Chapter Fourteen
-10:55 PM-
Peter lowered his fists and held his chest, breathing heavily. "You have got to stop doing that to me, DD. I'm seriously going to have a heart attack one day."
Daredevil frowned and pulled Peter further into the dark corner. "There might not be a next time if this goes South. I'm this close to finally getting my hands on Silvermane, and I won't let this go sideways because of you."
"Silvermane, what is that like a horse breed or something?" Peter sounded confused.
Daredevil rolled his head around his shoulders and sighed. "Look, kid, there's a lot you don't know about New York and how things used to be. Silvermane was THE Kingpin before Fisk took that mantle. He's been gone for years, but now he's back. And he's working with Fisk."
Peter rubbed his head, still confused, "Okay. And that's a bad thing, right?"
"It very well could be. None of this has added up. But whatever is going on, it doesn't sit right with me. And I'm not letting Silvermane gain any ground back in this city." Daredevil stepped out of the shadows to better vantage point. He turned back to Peter, "But why are you here, Spider?"
"Remember when you helped me out a while back? I never stopped afterward. I've been chasing this tech across the city for months. After Christmas, I hit lots of dead ends, but I hit the motherload about a week ago. I can't let this deal happen. It was Kingpin's men that killed my uncle. I want to make sure he's stopped. He doesn't deserve the satisfaction." Peter scooted closer to Daredevil, balancing on a small rafter.
"But he's been trying to throw me off. He even sent assassins after me. Some pretentious beetle and an old, green bird. You should have seen them; they-" Daredevil raised his hand and stopped Peter midsentence.
"Quiet kid, I think it's showtime."
-11:00 PM-
Peter and Daredevil sat in position as the bay doors opened on each side of the building. On one side, a grey, blacked-out truck rolled in past Silvermane's group of armed goons. The vehicle idled, waiting for the deal to begin. On the opposite side, two black SUVs pulled in simultaneously. Men in crisp suits holding submachine guns hopped out and flanked the front SUV. One of them opened the back door, allowing Kingpin to step out.
With Kingpin's entrance, the vibe in the building suddenly shifted. Goons with guns tightened their grips. Everyone was on high alert. Kingpin straightened the sleeve of his jacket and cracked his neck. He looked around at the goons in the building. He stepped forward and spoke to the room with his big, booming voice.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen. No need to be so anxious. We're all here for the same thing. A smooth transition of goods and money. You want the goods. I want the money. If we all stay level-headed, we leave here better off than before." Kingpin motioned to the truck across from him, "I'm sure your boss would wholeheartedly agree."
Kingpin sported a cheeky smile, but it quickly faded as Mr. Potter, Silvermane's bodyguard, stepped out of the truck. He was dressed differently from their first encounter. Instead of a suit and tie, he sported an armored yellow vest and dark blue tactical pants. Two arm gauntlets sat above his wrists on each arm, housing his spinning blades. Kingpin's smile contorted into a furious scowl.
Mr. Potter walked to the front of the truck as Silvermane's goons fell in formation behind him. "Hello again, Fisk."
"That old hack better be in the backseat." Kingpin fumed, standing in front of his men.
"Nah, just me. It's past the old man's bedtime. Besides, it's just an exchange of goods, right? I got the money; you got the goods." Mr. Potter smirked after throwing Kingpin's words back in his face.
"That wasn't the deal." Kingpin took a step forward. "I want that old bastard here looking me in the eyes when I take his money. I don't even know your name. What was it, Cotter or Park? I don't remember. You have twenty minutes to get him here, or I walk. Then we'll have a bigger problem."
"My name? Why don't you just call me Gladiator. Call it my stage name. And no dice. I'm not leaving here without the tech. So either you take the money and go on your merry way…" Mr. Potter took a step toward Kingpin.
"Or?" Kingpin responded.
"Or I take the tech and the money, and you leave here in a body bag." Mr. Potter crossed his arms. "Your choice."
The goons behind Mr. Potter flanked him on either side. Kingpin's men tightened with anxiety. Kingpin and Mr. Potter competed in an intense staring contest. Finally, Kingpin relented. With a deep sigh, Kingpin motioned for his men to open the trucks and reveal the tech inside.
