The other students looked at Flash with wide eyes and slacked jaws. They couldn't be serious. This had to be a prank, albeit one in terrible taste. However, one look at the expressions of Roberto, Danny and Amadeus told them all what they needed to know.
"Is that why you're asking for another receiver?" Ava asked, scowling as she stared at the trio.
While the blond and Asian boys averted their eyes away from the Deputy Class President, Roberto stared back, with a piercing gaze. "What if it is?" He asked, his voice having an edge to it.
"Have you idiots forgotten what Iron Man said?!" Ava exclaimed. "This is a serious matter that we have to leave to the professionals to deal with! We can't just get involved and make things worse than they already are!"
"Maybe, but all I know is that I couldn't do anything at camp!" Cho argued, his hands clenched into fists. "I heard that villains were attacking, and I could do nothing! I heard my friends were hurt, and I could do nothing!"
His eyes began to flash green, a warning sign of his anger taking over, "And then when I heard that one friend was being targeted and another later was taken, I could still do nothing! I just stood by helplessly, just like I am right now! How can I call myself a man, let alone a Hero if I just do it again?!"
"Cho, calm down!" Kei said, pointing a finger to his eyes. "You don't wanna get all worked up and Hulk out! This is a hospital!!"
The Asian boy seemed to realize the implication and quickly took several deep breaths, one of the calming techniques his Uncle Fixit had taught him.
"What Ava said is true though," put in Kamala, indicating her bandaged arm. "If anything, the camp proved we're not capable of dealing with this kind of situation."
Riri swallowed the lump in her throat, "So, you want me to make the receiver to track the villains down and rescue Peter? All by yourselves?"
Cho nodded to her, "I'd make one myself, but I'm not familiar enough with Peter's tech like you are. I don't wanna risk damaging something and lose our only lead."
"The villains that attacked the camp planned to kill some of us. But, they wanted to take others alive, like Thompson," Roberto said. He glanced over at the boy, who scoffed and turned away.
"It's been three days since the attack, and who knows what they're doing to him," he went on. "But the fact that his body hasn't turned up somewhere means that they still have him. So for now, there's a strong chance he's alive. But that window gets smaller the longer we stand around debating what's right and wrong."
Reyes stared the girl in the eyes, "Will you help us?"
Riri hesitated for a moment, but then thought of all the times she and Peter spent working together in the lab. He'd made being there more fun, being the only one her age who could keep up with her wild machinations. He was supportive of her dreams, and most of all, if the situation was reversed, he would absolutely drop everything to go and save her.
But before she could give an answer, Ava became infuriated. "Have you guys lost your minds?!" She whirled on Danny, "Especially you and Reyes!! Don't you remember what happened at the camp!? You barely survived that night, and now you're really going to throw yourselves to the wolves again!?"
"Oh, would you shut the hell up, Ava?!" Danny suddenly whirled around and yelled at her. This sudden outburst completely took the girl by surprise, and left everyone else, who were silent for the most part, speechless. Gwen in particular, who'd known the serene, level-headed boy the longest, was downright shocked.
"You were just as helpless as Roberto and I were!!" He exclaimed. "What's worse, the two of us were both out there fighting, and yet we couldn't save him when it counted!"
Danny looked down, his hand placed above the scar on his chest, trying to settle himself. "Forgiveness for my outburst..." He murmured, bowing slightly.
"Ava, I get how frustrated Cho and Rand are," Luke said. "And I understand and how Thompson and Reyes feel since they were helpless in that situation." He looked up to the rest of the class, "I'm just as pissed as you are, but we can't let our emotions get the best of us now. Not when clear heads are needed."
"Think about it from Peter's point of view," put in Wanda. "He did what he did so Flash wouldn't suffer. He would've done the same for any of us in a heartbeat... So if you guys are serious about going after him, then I'm coming with you."
Ava was at a loss for words. Any and every argument she could come up with was countered with one of equal resolve. It seemed nothing she said was getting through to her classmates. True, she was equally concerned for Peter's safety, but as Luke said, this was a time for cooler heads to prevail.
With no one else talking, Sam saw his chance to speak up. "Um..." He nervously raised his hand, "Shouldn't we leave this to Iron Man? I mean, he's the Number One for a reason, we should put our faith in him. Besides, we were only given permission to fight back at the Training Camp. We're not exactly there still..."
"That didn't stop Wall-Crawler from doing it," Flash said, crossing his arms.
"He only did because he was cornered and had no other choice," Azari replied, closing his eyes thoughtfully. "I think Sam has a point, however I was not part of the fighting so I feel that I have no say in this matter."
"Are you guys serious?!" An annoyed Cho exclaimed,
"Listen," Gwen spoke up, and the others turned to the blonde girl as she said her piece. "We're all shocked that Peter was taken from us, but we have to be rational about this."
Everyone stared incredulously at the normally goofy and irrational girl.
"Yeah, I know that's rich coming from me of all people," she went on. "Look, your intentions are noble, but if you do this, you're knowingly breaking the rules, the law even. That's not acting like heroes, it's what villains would do..."
All of them stayed silent as they processed her admittedly valid point. Nobody was certain of what to do. They wanted to go and help their friend, but the thought of going down the slippery slope that creates villains gave them pause.
If they broke the rules, it was game over for all involved. M.A was in enough hot water as it was, and certainly didn't need any more. However, the thought of Peter being tortured by the League poisoned their minds. For those undecided over what to do, it was a battle between their minds and their hearts.
"So that's it then?" Flash asked, getting everyone's attention. "You're just gonna let the bug die so you don't break the rules and be good little boys and girls?" He scoffed, "Some friends you turned out to be."
Just then a knock at the door startled Sam. It was pulled open and a doctor came in. "Sorry to bother you all, but l'll need to look at Ms. William's head injury," he said.
Flash walked towards the door. "What a waste of time," The teen grumbled.
The other students started following him. However, before Roberto and Cho could leave, Riri called out, "Wait!"
