CHAPTER 9: FROM SHOCK TO CHARCOAL

General James Ironwood stood at the cafeteria's center with a profound sense of bewilderment. A large number of his senior staff officers sat around him and whispered amongst themselves. The cafeteria was full, as usual, but it had been that way since General Ironwood had walked through the door a minute ago. Everyone's eyes were focused on the big screen in front of them, displaying the morning Vale news broadcast.

"Good morning. Welcome to the Vale Morning News!" The field reporter's voice came over the loudspeakers. "As you can see here, standing behind me was a building that was on fire not too long ago."

The camera panned out to show several fire trucks and ambulances parked near a large building. There, firefighters battled flames with small hoses and large extinguishers. The building was stable but smoke still poured out of every window, obscuring the inside of every soul's office. An unconscious woman in a stretcher rode past the cameraman's view, while her husband held her hand tightly as she was led away from the charred building.

"It was just a normal day for these people. All of them minding their own business, going about their daily lives without anything to worry about. That was until an overloaded circuit board exploded in this building. Fifteen people were injured, while those that were away from the blast zone were completely unaffected."

The scene changed to reveal the building from the inside. Walls and floors were blackened by the fire and scorched beyond recognition. The only parts of the interior that weren't smoldering were in the lobby and waiting room, which was also destroyed by the explosion. As expected, an ambulance was parked there, its emergency lights flashing.

"But before the fire was put out, most of the people that were trapped inside were saved by not a Huntsman or a Huntress. But Vale's web-swinging vigilante: Spider-Man."

An image popped on screen. Revealing Spider-Man leaping out of a window, carrying a woman in bridal-style and landing on top of one of the fire trucks. Another image followed, showing the web-head carrying three people; two Faunus men wrapped around under his armpits, a Faunus woman clung tightly to his back, and her arms encircling his neck. The last photo showed Spider-Man swinging away, journeying forward while the civilian's watched in awe and wonder.

"Spider-Man was able to save nearly forty lives in only five minutes. Because of the good deeds he wrought today many people, including the Faunus community, have dubbed Spider-Man as a hero. However, some Huntsman, Huntresses, and the police department still see him as a bad influence to the youth of Vale. But even so both human and Faunus still give their support to Spider-Man. Here are their comments of what they think of Spider-Man's new heroics."

The report switched to multiple people in a large group. Each saying what they think of Spider-Man's heroism.

"I see Spider-Man as a symbol of hope: the first person we ever had who didn't fear for his life when faced with danger. Just last week, I was going through a tough time and… was planning to take my own life just to end it all. But then Spider-Man came and convinced me otherwise. He is an amazing man, and his heroic actions today will be seen by many as the beginning of a great change in Vale's future."

Another group said how they felt about Spider-Man and his efforts for saving lives.

"He has helped us greatly as a person and hero. My wife was in this building and was trapped inside when said building was on fire. I prayed for my beloved's safety, and they were answered in the form of Spider-Man himself. My wife wouldn't be here if not for him. If you're watching this Spider-Man, thank you."

"It's thanks to Spider-Man that most people in Vale are safe. The guy stands for something, you know; he's got a lot of courage. And he's got a huge heart. Who else you know goes out there and helps people? With no agenda? Guy doesn't care what you say about him—he helps people. And that's why we support him."

Back with the reporter, several mugshots appeared next to her showing several Faunus.

"Throughout these past few days, more Dust shops were hit, and like all those before them White Fang members were found tied up in webs with notes attached to them and masks shattered, revealing their identity. With the increase of White Fang activity, the Faunus community made a statement that they are against the White Fang and their evil agenda. Here are some real-time comments from the Faunus community and their stance with the criminal group."

Once again, the camera shifted its focus to reveal the Faunus, who were also holding red signs adorned with a black spider insignia alongside the humans. In unison, they chanted the name of the hero with a web-themed persona. Both factions shared a common objective: to lend their support to Spider-Man.

"The White Fang lost sight of their true objective when they resorted to violence against both sides. Spider-Man is diligently striving to prevent any further descent into chaos."

"Spider-Man serves as a bridge, connecting both humans and Faunus, to demonstrate that we are all individuals endeavoring to create a better world. This extends not only to the kingdom of Vale, but to all the realms, emphasizing the need for unity and dispelling any sense of fear."

"I believe that Spider-Man was once affiliated with the White Fang, but departed upon recognizing its deteriorating nature. Presently, he endeavors to safeguard not only the Faunus, but also humans from harm. I surmise that this is why he is adored by many, as he perceives individuals in need of assistance, regardless of their human or Faunus identity."

