Chapter 7: Strike of the Skorpion!
New York City…
Midtown High…
Thursday, May 12, 2:14 pm….
Jay sat in his history class as his teacher droned on about Colonial America, which Jay mostly tuned out. It's not like he hadn't heard about it before, and he knew it would not be the last time he'd hear about it in school.
Plus, since it wasn't going to be on the final, he didn't really care as he'd rather just study for the final exams in a few weeks. At the moment, classes were dying down, and soon it will just be study hall.
Though apparently, they're going to be training a new gym teacher for the next few weeks. Which means there would be more gym classwork. He used to hate it, but now that he had his powers, he could easily outmatch everyone.
"Though, of course, I shouldn't. Don't want people to be suspicious at my sudden athleticness." Jay thought.
His thoughts drifted to other things as Jett was still unable to crack into Norman Osborn's hard drive. While the hard drive was a little damaged due to Jay ripping it out, it was good enough for Jett to recover whatever was inside.
The only problem was that he was having trouble cracking into its firewalls. While he was good with tech, he wasn't a hacking master. Though Jett assured Jay that he had a program that would eventually break into the hard drive. Jay was taken out of his thoughts when the bell rang.
"Don't forget to grab a review sheet for the finals." Jay's Teacher reminded as everyone began to leave.
After grabbing his review sheet, Jay went into the hallway thinking back at the events of last night. That girl had completely outmatched him in fighting prowess showing him how much he still needed to learn as a hero.
She also stole his mask, which in of itself was annoying. Now he had to wait for Jett to make a new one for him. With Sara back home, that would take him some time, but then again, Jett did say she went straight to bed when she returned.
Apparently, she didn't even say a word to Jett when she returned as he had found her in bed. Thankfully it gave Jett time to reset all the machines he used. Still, though, there was the fact Sara knew about his powers which means she could put two and two together.
"Hopefully, she'll be cool with it like Uncle Curt is now." Jay hoped.
"Then again, who knows." Jay sighed.
"How do other heroes do this?" Jay wondered.
"Either way, it's time to go to gym and get it over with." Jay thought as he was joined by Jett. The two both had gym class next as the second to last class to their day.
"I talked to some of my classmates in shop class, and apparently, the teacher in training is making everyone do an obstacle course," Jett revealed.
"Really? Talk about annoying. The last month of school is supposed to be relatively easy besides the finals." Jay sighed.
"Tell me about it. But for you, it should be easy." Jett chuckled.
"Not happening. It would raise too many red flags," Jay replied.
"Fine. Though it would be cool to see everyone floored at your sudden athleticism." Jett smirked.
"I'll just make it look like I'm just your average freshman," Jay stated as the two entered the locker room.
After changing into gym clothes, they gathered with the rest of their classmates in the gym. Jay inspected the gym and was surprised at the obstacle course that was set up. It wasn't anything fancy, but it looked hard and something the school would normally bother with.
From tires to swings and wall climbing, there was everything needed for a classic obstacle course. It was a few minutes before the gym teacher arrived with the new trainee. The new teacher was well built and looked like he belonged in the military.
"Good afternoon, everyone. Today will be a little different than usual. As you can see, there is an obstacle course set up here." Mr. Samson began.
"Our new teacher wants to make sure everyone isn't slacking off, so everyone is going one at a time once their name is called. If you don't participate, you will be in trouble." Mr. Samson continued.
"So I'll be handing over the class to Mr. Masters." Mr. Samson finished as Mr. Masters stepped forth.
"Greetings. My name is Anthony Masters, and today I'm going to make sure you're not slacking off!" Masters stated.
"This is not optional, and it is timed! You don't need to make the best time but at least make it decent. So let's get started!" Masters declared as he began calling up students.
"This is just great. I'm going to be lucky if I don't break a leg." Jett murmured.
"Don't be overdramatic. I'm sure it's not that…." Jay began until a loud thud rocked through the room.
The two turned to the course to see the person who had been running through the course had fallen on their face. He was told to proceed to the nurse's office as the next student was called up to run the course.
"Okay, so maybe you'll break a leg." Jay deadpanned.
"Maybe I should use my powers to get through this." Jay thought as he continued to watch other students run the course.
As his classmates ran, he noticed the new teacher watching very closely, almost like he was analyzing everyone. It was odd, but his attention was turned to his normal gym teacher, who looked very stern.
That was unusual as Mr. Samson was usually very nice and carefree. But currently, it seemed as if he was furious. Was he not satisfied with the current performance? Or was he going to get in trouble if they didn't do good enough?
"Yo Jay, he's calling you," Jett whispered, taking Jay from his thoughts.
"Thanks." Jay thanked as he went up to the new teacher.
"Alright, are you ready?" Masters questioned.
"Yes," Jay replied.
"Then begin!" Masters ordered.
Jay ran off, beginning the course as he neared the first part of the course, which was a tire hop. Thinking it would be best to use just a little bit of his powers so that he could get done fast and without injury, Jay was stopped by his spider-sense.
It caused him to fall over as he stepped into the first tire before picking himself back up. He didn't know why but his spider-sense was telling him that he shouldn't stand out. Could it be reacting to the new teacher?
He couldn't say, but he knew that at the moment, he should just go for what he would normally have done. As he continued moving, he contemplated what his spider-sense was warning him about? Did the new teacher have some ulterior motives for being here?
Whatever the case, Jay would look into it later, just in case. For now, he had to sell his performance, and he dropped down from the wall climb. Soon he finished his run at a decent time, something around what he would have gotten without his powers.
"Not bad. Take a seat." Masters stated as he wrote down on a clipboard, and Jay sat next to Jett.
"Jett, whatever you do, make sure you do average when it's your turn." Jay insisted.
"What, why?" Jett inquired.
"I don't know why but when I started the course, my spider-sense went off. All I know is that you shouldn't stand out here." Jay explained.
"If you say so. But what do you think it went off for that?" Jett asked.
"Can't say, but I have a feeling it may be because of the new teacher. He's been inspecting every run very closely." Jay responded.
"After school, I'll do some searching," Jay stated.
"Let's hope it was a false alarm. Because I don't want to be stressed during tomorrow's field trip." Jett sighed as he went to take his turn.
The trip Jett was referring to was the one to make up for the cancellation of Oscorp. Everyone was going to the fair in Central Park tomorrow, and it was going to be nice to go and relax. As Jett ran the course doing his best to not stand out but also his best to not fall down.
When he finished, the new teacher wrote down the results on his clipboard before calling up the next student. This continued until everyone was done, leaving the rest of the class for a free period as Mr. Samson and Masters left.
"Weird, but at least we're done." Jett sighed.
"Still, though. It doesn't make sense." Jay murmured.
"Either way, I should have the mask done for you after school, so head to my house after school," Jett stated.
"Thanks. Was it hard with Sara home?" Jay asked.
"No, I got it done while she was asleep," Jett responded.
