Chapter 13:
Space Trek 3016
–
Invasion of the Spider-Slayers!
Sunday, June 11, 10:04 pm…
New York City…
Spider-Man swung through the various buildings of New York as he had done every night. At the moment, it seemed he was on patrol as all that could be seen below were the cars driving on the street so smoothly that it was unnatural to call it New York traffic.
Landing on a building, Spider-Man slowly walked along the roof as several drones descended upon him from the sky. Jumping onto a water tower, he avoided gunfire from the drones as they sprouted eight sharp legs and flew toward him.
Jumping off the water tower, Spidey avoided one of the drones that sliced through the tower with its legs. Firing a web, Spider-Man proceeded to throw one into another, destroying both as one flew behind him, attempting to slice his head off, but Spidey ducked down just in time.
The only thing that the drone hit was his hood cutting it off his suit as he turned around and thrust his fist through the drone. However, the rest of the drones converged on him, creating a dome around him as a blue force field connected them trapping Spider-Man.
He attempted to hit the force field, but it didn't budge as he punched it. In fact, it burned through his suit, leaving marks on his fist. Soon after, the drones got closer, closing the force field on Spidey, pinning him against the force field, burning him before flying off toward Oscorp before they all paused.
"As you can see, Mr. Osborn, from this simulation, my Spider-Slayers will be easily able to capture Spider-Man as requested," Alistair explained as he gestured to the screen behind him.
Oscorp…
Norman Osborn's Office…
Currently, he was presenting Norman with his results with his Spider-Slayer drones and how they will be able to capture Spider-Man for Norman. It was his project to give to the Mayor as a way to keep the city safe from the metas and other villains that had been popping up.
"This is all well and good, Alistair, but I want to see something real. Not a simulation and capturing isn't something I am aiming for." Norman replied as he sat at his desk.
"Well, if capture isn't good enough for you…." Alistair began as he pressed a button on his remote, continuing the simulation.
Instead of the Spider-Slayers taking Spider-Man to Oscorp, the Spider-Slayers flew to the nearest roof and pinned him there. They then concentrated on firing at him, killing him on the spot, much to Norman's pleasure.
"Then they will be more than capable of killing him. Now, as for the real thing…." Alistair continued as the elevator behind him opened, revealing several Spider-Slayers floating within.
"They're more than ready," Alistair smirked as he turned off the hologram displaying the simulation, and the Spider-Slayers presented their armaments to Norman.
"Now that is far more like it, Alistair." Norman laughed, giving Alistair a soft clap.
"I'm sure the Mayor will be pleased with this once we reveal them tomorrow." Norman smiled as Alistair dismissed his Spider-Slayers.
"I'm happy to hear that, sir," Alistair replied as Norman stood up from his desk.
"Good because I want you to be there to show off the Spider-Slayers." Norman insisted as he guided Alistair to the elevator.
"Y-You do?" Alistair questioned, confused at why Norman would want to share his spotlight.
"Of course. I believe that the people need to see the face of the one who made what will protect their city and for that man to assure them of their safety." Norman responded, patting Alistair on the back and pushing him into the elevator.
As Alistair descended in the elevator, Norman's smile disappeared as he returned to his desk. Rubbing his face in his hands, Norman looked at the data for the Spider-Slayers on his computer before shutting it off.
"Why the long face, Norman?" Goblin asked as Norman turned around to look at his reflection in the window only to see Goblin.
"This is a lot of risk to place on Oscorp just to kill Spider-Man," Norman muttered as Goblin laughed at Norman's worries.
"That's why we're using Alistair remember?" Goblin reminded as Norman nodded.
"I know. But what about Fisk?" Norman asked as Goblin lost his smile and looked at Norman with a serious expression.
"Don't you trust me, Norman?" Goblin questioned as Norman nodded.
"I do," Norman answered, returning Goblin's smile as he opened a drawer bringing out a pumpkin-like device that ignited when he used his power inside it.
"With our intellect and the resources at Oscorp, Fisk won't be a problem. So leave him to me while I leave Spider-Man to you." Goblin insisted as Norman put the pumpkin back.
"Of course." Norman nodded as he turned around, powering up his computer once more as he got to work.
Monday, June 12, 9:32 am…
New York City…
F.E.A.S.T Building…
Jay stood in the kitchen of F.E.A.S.T, helping with breakfast for the day. He was currently serving the food and chatting it up with everyone that came by. It had been over two weeks since he started volunteering at F.E.A.S.T, and Jay was finally getting used to working there.
He was getting along with most of the employees and a majority of the regulars who stayed there. Most notably, he was helping Max Dillon with job hunting as he felt a little responsible for him losing his job at Star Labs.
While he was serving the regulars, Jay was thinking about his plans for that day. Today was the day that Space Trek 3016 was going to film a special episode in New York. Jay was planning to watch the filming from above and record a little to send to Jett.
"Hi everyone, it's your very own Stargirl Courtney Whitmore coming to you from the Big Apple where the newest episode of Space Trek is set to shoot!" Courtney announced over the TV behind Jay appearing to be on the set already.
"This episode which is said to be a movie-like special between seasons is set in present-day New York where the crew of the starship Engager has been sent back in time." Courtney continued as she walked along the set.
"I, for one, can't wait for this episode to air, and I'm sure all of you are as well, so stay tuned for special behind-the-scenes content! Plus, later tonight, we'll be doing a special on New York's new hero, Spider-Man!" Courtney finished as Jay was shocked.
"She's doing a special on me?!" Jay gasped as he had not heard anything about it.
"This must be a last-minute addition." Jay thought as he peeked at the TV and smiled.
"Maybe this could paint me in a better light," Jay smirked as he continued to work.
As he did so, he proceeded a little slow as his chest was still a little sore from being broken by Otto Octavius the previous week. It was mostly healed at that point, but it still hurt from time to time.
After finishing serving breakfast, Jay helped clean up but stopped feeling like he was being watched. Looking around, he saw that no one was watching him causing him to sigh. This had been happening to him a lot since continuing to work at F.E.A.S.T.
It was all because of Maya, the girl who had followed him around from this very building and seemed to have some problem with him. Now, whenever he was at F.E.A.S.T, he felt like someone was watching him.
"I really hope I don't see her again." Jay sighed inwardly as he placed dishes in the sink.
"Great work today, Jay." Richard complimented as he walked up to Jay and patted him on the shoulder.
"Thanks, Mr. Thompson. What's next on the agenda?" Jay inquired as Richard laughed.
"We've got it from here, son. You've been here since five in the morning. Go home and rest." Richard responded as he ran the dishwasher behind Jay.
"Are you sure I can still work?" Jay asked as Richard shook his head.
"You've been working odd hours these past few weeks, Jay. It's fine. Honestly, I don't know how you get much sleep." Richard answered as Jay laughed awkwardly.
"Yeah, I'm just glad it's summer," Jay replied as he took off the apron he wore and left the kitchen.
Making his way through the auditorium where people slept, Jay said his goodbyes to everyone before looking for Max. He wanted to check up on him before he left for the set of Space Trek, and he soon found him in one of the corners.
