Web of Spider-Woman

by ComicChick19

Finally! Petra Parker has graduated from High School, and is off to College at Empire State University in Manhattan! But with this new phase of her life comes a new set of challenges, enemies, romance. and adventures! Can she finally achieve a proper work/superhero/life balance? Probably not. Also posted on Ao3 and Wattpad!

6. Rampage

p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222; text-align: center;" data-p-id="da596162d9a8a61c78c24eaeb5418a4f"Issue 6/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="60549d885d7c44165cd5c566a9c679a6" It was currently two in the morning, and Petra was exhausted. She silently wished she could have done what the Thing and the Invisible Woman did and left to get some sleep-she did have class in the morning after all. But she felt obligated to be there as a cure was worked out for May./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="12915a6e609df512248287cff9c791a8" "This blood sample is fascinating! And you're telling me these radiation levels were caused by exposure to your blood?" Reed Richards exclaimed, barely concealed excitement in his voice./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ef5244b67f823e63ac4a9ecba4df461e" He was sitting on a stool, a white lab coat draped over him, and hunched over an advanced microscope that he had built himself. He observed a slide containing a sample of May's blood while Petra stood beside him, watching as he worked while trying to keep her drowsy eyelids open. On any other day, she would have been overjoyed to be standing inside Mr. Fantastic's private lab, but now she was nothing but somber, and the lateness of the hour wasn't helping her either./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2f681ce20aa3cc44e906e17620ee0c66" "Um, yeah." Petra said, shame once again creeping up on her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c5e10870194e33ede83ab3fb817d9293" "Incredible! It's a shame that Dr. Banner is currently a rampaging monster, he would have a field day with this!" Mr. Fantastic said./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ac1c74e4c6d31150a8953e2e87cabd98" Petra could hear Jackie sigh in frustration from behind her, probably embarrassed by Reed's insensitivity. Petra was trying not to take Reed's words personally. From the limited amount of interactions she had previously had with the famous leader of the Fantastic Four, she had come to realize that he wasn't very good at picking up on social cues. She was grateful that Jackie had stuck around to keep her company though, she made things less awkward./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fb7177c6fa337b37fd32b38eb388afd5" "Yeah, well, normally I'd share your excitement, but my friend's life is at stake here, Dr. Richards." Petra bluntly stated./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8efbc4c3eb8f25dc930c4f094925d6cc" Reed seemed to sober up at that. He looked up from his microscope and turned to Petra./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a8fd6f19ab84c4fd5aca4c20b73e32d7" "I'm sorry, Spider-Woman. I must have gotten too caught up in the science." Reed said, an apologetic expression on his face./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d10ec0ee6b3343fac5ceee61ccb1942b" "It's okay, you're doing a lot more than I am." Petra bemoaned./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0c5d54ff57d9e5d14790259e49b0f43a" "Nonsense, you've been an excellent assistant to me all night, Spider-Woman." Reed reasoned. "Frankly, I'm impressed with you. You've demonstrated an astounding level of scientific understanding so far."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d947045691a0571fe49ffe3718b63d0d" "Wow, thanks-uh, sir. That means a lot coming from you."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="930231be3bf09ff0655b6504a5ca03c6" "No need to thank me, Spider-Woman, I'm just stating the facts."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6d3c3800364fee19e124ea0f7326570e" Reed stood up and pulled the blood sample from the microscope, stifling a yawn. He looked at a clock on the wall and finally seemed to realize how late it was./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="46a8d426782a6616c30d59863118317e" "You should probably go and get some rest Spider-Woman. Besides, I need to wait for a new shipment of ISO-36 from Stark anyway. It probably; won't arrive until tomorrow afternoon. Don't worry, I'll be at this all night. We'll find a way to save your friend." Reed said, resting a hand on her shoulder./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d89d48937588b6947f3d7ab1bbc947df" "I-thank you, Dr. Richards. I owe you a lot." Petra said gratefully./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ce4d26fa8e390e7bd7cf9e08193758ea" "You don't owe me anything, just consider this a favor between colleagues." Reed kindly said./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="35bf98c557774a5eb0f59b75dd836f4d" He turned to Jackie, who was slumped over in a swivel chair. She had finally dozed off, having lost her battle against sleep./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e13128f813e84709bbdf7bf627f2ebe7" "Jackie, why don't you escort your friend out of the building." Reed shouted./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d519ba25ab65fd1cf227099b11321d0d" Jackie startled awake, nearly falling off the chair. She wiped some drool away from her mouth with her arm, then slowly stood, stretching as she did./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1ac58d06ebe46bce8f72f0731bc1b217" "Whadja say, Reed?" She groggily asked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d26ba8d468b14bb68a466f7882c2c340" Petra chuckled, then walked over to her, linking her arm through Jackie's./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="afac8b84c71dee052631a69b718b0748" "C'mon Hothead, why don't you show me how to leave this joint? I'm too tired to remember where the exit is." Petra said./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a86d536c944f4a92be1074835e3cd95c" "Sounds like a plan, doll." Jackie shot back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1ae8b747fe50fcf55a0ce572b2dba47b" The pair walked away, passing through the open entrance to the lab. Reed wasted no time in getting back to his work, moving away from his microscope and towards some other machine. Jackie led Petra through various hallways in the building, all of them almost blindingly white in color./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="aff494e97621b8b884a566031d439c74" "I'm glad that you came to us for this, Spidey. Whoever your friend is, she's in good hands. Reed's