Chapter Fifteen

Several days had passed since Peter's failed attempt at bringing Kingpin down. Peter thought he would make a difference, but it only worsened things. He blamed himself for Kingpin getting away. Peter had no clue what happened to Daredevil, but the lack of news coverage led him to believe DD also failed. Daredevil may have had better success if Spider-Man hadn't been there. After all, DD had been doing this job way longer than he had. Peter had worked hard these last few months putting everything together, but all he had to show was a few healing bruises. Kingpin was on the loose, Silvermane had the tech, and Lucky Lew's crew were still causing issues. Spider-Man's life was pure depression, so Peter needed something to give him a boost.

Graduation was right around the corner for Peter and the gang. Peter, Harry, and Gwen had been impatiently awaiting their ESU acceptance letters. The plan was for everyone to stick together in the fall, but everything hinged on acceptance. The three of them had been oozing anxiety about it. The only one who had yet to make much of a fuss was MJ. She barely acknowledged any talk about ESU and would swiftly change the subject. Still, the anticipation was palpable.

Peter woke up late for school and rushed to get ready. He scrambled to get his clothes and homework together, popping a leftover doughnut in his mouth as he hopped around the house, attempting to put his shoes on. He stopped at the dining room table to tie them when he noticed a sealed envelope. Peter glanced at it briefly but nearly spit out his doughnut when he saw the ESU lettering on the envelope. His heart started to race as he snatched the letter up.

"Is this it?" Peter started sweating, thinking about what was in that letter. The envelope held his future folded inside. He struggled with deciding whether to open it then or wait. Ultimately, Peter held off but brought the letter to school to show the others.

Peter arrived a few minutes late to school, but couldn't find any of his friends anywhere. Mr. Larson's class was empty, and there wasn't anyone in the cafeteria. Peter was puzzled.

"Am I in the Twilight Zone or something? Where the heck did everyone go?" Peter sat on a bench in the courtyard, scratching his head. He sat for a moment before his phone started buzzing in his pocket. It was a text from Gwen.

"Hey hey, idgit! Where are you? We're getting fitted for cap and gowns today."

A lightbulb flashed in Peter's mind. "Ohhhhh yeeeeaaaahhhhh! Cap and gowns, I totally forgot."

Peter responded, "Srry, OMW, running late." Gwen sent back a thumbs-up emoji.

Peter rushed to the auditorium, where a mass of seniors waited for their turn to get measured. Peter scanned the room and saw the other three sitting in a row on the opposite side. Peter quickly made his way down and joined the others.

"Sorry I'm late; I must have slept through my alarm." Peter sat his backpack down and plopped into one of the chairs.

"It's cool; I think they're going by class anyway. Mr. Larson's is like second to last or something like that." Harry ran his hand through his hair. He was relaxed, but getting out of class would do that to anyone.

Peter unzipped his backpack, "So I got something in the mail." He reached down and pulled the ESU letter from the bag. Harry and Gwen's eyes nearly bugged out of their heads. They looked at each other and then back to Peter.

Peter looked at them, confused, "What? Do I have a glaze on my face or something?"

Gwen shook her head, "No. I got one, too." She pulled a similar letter from her jacket pocket.

"Me too." Harry pulled a letter from his backpack as well.

Everyone looked at their letters in silence. MJ shifted awkwardly, unable to change the subject. Peter noticed MJ acting weird. He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. Gwen picked up on Peter's confusion and turned to MJ as well. She looked concerned and asked, "Are you okay, MJ? Did you not get a letter, too?"

MJ shot Gwen an "oh crap" look and noticed Harry and Peter staring at her too. She sighed, "I need to tell you all something. I've been putting it off for a while, but now I can't hide it anymore."

Peter looked at the others, who shrugged. They didn't know what she was talking about. Gwen continued, "It's okay, MJ. You can tell us anything."

"Yeah! We're a team; we can handle anything." Harry replied, putting his hand on MJ's leg.

MJ took a deep breath and broke the news, "I'm not going to ESU in the fall."

The trio were shocked. At no point did MJ indicate she wouldn't be going to college. But the more Peter thought about it, the more he realized she never exactly said she would be going. Everyone just assumed they'd all be going off to college together. Peter reflected on the group's conversations about the next year and remembered MJ never being too present. Their excitement for the future blinded them to the fact that MJ might have had other plans.

