The light was blinding to him and comforting at the same time. It was hard to explain, but he knew that the light was taking him somewhere where he needed to be. Somewhere, he needed to protect.
It wasn't very clear to him, to be honest.
"It's best to go with our guts as they say." the voice said to him in an attempt to sway his confusion, but it only made it worse.
Not knowing who he was, turned out to be a bigger problem than he thought.
Air whipped past his face, electing a shocked grunt out of him as he fell through the sky. His confusion worsened as he glanced around him. The tall structures of New York's skyscrapers surrounded him, and instinctively, his hand shot out and silver webbing shot from his wrist.
With a swing, he launched himself through the air and right toward a nearby building. Most people would have splatted against the side of the building, but his hands shot out, and he found himself sticking to the wall. It was exhilarating, though he didn't know why. It was like he knew he was already capable of this and yet still loved the feeling it gave him.
He slowly climbed the side of the building until he came to a window and saw his reflection.
A face he knew to be his own and also a stranger. Messy brown hair that he thought was too long, and a small beard framed his face. A ripped and torn suit that was red and blue with a black webbing design was what he was wearing, but the suit was in such a bad condition that it barely held onto his large muscular frame. The most alarming of his features were his eyes. They were a fierce brown with an eerie red glow. The power of the web was channeling through him. He could feel it. To finish off his look, a large scar started above his right eye and went down across his cheek, barely missing his eye and blinding him.
'Who... Who am I?' The man thought to himself in confusion.
He continued climbing the building until he reached the top, where he looked out over the city. How could he ever forget this? The massive towers and the noise were downright comforting to him.
"We were gone a long time, " his partner said, and he wondered how long he had been gone.
Was there anyone that missed him? Was there anyone who missed this face? Frustration ate away at him, and a growl escaped his lips. With hands clenched into fists, he jumped into the air, released another web, and swung away into the city. He needed answers, and he wasn't going to get them by staring off into the night.
"You need to say calm."
What he needed was something he could vent his anger on. Why was he brought here? What was his purpose?! A scream interrupted his thoughts, and he glanced down into an alleyway
"There's our purpose..."
He launched himself forward and stuck to a nearby alley wall. A woman surrounded by four men, each leering at her in a way that made his skin scrawl. Her clothes were almost as torn up as his own.
"You were supposed to be our fun tonight!" One of the men bellowed - the largest of the four and the one in charge.
"I'm not paid to be beat on. Hammerhead never said anything about-" The woman cried, but one of the men slapped her to the ground.
"I don't care what the boss said! Hammerhead ain't here! I've needed to celebrate ever since we all got rid of the bug!" The leader yelled, and images flashed through his mind.
Memories of bullets piercing his skin and knives slicing into his side flashed through his head and with it pain and anger. A man with a thick skull and his goons beating him. Faces hidden by shadows.
'Why can't I remember!' The furious thought brought something akin to a predator out of him. He jumped down to interfere.
"Don't kill her, Ray. The boss won't like it if we-" Whatever this man was going to say was cut off by him harshly landing on him. A snarl escaped him like an animal.
"Shit, it's him! Ray screamed out in shock. "It's the Spider!"
The Spider launched forward, grabbed one of the goons by his arm, and threw him into the wall. The last two seemed to catch their bearings finally and tried to tackle him simultaneously, but he flipped over them with the grace of an acrobat. Webs shot out of Spider's wrist and clung to their backs, and with one pull, both goons found themselves being caught in the hands of the recently returned Spider-Man. His eyes glowed ominously, and a roar of rage erupted from him as he slammed the two into each other, rendering them unconscious. He dropped them onto the first goon he took out, leaving them in a heap.
"You..." The stunned groan of the criminal he threw into the wall caught his attention. "You're supposed to be dead. I was there that night. You were dead!"
The images flashed through his mind once more. Pain surged through him as he remembered that night. Alone, abandoned, and wounded. Something stirred inside of him. Something that was... monstrous.
"Control yourself!" The Spider ignored the voice, too wrapped up in his anger.
"DO I LOOK DEAD!" An animalistic roar erupted from him, his eyes burned red with rage, and the thug passed out from both pain and fear. A scream broke him out of his haze. The would-be victim was screaming in shock at the sight of the brutal beating before her. It caused a strange sensation to course through him. The Spider dropped the thug to the ground and then launched himself into the air with his mind confused. The woman's scream brought him back to sanity, though he didn't know why.
"You wanted the criminal's fear... Not the girl's fear." The voice in his head explained softly.
"Not...the...bad guy!" The sudden realization was startling to him. He had wanted to protect the woman. Not have her be afraid of him.
It had been the longest week of Mary Jane Watson's life, and it was only getting longer as she slammed her fist into the masked face of one of the Demons. Mr. Negative had set up shop in Mid-Town, and he and his Inner Demons were quickly spreading their influence through Chinatown, drawing the attention of the boss of the neighborhood Madame Masque.
It was chaos, and on top of all the bullshit of the night, there was still no sign of Peter throughout the city. Miles and the rest of the Order had scoured New York in search of the first spider hero, but there was no trace of him anywhere. MJ had teamed up with another spider-themed hero in her quest for Peter Parker.