Jett's Home…
Sara stood in Jett's room, looking at the new mask he had made Jay. It confirmed all her suspicions even though she was already certain. Jay was Spider-Man, and Jett was helping him be a hero.
She didn't know what to do as she wanted to reprimand them but was also proud of them for doing good. But overall, she was stuck on the other end of their lives. Sara was forced to work for Kingpin Wilson Fisk as Tinkerer.
Because of the deeds of her deceased father, she had to serve Kingpin to protect herself and Jett. But if things were to continue as is, then she would end up getting Jay killed and maybe even Jett. It scared her, and she didn't know what to do.
Betraying Kingpin was out of the option. No one knew how powerful he was. It was to the point that, unknown to most metahuman, trafficking in the city was completely stopped. He was the source of nearly all crime, and any other gangs or villains were kept out.
"What should I do?" Sara wondered as she left Jett's room after putting back his makeshift alarm so he wouldn't know she was there.
"I need some fresh air." Sara sighed as she left her home.
Chrysler Building…
"Are you ready, Gargan?" Kingpin questioned as he watched Matt Gargan being fitted with control nodes.
"Ready, boss," Gargan stated as he stood on a pedestal.
"Good." Kingpin smirked.
"Begin the process." Kingpin ordered one of the goons who was operating the machine Gargan stood on top of.
"Shouldn't Tinkerer be here?" One of the goons inquired.
"She's been working hard and deserves some rest. Besides, she gave us all the instructions we needed." Kingpin answered as they proceeded.
The suit was lifted to Gargan's level before opening up and closing in on him. Clamp and magnetic bolts tightened all around the suit as it was put in place. Soon it was placed all around Gargan as the tail rested on the ground.
He screamed as several pins were inserted into his back to give him control of the mechanical tail on his armor. Once it was done, the suit tightened up around the spinal control, locking up leaving a small hexagonal hole on Gargan's neck.
A small hexagon plate was placed in the slot causing it to light up yellow and powering the green scorpion suit. The yellow eyes light up as yellow highlights lit up throughout the suit as the tail spun to life.
"This feels…odd…." Gargan commented as he looked at the tail and worked on moving it.
"Get used to it fast, Scorpion, because soon you'll be on a job to test your power." Kingpin smiled.
"Scorpion? I like it." Scorpion smirked as he rubbed his exposed chin.
"Good. Now Scorpion, I believe we should have a little test run." Kingpin suggested as he clasped his hands together.
"Then we'll get to see which is the better arachnid." Kingpin grinned.
Midtown High…
Jay and Jett loaded in the school bus as it departed from their school. Looking out the window, Jay contemplated what had happened during gym class. It still concerned him about why his spider-sense went off like that.
Something was suspicious about the new gym teacher, and he was going to find out exactly why with a little background search. Hopefully, it would give him the answers he needed and wanted to find out.
Eventually, the bus stopped, and Jay and Jett got off to go to Jett's home. When they entered, Jett was surprised that his sister wasn't home. It was better that way, though, as he gave Jay his new mask.
"Thanks, man. Being Spider-Man would have been hard if I couldn't hide my face." Jay thanked.
"No problem. Still though, who was that girl?" Jett wondered.
"That's something I want to know as well. But I only got the name Savage." Jay sighed.
"Did you manage to get a video of the fight?" Jay inquired.
"I didn't get much, and when she took the mask, she disconnected the link, meaning I have no idea where she took it. But I did get an image of her face." Jett responded.
"Think we can use it to find out who she is?" Jay asked.
"No idea it's not like we have facial recognition software. But who knows it can still help." Jett answered.
"Though that being said, she also saw your face, meaning she could find you as well." Jett pointed out.
"I'll have to be more careful in the future." Jay sighed.
"True. But what if I can make something that seals the mask onto the suit." Jett murmured.
"Good concept, but for now, not necessary," Jay replied.
"Still doesn't feel real though that you're a hero," Jett commented.
"Yeah, it seems like it was just yesterday that I was afraid of my powers and going to Taos." Jay agreed.
"Isn't Taos still not public yet?" Jett inquired.
"Yeah, technically, it is still in development publicly, but they're still taking in kids. The full facility will be done by the end of the summer." Jay explained.
"That's good to hear," Jett smirked.
"Yeah, having it fully functional will allow more kids to get help." Jay agreed as Jett's phone buzzed.
"Is that Sara?" Jay asked as Jett looked at his phone.
"No. There's a break-in at the Superior Bank of New York." Jett revealed.
"The Superior Bank of New York? The one specifically built to prevent metas from breaking in?" Jay questioned.
"Yeah, apparently things aren't going as planned down there," Jett responded.
"I don't know the specifics, but you should get down there." Jett insisted.
"On it." Jay nodded as he rushed out of the house.
Superior Bank…
"Fire!" The Lead Security Guard ordered as several guards fired anti-meta weapons.
Each attack ricochets off of Scorpion's armor as he knocked several guards into the walls and pillars with his arms and tail. He then fired acid into the large group, forcing them to disperse or else be melted.
Skorpion launched up and latched onto a pillar, allowing him to shoot more acid at the guards. Most guards avoided the attack, but some were incapacitated by the acid. Thankfully they were equipped with armor saving their lives but still sustaining large injuries.
"HAHAHA! This is amazing!" Scorpion laughed as he jumped down, pinning a guard.
"Nothing can stop Scorpion!" Scorpion declared as he knocked away more guards.
"That vault is mine!" Scorpion exclaimed.
"I don't think so!" The Lead Guard shouted as he slammed his fist down on a button.
Several turrets and reinforced walls dropped down, blocking the vault. The bullets fired bounced off Scorpion's armor as the others defended themselves with their shields. Spinning around, Scorpion fired acid at all the turrets dissolving each one.
"The acid Tinkerer developed works wonders!" Scorpion exclaimed as he fired a concentrated blast of acid at the wall.
"Now, let's see about this wall," Scorpion muttered as he approached the wall.
"You won't be seeing anything except a jail cell!" Spider-Man declared as he landed at the entrance.
"So you're Spider-Man. You're smaller than I imagined." Scorpion commented as he turned to face the arachnid hero.
"And you're…green? Who the hell are you?" Spider-Man questioned.
"The name's Scorpion!" Scorpion announced.
"Simple. I like it." Spider-Man replied.
"Alright, this is my first bank heist, so how about we take it slow?" Spider-Man snipped.
"Sure, I'll make sure to melt your bones nice and slow!" Scorpion cackled as he rushed towards Spider-Man.
"Okay fine, we'll just do this like normal." Spider-Man sighed as he backflipped onto the wall.
He fired a web, hitting Scorpion's head only for the villainous arachnid to cut the thread. Before Spider-Man could act, any further Scorpion jumped towards the hero, forcing him to jump out of the way to avoid him.
Scorpion quickly followed, stabbing at Spidey's back, but the heroic arachnid dodged the attack causing Scorpion's tail to pierce the ground. Spider-Man fired several webs sticking the appendage to the ground it stabbed.