"Hey Max, how's the job search going?" Jay inquired as he sat next to Max.
"Oh, hi, Jay. It's…going. Not many people need an engineer like me around." Max sighed as he flipped through the wanted ads.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Did you hear back from Wayne Industries?" Jay asked as Max nodded as showed his rejection letter.
"They're already full up on engineers," Max murmured as Jay looked down.
"I'm trying a few other places, but…if those fail, I might need to just go to the local grocery store." Max sighed as Jay patted him on the back.
"Don't give up hope yet, Max. I'm sure you'll find a job soon." Jay assured as Max smiled.
"Thanks, kid. I'll see you later. I need to make a few calls." Max replied as Jay nodded and left the man to continue his search.
He wished he could do more, but all he could do was help him look for job openings. But for now, he was just going to have faith that Max would pull through. When he got outside, Jay ducked into the nearest alley before jumping up the wall to get to the roof.
Grabbing onto his backpack that he stashed on the roof, he pulled out his costume as he checked his phone. Since it was still early in the morning, he didn't have any messages, especially since Jett was in New Mexico, where it was far earlier than in New York.
Once his suit was on, he slung his bag over his shoulder before placing his phone in a protective container on his belt. Now ready, Spidey backflipped off the roof and swung off to watch the film set on the George Washington Bridge.
Tinkerer's Workshop…
Tinkerer stood in her workshop, finishing up on her newest project for Kingpin. Ever since Jett left for Taos, she had been working on her projects all day, every day. She hoped that if she got enough work done, she could repay her debt to the crimelord.
But things were getting complicated as she could tell Kingpin was plotting something. He hadn't said anything, but she had interacted with the man enough times to know that he was hiding something from her.
There was only one thing that came to mind that could possibly be what Kingpin was hiding, and that was her replacement. Clearly, he hadn't been happy with her last few efforts, mainly being Shocker and Scorpion as both had failed, and her exoskeletons were being countered by Spider-Man.
No doubt this didn't sit well with Kingpin, and he would be looking for alternatives to her. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing needed to be seen. But whatever he was planning on doing was no doubt going to be dangerous, especially for Jay.
"If only there was something more I could do." Tinkerer thought as she received a message from Kingpin.
Turn on the news
That was all it said. It confused Tinkerer about what could possibly be so important about the news as she left her work and went to her computer. Once it was on, she tuned into the Daily Bugle, which had the report Kingpin wanted her to see.
"This is Eddie Brock live from the Mayor's office, where Norman Osborn and Mayor Martin Li are about to make a huge announcement concerning the recent increase of meta-related incidents in the city." Eddie began as he stood in front of an empty podium.
"One can only wonder what their announcement can bring us at this time and what Norman Osborn and, by extension, Oscorp has to do with it." Eddie continued as Norman and Martin walked onto the podium.
"Oh, it looks like we're starting," Eddie stated as the camera zoomed in on the Mayor and Norman.
"Greetings, everyone. Today I am here to address the concerns that everyone has had of the rising meta-like activity these past few months." Martin began as the flashes of cameras illuminated him.
"For a while, I did not wish to escalate the situation, but unfortunately, things have been getting worse, and after last week's events with Doctor Octavius, I can't stand by anymore." Martin continued as the crowd whispered.
"The people of this city are scared, and as their Mayor, I need to keep them safe. We cannot rely on a vigilante to solve our problems for us. This is why I've gotten help from Oscorp to solve this problem." Martin went on as someone spoke up.
"But why Oscorp? Doesn't Lexcorp have a better reputation when it comes to stuff like this?" Someone inquired as Martin sighed.
"I actually requested aid from both Lexcorp and Oscorp. Oscorp was the first to deliver. So Norman, show us what you have." Martin answered as he ushered Norman up to the mic.
"I can't tell you how honored I am to be able to help keep this city safe. After the recent attack in this city and even ones I've experienced first hand, I know that something needs to change." Norman began as he adjusted the mic to his level.
"So that is why today I am happy to announce that the brilliant minds in Oscorp led and overseen by my associate Alistair Smythe have developed the new guards of the city." Norman continued as Alistair walked onto the stage, holding a remote.
"We will put a stop to these menaces that are endangering our city, even to the vigilante Spider-Man who makes the collateral damage far worse than it could have been," Norman announced, catching Tinkerer's attention as the crowd began to look up at the sky.
"So I present to you. THE SPIDER-SLAYERS!" Norman declared as dozens of small black arachnid-like drones came down and surrounded the podium as their red eyes stared at the ground.
"These drones will patrol the city from above and monitor and report any meta activity to the police and keep the threat contained with their built-in weapon systems." Norman went on as Tinkerer looked at her screen wide-eyed.
"Won't that just cause more problems?" Someone in the crowd questioned as Norman shook his head.
"I know putting weapons out there may seem dangerous or severe, but I assure you that the Spider-Slayers aren't equipped with weapons that can cause damage but only weapons that are made to subdue someone," Norman assured as one lowered to his level and opened up its casing.
"These drones are equipped with tranquilizers and rubber bullets that are made to catch the attention of a meta threat and then…." Norman explained as the drones turned their underbellies toward Norman and created a blue shield around the podium.
"Capture them and any accomplice in this specialized force field that will take the strength of Superman to break!" Norman declared as the crowd applauded the display as the force field turned off.
"Rest assured that the Spider-Slayers are full proof. Alistair, would you like to chime in?" Norman inquired as he offered the podium to Alistair, who took it.
"As the lead for making the Spider-Slayers, I can assure all of you that the Spider-Slayers are harmless and will not be able to hurt anyone," Alistair assured as Eddie Brock raised his hand.
"If they're so harmless, then why are they called Spider-Slayers?" Eddie questioned as the name seemed to suggest otherwise.
"I've named them as a form of symbolism in a sense. Because for too long, this Spider-Man has been 'solving' our problems. But we don't need him to." Alistair began as he had a Spider-Slayer float next to him.
"My Spider-Slayers with 'slay' the need for a Spider-Man." Alistair finished as he got a few laughs out of the crowd as Eddie Brock simply rolled his eyes.
"How do these Spider-Slayers work?" Someone asked as Alistair turned to them.
"With specialized Oscorp technology, we can detect any active metagenes within a mile radius, making it easy to find and predict attacks," Alistair answered as the crowd murmured.
"You're saying it can detect metas? What if someone gets their hands on this technology?" Another questioned as Alistair laughed.
"No one will be able to get their hands on our tech, and if they do, we have remote self-destruct systems that will force the Spider-Slayers to use a small EMP inside them to destroy their data and circuits," Alistair explained as Tinkerer scowled knowing that Kingpin would want that.
As if on que, Kingpin sent her another message as she turned off the broadcast. Just as she thought, the message simply asked if she could replicate the Spider-Slayers. While she might be able to, she couldn't without dissecting one first. After answering the question, she soon got another message.
