Chapter Thirteen
Although Kingpin and his men had gone quiet while preparing for the illegal tech sale, crime in New York remained undeterred. Kingpin's men's trepidation led to a mass exodus from his organization. Not enough to completely neuter him, but enough to cause a disruption on the streets. New gangs popped up left and right but were promptly squashed before becoming big enough to cause a problem. However, one gang seemed to be evading the NYPD at every turn. Peter had already stumbled upon them a couple of weeks prior. They also happened to be the same gang Peter was currently chasing through New York. Their numbers were growing, but not by chance. At the heart of the gang was their leader, Lucky Lew.
Nick "Lucky" Lewis was a career criminal from one of the Maggia families. He was raised in New York's criminal underworld. As a child, he would run routes for the family business, handing off small packages. Low enough effort to get him acclimated to the life, but just enough stakes to teach him how their world worked. As he got older, he graduated into more complex dealings. Running the ins and outs of the organization became second nature to him. His family wasn't the most prominent in the Maggia, but they carried their weight and had a place in New York's underworld. He was poised to be the next head and take the family to greater heights. Unfortunately, that future would never come.
The Lewis family were the first to fall to Kingpin's coup. Kingpin and his men wiped the family out in one fell swoop. During one of their family meetings, Kingpin detonated a bomb, taking out every high-ranking member in attendance. Decades of leadership burnt to ash. Only one member survived the blast: Nick Lewis, the heir to the throne. With no way to recoup his loss, Nick went into hiding. Rumors swirled about "Lucky" Nick Lewis surviving, but he was deemed a non-threat. Kingpin paved over the memories of the Lewis family. As Kingpin reached the top, Nick escaped to civilian life. Still, rumors persisted about "Lucky" Lewis and what became of him.
Although relegated to civilian life, Lucky Lew couldn't leave crime behind entirely. On paper, Lucky Lew ran a butcher shop. Essential meats, Italian meats, game meats, and anything meat-related Lucky Lew had available. But that was his secret. Underneath the façade of a butcher shop, Lucky Lew ran an illegal meat trade. Lucky Lew could get his hands on any meat you wanted for a fee. And that meant any meat. His meat trade wasn't raking in the big bucks like his family used to, but it was enough to stay off Kingpin's radar. His newfound life was enough to make him content. Lucky Lew's complacency was just a mask, though. His truest desire was to get revenge on Kingpin. He patiently waited for the right time to strike. And with the winds of change blowing in his direction, Lucky Lew decided it was time.
Lucky Lew's greatest strength was always networking. His connections remained strong even after his family fell and he started a new enterprise. Low-level goons within Kingpin's hierarchy were sympathetic to his plight. And Lucky Lew reciprocated his appreciation. He was one of the first people to hear about the goons leaving Kingpin's regime. As more and more goons became disenfranchised, Lucky Lew drew them to his cause. Eventually, he had enough men under his command to take things to the next level. They were all united for the same reason: eliminating Kingpin and ushering in a new status quo.
As Lucky Lew strove to build something new, he looked into the past to strengthen his resolve. He used many of the tenets the Lewis family instilled in him to drive his new force. From simple things like matching black jumpsuits to progressive measures like equal pay for all. He also promised not to blow his men up to prove a point. If the former made them interested, the latter definitely sealed the deal. Goons were unhappy and hungry for work, and Lucky Lew was staged to give it to them.
Lucky Lew and six of his black-clad goons were fast at work preparing for something huge in a warehouse on the East side. Stolen U-Haul trucks were outfitted with thick iron plates. Every inch of the vehicles beefed up to withstand a warzone. Several men were cleaning rifles and loading them with ammunition. Schematics for bombs were spread out around a work table. The back wall of the room had a massive map sprawled across it. It wasn't any ordinary city map but a road map of a specific section of New York. Red lines were drawn on it, with one building in particular circled. Dates and times were written in the margins of the map. Lucky Lew stood before it, agonizing over every minute detail.
The new Lewis gang was lost in concentration when screeching tires stole their attention. Several goons looked at each other with unease. The screeching sound grew closer until it reached right outside the door. Car doors slammed as Lucky Lew and his men turned toward the front, anticipating the worst. The main door swung open with a loud bang. Lucky Lew kept his hand planted on his pistol. A moment of silence passed before a man in a suit and tie jumped through the entryway.