"That tail must be cumbersome!" Spider-Man smirked as he ran in towards Scorpion with his left fist raised.
"Not as much as you'd think!" Scorpion declared as he ripped his tail free and spun around, knocking Spider-Man away.
"Guess it won't be that easy," Spider-Man muttered as he got back onto his feet.
"I'm going to enjoy crushing you like the bug you are." Scorpion spat.
"Spider's are arachnids. Maybe you should have stayed in school and not resorted to a life of crime." Spider-Man chuckled as Scorpion snarled at him.
"Plus, scorpions are also arachnids, so that's just sad that you don't know that." Spider-Man laughed as Scorpion fired acid at him, which Spidey dodged.
"Whatever the boss wants, you dead anyway." Scorpion smirked as he jumped after Spidey.
"So I'm going to make sure I'm the last guy you see." Scorpion spat as he attempted to impale Spidey with his tail.
"You'll have to do better than that!" Spider-Man shouted as he dodged Scorpion's tail and punched Scorpion's head.
"Ow. Shit, what is your suit made out of?" Spider-Man questioned as he shook his hand.
"Hell, if I know, but it gets the job done." Scorpion snickered as he aimed his tail at Spider-Man's head.
"Oh shit!" Spider-Man cursed as he knocked the tail aside, causing the acid to hit a nearby pillar. The acid dissolved the pillar down to its bones before it stopped short of breaking it down.
In response, Scorpion grabbed onto Spider-Man's head and tossed him into the nearby wall. Spidey landed on the wall before jumping to the ceiling to avoid Scorpion's follow-up, which cracked the wall.
"You know you're lucky this place is built to deal with meta attacks, or that might have done too much damage." Spider-Man snipped.
Suddenly his spider-sense went off, warning him about more acid Scorpion was about to fire. Spider-Man crawled around the ceiling, avoiding the acid Scorpion fired. Getting tired of this, Scorpion crawled up the wall to chase after Spider-Man.
"Come on, climbing walls is my thing!" Spider-Man complained as Scorpion jumped at him.
Spidey jumped off the ceiling as Scorpion hit, firing a web into the villain's back, pulling him out and to the ground. When Spider-Man landed, Scorpion got up with a snarl as he charged up a large burst of acid.
Thanks to his spider-sense, Spider-Man was warned of this attack as he fired several webs covering the hole at the end of Scorpion's tail. Scorpion was forced to stop, but like a speeding car slamming on a brake, it couldn't stop in time as acid still hit the webs.
The acid damaged Scorpion's tail as he flung the acid into the ground. With Scorpion distracted, Spider-Man fired a web at the wall behind the villain before zipping towards him. He kicked Scorpion into the wall before punching Scorpion in the mouth.
"Little shit!" Scorpion cursed as blood poured from his nose.
"Maybe next time you make a suit, don't leave an opening for a glass jaw." Spider-Man goaded.
"I'll make sure to leave a note for Tinkerer," Scorpion muttered.
"Whose Tinkerer?" Spider-Man questioned as Scorpion cursed himself.
"It's none of your business!" Scorpion shouted as he swung the blade of his tail at Spider-Man.
Spider-Man jumped up, dodging the tail as he kicked Scorpion in the face before backflipping back to the floor. He then fired a web into Scorpion's eyes, allowing him to land more blows on Scorpion, which hurt his hands.
But it also hurt Scorpion as his vision began to blur. Scorpion ended the assault as he whipped his tail into Spider-Man's gut. Spidey was sent flying as he tumbled around the floor before recovering. As the two arachnids fought, the lead guard watched via CCTV.
"Any word on a response from the Justice League?" One Guard questioned.
"They ain't coming. We're going to be stuck here with this amateur." The Lead Guard stated.
"Shouldn't we at least fight back?" Another Guard inquired.
"With what? This place was made to hold off metas, not fight them!" The Lead Guard shouted.
"We just have to hope this idiot can hold this guy off." The Lead Guard sighed as he watched the fight.
Spider-Man flipped over Scorpion's tail, and he crouched down to sweep Scorpion's legs from under him. Scorpion fell to the ground before shooting his tail towards Spider-Man. The hero was able to hold the blade back, but it pushed him back.
This didn't deter Spidey as he held on as Scorpion flung his tail around until Scorpion slammed the hero into the ground. When Spider-Man hit the ground, his grip loosened, causing him to let go of the tail as Scorpion went to impale Spidey.
Spidey fired webs to pull him out of the way before he was stabbed. Though his skin was tough, he had no idea if it was tough enough to defend him against whatever Scorpion's tail blade was made out of.
"RRRAAGGHHH!" Scorpion screamed as he tackled Spider-Man through the entrance.
The responding officers ran back as Spider-Man hit the road as Scorpion landed on a cop car. Scorpion jumped off before driving his tail through the car's roof. He used his tail to throw the car at Spider-Man.
It didn't matter to him as Spider-Man easily dodged the car. As he landed, he noticed many of the civilians who were watching the fight from behind police barricades. Many had phones in their hands recording the fight.
"Why do people feel the need to stay near danger for social media?" Spider-Man wondered as his spider-sense went off.
Scorpion had thrown another car, but this one had been thrown too high, and it threatened to hit the crowd. Not going to let that happen, Spider-Man fired a large web catching the car before it could hit anyone.
"Not bad, but what about the second one?" Scorpion questioned.
"Oh no." Spider-Man gasped as his eyes widened.
He turned around just in time to catch the car that was thrown at him, which pushed him back a little causing the crowd to back up. Once his momentum stopped, he tossed the car back down before hopping on top.
"All of you are going to want to get to a safe distance." Spider-Man insisted as he re-engaged Scorpion.
The villainous arachnid attempted to stab Spider-Man once more, but the hero used the tail to jump off and fire a web into the back of Scorpion's head. Spidey pulled Scorpion down, causing him to hit the ground.
In response, Scorpion attacked with his tail again, but Spider-Man managed to dodge the attack as he dropped down. However, the tail's blade managed to pierce Spidey's hood giving Scoripong what he needed.
"Let's see how you like this Spider-Man!" Scorpion laughed as he tossed Spider-Man into a nearby building.
Spider-Man crashed through the building's wall before coming out another and landing on a car. Scorpion slowly followed as the crowd ran off to avoid the villain. As Spidey picked himself up, Scorpion jumped up to crush the hero.
But Spidey dodged in the nick of time as Scorpion landed on the crushed car he was just on. Spider-Man fired several webs in an attempt to immobilize Scorpion. Unfortunately, due to the tail, he was unable to successfully do so.
"Dammit, what now?!" Spider-Man questioned.
"What's wrong, Spider-Man? Getting scared?" Scorpion cackled.
"In your dreams!" Spider-Man shouted as he fired two webs to pull him up high and onto a wall.
Scorpion responded by tossing the crushed car at Spider-Man jumped off the building, avoiding the car as it crashed into the building. Spider-Man landed back on the ground as Scorpion swung his tail at him.
