Disclaimers
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Another Strand In The Great Web – Episode Thirty Spider-Island Prologue
The Raft Prison, wee hours
"Took you long enough. You were supposed to be here last week." Jackal snapped at the lumbering cloaked shape who was presently beating down a guard in front of his cell. Klaxons wailed and red lights flashed overhead to signal an ongoing security breach.
"I was busy." The Shape snapped back at Jackal with its strange clicking voice.
"I'll decide on your punishment for this latest bout of disobedience once I'm free. Now, break the cell door. We can't afford to waste any more time bickering." Jackal said.
"You'll leave them alone if I help you, correct?" The Shape said while hesitating to follow Jackal's command.
"That is our deal, well, that and providing you with a woefully needed makeover," Jackal said with a smirk. The Shape snarled at Jackal but proceeded to smash the control panel of his cell to bits freeing him.
"Hey, what about me? You promised you'd help me in exchange for the info I gave you about Iron Spider." Electro said from the neighboring cell.
"Indeed I did," Jackal said. 'Perhaps I can much some use of you.' Jackal thought
"Tarantula be a good minion, free Electro," Jackal ordered the Shape or Tarantula as Jackal called him gave another snarl before he smashed the control panel of Electro's cell freeing the supervillain.
"Thanks," Electro said to Tarantula.
"Don't thank me I'd have left you to rot here if the choice were mine," Tarantula said. Electro glared at Tarantula sparks flying from his clenched fists.
"Come along boys. I have a tight schedule to keep." Jackal said preempting any escalation of the argument between Tarantula and Electro. "Farewell or not so well Norman you traitor. Think of myself and Electro enjoying our freedom while you languish here in this government run cesspool." Jackal said on his way past the cell of Norman Osborn who gave him the middle finger in return. "Uncouth barbarian, I shan't miss your company." Jackal sneered. Jackal, Tarantula, and Electro ran down the corridor knocking aside every guard who got in their way.
Midtown Elementary School three days later, evening
Peter and Mary Jane were nervous. This was their first partner teacher night and they did not know quite what to except. After chatting with several of their children's teachers they were seated in front of the principle of Midtown Elementary an older gentleman with glasses named Mr. Zebner.
"Please don't misunderstand Mr. and Mrs. Parker your girls are rather intelligent and well adjusted considering their circumstances." Principle Zebner said.
"I'm sensing a but here," Peter said trying to ease the tension. Mary Jane shot him a warning look. "Sorry, please continue Mr. Zebner."
"Thank you, Mr. Parker." Principle Zebner said with a disapproving frown. "May and in particularly April are having a hard time fitting with the other children. They've been involved in a number of altercations as I'm sure you are aware of from the phone messages you've received."
"Do you mean fights?" Mary Jane asked.
"We prefer to avoid the term fight, Mrs. Parker." Principle Zebner said. "From what staff members have gathered the root of the problem appears to be reliance by May and April upon force to resolve arguments with other students. Your daughters often cite Spider-Man, Spinneret, and more recently Iron Spider as being their role models when it comes to conflict resolution. I know your family is closely involved with Spider-Man's company Spidey Inc, what with you being the CEO Mr. Parker and you the Head of Public Relations Mrs. Parker. Be that as it may, perhaps it would be best in the future if you both discourage your daughters from idealizing costumed vigilantes who utilize their fists to solve problems, even if they are your employers."
Mary Jane was about to say something not so nice to Principle Zebner but Peter cut her off. Long accustomed to such negativity directed towards his alter ego Peter took the diplomatic route. "We'll be sure to broach the issue with our daughters Principle Zebner. You have my word they won't be involved in any more altercations." Peter said.
Parker Residence on Western Long Island the next day, morning
"April, May could you please come to the kitchen. Your father and I want to have a talk with you." Mary Jane said when the girls got up early that Saturday.
"But mom it's Saturday," April whined. Both girls were still in their nightclothes.
"We want to binge watch the new season of MLP (My Little Pony) on Netflix, Momma," May said with a yawn.
"And then the latest season of Power Rangers," April added.
"Your shows can wait," Peter said. "We need to have a parent-daughter chat."
"Did we do something wrong?" April asked.
"Just come into the kitchen. We'll explain everything when you do." Mary Jane said. The girls exchanged apprehensive looks then followed their parents into the kitchen.
All four sat at the kitchen table without saying anything until Peter broke the silence. "Is there something you would like to tell us?" Peter asked. "Remember you can share anything with us. There are no secrets in this family." The girls looked at each other but remained silent. May looked as if she wanted to say something but a warning glance from April prevented her from speaking up.
"Okay, then," Mary Jane said. "Last night at the parent-teacher meeting your principle Mr. Zebner told us you've been getting into fights."
"He also said you've been fighting because your ideals Spinneret, Spider-Man, and Iron Spider settle differences with people through fighting, is this true?" Peter said.
"No," April said.
"Not exactly, papa," Mayday said.
"May," April exclaimed.
"Sorry," Mayday said.
"There is something your not telling us, isn't there?" Mary Jane said.
"Heather Noble and her friends make fun of you and papa, mamma. They say horrible things." Mayday said.
"Yeah, like all the time," April said.
"By making fun of us what you really mean making fun of Spider-Man and Spinneret, don't you?" Peter asked.
"Yes, dad," April said.
"Ah huh, papa," Mayday said.
"Girls you can't go around fighting with everyone who makes fun of our alter egos," Peter said.
"Your father is right girls." Mary Jane said.
"But mom they s-," April protested.
"It doesn't matter what they said." Mary Janes said. "No TV or Internet for the rest of this weekend."
