Here's where things start to pick up!
I own nothing from Spider-Man or Marvel
Chapter 18: City Hall Bombing
MJ showed up for work at F.E.A.S.T., with Anya in a stroller. She unfortunately couldn't get anyone to babysit her for the day; everyone she knew and trusted was busy.
First thing the young mother did was visit May in her office.
"Hey, May," said MJ as she walked in.
"Hi MJ!" The older woman greeted her. "Hi Anya~!"
Anya cooed at her grand-aunt.
"I hope it's okay that I brought her," MJ stated. "Everyone I trust to babysit is busy right now."
"Oh, it's fine, sweetheart," May reassured.
Someone knocked on May's door as MJ picked Anya up.
"Martin!"
The young mother turned to see the Chinese man, and his face lit up a bit.
"Anya, what a pleasant surprise!"
"I had no one that could babysit, and I couldn't leave her alone," MJ explained.
"It's alright, Michelle," he assured her, then turned to May. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm headed out of town. You're in charge while I'm gone."
"You can count on me, or us," May told him, smiling. "How long will you be away?"
Martin gave a silent sigh, "I...really don't know..."
"Is everything alright?" MJ asked, concerned.
"It's some personal business I've been planning for a while," Martin answered. "But...please take care of this place. It represents the best part of me."
Then he left.
MJ bounced Anya in her arms a bit, "Did he seem...conflicted to you?"
"Something did feel a little off," May said.
"I hope the bad feeling I have is wrong, this time," MJ stated.
She went around the center like she usually did, checking up on people, drawing for Joan, playing chess with Ms. Rodriguez, and she even met Gloria; a Latina woman that Peter saved from a mugging. But what everyone loved was meeting Anya, since it was the first time MJ had brought her to the shelter.
"Jeez, kid, if I knew you were gonna be such a big hit, I would have brought you here long ago," said MJ while Anya giggled.
The children loved her too! All in all, it was a pretty good time for both MJ and Anya...although, MJ still had her suspicions about Martin.
She then got a text from Betty, asking if she saw her story.
"Yeah; great job!"
"Thanks! 😆 And get this- Mayor Osborn said just announced he's going to give Officer Davis an award this afternoon!"
"Good for him!
Wait, isn't Osborn's campaign rally this afternoon?
Oh... I see what he's doing."
"Yeah, we all do. 👎 Still, a great moment for Officer Davis and his family! Hey, you know them, right?"
"Yeah; his son, Miles is friends with my brother."
"Cool! I'll be there covering the rally; you and Pete wanna join me and Ned?"
"...Why not? I'll text Peter about it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter was on a rooftop, wearing his suit and using a web to play jump-rope; just waiting for anything.
"Peter, you have a text from MJ," Karen told him.
"Oh, what'd she say?" he asked.
"Hey nerd. Betty said that Jeff is gonna receive an award during Osborn's rally this afternoon, and she's covering. She asked if we'd like to join her and Ned."
"Oh," Peter stated. "Tell her, "Yes, absolutely"!
"Got it," Karen replied. "Aaaaand...sent."
"Thanks Karen!"
"Incoming call from Jefferson Davis."
"Answer... Hey Jeff, congrats on the ceremony today!"
"I'll be glad when it's over," Jeff said. "A truck of armed Demons scares me less than public speaking. But I'm calling about something else."
"What's up?"
"Just got a tip that the Demons are moving on the construction site in midtown," Jeff told him. "My wife'll kill me if I ditch the ceremony prep to play cops and robbers, but I thought my friendly neighborhood partner would wanna know..."
"Thanks Jeff," Peter said. "I'll swing by and check it out. Oh, and here's a tip on public speaking...actually, no; I'm not going there! Who came up with picturing everyone in their underwear, anyway?!"
That got Jeff to laugh hysterically before he hung up. Just as Peter got close to the construction site, he saw a shipping truck leaving; Consolidated Shipping...
Then, he heard gunshots, so he webbed up to the construction site to investigate.