"What? Did you not get accepted or something? Because I can call my dad, and he could make a few phone calls for you…" Harry tried to understand what she was saying, but MJ cut him off.

"No. I didn't apply. I didn't plan on going to college." MJ rubbed her arm and looked down to the floor. Harry slowly pulled his hand away from MJ's leg.

Gwen scooted closer and put her hand on MJ's shoulder, "Why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"You were all excited about college and keeping the friend group together. I just couldn't bear the thought of making everyone upset." MJ started to tear up. "I should have told you already, but I was worried. I'm sorry, guys."

Peter tried consoling MJ, "It's okay, MJ. Even if you don't come to ESU with us, we'll still be friends."

Gwen parroted Peter's sentiments, "That's right. This won't change anything. Right, Harry?"

Harry mumbled a subdued "Sure." His demeanor completely changed, like someone had kicked his puppy. Gwen elbowed him and gave him a dirty look. Peter and Gwen were trying to be supportive of MJ, but the news clearly had an effect on him. Harry started to say something, but Mr. Larson's class was called to the stage for their turn. Harry shot out of his seat and beat everyone else to the stage, trying to avoid the awkward conversation.

Gwen rolled her eyes at Harry as the trio stood and got in line behind their other classmates. Gwen continued reassuring MJ. "You're still my bestie, MJ. What are you going to do instead?"

MJ made a face at Harry, walking off the way he did, but answered Gwen right away, "I didn't want to say anything until everything was finalized, but I got picked up by a talent agency. They saw some of my work and wanted to sign me. They're planning on sending me to Vancouver for 6 weeks in the summer to film a TV movie, and then we're doing a small press tour in the fall."

Peter and Gwen shared a look of excitement. Gwen piped up, "OMG, MJ! That's incredible! We've talked about this moment so much! It's finally happening, AHHH!" Gwen was more than excited.

Peter shared the same feelings, "Yeah, MJ, that's amazing. We're so proud of you. We always knew you had the talent for big things."

"Yeah, and now you get to prove it to the world!" Gwen was nearly bouncing up and down.

"Thanks, but I still feel guilty." MJ looked up the stage to Harry and frowned. "I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings."

Gwen looked in the same direction and rolled her eyes again, "Don't worry MJ. You won't be hurting our feelings. And I'm sure Harry will come around. I know he'll be as proud of you as we are."

"I know, but still, it's hard to make decisions like this. I just want everyone to be happy." MJ was kind-hearted but deserved to do what was best for her.

Gwen put her arm around MJ as they approached the front of the line. "Any decision you make will make us happy. That's what being friends is all about. Supporting each other. We'll talk to Harry," Gwen turned and looked sternly at Peter, "Won't we, Peter?"

Peter had seen that stare before. Gwen was deadly serious and indicated that Peter needed to smooth things out. She may have said 'WE,' but she really meant 'PETER.'

Peter stuttered, answering Gwen's question. "Ye-yeah, MJ. Gwen's right. Don't worry about Harry. I'll talk to him, and it'll be okay."

"Exactly. We'll be right as rain again before you know it!" Gwen stood confidently before MJ and Peter.

The kind words lifted MJ's mood slightly, but she was still irked by her boyfriend's reaction. Even if Harry felt conflicted about MJ's plans, the others knew it would blow over. He was used to everything going the way he wanted. He was also used to disappointment thanks to Norman, but getting it from his girlfriend hurt differently. Peter and Gwen were determined to get Harry out of his mental funk and rightfully on board with MJ. Peter planned to meet up with Harry later to discuss the issue.

Harry finished getting measured, but instead of walking back to the group, he exited stage right and went back to class. This upset MJ more and caused her to storm off in the opposite direction. Gwen chased after her, trying to calm her down. Peter stood there alone, waiting for his chance to get measured. The envelope was still in his hands. He looked at it one last time and decided he couldn't wait any longer. He needed clarity on his future.

Peter gently tore the envelope like he was opening something sacred. He slid the letter out and unfolded the page. His eyes darted to the first sentence and nearly collapsed.

"Congratulations, Peter Parker, you have been accepted to Empire State University…"

Peter was officially going to college.

-Later That Night-

School continued the rest of the day as Peter tried to navigate the tense situation in the friend group. Harry was still upset and basically disappeared after the gown fitting. Peter planned on catching up with Harry to try to work through the situation, but he wasn't answering any texts or calls. Harry tended to be moody when upset, but he had never been this bad. Still, Peter was determined to pick his friend's brain. Since Harry wouldn't answer, Peter decided to show up at his house the next day. But first, it was time for nightly patrol.