like, the smartest guy on the planet." Jackie said./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d4f110581d95db7d377d4ee09a7c2fd9" "What's it like living with him and the rest of the team?" Petra asked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="feccac80553c27e86bee4bbbaeabae78" She was curious about Jackie's home life. About what it was like to live with other people who not only knew about her powers but also had their own abilities. To not feel such an urgent need for secrecy. To not have to hide everything, or lie to everyone. She reasoned that it must be a lot easier than Petra's current system with her Aunt./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="178ef5d52175e21e543dcf9cf801bd0b" Jackie hummed, thinking for a second, then responded. "Awesome. I've always lived with my sister. She's been raising and taking care of me since I was a little kid, she's practically my mom. I guess that kind of makes Reed like my stepdad or something. But em style="box-sizing: border-box;"don't /emtell him I said that!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3e46c7af3c2f8f58e56db20601bf7ebc" They reached a stairwell, and the duo started walking up the flight of stairs./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="84387741e4b15e69d3e3e6314e10047d" Petra laughed. "So you're close to Reed too then?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d6633c01b55d6974426e9a5795730371" "We don't always get along, but I love him like family. And, when he isn't all wrapped up in his own head, he's a really good husband to Sue, and a good father to my nephew Franklin." Jackie said, a soft smile on her face./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="90b9f4975f0ce520ab9b0864267ceef9" There was a kind of familial bliss that Jackie exhibited when talking about her family. Petra envied it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ab757eedc570b547a8fc2156ddf2c59c" "What about ol' rock face? He always seems like he's ready to punch you through a wall."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="bc6760f8ab38a9a0c3e342bd1a267f25" "Yeah, well, that em style="box-sizing: border-box;"may /embe because I'm always messing with him. But it's not my fault that he can't take a joke!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="cc2dc8049029cd882f6a84925e2ce720" The stairs finally ended, and Jackie pushed open a door, opening up to the roof. They walked out, stepping onto the large blue number four painted on the rooftop./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="da8b1cddbf16f14bd89c8836b69b74be" "Well, this is where our journey ends," Jackie said, "I could fly you em style="box-sizing: border-box;"home /emif you want. It's probably a lot faster than swinging through the city."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5325595884ffca807f8292ad97528295" Petra picked up on the subtle suggestion underlying Jackie's offer. She wanted to know who she was, wanted to know more about her friend's life, about where she lived, and what her world was like. Petra thought about it briefly but decided against it. She still wasn't ready for Jackie to know her identity. If she was being completely honest with herself, she wasn't sure she wanted to reveal her identity at all. It wasn't just her fear of revealing her identity backfiring on her that caused such trepidation, but also what it could do to Jackie./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d2414fc3023cc12899effbac18595e5c"em style="box-sizing: border-box;" My life is a hot mess right now, do I really want to drag Jackie into it? /emPetra thought. em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Jeez, how selfish can I be? I ask Jackie all these questions about her own life. Go into her home! Meet her family! And yet I can't do the same for her. What is wrong with me?/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="141b7f2a819330c7f464ce33b9e79611" Petra began to speak, ready to make up an excuse. "Uh, sorry. I'm-"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0fa38757d30ad16785cbc33d742282ca" Jackie interrupted her, disappointment lacing her voice. Jackie must have assumed that Petra would have trusted her more after all this time./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4fddacc23afd8de1160a1a85b7e70956" "Not ready for me to know. I kinda figured." She said./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f0e5583ac099cb00d02c5a93a14e3829" "I'm sorry Jackie, I really am."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="121aa9512d4f5567da356d3b625f0878" "I know you are, Spidey," Jackie paused, then sighed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="18474cfd0036f1c201fd27a111af8d7a" Jackie embraced Petra in a quick hug, then turned and started walking back inside, muttering a quiet "goodbye" before shutting the door behind her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="33623d5377295f4647eda8a6efb393a6" "Bye." Petra muttered before she leaped off the roof, swinging away into the night./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="da48481bd7b9791d9dcb9f70f0cfe453" "Hey, check this out. Stark Enterprises is sending out a shipment of ISO-36 to the Baxter Building tomorrow morning. Think the boss would be interested?" A man, dressed in a purple jumpsuit, and covered in a grey gas mask, asked his companion./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="943b88b3b28bc72c6546add6898041b6" The two were sitting in the back of a nondescript work van, looking at a large monitor attached to the wall of the van./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e453bdcbe666dfaff21ddfd4e3c38826" "Let me take a look at that." The other man said, scooting in closer to observe the file that had been pulled up on the monitor's screen. "Wow, I've never heard of anything like that before. The Master Planner will be interested for sure! Let's send him a message, I think he'll be really happy with us after this. Do you think we'll get a raise?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8ec396ad6e1bce45a665204743a035a8" "Hell yeah, we will! See, aren't you glad we jumped ship from A.I.M. and started working here? We're doing similar work, AND we don't have to worry about getting busted by the Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D.!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6db2f774a097d43d806037b15b5cc992" "Yeah, and we don't have to work for that giant freak M.O.D.O.K. either!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5729f2c0eda41b538c9475031c52e4a3" "Heh, tell me about it."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="28218d9eb50cd9b74f7e1810439c7fa9" "Alright, I'm sending a message to the boss, now we wait for his order to intercept the shipment."