I want you to hack into those drones and bring them to me. It's time I found out what else Norman has been hiding from me
It seems Kingpin wasn't happy that Norman was withholding such weapons from him. Tinkerer knew that ever since Norman returned from disappearing, it seemed he had been distancing himself from Kingpin, something the crimelord was displeased about.
She knew that Kingpin had been planning to give Norman a visit for a while now. But apparently, there was business to be taken care of first. Taking a moment to think about her options, she knew that she would be able to do so, but she didn't know if she should.
If she did, then Kingpin would have another dangerous weapon in his hands, but on the other hand, if she didn't, no doubt this would be a very dangerous weapon against Jay. That being said, now that she thought about it, these Spider-Slayers were dangerous for him either way.
Coming to a decision, Tinkerer messaged Kingpin back that she was able to hack into the Spider-Slayers if she got her hands on one. The crimelord immediately messaged back, ordering her to do it today.
Mayor's Office…
"The Spider-Slayers will be having a test deployment today, so don't be worried when you see them flying around the city. Feel relieved that true safety has come to our great city." Norman announced as the crowd roared with applause.
As Norman gave Martin the mic, he and Alistair walked off the podium as the announcement came to an end and the Spider-Slayers flew off. As they walked, Alistair adjusted the Spider-Slayers setting on his remote before he and Norman got in a limo.
"Have you set them to find Spider-Man?" Norman inquired as the limo began to drive off.
"I have. They should find him before the day's end," Alistair reported as he showed Norman the remote.
"Good, and make sure that when they find Spider-Man, they're set to kill," Norman ordered as Alistair went wide-eyed.
"But sir, we just assured the public that they can do no harm if suddenly they see the Spider-Slayers killing Spider-Man, we'll be sued!" Alistair argued as Norman looked unfazed.
"That's why you'll make it look like an accident Smythe. Who can blame us when a small accident happened on their first day of operation." Norman replied as he threw the remote back to Alistair, who sweated nervously.
"As you wish, sir." Alistair sighed as he activated the Spider-Slayers and sent them to search for Spider-Man.
Nearby…
"Come on, Leeds, we're following these Spider-Slayers." Eddie insisted as he moved to the Daily Bugle van.
"But didn't the boss want us to cover the filming of Space Trek?" Ned inquired as he loaded the camera into the van.
"He did. But I can feel a big story behind these Spider-Slayers. We might just see Spider-Man too." Eddie explained as he hopped into the driver's seat.
"Spider-Man! You really think so?" Ned asked as he buckled up in the passenger seat.
"Could be. You might get your chance to finally see him in action like you've wanted." Eddie smirked as he drove off.
"I'm so glad I got this internship." Ned smiled as they made their way to find where the Spider-Slayers were going.
George Washington Bridge…
Spider-Man landed on the roof of the building adjacent to the George Washington Bridge and looked down below at the film set in awe. Though he made sure to stay out of sight so as to not disturb the crew.
"Sweet! That's Garfield Logan!" Spider-Man exclaimed as he saw Garfield walk through the set.
Garfield himself was getting ready for the first shoot of the day as he greeted his co-stars and waved at Courtney, who was interviewing some of the crew. He was excited about today's shoot, and nothing was going to ruin it for him. Well, perhaps one thing or, more precisely, one person could.
"Remember, no pulling any stunts like last time, Beck, or else you're gone!" The Lead VFX coordinator insisted as he and his assistant Quentin Beck passed Garfield.
"Right, boss," Beck replied, hanging his head low as he carried a box of various items.
It still surprised Garfield that Beck was still employed after the stunt he pulled last month during one of their shoots for the next season. To make a scene look more realistic, he planted real explosives that were too powerful for the set.
When the explosives went off, they broke the set because it was too powerful and even injured one of the extras. If it wasn't because of Garfield's intervention, it might have actually killed them, and he advocated to punish Beck, but nothing came of it, much to his displeasure.
But he did believe in second chances, so he was going to overlook it for now. As Garfield walked off, he failed to notice that Beck was glaring at him before being told off by the VFX coordinator once more.
"Alright, people, let's get started. We only have three days to shoot this climax so let's get a move on!" The Director ordered as everyone got the set ready for the shoot.
"Ready for the action, Gar?" Paul Sloane asked as he approached Garfield from behind.
"You know it, Paul. Or should I say, Captain!" Garfield smiled as Paul laughed, and the two walked toward the bridge.
"I wonder if I could get a better view." Spider-Man wondered as he looked around the set.
"No way I can go anywhere without being spotted." Spider-Man sighed as he watched them get ready to begin the shoot.
"Alright, game time," Spidey smirked as he took out his phone and took a picture to send to Jett.
Garfield transformed into a hawk and flew up to the top of the bridge, waiting for his dramatic entrance to occur. The shoot began, and the dramatic battle between his "crew" and the Time Devils, which were otherworldly beings that were trying to kill them for not being in their time.
He watched as everyone began the fight they had practiced for days on end. For now, he only waited as he looked around, taking in the city before he spotted something or, more specifically, someone. Garfield spotted someone on top of a roof of a nearby building watching the shoot.
Using the better vision of a hawk, Garfield saw that the person was Spider-Man! He had heard about him on the news and internet and was pretty impressed with his courage and his work. That being said, he could see that he was sloppy, and he wondered if the Team was looking into him.
That being said, what was he doing there? Was something about to happen? Or was he just here to watch? As he watched, Garfield was so distracted that he nearly missed his cue to enter the scene, forcing him to ignore Spider-Man and dive down to do his job.
Though he was a little distance from the shoot, Spidey still had a relatively good spot to watch and could sometimes hear the lines being said if they were loud enough. Overall, Spider-Man was enjoying himself there though that being said, he was still listening to the police radio in case he was needed.
Thankfully things seemed peaceful, but he kept hearing about some kind of test happening today, which they weren't being too descriptive about. They were talking about something flying over the city and to not panic.
Thinking about it, he guessed that it might have something to do with Space Trek as they might be using drones to simulate some VFX. Continuing to watch the shoot, Spider-Man was picking up on what the basic plot was happening.
It was then that they got to the big action sequence, and some of the explosives went off far larger than he expected. He was surprised they were that large, but they seemed to be contained for the moment.
"I wonder what they are using?" Spider-Man thought as the explosives seemed small.
Before he could finish the thought, he saw something out of the corner of his eye a few buildings down. It was something floating around, and it seemed to be watching the set. Spidey was confused about what it was and had a bad feeling, so he decided to check it out.
"Are you sure we don't have enough footage? Can't we just fluff it with extended shots of the set?" Courtney inquired as her cameraman shook his head.
"Maybe I can get one more interview to fill out the runtime. What do you think?" Courtney asked as her cameraman looked up at the sky.
"What's wrong?" Courtney questioned as she turned around and saw Spider-Man swinging overhead before dipping into an alley.
"I think we got our filler," Courtney smirked as she grabbed her things and dragged her cameraman along.
"We can use this to promote our later spot on him too!" Courtney laughed as the two chased after the arachnid hero.