She took out a pen and wrote down a list of parts and supplies, a determined expression on her face. "One of you go to the Support Lab," Riri said. "Use my security code to get in; it's 476-636. Find these components, and call me. I can't go with you, but I can at least talk you through building what you need to find the right place."
Roberto exhaled and nodded, "Gracias, corazón."
Riri smiled, "Hey, it's our job to make sure you heroes have what you need, isn't it?"
Amadeus looked at the list, "I recognize most of these parts. I'll go to the lab, the rest of us'll meet outside the hospital tonight at 6. In the meantime, grab some clothes to disguise yourselves. If we're doing this, I'm not taking any chances at getting recognized."
With that, the remaining 2 students left the room to relay the plan to their compatriots. Unbeknownst to them, however, someone overheard what they said.
Later that evening, Amadeus returned to the hospital. He wore a casual outfit that included a purple winter coat. Waiting for him was Roberto, seated in the driver's seat of his mustang by the curb. Wanda, Danny and Flash stood alongside, looking up as the young Hulk approached.
"Took you long enough," the sullen Thompson said.
"He's on time, don't start," Roberto replied, eyeing his classmate before turning to Cho, "Did you get it?"
The Asian boy nodded, holding up a small, rectangular device. "Riri helped me find the right frequency, and the battery should last the rest of the night," he said.
"Yes! Riri you rock!!" Wanda grinned as Danny nodded his approval.
Flash just glared at her with his usual annoyed expression, "Great, now lets get the hell out of here."
Roberto started up his car as his classmates began to leave. Flash sat shotgun as Wanda, Danny, and Cho climbed into the back.
"Hold it!" A voice cut through the air, giving everyone pause. To the surprise of the group, it was none other than Ava, walking toward the front of the vehicle and standing in its way. She scowled at them as she stared at all the students who were willingly going against the rules.
Sighing, the Latino boy opened the car door and walked out, eventually standing face to face with the Vice President.
"Why are you here? I thought you were against this," Roberto asked, doubtful she was here to give them a happy send off.
"Isn't it obvious?" Flash folded his arms, scowling at Ava from his seat. "You wanna die trying to stop us, teacher's pet? You know you can't take us all on."
Ava grit her teeth at the boy's remark, before acknowledging Roberto. "Why did it have to be you, of all people?" She asked, recalling how he'd helped her regain her sense of self during the midterm. "What you're doing now is a mistake! Don't you get that?!"
"Tigre, we have to do this." Roberto said, standing his ground. "I get it, you don't like breaking the rules. Neither do I, but you of all people should want to help-"
BASH!!
Out of nowhere, Ava punched Reyes in the face. This sudden attack shocked everyone in the group as they looked at their classmate with wide eyes and gaping jaws. Even Flash was surprised by this.
"YOU THINK I DON'T WANT TO?!" Ava yelled at him. "I'm just as frustrated and concerned as all of you!"
Her fist trembled as she continued to speak, "I'm not as close with Peter as you guys are, but he's still my classmate, and I'm his Deputy Representative! The fact that he willingly sacrificed himself to save Thompson is a sense of selflessness I only wish I could possess!"
"Then why-?"
"We're still just students!" Ava continued. "And M.A's in a bad enough position as it is. Anything we do will reflect on our school! If this goes poorly, it may be shut down for good!! Can you imagine what would happen if it gets out that a bunch of kids turned vigilante to fight villains!?"
Standing up straight again, Roberto looked into Ava's eyes. A slight bruise was on his cheek. "Of course we considered that," he said. "And you've got it wrong. We don't intend to face the villains head-on. We'll get him back without fighting."
The Vice President stared at him incredulously, "How exactly do you plan on doing that??"
"We'll be stealthy," Amadeus grinned. "I'm talkin' covert ops here! We can rescue him without breaking the rules."
"Since when have you ever been remotely 'stealthy'?" Ava questioned the boy, who shrugged.
"First time for everything!" He replied. "Besides, this little operation needs a big brain to plan!"
"I trust in you guy's judgment." Wanda said, nodding. "But I know things could go wrong, which is why I'm coming to help out as backup."
"Surely, you understand what you're getting yourself into!" Ava exclaimed, still disbelief at her classmate's persistence.
"Of course, I do." The redhead replied, seriousness in her tone. "And I'm still going. Peter needs help, so I'm gonna do what I can to get him back."
She understood what they were going to be doing what was likely the most dangerous thing they've ever done. However, Wanda didn't care. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she just did nothing.
"Well spoken, Wanda," Danny gave a serene, yet approving smile. Although this only brought Ava's attention to the young martial artist.
"You were uncharacteristically passionate earlier, Danny," she noted. "What's your stake in all this?"
The boy, who'd been averting his eyes for a time, slowly raised them to meet Ava's gaze. "Something happened not long ago," he began. "I cannot tell you what it was, but I owe Peter my life. He brought me back from the brink of complete self destruction when I was at my lowest. It's because of him I was able to stay on the Hero's path when all else seemed lost. I swore I would repay that debt one day, and this is it..."
Ava sighed, knowing firsthand the importance of honor and how she wouldn't be able to shake Danny of all people out of his current mindset. Finally, she turned toward the last member of the group.
"And what about you, Flash?" Ava said to the short tempered boy. "You hate Peter, and you've made it no secret about it. So why do you want to go after him?"
"I've got my own reasons," Flash replied with a glare, unwilling to elaborate further. His hand gripped the outer roof and open window frame, his arm covered in black goo with sharp, claw-like fingers on his hands.
"You gonna sucker-punch me too? Try it and see how what happens," he threatened. "We're going to save that stupid bug, so get on board or get out of the way!"
"I'd prefer if you didn't scratch up my car," Roberto said, regarding Flash's antics. The Symiote user glared at his classmate, but respectfully powered down his Quirk. This wasn't his vehicle, after all.