"It's Modelo time!" the man shouted. He was carrying two cases of beer in his hands.
Lucky Lew's men exhaled in unison and erupted into laughter. The goons approached the beer bringer and clapped him on his back, grabbing a beer for their troubles. Lucky Lew looked less than pleased.
"Really, Bob? What did I say about being serious? I almost plugged you full of holes!" Lucky Lew shouted across the room.
The goons stared at Lucky Lew as the morale slowly deflated. Bob, the beer goon, stood slightly slack-jawed.
"Sorry, boss. I just wanted to do something nice for the boys. I didn't mean to cause no problems."
Lucky Lew sighed and dropped his head. He looked back at Bob and changed his tone.
"It's fine, Bob. I'm just tense. Too tense," he rubbed his face. "Ya know what, screw it, give me one of those. Damn right, it's Modelo time."
The goons erupted with cheers as Bob passed Lucky Lew a bottle. Lucky Lew wanted to be different from the bosses of old. He wanted the boys to see him as one of them, not above them. And Lucky Lew was incredibly lenient on Bob. Bob was his official mole in Kingpin's organization. It's how he'd stayed right on Kingpin's heels. So, he cut him extra slack, more than the others.
Lucky Lew and the others enjoyed a few beers and shared a reprieve from their nefarious machinations. Moments like that were the cornerstone of Lucky Lew's new family. But it was a moment short-lived. As the gang socialized, the front roll-up door ripped from its frame as a van smashed into it full force. The goons dodged out of the way and checked their surroundings. Everyone was accounted for and unhurt. Luck Lew stormed up to the van's driver-side window, demanding answers. He opened the door, revealing the two goons Spider-Man had been chasing. The passenger's arms were webbed to his seat, and the driver's hands were webbed to the steering wheel. Both men had their mouths webbed shut as well.
The panic in their eyes was all Lucky Lew needed to know. Lucky Lew turned to his men and shouted, "It's Spider-Man, grab your guns!"
The six goons dropped their beers and sprang into action. Lucky Lew ran to the back of the room and fiddled with the work table. As the dust settled, a loud thud echoed through the warehouse. Spider-Man flipped onto the van, denting the roof. He scanned the room, identifying each target. No quips, no cheeky one-liners. Peter was seeing red and was determined to make the goons pay.
"These two belong to you?" Peter questioned matter-of-factly.
The men with guns opened fire, pelting holes in the roof of the van and walls of the building. Peter jumped and took cover behind one of the outfitted U-Haul trucks. Peter dropped to the floor and slid under the truck as the goons changed positions. Peter webbed two goons at their feet and dragged them under the truck using his unique advantage. Their surprised screams stretched across the room before falling silent below the armored behemoth. Peter webbed them to the underside of the vehicle for safekeeping.
Wise to Peter's scheme, the remaining four goons in black aimed for his position, but Peter was already crawling to his next spot. He flipped on top of the truck and snatched two more goons off the ground. While floating mid-air, Peter quickly hit both men with a split kick before knocking their heads together with dual web lines. He grabbed the two criminals and stuck them to the ceiling. Only three men remained, and Peter was eager to make them feel his fury. Lucky Lew was still behind the workbench, hiding from sight.
The final two goons struggled to reload their weapons. Peter took the opportunity to end things quickly. He dove from the top of the truck at full speed, spearing one of the men into the ground and sliding against the wall. Peter jumped to his feet and kneed the goon in the face. Unconscious, Peter webbed him to the wall. He started to turn toward the last goon, but his spider-sense streaked through his brain. The remaining goon was on top of Peter, swinging a piece of iron siding. Peter dodged the plate and kicked the goon's legs from under him. The man fell on his back with a groan. Peter started to finish the job, but the iron plate landed on the goon's face, knocking him unconscious.
Peter stood silent for a moment, looking down at the knocked-out criminal. Peter's silence was broken by Lucky Lew clapping his hands slowly. Peter turned toward the workbench and saw Lucky Lew slowly rising to his feet.
"Well done, Spider-Man, well done." Lucky Lew chuckled as he applauded the webbed do-gooder. "I can see why Kingpin hates you so much. You are a pest of the highest caliber!"
