Spider-Bat: New Way Home
Chapter 31: Paint It, Black
Midtown High had been closed for several days following the attack by the Green Goblin. With the assailant still at large, the authorities prioritized ensuring the safety of the students. The Parker family remained under round-the-clock surveillance, given that the attack had clearly targeted them. Peter had made several attempts to contact Harry Osborn, recognizing the Oscorp technology embedded in the Goblin's glider, but Harry continued to avoid him. Peter deliberately withheld this knowledge from the police, not wanting Harry to become the primary suspect.
One morning, a knock at the door disrupted the household's tense silence. The police officer stationed inside immediately signaled for the family to remain in place while he assessed the situation. Upon opening the door, he found Alfred Pennyworth standing on the other side.
Peter leaped from his seat and rushed over to embrace Alfred. The butler's familiar presence brought a sense of comfort, reminiscent of Peter's time at Wayne Manor. Alfred turned to May and Ben, offering a courteous nod before apologizing for the unexpected visit. He explained that he had heard about the attack at Midtown High and simply wanted to check on Peter.
"We're doing okay," Peter reassured him. "Captain Stacy and his team have been great about keeping us safe."
Alfred studied Peter carefully before responding, "That's good to hear, Master Peter. And how have you been holding up?"
Peter forced a small smile. "Trying to make sense of everything."
Alfred turned to May and Ben. "If there is anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask."
Ben shook his head appreciatively. "We're fine, Alfred, but thank you."
Despite Ben's reassurance, Alfred noticed the worry lingering in May's expression. He softened his tone. "The offer stands, Mrs. Parker. Always."
Peter hesitated for a moment before turning to his aunt and uncle. "Can I talk to Alfred alone for a second?"
May and Ben exchanged a look before nodding in approval. Peter led Alfred to his bedroom, closing the door behind them. Alfred's keen eyes took in the space—Peter had arranged his room to resemble the one he had at Wayne Manor, complete with his science awards displayed meticulously on a shelf. A framed photograph sat on his nightstand: Peter, Alfred, Thomas, Martha, and Bruce, smiling together during happier times.
Peter let out a deep breath and began explaining the details of the attack. "I know that glider," he said, his voice laced with certainty. "It's the same one I saw at Oscorp. It's powered by Vibranium, which is how it can fly."
Alfred frowned slightly. "That would explain quite a bit. The same material that powered the Vulture's technology when you and Master Bruce were attacked."
Peter nodded. "Exactly. And I think Harry knows something, but he won't talk to me."
Alfred's expression remained unreadable. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Not unless you can access Oscorp's files or convince Harry to open up," Peter admitted. "I just don't know how to get through to him."
Alfred tilted his head thoughtfully. "I'll see what I can do."
A flicker of hesitation crossed Peter's face before he asked, "Have you heard from Bruce?"
Alfred sighed, his voice tinged with regret. "Unfortunately not."
Peter's expression darkened momentarily before he shifted the conversation. "There's something else," he said carefully. "Uncle Ben… he's out of work right now. I was wondering if maybe you could, you know, pull some strings? Maybe at the Wayne Foundation or somewhere local?"
Alfred considered it for a moment before nodding. "I'll see what I can arrange."
A silent understanding passed between them before Peter stepped forward and embraced Alfred one last time.
"Thank you," Peter murmured.
"Always," Alfred replied, offering a reassuring squeeze on Peter's shoulder before finally making his way out.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Peter exhaled, glancing once more at the photograph on his nightstand. The battle ahead was far from over, but at least for now, he wasn't alone.
Later that night, a mysterious figure clad in black infiltrated the Baxter Building in Manhattan. Moving swiftly through the shadows, the intruder navigated the halls with practiced precision until reaching the main office of Reed Richards. The entrance was secured with a retinal scanner and pin pad—an obstacle, but not an insurmountable one.
Surveying the area, the figure spotted a ventilation duct at the end of the hallway. Without hesitation, they climbed inside, maneuvering through the tight space with calculated efficiency. Emerging into Richards' office, they quickly made their way to the computer, powering it on. A security password barred access, but the infiltrator remained undeterred.
Turning to the filing cabinets, they rifled through documents in search of a possible clue. Nothing. Their gaze then landed on a scale model of The Fantastic, Reed's starship. They entered the name into the computer. Access denied. Undeterred, they scanned the room again, this time noticing a framed photograph of Reed and Sue Storm standing together. Taking a chance, they typed in "Susan." No luck. Finally, they entered "Storm." The screen blinked, granting access.