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0858a13239256c6c71bbc8580792d9ab" Petra woke up bright and early the next day, a dull ache plaguing her right shoulder, right around her still relatively fresh gunshot wound. With a groan, she threw off her sheets and jumped out of bed. She went through her morning routine, before sitting down for some breakfast in the living room, courtesy of Anna Watson, who had been supplying her with home-cooked meals ever since May had been sent to the hospital. Petra flipped on the TV and flipped it over to the news, right in the middle of the anchorwoman reading out the latest headline./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ced7e0bda59cda98973f702f05775f06"em style="box-sizing: border-box;" "-ator Robert Kelly held a rally in his home state of Kansas last night in an attempt to gather more public support for his proposed Mutant Registration Act, which he introduced to the floor just last week."/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="95e9bc20b46f8825962d82fcb337e36b" The scene switched from the anchorwoman to some footage of a rally. A man was standing at a podium, overlooking a large crowd. He was dressed in a black suit and had dark brown hair with streaks of grey running through it, and square glasses./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3ca0717b356bdec42bd13388c2a89576"em style="box-sizing: border-box;" "Do you know what your children are? People, we already have to deal with this LGBTQ crap, and now this? It's an epidemic! So-called 'people' with dangerous abilities walk among us! For god's sake, two known former members of the Brotherhood of Mutants are part of the Avengers! These freaks are /emspan style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"infiltrating /em/spanem style="box-sizing: border-box;"every facet of our lives! Our businesses! Our homes! Our families!" /emHe shouted, waving his fists angrily. The crowd before him started shouting as well, roused by his words./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9af2777e761b4665f6cc39580766f3d9"em style="box-sizing: border-box;" "This is why we /emspan style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"need /em/spanem style="box-sizing: border-box;"the public's support for the passage of the Mutant Registration Act!" /emHe paused and then continued. em style="box-sizing: border-box;""The liberal media will try and tell you that Mutants are human beings, that we are infringing on their rights! But what about our rights? What about the right to not have to live in fear?!"/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="35554cdc4aa266d66a520cf2f5a005cb" The clip ended, and the scene shifted back to the anchorwoman./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8b42694e78b46e3537cd1e9bca135fb0"em style="box-sizing: border-box;" "In related news, the M.R.D. is increasing its pressure on the Avengers to publicly register the identities of their organization's Mutant members. Although they cannot enforce registration unless the Mutant Registration Act is passed-"/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6102f914b06441fe236271a0b38e74fb" Petra changed the channel. She couldn't stomach another word. The TV was playing some unfunny sitcom now. Much better. Petra finished off her breakfast and then brought the dishes to the kitchen. She took off her PJs and got dressed in her day clothes, a dark blue top with a low neckline, with sleeves that reached down just above her elbows, and a pair of black skinny jeans. Petra gathered her things into her backpack and then left the house to go wait at the nearest bus stop. She had decided she was going to avoid swinging as much as possible today. Her shoulder still hadn't recovered, and all that movement from yesterday hadn't helped her at all. Eventually, the bus came, and she rode it until it brought her to Jamaica, where she hopped off and walked to Jamaica-Van Wyck station and caught a subway to Grand Central Station in Manhattan, where she departed. Petra ended her journey by walking to the Bugle, where she dropped off her photos of Spider-Woman and Daredevil's battle with Stilt-Man yesterday, after some haggling with Jonah./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fdcfa97ba3502c85a35797f860511725" After that, she slowly made her way to ESU, arriving at class with just a minute to spare. Petra sighed with relief when she realized she had managed to beat her professor to class, and she walked to the same spot she had been sitting at on the first day of class, all the way in the back. Professor Warren walked in, quickly diving into a lecture on lab safety and proper usage of equipment. Things progressed quickly after that. Class ended, and Petra moved on to the next, then the one after that, and the one after that, until her day at school was over. She started walking to a deserted space in between two buildings on campus, hiding behind an empty car that was parked there. Petra rolled her right shoulder, loosening it up, and then pulled out her costume, quickly changing, and then swung to the Baxter Building, her bright pink backpack, with a yellow daisy that had been painted onto it by MJ, still slung over her shoulder./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ba479ec2b20ab6fc9a3b3792bb2c277f" "Okay, hopefully, they don't attack me this time." Petra said to herself as she landed on the roof of the Baxter Building./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0c7a058299169a190205c8b6173aa805" She waited on the roof until the door was flung open by a frantic-looking Reed Richards. He turned his head in just about every direction imaginable, utilizing his stretching abilities, until his gaze landed on Spider-Woman. He looked frazzled, with slight bags underneath his eyes, and a five o'clock shadow on his face. He was still dressed in his super suit from yesterday, with his white lab coat over it. Petra hoped he had gotten at least a little bit of sleep./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a365e09dd7b25f3db1cede98f4a5a64a" "Spider-Woman!" He shouted, then ran over to him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b415edda4b8fa08abfb31c6aa870660b" "What is it, Dr. Richards? Is everything okay? You look..." Petra looked him over again, "...terrible."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8a3e0c567ead5490d7fc703c3af0f106" "The shipment of ISO-36! It was stolen! Right in the middle of it's delivery!" Reed shouted./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="bfc87e49f9c173676ef9236f2d6cfb71" A pit opened up in Petra's stomach, and she felt like she had been slapped in the face. "What!?