Jessica Drew was better known as Spider-Woman. The first Spider-Woman was easily one of the most beautiful women Mary Jane had the pleasure of being around. Jessica had long dark brown hair and a heart-shaped face that gave even MJ a run for her money in the beauty department.
"Jackpot, stay focused!" Spider-Woman ordered as she roundhouse kicked an Inner Demon that was trying to sneak up on MJ. Jessica had stayed close to her throughout the week while they all searched for Peter. The first Spider-Woman had been almost as vehement as MJ in searching for Peter. MJ had never thought the two spider-themed heroes were that close. Peter would sometimes joke about his 'work wife', but like many of his ill-timed jokes, MJ hadn't found it funny.
Lucky for her, the stunning redhead activated her gauntlets and landed on a combination that allowed her to fire beams of energy from her hands that smashed into two more of Mr. Negative's goons, sending them flying back into a parked car.
The city-wide war had escalated since Peter's disappearance, and many heroes scrambled to pick up the slack.
"Everyone underestimated Peter and the impact Spider-Man had on this city..." She thought to herself as Spider-Woman finished the last Demon with a swift punch to the face.
"That's the last of them," Spider-Woman said as she webbed the goons together.
"Jesus, how'd Spider-Man do this every night?" Jackpot said as she rubbed her aching arms.
"I've often wondered that myself," Spider-Woman replied with a frown.
She hadn't always been kind to the other Spider-totem, but Peter had always tried to have her back. Even after the Skrulls had replaced her with their queen, Peter had trusted her. And now he was MIA, and Jess would never be able to tell him how grateful she was for the faith he had placed in her.
One of the beaten Demons began to chuckle, and the two vigilantes glanced at him. "Fools... Both of you are fools."
"Do they always come up with such charming lines?" Jackpot sarcastically asked.
"This city belongs to us now. Your fellow heroes are dropping by the day. Just look at what happened to the bug." The masked thug said with a chuckle. MJ saw red, but Spider-Woman grabbed the webbed Demon before she could do anything and slammed him against the wall.
"Spider-Woman, stop!" Jackpot ordered, grabbing Jessica's arm. Spider-Woman ripped it from Jackpot's grasp. "This isn't what he would want!"
"How would you know what he would have wanted?!" Jessica shouted with a glare. "You did nothing but treat him like dirt the last few weeks!"
"That's not-" Jackpot went to deny the accusation but found she couldn't. Peter and she had been in a rough situation the last year, and that was putting it lightly. Even when MJ was at her nastiest, Peter would try to remain in her life. MJ didn't know how Peter could do it, but even when she gave him no reason to he protected her. "That has nothing to do with you!"
Spider-Woman dropped the Demon and rounded on Jackpot. "It does when it comes to him!" MJ had never seen Jessica so angry before, and for a moment, she thought the other woman would attack her.
"Enough!" The sudden appearance of Julia and Miles broke MJ and Jessica out of their argument. Julia looked annoyed at the two of them while Miles looked worried. "If you two are done, you might want to hear what this Spider-Man has to say."
"I found three of Hammerhead's gang in pretty bad shape earlier..." Miles started with a frown.
"And we care why?" Jessica replied, still plenty angry. Hammerhead was one of the biggest crime bosses in New York, so why should she care about three random thugs in his outfit? Miles took a deep breath before continuing.
"One of them said Spider-Man attacked them," Miles revealed nervously.
The night was his, and it would always be his. He spent hours getting reacquainted with his city. His... hunting ground. Every skyscraper was a memory. On every street corner, a flash of battle would play out in his head. And yet he was still no closer to remembering who he was.
"Who we are!" The voice in his head pointed out.
"Sorry, who we are..." He amended it with a smile. It was strange having another voice in his head, though also reassuring. "The man earlier... He called me the Spider..." There was a spark of well-needed recognition with that name. But it wasn't enough. Not for him. He wanted more.
"Spiders, not a bad name." The voice said amused. "But what about me? Don't I get a name?"
"We'll think of something. Something catchy like Greg or Steve." Spider joked as he clung to the side of a building. There was something familiar about this area...
"I am not a Steve!"
"Quiet..." Spider mumbled as his eyes narrowed on a nearby window. With one leap, he landed on the fire escape by the window. It rattled as he peered inside. "I know this place..."
"You've said that about half a dozen other places in the last hour." The voice pointed out, but Spider ignored it. He was too busy opening the window to listen. "What are you doing?"
"This place is different." There was a feeling about this place. It didn't feel like home, yet it was a place of safety. The apartment was messy with dirty clothes and dishes littering it, but the Spider found himself focusing on several pictures on a desk.
One picture showed a family of three: an older couple with grey hair and bright smiles and a young man with glasses. "That's me..." He looked so different—so young. His eyes shifted to another picture, and he slowly picked it up.
It was him again, only this time he was with a young woman. She was beautiful with deep red hair, green eyes, and a bright smile that could light up the entire city.