The rear cargo doors of the two trucks flew open as the locking mechanisms were disengaged. Crates of tech were stacked four tall, three wide, and eight deep. Kingpin motioned again, and his goons pulled a crate from the truck and pried it open. Kingpin grabbed a piece of tech from the crate and showed it to Mr. Potter.
"Bleeding edge technology produced right here in New York. My source put his best engineers to work creating this. They're ready to be retrofitted onto any other existing piece of tech available. If you need to boost your hacking capabilities, one can get you past even the most secure system in record time. Want to increase your firepower? With the right tools, you can turn these into self-regenerating energy weapons. The applications are limitless."
Mr. Potter motioned for one of his goons to take the tech from Kingpin and hand it to him. He looked it over, examining every inch. "And it's not traceable?"
"Correct." Kingpin folded his arms. "Even if law enforcement got their hands on a piece of this, there would be no way to trace it back to its source. I'm the only one with them, and you're my only buyer."
Mr. Potter nodded his head, satisfied with the explanation. He tossed the tech to the goon behind him. "Good deal. Let's wrap this up, shall we?"
Mr. Potter snapped his fingers and motioned to the crate-filled truck. They took a few steps toward the trucks, but Kingpin called out to them.
"Hold it." Everyone stared at Kingpin, startled by his colossal voice. "No one is touching anything until I get my money."
The goons turned back to Mr. Potter. He held his hand up, motioning for them to wait. He looked back at Kingpin and whistled loudly. One of the goons ran to the blacked-out truck and pulled two large suitcases from the backseat. He approached Mr. Potter, who motioned for the goon to open them. Stacks and rows of banded $100 bills packed the case to the brim.
Content with what he saw, Kingpin gave the green light. "Very well. Let's finish this quickly."
-11:00 PM-
As the final attendees arrived in their vehicles, Peter and Daredevil silently observed them from above. Peter had come prepared with some semblance of a plan, but DD being there altered the equation. Clearly, this deal was a lot deeper than Peter had thought. He didn't know much about how the criminal underworld operated in the past, but it didn't matter. Kingpin was doing something illegal that could endanger the lives of every New Yorker.
Peter inched closer to Daredevil, "Looks like ten men on the left and ten on the right."
Daredevil silently nodded. Peter continued, "So, I can take half, and you can take half. We'll have this knocked in time to get a last-call slice at Gino's down the street."
Daredevil cut a look at Peter that screamed, "Shut up, kid!"
"Right, right, gotta stay focused." Peter shifted his position and leaned on the pillar in front of him.
They continued to observe as Kingpin's men exited their vehicles. They opened the door, allowing Kingpin to step out. Peter noticed Daredevil become tense. More so than he had been before. Kingpin acknowledged the room, and Peter leaned closer to Daredevil.
"THAT'S Kingpin? Cheese and crackers, man, that guy is huge! I know the perspective this high up is weird, but holy cow! He's literally larger than life." Peter was shocked to see just how massive Kingpin was. He had only seen pictures of Wilson Fisk, but nothing compared to seeing him in person.
Daredevil didn't say a word; he watched the interaction below them intensely. Kingpin finished his speech and gestured to the truck opposite him, beckoning Silvermane to step out. As the truck door opened, Daredevil got noticeably more anxious. He clenched his teeth and whispered, "Gladiator." His words dripped with contempt.
"That's Silvermane?" Peter asked innocently.
"No. That's his lackey, Gladiator. Melvin Potter. I've had my fair share of run-ins with him. If he's here, then things just got more complicated." Daredevil was worried. His past with Silvermane was unknown to Peter, but it was a bloody, violent one. Daredevil clashed with Gladiator on multiple occasions. He's the reason Daredevil never got his hands on Silvermane.
"I got an idea, DD. Let's drop in on top of the transport trucks. Then, I'll launch two of my Web Wrap 2.0s on each side. That'll handle the bulk of our problem. Once they're out of the picture, I'll drop in on Kingpin, and you'll drop in on Gladiator. We blitz them. If we hit hard and fast, they won't be able to get the bearings and retaliate." Peter gestured to the crowd below and Daredevil next to him. In a perfect world, Peter's plan goes smoothly. But this is real life, and New York is far from perfect.