"Clap while you can, bozo, because after what your men did tonight, I'll make sure you won't be able to hold a pencil, let alone clap obnoxiously." Peter was serious, still radiating rage.
Lucky Lew only laughed louder. "Well, in that case, how about a parting gift?"
Peter clenched his fists, "I'm not in the mood for games."
Lucky Lew dipped back behind the workbench but immediately rose to his feet. "Sorry, Spider, but we're playing this game. It's one of my favorites." Lucky Lew reached for his head and stretched a mask over it. A black mask with white eyes and stripes stretched across his face's lower half. He grabbed a device from under the bench and continued. "I've come too far and lost too much for you to stop me now, Spider-Man."
Lucky Lew flipped a switch on the device and flung it at Spider-Man's feet. The device slid across the floor and stopped a foot away from Peter. He looked down and saw a flashing red light and wires. The light was blinking with increasing speed.
"Now it's game time. What ya gonna do? Come after me, or let this place explode? I got a feeling I know your answer, though." Lucky Lew started backing away toward the rear exit. He knew his trick would be too enticing for Spider-Man to avoid. He was banking on his distraction to make a clean getaway.
Peter stepped toward Lucky Lew, but the beeping from the device intensified. He looked down at the bomb but realized he had no time to disarm it, even if he knew how. The beeping stagnated with a solid tone. Peter was out of time. He had to think quickly. He looked for Lucky Lew, but the backdoor was already closing shut. With no time to spare, Peter yanked one of the iron plates to him and webbed it on top of the bomb. He emptied his web shooters around it, hoping it would soften the explosion. With his webs exhausted, Peter jumped on top of the pile in a last-ditch effort to save the unconscious goons in the building. Peter shut his eyes and held on for dear life.
*Click* Hsssssssssss…
Peter opened one eye and realized everything was still intact. The device was billowing smoke at an alarming rate. Peter had been bamboozled.
"*Cough* Ah man, a smoke bomb?! *Cough*Cough* For real?" Peter flipped over the device and ran for fresh air. Hacking and coughing, he went outside to catch the fresh New York air. He took a deep breath, "Ahh, smells like stale garbage. Much better."
Peter waited for the smoke to clear before searching for clues. With only a lingering haze, he went inside and rummaged through Lucky Lew's base of operations. Peter saw the armored trucks and crates of ammo and guns, but that wasn't special. The bomb schematics on the workbench didn't tell him anything, either. He already knew they were using bombs. Peter wasn't getting much to work with. He leaned on the workbench and thought about his next course of action.
"Well, I at least have to do something with these lowlifes." He tilted his head back, looking at the ceiling. "Maybe I'll call Detective Elise; she can clean this up. Might even score some brownie points."
With the trouble dealt with, Peter stared at the wall, thinking about MJ. He felt a real connection with her earlier. But all it did was make things more confusing. MJ didn't share that moment with Peter; she shared it with Spider-Man. He didn't know how he was going to navigate that situation.
As he pondered his predicament, he noticed the date and times scribbled on the vast map. Something about the date caught his attention.
"What were they planning? What even is all this-" A sudden realization stopped Peter mid-sentence.
"Wait, wait. That day is…Tuesday. Next Tuesday. That's the day Kingpin's deal is going down."
Peter started getting excited. He looked at his surroundings one more time, and everything started to click. The goons around him were like those at odds with Kingpin's men a couple of weeks ago. Lucky Lew name dropped Kingpin during their fight. Armored trucks, bombs, guns, and blueprints for a city block all added up to one thing: the illegal tech sale.
"They're planning on attacking Kingpin's sale. That has to be it! This is what all of this is for!"
Finally, all of the pieces fell into place for Peter. Months of patrols, chasing dead ends, and dodging bullets have led him to the truth. Tuesday at 11:00 PM. The big moment was upon him. It was up to Peter to finish the job, disrupt the tech sale, and bring Kingpin down. It was time to finish it.
-Midtown High, A Few Days Later-
School resumed as usual despite MJ's brush with danger. Although Spider-Man swung in like a knight in shining armor, it didn't save her from the trauma those men caused. MJ missed the first few days the following week but ultimately returned Wednesday. She was mainly radio silent about her predicament, even to Harry. She explained her absence from the group as dealing with personal issues, which wasn't a lie. But she knew the truth would come out eventually. As Gwen entered the campus courtyard and spotted her sitting alone, MJ realized 'eventually' was only steps away.
