrienne's face desperately. "Adrianne, love, wake up. Connors can't help you unless your suit opens up. Can you open up your suit?"

Adrianne forced her right arm to press a sequence into a device on her left wrist. Her chest hatched open.

"Looks like her suit stopped her from bleeding out, You know her blood type?" Connors asked.

"Type b."

"Apply pressure while I get the IV ready." Peter did as he was asked, as Connors got the blood pack and IV together.

"Peter?"

Peter looked at Adrianne, who seemed barely aware.

"I'm sorry Peter. I'm so sorry." She gritted through pain to speak. "I hurt you."

"Don't worry about that." Peter felt blood soak his gloves as gauze was overwhelmed by the flow.

"I didn't want to lie, I just wanted to love you...I'm sorry." Tears spilled from her eyes, and Peter wished he had more limbs.

"If you're sorry then hold on for me, ok?"

"I don't wanna die, I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Her eyes rolled back, consciousness lost.

"Adrianne? ADRIANNE!"

Connors peeled off his bloody gloves, wanting nothing more than to wipe his brow. Turning on the sink, he addressed Peter as he scrubbed. "She should make it. The bullet went straight through, I couldn't see any shrapnel. The blood loss was the bad part. We are going to have to close up the lab for tomorrow, I'll say it's a contamination issue. People will steer clear."

"Thank you doc, for everything." Peter had a haunted look on his face as he gazed at Adrianne. His bloodied gloves set aside on a small tray of disinfectant.

"So...is this our Vulture?" Peter nodded. "Do you know what the next step is?"

Call Yuri, put Adrianne into medical custody, probably moved into a S.H.I.E.L.D. holding cell. Figure out just how much Oscorp is involved...

"I..."

Except you KNOW Oscorp is involved. You know Adrianne is involved now too, and she is going to get little sympathy from anyone else regardless. Anyone but you...

"I don't...I don't know..."

Yuri's Phone, Same Night

[I need you to find everything you can about Adrianne Toomes.]

[What the hell are you talking about? What happened to Vulture!?]

[Please, so this for me, It's important.]

[Okay, anything else you can tell me?]

[Mother and Daughter, both share the same name, mother was being treated at the Queens treatment center. Had a company called Bestman-Toomes.]

[Okay okay, fine. We'll figure this out. But I better see you tomorrow, no bullshit.]

The Next Day, Evening

Adrianne opened her eyes to a sterile white ceiling. Too often it reminded her of the hospital visits, machines scanning her body. For a moment she wondered if she just had an extended fever dream, still stuck in a decaying body.

Looking to her left, she saw-Peter, wearing a gray windbreaker jacket over a torn up Spider-Man suit. Her body shivered as memories of a fight replayed in her mind. Peter's face was fixated on his phone, then he looked at her, his face bruised and fatigued.

It had to be a dream, all of this. Peter wasn't Spider-Man, he couldn't be! She was in Oscorp labs still, and just needed to wake up!

Peter came over to her, and she expected to hear any number of things from him: Why did you hurt me? Did you let May die? Is this your fault? Anything to tell her this was just another bad dream.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, sounding worn down and hollow. At that moment she couldn't deny reality, the truth, anymore. Tears streamed down her eyes.

"No..." She said.

Peter Parker was Spider-Man. He knew she was the Vulture, the namesake she never wanted but wholly deserved.

He turned away from her, staying seated at the long table she herself had been placed on. She looked around, noting her Vulture suit immediately, slouched against the wall like an empty suit of armor, whose knight's bones had already crumbled to dust.

"Connors made sure you were stitched up properly."

Adrianne touched her chest and noticed the wrappings around her chest, a red spot where she was shot, yet felt numb. Her bodysuit was open and pulled down to her waist. Any feeling of violation was squandered by the fact Peter wouldn't let anything happen to her, yet. It was quiet between them, seconds felt like minutes, and the minutes felt like they were going to bleed into hours when he finally made a statement. "Adrianne Toomes was diagnosed with cancer over a year ago. She stopped getting treatment, and was left with an estimated six months to live. Gregory Bestman went missing, and his company's debts were paid off by Oscorp, before ownership was granted to 'Adrianne Toomes'. Adrian Toomes was a pilot, air-force. He and his wife passed away, His daughter never married." He turned his head to look into her eyes. "You never had a daughter."