Rolling out of the way, Spidey fired a web at the car that was coming loose from the building it was lodged in. He ripped the car out of the wall and threw it at Scorpion, knocking the villain to the ground.
As Scorpion recovered, Spider-Man fired a web, hitting Scorpion, allowing him to zip over and kick Scorpion into a wall. If Spidey couldn't bind Scorpion, he would attempt to knock the villain out the hard way.
Though it hurt his fists, Spider-Man attacked the villain relentlessly. But his assault ended as Scorpion sliced at Spider-Man's stomach. Spider-Man managed to avoid the blade, but it managed to cut Spidey in his left side.
"Freeze!" Swat ordered as they aimed down at the two arachnids.
"Whatever, this is enough for now." Scorpion smirked as he jumped onto a wall and crawled away.
"Hey, get back here!" Spider-Man demanded as he jumped towards Scorpion.
But before he could get far, the swat team opened fire on him, hitting the hero several times in the back. If it wasn't for his bulletproof skin, he would have been seriously injured. Thankfully he managed to avoid any bullets that would have broken through.
Spider-Man landed on the ground as swat began to converge on him. He jumped up to the nearest building before swinging away, avoiding the swat and other police. As people filmed the entire thing, Spider-Man swung away to safety.
"That went bad." Spider-Man sighed as he landed on the edge of a building and received a call from Jett.
"Jay, you there?" Jett asked as Spidey picked up.
"Yeah, I'm fine, but I couldn't catch Scorpion," Spider-Man responded.
"Is that what he called himself? Well, at least you're fine." Jett sighed.
"I would have tried to help, but Sara came home soon after you left," Jett explained.
"It's fine. There wasn't much you could have done anyway. No offense, of course." Spider-Man replied.
"No, you're right. I watched the feed, and I couldn't tell much about the suit. It is way more advanced than Shocker's suit." Jett stated.
"I'm going to head back home, though. I feel pretty tired." Spider-Man murmured as his vision blurred.
"And a little…sick." Spider-Man gaged as he moved his mask above his mouth and nose.
"Dude, are you good?" Jett inquired as Jay dropped to his knees.
"I don't know I…I think I was…." Spider-Man began as he ran his hand through his cut, seeing a green substance.
"I think I've been poisoned!" Spider-Man gasped.
Chrysler Building…
"So you poisoned Spider-Man?" Kingpin questioned as Scorpion stood before him.
"Yeah, the poison should kill him by morning," Scorpion responded.
"I don't deal with possibilities Scorpion. Tomorrow you will go on another attack and lure out Spider-Man. If he doesn't show, then there is a good chance he is dead." Kingpin began.
"So until I know it is confirmed, you'll be making some rounds in the upcoming days and weeks. But for now, I'll contact Tinkerer to repair your tail." Kingpin finished.
"Sure thing, boss. But what will I attack this time?" Scorpion inquired.
"Well, there is a fair tomorrow, and that will give you a perfect chance to bring out Spider-Man." Kingpin smirked.
Curt Conners Home…
Spider-Man crawled against the roof of his home as he struggled to move before falling down into the backyard. The poison was coursing through his veins, and he needed something to stabilize him and prevent him from dying.
"U..Uncle Curt…" Spider-Man gasped as he pulled his mask off.
"Jay is that you…?" Curt inquired as he entered the kitchen.
"What happened?" Curt questioned as he rushed to Jay's side.
"I've been poisoned," Jay muttered as Curt brought him to the basement.
"I don't have any samples or big computers to develop a cure fast, so I'm going to need to boost your body's response," Curt explained as he grabbed some chemicals.
"Jay, this isn't going to be easy, and it's going to be a bad night," Curt stated as he took some chemicals in a syringe and injected Jay.
As he finished, Jett arrived, having run over to the home after Jay told him he was poisoned. Thankfully Sara had to go out, and he didn't need to make an excuse. The boy rushed downstairs before Curt stopped him so that he didn't fall into the hole which had yet to be repaired.
"How's he doing?" Jett inquired.
"He's not well, and sadly I can't make any cure as the poison is running through his veins. It would also take too much time." Curt began.
"It's up to him now to push past the poison. Hopefully, his powers and physiology will be enough to push him through." Curt finished.
"Here's hoping," Jett murmured.
Meanwhile, in Jay's mind, he was haunted by nightmares. He was plagued by images that felt so familiar. They were the ones he saw the day he got his powers. It was the large web that seemed to go on forever and have energy flow through each thread.
This time though, he felt like it was looking back at him, or at least someone was looking at him. Jay could tell a pair of eyes were staring at him and inspecting him. What they were looking for, he didn't know, but one thing he did know was the state of his body.
His entire body seared in pain while he could do nothing to stop it and was unable to move. Soon the dream changed as a large scorpion threatened to crush him. But before it could, a larger spider killed it. These dreams continued for what seemed like an eternity before Jay woke.
When he did, Jay was in his bed, still in costume. It was five in the morning, and he was covered in sweat. It seemed like he was able to sweat out the poison in his system and survive, but it took him out of it. Jay was sore and completely exhausted but couldn't go back to sleep.
Getting out of his costume, Jay took a shower before tossing his costume in the wash. He needed to get his thoughts together, so he took a moment in his room to think over yesterday's events. All in all, he entirely failed in stopping Scorpion and nearly died.
"Being a hero is way harder than it looks." Jay sighed.
"I need to get better at fighting. Plus maybe a few new gadgets." Jay murmured.
"I'm sure Jett would have lots of ideas for it," Jay added as he opened his laptop to look at the news.
The news on his fight with Scorpion was as he expected, with Gordon Godfrey calling him a failure and a menace. No doubt that contributed heavily to why the police want to detain him so much. But another article caught his eye far more.
"Norman Osborn. He's back?!" Jay gasped.
"Did Green Goblin let him go?" Jay wondered as he clicked on the Daily Bugle report.
"It is good to be back, and now that I am here, I must first and foremost apologize." Norman began.
"Due to my lack of preparations, I had left without warning causing concern to my employees and the police. That was all my fault." Norman continued.
"But now that I am back from my little mental break. I am prepared to make great changes for Oscorp and give this city just what it needs." Norman finished.
"With the tragic death of my board members from an unknown intruder, I know things can't stay the same," Norman added.
"This city is in need of protection which is why Oscorp will provide it with the help of Alistair Smythe, who will be developing a special defense for the city." Norman declared as he gestured to the man behind him.
"With his help, tragedies such as the destruction of Star Labs can never happen again," Norman stated.
"His board members were murdered?" Jay questioned.
"This doesn't make sense. I know he's lying about going on a trip because Green Goblin took him. So why let him go?" Jay wondered.
"Could it be that Norman and Green Goblin are working together?! Green Goblin could have killed the board, giving Norman more control and allow him to create a false story." Jay determined.
"Shit." Jay cursed.
"Hopefully, there is some evidence on the hard drive," Jay murmured.
He could only hope, though, as, at the moment, there was little he could do, especially since he still needed to worry about Scorpion. Jay had no idea where the villain had gone, and he didn't know if he could stop him.