Daredevil looked at Peter stoically. He nodded his head and gave Peter a one-word response. "Deal."
With the plan in place, Peter and Daredevil waited for their cue. A few minutes passed before Kingpin's men revealed the illegal tech, and Gladiator's goons produced the cash. Daredevil put his hand on Peter's shoulder.
"Do or die, kid, this is what you've been waiting for. If you're really going to make a difference, now's the time. Let's end this together." Daredevil and Peter sprung into action.
-11:10 PM-
Kingpin motioned for the goons to start unloading the truck. The men made it one step forward before a loud thud reverberated through the warehouse. Everyone cut their heads upward toward the ceiling. Spider-Man and Daredevil loomed above them.
Kingpin clenched his fists and shouted, "Kill them!"
Kingpin's shout shook everyone loose from their surprised confusion. The two groups fumbled with their weapons, but Peter was one step ahead.
Peter stepped forward and slung two Web Wrap 2.0s in opposite directions. Two of Kingpin's men grabbed their boss and dragged him back to the SUVs behind them. The rest of the men were engulfed in extra substantial web fluid. Most of them were immobilized. The others scrambled to get to their boss. On the other side of the building, the second Web Wrap 2.0 struck Gladiator directly in the chest. The device exploded, covering him completely. Silvermane's goons wasted little time taking advantage of the chaos.
As Gladiator wriggled to get free, his goons snatched the suitcases and threw them in the back of one of the transport trucks. He motioned for two other goons to get the illegal tech. Before Peter and Daredevil knew what had happened, the trucks beneath them rumbled to life. Silvermane's men were attempting to have their cake and eat it too.
Peter turned to Daredevil as the trucks began to roll, "We have to stop these trucks before they get on the street. We have to stop them here."
Both men braced themselves for a road trip, but Peter's perfect plan was already unraveling.
Gladiator unleashed the spinning blades on each wrist and tore free from his webbed prison. He looked around the room to get a read on the situation, noticing Daredevil and Spider-Man bracing themselves on top of the moving trucks. He quickly pulled his pistol and fired accurately at both men. Daredevil rolled over the side of the truck, catching himself on the truck's side mirror. Peter's spider sense gave him time to dodge but caused him to completely flip over the back of the truck. Peter stuck his landing and immediately followed up with two web lines to the truck's bumper. He started to ski through the building, but Gladiator snapped the webs with his spinning blades.
"Where ya going, little man? Someone needs to teach you a lesson about sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!" Gladiator smacked his blades together, showering himself in sparks. He stretched his arms wide, goading Spider-Man into charging him.
Peter looked back to Kingpin and saw him and a few of his non-sticky men loading into their black SUV. He started toward the crime boss when his spider-sense saved him from another blast of bullets. Peter flipped backward, unable to pursue Kingpin's evacuating vehicle.
"NO!" Peter shouted. He fumed with rage, turning back to Gladiator. "That was my chance, and you ruined it. Big mistake." Peter stood and cracked his knuckles.
Gladiator smiled, "How exciting. I haven't crushed a masked idiot since I broke your devilish friend's legs years ago."
Peter and Gladiator circled each other, inching closer with every step. With only a few feet between them, Gladiator struck first. He charged at Peter with his spinning blades up, ready to strike. Peter's spider sense flared again, causing him to duck underneath his swipes. But he caught a knee to the chin for his efforts.
"Hahaha, everyone falls for the old ducking blades knee strike. It's basically my signature move at this point!" Gladiator taunted Spider-Man with his effectiveness.
Peter rolled backward and sprung to his feet. He rubbed his chin over his mask. "Ow," he thought to himself. "Okay, gotta be careful with this one."
"Let's go!" Gladiator shouted. He charged once again and swung multiple strikes. Peter's spider sense kept him from the spinning blades, but he still caught a few kicks and backhands for his troubles. For every killing blow Peter dodged, he caught a less-than-lethal strike in return.
Gladiator's size and skill were enough to give him the upper hand initially. He was quick and precise, affording Peter no chance to respond. Peter was constantly on his back foot. His plan fell apart almost immediately.
Kingpin's men, who weren't encumbered, worked quickly to free their compatriots. Kingpin had already torn out of the building and escaped into the night. His men followed suit by piling into their vehicles, but only after taking shots at Gladiator and Spider-Man.