"We didn't do anything wrong! Why are you punishing us!?" April said jumping up from her seat.
"Because you're getting stronger every day. You can easily hurt those other girls without meaning to. You have to understand you can't physically fight them for any reason." Peter said.
"Calm down young lady." Mary Jane said.
"Why should I! They called you Spider-Bitch, mom! We-," April said.
"Enough, go to your room, April." Mary Jane said.
"I hate you!" April said with tears in her eyes.
"Don't talk to your mother like that," Peter said.
"I hate you too!" April said. "I wished you'd never found me!" April ran off to her room.
"May I be excused?" Mayday asked softly.
"You are excused, May," Peter said. "Remember no TV or Internet."
"I'll be good, papa and momma," Mayday said. Before she left in dejected fashion she added. "We just wanted to stand up for you. Don't be mad at April, she doesn't mean it. She loves you both so very much. Mamma, she talks about you all the time."
"My daughter hates me." Mary Jane said once they were alone.
"She hates us both," Peter said trying and failing to ease the tension.
"You know what the worst part is. If our positions were reversed I would have fought those girls too." Mary Jane said.
"Imagine if April or May had badly hurt one of those girls. They might only be six but their powers are manifesting more and more with each passing month. The harsh truth is they need to be careful and so do we." Peter said.
"Sometimes I wish none of this had ever happened. Not us meeting or having the girls rather having these powers. Our lives would be so much simpler if we were the same as everyone else." Mary Jane said.
"That they would be," Peter said.
Peter's special Spidey Inc communicator blinked. He answered it. "Hey bro, whats' up?"
"I hate to do this on your day off but I need all the help I can get." The voice of Iron Spider said.
"Why?" Peter asked slipping into his Spider-Man voice.
"There's a crime wave going on. I freeze the crooks they break free. I punch them they punch back nearly as hard. Something is up bro, something big." The voice of Iron Spider said.
"I'll suit up and be right there," Peter said in his Spider-Man voice before breaking the connection.
"What's going on?" Mary Jane asked. "Did Ben find Jackal or Electro?"
"He hasn't found either of them yet or the mystery person who sprang them from the Raft," Peter said getting to his feet. "There seems to be a surge of crime being committed by super-powered criminals, lots of them. Ben can barely keep up. I'm going out to lend him a hand and hopefully uncover the cause."
"I'll go with you." Mary Jane said. "Just give me a minute to wake up Aunt May and Jarvis to watch the girls."
"I'll wake up Miguel see if he wants to tag along. He could stand some time away from the house. Oh, and don't forget to tell Aunt May and Jarvis about the girls' punishment and that April is one of her bad moods," Peter said. 'April can be a regular little firecracker just like her mother,' Peter thought by did not dare say.
The Jackal's Secret Lair somewhere in Manhattan
"Things are progressing precisely as I have foreseen. Within seventy-two to ninety-six more hours, the infection will reach critical mass." Jackal said pouring over data from three stacks of computer monitors.
"I don't get it doc. Thanks for the spider powers and all but why randomly infect everyone in New York with your Spider Virus?" Electro said. "We'll go from having a handful of spider pests to a whole freaking nest of millions to deal with. How does this help us?" Next to him stood the towering Tarantula. No longer cloaked Tarantula looked more spider than man.
"That's where I come in." A woman with dark hair said stepping out of the shadows of the dimly lit room. Be her side stood another towering spider monster this one colored grey as opposed to the brown coloration of Tarantula.
"Electro say hello to our trump card: Adriana Soria aka Spider Queen. Adriana has the unique ability to telepathically enslave anyone possessing insect or arachnid genes including those altered by my Spider Virus. Through Adriana, we will rule this city and eventually the world." Jackal explained.
"My compliments on your latest creation Professor Warren. You've outdone yourself." Spider Queen said roaming her hands over her the hairy body of her gruesome companion much to the disgust of Electro who could not help but shudder at the sight.
"I take it you are pleased with your Spider King, my queen?" Jackal said.
"I most certainly am. He is a fine specimen." Spider Queen said.
"What do we do for the next few days, lay low here and continue to wait for the virus to finish its work?" Electro asked.
"Where would be the fun in that?" Jackal said. "First thing is first. I still need to recover two of my earlier experiments from Spider-Man and his partner who stole them from me thanks to Norman Osborn. One calls himself Iron Spider the other they've taken as a daughter and named her April. They are my property, I want them both back."
Electro made sure to file away the information Jackal let slip for future use. Didn't Peter Parker CEO of Spider-Man's company have a daughter named April? Could Peter Parker and Spider-man be one and the same? How very interesting.
"I won't bring them to you," Tarantula said.
"This again," Jackal groaned. "Like how you initially refused to bring to me the man I transformed into Spider King, hmmm? Very well, Spider Queen make him do as I say."
"You will follow our orders, mine and those of the Jackal, without question. Do you understand?" Spider Queen said forcefully to Tarantula.
"I, understand, my queen," Tarantula said. Although he attempted to resist her psychic influence such an exercise was ultimately futile.
"Good, retrieve them and take Spider King along for backup should you encounter serious resistance," Jackal ordered. "Start your search at the offices of Spidey Inc if you fail there next target Horizon Labs followed by their home on Long Island."
"We will comply. We will bring you Iron Spider and the girl master Jackal and our queen," Spider King rumbled speaking for the first time.
"See that you do," Jackal said. "Neither is to be harmed. I have plans for them which require they remain intact. If they are injured or killed I'll reverse engineer you two into slugs. Electro you look like you could use some fresh air. Now, follow my orders!" The two behemoths lumbered away with Electro bringing up the rear.
To Be Continued