But this wasn't going to stop him. He'll figure something out and take down Scorpion. For now, though, he needed to rest up as the field trip to the fair was today. It would give him a nice break from everything. As long as something didn't happen.
Gotham City…
"Is this the fight between Spider-Man and Scorpion?" Batman inquired as he and Robin stood in the Batcave.
"Yes, it occurred yesterday at the Superior Bank. It seems someone is able to make weapons to fight metas good enough to counter the bank's security." Robin reported.
"Spider-Man managed to stop the robbery, but he couldn't catch Scorpion," Robin added.
"It's expected as he is wet behind the ears," Batman stated.
"Sadly, due to us being unable to go to New York at the moment, I still don't know who made Scorpion's suit or who Spider-Man is," Robin replied.
"Scorpion stated in the video someone by the name of Tinkerer made his suit. As for Spider-Man, he is a young boy named Jay Shepard." Batman revealed as he pulled up a picture of Jay.
"I guess they don't call you the world's greatest detective for nothing," Robin commented.
"But how long did you know this?" Robin asked.
"Since the beginning. I wanted to see how far you've come in your deduction skills as well as The Team's, so I had you all investigate." Batman began.
"You're getting better, Tim, especially with the connection of Fisk Industries and Oscorp. Not even I suspected that." Batman complimented.
"From that, I believe that Wilson Fisk is behind Scorpion as there are several rumors and breadcrumbs suggesting that Wilson Fisk is a crimelord going by the name of Kingpin." Batman continued.
"So Fisk employed Tinkerer to build this suit, and this was a test! Not only that could also explain who made Shocker's suit!" Robin gasped.
"Precisely," Batman replied.
"So Wilson Fisk may really be this Kingpin," Robin murmured.
"But one thing I don't get is how you figured out Spider-Man's identity so fast," Robin said.
"It was all thanks to Hobgoblin. Spider-Man must have had a vendetta against him for something he did, which is why he only acted recently." Batman began.
"I deduced it had to be the attack on Star Labs, meaning he was related to one of the scientists who died. Only a few who died had children who fit Spider-Man's description." Batman continued.
"Looking through medical records, none had the metagene, but Jay Shepard went to the hospital a few days prior to the attack due to a spider bite," Batman stated.
"Are you saying he got his powers from a spider bite?" Robin questioned.
"Yes. I didn't believe it at first until I found out where he was bitten." Batman responded as he pulled up a security video of Jay being bitten and a picture of Oscorp.
"He was bitten at Oscorp, which you deduced was aiding or being controlled by Fisk Industries," Batman revealed.
"They attacked Star Labs to cover their tracks!" Robin gasped.
"Exactly. It could be that Hobgoblin went there to kill Jay Shepard, who found out about his powers and went to his father at Star Labs for help." Batman stated.
"He must blame himself," Robin murmured.
"Precisely." Batman agreed.
"Have you told the other members of the league?" Robin asked.
"No, not yet. The kid deserves to have some secrets." Batman answered, understanding what Jay must be going through.
"What about contacting him then since it seems he really is a hero?" Robin inquired.
"Not yet. The Light takes precedent, and it seems we'll have to enact the plan to leave the league and go underground." Batman responded.
"But what about Oscorp? It's clear they are able to give meta powers to people meta negative." Robin replied.
"That is something for concern. Same with this Tinkerer." Batman stated.
"Which is why Nightwing will be handling the case," Batman revealed.
Midtown High…
"Alright, students, single-file line into the bus!" A Teacher ordered as everyone began to load on the buses.
"Are you sure you're doing okay?" Jett questioned.
"I'm fine, just a little tired," Jay assured.
"Okay, it's just that when I saw you last night, you were in bad shape," Jett replied.
"Yeah. So next time I fight Scorpion, I need to do better to avoid his tail." Jay sighed.
"For now, let's just enjoy the fair." Jay insisted.
"Do we know what this fair is for?" Jett inquired.
"Doesn't matter. We must never question it." Jay responded.
"Fine." Jett sighed as the two entered a bus.
The bus departed and took them up the city towards the docks before stopping a block away from the fair. The fair itself was pretty large as it filled the streets of New York. Several stands and attractions were in the streets, with a large Ferris Wheel standing on the docks.
"It feels like they go overboard with this fair," Jett commented.
"Yeah, but it does look fun," Jay replied.
"I guess. But the sucker games are dumb. I just don't understand what people get out of playing rigged games." Jett stated.
"What else is there to do?" Jay questioned.
"I don't know see a fortune-teller?" Jett responded.
"Okay, well, let's get just do something." Jay insisted as the two went into the fair after the teachers told them where to meet up in a few hours.
The two went to many stands and played many games before splitting up to try different things. Jett wanted to go to the docks while Jay wanted to walk around a little. Jay wanted to collect his thoughts as he was still thinking of his battle with Scorpion yesterday.
It still concerned him about his next meeting with the villainous arachnid, but something else bothered him. Scorpion had mentioned that the person who made his suit was named Tinkerer. He had no idea who this Tinkerer was, but it was another villain he needed to take down.
Jay felt like he had so much that needed to be done in so little time. He wondered if other heroes felt his weight. The weight of such great responsibility was heavy, and it felt like it was too much at times, but Jay had to do it.
If he didn't, who would? Even though many didn't want him there, Jay knew there was a need for heroes in the world. As he walked Jay, suddenly felt the hair on his body stand up as his spider-sense went off.
But this was different. It wasn't warning him of danger, but it was trying to tell him something. He looked around, trying to see what was setting it off before his eyes landed on a tent with a large spider on top.
"Bullshit," Jay whispered as he stared at the tent.
Turning away, he began to walk away until his curiosity got the better of him, and he walked over to the tent. Surprisingly there was no line at the tent, and not one person seemed interested in entering the tent.
"Uh, hello?" Jay called as he entered the dark tent.
"Here's hoping my spider-sense isn't broken." Jay hoped as he walked further into the tent where shadows of webs and spiders appeared all around from no light source.
"Greetings, child, step forward." A Feminine Voice insisted as Jay felt like he was being watched by a familiar force.
"Why does this feel like some start to a horror movie?" Jay wondered as he stepped forward, eventually seeing a light from a candle.
The candle illuminated a small round table where an old woman with dark red-tinted glasses that hid her eyes sat. She shuffled a deck of cards before looking up at Jay causing his spider-sense to go off again. But once more, it did not warn him of danger.
"Sit, and I will tell your fortune." The Woman requested as Jay reluctantly sat down.
"I must warn you I don't believe in fortune-telling," Jay stated.
"It doesn't matter what you believe. What matters is what destiny has in store for you." The Woman replied as she placed the deck down before drawing the top card.
"Ah, The Lovers card. It seems you will find great love in the future." The Woman began as she drew another card while Jay rolled his eyes.
"Talk about cliché." Jay thought.
"But the love comes at a price for The Moon indicates that you will make a great enemy once your love is realized." The Woman continued making Jay raise a brow as she drew another card.