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a4ff52a45d05997d90c44dc6d3321b8a" "A group of men dressed up in purple jumpsuits and gas masks intercepted the delivery truck. They used some kind of gas to knock out the guards, then took off with the serum! Stark's bodyguard is out looking for them right now, scanning the entire city, but we have no idea who they were or where they went!" Reed said, panic growing in his voice./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c37dc9573b24bcf84f0eeb2014ae0127" "Oh my god," Petra said, bringing her hands to her head. "I know who they are, I've fought them before! I heard them talk about working for some guy called the Master Planner! I've gotta try and find them! May's running out of time!" Petra didn't even notice that she had let the name of her Aunt slip in front of Reed, she was too panicked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="79a376019864f3bd4063a846f4b89427" At that moment, Jackie Storm, her flaming form burning brightly in the afternoon sky, landed on the roof./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f903660f1102f841a053a34504421808" "Hey guys, how's it going? I just got out of my last class!" Jackie cheerily greeted, dropping the flames from her body. She was dressed in regular clothes, loose blue jeans, and a red and white striped crop top, and had a backpack slung over her shoulders. The bag and the clothing must have been modified to withstand her flames./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="4f013c5687773d1231d8a1fdd59edf63" "I-I've gotta go! I have to find that serum before it's too late!" Petra said, backing up slowly to the edge of the roof, panic seeping into every fiber of her being. "Iron Man has no idea who to look for, but I do!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="479d1c26558a7c3f8c81a7489b86e607" Petra leaped off the roof and started rushing towards 39th Street and Second Avenue, leaving behind a confused Jackie, and Reed, who shouted after her in vain. There were only two men in the city that she knew of that could possibly have any leads on the location of the Master Planner's gang, and both of them worked for the Daily Bugle. Reaching her destination, Petra found an unlocked window and threw it open landing smack dab in the middle of the main office of one of New York's most prominent news sources. The whole office seemed to be frozen, with all heads turned towards Spider-Woman. Petra turned and saw Betty Brant sitting at her desk, her hand outstretched to the desk phone but frozen in place as she stared at Petra, confused. Petra rushed over to her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7815d52d6adcb18889c38d96a7373ceb" "Frederick Foswell! Or Ben Urich! Have you seen either of them?!" Petra asked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="fca8a013847883dba990e8e8f19ba356" Betty kept staring before she gathered her wits and started speaking./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0c3af75c3b07c2d4e03981e59813c47d" "Uh-um, Mr. Urich is out for the day, but Mr. Foswell just left the building!" She said, pointing in the direction of the building's elevator./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f3f1887a4333f6beffe892455b413e63" "Thanks!" Petra said hurriedly, then rushed back to the window./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="bac35e37e7eae484cf0ffffdd00f9498" Jonah, finally noticing the complete silence that had engulfed the Bugle, poked his head out of his office door, spotting Petra as she started climbing through the window./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e1c939e84552321db1ebd56a38df439e" "SPIDER-WOMAN!? GET OUT OF HERE! STOP HARASSING MY STAFF YOU MASKED CREEP!" He said in what must have been his calmest, most reasonable voice./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8d5af7deed815c1611e07070de84dde8" "Already on my way out, picklepuss!" Petra shouted back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3902ebd1c069a857b471ae2a9b81594b" Petra turned and blew him a kiss, then leaned backward out the window and dropped out, shooting a web at the roof and using it to swing over the sidewalk. She started scanning the ground below, hoping to spot Foswell as he exited the building, before she found him, almost a block away now, and started swinging towards him. Foswell shouted in surprise as he was snatched off the ground and brought into the air, carried in Petra's arms. They landed on the roof of the Bugle, and Petra set him down./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="088ace1d6b01c65b4882c6a5a052f3ab" "Wh-what do you want from me?!" Foswell said as he stumbled back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e37f08ef85fc5280c4d10f0416847d48" "I want to know everything you have on the Master Planner and his gang! You're the second-best crime reporter that the Bugle has. You have to know something!" Petra shouted./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1f8f78f19fe562f164dad3e7c71f9394" Foswell was frozen as he mulled over Petra's words until he fully contemplated them, and a sleazy grin formed on his face as his confidence returned. Petra grimaced underneath her mask. Petra could confidently say that he easily had the most punchable face she had ever seen. The way his eyes roamed over her body wasn't helping either./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="27012a30bcc509653ae8da3345b438c9" "Well, girly, I take offense to being called second-best. I may have heard something about them around town, but what's it to you?" He asked, leaning in close./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b48d15670c5a3df5b4c9796fbfb21210" "That's none of your business," Petra said, driving a finger into his chest and pushing him away, "but if you tell me, then I promise, you'll get to be the first reporter on the scene. Scoop of the century."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7b6694f29310daa0973895ddec85ee37" Foswell hummed in thought, frowning. The lines on his long face deepened as his expression hardened. Then, his demeanor shifted, and an opportunistic smirk grew on his face once more./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3bffe27a143bfae33d2868e762d2cf3b" "Sounds like a deal! Alright, my, er...informants, have told me that the Master Planner's gang is most often spotted at the docks. On the Manhattan side of things, the seedier parts of course."