Apologies for the SUPER long delay on this chapter. Was occupied writing other fanfics and serious works that I intend to publish. I'll try to wrap up this mini-arc in La Vie City as soon as possible before moving onto the next big story-arc that'll be taking place in Sokovia City. Hope you enjoy this latest offering, which will introduce my versions of Black Tarantula and Don Fortunato, two other lesser-known villains that appeared during the Spider-Man Clone Saga.
Episode 40: Marémon Death Match (Part 1)!
"Isn't it strange Nick Fury seemed to imply Eddie survived the helicopter crash when he said Eddie claimed he lost Hornetech, but said nothing about Jane?" MJ said to Peter.
They were still in the Spider Cave and it had been almost an hour since Thor and Ben left to confront the Rose and Black Tarantula.
"Yeah, it is," Peter remarked. "I didn't notice till you pointed it out."
Sighing, MJ looked up at the dark ceiling of the cave. "I hope Jane's okay…."
"I think she is," Peter speculated. "Otherwise, Nick Fury would have said something."
"But I'm not sure I trust him, or Rumlow for that matter. I mean, did you see the way he was looking at your PDBs?"
"Maybe he was looking for Hornetech because SHIELD wanted him back."
"Even if that were the case, why did Nick Fury let you keep Hornetech? I think Rumlow wanted Hornetech for another reason. He seemed reluctant to leave the interrogation room we were in."
"Now that you mention it, I noticed that too."
MJ paused and groaned, "I can't stand being in here any more! We need to do something to stop Ben and Thor from getting hurt by those gang leaders, or killed."
"But what can we do?" Peter asked. "Ben said the police won't be able to help us, and we have no idea where he and Thor went."
"That's not true, because this Spider Cave might have the answers we're looking for."
MJ then went over to the main computer in the center of the room, which consisted of six monitors shaped like spider eyes. Unfortunately, the computer was password-locked forcing MJ to summon Noirstel and have it use Sleuth. This attack allowed Noirstel to hack into the computer with the push of its front foot against the keyboard. What Noirstel found on the computer was several files on the various criminals that occupied La Vie City such as the Rose and Black Tarantula which included information on their hangouts.
"It looks like we won't have to split up to look for Thor or Ben," Peter remarked as he pointed at the center monitor. "The Fortunato Casino is where both Black Tarantula and the Rose have been seen."
"Fortunato? As in Don Fortunato, the infamous crime boss that was a rival to the Kingpin in Yortown?" MJ exclaimed.
"I don't know if it's the same guy, but I guess we'll find out soon enough."
###
At the heart of La Vie City was a street full of popular casinos, including one that had a wolf statue that looked down on the people coming in. This was the Fortunato Casino, which Peter and MJ entered. Inside, they were greeted by a multitude of sounds and smells ranging from the electronic ringing of the slot machines to the smell of cigars from the smoking lounge next to the lobby. While the two were distracted, a pair of bouncers in black suits approached them.
"What are you kids doing here?" One of the bouncers asked. "This place is for adults only."
"Oh, we're not here to play," MJ said. "We're actually looking for two other kids."
"Did these other kids happen to include two blond boys that wore a crimson jacket and a tight blue vest?" Asked the second bouncer.
"Yeah, that's the two we are looking for," Peter confirmed. "Do you know where they are?"
"Sure," the first bouncer said as he reached into his coat pocket.
Before Peter and MJ could react, the first bouncer pulled out a spray bottle with the Stark Industries logo and sprayed something in their faces that knocked them out. When they came to, they were tied to chairs in a large well-furnished office that had a window with an amazing view of the downtown area. In front of this window sat an old man in a wheelchair with an eyepatch on and a wolf standing next to him. To the left of the old man stood the Rose, whom Peter recognized from his white suit and violet mask, while to the right the old man was a brutish-looking man wearing a black costume that had a popped collar and a mask with a tarantula-shaped insignia.
"So these must be the friends that the Asgardian was talking about," the old man guessed.
"Asgardian?" Peter exclaimed. "Is Thor here? And where's Ben?"
"They are both here, my boy," the old man said and snapped his finger.
From the next room over, Thor and Ben were wheeled in on upright operating tables by the two bouncers. They were strapped to the tables and their mouths were gagged.
"What are you planning to do to us?" MJ demanded. "And how did we get here?"
"The bouncers gave you Knockout Gas, dear," the Rose said casually. "It's normally used to deal with aggressive Marémon, but it can work just as well on humans."
"As for what we are planning to do with you niños (kids), we are offering your lives to Don Fortunato to demonstrate our loyalty to him," the man in the black mask said, turning to look at the old man.
"It's a little more complicated than that, Black Tarantula," Don Fortunato interrupted. "You see, the so-called 'gang war' between the Black Tarantula and the Rose was just a means to draw out Ben Reilly, whom the local criminals call the Scarlet Spider. He was constantly ruining their operations, though especially the Rose's, so he came to me in Yortown. Meanwhile, the Black Tarantula had just arrived from Argentino looking for someone and thought I could help him. So I decided to move my operations from Yortown to La Vie City in secret, while the Rose and Black Tarantula staged a gang war under my orders to intimidate the police and bring Ben out into the open for us to capture.
"Now as you can see, our plan worked. But it seems Ben got you two and the Asgardian involved. That means we have no choice but have a Marémon Death Match. If you two manage to kill the Rose and Black Tarantula's Marémon, you will go free along with Ben and Thor. But if Black Tarantula and the Rose kill your Marémon, then you and your friends will die."
To be continued…