"...No..." She said.

"At the funeral, that was you...there was no one else... you had no one else."

She nodded. "I only had May... and then I had you..."

Peter was quiet, looking at the spare Spider-Man mask in his hand. Then he asked "I suppose you know what I was going to tell you now. Can I guess this-" he gestured to her, or was it the Vulture suit? "-is what you were going to tell me?"

She smiled sadly. "I was going to tell you...today...God...I was going to tell you the truth today...and I guess I did, in the worst way. You're disgusted with me aren't you? This whole time I'm just a soul sucking hag, that I'm much older-"

"I'm friends with people that are hundreds of years old. Do you really think that-is what's bothering me?" He looked at her, love and anger mixed. "You've been killing people Adrianne. What am I supposed to say to that? What am I supposed to do with that except the obvious?!"

Leaning on the pale countertop in front of him, he wasn't looking at her anymore.

"Peter?..." He stayed silent. "Peter I...I didn't plan on this. After the funeral, I just didn't want to lay down and die. I wanted to achieve my dream and I did! I didn't plan to live long after. I didn't plan to see Gregory try to sell what was left of our company to Oscorp. I didn't plan on killing him, I didn't plan on killing."

Grunting, she got herself off the table, and carefully walked to him, one hand on the table to keep her balance.

"I didn't plan to have a second chance at life again. I didn't plan to meet you again. I didn't plan on falling in love. I...I knew what I was doing, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

She touched his arm, and he didn't pull away, instead turning to look at her. She couldn't read his mind, but his eyes expressed confusion, hurt, and contemplation.

"Do you hate me now? I understand if you do..."

Before Peter could give her an answer, the door slammed open, announcing the entrance of Officer Yuri. Peter threw on his mask quickly, before she entered. Yuri had a bulletproof vest on, covered by her jacket, and a hand on her holster as she eyed Adrianne. "Ned, get your ass in here, it's fine."

Ned entered, Connors behind him. He initally an injured woman, before noticing Vulture suit leaning against the wall. "Oh shit, it really is her."

"Thank you Ned. Hands behind your back, bitch." She moved toward Adrianne, who began to take a step back and felt her strength give out without support. Falling backwards, she was caught by Spider-Man, who lifted her into his arms, wordlessly but gently putting her back on the table.

The Web-Slinger, to everyone's surprise but Connors, got in Yuri's way. "She isn't going anywhere."

"Oh, yes she is. The Raft, for example. Or, have you forgotten the people she has killed?" Adrianne flinched, but didn't try to argue. "Because I haven't." Yuri strode up to Spider-Man, looking past his shoulder to glare looking her in the eye. "Why?"

"I needed... energy, and Norman needed to get rid of people. Norman told me...it was for progress."

"Ah, that's right, cancer, so that gave you the right to murder?"

"They weren't-"

"Weren't what? Innocent? Nobody is. Lawyers definitely aren't, but Alan Alberts? His kid got into ESU last fall. Cliff had two children from a previous marriage. They will never see their father again. Remember Ned?" She gestured towards the man sticking close to the exit. "the man you tried to kill? He's going to have to go into hiding with his wife. Did you even ask Osborn about who he was sending you to kill? These people had lives, and you had no right to rob them of it. Believing they were bad just made you feel better, it was never about the morals. If it was, you would have killed Norman Osborn yourself."

"...It wasn't gonna be forever..."

"You're right about that, because this shit is done tonight. You are going to enjoy the rest of your miserable life in a cell."

Spider-Man allowed Yuri to dress down Adrianne, because he knew about the long hours she spent trailing this mess. He also knew that she was right, except for one thing. "This isn't done, and it won't end just because you lock her up."