Harry's behavior wasn't the only thing on Peter's mind. The botched tech sale was still ever present. Peter had been agonizing over every detail. What could he have changed? How did it fall apart so quickly? And, more importantly, how could he fix the problem? Every lead dried up, and no one had made any moves yet. Peter was back to square one.

Peter thought swinging through the city would help clear his head. Busting a purse snatcher always brought him joy. It was the little things for him. Peter swung over the heads of the busy city crowds. But as he swung overhead, a man watched him intently. He drew his phone, spoke into it secretively, and walked in the same direction. Peter was being observed and followed.

Peter webbed around a corner and dropped on a building facing Times Square. The city lights illuminated the block as hundreds carried on with their lives. His worries were amplified by thinking about what would happen to these innocent people if he didn't fix the situation. He was still determined to bring Kingpin down, but now he had to worry about illegal tech possibly flooding the streets.

Peter was lost in thought, but a noise on the roof broke his concentration. He spun around sharply and pointed behind him, "AH HA! GOT YA!" But no one was there. Peter scratched his head, "Huh, I could've sworn I heard-"

"Behind you."

"AHH JESUS!" Peter stumbled forward and turned around to see Daredevil looming next to him.

"Again? Really? I thought we established that I hate that. How do you always find me?" Peter was bent over with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily.

Daredevil didn't move; he crossed his arms and stared at Peter, "You're not hard to find. Just got to look up."

Peter stood up straight, "Fair point. But at least you're okay. I was worried something had happened to you. You, uh, wouldn't happen to have that tech stashed somewhere secret, would you?" Peter was hopeful but already knew the answer.

"No. I managed to hold on to the truck for about 8 blocks, but I had to drop off once they started shooting. Hanging onto the side of moving vehicles is more your speed, anyway." Daredevil rubbed his left arm.

Peter noticed a hole in Daredevil's suit and a bloody bandage underneath. "Holy crap, they shot you? Are you okay?!" He reached for the wound but got his hand swatted away.

"It's fine. Not the first time I've been shot." Daredevil stayed serious, brushing off Peter's concerns.

"Did you at least put some vaseline on it?" Peter couldn't stop looking at the bullet wound.

"Focus, kid. We need to talk." Daredevil snapped his fingers, breaking Peter's concentration.

Peter knew what was coming and tried to get ahead, "I know, I know. It's all my fault. I know you want to tell me, 'I told you so,' but you can save it. I'm doing a good enough job beating myself up about it. I know I'm out of my league dealing with Kingpin and Silverhorse."

Daredevil listened to Peter ramble about feeling sorry for himself and being a failure. Finally, he cut him off. "Kid, just shut up. I'm not here to tell you, 'I told you so.' I'm here to tell you it's not your fault."

Peter whipped his head back to Daredevil and stared at him puzzledly. "What?"

"It's not your fault, kid. A lot of things went wrong before we even got involved. In fact, you being there should have made things easier." Daredevil rolled his head around his shoulders.

"I should have been by your side, but Gladiator showing up really threw me off. We have a long history together, and I never thought I'd see him in New York again. I lost my concentration and let you down, Spider-Man. You made a bigger impact on Kingpin's operation faster than I ever did. This whole time, you've been fighting my war. A tiresome war but one I should have been sharing with you. You got so close to Kingpin but only needed some guidance." Daredevil walked toward Peter and stuck out his hand, "And all I needed was some hope." This was the first time Peter had ever seen Daredevil talk that way. He was always sure of himself, but seeing him admit to his mistakes resonated with Peter. It showed him that even experienced heroes weren't perfect.

Peter rubbed the back of his head, "Ah jeez, DD, I don't know what to say. Thanks for always being so helpful. You're a true super friend!" Peter reached confidently and clasped Daredevil's outstretched hand.

Daredevil smirked as he shared a genuine moment of camaraderie with his young masked friend. Someone like Spider-Man was rare in Daredevil's world but a welcomed figure nonetheless. Peter said encouragingly, "I'm sure we'll catch Kingpin and the tech in no time."

Daredevil shook his head, "That might not be a possibility."

Peter questioned, "How so?"

"Someone blew up Kingpin's SUV after he fled the scene. The police report said the investigation found an explosive device in the back seat. There were no survivors."