"It is rather extraordinary, when you think about it. The White Fang had persistently advocated for equal rights for the Faunus, yet their pleas fell on deaf ears. Now, in the present, the White Fang resorts to violent acts, unjustly punishing innocent Faunus who are not part of the organization. However, Spider-Man's presence has instilled a sense of security among the populace, as humans and Faunus collaborate towards a shared objective. The swiftness with which one man can effect change is truly remarkable, although I suppose such feats are attainable when one possesses the mantle of Spider-Man."

The scene changed again to the newsroom with a well-dressed man at the center of the table.

"With many of the recent crimes being Dust related thefts, people now think that the White Fang is working along the infamous Roman Torchwick. Police and Huntsmen are still trying to capture him, but no results so far. Thank you for tuning into Vale morning news."

The screen changes into commercial break and everyone in the cafeteria proceeded with breakfast as though nothing had happened. Ironwood crossed his arms whilst humming in thought, looking down at the floor as the sounds of both chatter and laughter faded. The masked vigilante's name 'Spider-Man,' echoed around his thoughts akin to a mantra. This was Ironwood's second time hearing about the vigilante and his exploits; the first being during his time at Atlas when he saw a news report about Spider-Man saving two children from a speeding truck.

It was subsequent to that incident that the denizens of Vale developed an interest in the enigmatic figure known as Spider-Man. However, at that juncture, Ironwood remained oblivious to the details of his endeavors, as the existence of this vigilante had eluded his awareness. It appeared that the more individuals discovered about Spider-Man, the more captivated they became. Yet, Ironwood found himself somewhat ambivalent about this phenomenon. On one hand, the Faunus community exhibited a profound fascination with Spider-Man's remarkable feats. On the other hand, a sense of unease and wariness pervaded Ironwood's sentiments, owing to the overwhelming popularity that Spider-Man had attained.

One certainty emerged from this situation: Spider-Man's actions were not leaving a favorable impression on either the Huntsman or the Huntresses. Both factions were evidently experiencing a decline in their financial resources within the kingdom. The populace of Vale seemed to believe that Spider-Man was more adept at safeguarding their well-being, thereby casting a negative light upon these established groups. The immaturity displayed by both the human and Faunus communities compelled Ironwood to question whether Spider-Man comprehended the far-reaching consequences of his actions upon these two factions.

Ironwood shook his head. He was getting too deep in his thoughts again; he needed to focus on more mundane tasks, namely, the new Atlesian Knights and the Atlesian Paladin project. Yesterday he learned from one of his best scientists that the newer version of the Atlesian Knights is almost finished and will be released to the public next month. While the Atlesian Paladin Project is still in its early stages, the scientists are making good progress.

"Ah, James!"

Ironwood shifted his gaze towards the door where a man was walking towards him. Approaching him was a black man dressed in a smooth, white suit. His white hair was styled in a high top, his dark chocolate eyes glistening in the morning light, making him appear very attractive. He wore black loafers and his red tie contrasted greatly against the white suit.

Ironwood recognized the familiar man to be his acquaintance, named Roderick Kingsley. He and Roderick had met years prior, when they formed a partnership between Astro Tech and Atlas Military. As one of the founders of the company, both of them received lucrative contracts from Atlas for services rendered. Their collaboration brought their respective companies together, thus enabling Atlas to acquire much more power than either had previously envisioned. The resulting expansion into weapons technology resulted in the development of powerful new military weapons and robots.

It still remains as Atlas Military's biggest success to this day. In addition to the fact that they were both extremely intelligent individuals, there were certain things that connected the pair: they're both courteous and cordial, they shared strong belief system, and they shared similar values regarding the people of Vale's safety. As a bonus they get along pretty well with each other but still remain as acquaintances. Upon entering the cafeteria, Roderick extended his hand to Ironwood in greeting.

"How are you this fine morning?" Roderick asked with a chuckle.

"As always." Ironwood replied and returned the handshake. "I didn't expect you to come here, if I have to be honest."

"Haha, if I had nickel for every time I heard that," Roderick said with a hearty laugh. "But if you must know, I came here to give you an invitation."

Ironwood raised a brow at Roderick. "An invitation?"

Roderick nodded "Yes. For my wife's birthday of course. Everyone will be there. The board members, some old friends of mine, and two… familiar faces."

Ironwood slightly narrowed his eyes.