"This is oddly specific." Jay thought.
"And thus The Death card indicates that you will suffer a great loss." The Woman finished as she placed the reaper card in front of Jay, who stood up.
"Okay, this just got a little too much. I'll just be on my way." Jay stated as he went to leave.
"Don't be so rash, Mr. Shepard. This is only a part of what your story will hold." The Woman stated, shocking Jay.
"How do you know my…?" Jay began to question until he heard crashing and screaming outside.
"It seems you are needed outside. You best be on your way. Spider-Man." The Woman said as she handed Jay The Justice tarot card.
Jay was about to question her until he realized the woman had entirely disappeared. Having no time to think about the bizarre event, he pocketed the card before running out of the tent. He was shocked to see Scorpion tearing through the street and the many stands.
"So much for having a relaxing time at the fair."Jay sighed as he ran off into a nearby alley.
Thankfully he managed to wear most of his costume under his clothes. Sure it made it really hot to wear, but it didn't bother Jay too much. It was probably because he would withstand the cold better now. Either way, it came in handy as he was ready to engage Scorpion once more.
"At least I hope I am." Jay hoped as he pulled down his mask and swung out of the alley.
"Get out the way!" Scorpion demanded as he swung his tail towards some stands, but it was stopped by a web.
"You know it's rude to interrupt a fair where people were having a good time!" Spider-Man stated as he stood on the side of a building.
"GGGRRRHHH…so the poison didn't kill you!" Scorpion hissed.
"Not for the lack of trying," Spider-Man replied as he pulled the web, forcing Scorpion to the ground.
He knew that Scorpion was tough and that his tail was very dangerous, so Spider-Man needed to beat him fast. Jumping off the building's wall, he fired two webs onto the ground before zipping down and slamming into Scorpion's back.
Flipping over, Spidey landed on the ground as Scorpion picked himself up. The villainous arachnid fired several blasts of acid at Spider-Man, who dodged each one. But each hit several stands where people still were.
Many people had yet to clear the area, and they were in great danger if they were to stay. Acting quickly, Spider-Man fired a web at Scorpion's eyes to blind him, but it didn't work this time. Scorpion sliced the web easily with his tail but was blindsided by Spider-Man.
The hero used his web to distract Scorpion, allowing him to attack the villain. Spider-Man clocked Scorpion in his exposed mouth once more before firing more webs. While Scorpion was temporarily trapped, Spidey focused on getting people out of the area.
Once he got the stragglers out, Scorpion freed himself and fired at Spider-Man's back. Flipping over the acid attack, Spidey fired a web behind Scorpion and pulled himself in to kick him. However, Scorpion cut the web before knocking Spider-Man into a building with his tail.
Crashing through the building's wall, Spider-Man grabbed onto a pillar to stop his momentum. When he rounded the pillar, he was met by Scorpion's fist, which punched him in the face. Spidey was sent sprawling to the floor as Scorpion got on top of him.
Before Scorpion could attack, Spider-Man fired a web over his mouth and nose, preventing the villain from breathing. Spidey then fired a web to the ceiling and pulled himself up, creating momentum to land a punch at Scorpion's head.
Scorpion was knocked down onto his back as Spider-Man landed on the ceiling. The hero jumped off the ceiling towards Scorpion, but he was knocked outside the building by Scorpion's tail. Spidey crashed into an empty stand as Scorpion recovered, ripping the webbing off of him.
"Your little webs are getting on my nerves, Spider-Man." Scorpion stated as he walked out of the building.
"Well, the same goes for your tail, big guy," Spider-Man replied as he got up.
The villainous arachnid charged at Spider-Man, who jumped out of the way towards an intersection. As the battle continued towards a new street, the police arrived on the scene. Unfortunately, they were unable to act against the two fighting super-powered forces.
Fearing for their own lives, they made sure to keep the citizens safe. Meanwhile, Spider-Man swung around the street, avoiding shots of acid by Scorpion. Spidey attempted to fire a web at the end of Scorpion's tail, but it was not going to work this time as Scorpion avoided them.
Their fight grew closer and closer to the docks, where Jett had just noticed the fight as he began to leave the docks. Jett watched from afar as Spider-Man landed on top of a stand before jumping off to avoid another blast of acid.
"Your acrobatics can only help you for so long!" Scorpion shouted as he fired another blast.
"It'll help me enough until you inevitably run out of acid." Spider-Man pointed out as he jumped to a building's wall and crawled up.
Flipping backward, Spider-Man swung away as Scorpion fired another blast of acid. Avoiding the substance, Spidey swung towards Scorpion, kicking him in the chest sending him into a stand. Spider-Man landed on a wall using it to jump back and tackled Scorpion as he got up.
As the two hit the ground, Spider-Man flipped back up onto his feet. Before he could attack, he jumped up to avoid Scorpion's tail. Spidey fired a web pinning the tail to the ground as he landed on the appendage and kicked Scorpion in the face.
In retaliation, Scorpion ripped his tail free, hitting Spider-Man and knocking him down the street. Scorpion ran after Spider-Man as he landed on his feet and prepared himself for Scorpion's attack.
Looking around, Spider-Man fired a web into a manhole and ripped it out before throwing it at Scorpion, who used his tail to defend himself. Scorpion rammed into Spider-Man, and the two brought the fight onto the docks.
Scorpion pinned Spidey onto the ground attempting to impale him, but Spider-Man pushed Scorpion off by kicking both feet into his gut. This sent Scorpion behind Spidey as he got back onto his feet.
Spider-Man rushed towards Scorpion, who stabbed at Spidey, but the arachnid hero jumped up, kicking the tail down. He then landed a blow at Scorpion's head, his one weak point. Though that being said, if it didn't hurt so much, he might be able to break Scorpion's suit.
As Scorpion fell down, Spidey landed behind him, attempting to web him up. But Scorpion stopped him by slicing at Spider-Man with the blade of his tail. Backing up, Spider-Man watched as Scorpion got up and fired a blast of acid at Spidey.
Ducking down, Spider-Man avoided the acid, but to his dismay, it flew over, hitting one of the supports for the Ferris Wheel. The support broke apart, causing wires to expose and the Ferris Wheel to begin to fall.
He fired several webs to keep the support up but was forced to stop by Scorpion's attack. Spider-Man flipped over Scorpion as his tail hit the wooden docks. Spidey was put on the defensive to avoid being cut by the poisoned blade once more.
This was a problem as the webs he had fired before were not holding up, and the Ferris Wheel would break down at this point. Looking up, Spider-Man noticed that Jett was sitting on the Ferris Wheel along with several other people.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Spider-Man cursed as he head-butted Scorpion before jumping off him towards the Ferris Wheel.
Just as his webs broke and the Ferris Wheel began to fall, Spider-Man intervened and held the large ride up. However, It was very heavy, so heavy that Spidey could barely hold it up as his knees buckled under him.