Peter was stunned. After all this time, there was no way Kingpin would go out like that. He just couldn't believe it. Daredevil started to continue, but something drew his attention over his shoulder. Peter squinted, trying to guess DD's following words when his spider sense streaked through his head. Simultaneously, Daredevil and Peter shouted, "Get down!"

They pushed each other out of the way as a rocket blasted right past them and destroyed part of the roof. Peter groaned as he crawled to his feet. He looked to an adjacent building and saw an armored man holding a rocket launcher. The man tossed the gun and jumped to the ground before him. He landed on the ground, cracking and smashing the pavement. His armored suit whirred and hissed as it equalized the force of his fall. The man walked into traffic, causing cars to swerve around and crash into each other. One car didn't have time to dodge and crashed directly into him, but he turned and punched the vehicle with both fists. The car slowed to a stop as he ripped through the engine bay. Two spinning blades sparked as he tore his fists free. He smacked the blades together, showering sparks around him.

"I know that didn't kill you, Spider-Freak. Same for you, Devil. Get your asses down here so I can finish the job!" Gladiator was seething and ready for revenge. His compatriot Smythe really let his technical skills shine. He outfitted Mr. Potter with a reinforced chest plate and exo-skeletal structure along his legs and back. Instead of bare arms, now he had armored sleeves threaded into reinforced gauntlets. His blades were upgraded, too, with a stronger motor and reinforced plates. Finally, a Gladiator-shaped helmet adorned his head. A touch he wanted added, much to Smythe's chagrin. Gladiator was more dangerous than any foe Spider-Man had ever faced.

The bustling crowd dispersed in every direction. Gladiator continued to goad the heroes into jumping down and fighting him. Peter checked on Daredevil, who was pushing himself up off the roof. Gladiator had already caused enough damage, and defending New York was up to them.

Peter and Daredevil shook the dust off and used a pair of webs to lower themselves to the street. Gladiator was pacing back and forth, grinning like a madman. "Like the suit? I thought taking my game to the next level was only appropriate. You gotta stand out in today's world. Make a name for yourself."

Gladiator used his blades to slice the front end of a Chrysler into fourths. "And killing you two will put me on top." His suit hissed as he punted a chunk of metal directly at the duo's position. Daredevil dodged and rolled behind a vacant vehicle. Peter leaped forward toward Gladiator, unleashing a barrage of web blasts. Gladiator raised his hands and shredded the incoming assault. Peter flipped over the top of him, but Gladiator swung his fist, smacking Spider-Man with the flat side of his gauntlet. Peter crashed through the back glass of a neighboring sedan.

Gladiator turned to follow his nimble prey, but Daredevil surprised him with a heel kick to the head. The armored assailant stumbled forward, affording Daredevil a pair of follow-up strikes to Gladiator's neck. This proved effective; for a brief moment, Daredevil had time to get a better position. Gladiator shook his head, steadying his vision as he launched a bevy of defensive attacks. Daredevil easily dodged them and kicked Gladiator's knee, bending the hydraulic rods that boosted his movement.

Gladiator's suit hissed and groaned; his leg buckled, dropping him to his knee. Daredevil spent little time capitalizing on his enemy's weakness. But Gladiator was all too familiar with Daredevil's fighting style. He used his good leg to leap backward when Daredevil sprung at him. He clenched his fists and hammered the back of Daredevil's head. The Man Without Fear crashed face-first into the rough pavement. Gladiator smacked the busted lower piston, engaged the mechanism, and kicked his energized leg into the Devil's ribs. A sharp crack preceded the hero's body, skipping across the asphalt. Gladiator cackled with glee as he lumbered closer and smacked his blades together.

"I know all of your tricks. You can't beat me. Not now, not ever." Gladiator picked Daredevil up by his throat. "Don't worry, I'll kill you quick. It's the little one I want to have fun with."

Gladiator readied his blade. Daredevil squirmed, trying to get free, but Gladiator's enhanced strength proved too much to handle. He punched at Gladiator's face, hoping for any reprieve. Daredevil was a breath away from death. The spinning blade shrieked overhead but stopped mere centimeters from Daredevil's face. A pair of webs wrapped the base of the armored gauntlets. Gladiator turned to see Spider-Man bracing himself on top of the dented sedan. The force of his efforts crushed the car beneath him.