The shots could have been more accurate but were enough to lay cover for the men to escape. It was also just enough to break Gladiator's concentration. He disengaged from Spider-Man and took priority to protect himself. Peter's spider sense kept him from taking any damage, and he used the opportunity to turn the tide against Gladiator.
With Gladiator ducking for cover, Peter dodged the bullets and closed in on him. Gladiator peaked around the corner but caught a kick to the face. He fell backward but rolled through and scrambled to his feet.
"Cheap shot, Spider." He wiped his mouth and spit on the ground. With no further distractions, Gladiator was ready to finish Spider-Man off.
They closed in on each other for one final scrap. Gladiator wasted no time slashing with his spinning blades, but Peter was ready for him. With every swipe Gladiator would take, Peter would shoot his webs at his gauntlets. Gladiator mocked him for wasting his time, but time was all Peter needed. Gladiator's wrist mechanisms slowed with every blast of web fluid. Peter continued to dodge the strikes, waiting for the right moment to strike back. After a double blast of webs, Gladiator's spinning blades whirred to a stop. Peter backflipped away as Gladiator lifted his gauntlets in disbelief.
"You freakin' asshole! What did you do to my blades?" Gladiator stared at his wrists as his anger boiled over.
He tried his best to tear the webbing away, but this batch of fluid proved more powerful. Gladiator was not used to being on this side of things. The loser's side of things. He wasn't one to lose a fight, even against Daredevil.
Gladiator charged at Spider-Man, full of rage, "No one beats me! I'll kill you before I let that happen!"
"Bring it, Russell Crowe!" Peter took a fighting stance, ready to end things with Gladiator.
Before the pair could finish their fight, lights and sirens filled the warehouse as NYPD cruisers poured in from both entrances.
Detective Elise and Captain Stacy jumped out with their guns drawn. In unison, they both shouted, "Freeze!"
-11:15 PM-
Peter and Gladiator froze in their spots. Gladiator looked at Peter and rolled his eyes, "Perfect. The fuzz, this night just keeps getting better."
"Hands in the air now!" Captain Stacy shouted. Detective Elise slowly made her way to Gladiator and Spider-Man.
Somehow, Gladiator was as calm as he was when the night began, but Peter was rightfully freaking out. There wasn't much he could do. Trying to escape would surely end with him being, at worst, shot and, at best, a city-wide fugitive. Gladiator could feel the anxiety radiating from Spider-Man.
"What's wrong? Never been a criminal before?" Gladiator laughed, toying with Spider-Man.
Peter panicked, thinking of any possible way to escape this predicament. Luckily for Peter, his opportunity quickly revealed itself.
*BOOM* *boom* *HSSSSS*
The South wall of the building erupted in flames as a forceful blast knocked everyone in the building off of their feet. A second more minor explosion caused smoke to fill the room, limiting visibility. An armored U-Haul truck drifted into the building as Lucky Lew's goons poured out of the back hatch.
"Get the tech, get the tech!" One of Lucky Lew's goons started shouting.
The goons fumbled through the smoke, looking for the tech, but quickly realized it was gone.
"We're too late, it's gone. What the hell, Bob? It's not here!" One of the goons poked another in the chest. Bob responded, "It was! And we wouldn't be late if you didn't forget to put gas in the trucks!"
Police outside the building were funneling in, making their way through the smoke. Lucky Lew's men opened fire on the encroaching officers, laying cover for their getaway. The fire started rapidly spreading through the building, causing it to become unstable. The ceiling and roof began collapsing as the heat started to rise.
Peter groggily came to his senses and pushed himself off the floor with his elbows. He rubbed his head and looked around the room to get his bearings. Peter's head was ringing, and he tried to steady his vision. Although his vision was obscured, he could clearly make out the shape of Gladiator rising to his feet across from him. Gladiator rubbed his head and groaned. Peter decided to end things. He wasn't going to let someone else escape justice.
Peter stepped toward Gladiator, but Captain Stacy's screams stopped him.
"Elise?! Elise, where are you?!" Captain Stacy was frantically searching for Detective Elise.