"What are you talking about."

"Her suit was made with Oscorp's help, which means they can create another. They can easily purge the evidence and keep it elsewhere, and as you once said, an army of lawyers to cockblock legal action."

"What are you suggesting?"

"We let her go back, mic her up, get direct evidence. I'll need you to be ready to move in with the N.Y.P.D." His head turned toward Adrianne. "We could bring them down tonight, but I need her help."

Yuri snorted. "Yeah, like she's gonna-"

"I'll do it." Adrianne said, now Yuri's was quiet.

"And how can your master trust you to have not sold out already?" Ned called her out, still keeping a nice distance from her and the Vulture suit.

"They will probably think I've been laying low, and I...I don't have a reason to keep doing this, not anymore." She looked at Peter, as meaningfully as she could even with his mask on. "I'll do whatever you ask of me... Spider-Man."

Special Projects Wing, Bio-Lab

Norman's face glowed a sickly green as he looked down at the life-capsule. In what seemed like another life, he would barely have time. Now, he visits every other day, if not every day. Even if for just a moment, he wanted to be there.

"Mr. Osborn, Vulture is heading directly for Oscorp."

"Alone?"

"It appears so, sir."

Pressing his hand against the glass of the capsule. Norman contemplated. She should have come back sooner, and according to the news, she had disappeared with Spider-Man. Unless she managed to kill the wall-crawler... Norman doubted it.

"Let her in."

But he was open to second chances, and new opportunities.

Adrianne glided down gently onto the Oscorp landing pad. The air felt cold on her scalp, With only her beak-like respirator, and spare goggles she kept as an emergency to cover her face. Her red hair was raggedly tied into a ponytail to keep it off. She used her personal code, and the grated gate doors of the shipment elevator opened for her. She stepped in, her wings still partially spread. She whispered a brief "now." and Spider-Man leapt from the wing he was hiding behind, unto a part of the massive elevator.

"You're sure we are fine?" His own suit was barely patched back together, utilizing materials at his work to fix up his suit. His gloves were red, but had no web pattern. The tears on his suit were stitched together, some still exposing skin, or in Peter's case the gauze tape underneath. Pulling up her goggles to rest on her forehead, she looked up at his perch. She wanted to cry, apologize again, anything to repair the damage she had done. "They don't want evidence of whatever comes down this elevator. Stay out of sight, get your evidence, I don't know if anything I try to record won't be jammed."

"Adrianne?" She looked at him. "Be safe."

She smiled at him, sadly."I wish I could." You being safe is what matters now.

She stepped off the elevator, an entourage already waiting for her. Norman and Benita were among them, with more than a couple of armed guards.

"Miss Toomes, welcome back. We missed you." There was sarcasm in Osborn's voice, but a natural amount considering his employee had been missing for a day and a half. "It's good to see you are safe. Even if the target has gotten away-"

"Who have I been hunting, Norman?" She seemed to silence the room with her question. It reminded her of her own silence, as Ned, brave enough to approach her, got her up to speed on his Oscorp rabbit hole. She had the time to listen, process, and ruminate before Peter and Yuri were ready.

Norman paused, then continued. "You already know the answer. Enemies of the future state, those that would hinder progress far more than help it. Roxxon, for example, Trask, or even Cross-Tech. how many failures are going to be tolerated, how many mutates accidentally made? Disasters that could have been prevented."

"So Charles Standish was an enemy of progress? Alan Alberts? What about the reporters you've been getting rid of on and off the last fifteen years?" She gave him a moment to process her questions, trying to keep her composure, before throwing out the last one. "Was Mendel Stromm an enemy?"

Norman's mouth twitched, ever so slightly. "I see, you have doubts. I hope you realize, we don't need to help each other Adrianne, you are free to go, you will be credited for your work, but when the cancer inevitably comes back-"

"He's lying." Sanchez confessed. Adrianne looked at her in shock, Spider-Man-still hidden-sucked in a breath.