Gladiator groaned and used his free hand to slice the webs. Peter launched himself forward and sprinted with ferocious determination. Gladiator swiped with a left hook and followed up immediately with another right. Peter slid between his legs, pushing off the ground and donkey-kicking him in the lower back. Gladiator flexed backward and lost his balance. Peter attached two webs to his opponent's back and yanked them with maximum force. The back of Gladiator's helmet smashed against the ground. Peter emptied his left web shooter at Gladiator's lower hydraulics. The more webbing he applied, the harder the pistons would have to work, ultimately causing them to fail.

Gladiator struggled to rip the webbing away without damaging his exoskeleton. He sat up, reaching for his legs, but Spider-Man cracked his helmet with a devastating knee strike. Peter loomed above Gladiator and turned his attention to Daredevil.

"You good, DD?" He yelled out across the square.

Daredevil held his arm and stood up, "Never better."

Peter started to step toward Daredevil, but Gladiator grabbed him by his ankle. He snatched Spider-Man off his feet and slammed him into the back of a postal drop box. Peter rubbed his face and groaned on the ground. Gladiator rolled over and limped to his feet. The webbing had slowed his movement by at least 70%, but his strength was at max capacity. Daredevil sprinted to his ally's aid, unleashing a flurry of strikes on his old nemesis. Gladiator turned to his left with a spinning back fist. Daredevil ducked underneath, but Gladiator's rotation propelled his right leg into a roundhouse kick. The heavy armor connected with Daredevil's chest, flattening him into the ground. Gladiator tried another strike with his blades but was again thwarted by Spider-Man's webbing.

"Give it up, Spartacus. The emperor's giving you a thumbs down. It's time to call it quits." Peter gripped the taut webbing with his full strength.

Gladiator's immobilized arm pointed at Daredevil, "It ain't over till I say it's over!"

Gladiator clenched his fist and launched the spinning blade like a projectile. The metal ripped into Daredevil's arm, missing his chest by inches. Peter screamed, "DD!" and jumped after him.

Peter dodged a trio of swipes from Gladiator's remaining blade, careful not to dip in the direction of Gladiator's free hand. Peter waited for his chance and struck at his exposed chin. Gladiator stumbled backward but swiftly rebounded with an overhead strike. Peter caught the gauntlet and strained, preventing the blade from tearing his face apart.

Gladiator gnashed his teeth and leaned closer, "When I slice your face in half, I'm going to stitch your mask back together and wear it like a trophy. I'll be the new Spider-Man, you little prick."

The servos strained and smoked, pushing against Spider-Man's raw strength. A stalemate drove Gladiator over the edge. He reached behind his back with his free hand and pulled his pistol from a hidden holster. Peter's spider sense alerted him to the added danger, but he was stuck keeping his face from becoming ground beef.

Gladiator aimed the pistol and smirked. Peter winced, but before Gladiator could finish the job, Daredevil tackled the pair with his healthy shoulder. They crashed to the ground in a pile.

Daredevil shouted, "Trap his arm, TRAP HIS ARM!"

Peter moved as fast as the words left Daredevil's mouth. They were in perfect sync, firing on all cylinders. Peter wrapped his legs around Gladiator's body and held the gauntlet in an armbar, careful not to let the spinning blade touch him. Daredevil grabbed Gladiator's free arm and slid around to his head, locking it into a solid triangle choke. Gladiator thrashed, gasping for air. With one final breath, he choked out, "It was…supposed to…be…me…" and fell unconscious.

Daredevil released his hold and pushed Gladiator away from him. He strained, rising to his feet. He looked to Spider-Man, who was still holding on for dear life. Daredevil broke his concentration and helped him up.

"That…" Peter was breathing heavily. "That…was really hard. I need some juice. Or a nap. Or both. Definitely both."

Peter noticed the gaping wound oozing blood down Daredevil's stained suit. "Your arm. We need to get you to a hospital."

Daredevil held his arm and sat on the hood of an adjacent car. "I'll be fine; it's just a flesh wound." Sirens echoed in the distance, growing closer with every passing second. Daredevil rolled his head around his shoulders. "Get out of here, kid. I'll take it from here."

"I can't just leave you like this. Let me help you. It's like you said, we're better as a team." Peter offered Daredevil his hand but was pushed away.

"Go. I've handled my fair share of clean-ups. Besides, I owe you from last time. Now get out of here." Daredevil shooed Peter away.