Spider-Man landed on a roof and finally got a good look at what he had seen, and the sight perplexed him. It was an eight-legged drone that seemed to be watching the film set from a distance, that is until it turned around and spotted Spidey with the large camera eye.
"Well, aren't you a…drone…" Spider-Man commented as he inspected the drone/Spider-Slayer. But the Spider-Slayer opened up and aimed its guns at Spider-Man, setting off his spider-sense.
"Oh shit." Spidey cursed as he jumped over the drone just as it fired at him.
Now behind the Spider-Slayer, he fired a web into its back and pulled it down and out of the sky. When he landed on the ground, the Spider-Slayer soon followed as he grabbed onto it and smashed it on the ground breaking it.
"Okay, not the craziest thing that's happened to me," Spidey murmured as he picked up the pieces of the drone.
"Amazing! Such quick work from New York's new hero!" Courtney exclaimed, taking Spider-Man by surprise as he jumped back.
"Wha…where…" Spider-Man stuttered as he looked back and forth at Courtney and her cameraman.
"How much did you see?" Spider-Man inquired as Courtney approached Spider-Man, ignoring the question before turning to the camera.
"This is your very own Stargirl in New York where we've gotten a sighting of THE Spider-Man who has been trending across social media with #FriendlyNeighborhood." Courtney began as Spidey looked confused.
"We just witnessed him take done a mysterious drone, and now we have an exclusive interview!" Courtney exclaimed as Spider-Man looked at her, shocked.
"I didn't agree to this." Spider-Man thought as Courtney turned to him.
"So, Mr. Spider-Man, what made you decide to become a hero?" Courtney inquired as she pointed the mic at Spider-Man.
"Uh….I…I don't…this is…." Spider-Man stuttered as he tried to think of a way out of this before sighing in defeat, deciding to answer the question best he could.
"I just…thought I should use my powers for good rather than personal gain. I believe our world now more than ever needs more heroes." Spidey answered as Courtney smiled.
"What an excellent mindset to have! I think more people…" Courtney replied as Spider-Man tuned her out when his spider-sense went off.
As Courtney continued to talk, Spider-Man looked around, trying to find out what was setting his spider-sense off. When the cameraman pointed this out to Courtney, she questioned him if something was wrong as Spidey held up his hand.
"GET DOWN!" Spider-Man shouted as he turned around and pushed Courtney and her cameraman away as gunfire rained down where they just stood at.
Suddenly dozens of Spider-Slayers flew above them, aiming their guns at the three as Spider-Man stood in front of Courtney and her cameraman. He knew there was no way he could keep them safe while fighting off the drones, so he needed to get them out of here.
"Okay, here's what's going to happen." Spider-Man began as he fired two webs up to the roof of the building next to them.
"Hold on to these." Spider-Man insisted as he pushed the webs toward Courtney and her cameraman.
"Uh, how sticky is this going to…." Courtney began to question as Spidey's spider-sense went off.
Acting quickly, Spider-Man placed the webs on Courtney and her cameraman, sending them flying to the roof above as they screamed. As they landed, the Spider-Slayers attacked, shooting at Spidey as he ran down the alley jumping off the walls avoiding the gunfire.
"Where did these things come from?!" Spider-Man questioned as he fired two webs to slingshot himself away, with the Spider-Slayers quickly following.
"What are those things?" Courtney questioned as her cameraman filmed the chase.
Moving fast, Spidey ran from the Spider-Slayers as they got closer and closer. Eventually, one grabbed onto his arm by encasing his arm with its legs. Spidey managed to rip his arm out of the Spider-Slayer's grip, taking off some of its legs before crushing the camera on the front.
Firing a web at another Spider-Slayer and swung it into one that attempted to grab him before dropping down and swinging away. The Spider-Slayers fired at Spidey in controlled bursts to avoid damage.
When that didn't work, some split from the group to intercept Spider-Man as he turned a corner. Just as he did so, he saw the light blue force field created by the Spider-Slayers that had split off. Unable to react in time, he slammed into the force field, causing him to fall.
He tried to stick to the force field, but it shocked him, forcing him to continue his fall until several Spider-Slayers grabbed onto him and pinned him onto a nearby building. Their legs bolted into the wall, and their grip was so tight that Spidey struggled to move them.
"What is the deal with these things?" Spider-Man questioned as he tried to free himself as the rest of the Spider-Slayers approached him.
Determined to not be killed, Spidey used all of his strength to rip the Spider-Slayer that pinned his left arm out of the wall and fire a web. Using the web and his free arm, Spider-Man managed to free himself from the Spider-Slayers grip.
As he broke free, the Spider-Slayers attacked, slicing at him with their bladed legs. Spidey just managed to avoid them though one managed to hit him in the back, breaking through his tough skin. Upon seeing this, Spider-Man took note to avoid their legs.
Landing on the adjacent building, he ran up the wall as the Spider-Slayers flew after him. Just before he could reach the top several more Spider-Slayers cut off his path, forcing him to jump back. Flipping over the Spider-Slayers below him, Spider-Man fired a web at the ones above.
Pulling down, he forced the Spider-Slayers he webbed up to hit the ones that were below him. This caused a small explosion destroying a few others than the ones that had crashed while blowing away some others.
Those unaffected continued to chase after Spider-Man as the hero continued to fall and build up speed before firing a web to swing away. This gave Spider-Man enough distance between him and the Spider-Slayers to think of a little plan.
Quickly turning a corner, he got out of the sights of the Spider-Slayers. When they followed, they stopped in their tracks when Spider-Man was nowhere in sight. The Spider-Slayers moved around the area, searching for the missing arachnid.
Oscorp…
Alistair scanned the screens before him, looking for Spider-Man but was furious to see that the arachnid seemingly alluded him. It seemed that his simulations weren't as accurate as he had thought. The real Spider-Man was far smarter than he realized and a more capable fighter.
All he had to go on originally was what was publicly known about Spider-Man and what Norman gave him. But Alistair wasn't worried. He had confidence in his creations, and given enough time, he'd be able to kill Spider-Man.
"Though I need to get out of the public eye," Alistair noted as he saw people below staring at the Spider-Slayers.
With Spider-Man…
Peeking over the roof's edge, Spider-Man looked down at the Spider-Slayers that were looking for him. When he had turned the corner, he swung upward to land on the building before climbing on the roof before the Spider-Slayers rounded the corner.
"Okay. Time to take them down." Spidey smirked as he fired several web bullets down.
Since the Spider-Slayers were moving much slower, they became much easier targets for Spider-Man to hit and hit he did as he nailed several Spider-Slayers. Though his webs didn't break them, it hindered their movements.
When this happened, the Spider-Slayers took notice of Spidey as those that weren't webbed up flew up after him. Jumping back, Spider-Man avoided their gunfire as he readied himself for the ones who would come at him with their bladed legs.
Trusting his spider-sense, he avoided most of their attacks though some nicked him here and there. Whenever the opportunity came, he also attacked, breaking the Spider-Slayers with his fists or with legs he ripped off of others.