"Jackpot..." Pain surged through his head, and memories flashed through his mind. Memories of holding her late at night. Of kissing her on top of skyscrapers. He dropped the picture and it fell to the floor with a clang. Glass shattered and covered the floor, but Spider was far too focused on the pain.
"Rrrr." He tried to shake it off, but the pain grew, and more memories flashed through him.
"I love you, Peter Parker..." His fist slammed into the wall and went right through it. He panted from the information overload before he pulled his hand out of the hole he created.
"Who is she..."
A loud siren broke him from his concentration. Red and blue lights flashed by the window, and the sudden urge to follow the lights went through him.
"You need to look the part..." The voice said as something began to crawl over his buddy. A smirk crossed Spider's face.
The hunt was on.
"Fucking step on it!"
A car sped through Midtown with three police cruisers trailing behind. Inside sat three men. One a driver swerving in between cars, another shooting a pistol out a window at the chasing cops, and another greedily counting ill-gotten money from a bank robbery.
"We're loaded, boys! No more chump change from here!" The man counting the money cheered.
"Quit cheering, you idiot! We're not in the clear yet!" The shooter shouted as he fired another round. "These cops aren't giving up!"
"I'll shake 'em." The driver said with a smirk as he steered the car onto the sidewalk. The driver didn't care for civilians in his path, only the cops tailing him. "Haha, score, boys!"
THUD
"The hell?" The man sitting in the backseat questioned. "What was that?" Metal ripped apart, and a black-covered hand with claws shot through the roof of the car and grabbed the driver. "HOLY SHIT!" The criminal with the pistol didn't hesitate and fired upwards. The hand retreated, and the three criminals looked around in shock.
"Did I get him?" The gunman asked nervously.
A hand shot through the window next to the shooter scattering glass over the car, and the gunman screamed as he was pulled out.
"What the hell was that?"
"It was the bug!" The driver answered frightened.
"That's impossible!" New York was ripe for the picking, and every criminal and citizen knew why. The bug was dead, squashed by the ongoing gang war throughout the city. Before either could deny it again, a dark grey web covered the windshield and blocked his sight. The criminal slammed on the brakes and brought the car to a stop.
The two remaining crooks waited with baited breaths, unsure about what was happening when suddenly one of the back doors was ripped off and a web snatched the man sitting in the back seat.
"AHHH!" The man screamed as he was pulled out. The driver shifted the car back into drive, not caring that he couldn't see anything. There was just one small problem.
The car wasn't moving.
Something or someone was holding the car back. The driver pressed the gas pedal harder in the vain hope that he could pull away, but whatever held the car back didn't budge.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" The last criminal said in a panic. This was supposed to be an easy job, an easy score, an easy win. That dream was dead as soon as the car was lifted off the ground and then flipped upside down, much to the driver's horror.
Something tapped on the window. The last thug turned just in time to see a fist crashing through the glass.
The red and blue flashing lights only a mile from Peter's apartment sent a wave of panic through MJ and Jessica as the gathered group teleported onto a rooftop. Their attention then turned to three badly beaten criminals hanging from a street light.
"Damn, Pete wasn't holding back, was he." Miles chimed as he watched the police try to pull down the captured crooks. Try being the keyword. Whatever webbing Peter had used was much stronger than usual, and the police struggled to get the captured criminals down.
"Someone put on a hell of a show here." A new voice cut in as several figures landed on the rooftop
The first was Anya Corazon, better known as Arańa, a teenage Latina around Miles's age, wearing a red and white suit with a red spider emblem on her chest and yellow goggles. Mary Jane had met her a few times, and she could honestly say she liked the peppy girl. Anya was a sweet girl who looked up to Peter as a mentor and friend.
Next was the curvy form of Cindy Moon, aka Silk. MJ didn't know her that well, but she was aware of her connection to Peter through a mutual spider bite. She wasn't jealous, she told herself, but she could see why Peter was attracted to the other spider hero. Cindy was beautiful. As beautiful as her or Felicia. Her white and black suit clung to her athletic form. She wasn't as busty as Felicia or even MJ, but there was no denying she was beautiful.
The next figure caused Mary Jane almost to lose her breath. No matter how often she saw her, MJ just couldn't get used to seeing the slightly younger form of her best friend Gwen Stacy, the Ghost-Spider. And truly, she was a ghost. A ghost from both hers and Peter's past. It wasn't her fault being from another universe stranded in theirs, but this Gwen was a constant reminder of what they lost. This Gwen was also as beautiful as her best friend with the same bright blonde hair, the same eyes that seemed to sparkle in the right light, and the same smile. Gwen was dressed in a white and black suit with a spider web design similar to Peter's and Miles's. The suit clung to her form and highlighted her C-cup chest. This Gwen was about the same age their Gwen had been when she died and still retrained the youthful hope that she possessed.
Lastly, the identical form of Kaine Parker, the Scarlet Spider looking as grumpy as usual. If someone had told her years ago that Kaine would be the sane clone of Peter, she would have laughed. But the clone of Peter Parker was doing real good in Houston, and Peter often said how proud he was of his brother. MJ could tell how worried Kaine was even through his red and black mask. The clone also maintained the illusion that nothing was wrong with Peter Parker, which Kaine hated passionately. He particularly hated lying to Aunt May, but Peter Parker couldn't just disappear.