Norman's mask cracked. "Doctor, I wouldn't-"

"The alterations were permanent Adrianne, you weren't regressing. The cancer wasn't coming back. I sabotaged your Juvenator, and poisoned you during your checkups on Osborn's orders to make you think you were. You didn't have to kill more people, Osborn just didn't want to lose his best in-house assassin. He was never going to let you go

"You sabotaged Adrianne's Juvenator? I have many assets at my disposal Adrianne, do you really believe I would force you to do such a thing, if you didn't have to?" Norman shook his head, as though he was admonishing children. "It is very clear that our business relationship has changed, however, it nonetheless still exists. Kill Miss Sanchez, and take her place would you? I have no need for rats." Benita looked at Norman in shock. "You think I didn't know?"

"How did you know it was me?"

"Someone had to be leaking data, directly from the science labs. Standish never had that access." Norman smiled. "Besides your little moralistic confession, you just told me."

"I-I can't do that... she's innocent." Adrianne couldn't, not any more-

Norman took no prisoners. "Who invented the life-taking device built into your suit? who sabotaged it to make those sacrifices in vain? Who has been sending pawns out to die in her place? You tell me, who is innocent?"

"Definitely not you, how about enough of this insane business soap opera?" Spider-Man's delivery was dryer than usual, lacking most of his usual enthusiasm. "It's over Norman."

Armed guards raised their weapons, but Norman signaled them to hold their fire. "Spider-Man? Spider-Man...well isn't this something. I suppose this is where you arrest me?"

"Come quietly Norman, it's already over."

"Arrest me...in my building...my boy this actually works wonders for me. How about a test run?"

He hit a button hidden in his hand. Two double doors hissed open from the larger second Bio-Lab unit.

The thing was an amalgam of Oscorp experimental weaponry. The first thing noted was the massive wingspan not unlike Adrianne's, somehow made larger, with the additions of two rotors on either wing for support. The second, was the American-Son inspired battle armor, Hulk-sized, colored a slate gray. In addition-powerful looking reverse jointed legs, that Adrienne once thought of as kangaroo-like. On its right arm was the deadly "grizzly-claw", The face, partially exposed, revealed a gaunt looking face of a dead man.

Spider-Man and Vulture looked in horror. Adrianne, at the sight of multiple technologies integrated into a single frame. Peter, at a face he recognized from Ned's evidence wall.

"Doctor Stromm, Eliminate Adrianne Toomes, then Spider-Man."

A faceplate shifted over the gaunt man's face, leaving only a machine. Stromm, whether under his own will, or Norman's, used his kangaroo-legs to leap, bounding toward Adrianne, bringing down his grizzly-claw. She narrowly dodged as Stromm's claw sunk into the floor, dragging through it like fabric, splitting metal and circuitry. Flying backwards, Stromm was after her.

Spider-Man threw his right arm forward, intending to web unto Stromm, pull himself close and see if his Vulture Jammer could be put to use. Instead, Spider-Sense gave him a blaring warning as he turned, only having time to brace as he was tackled at the waist by a new assailant, losing his Jammer as it rolled along the floor.

Spider-Man rolled into the landing, throwing off his attacker. He barely had a minute to get up before said attacker had lunged at him once more. Grabbed their wrists kept crimson claws from digging into his skull. His right foot was brought up, knee to his chest, in order to keep the snapping jaws of a cruel lipless mouth from biting into him. Solid green eyes almost glowed with blind hatred.

"Nels! Please stop!!" Sanchez screamed, trying to keep her head down.

Nels? Nels Van Adder?!

Peter had a memory, of a field trip. A man in a nice suit and clean cut blonde hair showing his class around Oscorp Labs. He remembered Octavious, frustrated with the presence of children in the lab. "Mr. Van Adder? Is that you?"

That face, contorted with anger, briefly showed remorse. "Help..." Peter then noticed the collar around Nels's neck.