But eventually, their numbers became overwhelming as those he webbed up earlier joined the attack. Knowing when to run, Spidey jumped off the roof and swung away with the Spider-Slayers close behind.
Turning around to face the Spider-Slayers that chased him and fired more web bullets at the drones, hitting some but missing most that moved out of the way. Upon seeing this, Spidey came up with an idea as he swung faster to put a little distance between him and the Spider-Slayers.
When he was far enough, he fired a web net which caused numerous of the Spider-Slayers to crash into the net. While they did get stuck, none were broken by this as the ones that were free began to break their counterparts out.
But Spider-Man acted quickly, jumping to the top of the web and folding it to trap even more inside his web. This didn't last too long, unfortunately, as the Spider-Slayers cut the web apart, escaping Spider-Man's trap.
"Shit." Spider-Man cursed as the Spider-Slayers attacked him.
Jumping off, Spider-Man dove down and fired more web bullets to keep the Spider-Slayers back before swinging off. Each time a Spider-Slayer got close, Spider-Man knocked it back and broke each one that came at him until one cut his web, causing him to fall.
Quickly firing a new web, Spidey continued to swing away, but the Spider-Slayers flew ahead, creating a large force field blocking his path. Unable to move out of the way, Spider-Man hit the force field, knocking him down.
As he fell, another Spider-Slayer grabbed onto his leg, keeping him in the air as the other Spider-Slayers circled him with their guns at the ready. But they did not fire but seemed to be on standby as they stared at him.
"What are they doing?" Spider-Man wondered though he wasn't complaining.
Oscorp…
Alistair looked at his monitors as they displayed the views of each and every Spider-Slayer watching as they captured Spider-Man. He could order the Spider-Slayers to kill him now, but Norman had requested that he make it look like an accident.
Though they had already torn through the city, he could pin it on Spider-Man attacking first and the Spider-Slayers having no choice other than to fight back. But how to kill him? That was the question that needed more thought.
"His webs come from his wrists. If I crush them and have the Spider-Slayers drop him, that should do the trick." Alistair smirked as he pressed several buttons on his remote.
But to his surprise, the Spider-Slayers didn't respond to his commands. Trying to do it again, he still got no response as the Spider-Slayers refused his commands. Panicking, Alistair tried anything he could to get the Spider-Slayers to respond, but nothing seemed to work.
"Work, dammit, work!" Alistair shouted as he threw the remote before entering the Spider-Slayers code and discovered a second party.
"I'm being hacked?!" Alistair gasped as he saw that the second party was slowly taking control.
Near G.W.B…
Tinkerer continued to hack into the Spider-Slayers code via the one Spidey had broken earlier. At the moment, she was restricting access to Alistair and gaining control herself, but it was harder than she expected. It seemed that Smythe wasn't going to take this sitting and was fighting back.
She was doing her best to stop him from regaining control, but it seemed to be a losing battle, and Tinkerer couldn't take over like this. So to make sure that Alistair couldn't take back control and kill Spider-Man, she began erasing the control codes with a virus that left only the basic programming left.
"This is all I can do for now. The rest is up to you, Jay." Tinkerer murmured as she sent the virus.
Oscorp…
"NO!" Alistair cried as he watched the code for his Spider-Slayers slowly be deleted, with him unable to do anything to stop it.
"This can't be happening." Alistair stammered as he lost contact with each and every Spider-Slayer leaving them on their basic programming to stop metas.
"Norman will kill me if I don't get them under control!" Alistair muttered, not knowing how real that statement could be.
With Spider-Man…
Suddenly Spider-Man was let go by the Spider-Slayers causing him to fall down only to catch himself with a web net. Looking back up, he was confused as the Spider-Slayers retracted their weapons and began to leave as if losing interest in Spidey.
"What the hell?" Spider-Man murmured as another explosion rang from the bridge as Space Trek continued to shoot.
However, this seemed to gain the attention of the Spider-Slayers as they flew off toward the bridge. Panicking, Spidey gave chase after the drones, but they were able to move faster than he could as they flew over the buildings Spidey had to circumvent, and it seemed that they would make it to the bridge before him.
Down on the street, as Spidey swung overhead chasing after the Spider-Slayers, Eddie Brock followed the hero closely in the Daily Bugle van, as Ned held the camera out the window to film. It seemed Eddie's hunch was correct, and they would be first to get a report on it.
"Be careful out there, kid. I don't want you losing your head." Eddie insisted as he stepped on the gas while holding onto Ned's shirt.
"Don't worry, I've done worse to get a shot," Ned assured as he kept his hands steady while Courtney spotted them from the building she was left on.
"Oh hell no, I'm not letting local news beat us! Let's get down from here!" Courtney insisted as she jumped on the fire escape.
George Washington Bridge…
"Is…is it over, Turk?" Paul asked Garfield as he held him in his arms for the scene.
"Yeah, it's time for us to go home." Garfield smiled as he helped Paul up.
"Thanks for saving my keister back there. You sure showed those devils what for." Paul smirked as he and Garfield shook hands.
"You're my captain. I can't let anything bad happen to you." Garfield replied as they looked up at a marker where their ship would be edited in during post-production.
"Well then, let's not wait. We have a galaxy to protect back in our time." Paul insisted as he gave Garfield a wink before looking off behind him.
"Is uh…something wrong, Captain?" Garfield inquired, knowing that this wasn't supposed to be part of the script.
"What the hell are those?!" Paul questioned as Garfield, and most of the crew turned and saw the Spider-Slayers flying over toward them.
As the Spider-Slayers arrived, they analyzed the scene, seeing traces of explosive residue, especially azidoazide azide, a dangerous explosive chemical. But their attention soon turned to Garfield as they detected his active metagene, which caused them to attack.
"Look out!" Garfield shouted as he pushed Paul out of the way when the Spider-Slayers began to fire at them.
Everyone on set began to panic and run as the Spider-Slayers went on a rampage, mainly attacking Garfield, but the other actors on the set were getting caught in the crossfire. Glaring at the drones, Garfield transformed into a gorilla and slung himself off one of the wires of the bridge, flying toward the Spider-Slayers knocking two out of the sky.
As he attacked the Spider-Slayers, Garfield saw that many of his co-stars were still on the bridge and in danger. This changed his priorities to getting them to safety, but the Spider-Slayers weren't making that easy.
Each time he attempted to get past them, they blocked his path and shot at him, forcing him back. Eventually, they surrounded him, creating a force field around him that he was unable to break even when he changed into a rhino or elephant.
"Hang in there, Gar!" Paul shouted as he picked up one of the props and threw it at the Spider-Slayers, getting their attention.
"No, Paul, stay away!" Garfield insisted as he returned to normal while two Spider-Slayers split off and approached Paul.
Upon seeing them approach, Paul began to back up as they pushed him toward the edge of the bridge, nervous as their guns pointed at him. Garfield looked at the scene in horror as he transformed into various animals trying to break the force field.
Paul continued to back up but finally ran out of room as he hit the barrier between him and a steep drop down to the Hudson River. With nowhere to run, the Spider-Slayers prepared to finish off Paul as they locked on to him.