"It's good to see you all." Julia greeted, "I wish it were under better circumstances-"
"Cut to the chase, Web." Kaine interrupted heatedly. "What's the status on Peter, and why is she here?" Kaine pointed at Mary Jane with a frown. Kaine didn't come from Houston to deal with Mary Jane and her crap. He came for his brother.
"Easy, Scarlet. She's here to help." Silk said with a hand on his shoulder.
"Help? The only luck she's brought us Spiders is bad!" The others weren't aware that he and Peter still talked. Both Spider-Men needed to vent, and who better than your clone brother? Kaine was well aware of the events with Rabin, and while Peter was willing to be the nice brother, Kaine was not.
"I can show you luck if you want!" Mary Jane returned unafraid with her gauntlets raised.
"Enough!" It was Gwen who got between the two with a glare. "This isn't helping Spider-Man! Now shut up and let Julia talk!"
"Thank you," Julia said as she looked at the gathered group, "Now whatever is affecting Spider-Man, seems to be affecting the Web as well."
"Question!" Miles cut in with a raised hand. "What exactly is the Web?" He had heard Peter mention it once or twice, but the older Spider never told Miles what it meant.
"I was also wondering about that..." Mary Jane mumbled sheepishly.
"Give me a break," Julia sighed. "The Web is the Great Web that connects the Spider-totems throughout time and space. It also allows me to communicate with the various totems in this world. But in Spider-Man's case, it feels like I'm being blocked by something."
"Is that why you haven't used your new teleportation trick?" Gwen asked curiously.
"Yes. I can only teleport to totems when I feel their life energy and connection to the web." Julia answered with a frown. "But Peter's energy is fluctuating. It also feels... Primal in a way." Julia wasn't sure how to explain it, but Peter didn't feel connected to the Web anymore, and that thought scared her. "Without a lock on his energy, I can't teleport to him or astral project."
"Can you get an idea in what direction he's going?" Mary Jane asked.
"Give me a second..." Julia replied in deep concentration. "He's moving, so it's hard to get an accurate grasp, but it feels like... North! He's heading north!"
"North?" Miles asked with eyes raised in shock under his mask. He stepped forward frantically. "Are you sure about that?" The question came quickly and took Julia by surprise. "Julia, are you sure?!"
"Yes, Miles!" Julia answered.
"Miles, what's the matter?" Gwen asked as she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Harlem is north of here," Jessica answered for him with a worried look. "Tombstone controls Harlem."
The Spider's anger was palpable as he swung through the city, and the only thing on his mind was one destination. One of the thieves had said something as he hung them up with webs. Tombstone. They were working for Tombstone.
"He'll pay..." He muttered in a daze. The same feeling of monstrous rage was back, and he wasn't letting it go this time.
A fist crashed into his ribs with the force of a moving vehicle. He struggles to breathe as blood fills his mask. The crime boss with a fanged grin continued his attack.
"Rrrr..." The growl that escaped his lips was a mix of him and his partner. Both were set on their course of action. They wanted blood, and they would have it.
Alonzo Lincoln felt on top of the world. Who wouldn't after being one of the men who helped bring down Spider-Man?
It hadn't been easy. Gathering the crime bosses of New York together in one place without someone dying was a challenge that almost did them in. But everything seemed to fall in place once the idea was put forward. It was a one-night truce to rid themselves of the one person who stood in their way from waging a war. Some like the Hobgoblin hated working together, but their mutual hatred for Spider-Man overcame their hatred for one another.
The Bug was tough even if he would admit that. Tough and annoying. But even Spider-Man fell to superior numbers. They swarmed him. They beat, stabbed, and burned Spider-Man. An entire block of New York was turned into a warzone as they brought about one man's downfall.
"Oh, the web one weaves," Tombstone said as he looked over Harlem from his office window with a glass of whiskey. Right now, Harlem. Tomorrow, the rest of New York. He raised the glass in tribute. "Here's to you, bug. May you rot in hell..."
His phone ringing broke him out of his thoughts of victory.
"This better be good..." Tombstone growled.
"Now Lonnie, is that any way to talk to an old friend?"
"You and I have never been friends, Hammerhead. A useful ally, perhaps, but never a friend. Now, what do you want?"
"It's not what I want but what you need."
"You have my interest. Pray tell, what do I need?"
"Information, Tombstone. And all I ask for is a little assistance taking Madame Masque out of the game." A reasonable enough request and Masque was starting to become a thorn in his side.
"Fine Hammerhead. Masque shouldn't be a problem, now what information do you have?"
"A couple of my goons had a run-in tonight with a certain webhead."
"That's impossible!" Had they made a mistake? He had battered the bug and crushed him under his foot. And yet he was still alive?
"I agree, but here I am with three grown men that are crying like infants. Do with that what you will." Hammerhead was many things. He was a crook, a criminal, and a son of bitch for sure, but he was not a liar. Not with information like this. He had just as much to lose as Tombstone did.