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f7b897e52eaa451c8e64e7a6fe6af9c5" Petra backed away./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c8fae17f60bbd9984b075a483086d561" "Thanks. Now if you want your story, be there, at the docks. You'll be the first on the scene when I find them." She said, then jumped from the roof, leaving Foswell behind./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5d482d9d6298f647fe7b50c89205a65f" Foswell chuckled. "Honey, you're already giving me em style="box-sizing: border-box;"exactly /emwhat I want."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="455c0eeec6607ba9b06147ce15235f66" Foswell turned and walked to the exit, pulling out his phone and pressing call on one of the contacts. It rang two times before someone picked up, and Foswell started talking./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="26424e11c095c6044f248bcad48f024d" Petra was on a warpath. She had been for hours at this point. She had already busted through two known gang hideouts and was currently tearing through a bar that was popular with Manhattan's resident criminals. Petra knew all the right places to look. Years of stakeouts and following criminals around at night had led her to all of these places before./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e9fdfa78aaabf89aae7550e8574938a6" "WHERE IS THE MASTER PLANNER?! I WANT INFORMATION, AND I WANT IT NOW!" She shouted./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8937b890757744ea4fd5c1ea256e3de5" Petra was holding a thug by the collar of his shirt, lifting him in the air./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c9fdb0ebf8bb9ef9f873f9830ea8b955" "I-I-I don't know! Honest!" He stuttered out./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9f7ae442f9744fe4716e37393d037c1b" Petra threw him onto a table, then turned to the rest of the people in the bar. All of them cowering in a corner in fear./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="97b945a8fd454c4e8d4c200a34a284be" "One of you must know something. I'll keep tearing this place apart until one of you talks." Petra coolly said, stepping closer to them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="89084483860fbf0d85b3fcb9f6ca6871" One of them stepped up with his hands raised, a muscular man wearing a wife beater and blue jeans./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="72fdafb42a936dfbc255305b19b3895b" "Yeah, we've all seen them before. Sometimes they like to come here for a drink after they pull a job. But none of us know anything. They keep to themselves, and so do we. The only people who know where the Master Planner is are his gang." He calmly said./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="80410ae19a336d4e26f588adc6f2aff0" Petra grunted in frustration./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="89ee3a504944693a38b3a0bd6bb400d8" "But, you're in luck. A few of them were here just before you showed up. They left out the back in an old grey van, heading that way. Probably towards the water." The man pointed to the right, and Petra looked in that direction. "If you hurry, you might be able to catch up to them. You gonna leave now?" He finished./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b06c7acaca71d7c58221469ac38b8543" Petra turned and ran for the door, muttering a quick "thanks" as she left the now-trashed bar. She swung high into the air, supported by the many skyscrapers around her. Gazing all over the street, Petra searched for the van, hoping it wasn't too late to find it. Traffic was stalled, backed up bumper to bumper, for which Petra was grateful. It meant that the likelihood of finding the van was much higher. She continued to swing, moving across every street she could, giving every single car a good look before she moved on, as she moved closer and closer to the Hudson River. Car drivers everywhere were laying into their horns, making a large cacophony of sounds that filled the air around her. Finally, after about four blocks of searching, Petra's eyes landed on a beat-up, non-descript-looking grey van, and she moved in for a closer look. Trying to keep herself from being spotted by the people in the van, she swung into an alley, then stuck to one of the walls, hiding in the shadows. Petra leaned in close, squinting her eyes to properly make out who was driving the van, but it was no good, the windows were tinted black, and she couldn't see in./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="0dd850039921a25871745b0903c0aaf7"em style="box-sizing: border-box;" It's no good, I guess I'll just have to hope it's really them and keep following. /emShe thought./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f66de6f3247756c8dc91a98c02c18683" Petra stayed hiding in the alley for a while, traffic still wasn't letting up, keeping the van rooted in place. Petra sighed in frustration./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ac932de252ed14a5a30f3fd16b84b30a"em style="box-sizing: border-box;" Argh! I don't have time for this! Every second that I sit here is wasted time for May!/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3bd657d8bed0a6d628432286b4800292" Petra tapped her fingers against her thighs, producing a small, basic rhythm as she continued to wait. Finally, traffic started moving again, and the van started to inch its way forward until it eventually had enough space to go at a faster pace. Petra jumped to the opposing wall of the alley, then crawled onto the roof, running across it and following the van, side by side. The van stopped a few more times as it ran into more red lights, until finally, it turned onto an empty street alongside the river, where it moved for a few more paces, then turned into an alley. The sun had begun to set at this point, casting larger and larger shadows across the city, and leaving the alley blanketed in near-total darkness./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7260b25486be6759c90533d4b63a75cb" Petra crept along the edge of a rooftop, following the van, but when it turned in, she lost it. Petra rushed forward, not wanting to lose it. She peered over into the alley, but she could barely make anything out in the darkness. This wasn't a particularly well-lit part of the city. Petra crawled down the wall, head first, trying desperately to see anything. She heard the slam of car doors, and what sounded like the the grinding of stone against stone, but when Petra finally had a good view of the alley, she saw nothing. Not a single soul. Petra abandoned all caution and jumped down, landing on the ground. She searched all around her, but she couldn't find anything./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="07ca778f72e75292ea93fa1c68d1219b" As she continued to walk around, looking in every nook and cranny of the alley, she began to pace ever more frantically. She moved her right