Wasting no time, they searched for any files related to Dr. Bruce Banner. Most of the research pertained to his involvement with Gamma Blasters and black hole studies—fascinating, but not the information they were looking for. With no further leads, the figure swiftly exited the office, retracing their steps and disappearing into the night, leaving no trace of their intrusion behind.
Unbeknownst to them, Reed had already received an intruder alert and was monitoring the system. He watched as the unauthorized user accessed specific files and immediately contacted Johnny Storm. Ever eager for action, Johnny transformed into the Human Torch and flew toward the building to intercept the trespasser.
As the intruder fired a grappling hook toward an adjacent rooftop, Johnny soared up from the other side of the building. "Leaving so soon?" he quipped.
The figure leaped from the ledge, swinging toward the opposite building. "Not so fast!" Johnny called out, giving chase while launching fireballs. The mysterious figure demonstrated incredible agility, dodging mid-air and firing another grappling hook to change direction. Landing on the rooftop, the intruder continued fleeing, but Johnny was relentless.
Just as Johnny closed in, a small pellet exploded on the ground, releasing a thick cloud of smoke. Johnny dove in, expecting to seize his target, but as the smoke cleared, the figure had disappeared. He touched down and cast a controlled flame outward, illuminating faint footprints leading behind an air conditioning unit.
Grinning, Johnny approached. "Come out, come out, wherever you are," he teased. "I know you're back there."
He rounded the corner quickly, expecting to catch the intruder, but found nothing. A noise from above drew his attention—there, perched atop the air conditioning unit, stood the figure. Before Johnny could react, the intruder shattered the unit's cooling line, unleashing a spray of freezing Freon that doused Johnny's flames. Momentarily extinguished, Johnny staggered back. Seizing the opportunity, the figure leaped down and delivered a powerful kick, sending Johnny sprawling across the rooftop.
Recovering swiftly, Johnny reignited and took off in pursuit as the intruder vaulted off the building. However, as Johnny soared over the ledge, he found the mysterious figure trapped within a shimmering, translucent bubble—Sue Storm's force field. No matter how the intruder struggled, escape was impossible. Sue hovered nearby, arms crossed. "Going somewhere?" she asked, smirking.
Reed instructed Sue to transport the prisoner back to the Baxter Building. There, he interrogated the intruder, demanding to know why he was looking through Dr. Banner's files. At first, the figure remained silent, scanning the room for an escape route. Reed noticed and assured him that there was no way out.
Finally, the intruder removed his mask, revealing himself to be Bruce Wayne. The revelation took the Fantastic Four by surprise. Bruce explained that he was searching for information on Dr. Banner's research regarding an alien compound discovered during the meteor shower that brought Clark Kent to Earth. He revealed that Banner's last known location was with them on their space mission, but now he had vanished, leading Bruce to seek answers at the Baxter Building.
"Why are you so interested in the alien compound?" Reed inquired, his curiosity piqued.
Bruce hesitated, uncertain whether he could trust them with the truth. However, there was something about Reed's sincerity that put him at ease. Reluctantly, he divulged his secret—he was searching for a way to suppress the symbiote that had bonded with him. He explained that the closer he got to Peter Wayne Parker, the stronger the symbiote's influence became, pushing him toward reunification.
He continued, revealing that he initially believed leaving the country would sever the connection, but he soon discovered another symbiote—one far more dangerous—lurking in the shadows. It was this looming threat that had brought him back, not just to find answers, but to warn Peter before it was too late.
Reed made the comment, "You said you want to suppress the alien compound, but you seem to be doing a good job keeping it at bay. What makes you think you can't control it when the time comes to be near Peter?"
"I'm not sure, but I can tell it has gained strength just by me being in New York," Bruce replied.
"Perhaps we can help," Sue interrupted. "Maybe Reed can do some tests on it and find a way to help suppress it, or even better, get rid of it."
Reed pulled out a syringe. "True. Can I get a sample of your blood?" he asked. "I can put it under a microscope and see its properties."
Bruce seemed wary, but agreed to let Reed try. Reed then stuck the tip of the needle into Bruce's arm, hoping to extract a sample. At first, the blood began to enter the tube, but then it suddenly turned black and retracted back into Bruce's arm.
"That was strange," Reed admitted.
Curious, Reed asked, "Can we see it? If you can control it, that is?"
Bruce shook his head. "No way. That would be too dangerous."
"What if Sue puts you in her force field?"
Again, Bruce was reluctant at first, but he decided to give it a try since it might allow Reed to study it better. After Sue created a force field around Bruce, he sat and concentrated.