Looking back at Captain Stacy, Peter saw Detective Elise buried under rafters and concrete. This made him hesitate. Tonight's plan fell apart almost instantly, and he needed to salvage anything he could, but not at the expense of another's life. He vowed to never let someone die because of him again. And if that meant letting a violent criminal go, then so be it.
Peter sighed and slunk away through the smoke to Detective Elise as Gladiator limped in the opposite direction. The lower half of her body was pinned, and she was unconscious. He could still hear Captain Stacy yelling for her.
"Come on, Maya, I got you, I got you." Peter was breathing heavily, trying to clear debris. The building rapidly became unstable, affording him only minimal time to free the detective. He pulled a loose concrete slab to the side and finally got his hands on Detective Elise. He tried pulling her to safety, but her legs were smashed under a large section of the roof.
The flames were encroaching without hesitation. The smoke was choking Peter's lungs. He squatted down beside the detective and started lifting the downed ceiling. He struggled to free her even with his enhanced strength.
"I'm not letting you die, Maya!" Peter was straining even harder as the concrete barely budged, "Come on, almost there."
Captain Stacy tore through the smoke as Peter struggled and locked eyes with him. Peter hesitated after seeing Captain Stacy. They shared a brief moment of stillness before the captain holstered his weapon and ran to Detective Elise.
"Son, you lift, I'll pull. Go, GO!" Captain Stacy barked orders at Peter, doing anything to save his subordinate. Peter put everything he had into one final lift. He managed to lift the massive slab enough for Captain Stacy to drag Detective Elise to safety.
Peter looked to the captain, expecting him to pull his gun. Instead, Captain Stacy radioed for help, "Officer down, I repeat, Officer down. I need EMS here NOW!"
Captain Stacy looked back and nodded to Spider-Man. That was the only cue Peter needed. Hacking and coughing, Peter webbed out of the new opening in the roof and swung away into the night.
Everything had fallen apart. Months of planning and expectations exploded with a fiery vengeance. Sifting through his failure would take time, but he could start in the morning. Peter wanted only to wash the soot and smoke off his body and get some sleep.
-12:00 AM-
Silvermane sat in his wheelchair, looking out his penthouse window, observing New York. A smile crept across his face as he reflected on the night's events. Silvermane managed to secure the tech, keep his money, and snub Kingpin simultaneously. The deal worked out better than he ever could have imagined.
A thin, sickly-looking man with glasses walked into the room carrying a tablet. He tapped and swiped on it as he approached Silvermane.
"Sir, I'm starting a compendium of projects to begin working on since we have procured this new technology. I've compiled a list of items needed to quickly facilitate development and production. I just need your approval."
Alistair Smythe was a scientist specializing in cybernetics and genetics. His family had been closely tied to the Maggia and Silvermane specifically. He graduated from MIT and held several Ph. D.s in multiple fields. He was short and skinny with unkempt hair that resembled a mullet. He wore big, wire-framed glasses that he constantly kept pushing back up his nose. His clothes always seemed to be one size too big.
After Silvermane was ousted from New York, Smythe was among the first people, alongside Gladiator, to be brought into the new era. Silvermane kept him close and used his brilliance to maintain his status as a significant player in the criminal underworld. Smythe was rewarded for his loyalty and expertise. He always got what he wanted.
Silvermane began to respond, but his cell phone started ringing. He raised an eyebrow, looking at his caller ID. He held a finger up to Smythe and answered his call.
"What a pleasant surprise; I didn't think I would hear from you." Silvermane spun back around in his chair and faced the window.
Smythe stood there silently, waiting for his chance to speak when the entrance door flung open. Gladiator angrily barged in.
"I'll kill that little punk! Who does he think he is? Huh?! Does he think he's better than me?! Some costumed freak?!" Gladiator was kicking chairs and getting louder with every step.
Smythe spun around and shushed Gladiator. "Quiet, you dunce. Can't you see the boss is on the phone!" Smythe may have been frail, but his intellect gave him a superiority complex.
Gladiator pointed at Smythe, "I need you to make me an upgrade for my gear, egghead. I'm gonna kill that masked idiot, and you're gonna help me." His eyes were burning with rage.
Smythe sighed and looked back at Silvermane, who was still on the phone. Smythe rolled his eyes and looked back at Mr. Potter.