Ava stared at her determined classmates. Finally, she sighed and closed her eyes. "I cant look the other way with this," she said. "But no matter what I say or do, you've already made up your minds." Ava then opened her eyes, piercing through the darkness. "So I suppose I'll have to get on board like you said. I'm coming with you."
The students looked at her in surprise. "Let's get one thing straight though," Ava continued. "I'm coming because I don't condone your behavior. It's a simple as that. If there's even a hint that physical combat might break out, I'm getting us the hell out of there."
Her words were like iron, she would not budge on this. "Objectively speaking, there's no reason for any of us to go after him..." The harsh look on Ava's face softened a little, "That said, I understand how each of you feels, so I'm compromising. Don't forget that."
One by one, the other classmates nodded in agreement.
"Are we done here?" Flash spoke up, "The clock's ticking! Someone let her in and let's go!"
"Um, Flash? There's not a lot of room back here..." Wanda said hesitantly, "If we do find Peter, we'll need the space for him."
"Then where the hell's she supposed to sit!?" He retorted angrily, gesturing toward their new group member.
Roberto looked first at Flash, then at Ava, then at Flash again. His eyebrow quirked slightly and his lip twitched into the barest hint of a smile.
Five minutes later, the group was driving through the outskirts of the city, following the signal from Riri's receiver. Two of the passengers were most displeased with their seating arrangement however.
Ava Ayala, her expression a mix of irritation and embarrassment, sat on Flash Thompson's lap. The boy tried to stare out the window and take his mind off their precarious position. While the Latina girl's face was bright red.
"Just watch where you put those hands, Thompson," Ava said irritably.
Flash rolled his eyes, "Don't flatter yourself, you're not my type."
The passengers in the rear tried to suppress their laughter as the duo sharing a seat bickered. Meanwhile, Roberto kept his eyes on the road, hoping that their efforts would not be in vain.
Around this time, Peter had been brought up into the bar room. He was still tied to the chair, however his body was slowly recovering from the fatigue, the sole exception being Peter's wrists. While they had at least thankfully stopped bleeding, the skin was scarred under the bandages and crude stitching.
With his mind no longer clouded by painkillers and the overstimulation of a frantic battle, Peter could focus on making an escape plan. His brain was racing as he considered different scenarios for escape.
Can I break through the ropes faster than they can react? Who would I have to fight? What's the fastest way out the door? Where's this bar even located? Can I be quick enough without my webs?
The planning of course was easier said than done, as his concentration was continually interrupted by the antics and interactions of the villains. Most of them kept to themselves, while others came to curiously look over their prisoner.
"Sooo, your name's Peter, right?" Asked Sinthea, sitting in front of him in her own chair. A flirty grin was on her face. "How does your Quirk make you bleed? Can you show me?"
"Sinthea, stop flirting with the hostage," grunted Rhino from his table. He was having shots with Kraven and Chameleon..
"Oh, let me have my fun, Rhiny!!" Sin replied.
"Keep it down, both of you!" Vulture called over. He stared up at the TV and turned up the volume, "I want to hear more of this." A news station was discussing the assault on Central Park.
"It would appear that the principals behind the M.A High training camp attack were divided into two groups, both closely associated with the League of Villains," said a blonde reporter. "The League was previously involved in the Attack on M.A, and the Sentinel Incident-"
Vulture changed the channel.
"The youngest victim in the training camp attack is reportedly the son of Pro Hero Demolisher, who'd been killed by Juggernaut in a tragic-"
He changed the channel again.
"It's perfectly obvious to me that there's some sort of problem with M.A's current management. If I had a child who wanted to become a Hero, there's no way I'd enroll them in a school that-"
The villain muted the TV, smirking with pleasure over the various news reports. Even though the outcome of the attack wasn't as he'd expected it to be, with the Vanguard Action Squad unable to capture Thompson, things had been working out much better than they could have hoped for.
"Gotta love free publicity," said Shocker, glee in his voice.
"Indeed, it is nice to grace the the public eye once more!" Added Batroc, smiling at the TV.
Vulture placed the remote down and turned to face the prisoner. "It truly is something, being in the limelight for a change," he grinned. "Wouldn't you agree, Peter Parker?"
Peter said nothing. Clearly he was restraining his anger, but anyone could wonder just what was on his mind right now. Perhaps he was imagining how much he wanted to beat him up just to wipe that stupid smirk off his face.
"Oh, what's the matter?" The villain teased, "No witty comebacks? No quips or clever observations? Hobgoblin said you've got a mouth on you, but here you are, not saying a word. Honestly, I'm deeply hurt. "
"I'm not hurting you yet, Buzzard," Peter retorted. "Get me out of this chair, and I'll show you 'hurt'!" The boy began to struggle against his bindings, a test to see what the others would do.
CLICK!!!
A gun was cocked and pointed at his head as Nuke kept a pistol trained on him. Vengeance ignited a ball of green fire in his left hand. Turned to his side, Peter could see Sin palming a blade resting on a thigh mounted sheath, her eyes alive with bloodlust.
"I wouldn't be so eager to fight, Peter," Nuke replied snidely. "You can't escape those bindings anyway. So why don't we all just be friends?"
The hostage reluctantly sank back in his seat. "You're no friend of mine," Peter retorted coldly. "No friend points a loaded gun at another friend."
"He's a lost cause," put in Vengeance, green flames still burning in his hand. "We should just kill him and be done with it."
"Nobody asked your opinion, Aloe Vera!" Peter snapped back.
The villain's eyes widened briefly at the insult, before glaring daggers at the boy. He moved forward with his hand raised, ready to make a few burns in Peter's skin, when someone grabbed his wrist.
"Ah-ah!" Shocker warned, "We're not supposed to kill him, at least not while the boss is out.
Vengeance shifted his attention to the yellow and brown villain, "Keep your hands off me, unless you wanna cook from the inside out-"
Shocker quickly removed his hand before his peer could finish the sentence.