Gwen approached MJ with her usual gusto but stopped just before her. MJ tried to mask her feelings, but her body language gave her away. Gwen sat next to MJ and tried to unpack her radiating anxiety. MJ tried to deflect, but months of therapy gave Gwen the tools needed to get MJ to open up. Gwen finally got through to MJ with a few subtle and not-so-subtle pokes. How those men surrounded her and nearly violated her. How terrified she was.
MJ broke down into tears as Gwen hugged her tightly. "I'm so sorry, MJ, and I'm so glad you're safe. Is there anything I can do for you? I can give you my therapist's number; she's awesome at listening."
MJ wiped her tears and straightened her posture. "Thanks, Gwen. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I was just…scared and lost." MJ zipped her jacket up. "I'm just so embarrassed."
Gwen tilted her head curiously. "Why?"
MJ rubbed her face, "Because of how I handled myself. I know how to take care of myself, but, at the moment, I just went blank. It makes me feel like I deserved to be attacked."
Gwen reassured MJ that everything was alright and she was safe now. "It sounds like a trauma response, something my therapist told me about. That's where the flight or fight reflex comes from, but it can also cause other things. Like feeling guilty, you survived being attacked. Here…," Gwen scribbled a phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to MJ, "Call my therapist; I'm telling you she is amazing. She can really help you unpack this in a healthy way."
MJ looked at the number and gave Gwen a soft smile. "Thanks, Gwen. You really are my best friend."
Hearing that made Gwen's heart swell with pride. Harry walked out of the cafeteria as the duo sat in the courtyard. He spotted the girls, dropped his lunch tray, and ran to MJ.
"MJ! What's going on? I've barely heard from you si-" He stopped midsentence, noticing MJ's puffy eyes and red face. He dropped and kneeled before her, placing his hand on her leg.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Harry was worried; he had never seen MJ act like this before.
Gwen and MJ looked at each other. Gwen reassured MJ and rubbed her back. "It's okay; you need to tell him."
Harry's eyes grew wider; his concern was painted over his face. "Tell me what? What is going on?"
MJ sighed and explained everything to Harry. Harry looked like he wanted to throw up. He stood up and punched his hand.
"Those bastards! They better be glad I wasn't with you!" Harry paced back and forth, arguing with invisible goons in his head.
MJ tried to reassure Harry she was fine, but Harry wasn't listening. He was fired up about a group of thugs putting their hands on MJ. "No one touches my girl!"
MJ snapped her head at Harry. "I'm not your property, Harry. I can handle things myself."
Harry looked at MJ like she was crazy. Gwen sighed and rubbed her forehead. As MJ and Harry started arguing, Peter approached them from the Southern courtyard entrance. Peter stopped and stared at the group, realizing MJ was back at school. Seeing Harry worked up means she finally told them about the goons in black. Of course, Peter knew what happened, but he would have to play dumb in front of the others.
"Hey, everyone. Is…" Peter trailed off as Harry spoke over him.
"I don't care, MJ, I'm getting Dad's security to follow you. I told you that the arts center was in a rough part of town. You need to be protected!" Harry was almost pleading with MJ, but she was having none of it.
"I don't need someone following me around. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself." MJ was standing with her arms crossed right in front of Harry.
"Right, which is why you almost got dragged away by a group of thugs. And Spider-Man won't be there every time you get in trouble. Just let me do this for you." Harry stood in firm defiance of MJ's stubbornness.
"This is the first time something like this has happened to me. it's not like I plan on having this happen repeatedly." MJ wasn't backing down.
"It's New York, MJ! Stuff like this happens all the time! I don't want something to happen to you." Harry and MJ were almost yelling.
Peter was still standing in silence. MJ and Harry were staring holes through each other. He tried to butt in but was cut off by Gwen yelling from her seat. "ENOUGH!"
Gwen's outburst startled the other three. "This is going nowhere. Harry, stop trying to control MJ. If she doesn't want someone all in her business constantly, then that's her choice. She has the right to make decisions about herself."
Harry stuttered slightly, trying to find his words. Gwen continued.
"And MJ, Harry is right. New York can be dangerous. You need to know how to defend yourself, just in case."