"That thing is no longer Van Adder, he's barely human anymore, more like a goblin than anything else." Norman's voice came out of a speaker, as he watched from the safety of the Bio-Lab unit. The collar's flickering lights brightened violently when Nels hesitated attacking. Humanity lost once again, he continued biting at Peter's throat.

There was nowhere for Adrianne to fly away, they had locked down the elevator shut. The lab, while big and wide, felt like a glorified bird cage, and she was stuck with a bigger, more violent bird. The two went at it like two hunter birds fighting, if hunter birds were the size of a small car and a truck respectively, made of metal.

With such little room, Stromm had to do very little to keep the pressure, and he was doing a lot more than "a little". She flew to one side and he was right there with her. They were a frightening sight to the scientists below them, who scrambled for safety.

Ramming into her from below, she narrowly escaped his grasp as he crashed into one of the built-in ceiling lights.

Peter wanted to help, but his search for the Jammer was being blindsided by Nels, who was more a victim-than villain. He had knocked him off as one of the ceiling lights went off. Van Adder crashed into a desk. The broken light attempted to glow brightly in spite of its damage, leaving a scattering, flickering effect as Van Adder rose to his full height. Darkness enshrouded his features, and Peter resolved that the only way to get Van Adder help, was unfortunately to hurt him more.

Spider-Man didn't have time to be gentle, and he steeled his heart as he clapped the Goblins head between his hands. Peter took advantage of his stun, and dug his hands into the slave collar, ripping it apart. Nels began to jerk and spasm erratically, heaving and growling, his last orders echoing in his mind.

"Nels, you have to think! If Osborn could really cure you, why aren't there dozens of you attacking me? He doesn't want to help you, he isn't interested! I know you are still in there Nels! Fight back! Fight him!"

Nels breathed heavily, crimson muscles tensing as he processed information independently. For the first time in a long time, Nels thought for himself.

Norman had been distracted by Vulture's desperate flight, his team, secure within the Bio-lab unit, didn't anticipate the door being pried open. Norman turned and saw Nels, and immediately pressed a button on his remote. "Nels, get back out there and kill Spider-"

Nels lunged for Osborn, but his "training" didn't allow him to directly attack. He clawed wildly, and in his attempt hit a control console. Two guards tried to restrain Nels. One had his throat slashed open, the other was lunged upon, stabbed to death by knife-like fingers.

Osborn's security opened fire on Nels, the hailfire of machine pistols and shotgun shells pushed him back out of the Bio-Lab. They didn't notice one of the pods opening, the patient within stumbling, before carelessly grabbing vials of experimental formula as he shuffled towards Norman.

Osborn turned, and faced the gruesome smile of Arnold Donovan. Glass shattered on Norman's face, as experimental OZ spilled into his wounds, eyes and mouth. He roared in pain and fury as he went to his knees. The security detail closest noticed far too late, but had a fresh clip to unload into Arnold, who didn't have Van Adder's durability. Bullets entered one way, and exited out the other, crimson spraying over the once sterile floor.

Outside Oscorp, Yuri had moved in with just about her whole precinct and half of two others. The Chief gave her the green light and an issued warrant. They had waited, incognito until Spider-man activated his tracker.

The lobby was taken care of with relative speed, it was a late night and third shift was practically a skeleton crew. With specifics given by Adrianne, they found their entrance, it helped that several scientists were fleeing in terror, practically jumping into their arms. One of the scientists-A Miss Sanchez-brought them down to the secret labs using the more traditional elevators. Apparently a four-number code was needed for entry. Others stayed at the ground floor and contained the area. Yuri and her team arrived at a literal shit fest. Two metal birds were violently twisting and turning in the air, which explained a lot of the damage immediately seen. What looked to be an individual Lab unit, took off like a bullet train, the hole in the wall closing after it.

Stromm smacked Adrianne downward, and she crashed through a desk. Noticing the new arrivals, subroutines registered dozens of new hostiles, as he activated his micro-missile targeting system, and began locking on to the policemen, who began firing desperately.