Machine gun fire interrupted the call, and Tombstone glanced behind him. "I'll have to call you back..." It would seem his celebration truly was premeditated. He would just have to fix that.
The doors to his office shattered into wooden shards as three of Tombstone's thugs were violently thrown through them.
"Tombstone..." The growl of an animal entered the room.
It was Spider-Man, but he was different.
Gone was the familiar red and blue suit, replaced by a pitch-black suit with a dark red spider emblem that covered his chest. Tombstone took notice of the suit and found it... strange. He would need to study it more after he killed the bug again. The most chilling change to Spider-Man though was his mask. Like his suit, it was mostly black except for the eye lenses which were white with an eerie red glow. The bug also appeared taller and bulkier as he stalked forward.
"So back for more, huh bug?" Tombstone taunted with a smirk, attempting to hide just how nervous Spider-Man was making him. He had battled the Webhead numerous times over the years, but never before had the vigilante made him nervous. "Fine by me. I'm always ready for a fight!"
"No fight..." Spider-Man replied as eyes narrowed at Tombstone. "I'LL KILL YOU!"
His takedown of the thieves tempered his anger, but only for a short while, and before too long, he found the need to stop more crimes. He swung through the city for over an hour, stopping any criminals that crossed his path. Two muggers and a crew of thieves and his anger was still going strong. And then a word was said that sent a flash of memories through his head.
Tombstone
"You're gonna die tonight," Tombstone said as he spat out a wad of blood. Spider-Man wasn't much better. His suit was in tatters and he had numerous injuries all over his body though the most distinctive was a large cut that went over his right eye made all the more noticeable by the tear in his mask.
"You know I've heard that a time or two Tomby..." Spider-Man quipped even as pain shot through him. "Just out of curiosity, what makes you think this time is so different?"
"Because this time everyone is coming for you!" Tombstone roared as his fist flew out and struck Spider-Man.
It was... Painful, to say the least. Every memory was an experience of pain and a reminder of why he was like this. The Spider hunted now. He hunted for a prey that had threatened him! Who had threatened his territory!
"This path... Are you sure it's what you want?" The voice asked with concern. "Once you go through with this course of action there's no going back..."
"Grrrr...!" The Spider growled savagely. A wave of fierce anger filled him as he recalled memories that had put him in this condition. Tombstone was his enemy. There was no doubt about that. But a sense of shame and conflict came over him at the thought of... killing Tombstone.
"Whatever you decide, Spider, I'll have your back." Shame turned into relief. His friend-No! His partner believed in him! And together, they would figure out what to do with their enemy.
A vicious smirk came over him as he landed on the roof of Tombstone's club, Harlem's Paradise. It was a building owned by numerous criminals, some of whom he would soon be hunting. They weren't the ones on his mind. No Tombstone plagued his thoughts. The brutal beating he had suffered at Tombstone's hands was the reason he was like this. The Spider felt like a shell of his former self, more animal than man. Tombstone would pay, for that he was certain.
He tore through the building like a predator on the hunt. Anyone that got in his way, he tossed them aside carelessly. Only one thing was on his mind: The Hunt.
Music blared as people stood outside Harlem's Paradise, eager to drink the night away. The Paradise was the most popular nightclub in Harlem, and a large crowd was waiting to enter. They would never get the chance, as shattering glass filled the air and two figures fell from the sky.
The Spider grappled with Tombstone in a fierce struggle as they landed on the roof of a bus, caving it in and scaring every passenger. Spider ignored them, his full focus on the foe before him. He launched Tombstone out of the back of the bus, a sense of pride filling him as he watched Tombstone land on the ground painfully.
Tombstone was a mess. His suit was ripped to shreds, and blood flowed from his mouth and nose. A groan escaped Tombstone as he slowly got to his feet.
"New threads and a new attitude it would seem." Tombstone as he wiped the blood from his face. A smirk erupted on his face. "I bet you wish you had these upgrades the other night?" Tombstone taunted. The Spider growled angrily as numerous goons surrounded Tombstone protectively with their handguns drawn.
"We killed him once, boys! That just means we'll have to do it again, " Tombstone shouted as the goons pointed their weapons at Spider.
"He likes the upgrades huh? Let's show him some real upgrades!"
A surge flowed through, unlike anything he had felt before. As the goons went to fire on him, black tendrils outlined in red energy shot off his arms. They wrapped around the criminals and launched them into the air. Panicked screams filled the air as the criminals landed painfully all around them. Tombstone watched in shock as his men dropped like flies around him. And soon he was left alone.
Spider lunged forward and tackled Tombstone. Before Spider knew it, a haze of rage came over him, and he began to strike the downed mafia boss repeatedly. The pavement cracked as Spider lost himself to his anger. Blood flowed from Tombstone, and his supposedly invulnerable skin began to bruise and bleed from the beating he was receiving from the enraged Spider-totem.
Was he wrong to feel this way? Spider had asked himself that question numerous times, and the resounding answer was always no. Tombstone was just the first on his list. His rage was just getting started.
Spider roared into the night as citizens ran in a panic.
"Is that the best you got?" Tombstone muttered defiantly, and Spider wrapped his clawed hand around Tombstone's neck and lifted him off the ground.