Peter took a defiant step, but the cascade of police cruisers reluctantly pulled him away. He nodded to Daredevil and swung off in the opposite direction. Daredevil sighed and looked over to his blacked-out nemesis. A last-second blast of webbing stretched over Gladiator as Peter's distant shout echoed, "Just in case, DD!"

Daredevil chuckled but instantly winced with pain. He knew things were far from over, but the winds of change were blowing in his direction. A newfound bond with Spider-Man gave him the hope to continue his fight.

-Across town, Fisk Tower-

Fisk Industries was business as usual despite the absence of their namesake. Most of the building carried on with day-to-day operations. Only the penthouse floors were abandoned, with access being restricted. No one was coming in or out. Rumors swirled about the apparent demise of the Kingpin. But with business carrying on as usual, some questioned if it even mattered.

A young man with dirty blonde hair stepped through the lobby, approaching the private elevators. His clothes were pristine and expensive: a solid white Louis Vuitton suit with matching loafers. A security officer requested the man's credentials, showing appropriate access. The man sneered and shook his head, placing a toothpick in his mouth as he walked past the front desk.

"Hey, I need to see your clearance. You can't go back there, sir. Sir!" The officer jumped up to confront the unauthorized guest, but a commanding officer pulled his dutiful deputy back.

"Pay him no mind, sir; he's new. We weren't aware you were back in New York. I'll be sure to get my deputy reacquainted with the list of authorized personnel. Have a good night, sir." The CO was nearly sweating.

The elevator dinged open as the man entered and faced the front desk. He pulled the toothpick out and pointed, "Good." The doors closed and ascended to the penthouse floors.

The deputy turned to his superior and questioned, "Who is that?"

His boss wiped his forehead and sat down, "That's Richard Fisk. The boss's son."

The elevator reached its destination and opened to reveal a darkened suite wrecked and trashed. Every piece of furniture was broken into hundreds of pieces. Richard Fisk delicately traversed the destruction, careful not to dirty his expensive shoes. He walked into the main office and saw a peculiar sight.

Torn newspaper taped to the walls, yards of yarn with photos hung by clips, hidden camera footage playing on an endless loop, and piles of documents strewn about the floor. Strings connected pictures of Spider-Man and different locations around Queens and Manhattan. Various words were scribbled in the margins between pictures. Desperate attempts at forging a connection. Hunched over in a chair facing the web of conspiracy, a man cloaked in shadows wallowed in misery.

Richard Fisk approached the desk, "What the hell is all this?"

The obscured man didn't answer. Richard pulled a photo from one of the stretched pieces of yarn. He observed it with a disgusted expression. The expression grew as he realized the entire room contained the same subject.

"Spider-Man? This is about Spider-Man?" Richard prodded venomously.

The seated man stood quickly and faced Richard. He punched the desk, cracking it in half. His new posture allowed the moonlight to illuminate his face entirely. Kingpin's charred and bandaged face complimented an accompaniment of wraps on his arms and hands.

He shouted at his son, "YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT THIS IS ABOUT SPIDER-MAN!"

Richard looked repulsed, "You sent me away for nearly two years because I was a liability. Those were your words. I was a detriment to your empire. But lo and behold, it was your freakin' ego that was your downfall all along." Richard stepped closer to his father.

"I'm not letting your unhinged obsession with some scrawny Halloween reject put my inheritance in jeopardy." Richard was right in his father's face. He chewed his toothpick and snapped it in half.

Kingpin growled, "If I don't deal with this problem, there won't BE anything to pass down to you. It'll all crash and burn if I don't squash him."

Richard scoffed and shook his head. He was speechless for once.

"You're not wrong, son. My ego did get in the way. None of this would have happened if I had called you sooner or never even sent you away. But it's not too late. Look at all this; I'm close. I almost have the little punk. Help me, and we can crush the freak together.

Kingpin offered his hand, bringing a renewed connection between father and son. Richard spat at his father's feet and rejected his proposition.

"I don't give a damn about your delusional crusade against costumed idiots. I never did before, and I still don't now. You go ahead and chase your little friend into the grave. I'll be the one putting foot to ass and keeping this whole thing from crumbling."

Richard turned and furiously kicked through the rubble, clearing a path for his exit. Kingpin stood in shock but couldn't help but start laughing. The situation had spiraled so far out of his control. Most of his allies were scattered, incarcerated, or dead. He was left alone to face the menace that plagued him for months.

Kingpin grabbed a bottle of whiskey and took a hearty swig. He stared at the board before him.

"Who are you?"

End Chapter Fifteen