He watched as Scorpion turned around, grinning at the sight of him struggling to hold up the Ferris Wheel. This created a whole new problem as he couldn't fight off Scorpion or dodge another blast of acid without causing the Ferris Wheel to fall.
Spider-Man was not going to let that happen as it was partially his fault that the Ferris Wheel was like this. He ran several possibilities in his head, but Spidey didn't know what his best option would be.
"Use the wire!" Jett shouted as he connected to the comms in Spidey's mask.
"Jett?" Spider-Man whispered.
"Don't talk, just listen. I'm at the end of the docs, but I can see some exposed electrical wire behind you in the broken support." Jett began.
"From what I can see here, there is this hexagonal plate on the back of his neck, and I'd bet my money that it's the power unit!" Jett continued.
"I know it may be hard, but you have to jam a wire on it, and it may short circuit!" Jett finished.
"Won't it have shielding?" Spider-Man questioned.
"Yeah, it might, but it could also really hurt Scorpion, meaning it could be what wins you this!" Jett responded.
"You do realize if I let go of this Ferris Wheel, it will fall, right?" Spider-Man inquired as he watched Scorpion slowly raise his tail.
"I know, but it may be your only chance. You're going to have to lure him in and do it fast." Jett answered.
"Aw shit." Spider-Man cursed.
"Well, well, looks like now I have a stationary target." Scorpion smirked as he readied to fire acid at Spidey.
"Really? Taking the easy way out? Guess you're still afraid I'll kick your ass while holding up a Ferris Wheel!" Spider-Man mocked.
"Excuse me?" Scorpion questioned.
"During our whole fight, I was just messing with you. I could even beat your ass while both of my hands can't be used!" Spider-Man goaded, trying to lure the villain closer.
"As if what do you call our first fight and the last several minutes?!" Scorpion inquired.
"Pity!" Spider-Man laughed as his hands shook from the pressure.
"Bite the bait, you stupid idiot!" Spider-Man insisted as Scorpion grit his teeth.
"Fine, I'll prove you wrong! I'll drive my tail right through your stomach!" Scorpion declared as he walked towards Spider-Man.
"I only have one chance at this!" Spider-Man thought as sweat built up in his mask.
"Die, you damn bug!" Scorpion demanded as he stopped in front of Spidey and drove his tail towards him.
Acting quickly, Spider-Man removed his right hand and grabbed onto one of the exposed wires, and drove it into the back of Scorpion's neck. Scorpion screamed in pain as he was electrocuted while Spidey moved his hand back.
Scorpion fell down as the hexagon plate that powered his suit went haywire and sent sparks down the control unit that was attached to his spine. It melted in place, fusing with Scorpion's skin as the villain fell unconscious.
"Oh, thank Christ." Spider-Man sighed as he shifted his legs to support the Ferris Wheel.
"Now, I just need to worry about this," Spider-Man muttered as he struggled to hold up the attraction while police approached the scene.
Several officers secured Scorpion before going towards Spider-Man. As they did, several news trucks arrived and began filming from a distance. Eddie Brock and the Daily Bugle specifically film Spider-Man holding up the Ferris Wheel.
"Please don't tell me you're going to arrest me right now because if I let go, this thing is coming down," Spider-Man begged as several officers cautiously surrounded him.
"You guys have a line for the fire department, right? Because I don't know how long I can hold this." Spider-Man stated as the officers exchanged looks before holstering their guns.
"Just stay right there." One of the officers ordered.
"Yeah, where else am I able to go right now?" Spider-Man questioned as several officers told those who were on the Ferris Wheel to hang tight and don't do something stupid.
But as time passed, Spider-Man was growing tired, and it would be soon that he wouldn't be able to hold it up much longer. That was when several fire trucks came into his view and approached the Ferris Wheel.
However, with them came several teams of swat and armored vehicles. As Spider-Man found it hard to breathe, the firemen began to rescue those on the Ferris Wheel. Meanwhile, Scorpion was detained and loaded onto an armored truck as other swat surrounded Spidey.
"For the love of God." Spider-Man sighed as the last person was taken off the wheel.
"That's the last of them!" A Firefighter declared.
"I can't hold it for much longer!" Spider-Man shouted as everyone ran out of the way. When everyone was clear, Spidey finally let go allowing the wheel to fall.
When it hit the dock, the wooden frame cracked, and planks broke, but thankfully no one was hurt. Spider-Man rubbed his sore arms as he walked on top of the fallen Ferris Wheel. As he did, several swat surrounded him with guns raised.
"Freeze, Spider-Man, you are under arrest!" One of the swat ordered.
"Of course I am." Spider-Man sighed as several cheers caught his attention.
"Way to go, Spider-Man!" People cheered.
"Thanks for saving us, Spider-Man!" Others shouted as they filmed the hero with their phones.
The swat team looked at one another, trying to think of what they should do. While they could just arrest Spider-Man, if it wasn't for him, all those people would have died. Against his better judgment, the swat leader lowered his gun.
"Get out of here. This is the only free pass you'll get." The Swat Leader stated.
"Sir, are you sure?" Another Swat Member questioned.
"If it were for him, all those people would be dead. He'll get this one chance." The Swat Leader answered.
Spider-Man gave the leader a nod before zipping away until he was able to swing off into the city. When he left, several reporters rushed to interview the people who were saved while Godfrey focused on the swat who let Spider-Man get away, looking to shame such an act.
Contrast to him, Eddie Brock focused on the lighter side of things in his report while those who survived and those who watched posted videos online. The video was liked and shared all across the web getting attention nationwide.
"Not bad, buddy," Jett smirked as he looked at the posts.
"Not bad at all," Jett added.
Chrysler Building…
Kingpin sat at his desk watching the news footage of Scorpion being arrested with a scowl. It seems that fighting an arachnid with another arachnid wasn't going to work after all. But this didn't discourage the crime lord as he still had other ideas.
It seemed Tinkerer was going to have to work extra hard to make something to combat Spider-Man. But then again, with Norman back, he could finally get his hands on the Oz Formula. However, something was off about Norman since he came back.
He didn't believe that some intruder killed the board members. Something about Norman changed, and Kingpin didn't know whether it was good or bad. Either way, he may be the only hope for combating Spider-Man and other metas if Tinkerer fails.
"Or maybe I should get some metahumans in my organization." Kingpin murmured.
Curt Conners Home…
"Wow, I really am trending." Jay gasped as he looked at the posts of him holding up the Ferris Wheel online.
"Yeah, dude, #FriendlyNeighborhood is going through the roof!" Jett smirked as the two talked over the phone.
"There are still several people complaining about the collateral damage, but because of what happened with the Ferris Wheel, people are really getting on your side!" Jett exclaimed.
"Still, though, I need to work better on preventing collateral damage." Jay sighed.
"True, but this is a big leap!" Jett replied.
"By the way, I wanted to ask you about making more gadgets and upgrades to my web-shooters?" Jay inquired.
"Really?! Sure man, I have plenty of ideas, especially if your webs can carry a current!" Jett responded.