"STOP!" A voice called out to him in his head, one that sounded eerily familiar. "Don't do this!"
Confusion filled Spider, causing him to drop Tombstone in a daze and grab his head in pain. It was like hundreds of echoes were coming out of his head all at the same time.
"WhAt ArE YoU WaItInG FoR? HeE's YoUr EnEMy, rIGht?" It was a new voice now that was taunting him. A demonic voice that seemed to enjoy the pain he inflicted.
"Make it stop..." Spider growled in pain as his claws dug into his scalp and the voices argued back and forth.
Tombstone got back to his feet and smirked. It would seem the Spider wasn't right in the head anymore. He could work with that. Tombstone grabbed one of the dropped guns and, without hesitation, opened fire.
Time seemed too slow for the amnesiac Wallcrawler, but the Spider could see and hear everything around him. And more importantly, he could see and hear the bullets flying towards him. Instinct took over, and Spider launched himself into the air. A web line shot off his wrist and attached to Tombstone. With a quick tug, he pulled Tombstone off the ground, much to the crime boss's surprise.
The Spider launched a haymaker into Tombstone, who crashed back to the ground. Teeth flew from his mouth, and darkness overcame the crime boss. The Spider landed in a crouch next to the unconscious criminal.
"He's done! Beaten, don't give in to your anger!" The first voice said, trying to reason with Spider.
"ScREw ThAt! ThIS GuY TrIEd to KilL YoU! FINISH HIM!" The other voice tried to incite Spider in an enraged and broken tone.
"Enough/Enough!" Both he and his partner shouted mentally in an attempt to silence the voices. His focus returned to Tombstone. He was just getting started.
"Oh my god..." Miles muttered as he swung through Harlem. People were running in a panic from the chaos going on around them. And at the center of the chaos was his mentor and friend.
"Pete's been busy.." Kaine muttered, almost impressed much to his teammate's dismay. "Don't think I've ever seen him this angry before."
"This can't be Spider-Man!" Ghost-Spider denied. Peter was many things, but careless he was not. Whoever did this wasn't holding back if the condition some of Tombstone's goons were in was any indication.
"Easy Ghost-Spider. We'll figure out what's going on." Arańa said as the group landed outside Harlem's Paradise.
"My uncle used to tell me about this place. Used to say the best musicians played here..." Miles said softly as he took it in.
"Don't let it fool you, Miles. Crime families have run the Paradise since the beginning." Julia said to the young Spider-Totem as they slowly entered the building. Harlem Paradise was one of the most notorious locations in New York, known to have a criminal history as legendary as its musical history.
The place had cleared out of people, but numerous goons lay on the ground unconscious, broken, and bleeding.
"This is brutal..." Mary Jane said as she stepped over one downed guard.
"Keep him away..." One of the guards cried barely able to speak. Kaine picked the man up and pressed him against the wall.
"We're looking for an idiot dressed in a red and blue onesie who likes to talk too much. Have you seen him?" Kaine interrogated as the man stuttered over his words.
"H-he's in there..." The man said before he fell unconscious once more. Kaine dropped the guard uncaringly and continued forward. His brother needed his help, and Kaine would be damned if he didn't have his back now.
"If this is Spider-Man's doing..." Arańa said.
"Spider-Man needs help! He's probably just confused..." Miles lost his words as they came to the main room of the Paradise. It was a wreck. Tables were broken and turned over, glass covered the floor, and the bar had been caved in two. The stage was covered in bullet holes and fallen goons, and at the center of the stage, there was a figure hanging from numerous strands of webbing.
"Is that?" Gwen asked with wide eyes.
"It's Tombstone..." Julia answered with a frown. The Maggia boss had been beaten to an inch of his life. Both of his eyes were swollen shut, and cuts and bruises littered his face.
"RRRAAAAAAHHHH!" A roar echoed throughout the Paradise. A distinct reminder that they weren't alone in the nightclub. From the ceiling, a figure dropped, much to the gathered group's surprise. It was the black-suited Spider looking more and more dangerous. His red spider symbol glowed brightly across his chest, and his eyes narrowed as he took in the ones that interrupted him.
"What the hell?!" Kaine exclaimed in shock. Spider-Woman, Ghost-Spider, and Silk were shocked, but for different reasons, a wave of pleasure shot through them, causing a blush to appear on their faces.
"No way..." Miles mumbled as he realized what kind of suit Peter was wearing.
"Tiger..." Mary Jane cried as she took in what Peter had become. A taller, stronger body and a vicious temperament. The symbiote must have been controlling him somehow because the person in front of her couldn't possibly be Peter Parker.
"Rrrrrr..." The black symbiote suit rippled as Spider looked at the group before him. They looked familiar, but was it a good familiar or a bad familiar? He couldn't remember.
"Spider-Man, you need to listen to us..." Julia said as she stepped toward the changed totem. Spider growled at her in warning, and Julia stopped in her tracks.
"ThEy aReN't frIenDS!" The demonic voice angrily returned and Spider tried to ignore it, but it wasn't backing down. "KILL THEM!"