"Care to be specific on who those familiar faces are?" Ironwood inquired.

Roderick sighed.

"Well, the last ones to be invited to the party are Norman Osborn, Jaques Schnee, Willow Schnee, and Wilson Fisk." He replied.

Ironwood's gloved hand bawled to a fist behind his back. Wilson Fisk's name immediately caught his attention; he has been on edge ever since he read the reports about this man a few months ago. However, even with his current animosity towards him, he remained outwardly composed and continued to speak to Roderick.

"And when will this party take place?" Ironwood enquired.

"Tomorrow night at eight o'clock sharp. You're free tomorrow, right?" He inquired with a hopeful expression.

Ironwood nodded. "Of course." He answered.

"Alright." Roderick turns away towards the double doors. "I'll see you at the party."

Ironwood watched Roderick's silhouette until it disappeared into the corridor. As soon as he was gone Ironwood felt his right pocket vibrating. He pulled out his scroll and checked his caller ID. Upon reading the name of the sender, Ironwood's eyes instantly narrowed. He pressed accept, bringing the device up to his ear.

"Hello?" He spoke coolly while staring down at the ground.

"Sir, we've got a problem," replied a voice belonging to Winter Schnee. "Kasady's on the move."

Ironwood marched forward.

"I'm on my way."

Josh, a lively senior citizen, was among the pedestrians who observed a convertible speeding in their direction, seemingly oblivious to the potential destruction it could cause. Such occurrences are often witnessed on television, undoubtedly. But Josh, having resided in Vale his entire life, had never before been an actual eyewitness to such an event. Two police cars were closely tailing the convertible, akin to determined bloodhounds that had caught the scent. One of the police cars pulled up alongside, and the Lincoln abruptly veered sharply.

It forcefully collided with the police car, causing the officer behind the wheel to lose control. In the midst of the chaos, the officer let out a scream, which was soon joined by the cries of the onlookers as his vehicle somersaulted completely over. It was hurtling directly towards Josh and the individuals in close proximity to him.

And then it stopped.

In midair.

Josh let out a gasp, as did the individuals surrounding him. It was as if the intangible hand of the divine had indeed descended and grasped the automobile, thus preserving their lives.

Subsequently, Josh, whose vision remained keen, caught sight of something shimmering in the illumination of the street lamps. It appeared to be upholding the police car, suspending it in mid-air. He cautiously extended his hand and made contact with something that seemed to exist and yet not exist simultaneously.

"It's a web," he uttered.

Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed by, accompanied by the sound of something slicing through the atmosphere above them. It was at that moment that Josh and the rest of the onlookers directed their gaze upwards and witnessed a figure adorned in blue and red zooming past in the sky.

He found it quite unbelievable. He had been absolutely convinced that it was a fabrication concocted by the news media to boost newspaper sales or promote products for advertisers on Vale News. However, to his astonishment, there stood the costumed individual who had made numerous appearances in news reports.

Just up ahead, the convertible swiftly traversed an intersection, closely pursued by the remaining police vehicle. Subsequently, the traffic light altered its signal and the cross-traffic commenced its movement. Spider-Man was now hurtling directly towards a substantial truck that had positioned itself directly in his trajectory.

It was utterly impossible for Spider-Man to decelerate in time to evade the truck. He did not even attempt to do so. Instead, he contorted his body sideways, narrowly clearing the confined space between the truck and the cab that was transporting it. The truck driver twisted in his seat, gaping, as Spider-Man angled up and away, accompanied by a deliriously demented, "Whooooooo-hoooooooo!"

One man leaned out of the window with their pistol in hand and began firing up at him. Not only was the gunman firing up at him, but the driver was likewise leaning out the window and shooting.

"Eyes on the road, boys! Wouldn't want to hurt somebody!" Shouted Spider-Man, even though he knew they weren't going to hear him.

With a remarkable display of agility that would have surely impressed even the most accomplished Olympic gymnast, Spider-Man skillfully evaded the incoming bullets, gracefully maneuvering through the air. In a swift motion, he swooped down, launching web-balls with precision. One of these web-balls successfully disarmed the driver, causing the pistol to slip from his grasp. The other web-ball struck the gunman directly under his chin, momentarily stunning him. As a result, he found himself hanging weakly out of the window, his arms dangling helplessly while the gun clattered away.