foot forward, ready to take another step, when her spider-sense let off a mild pulse in the back of her head. Petra paused, her foot frozen in the air. She brought her foot back, and her spider-sense went away. She moved her foot forward again, and the mild warning from her spider-sense came back. Petra repeated this movement a few more times, with the same results. She hummed thoughtfully to herself, then knelt on the ground to take a closer look. Upon closer inspection, Petra could see that the alley wasn't made out of pavement, but instead constructed with square, blocky cement bricks. She hadn't seen it before because of the lighting. Petra finally found what had been setting off her spider-sense. One of the blocks had been sticking out higher above the ground than the rest of the alley floor. If not for her spider-sense, Petra would have tripped on it. She didn't know why, but something about it seemed suspicious. Petra lowered her head to the block, pressing her ear against it, and her suspicions were confirmed. Voices! Beneath the ground, Petra could hear a group of men speaking to each other, though they were completely unintelligible because of the stone facade that kept them separated from her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="76d29f35c5a45ad9728c898a17b3023d" Now she was onto something. Petra lifted her head, then immediately started testing the block to see if it would do anything. She tried pulling it, pushing down on it, everything, but nothing happened. Finally, she started to run her fingers along its surface, until she felt a small indent. Bringing her fingers to the exact spot, Petra started to peel at it, using the fingernails beneath her gloves to try and get some leverage on the indent. Finally, it gave, and part of the stone was lifted up. It was a secret panel! Underneath, there was a small keyboard, where one could type in some kind of passcode. Petra ran the numbers and quickly came to the conclusion that she didn't have approximately twenty-two million years to brute force every possible password until it opened, so she opted for the shorter, easier method of bypassing the security system. She punched it. It crunched underneath the enhanced strength of Petra's punch and shattered into pieces./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="e23ec267a5f908ee5353229d4f160f26" The block slid downwards, and she could hear cement grinding all around her. The floor opened up, lowering into a large truck-sized ramp that led downward into a black abyss. Petra crept along, staying low to the ground, slowly making her way to the bottom of the ramp. She passed by the van which was parked at the end of the ramp, and moved down a long, dark hallway. The voices she had heard before grew louder, and as she kept going, an at-first faint source of light at the end of the hall grew brighter and brighter. Finally, she made it to the end of the hall, where a long set of stone stairs turned left and led down to a large, well-lit room, which was filled to the brim with the identically attired members of the Master Planner's gang. There were large, old metal pipes all over the room, some jutting out of the floor and reaching to the ceiling, others protruding from the walls and reaching across the room to the other side. The room was mostly devoid of anything other than the Master Planner's men, aside from a large TV screen on the other side of the room, and a wide, tall sliding metal door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="73e7b294c0b8a0f436274af2d4758d5c" Petra suspected that her goal, the ISO-36, was somewhere beyond that door, but she soon realized that there was no way to get to it without first going through the Master Planner's men. She stewed in frustration. She didn't have any more time to waste! All of them were gathered around, talking to each other in a loud, brash manner. She noticed that none of them appeared to be armed, their weapons likely left behind in their vehicles or stored somewhere else, likely based on the belief that they were secure in their own hidden lair. Petra silently vowed to make them regret that belief. She crawled along the ceiling, until she was right above them, then jumped- or rather fell, depending on your perspective- onto the mass of goons, dropping a few of them to the floor instantly, and leaving them unconscious. The rest of them jumped back in surprise, scattering around her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="dfa31cd9357b5f848c61cc4d68b8b0df" "Spider-Woman!" One cried out./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="27740d6cc7eb0f24acb33cee65c1c86e" "How'd she get in here?" Another shouted./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="abc14c39b005441db445798b7d5043d5" "Doesn't matter! Get her!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6f6f824b952aac237f4b06f62e1e3783" They all surrounded Petra, then ran towards her, ready to tackle her, but she was ready for them. Just as a few of them were about to grab her, Petra leaped high into the air, almost to the height of the ceiling. The men below her collided with each other in the spot where she had just been, and they fell to the ground. Petra landed right on top of them before they could get back up to rejoin the fight./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1b58f61019365de7ceb58f3acc65bfd0" Another member of the gang rushed up to Petra, ready to throw a right hook into her face, but Petra's spider-sense and agile reflexes allowed her to easily dodge, and she caught his arm by the wrist just as it started to swing. Petra grabbed onto the upper part of his arm with her other hand, and she flipped him over, making him land hard on his back, causing him to let out a loud scream of pain. Petra turned and dodged, some more blows from the gang, her spider-sense, and her years of experience, guiding her through the fight. Petra didn't say a word the entire time, only emitting grunts as she swung her fists, dropping her foes to the ground, leaving them groaning in pain. The herd had thinned somewhat, but there were still a considerable amount of them left, and Petra was beginning to grow slightly fatigued. It wasn't enough to slow her down though. The gang was starting to gain the upper hand, as they collectively drew closer, giving Petra less room to move. Petra jumped, landing away from the group, and then jumping back into the fray. The fight continued on, until Petra found herself near the sliding door. Using her webs, she created a barrier between herself and the gang, leaving them struggling against it as they tried to break through to get to her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="41b710dc761d4851dadb31fb2718798c" Petra