"What is he doing?" Johnny piped up.
"He's meditating," Reed answered. "Just give him a moment."
A few seconds later, Bruce's skin began to turn black as the symbiote started to form over his body. It continued climbing until his entire form was encased in a tar-like substance. The transformation amazed the crew.
"How do you feel?" Reed asked.
Bruce's eyes opened, now large and white with no pupils. Johnny made a disgusted face. "That's scary," he announced.
"How did this happen to you?" Sue questioned.
"The symbiote had been using a bat as its host in a cave near Wayne Manor. I fell into an old well, and that's where it found me. It's been a part of me ever since."
Before the crew could ask any more questions, Bruce's body began to convulse uncontrollably.
"What's happening to him?" Johnny asked.
The symbiote, sensing its newfound freedom, started to resist Bruce's control. Tendrils lashed against the confines of the force field, testing its strength.
"You have to fight it," Reed insisted.
The symbiote analyzed its surroundings, its white eyes darting across the room before settling on Sue's shield. Feigning control, Bruce's distorted voice muttered, "I think... I'm fine."
Then, without warning, two massive wings burst from Bruce's back, shattering Sue's force field into fragments of psionic energy. Freed, the symbiote sent tendrils outward, knocking the team off balance before making a mad dash toward the window. It crashed through the glass, shards raining down onto the streets below.
Reed recovered quickly, his body stretching as he leaped after it. His elongated arms grasped for the creature, but the symbiote twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding capture. Johnny ignited into the Human Torch and rocketed after it.
"You're not getting away that easily!" Johnny shouted, hurling fireballs toward the creature. The symbiote reacted with lightning reflexes, its wings curling around itself in defense before lashing out, a tendril snapping around Johnny's neck and slamming him into the stone wall of a nearby gothic cathedral.
The symbiote ascended to the cathedral's rooftop. Sue tried to trap it again with another force field, but it moved too fast, its agility enhanced by Bruce's training under Ducard. It darted through the air like a shadow, evading her psionic energy.
Reed climbed to the top of the cathedral and called out, "Bruce! You have to take control! Don't let it win!"
Bruce struggled internally, but the symbiote refused to loosen its grip. It could sense how close it was to Peter, its goal within reach.
Sue sent out a psionic blast, striking the symbiote and momentarily stunning it. Reed's mind raced. Then, inspiration struck, realizing a possible weakness. He transformed his arm into a massive hammer and slammed it against the cathedral's bell. The deep, resonant sound waves pulsed through the air, sending the symbiote into agonized screams.
It staggered, trying to regain its composure, but Reed struck the bell again, even harder. The vibrations ripped through the creature, forcing it to its knees. It writhed in pain, tendrils flailing wildly.
Sue wasted no time. She formed a massive force field around it, reinforcing it with everything she had. The symbiote howled in frustration, thrashing against the invisible walls, but it was too late. The containment held firm.
Bruce collapsed inside, the symbiote retreating as he lost consciousness. The rooftop fell into silence, save for the faint ringing of the cathedral bell echoing into the night.
When Bruce woke, he found himself encased in a flexible yet reinforced suit. The gauntlets were a deep blue, while the chest bore a sleek midnight-gray finish. He flexed his fingers, feeling his own presence again—more himself, the symbiote subdued.
"Look who's awake," Reed remarked, observing Bruce's reaction to the new suit. "I designed it while you were unconscious. I even added a few extra features."
Reed held up a mirror, allowing Bruce to take in the full appearance of his new attire.
"Pointy ears?" Bruce questioned, his gaze narrowing.
"Like a bat," Reed replied with a smirk. "It seemed fitting after what you turned into earlier."
Bruce focused inward, noticing the symbiote's diminished presence. "How did you do this?" he asked.
"The suit is composed of reinforced fabric embedded with sonic impulses," Reed explained. "The symbiote won't attempt to break free, knowing the consequences. If necessary, I could design something similar for Peter."
Bruce rose from the table and stepped in front of a larger mirror, taking a moment to examine his reflection. The suit featured a flowing dark blue cape, designed to function both as a shield and a glider. A bat emblem was subtly imprinted across his chest, while a utility belt provided compartments for various gadgets, including pellets and grappling hooks. His gauntlets were lined with three sharp fins on each forearm—potential weapons in their own right. The boots, reinforced with an advanced polymer, granted enhanced agility and the ability to leap with greater force.
Bruce turned slightly, assessing the craftsmanship. "Impressive. I can't wait to try it out."