"He's right, you know," Nuke said, polishing one of his guns. "Hobgoblin wants us to treat him well, he is our guest after all."
"Yeah? Well, you guys suck at being good hosts," Peter replied, sarcastically rolling his eyes. "And can somebody tell this one to stop starting at me? She's been doing it for hours and it's giving me the creeps!!"
"I'm just doing what the boss asked me and keeping an eye on you..." Sinthea remained in her seat and continued to stare intently at him, even after Hobgoblin left with Azazel and Spot.
Sandman shook his head in exasperation over at his table, a beer bottle sitting in front as his comrades bickered amongst themselves. "Workin' with a bunch of wackos..." he murmured.
"You say something over there, Flint?" Chameleon asked from his seat.
"Nothing," the Sandman replied, taking a swig of his beer.
At that moment, two of the villains teleported back in, absent the Spot. Azazel took his place behind the bar as Hobgoblin glanced to his Sinister Six and thumbed out the door, indicating that he wanted them gone.
Sandman left first, eager to be away from the room full of 'wackos'. Following close behind were Kraven and Chameleon. Vulture, Rhino and Shocker left through the back door. The only remaining villains were Vengeance, Sinthea, Batroc, Nuke, and Whirlwind.
Peter, confused, looked at Hobgoblin, "What? I'm so little of a threat you gave your boys the night off?"
"Something like that," the villain replied, winking at his prisoner.
"Gutentag, I'm pleased you could join us, Herr Parker," said Azazel, pouring a glass of wine for himself.
"Not like I had much of a choice," Peter retorted, glaring at him.
"There's always a choice, I believe Hobgoblin offered you one not long ago. And I do believe he's expecting an answer from you. But first, we'd like to show you a little something..." Azazel went on as he changed the TV channel and unmuted it.
The 40 year-old man onscreen was well known for his news coverage and slandering of M.A over recent months. His toothbrush mustache and a slightly graying flattop haircut were familiar to every student. It was the iconic look of the host and producer of the Daily Bugle's online streaming channel.
"This is J. Jonah Jameson, coming to you live with news from the morally bankrupt, menace creating factory, Marvel Academy High School!"
"You seriously listen to this guy?" Peter asked incredulously.
Hobgoblin shushed him, a finger to his lips. "Patience grasshopper, he hasn't even started yet!" He looked back at the screen as the man continued his tirade.
"As we all know, M.A. has been the leading school when it comes to creating some of the best Heroes in the world," JJJ went on, sitting behind his desk. "Well, I ask you, at what cost?! They've allowed their students to become unqualified menaces who destroy buildings and cause thousands of dollars in damages! Just like many other Heroes in this society!!"
"The whole point of the camp was to prevent that kind of damage!" Peter yelled at the screen, regardless of whether or not the vindictive man could hear him. Hobgoblin snickered at the boy's indignation.
"And yet, no one holds these people accountable! Well, it seems as if the consequences of the people who breed these Heroes are finally catching up to them!" He gestures to the side as a small screen popped up, "I'll take you through a clip from the M.A. High School press conference that just wrapped up."
Peter gasped in shock when the clip started to play. On screen was Principal Lee, Mr. Murdock, and Howard the Duck. All were wearing suits and ties and all three looked solemnly apologetic in the face of all the flashing cameras.
No doubt they were being asked about the villain's attack on the training camp.
Murdock was the first to speak up. "We are here to apologize," he began. "A recent incident allowed harm to come to 27 First Year Heroes-in-Training. And we staff were ill prepared for the event of such an attack occurring. We take full responsibility for any trauma caused by our negligence. It's our duty to not only train, but to protect these Heroes-in-Training."
Peter stared at the TV with wide eyes. Aside from the co-anchoring the Sports Festival, Murdock kept primarily away from the spotlight and the media. Even while he was a lawyer, he rarely stepped in front of a camera. Yet here he was, speaking at a press conference which, at the time, was being broadcast live.
"I'll take the first question," one of the reporters called out. "Since the beginning of the year, M.A. students have had no less than four encounters with the villains, including a fifth if you count the incident in San Francisco. This time, there were students that were gravely injured and one that was taken by them. How do you explain this to the families? And more importantly, what are some of the specific steps you're taking to ensure their safety in the future?"
Peter frowned at the TV, Are they serious!?
The media should know what M.A's basic position is on the matter since they didn't cancel the Sports Festival. No, this isn't about getting the facts. This was about making his teacher look bad. They were being treated like villains.
Principal Lee decided to answer the question. "We will increase patrols around the school grounds, and review security measures within the school," he said. "The safety of M.A's students is our main priority, make no mistake about it."
The news cut back to JJJ, "Well, there you have it folks. The brain-dead faculty of M.A. continue to show us they have not even the slightest idea what they're doing! And did they ever? Increase patrols? With who?! This is where all of the average citizens' taxes are being spent! But this reporter can tell you one thing, and it's that this school is going to give its students a death sentence."
Peter didn't have to know what was going on outside as people watched the news. He could feel the mood changing, and people were turning against Heroes. If he didn't do something soon, it was just going to get worse.
Hobgoblin lowered the volume, "What a topsie-turvy world we live in, eh? Heroes are becoming the bad guys! Guess they're not dealing with this very well. Just look at how critical people are being with your teachers. But everyone makes a mistake or two, right? It's not like they're supposed to be perfect."
He turned back to the tied up teenager, "The modern Heroes sure have it rough. Just imagine how bad it'll be for the next generation, if there even is one! Right, Pete?"
But the boy said nothing. Instead, he was pretending to be asleep and letting out obnoxiously loud snores.
The villains just stared at him, completely dumbfounded. This kid couldn't be serious. He had to be doing this to get under their skin.
Peter snorted and pretended to wake up from a long nap. "Huh? What?" He blinked and yawned slightly, "Dude, seriously. You really know how to put a guy to sleep, you know that?"