"Ahh!" Julia cried out in pain. She had attempted to probe some of Peter's thoughts, but the mental backlash from the voice interrupted her probe painfully. Her legs buckled, and she clutched her head in pain.
"Julia!" Ghost Spider grabbed her friend by the arm and attempted to help her steady herself. The others took a protective circle around her as Spider growled aggressively at Julia.
"I'm fine..." Julia replied to Gwen tiredly. Whatever that thing was, it wasn't Peter. At least not a part of Peter she had ever dealt with. "We need to be careful. Spider-Man's not himself."
"Gee, I hadn't noticed.." Kaine muttered sarcastically.
"Maybe we can talk to him?" Jess wondered as she stepped closer to Spider. "Spider-Man-"
"No, man..." A raspy voice escaped Spider and interrupted Spider-Woman. "Only... SPIDER!" The Spider charged forward bulldozing through the group who jumped out of his way. Spider rushed through the doors of the Paradise and back onto the street. He needed to get away before he listened to the wrong voices in his head. He didn't want to hurt them. Not yet, at least. He had others he needed to cross off his list.
The Spider still needed to hunt.
A web snagged his shoulder, and Spider glanced back to see Scarlet Spider and Spider-Woman holding him back.
"C'mon Pete, no need to leave so soon. After all..." Scarlet Spider exclaimed as the other Spider-Man jumped over him and kicked Spider in the face. "The fun's just getting started!"
Spider growled savagely as Arańa and Ghost-Spider joined the fight. He tried to swat them away, but they jumped into the air, avoiding his strikes.
"We don't want to hurt you, Spider-Man!" Ghost-Spider yelled as she ducked under a blow, barely dodging the furious Spider.
"You need to snap out of it. That damn alien is controlling you!" Arańa called out as she went to leap over Spider. Spider was quicker and snatched Arańa by her leg and threw her into a parked car. Silk ran over to check on the downed teen who was fine for the most part. More dazed than hurt.
"For the record, I am not controlling you and I'm advising you to get the fuck out of here..." The symbiote muttered dryly as Spider punched Scarlet Spider. The clone was launched back and tumbled across the ground. Spider then fired a web ball at Spider-Woman that slammed into her and stuck her to the side of the Paradise. The female spider-totem was left stuck by the web and struggling to break loose. Miles took the chance to jump on Spider's back
"Boss, you can't let Venom win!" Miles said as he held onto Peter and tried to shock the symbiote off only for Spider to grab his hands. Electricity surged through him, but he ignored the pain.
"Stay. Out. Of. My. WAY!" Spider roared as he ripped Miles off his back and slammed him into the ground. A part of him hated fighting this group. Another part was angry and vindicated.
"Not sure how many of those shocks we can take partner..." Venom groaned. The power of the web flowing through Spider had helped mitigate some of the damage, but he didn't want to go through that again. Electricity was dangerous for the symbiote, a fact Spider refused to ignore.
"Spider-Man!" Ghost-Spider exclaimed in horror. She went to check on him, but a tentacle wrapped around her waist and pulled her towards Spider.
A growl escaped Spider, and his mask rippled as he inspected Ghost-Spider.
"I... I know her."
"Please, Peter..." Ghost-Spider muttered as she struggled in his grasp. Spider tilted his head. They were all gung-ho about fighting him until he started winning. Where was there pride? "Please... Hold still!"
A beam of pink energy struck his back, electing a roar of pain from Spider, and he let Ghost-Spider go. The female Spider-totem flipped away as the dark spider turned to see Jackpot standing at the doors of the Paradise with Madame Web leaning against her. Her gauntlet-covered hands were raised and glowing with energy, ready to fire another beam.
Pain filled his head as he took her in. Spider knew her, but how did he know her?! Spider clutched his head as memories flooded his mind.
A first date... A kiss in the park... A wedding... A smirking devil... A future that was stolen!
"Face it, Tiger," She said with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. "You just hit the jackpot!"
"Jackpot..." Spider said, and Mary Jane hesitated. Spider slowly reached out for Mary Jane, but an alarm went off in his head, and he grabbed Scarlet Spider as he was lunging at him.
"StUpID FOOL! PaY ATtENTiOn To ThE FIgHt!" The angry voice in his screamed. The voice was right. The other Spider-heroes started getting to their feet and surrounding him again. Displeasure filled him, and he tossed Scarlet Spider away.
Spider stole one last glance at Jackpot before firing a web and swinging into the night. His mind was a mess, and his heart even messier.
"What the hell just happened?" Kaine roared as he ripped his mask off and glared at Julia. A shiny new black eye had formed on Kaine's face, and blood flowed from his nose. "I want answers, Julia!"
The Order had retreated from Harlem and found a rooftop far away from the chaos. There was no sign of Peter anywhere, and all of them were hurting, physically and mentally.
"I don't..." Julia started before trying to find the right words. "I don't know what's going on, Kaine. I can't... I can't see Peter anymore. Nothing is adding up..."
"Slow down, Julia!" Jessica said as she helped the telepath to lean against a wall.