whipped around and grabbed the handle for the door, then slid it open, revealing a long hallway that was slanted downward. Petra sprinted through it, descending more and more until she reached the end. She couldn't help but feel a large sense of pressure all around her as she went. She reached a large, circular room, filled with all sorts of scientific equipment and machines. There was a platform that circled above the ground floor that had even more equipment, with large pillars supporting it on Petra's level. A large glass dome made up the ceiling, although she couldn't see much through the glass. Everything outside was dark and murky. She walked further into the room. She squinted at the ceiling, trying to get a better look outside, and she saw...a fish? Lazily swimming along the glass panels was a medium-sized fish that was barely illuminated by the lights of the room. With a sinking feeling, Petra realized that the entire room was underwater./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="dca4b84cc27195b96c20a5c169c0383a" Her spider-sense was buzzing lowly now, ever-present, as she walked deeper into the room. She couldn't tell what was causing it though, was it some unknown threat that she was unaware of? Was it the fact that only a glass dome separated her from the full force of the vast pressure of the Hudson River above her? She walked further in, passing a set of slim metal pipes that were lined up against a pillar, then bent around the walkway it was supporting to reach something above it. She looked around the room, trying to find the case of ISO-36, and hoping it hadn't already been used for whatever purposes that Master Planner had in mind for it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a22e9d9e59ef1714eaa612943c27c74a" Petra finally spotted it, lying in a canister with a label clearly marked as "ISO-36." She crept closer. This was too easy for her tastes. Something was making her suspicious, and her spider-sense still hadn't faded, only increasing its pressure in her mind. She didn't notice as the so-called "pipes" that she had just passed started to silently move, lifting off the ground and bending to follow her, metal claws on the ends of each one opening, and ready to grab her. Petra's spider-sense was really laying into her now, but she hadn't figured out the source. She whipped around, trying to find the danger that was threatening her, but was too late, as the metal tubes lashed out, slamming against her and grabbing each one of her limbs, holding her in place. They tossed her around like a ragdoll, until finally they stopped, leaving her hanging upside down as she struggled in their grip./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="39e26348ef169a967ab008a95dee654d"em style="box-sizing: border-box;" Oh no. Not him! This whole time HE was the Master Planner?! /emPetra though, panicking./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2a2f32461aafa6c062d06150c7803963" She followed the length of the mechanical limbs that had grabbed a hold of her, until she reached their ends, on the back of one of her oldest enemies, Doctor Octopus. He was standing on top of the platform and looking down at her, contempt written all over his face. The white goggles, with their black lenses, which protected his damaged, sensitive eyes from too much light, only served to make him more intimidating. Petra hadn't seen the middle-aged monster in almost a year, he had gone into hiding as soon as he had broken out of prison, and she had hoped that he would stay in hiding. It was just her luck that he had apparently decided to form his own criminal organization./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b7159e2206abad412aeeef9ed0071f18" "Spider-Woman. You have interfered with me, your superior opponent, for the final time!" He angrily spat out./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="983d1772cfed0335944638632cad6bc1" He lifted her up, then slammed her into one of the pillars. Pain flared up in Petra's back as it collided with the pillar, as well as her injured shoulder, which had been made sore by all the fights she had started all throughout the afternoon./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="000be90b5c9a9f23a49d9fd65cd35350" "My men warned me that you were coming. Everywhere I turn, it's always you! You! You just can't leave me alone, can you!? Well, I'm afraid this will have to be our final encounter! Never again will you get in the way of my brilliant mind, and my ambitions!" He shouted, outraged./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="2920c231d6e73fb8ca7ace132f854f34" Petra wasn't finished, though. Still pressed up against the pillar by Doc Ock's mechanical limbs, Petra planted the soles of her feet against its surface. She used her adhesive ability to keep them in place, and then pulled with her arms, knocking Doc Ock off balance, and sending him falling forward, towards the ground./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5ed24d02ac2a59f4aaadac00c5ba3db6" "I've stopped you before, and I'll do it again Doc, you pathetic sociopath!" Petra shouted. Nobody was going to stop her from saving Aunt May, especially not Doc Ock./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="5d4fcaaf6a02bff0fac1265410b77af1" Doc Ock's limbs let go of Petra, retreating back to him and grabbing the ground beneath him, breaking his fall. He righted himself, hovering in the air with the support of his extra limbs./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="293945b89422779f19c1e93ae9d8bc00" "I'm going to kill you, Spider-Woman! You don't understand just how much I hate you, do you?! With you out of the way, my ascendence to greatness will be unstoppable! I'll get rid of all my enemies! I'll rule the underground in New York, and then I'll go even further. Nothing can stop me!" Doc Ock said in response./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="b61f2688f2af142158fdb785101b0012" He then shot two of his metal arms out at Petra, ready to strike her once again. Petra was prepared this time and grabbed each of them, then pulled, knocking Doc Ock over. She then started pulling, using her enhanced strength to toss him around. His limbs collided with one of the pillars as he went, shattering it into pieces. Petra let go of his limbs, and the momentum from her swing sent him flying into one of his large machines, crushing it. He got back up, grabbed the ruined machine he had just landed on with his tentacles, and threw it at Petra. She dodged, and it hit one of the other pillars, breaking that one as well. Petra noticed that part of the floor was made out of curved panels of metal flooring and that