"Do you really think this is a game?" Hobgoblin asked, beginning to feel a familiar sense of irritation.
"Well I mean, you're the one dressed in a flashy outfit, talking about playing 'cops and robbers' for big boys," the teen replied with a raised eyebrow. "If you have a point, then get to it. I think these ropes are cutting off my circulation..."
Hobgoblin stared at Peter before sighing in a dramatic way, "I suppose someone who wants to be part of the Heroes world so badly would be complacent to the standards of this society..."
"Once a Hero receives payment to protect people, they aren't a real Hero anymore," Nuke put in, staring at their prisoner. "That's what Punisher's actions taught us."
"I don't care what some fanboy of a trigger happy nut-job thinks," Peter glared at the villain before turning back to Hobgoblin. "The point?"
"A Hero in this current system only cares about money and glory," Hobgoblin said. "And since society buys into those idiotic rules, anyone who doesn't want to follow them ends up being cast aside. So we want to pose a few simple questions, Peter. 'What's a Hero'? 'What is Justice'? 'Is this system truly fair'?"
The villain grinned down at Peter, "Punisher was just the first to put it out there. But soon, everyone will be asking those questions. That's when we'll know we've won. And wouldn't you like to be on the winning side?"
Peter blinked, "So, you're really asking me to join your super-secret Legion of Doom?"
"It's 'League of Villains', brat," Nuke retorted bitterly.
"Although that's actually not bad..." Sin added thoughtfully, finger to her chin.
"It has a bit of panache, I admit," Batroc nodded from his seat at the bar.
Peter glanced around, as the half-dozen or so villains stared at him expectantly, "I'm guessing if I said 'no', your little goon squad here's gonna kill me, right?"
"The Six is a squad assembled for dealing with a specific target, as well as Pro Heroes," Hobgoblin explained. "Seeing as you are neither, I figured keeping them around was a bit overkill."
"Heh, underestimate me at your own peril," the teen warned, a mischievous smile on his face to mask his growing insecurity.
"Is this kid stupid or did he not pay attention to the news?" Vengeance murmured mostly to himself. "It's a no-win situation for him..."
"Why? Was I supposed to pay attention?" Peter asked snarkily. He gasped mockingly, "Is this going to be on the test, teach?"
The fire user growled in fury and would have likely killed the boy if it wasn't for Azazel stopping him. "Calm yourself, Vengeance," he said. "Ultimately, it will be Hobgoblin's decision."
"No-no, if our scabby friend here wants to speak up, let him!" Peter offered, "As long as the boss doesn't mind."
Hobgoblin grit his teeth, This brat's trying to take control. Fine, maybe a heavier hand is needed. "But of course!" He said cheerfully, a counter to his true feelings. "Everyone has a voice in this organization!"
Azazel nodded to Vengeance, who stepped forward to speak directly to the boy. "Alright, I'll make an example so you'll understand," he began. "Your school's being criticized for allowing you kids to get hurt and kidnapped. People are losing faith in Heroes and it wouldn't be long before you're all completely rejected! And when that time comes, then we would have finally won! Accept it! Your dreams of being a Hero are dead! There won't be any more of them left after we're done. Why would you bother trying?!"
"Because I would be betraying everything I stand for," Peter snapped angrily as the other villains watched the battle of wills. "Everything my Uncle taught me."
Hobgoblin's eyes widened at the boy's persistence, truthfully he was somewhat impressed by his continued, albeit annoying resilience. But at the mention of Peter's Uncle, something flashed through his head. A moment later, a twisted smile grew across his pale face. It was time to tighten the noose.
"Your Uncle?" Hobgoblin mockingly pondered a moment, "Oh yes, you must be talking about your dead Uncle. He was shot down in his own home, wasn't he?"
Peter froze, and turned toward the ringleader of the villains. "Choose your next words very carefully..." He growled dangerously.
"Touchy subject, eh?" Hobgoblin's smirk grew even wider. "I did a bit of research into you after I learned who you were. Call it professional curtesy, but I had no idea I was in for such an interesting story!"
He chuckled, "Now a home invasion/murder is nothing new, especially in this city. No, what happened beforehand is what piqued my curiosity..."
The teenager's eyes widened, "W...What?"
"What's he talking about?" Sinthea muttered to Vengeance.
"I don't know, be quiet," the fire user ordered.
"It has him nervous, whatever it is..." Nuke whispered.
Hobgoblin turned to regard the other villains, "On this particular night, some nobody criminal was in the middle of a bodega robbery. Nothing fancy, a little smash 'n grab. And who should cross his path?"
The silence in the room was deafening, as he pointed to the near catatonic teen, "Why none other than our very own Peter Parker!! And can you guess what he did? This aspiring member of the Hero community? What did he do when confronted by this sudden act of villainy??"
Hobgoblin began to laugh hysterically, "Absolutely nothing!! He just let the guy run past!!! Oh it's too good! You're the reason your Aunt became a widow! Now that's funny!!"
"SHUT UP!" Peter yelled in fury, pulling against the chair again. His fingers dug into the arms, cracking them slightly, although it wasn't heard over Hobgoblin's laughter. All he wanted in that moment was to bust out of that chair and wrap his hands around the villain's neck for what he'd said. And yet... Was he wrong?
"Oh don't be like that, Pete," Hobgoblin settled down, able to speak again. "We really aren't that different."
"I'm nothing like you!" Peter glared into the villain's red pupils. "You're a murderer!"
"Well, technically, I haven't killed anyone yet," Hobgoblin shrugged. "I mean, I almost got that news crew in the chopper a while back, but they were lucky enough to have a Hero rescue them. Guess I'll have to try harder next time!"
He leaned in close, "But you, your actions led to the death of an innocent man. You could've stopped that guy, but you didn't. That means his blood is on your hands..."
The teen's eyes widened, Hobgoblin was right. It was his fault. Peter's head lowered in shame, unable to look the villain in the eye. One could hear a pin drop from how deathly quiet the room had become.