"Calm down, Kaine," Miles muttered as he removed his mask. A sad look was in his eye as his mind went over the night's events. He didn't know how Pete got a hold of the Venom symbiote as the last time he checked, it was safely with Eddie Brock, Peter had effectively used the alien suit to fend them off.
"This is bullshit..." Kaine grumbled, and Gwen placed a hand on his shoulder. She knew how worried he was about Peter even if he didn't show it.
"He didn't feel like Peter..." Cindy said, breaking the tension in the air. "I mean that he didn't act like he knew us. And the way he fought..." The less she said about the way he made her feel in the nightclub, the better. "Stupid spider bite!" Cindy thought as she nervously shifted around.
"She's right. I've known Peter longer than most of you..." Jessica said, glancing at Mary Jane, who had stayed silent since they had left Harlem. It didn't escape Jessica that the other woman had been crying. "He has never fought like that. Not even when he originally wore the symbiote."
"He..." Mary Jane finally started speaking once more. "He looked at me like he..." Even with the mask on his face, Mary Jane could feel his longing. It had unnerved her that even after everything she had done to hurt him, Peter Parker would still want her. That he would still love her.
"This is getting us nowhere..." Julia muttered as she looked at Jessica hard. "You know what we need to do."
"I won't do it!" Jessica replied, outraged. "I won't throw him to the wolves like that!"
"What is she talking about, Julia?" Anya asked.
"It's too late for anything else, Jessica!" Julia said, ignoring Cindy's question. "You know how dangerous a symbiote is! They need to know before Peter kills someone!"
The realization hit Miles like a ton of bricks. "SHIELD! You want to alert SHIELD!" The group's eyes widened in surprise. Kaine was the first to step forward angrily.
"You would rat Peter out after everything he's done for this city?" Kaine glared at Julia fiercely before slipping his mask back over his face. "I'll find my brother by myself, and if any SHIELD agents get in my way, I'm coming for you next Web!" Kaine jumped off the building and swung away from the Order.
"Anyone else not on board with this plan?" Julia asked with a frown. Jessica and Mary Jane stepped forward, each looking just as mad as Kaine.
"I've already hurt him enough lately," Mary Jane said with a frown. "I'm not going to betray him like this."
"As much as I hate it, I agree with Blackjack over there," Jessica said nastily as Mary Jane glared at her. "Peter deserves better from us!"
"They're right, Julia," Gwen said, Cindy, Miles, and Anya nodding in agreement. "Peter's our friend, Julia. We can't do that to him. We already abandoned him after Kindred!"
"-Enough-!" A robotic voice interrupted the argument. It belonged to a person that all of them knew well.
"Oh crap!" Miles said with wide eyes as he looked up.
"-To be perfectly honest-..." The Invincible Iron Man started before allowing his face plate to reveal his face. "You should have come to us first..." Tony Stark said as he pointed to the floating Captain Marvel and Vision.
"Who were they?" Spider asked, sitting on top of a stone gargoyle. His mask peeled back to show his tired face, and his symbiote formed a tendril-like face off his shoulder.
"They seemed... like they knew who we were..." The symbiote said as Peter smirked.
"They called you Venom. It's not a bad name..." Spider said as he gazed out over the city. In fact, Venom was a very good name for the symbiote, but the fact they already knew who his alien partner was was troubling.
"Venom... I like it! Spider and Venom!" Venom joyfully said with a razor-sharp grin.
"I thought you might," Spider said with a smile that gradually turned into a frown. "Those voices... What were they?" It was a question that plagued him all night. One of the voices sounded old and wise, while the other sounded young and hateful. Both were at war with the actions he committed. Maybe he was just crazy and it was all in his head.
"I do not know, but I'm sure we'll find out," Venom replied as he sunk back into the suit. Spider's face was soon hidden behind his mask, and with a spring of his legs, he was again swinging through his city. His anger was calmed for the moment, but he knew the truth.
His hunt was only just starting.
I just love it when I finish a second chapter. And things are getting deeper. Peter is lost, confused, and angry. So very angry. One of the things I hated the most about Zeb Wells's run was that he made Peter such a wet blanket. He wasn't allowed to feel anything except sadness and misery. Fuck that. I want Spider-Man to be confident. I want a Spider-Man that remembers that he's a veteran superhero for god's sake. I want a Spider-Man who doesn't constantly get beat by villains that he has been beating since he was a teenager. I mean seriously, Vulture? What the fuck were they thinking? And begging Norman Osborn for help? Fuck it's cringe at best and rage-inducing at worst.
Tombstone was the first to fall but more will follow. Gang War could have been a great storyline. Instead, it was bad, bland, and boring. I used to like Tombstone as a villain up until Wells tried to bump him up to a higher weight bracket. It might have worked in Spectacular Spider-Man, but Wells is nowhere near the quality of writer that Greg Weisman is. The final fight between Spider-Man and Tombstone during the run felt empty and the lack of dialogue made it even worse.
Several characters as made a return in this chapter. It's a crime that Marvel doesn't use Kaine more though considering how Marvel likes to misuse their characters maybe I should count myself lucky.
I don't own Spider-Man guys, but by the looks of things neither should Marvel.