MJ looked to Gwen, "Then what do you suggest?"
Gwen put her hands on her hips, "Dad's precinct offers self-defense classes twice a month. I'll sign us up so you don't have to go alone. We can even make it a part of our girl's nights."
MJ's stubbornness relented, and she agreed to Gwen's terms. Harry sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Well, knowing how to defend yourself is better than nothing," Harry said, accepting defeat. "But I can have a security detail ready whenever you want; it's one text message away."
"I think this is a good enough compromise," Gwen said, trying to reassure both of her friends.
Harry and MJ both sighed and agreed with Gwen. Peter played dumb, but he was actually proud of Gwen. She had really come a long way in her therapy. If this was even just a few months ago, Peter didn't think Gwen would be capable of standing firm and commanding others like that. Peter loved this new version of Gwen. It's like she was finally discovering who she truly was.
Not trying to be left out, Peter finally joined the conversation. "So, I think I'm missing something."
One last round of explanations had everyone up to speed. Although Peter knew about MJ's incident, he was still concerned about her wellbeing. "What can I do for you, MJ?"
"It's okay, Pete. Can we just act like nothing happened? The faster I can move on from this, the better." MJ wiped her face and stood with the others. She was done feeling sorry for herself.
"You got it, MJ. As long as the four of us are together, there's nothing we can't do. And that includes making you feel safe and happy!" Gwen was trying to lift everyone's mood.
Harry put his arm around MJ and Gwen, "That's right. We're four best friends; we always have each other's backs!"
Gwen and Harry shared a supportive smile. Peter smiled as well but noticed MJ looking down. Something was on her mind, but she quickly let it pass. She smiled and hugged Harry and Gwen back.
"Come on, Peter, get in on this!" Harry pulled Peter in for a group hug.
Thinking about MJ's pain and fear made Peter angry again. Hearing her relive those dangerous moments fueled Peter's drive to put a stop to Lucky Lew and his men. He was itching for a chance to see them again. But Peter's chance would have to wait till Tuesday. Kingpin's illegal tech sale was the piece holding everything together.
-Tuesday, 10:50 PM-
Weeks of research, rainy nights, cuts and bruises, dead ends, and surprising leads led Peter to this moment. Kingpin's illegal tech sale was unfolding right on time. Peter arrived at the destination he found on Lucky Lew's back wall. He wasn't sure all the clues were correct, but he wasn't backing down just in case. Fortunately, Lucky Lew knew precisely what he was doing.
Peter arrived several minutes before the start of the meeting. A large warehouse was the site of the deal. On one side, Kingpin's men secured the entrance, preparing for their boss's arrival. On the other side, Silvermane's men stood silently, waiting for the deal to begin. Both sides were on edge, gripping their weapons tightly. Two massive trucks sat idle between them, no doubt housing the illegal tech.
Peter climbed the outer wall and snuck in through a back window. The ceiling had a catwalk obscured in darkness. He silently webbed to the rafters and lurked above the goons below. Peter crawled across the catwalk, going over the plan in his head.
The first step was waiting for everyone to be in place. He wanted to strike when Kingpin was well within his sights. The next step was causing mass confusion. Peter had loaded up on Web Wrap 2.0s and packed extra web fluid for his web shooters. His goal was to web as many goons together as possible to immobilize them. That would pave the way for step three, confronting Kingpin. As long as most of the goons were taken care of, Kingpin would be an easy target. Peter figured whoever was buying the tech wouldn't stick around once the webs started flying. At least, that's what Peter was banking on.
Kingpin and the buyer had yet to arrive, which gave Peter extra time to get his ducks in a row. But while Peter was lost in thought, perched in a corner of the rafters, a hand reached out from the darkness and grabbed his shoulder. Peter was so startled he nearly fell from the catwalk. The hand gripped him tightly and yanked him back into the dark corner.
Peter thought the end was upon him. How did the goons know he was there? Was this another one of Kingpin's traps like the incident with Tombstone? He struggled to get his balance and knocked the hand from his shoulder. If this was the end, he wasn't going out without a fight.
Peter shifted his weight once he found his balance. He put his fists up, ready to start the party early, but a familiar voice quietly chastised him.
"What the hell are you doing here, kid?"
Daredevil was not happy to see Spider-Man.