"Before we go any further, I need an honest answer," Hobgoblin continued, his voice level and calm. "Why didn't you do something, when you knew in your heart that you were capable of doing so?"
Peter barely raised his head, tears in his eyes. "I was told... 'leave it to the Heroes'..." he barely choked out.
"And there it is..." Hobgoblin nodded in apparent sympathy. "This world that we live in has turned the common citizen into a helpless shell of their true self, forced to rely on the so-called 'benevolence' of those who think themselves above us. We've been made impotent and unwilling to seize our own destinies lest we be shunned by very society we long to remain a part of."
Peter closed his eyes and lowered his head again. His tears poured down his cheeks as he gritted his teeth in anguish. This made Hobgoblin smirk.
Yes, this is it. This is what I'm looking for, he thought. It all starts with one kid... Turning away of his own volition.
The villains watched in awe as their leader effortlessly deconstructed their formerly obstinate prisoner into complete submission.
"Damn, he finally got the kid to shut up..." Vengeance noted.
Hobgoblin patted the teen's shoulder and stood back up. "But that all changes," he said. "In the new world I'm creating, you won't be shunned for simply trying to do the right thing. Make no mistake, the way of the Hero is swiftly coming to an end. And I know you'll want to be on the right side of history when it does..."
He turned to Nuke, "Turn him loose."
The gunman looked at his boss as if he was crazy. "Are you serious?" He asked, "You know he'll probably just attack us."
"It's fine! We're recruiting him, after all!!" Hobgoblin grinned. "So we should treat him like an equal. Besides, even if he did have the power, I don't think he has the will to fight us anymore. M.A. students are clever, so he must know that he can't take us all on."
He smugly grinned at Peter, who continued to look down at the floor, his brown hair shadowing his eyes.
Nuke looked at Peter. The kid seemed almost lifeless, and yet something in the back of his brain was warning him not to get too close. So, he nudged Vengeance, "Hey V, you do it."
"I believe he asked you," the burned villain replied.
Sinthea let out a loud sigh as she began making her way back over to the prisoner. "You guys are such wimps," she said as she took out a knife and cut through Peter's bindings.
"I do apologize for such forceful methods," Azazel said. "But please understand that we aren't some kind of unruly mob committing crimes without a third act in mind."
The aspiring Hero rubbed his wrists where the bindings held him, careful so as to not irritate his bandages. For a moment, he sat there and said nothing.
Hobgoblin stood up from his seat. "Really Pete, you and I aren't all that different," he said. "We've both suffered from this joke of a society. All because of the rules and the people who are in power. And because of the Heroes that it's all built around. Don't you think it's kind of funny?"
BAM!!!
Suddenly, Peter shoved Sinthea away from him and leapt at Hobgoblin, ignoring the pain in his bandages ribs. With a reared back left fist, Peter hit him in the face with a powerful flying punch that knocked him down across the room to the floor.
"NEIN!!!" Azazel called as his boss's body slammed against the wall, coming to a stop. He teleported to his side to check on him.
"Actually, I don't think it's funny at all," Peter replied grimly as his Spider Sense buzzed again.
Nuke quickly aimed his pistol at Peter's head, only for the teen to quickly duck backward like an acrobat. He kicked the weapon out of his hand, sending it flying upward. Stunned by his speed, Nuke didn't have time to react when Peter righted himself and grabbed the gunman by his shirt.
Pivoting around, he judo-threw him in the opposite direction. With the teen's enhance strength, Nuke was sent flying into the wall and seemingly knocked out.
"I don't know what it was that bent you out of shape, Hobgoblin," Peter began, turning his head to glare at the villain as the others stared at him in shock. "But we're not the same!"
He pointed his finger at the stunned villain, "My Uncle is the reason I wanted to be a Hero! Honestly, I almost gave up on the idea when I was a kid, but it was his words, his encouragement that inspired me to try even when everyone else said I couldn't do it!"
Peter glared at the others, "Your boss was right about one thing; it's my fault that he's gone. But if I gave up and joined you idiots, that would go against everything he stood for!! I don't wanna become a Hero for fame or money. I want to because I have the power to make sure another day like that day can never happen again!!"
The teen clenched his fist, "I do this because it's what my Uncle would have wanted. But most of all, I do this to make amends for the mistake I made on that day!"
He turned back to Hobgoblin, "So go ahead; take me on, knock me down, give me all you've got. I'll just get back up and keep moving forward. Because that's what Heroes do!!!"
An eerie silence filled the bar one again; a calm before the proverbial storm. Finally, someone spoke up.
"It sounds like you've made your choice," said Hobgoblin, as he began to chuckle. His voice was slightly less manic now. The orange hood had fallen off his head as he looked up through a partially torn mask.
One of his yellow and red eyes was revealed to be light blue, and a bit of brown, curly hair was exposed. Blood had began to drip down the back of his head as Hobgoblin stared at Peter with darkened eyes.
"Mein boss," Azazel cautioned. "Your head..."
"Hehehehe, it seems I misjudged you, Pete," Hobgoblin said, a devilish grin on his pale face. "I thought you were all brains, but it seems you're full of surprises!"
Peter cracked his neck and assumed a fighting stance. "Alright, so I might not be at camp, but that doesn't mean I won't fight back," he said, cracking his knuckles. "So, who wants to go first?"
Hobgoblin rubbed his jaw, it wasn't the first time he'd felt that kind of strength. That fighting pose was equally familiar. And only one other person had irritated him as much with their smart mouth.
The villain's eyes widened, a moment of realization washing over him as his continence became malicious.
"It's you... Isn't it?" Hobgoblin inquired.
Peter's eyes narrowed, as if confirming the villain's suspicions.
No point hiding it now, he thought. If I wanna get outta here, I've gotta go all out against these guys. But still... There's way too many to take on at once.