Doc Ock was standing right on top of one of those panels. She reached down to the floor, grabbing the edges of the long panel, which reached all the way between him and herself, and she squeezed, the metal crunching under her grip. Petra ripped the panel off the ground, twisting it as she did, and sending Doc Ock tumbling to the ground./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8ff7c119c2ae0ec30451f53c580eee39" Doc Ock quickly got back up, rushing towards her and sending one of his tentacles at her. Petra dodged it and flipped away, landing on the side of another pillar./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="42903753c7de3531c0f4cf0b34416956" "You're strangely silent, wall-crawler. Have you finally learned to mind your tongue?" Doc Ock taunted, sporting a grin on his face./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="18798fcab7c866639d57dee7ab44ef59" Petra screamed, then flung herself at Doc Ock in a fury, maneuvering past his tentacles, and landing right in front of him. With a quick right hook to the jaw, Petra sent him flying, and he landed on the ground with a thud. She wanted to end this now. The whole fight was a waste of time. Time that could be spent getting the serum to Mr. Fantastic. Doc Ock growled, then sent a flying punch into Petra's face with his tentacle, tearing the mask, and leaving her left cheek exposed. Petra screamed in rage, then rushed at Doc Ock, grabbing him by the collar of his green jumpsuit and lifting him into the air. Doc Ock was unprepared and was sent flying into another pillar by Petra. Petra ran at him again, and Doc Ock, realizing that something was off with her, that she was fighting with more fury and determination than he had ever seen from her before, did nothing to retaliate, only fleeing from Petra's flying punch. With Doc Ock out of the way, Petra's blow instead landed on the pillar, breaking it, and sending a large piece toppling to the floor./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="feb3b5f095ce4ccd248767e4f980159c" "YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY FROM ME! I'LL STOP YOU, AND I'LL TAKE THAT SERUM BACK!" She shouted./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="a2b68515a3506520aecd0d8b09d1b0c9" Petra bent down and grabbed the large, broken piece of the pillar, then turned with it in her arms, and flung it at Doc Ock. Doc Ock gasped in fear, then threw himself out of the way. The broken piece collided with one of the support beams for the glass dome, breaking it in two./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="787753e6cc38e52463271fa6b3b2bffc" "That was the main support beam! The upper-level units are collapsing!" Doc Ock shouted, panicking./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="c783dbeb6ec95f3a2faf823be0449b08" Petra looked up, then gasped./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="40d0a2ed893d1af90e2844ab766ea404"em style="box-sizing: border-box;" He's right!" /emShe thought./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3a084e3425cfd74266f7e1be954912b1" Machines that had previously been stored on the upper platform started cascading downward, landing all over the underwater lab, as the platform, and the other steel support beams lining the walls began to collapse and fall./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="1643b629041eacd525d082a496e8e166" "We're both going to die, you imbecile!" Doc Ock shouted, genuine fear in his voice./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="198eb76b6b0b6eb6130c5e5b319c05c8" The machines crashed all around them. Petra tried to dodge, but she was knocked down by a smaller one, and more kept piling up until her legs were trapped. Even more began to fall, and soon, a large unit started falling heading directly for Petra's upper torso. There was no way for Petra to stop it, all she could do was twist her body so that the unit would land with a hollowed-out area of the unit on top of her, instead of allowing herself to be crushed. With a thud, it landed, and Petra was trapped beneath it. She could see out, but a piece of the unit was jutting out, digging itself into the floor, and acting as a bar that prevented her from sliding out. She was trapped. All the debris weighed down on her, there was no way she could possibly lift it, even with her enhanced, inhuman strength. In front of her, just out of reach, was the canister of ISO-36. Petra didn't know what to do. Aunt May was lying in a bed across the city, dying, and she was trapped beneath several metric tons of debris, laying down uselessly with May's salvation just out of reach. And nobody was coming to save her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="9a10255958b3136832e4b8eae4be274f" Above, Petra heard a small creaking noise, like brittle glass cracking under pressure. She wouldn't have caught on to it if not for her enhanced senses. What Petra could only describe as a em style="box-sizing: border-box;"wet /emsound followed, and something small started falling. It landed directly on top of the canister of ISO-36 with a em style="box-sizing: border-box;"drip! /emAnother followed. Water droplets. From the ceiling. Somewhere up above, a leak had formed, and water from the Hudson River was seeping through. More followed, and each one got progressively larger until it turned from droplets into a steady, small stream of water. More leaks formed in the ceiling and more droplets that turned into streams of water followed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="97020bb82e496df1f52837399c4f5bb9" Panicked, Petra began to strain against her prison, desperately trying in vain to lift it, but it was pointless. It wouldn't budge. Fatigue started to catch up with Petra then. The prior late night at the lab in the Baxter Building, the injuries she had sustained from the police, her back, the bruises that she had suffered while tearing apart gang hideouts and bars, and her fight with Doc Ock's men, and finally, her back, injured during her fight with Doc Ock himself. She figured that maybe she could rest for a while, and try and recuperate her strength, but she knew she didn't have time for that either. The water was pouring in ever faster, and the clock was ticking, for her, and for May./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="bc21b42ff269624c103337ec5ca674f6" "I failed. I can't do it. When it mattered most, I failed." Petra sobbed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="054bfb8ca06bcb495192b295406ef7a7" Petra lay there, debris on her back, death closing in from above, and a heavy weight on her heart. The situation seemed hopeless. But she knew, deep down, that she still couldn't give up./p