"Thanks. I'm going to need to up my game if I want to combat guys like Scorpion. His armor was tough, and it hurt to hit." Jay replied.
"Though that being said, if it didn't hurt so much, I may have been able to do more damage," Jay murmured.
"Maybe we should put some armor on your hands so that you can hit harder without sustaining much damage." Jett mused.
"We'll save that for later," Jay replied.
"By the way, have you gotten into the hard drive?" Jay asked.
"Not yet, but I should have it by next week," Jett answered.
"Good. Hopefully, we will get some answers from it." Jay sighed.
"Especially since Norman Osborn is back, we may need it," Jay added.
"There's also new mysteries like why Green Goblin let Norman go and who this Tinkerer is," Jay murmured.
"You said Tinkerer was the one who made Scorpion's suit, right?" Jett inquired.
"That's what Scorpion claimed, yeah," Jay responded.
"The hole gets deeper and deeper." Jett sighed.
"Speaking off, I had a very…concerning experience during the fair before Scorpion attacked," Jay stated.
"What happened?" Jett questioned.
"I went inside this tent where this old woman gave me a fortune, and it was…very specific. What really concerned me was that she knew my name and that I was Spider-Man." Jay explained.
"Wha…HOW!?" Jett gasped.
"I don't know. I didn't say anything. She somehow just knew." Jay replied.
"Speaking off, I forgot she gave me a card before I left," Jay said as he fished the card out of his pocket only to see a piece of folded paper.
"But now I just have…paper?" Jay muttered, confused as he unfolded the paper.
"Did she slip you a note?" Jett asked.
"Kinda. It's a flyer advertising her business." Jay responded.
"It says for tarot reading, and insights to the future come seek Madame Web," Jay stated.
New York Penatenary…
"It can't come off?" A Prison Doctor inquired.
"Sadly no, it seems the pins that have been planted in his spine melted into his skin. It would take extensive surgery to remove it, and even then, he'll be paralyzed." The Second Doctor answered.
"If we do that, then we'll never have to worry about this bastard hurting anyone again." The First Doctor replied.
"He'll have trouble moving at all with this busted suit. With no power, he's lucky if he could jog much less run in this." The Second stated.
"Whatever. Let's get this guy set to Belle Reve and get it over with." The First Doctor insisted as they left the unconscious Scorpion to be hauled off.
Midtown High...
Mr. Samson's Office…
"How are the results?" Mr. Samson inquired as he closed the office door.
"There are some good ones here, and if they test positive, our employer will be pleased." Masters replied as he shut the window shades blocking the moonlight.
"His methods are crude, but it is effective of activating the metagene." Mr. Samson sighed as a thud was heard from the closet.
"Did he wake up?" Mr. Samson questioned as he opened the closet, causing a second and tied-up Mr. Samson to fall out.
"No, he just fell on the door by the looks of it." Masters replied as he tossed the tied-up Mr. Samson back in the closet.
"It's late, and no one will see us here. You don't need to stay in that form." Masters reminded as the other Mr. Samson began to change.
First, his hair and nose began to disappear before his skin changed to pure snow white. Eventually, the fake Mr. Samson was a different person entirely as his face was that of something inhuman. He rubbed his head and stretched out before he sat down at the desk.
"Much better. That form was very uncomfortable." The Snow White Man stated.
"Well, consider yourself lucky we're done observing. Once we make it look like the gym teacher was just on a drunken bender, we can leave." Masters replied.
"Good, then we can go and steal the medical records to find who in this school has the metagene." The Snow White Man smirked.
"That's all on you, Chameleon." Masters murmured.
"Very well. It's a good thing the Justice League can't stop us without getting UN permission." Chameleon laughed.
"True, the only 'threat' is the Spider-Man." Masters agreed sarcastically as he didn't see the arachnid hero as a threat.
"What's wrong? Got something against Spider-Man?" Chameleon inquired.
"Not at all." Masters responded as he grabbed onto a nearby bag and began rummaging through it.
"He's just pathetic. Such a sloppy mess isn't worth copying." Masters stated as he dawned a skull mask.
Author's Note:
Yes, this chapter came up even better than I expected, as there are some elements I had taken out of the chapter. Let's just say that during the scene in the Superior Bank (reference to Superior Spider-Man) that there were supposed to be some goons in exoskeletons.
The reason I removed it was because I felt it was too much in the scene to have Jay fight so many goons along with Scorpion. Eventually, goons with exoskeletons will show up, just not now since it would have been a little too much.
Anyway, I really liked writing this chapter, especially the little bit with Batman. If any of you are shocked that he already figured out that Jay was Spider-Man, then I wouldn't see how. He is the world's greatest detective after all, and he's figured out way crazier shit than this.
Plus, with the little paper trail I left, I didn't think it was hard for him to figure it out. The others simply didn't know where to look and decided to meet him face to face. Batman just didn't tell anyone because he felt sympathy for Jay.
Since both had parents die, Batman just felt a need to keep Jay's secret for now. Now before anyone asks, yes, Mr. Masters is Taskmaster. He and Chameleon had come to Midtown High to capture metas under Kingpin's nose.
Who they are working for at the moment will have to wait for later. Either way fighting both of them, especially Taskmaster, is going to be very difficult for Jay. Also, cards on the table I made a little not on Taos not being public yet because I forgot it wasn't a public thing until late in Season 3.
Literally finished rewatching it as I was writing this chapter and realized my mistake, so I just made the excuse that Jay and Jett knew about it due to their connections to Star Labs. But I digress as what also happened this chapter was Jay meeting Madame Web!
I tried to describe her appearance a little like the one from the 90's show but didn't do it too much as it would have basically revealed who she was before I wanted. Her fortune is going to be vital for Jay, though. More so than he realizes yet.
That's all I have to say for now, though let's get to the reviews:
Martin (Guest) – Oh, you have no idea :)
Kermit-The-Pimp – Yeah, I have big plans for the black suit and Venom! Sadly it won't be for a long while, but I am really excited to write it.
Kevin06x – I definitely look forward to Spider-Man's interactions with Godfrey, as it is going to be fun. I will neither confirm nor deny the possibility of Maya and Jay falling in love as I don't want to spoil the story.
But I'm glad you saw the similarities to their chemistry to Black Cat and Peter, as that is exactly what I was aiming for. I've not really seen much of Cassandra Cain, but from the pictures I've seen when I looked her up, the hairstyle is about right.
Yeah though Jay's mask will be a memento to remember the fight, lol. Norman will eventually make moves against Jay, but for now, his focus is elsewhere. But as seen in this chapter, he has enlisted Smythe for a certain something.
Hope you enjoyed Scorpion even though you said you didn't like him. I did try to make him as best as I could this chapter, so hopefully, you liked it. As for Black Spider, sadly, it will be a while before they meet, but it will be juicy to write.
When Jay does eventually find out who Kingpin is and Sara's situation, shit will get crazy for sure! Unfortunately, that will take some time.
That's all I have for today! See you guys next time!