Peter and Aaron who was in his Prowler suit had sneaked their way to the sewers to meet up with Connors in his lab. Connors then showed them some sort of device that he put a vial in it. "Use this on the ceiling of the plant and it should dispel the counter-agent to dispel the effects of Grave Dust. With how long this Tombstone has been affected by the full Diox-3 however; I can't guranteed that the effect on him will be more than temporary." Connors said showing off the device as Aaron came up to get it.
"So... Still getting used to the fact that I'm speakign to a giant lizard man... Wonder how Spidey here got used to it so quick." Aaron quipped as he then stared at Connors who stared back. "So what's your hero name? Doctor Lizard?" Aaron then asked as Connors shook his head.
"I prefer not to to draw attention to myself Prowler if I don't need to and besides; I'm not a superhero... I'm a scientist." Connors then said as Peter came closer.
"Thanks for all your help Doc..." Peter said as he then looked to where Connors was keeping the vial with the serum to increase his strength. He thought about it but remembered how it was getting used to his powers when he was developing it; how hard would it be to hold back his exhanced strength and abilities out of the costume once he's had it?
"I think we can handle Tombstone and his gang without the need for this now..." Peter said as he and Aaron then got ready to leave.
"It will be here waiting for you when you decide that you need it Spider-Man." Connors then replied waving them goodbye before going back to his work in the lab.
Peter and Aaron both swinged to the shut down Alchemax plant and saw several trucks arriving at the plant. They both watched in hiding as out came several armed men to meet the biker guards; leading the armed men was a blonde haired man in a longcoat.
"You were warned... New York belongs to the Big Man and he gifted Brooklyn to me; so I am shutting down your operations and annexxing your gang into my operations. So consider me Mr Bennett Brant your new boss!" the blonde haired man then said as the bikers then scoffed and got out inhalers. Brant then motioned for his men to open fire on the bikers before they could use their inhalers.
Peter looked away and was about to do something when Aaron blocked him and said "let them distract eachother; focus on shutting down Grave Dust..." Peter wanted to protest but reluctantly followed Aaron through the window.
They got in and the bikers inside were using their inhalers and running to the inside to deal with Brant and his men. Aaron then set up the machine on the roof and told Peter "have to keep them distracted so that this thing can have enough time to work it's magic..."
Aaron then sent down smoke bombs and he and Peter then went down and started taking out bikers before they could use their inhalers. Peter was webbing them up but then the smoke cleared and some bikers under Grave Dust then rushed Peter and Aaron who had to dodge. "Spider-Man and Prowler... You will find that my skin is much stronger then metal..." Tombstone remarked with a smirk on his face.
"So you're Tombstone? Did you come up with it yourself or did someone nickname you that?" Peter quipped as they then rushed Tombstone with webs and projectiles from Aaron. Tombstone got out of the webs and took the projeciles; Aaron went to attack him with the claws off his gauntlet but he was pushed back and Peter then went to punch him but Tombstone didn't even flinch.
Some Grave Dust users then dragged a beaten up Brant to them; "Here's the underboss that the Big Man gave Brooklyn to..." one of them said and Peter flinched as before Brant could plead for his life; Tombstone then put his neck into a chokehold and snapped his neck.
Aaron was firing at the machinery to cause them to catch on fire; the Grave Dust users were getting weaker as they were turning to normal but Tombstone then got to Peter before he could react to his Spider-Sense. He had him into a tough bearhug that Peter was struggling to break out of or breathe.
Then the machine on the roof started activating dispelling Connors' counter to Grave Dust; the bikers found their inhalers not working and Peter felt Tombstone losing his strength and managed to get out. He managed to pick him up and slam him to the ground. "This won't work on me forever... I will get out and we will have a rematch Spider-Man..." Tombstone said shooting Peter a grin which unnerved them.
Peter and Aaron then left as they heard police sirens; "So it looks like Grave Dust is gone for and Fisk's self chosen baron is gone..." Peter said to Aaron as they were on top of a nearby building to see the aftermath. Aaron shot him a look and Peter sighed saying "Wilson Fisk... I am quite certain that he is the Big Man but I just think of him as Kingpin in my head..." Peter said as Aaron looked at him.
"I can believe it... Never trusted the look that Fisk gave in interviews and photos..." Aaron said as he looked down. "Without the toadey here and with Grave Dust gone; there will be a vaccum with every wannabe gangster in the neighbourhood wanting to take advantage." Aaron said as Peter sighed.
"Looks like I will be in Brooklyn a lot then for the time being..." Peter sighed as Aaron shook his head.
"Focus on the rest of New York; let me take care of my home turf. I'll call you if I need help and you do the same if you need help? That sounds good?" Aaron asked as Peter thought that it sounded like it would make things simpler for him and the city. He then put up a fist bump motion that Aaron sighed before accepting as if to humour him.
Wesley had just gotten the news and delivered it to Fisk in his office.
"So... While Tombstone is off to Stryker's Island and his Grave Dust operations are down... We lost everyone sent thee including Brant and his personal council that he brought with him..." Fisk said to feeling agitated as he then banged his desk. "I want reinforcements to keep order in Brooklyn; long enough for a replacement for Brant to be decided." Fisk then ordered and Wesley nodded.
"Will that be all?" Wesley asked Fisk who then shook his head as he put his hands together.
"Contact the Mayor; I need a new supervillain. The costumed obstacles in my domain are being troublesome again." Fisk then responded as Wesley nodded and left.
It was Saturday morning when Peter woke up and got to the living room to see May watching TV; it was a report about the Grave Dust manufacturing operation being shut down in Brooklyn. "A drug that turns people into stone people? What is this world coming to?" May asked as Peter then patted her on the shoulder.
"Well I think Spider-Man is keeping things under control." Peter said as May sighed.
"Even still... He is part of the weird stuff happening... If you see something like this Peter then you go away; I don't want you caught up in this... Especially after what happened to Ben..." May then told him matter of factly as Peter frowned and nodded.
May would certainly freak if she knew and Peter nodded; he then heard his phone go off. Going to his room he checked and saw a text from Felicia:
Heard about Brooklyn; that you?
Peter sighed and thought about it; Felicia's tip was real helpful.
Yeah and Prowler; I want to say thanks for leading me to Patch. Led us to take things down.
Then came Felicia's reply.
Don't mention it. You should introduce him to me sometime.
Peter just shook his head as he planned out his day; he had a feeling that she meant once she suited up which he hoped wasn't anytime soon if at all.
Connors' line about being a scientist and not a superhero is inspired by the similar one used in the game tie-in to the first Amazing Spider-Man movie. So Peter now has a serum to make him stronger from Connors who is also keeping it safe. Plus with the new power vacuum in Brooklyn; Prowler is now acting as its own crimefighter. Plus as I said in a previous chapter; 'Kingpin' is just Peter's personal nickname for Fisk while his official crime boss name is 'the Big Man of Crime'.