Right on cue, the other villains prepared to jump him. Vengeance engulfed his hand in green flames, Sinthea spun her hammer in her hands, Batroc bent his legs, and Whirlwind powered up his armor.
Peter gulped, Yup, I'm kinda screwed here...
As the villain crew prepared to attack the teen all at once, they were stopped when Hobgoblin raised a hand.
"Don't lay a finger on him. Any of you," he told them. Their leader then stood up, adjusting his mask in the process. "This 'Hero' is a valuable piece..."
He dropped his hand and pointed at Peter, staring through his ripped mask, "You should've taken my offer, Pete. Really, I thought you and I could come to an understanding."
The teen glared back, but something caught his attention. The color of Hobgoblin's exposed eye, the bit of hair sticking out, the way he spoke, it was... familiar. It was then that Peter came to a revelation of his own.
"Like I said, I'm nothing like you... Harry," Peter replied, coldly spitting out the name.
Hobgoblin's eyes widened in shock, unbeknownst to the other villains who hadn't seen his reaction. Vengeance was confused though, having been close enough to hear the name Peter just said.
"Who the hell's 'Harry'?" He murmured to himself.
The yellow villain quickly recomposed himself, "I can see that now. It seems I have no choice. The Heroes will more than likely continue their investigation of our group, so we don't have time to stand around here and talk anymore."
He picked up the TV remote, "That said, if you are who I think you are, we have someone who'd like to ask you a few questions before we get started."
Peter blinked in confusion, "Questions?"
Hobgoblin pressed a button, the TV became a blank screen with Sound Only written across. "Master Planner, I'm assuming you've been listening in?" He asked.
"Indeed. Thank you, Hobgoblin," said a voice from within the speakers. "These developments have proven most intriguing. In the meantime, I'd suggest calling the Six back inside. We may have need of their services after all."
Peter's eyebrow quirked slightly, Hobgoblin has a 'master'? There's no way!! He's way too chaotic to take orders from anyone!! Unless...
"Peter Parker," the voice went on. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Apologies for the somewhat rude introduction, but I'm afraid I cannot be there to meet you in person."
"It's fine," Peter replied, trying not to sweat. "I'm in no hurry to meet one of the Masters of Evil face to face."
"Ah, wonderful! You've heard of us," the voice said cheerfully. "So very few of your generation even remember our existence, such is the fleeting memory of youth."
"Right... So, how can I help you, your evilness?" Peter asked sarcastically, giving an exaggerated bow.
"I've combed through your school records pre-M.A. You're quite the academic, I must admit," the voice continued. "Top marks in your grade, particularly in math and science. And yet, what stood out the most to me, was your Quirk. Or rather, your lack thereof..."
Peter's eyes widened in terror, his heart sinking as he realized what was going on.
"It truly was a sight to witness you in action, Mr. Parker," the Master said. "You have enhanced durability, strength, adhesive gripping, and even a precognitive ability I did not foresee amongst other things. And yet, according to you, your powers were simply that of a 'late bloomer'."
Peter's breaths grew heavier as though he was starting to have a panic attack. He didn't want to admit it, but he could already see where this boss villain was going.
"Forgive me, but I don't believe that. You see, I have a fascination with Quirks. I was once a well regarded specialist in the field of their study, so I have a fundamental understanding of how they work. And I know for certain that by no means a boy such as yourself, who was born without a Quirk, could have developed one. No, no, it was something else, wasn't it? Or perhaps... someone?
Peter felt himself stop breathing for a moment. This wasn't possible, but at the same time, it was happening right now. The Sports Festival Was broadcast to the entire world. The Masters could've just turned on the TV and see what Peter's powers were like.
But how did they know about his excuse about his Spider Quirk being a late blooming Quirk? How did they know about his Quirklessness? Several more questions were piling up in his head as he stared at the TV screen.
"So tell me, Peter Parker. How did it happen?"
In his head, Peter knew his time was up as he weighed his options. He could tell the truth about the spider bite, but it was such a ridiculous story, that there was no way the villains would believe him. He could try and jump out the window, but Azazel was way too fast. Plus, he doesn't know what some of the other villains could do. The seconds ticked away as Peter finally opened his mouth.
"I was-"
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Hello? Pizza's here. I've got three large pepperoni with extra cheese," called a slightly muffled voice. It sounded like a delivery guy, not even aware that behind the door was a villain's secret hideout.
Everyone looked at the door in confusion, and then at each other.
"Did you guys seriously order pizza?" Peter asked, thumbing to the door? "I mean, yeah, I'm hungry. But who the hell orders takeout to their secret lair?"
"I sure as hell didn't!" Nuke raised his hands in defense. "Sin?"
"Do I look like I eat pizza??" The lone woman replied, gesturing to her slim figure.
"Everybody shut up!" Hobgoblin snapped. "Someone go-"
Suddenly, the wall behind Vengeance exploded and came crashing down.
"Oh yeah!!!" Yelled Iron Man, as he punched through the wall, creating an opening to the outside world with his metal fist.
Vengeance looked at the Hero caught completely off guard, "What the-!?"
"Azazel! Get us out of here!!" Hobgoblin shouted. Taken out of his shock, the devil-man was about to teleport him out of the bar when he was stopped by Groot jumping in.
"I AM GROOT!!!" He shouted his signature phrase as he used his power to tangle up and trap the villains in branches of the wood that shot out from his left arm.
Vengeance looked down at wood that held his body in place. "Big mistake," he said coldly. He was about to flare up his fire Quirk to burn away the wood when something struck him on the back of his head, knocking him out.
Off to the side was Stick, holding his signature cane in an outstretched position, a look of disapproval on his face.
"Don't do anything stupid," the old man chided. Pathetic, even the spider brat could handle a blow like that one. "It's in your best interest to cooperate."
"If you expect us to just roll over, you've got another thing coming," put in Whirlwind. He raised his arms as the air began to gather around his rotating gauntlets.