Spider-Man gracefully landed on the trunk of the speeding car and extended his wrists. With remarkable precision, web-lines shot out, skillfully ensnaring the torsos of both men. The other ends of these webs were securely attached to a nearby lamppost. Due to the car's own momentum, it continued to roll forward, causing the web-lines to gradually stretch and then snap taut. Consequently, the driver and the gunman were effortlessly lifted up and out of the car, left suspended from the lamppost, their fate now in the hands of Spider-Man.

Spider-Man slithered in through the open window just as the convertible was beginning to slow. He didn't allow it the opportunity and brought his foot down on the gas, speeding it up. As he turned down a side street, he caught a glimpse of bewildered police behind him pulling to a stop. They were staring in wonderment at the sight of the criminals suspended in midair by gossamer-thin threads.

Peter pulled off his mask. He guided the convertible toward the alley where he had stashed his clothes, not having had the time to web them to his back. He hoped that he was returning to them quickly enough; the last time he'd had to leave his street clothes behind, he'd returned to discover what appeared to be a pregnant rat making a nest out of them.

Dressed back in his clothes he parked the convertible next to other cars and began walking down the sidewalk. He distracted himself with thoughts of the new villain he was fighting yesterday. Not too long ago he encountered his fist villain, whom he dubbed Sandman, and now Vulture was added to the list. Peter deduced if he were to face Vulture again, taking him down wouldn't be a problem.

Sandman, however, was another issue.

The second issue was that Vulture somehow escaped and is now hiding. Then there's Roman Torchwick, who's still on the loose along with the White Fang. He has no leads, no means of tracking them. But he's close. With so many of them being put behind bars they'll become desperate enough to try and get more Dust from what shops have.

And with Roman working with them he probably knows when the next shipment will be. Which will give him the perfect opportunity to get the jump on them. But he'll need to take Sandman down first before he could even get near the master thief.

Peter sighed. He'll have to save his investigation tomorrow; he's tired and would really love to get some sleep. He loves being Spider-Man but being a big time superhero can be tiring, especially when he does nothing but swinging around the city and fighting criminals on a daily basis.

"Hopefully this time there won't be any distractions like yesterday." Peter said under his breath.

Peter proceeded forward until he made it home.

The world blurred around Max Dillon as he charged aimlessly through the woods. He vigorously pumped his arms and legs in brief intervals, with the hope that his physical strength would surpass his mental capacity, and fervently prayed that his legs would transport him away from the pursuing law enforcement officers.

Sweat trickled down his face as he ran, the trees passing him by in a blur. Occasionally, patches of moonlight shone through the gaps in the branches and leaves of the path ahead. The dense canopy above blocked out most of the moonlight, creating a tunnel-like atmosphere. Despite his fatigue, he pushed himself to run faster.

As Max proceeded, he observed that the trees were gradually becoming more spacious, and the undergrowth was receding. With his expertise, he discerned that he was nearing a waterway. In the event that he locates a river or a stream, he could pursue the current to the end of the valley, where his superior awaits him in an aircraft.

Max felt a smile tremble on his lips.

Maybe he was gonna escape after all.

Max yelped when his bare foot slipped through the mud and he fell forward with a wet smack. His sense of fight-or-flight possessed him. He dug his hands into the marshy turf and dragged himself forward through the thick stalks and swamp vegetation.

Max pulled himself over a slope and screamed when gravity wrenched him down. His scream ceased when he fell into frigid, fetid water. The cold shocked him and he thrust his head out of the water, panting and shivering.

Max scanned around him and his face immediately strained with panic. It appeared he had fallen into a giant steel well; his only chance at escape had been a pipe dream. There was no escape. He was trapped.

Somewhere behind the steel walls there was a low humming.

Max was unable to react or determine the source of the noise before he was suddenly struck by a bright flash. The world around him was illuminated in a vivid cyan hue, with shadows tracing every object. He experienced an intense, fiery pain that spread throughout his entire body, causing his skin to burn. The water rippled as his body shook violently, and his high-pitched cry was drowned out by the increasing volume of the machine's humming.

The well returned back into darkness. Max's charcoal corpse floated motionless on the water's surface. Streaks of electricity danced around his body. There was no screaming, no humming.

Only silence.

A/N: And that was chapter 9 young readers! Well, well, we got a little tease of Kasady and the birth of Electro himself.But we won't be seeing Electro just yet or even Kasady. I'm saving Kasady for future volumes when the time is ripe. As for Electro I might have him make an appearance once Sandman is finally dealt with, along with docks event in RWBY is finished. With all of that said, I'll be taking my leave. See you in the next chapter, young readers!