With another heavy sigh, Smythe dropped his head. "Ugh, fine. The boss is busy anyway. Follow me into my lab, and we'll review your required specifications." Smythe never passed on accepting a science project.
Gladiator punched his hand and cracked his knuckles, "Hell yes."
The duo walked into an adjacent room as Silvermane wrapped up his conversation.
"All of that sounds great, but what about Kingpin? He won't be letting this go. He won't stop until he gets revenge on everyone who wronged him. How do you suggest we handle him going forward?" There was a joy to Silvermane's voice but with a slight hint of insecurity.
"Ah, I see. Clever." Whatever the person on the other line said surprised Silvermane. But it needed to be more convincing. "But Kingpin is wily. I won't be convinced until I see his lifeless body in front of me. Part of me hopes you're right about this; it's been so long since I've had power in New York. I'll let you handle it, but it's still wait and see for me."
Silvermane nodded along as the conversation reached its conclusion. "Right, right. Okay, well, I appreciate the phone call. I look forward to our future together if everything goes as you say. Talk to you soon, N-"
Silvermane was suddenly cut off. A confused, disgusted look spread through his face as he blinked slowly. "I'm not calling you that. No, I don't care. We'll talk soon."
He ended the call and tossed his phone. He reached for the intercom and said, "Smythe, get in here. We got business to discuss."
-11:30 PM-
Kingpin and three of his men escaped the botched deal and were driving through the city. Fisk was furious. He did his best to secure the tech these last few months, even at the expense of some of his closest allies. Even if that meant working with his old nemesis. He did exactly what he was supposed to do. But nothing prepared him for dealing with Spider-Man. He wasn't like any other would-be heroes who tried to topple him. He was actually effective. That's what infuriated Kingpin the most. Being bested by a costumed freak.
"Boss, what do we do next?" one goon asked for reassurance.
Kingpin looked around the cab but said nothing. The goons looked at each other with concerned looks. What was Kingpin's next step? How would he be able to recover from this? He wasn't the only one with something to lose in this deal. As he silently pondered, MR. NO rang his cell phone. Kingpin sighed and rubbed his forehead before answering the phone.
"MR. NO, I'm not in the mood. I will handle the situation; I don't need you in my ear telling me what I already know." Kingpin was fed up with the evening's events. The last thing he wanted to do was answer to MR. NO.
"Oh, and what exactly is it that you already know? That you're an abject failure? That you can't even handle a simple transaction? Honestly, Fisk, I don't think I've ever been more disappointed in someone like I have been with you." MR. NO paused briefly but continued before Kingpin could respond. "Perhaps this is what they mean by not judging a book by its cover." MR. NO sighed heavily, "But oh well. You live and learn; such is business."
"MR. NO, consider this our last conversation. I should have never agreed to work with you. You've brought me nothing but bad luck. And you better hope our paths never cross again. Because I won't hold the same restraint toward you as I have during our partnership." Kingpin put MR. NO on notice. The gloves were coming off, and Kingpin was prepared to strike indiscriminately.
"I can't say I didn't see this coming, but I wish you all the best in your future endeavors." MR. NO was surprisingly upbeat, considering the situation. "No hard feelings, Fisk. In fact, I left you a little gift to celebrate a job well done, but it's still yours regardless of our outcome. Godspeed, Kingpin."
MR. NO promptly hung up, leaving silence in Kingpin's ear. He pulled his phone away, staring at it in confusion. "Gift?" he said aloud, pondering what that could mean. "What gift?"
One of the goons opposite Kingpin pulled a package from under the seat. "I kicked this under the seat before we got to the deal; I just thought it was something of yours that got left in here." The goon produced a small box wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper. Kingpin's eyes grew wider as the goon wasted no time opening it.
"Wait, don't…" Kingpin tried to stop him, but a loud, continuous tone screeched from inside as the goon opened the box. The goon shot Kingpin a look of desperation but had no time to act. The package exploded with a brilliant fireball. The truck's cab bent and flexed as the explosion shattered the windows. Smoke billowed as the flaming SUV swerved off the road, crashing into the ditch. Each individual still inside burnt to a crisp.
MR. NO officially ended his working relationship with Kingpin, effective immediately.
End Chapter Fourteen