Adrianne noticed this, and realized the fat looking backpack wasn't an extra thruster, or some battery, it was a goddamn missile pack! Deciding now or never, she launched several of her feathers at Stromm. Several penetrated, one piercing the backpack but unable to detonate it.

Stromm turned, and his targeting system refreshed, selecting Adrianne instead.

"Oh shit."

She activated her thrusters, and flew across the room as Stromm set his targets, just a hair too late, his missiles launched, destroying the barrier that blocked off the loading elevator. Adrianne sent three feathers at Stromm, baiting him to follow her as she flew up the shaft. Stromm followed, his thrusters burning to max power as he was sent upward after her.

Adrianne crashed through a ceiling vent barely big enough for her to fit, finding an illusion of freedom in the starry night sky. Not a second after Stromm smashed through the roof entirely. Hovering in mid air, a red light glowed from his forehead.

Adrianne moaned. "Fuck..."

"Yuri! Are you good?" Spider-Man asked Yuri, itching to leap into the still cloudy elevator shaft. Norman had fled in the Bio-Lab unit, which seems to double as an escape pod, which raised questions he couldn't care for right now. He found his Jammer, broken at some point during the chaos, and no time to fix it, which meant they were taking stromm down manually.

"We got this, just go!" And with that affirmation, Spider-Man slingshotted himself into the Shaft, holding his breath as he scattered dust and smoke. He bounced off the wall immediately before aiming high, yanking himself upward. It didn't take long for him to reach the rooftop and breathe clean air.

He arrived at the sight of Vulture mid flight, as she tried to dodge and weave a red energy beam, as micro-missiles flew after her. Going immediately to work, he used his webs like a gunslinger. Throwing the Missiles off balance, he got lucky with a shot, and a missile careened into another, detonating both and clearing another few. Several were still on Adrianne's tail, and Peter noticed Stromm was hovering in place.

He has to focus, in order to use his targeting system. Alright, let's play.

He gave himself a running start, before leaping off and webbing himself to the bulky cyborg. Keeping out of the cyborg's reach, he stretched his arm out to shoot a web-net at the missile pack's exposed tubes, before getting out of reach. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough, the grizzly-claw grazed his right shoulder, leaving four long and bloody streaks, ending before it could touch his spine. Spider-Man landed less than gracefully.

Targeting Adrianne again, he fired, bursting into a ball of fire, as the missiles detonated, disappearing in a cloud of fiery black ash. The burning plumage spread far and wide over Oscorp Tower, civilians and passersby alike noticed it, a long-gone sense of confusion and panic returning.

Adrianne landed close to Peter in a heap. "Thanks."

"No problem." They watched cautiously, as burning bits seemed to fall. Was Stromm blown apart in the blast. "You think it-"

A red beam sliced the floor between the two. With metal stained dark by fire and ash, Stromm crashed into Spider-man and Vulture, driving them up high into the sky. The air was getting colder, and it was getting harder to breathe. The grizzly-claw increased its grip, as it began to crush Adrianne's torso. Peter grunted as he used his max strength to break out of Stromm's grip, Hanging onto his chest plate loosely, he drove a hard kick into an exposed arm piston, releasing Adrianne, who fell downward. He flipped over before the claw could reach him, landing On Stromm's back once more.

I guess it's now or never.

Peter picked the right wing, grabbing it and pulling with all he could, screaming with the effort. The damaged cyber ligaments couldn't hold, and the wing tore free. Finally, it was enough, as both separated, coming down to earth in freefall. Falling headfirst, he couldn't help but think this would probably hurt. Adrianne had wings at least, he hoped she was okay-

Swoosh*

He heard a familiar sound of wings, Adrianne pulling up beside him. Matching his falling speed, she wrapped her arms around him.

They sat on a bench, sticking out like sore thumbs. Around them, S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents corresponded with police in blocking off the area. Oscorp employees were being "questioned" by police, while Agents combed the building for any and everything. Just one thing was missing.