That is until the two were hit by a pair of webs as they were thrown to the ground, destroying them. The Spider-Slayers looked up as Spider-Man dove down, crashing one into the ground, landing between the Spider-Slayers and Paul.
"Okay, attacking me is one thing, but attacking innocent people is another!" Spider-Man shouted as the Spider-Slayers attacked Spidey.
Grabbing onto Paul, Spider-Man moved out of the way before swinging up to avoid the Spider-Slayers. After getting to a safe distance, he placed Paul down before continuing to run away from the Spider-Slayers.
Jumping up, Spidey plunged his hand into the nearest Spider-Slayer and slammed it into the second nearest before flipping over and kicking another to the ground. He then grabbed onto another and webbed up its eye, causing it to fly erratically.
"Kinda dumb having only one eye, isn't it?" Spider-Man snipped as he stuck to the Spider-Slayer's back.
Using this to his advantage, he fired several webs attaching many of the Spider-Slayers creating the force field around Garfield to the one he rode, causing some chaos with them. The Spider-Slayers flew erratically, pulling against one another, causing them to crash all over the place.
Now free, Garfield ran over to his co-stars and transformed back into a gorilla, getting them out of the way of danger. Meanwhile, Spider-Man picked up other actors and got them out of the way just as the Spider-Slayers broke free from his webbing and attacked.
"I'm really getting tired of these things!" Spider-Man spat as he fired a web net connecting to the wires of the bridge.
This caused many to crash into it, getting stuck, while others tore through the web with bullets causing those that were caught to fall. Firing two webs, Spider-Man slingshot himself forward, kicking off a Spider-Slayer before shooting webs at two more.
He pulled them together, causing them to crash and break apart. As he fell down, he fired another web, pulling another Spider-Slayer down as he threw it to the ground. Just as he landed, his spider-sense went off, warning him of several Spider-Slayers coming to attack him from behind.
With nowhere to go but off the bridge, Spidey ran for the edge as several Spider-Slayers followed him. Jumping up, Spider-Man avoided being shot in the back as he landed on the rail for the bridge feeling a small round metallic disc attached to it.
"What the hell?" Spider-Man muttered as he grabbed it and looked at it.
"This is…" Spider-Man began realizing what it was before jumping off the bridge to avoid the Spider-Slayers.
"Time to thin out the numbers," Spidey stated as he fired a web and swung underneath the bridge.
As he swung, he spun a web around the disc as he turned to look at the Spider-Slayers that chased after him. Spinning the disc around, he waited for the right moment before throwing it at the Spider-Slayers, hoping he didn't miss his shot.
Thankfully his aim was good, hitting the Spider-Slayer in the lead, causing a large explosion and destroying all the Spider-Slayers in its wake. Swinging back up, Spider-Man landed back on the bridge where the rest of the Spider-Slayers waited for him, ready to attack.
Before the drones could attack him, Garfield dropped down still in his gorilla form, breaking all the Spider-Slayers about to attack Spidey. Once he did, Garfield changed into a large crocodile, swinging his tail into another Spider-Slayer, destroying it.
"Awesome," Spider-Man murmured as Garfield returned to normal.
"You're Spider-Man, right?" Garfield inquired as Spidey nodded.
"Uh yeah, that's me! Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man!" Spider-Man answered, giving a small salute before stopping himself and firing a web bullet at a Spider-Slayer, blinding it.
"It's uh…a pleasure to meet you. Big fan." Spider-Man added as he pushed Garfield down to avoid a Spider-Slayer that flew over them.
"Less talking. I need your help destroying these…whatever these things are!" Garfield insisted as he transformed into a hawk and flew up.
"Right, right. Let's do that." Spider-Man nodded as he swung up.
"Wonder if I can ask for an autograph after this." Spider-Man wondered as he kicked a Spider-Slayer away.
He then swung off one of the bridge's wires to land on another Spider-Slayer tearing off its guns and using them to destroy it. Spidey then fired a web-swinging the next Spider-Slayer into the ground. Unfortunately, that didn't finish it off, but Garfield did as he ran around as a rhino.
Garfield then transformed into an elephant, using his trunk to grab onto Spider-Slayers and crush them. To pick up speed, Garfield transformed into a hawk and flew off at Spider-Slayers before turning into a gorilla to destroy them before transforming back into a hawk to fly off again.
"Holy hell, look at that!" Eddie gasped as he and Ned screeched to a halt behind the film set as the cast and crew got to a safe distance away.
"Leeds, set up the camera and get Jonah to broadcast it!" Eddie ordered as he hopped out of the van.
"I love this job," Ned smirked as he got out and turned on the camera as Courtney and her cameraman arrived.
"Make sure you get a good shot of this." Courtney insisted as she looked at the battle on the bridge.
Garfield flew high in the air as a hawk weaving around the bullets fired at him before transforming into a bear in order the rip through the Spider-Slayers with his claws. As he fell, Spidey fired a web net to catch him, allowing Garfield to jump back up.
But several Spider-Slayers blocked his path, creating a force field that Garfield slammed into, causing him to revert to his normal form and fall down. Before the Spider-Slayers could get to him, Spider-Man caught Garfield swinging off with him.
"Thanks for the save." Garfield thanked as he turned into a hawk.
"Maybe he isn't as sloppy as I thought," Garfield smirked as he flew off.
"No problem," Spidey replied as he swung toward the ground.
Once landing, some of the Spider-Slayers joined up and attempted to pin Spider-Man down with a force field, but his spider-sense allowed him to avoid the attack. He then fired several webs pinning the drones to the ground before smashing them.
As he did, another Spider-Slayer came up behind him and attempted to impale him, but Spidey flipped backward, grabbing onto the drone and slamming it on the ground. When more came to replace it, Spider-Man was forced to swing off.
The arachnid hero swung through the bridge wires, using them to bend his web line to change the direction of where he was going. Swinging up, Spidey flipped over the bridge's support as he landed on a Spider-Slayer.
"I've been wanting to do a mechanical bull ride since I've gotten my powers, but this is close enough." Spider-Man laughed as he webbed up the Spider-Slayer's eye.
Spidey rode the Spider-Slayer around, forcing it to crash into several others before jumping off as it crashed into the ground. Behind him, Garfield landed on the ground smashing the final Spider-Slayer before returning to his human form.
"I think that's the last of them," Garfield smirked as Spider-Man nodded.
"I really hope so." Spider-Man sighed as the crowd began to cheer for the two.
"That was amazing!"
"Way to go!"
"That's some real hero work there!"
"That's a rare sight," Spider-Man murmured as he looked at the cheering crowd.
"Thanks for the save back there. If you didn't show up, then Paul might have died." Garfield thanked as he walked up to Spider-Man.
"Oh, uh, don't mention it. It was my pleasure." Spider-Man replied as he shook Garfield's hand.
"I've heard of your work too. I'm impressed. Especially when you save those meta teens. It's good to see metas doing good out there." Garfield smirked as Spidey scratched the back of his head.
"Well, technically, I'm not a meta, but thanks," Spider-Man replied as a voice caught their attention.