Suddenly, the villain's focus was shifted, as if something was inside his armor. "Ow!!" He yelled, hitting his armor to try and end the sensation. As if on cue, a swarm of bugs began to fly around and attack the openings in his helmet. Not just any bugs; they were ants.
Whirlwind ducked low, waving his arms to try and fend off the insects. But that left him completely undefended for the surprise attack. A blast of yellow energy hit his face, knocking the villain backwards and into the waiting rocky arms of the Thing. He slammed Whirlwind to the ground, the blow dazing him into submission.
From the spot where the villain had once stood, a pair of microscopic figures grew to normal size; Ant-Man and the Wasp. They high-fived each other on a job well done.
"You're getting better at controlling those ants, Scott," said Hope Van Dyne, the current holder of the Wasp mantle. "Dad would be proud."
"Yeah well, bullet ants are easier to work with than fire ants," Scott Lang, the new Ant-Man replied. "I've still got a ways to go before I'm at Hank's level."
Iron Man's robotic eyes glowed bright blue. While beneath his helmet, Tony Stark glared at the League. "You can't run anymore, League of Villains!" He declared, "It's over!"
"R-Right after the press conference?" Nuke asked in shock. He struggled to break free, but it was no use. "They had this planned the whole time!"
"Tree guy! You're hugging me too tight!" Sinthea yelled as the wood tightened around her body.
From behind the door, Peter heard the pizza delivery guy's voice. "I forgot to mention," Rocket Raccoon entered the wrecked barroom, the muzzle of his laser blaster resting on his shoulder. "That pizza comes with a side order of life in prison with zero chance of parole. But if ya wanna take yer chances and try us, I'm game." He lowered and cocked his weapon.
Behind the talking raccoon, another Pro Hero walked in; the feline street fighter, Hellcat. "We also didn't come alone," she said, thumbing out the busted wall. "There's a small army's worth of backup outside."
"Take a good look," Raccon added, unlocking the door and opening it to reveal a squad of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents. Each member was armed with an MP5a2 submachine gun. "Yer surrounded by the police, S.H.I.E.L.D, not to mention a couple'a strong guys like Wonderman and the Black Knight."
Peter looked toward the hole in the walk and walked towards it. He looked down at the streets and was amazed to see armored SWAT vehicles, police cars, and even a hovering Quinjet surrounding the building. Among them were the aforementioned heroes, waiting and ready to strike if needed.
Jeez, is there nobody they didn't call? Peter thought, amazed at awesome sight before him. He turned around to find someone in particular amongst the rescue squad. Iron Man raised his visor, a relieved smile on his face as the teen limped over to his mentor.
"Just had to do a Kool-Aid Man, huh?" He grinned.
"Hey, wouldn't you?" Iron Man replied cheekily. "Seriously though, are you ok?"
Peter clutched his injured ribs, "A little banged up, but otherwise ok. How the hell'd you guys find me?"
"Check your pockets," the hero winked.
Peter felt around, his right hand palming a coin sized object. Pulling it up, his eyes widened to see his own tracking device.
"But... how??" He was speechless. How did that get there?
"Always treasure your friendships," Iron Man replied, "Especially those within the Support Course. Speaking of which..."
He dropped a pair of devices into Peter's open palm; they were a set of web shooters. "Ms. Williams said to always keep a pair of backups handy," the hero said.
Peter gasped, thinking back to the camp when Riri had picked the remains of his old web shooter, more than like where she'd picked up the tracker. He resolved to thank the inventor the very second he saw her again.
Iron Man placed a metal hand on Peter's shoulder. "You must've been scared, but you stayed strong," he said. "I'm proud of you, kid."
The teen smiled at his hero, "Thank you..."
"Yeah yeah, cheerful reunions all 'round," Rocket interjected, making his way over. "Now of the kid wants to get outta here, we can get down to business."
"Wait a minute, did you guys see anyone outside when you came in?" Peter asked. "Six other villains left about 5 minutes before you came in..."
"Afraid not," Thing replied, turning to address the teen. "They must've used some kinda tech to give us the slip. All the more reason for you to get clear. If things get ugly, you don't wanna be in the line of fire. Not in the shape you're in..."
"C'mon, one of these guys'll take you outside," Tony went on, gently guiding him toward the door. "There's an ambulance waiting, and Claire's going to meet you at the hospital."
"She's not gonna be too happy when she sees me..." Peter said, walking with the Armored Avenger. "But, Iron Man, there's something important you should know. They've got a backer, calls himself the Master Planner. He talks to them through that TV."
The teen pointed to the now cracked and destroyed screen barely hanging onto the wall. As if on cue, it fell to the floor and broke apart.
"Well, they won't be hearing from him anytime soon," Tony replied. "We'll talk more when we're done here. I'm sorry for taking too long. But you're safe now, I promise."
Peter wanted to protest, but didn't say anything. He was right, there would be plenty of time to discuss everything later. But it would have to be away from the prying eyes and ears of the others.
The teen turned his head to look at Hobgoblin on his way out. The villain was tied up like the rest of the villains and forced to his knees. A pair of Quirk dampening cuffs were clasped around his wrists. He looked up at Peter and Iron Man, glaring at both of them with hatred in his eyes.
Peter glared right back at him, no longer afraid and grateful his experience with the villain was over. Or so he thought...
.
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Barber's Chair
• The numbers of Riri's Security Code (476-636) also can be read as IRN-MDN, or Iron Maiden.
• Looks like the rescue operation went without a hitch, at least for the moment. Still plenty of questions to answer; where'd the Six go? What happened to Bulldozer? What purpose will the 1-A students have at this point?
• I really enjoyed writing the interaction between Peter and the other villains. He gets to show off that quippy, smart-ass personality closely associated with his alter ego.
• Does Hobgoblin know? He certainly suspects at this point. What does that mean for Peter going forward? But at the very least, our hero knows who's really beneath the Hobgoblin's mask!