"Good job for what it's worth. You kept it contained." Nick Fury, everyone's favorite pirate. "I have to wonder why you didn't tell me sooner?"

"I figured you had eyes and ears to tell you if it was good enough. Plus, it seemed like something I could handle...until I saw the labs, the police weren't equipped to handle that. Besides, my warnings tend to fall on dead ears." Peter lacked the energy for sarcasm, but Fury got the message.

"Well, let's just say that changes tonight." One eye looked at Adrianne, who felt fury assess and dismantle her. "So this is the 'Vulture'. You've caused some problems."

"I'm guessing you're going to put me in a hole, and throw away the hole?"

"I'm still deciding about that. Do YOU want to be out in a hole?" He looked at Peter. "should I?"

"I don't want that for her, but are you gonna tell me it's really my call? She didn't have to help. She didn't have to stop me from falling to my death. However..."

"Terrorist attack? Corporate warfare? These are the words used to describe tonight's events. Several explosions occurred at Oscorp Industries HQ, a noted sight was the one winged mechanical monster that came crashing down."

"Allegedly, whoever piloted it is still alive. Unconfirmed reports state that it is in fact, Mendel Stromm, who went missing over a decade ago."

"Around the same time, a police raid occurred on the ground floor. We have tried to reach Oscorp officials, but none could be reached for comment at this time."

The Bio-Lab unit moved at high speed underground. They were en route to a pickup location, and would be long gone by the time anyone caught the trail.

Arnold Donovan, grinning, twitching as his flawed healing factor attempted to heal him, started to move his head. A foot came down, crushing his head completely with a nasty squashing sound.

Norman Osborn breathed heavily, attempting to regain control of himself as he rang for one of his executives. He managed to steady his breath before Menken answered. "Mr. Osborn?"

"Menken, prepare for protocol One-Twenty-Two. It seems our activities are going to be brought to light soon. I will need you to take over for me for a time."

"Of course sir"

"Tell our friends with the news that Stromm was responsible. I am...busy otherwise." He would need time to work with his new face, for one.

Hanging up, he walked past the corpses of his security detail, killed in his rebirth. Looking over the capsule, still glowing green, he was thankful Arnold did not smash the vial containing what they could synthesize from Spider-Man's blood.

"Don't worry Harry, your father is here. He's gonna fix you...then...then we will work on taking our city back."

"I told you it was inevitable." The darkness spoke After Menken hung up. He worked fast, but Menken knew that. "Oscorp was too bold this year."

It was business as usual for Menken. "Oscorp stocks are going to plummet once this hits tomorrow. Corporate warfare is going to get vicious again. We will need your expertise, You were able to get Standish for us, I'm hoping you are willing to do more, Prowler."

"...For a price."

Business as usual, at Oscorp Industries.

Two Days Later

Chrysler Building

The Chrysler building was empty except for the two of them that afternoon. The cold seeped through Adrienne's bones, in spite of the thick wool coat Peter had lent her. The thought, that she all but knew the coat had been May's made her feel dirty, that she was sullying her friends memory. Peter was leaning over the safety railing, His gaze was roaming over the city. Whether he was being vigilant, trying to piece whatever he was going to say together, she couldn't tell. Maybe it was neither, and Peter Parker was simply numb to the world that seemed to rob him of so much.

He saved her, after she tried to kill him. She saved him... then he saved her again. That didn't mean forgiveness. It didn't have a happy ending, white picket fence and all. Certainly, it did not mean Peter wouldn't toss her aside after all of this, her lies, the reality that she was an old dying woman.

"I brought May out here, last year. I was arguing with myself, when she suddenly asked me, 'what's it like? Swinging around the city?'" Adrianne's breath hitched. Peter continued. "You can't imagine the relief I felt, years of keeping secrets from her, only for her to have known the truth... The guilt, that I could have been honest, that I wasn't saving her from any real heartache when she could just watch the news. I understand why you lied to me, but that doesn't change what you did, that it hurts. You killed people. You have to answer for that, Fury has some options, ones that don't end in simply being in a cell. Glorified house arrest I guess, you'll also have to testify against Oscorp. It's going to be a rough road."