"That was fantastic! You saved the shoot Spider-Man hell, I might have to rewrite the ending just to fit this!" The Director exclaimed as he threw his script into the air.
"I'm going to have to talk to him about that." Garfield sighed as he watched Spidey grab onto a disk.
"You're going to want to look into whoever was doing your special effects because these types of explosives are nowhere near safe to use," Spider-Man stated as he showed the disc to the director.
"Azidoazide azide. A dangerous chemical that can cause major health problems or even death." Spider-Man explained as Garfield gasped.
"Are you serious?!" Garfield questioned as he looked at Beck.
"The man in charge of these was…BECK!" The Director shouted as Beck flinched from the shouting.
Upon hearing it and seeing Garfield look at him, Beck took off running, pushing people out of his way as he ran. Before he could get too far, a web hit his back, pulling him back before hanging him off a lamp post.
"Where are you going? The fun's just starting." Spider-Man snipped as he stood on the top of the lamp post.
"Let me down!" Beck demanded as Spider-Man held this disc in front of him.
"Care to explain this?" Spider-Man asked as he waved the disc.
"That's nothing!" Beck insisted as people began to crowd him as his boss ran up with another disc in hand.
"This is your doing, isn't it, Beck? I heard what Spider-Man said, and it's true! How dare you use such a dangerous explosive!" The Lead VFX coordinator shouted as Beck began to sweat.
"Damn, I was so close! If only I could have gotten that green freak!" Beck thought as he glared at Garfield.
"And it's all his fault." Beck thought as he looked at Spidey.
"You're going to have a lot of explaining to do when the cops get here, buddy," Spidey smirked as he tapped Beck's cheek.
"I'm going to get you for this web-head!" Beck declared as Spidey jumped down.
"Talk about a twist of fate," Ned whispered as he continued to broadcast Eddie reporting the situation.
"Spider-Man is so cool," Ned smirked as he returned his focus to the camera.
"I should have never given him a second chance. Sorry for not listening to you, Gar." The Director apologized as Garfield stood behind him.
"I'm just glad no one was hurt this time around," Garfield replied as Spider-Man handed the director the disc.
"I should get going before the cops arrive. They don't really like me." Spider-Man laughed as he prepared to leave.
"Wait! Mind if I get a picture?" Garfield asked as Spider-Man stared at him wide-eyed.
"I uh…sure!" Spidey agreed as Garfield took a selfie of the two before Spidey swung off.
"Keep up the good work!" Garfield cheered as the cast and crew repeated those words as Spidey watched them as he swung away.
"Awesome!" Spider-Man smirked as he made his way back to where he originally encountered the Spider-Slayers as the police arrived below.
When he arrived, he inspected the destroyed Spider-Slayers to find out what they were or where they came from. Tearing off a panel, he managed to get his answer as a large Oscorp logo was painted on it.
"Osborn!" Spider-Man hissed as he glared at the panel.
Rhode Island…
Happy Harbor…
Megan pulled into her driveway, having finished a long day of work. In the garage, Connor was working on another motorcycle for his own job, seemingly sucked into his work. Feeling a little mischievous, Megan used her powers to move a small towel over Connor's head before dropping it on him.
"M-Megan?!" Connor gasped as he pulled the towel off, as Megan gave a small laugh.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist." Megan laughed as she gave Connor a kiss.
"How was work?" Connor inquired as he used the towel to clean his oily hands.
"It was good. I see you're still at yours." Megan responded as Connor let out a light sigh.
"I was," Connor smirked as he followed Megan inside.
"Gar's shoot was today. Have you talked to him?" Connor inquired as they entered the living room.
"I haven't had the time, and he said the shoot would last until late tonight," Megan answered as she picked up a remote.
"They're probably talking about it on the news, though," Megan pointed out as she turned on the TV.
"Returning to our biggest topic today, where the set of Space Trek 3016 in New York was attacked by a small army of drones made by Oscorp," Jonah reported as Megan gasped.
"The drones named Spider-Slayers were made by Alistair Smythe of Oscorp by request of Mayor Li to put a stop to meta activity, but during their test run, they went haywire and attacked the shoot," Jonah explained as an image of Alistair appeared.
"Thankfully, due to the intervention of the Spider-Man and Garfield Logan, the drones were all destroyed, and the cast and crew are safe," Jonah added as footage played of the battle.
"At least Gar's alright, but what were they thinking?" Connor wondered as he looked at the broadcast.
"I don't know, but it seems Gar made a new friend," Megan replied as she showed a post Gar had made.
The post was the selfie he took with Spidey, saying Saving the day with New York's Friendly Neighbor! #FriendlyNeighborhood. It seemed that Garfield had enjoyed his encounter with Spider-Man.
"Nice," Connor smirked before seeing Megan's frown.
"Not nice?" Connor asked as Megan sighed.
"Not necessarily, but it may hinder our progress from convincing Spider-Man to join the Team," Megan explained as Connor turned off the television.
"Megan. It's okay. There's no rush for this." Connor assured as Megan nodded.
"You're right. It's just that so much has been happening in New York. I'm afraid if we don't help him, something terrible may happen." Megan informed as Connor placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Then let's go with the original plan. Send some of the Team and have them talk to him. Maybe even Gar can talk to him while he's in the city." Connor insisted as an alarm came from their phone.
"Emergency meeting," Megan reported as she looked at the message.
"We'll continue this talk later then," Connor replied as the two made way to the Zeta Tube in their garage.
Later That Night…
New York City…
Norman Osborn's Apartment…
"Good, please have Smythe escorted out of Oscorp as soon as possible." Norman insisted as he ended his call before looking at the news report on his television.
Pouring himself a drink, Norman sat on his couch as he watched the footage of the Spider-Slayers fighting Spider-Man and Garfield Logan. Though his company was the one to make them, Norman had manipulated the situation so that most of the blame was placed on Smythe.
To make sure he kept his company in a good light, he had Smythe fired and was currently having him escorted out of Oscorp. This managed to save some of his company's face though it was still under fire after the incident.
But Norman had a backup plan to keep the money coming in and the public happy, all thanks to Spider-Man. His thoughts were interrupted when a metal plate with the Oscorp logo landed on his coffee table, leading Norman to look up to see the arachnid hero on his ceiling.
"You dropped that," Spider-Man muttered as he hopped down from the ceiling, landing in front of Norman.
"Do you want something, or do I need to call security?" Norman inquired as he stood up, walking past Spider-Man.
"Don't act coy, Osborn. I know it was you who sent those Spider-Slayers after me." Spider-Man stated as Norman freshened his drink.
"Prove it," Norman smirked as he turned to look Spider-Man in the eyes.
"After all, it was Alistair that made the Spider-Slayers, and he was controlling them all day." Norman pointed out as he placed some ice in his drink.
"I'm not a fool, Osborn. I know it was you. All you did was set Alistair up to take the fall if your plan failed." Spider-Man replied as Norman chuckled.