Benita was her savior, in that sense, the only reason she wasn't in a cage. The woman claimed full responsibility, for the Juvenator, its creation, and revealed all she could about Oscorps inner workings. Adrianne moved right beside him, gripping the rails tightly as she tried to think. He didn't say, "I'll be here for you", or anything like that. For Adrianne, that made it really seem like that was it. But she couldn't let it end like that, not without letting Peter know how she felt, one last time.

"I want you to know, that you were the best thing that ever happened to me. I wish I never hurt you, never lied to you. I understand what I've done, I always did. I understand, that can't be with me anymore, that you can't love me-"

She gasped, as arms wrapped around the small of her back, pinning her tight against his chest. He buried his face into her shoulder. "You think I don't anymore? It hurts, to think about what's been done. It always hurts to think about what could have gone differently. But Adrianne, it hurts so much more without you here. I love you, I want you to stay."

Adrianne couldn't say anything, shock stole her voice. Wrapping her arms around him, She clung to him as tightly as she could, for as long as she could. The cold was just a little more bearable.

End

Authors Notes.

I always get anxiety/dread when I'm about to release a new chapter. I always wonder, is this the one people are going to hate/pick apart/not get etc. I already pick at my stories incessantly, adding, removing, rearranging down to the last minute. At the end of the day though, I accepted that possibility when I decided to post. At the end of it all, I just hope you guys enjoy it, that's what really matters to me.

About two months, that's almost record breaking time, isn't it? with my word count having doubled/tripled as each chapter continued, it practically is a record. It definitely broke one, word count of 29k, holy shit. If that hit 30k, I'd have to straight up count it as an "Epic".

If I had two words to describe this chapter, I suppose it would be dramatic irony. I tried to create a dual narrative that showed Peter and Adrianne crossing paths, both knowingly and unknowingly. I felt worried that I was repeating a bit of what I did with Doc Ock. Their journeys were sort of similar, but where Doc Ock was ending, Vulture was beginning.

Vulture was always going to be a challenge, but the solution was always there: Juvenator Mechanism. Not quite the same thing as mind transfer. As I continued writing I realized her being older(technically), would not be nearly as bad as how she was doing it.

We also have officially debuted Norman Osborn(instead of a mere mention or minor cameo) as a full blown character. It certainly has helped test the waters for the inevitable Goblin chapter. Let me know what you think.

As of now, all the original S6 members have a chapter. Two of them are not original members, but come on, we all have a soft spot for Rhino, and Scorpion started us on this journey.

I'm going to address a few things in a more broad manner, just to answer some inquiries and let you guys in(just a little) on what's to come:

First, as you can see, Hydro-(wo)man was not the next chapter. I did not do a cliff hanger for no reason. Yes, we are going to get a chapter for Marissa, but it will be some time before that occurs. Follow up chapters will occur, but I would rather show you, than tell you.

I know 3 villains are next in line, the first one will be a major villain, one we all know.

The second will be a more minor character, but one that the Web-Head community is fond of, maybe even a tad underrated.

After those two are done, there may be another lengthy delay(not a year long one, hell no), because it will be the debut of our first "Epic" chapter. That's right, it's time for the Green Goblin. I both fear and anticipate the Green Goblin and Venom chapters, because it will be a lot of work, but I think it will be worth it.

Speaking of which, I would like to ask for input from all of you: Epic chapters I intend to be longer, 30k words worth of content, or basically, no cap. But that raises my question, would you rather the "epic" be one long chapter, or divided into two (or three...) parts?

Besides that, I think I've covered all that I wanted to. As usual please leave a review, let me know your thoughts. if you want to leave reviews for each individual chapter I also wouldn't mind. But seriously, I appreciate all of you. For any newcomers who happen to just catch up, welcome.

Till next chapter friends,

Timing