"You're smart for your age Mr. Shepard, and you've gotten good at the whole hero act," Norman smirked as Spider-Man glared at him.
"But let's not forget who gave you those powers, boy. It's my Oz Formula that flows through your veins that makes you Spider-Man." Norman stated as he walked out to his balcony.
"I never asked for these powers, Osborn! It's because of you that my life was flipped on its head and that my father is dead!" Spider-Man hissed as he grabbed onto Norman's collar.
"So I think it's high time you took responsibility for that when I take you to the police." Spider-Man insisted as Norman swatted his hand away, much to Spidey's surprise due to Norman's strength.
"I don't think so. Because if you even try it, the whole world will know that Jay Shepard is Spider-Man." Norman threatened as Spidey clenched his fists.
"That's how it's going to be, then is it?" Spidey questioned as Norman sipped his drink.
"It is, and you will be making me a lot of money for compensation for the damage you've caused," Norman answered as Spider-Man went wide-eyed.
"Are you blackmailing me to do your dirty work?" Spider-Man asked as Norman looked out at the streets below.
"For starters. But I've also acquired the trademark for your likeness. Spider-Man toys, t-shirts, toothpaste, and everything in between will make me money." Norman began as he turned to face Spidey.
"So, like it or not. I own you." Norman finished as Spider-Man shook his head.
"I'm not lifting a finger for you, Norman. Because if you try anything, I'll leak the evidence I have on you being involved with Hobgoblin." Spider-Man threatened as Norman placed his drink down.
"I see. Well, it seems we're at a stalemate. So how about you get off my property." Norman insisted as Spider-Man hopped on the edge of the balcony.
"This isn't over, Osborn," Spider-Man stated as he swung off.
"Oh, I know," Norman smirked as his eyes glowed yellow.
Little did either know that Nightwing had watched their conversation, having been watching Norman and Oscorp for a while. He still didn't know what Norman was planning, but he wanted to find out.
Oscorp…
Smythe struggled as he was tossed on the curb as Oscorp security locked the doors to the Oscorp building behind him. Standing up, he dusted off his suit before readjusting his tie and scowling at the building.
"All the work I've done for this company, and this is how I'm treated!" Alistair spat as he walked down the street.
"Consider yourself lucky, Smythe. At least you're not going to prison like Octavius. Even if Norman set you up." Alistair muttered, having now realized why Norman brought him to the reveal.
"But now it'll be impossible for me to find a new job, thanks to Norman," Alistair murmured as a large black limo pulled up next to him.
"Alistair Smythe, I would presume?" Fisk inquired as he rolled down his window to a confused Alistair.
"Who's asking?" Alistair questioned as Fisk opened his door, inviting Alistair inside.
"Someone who has a very lucrative business proposition for you." Fisk smiled as Alistair looked at him, bewildered.
"You're offering me a job?" Alistair asked, skeptical about this situation.
"Of course. Letting a mind of your caliber wander the streets would be a waste. Now, if you're interested, then, please. Come in." Fisk responded, gesturing to the seat next to him.
Alistair was still hesitant as he looked at Fisk before turning back to Oscorp. He knew he had not had many options to the point he'd either have to go into a new field of work or go to another country to find work. So he did the sensible option he had at that moment and entered the limo.
Tinkerer's Workshop…
Tinkerer finished her last exoskeleton for the day as she walked up to her office, where she had a cot up for her to sleep in. Today had been a long day, and it was a mixed bag. Though she had been unable to take control of the Spider-Slayers, she managed to steal the remains of several to satiate Kingpin's needs.
But she couldn't shake this feeling that she was getting on thinner ice each and every day her 'employment' with Kingpin continued. She didn't have much choice other than continue this work, though, if she wanted to ensure her and Jett's safety.
If only her father hadn't been such greedy scum, then she might have avoided this life completely. She was taken out of her thoughts when she received a message from Jett giving her an update on how things were going at Taos.
It seemed he was still making good progress there, and he talked at length about how Mark finally spent a whole day without the inhibitor collar on. Seeing Jett make a new friend and work hard to practice with his new powers.
"To make sure you stay safe, I have to keep going." Tinkerer thought as she went to sleep.
Curtis Conners Home…
Jay tossed his mask on his bed before collapsing on it. After the events of that day, he was exhausted though he couldn't get his mind off his talk with Norman. It infuriated him that Norman was using him to make a profit.
Though he had threatened to leak the fact that Norman was involved with Hobgoblin, Jay knew that Norman would most likely be able to get out of it. Just like he did with the Spider-Slayers, he could pin the blame on someone else.
Plus, it's not like he could just hand over evidence that he illegally acquired. Which meant he needed to find out how to take down Norman another way. The obvious answer was to expose Norman's dark dealings, but he needed more intact proof and who he was dealing with.
But then there was also the Green Goblin, someone who hasn't shown himself in a while. No doubt he knew something and may even work with Norman. After all, he had kidnapped him before later returning him.
"Things are going to be difficult." Jay thought as he pulled out his phone, seeing a message from Jett showing Garfield's post.
"Well, at least today wasn't all that bad," Jay smirked as he saved the selfie Garfield took before going to bed.
Author's Note:
With that, this chapter comes to a close! I've been waiting to write this as I've wanted to have a small team up with Jay and another hero, and though there was Nightwing, they didn't really fight together.
This time Jay got to fight with Beast Boy even though it was short. I would've made the fight long, but I felt like there were too many Spider-Slayers, and I didn't want Jay to fight off an army of them yet.
At most, I'd say this batch was made up of forty or so Spider-Slayers. Overall I'm happy with how the chapter came out. Especially how I set up the origin of one of Sider-Man's most famous villains with Beck.
Funny enough, I had a slight reference to Beck in chapter 10. Did anyone notice? It was when Jett talked about the VFX worker who caused a bad explosion that Garfield revealed more about this chapter.
It was a small thing that I'm sure many overlooked as I wanted to reference his origin from Spider-Man The Animated Series. It took me a while to look up that explosive chemical, though, and I'm a little worried that I'm on a list now, lol.
Not going to lie, though. That bit where Jay confronts Norman was a last-minute addition I came up with while writing this chapter. I literally got the idea when I was going to bed one night, and I just knew I had to put it in after expanding the concept, of course.
I just love the idea of combining how Ultimate Norman trying to blackmail Peter to do his dirty work and how Kingpin acquired the rights to sell Spider-Man products with my version of Norman because it gives him a 'better' public image.
Plus, it gives another dynamic between Norman and Jay as he clearly states he knows who Jay is and that he's not afraid of him. That is, of course, as long as he's got Goblin around. Anyway, I don't have much else to say, so let's get to the reviews:
Magnouce Elie – It'll be some time before Jay joins any team, but he'll be working closely with them regardless.
Lycannon – Thanks I'm glad you enjoyed the story.
Vfc15650 – She'll pop up again soon, but I've got a few things to first before she returns to the story. I'm glad to hear you liked my take on Otto, and don't you worry, Jay will be meeting more heroes soon enough. Hope the wait wasn't too long, lol.
That's all I have for today see you guys next time!