"Hey Karen, isn't this site being built by one of Silvermane's "legal" businesses?"
"Yes, it is," The AI answered.
Peter saw some Demons move one of the workers over to a hidden spot...and the worker didn't get up; so he was probably dead. Then they left to find the rest.
"So the Demons are moving in on Silvermane's turf."
"It sucks to help criminals, but...sometimes it's part of the job," Karen joked.
With that, Peter moved quickly and quietly, making sure to take out any Demons in his path, but without drawing attention to himself. He heard something from a more isolated area and maneuvered over to it, seeing four Demons with assault rifles surrounding a construction worker; who was probably one of Silvermane's guys.
"You got what you came for," The man pleaded. "You don't need to kill us to!"
One of the Demons hit him with his rifle, "Silvermane's territory is ours now."
"Not today," Peter muttered, before jumped up and pulling the man to safety with a webline, then swung-kicked one of the Demons and hit the others with a web-grenade, tying them up! A phone rang from the construction guy's pocket, so Peter took it and answered...it was Silvermane himself.
"Been a while, old man!"
"Stay out of my business, little bug," The elderly mobster threatened.
"Wait, the Demons- who's their leader?"
"Keep my men alive, and I'll tell you," Silvermane told him, then he hung up.
"Dammit...!" Peter cursed, realizing that saving Silvermane's goons might be the only way he'd get any answers.
A helicopter flew in, bringing more Demons. Peter spent the next ten minutes swinging around the construction site, defeating demons and reluctantly saving goons.
Once they were all safe, Peter called Silvermane back,
"Alright Silverback, your men are safe. Are you gonna give me some answers?"
"I'm a man of my word, Spider-Man," Silvermane responded. "I don't know who's in charge of the Demons, but I've heard that he's called "Mister Negative"."
"Mister Negative..."
"He could be in that chopper," Silvermane suggested, then hung up.
With that, Peter began to swing after the chopper. He got the roof as the chopper was about to leave, and three Demons were inside it. One was the pilot, another had a rocket launcher, and the last one had a sword and was wearing the same mask that Betty had taken. Peter grabbed the chopper with his webs as it took off and attached them to a large yellow container. The Demon with the rocket launcher fired at the container, knocking Peter off and making the container come loose, and the helicopter dragged it away! But not before hitting a crane, which made its bolts to the building snap off! The crane began to fall as the helicopter flew away!
Peter recovered and saw what was happening, "Oh, come on!"
Thinking fast, Peter used his webs to try and right the crane to its normal position, but even with his strength, he was straining to do so! And then the crane's hook came around and knocked him off the roof! He lost consciousness for a moment, but quickly webbed up to cling to the crane as it fell! Many people on the street saw the crane falling!
Peter ran up the crane as it kept falling, then maneuvered around it to web it to some of the buildings! There was property damage, but thankfully, no one died!
"That would be so cool, if not for the other problem!" Peter exclaimed as he swung after the helicopter! Unfortunately, the container webbed to it kept swinging around, damaging buildings!
Yuri called him, "I'm getting reports of a...helicopter with a wrecking ball?"
"Yeah, things with the Demons got...a little complicated!" Peter exclaimed as he kept swinging after the chopper. "Sit tight, Yuri, I got this!" He sighed as he quietly whispered. "PLEASE let me get this..."
He chased the helicopter around the Empire State Building, but couldn't get the chance to stop it! The container wrecked a water tower, a billboard for Norman's campaign (Which Peter laughed at), and through the sign of Ellie Joel's Hotel! Finally, he saw a chance and webbed onto the container! But it crashed straight into a building, the web attaching it to the helicopter coming loose!
"OH, SHIT!" Peter cursed.
He ran as it rolled after him, went over him and crashed through the windows at the end of the hall, then crashed through the roof of another building! Peter ran through the area of the second building, parkouring over any chairs, couches, or broken things in his way! The chopper was hovering just ahead of it, having blown apart the wall! Peter parkoured off a support beam, swung off a pipe in the ceiling, then web-zipped to the chopper, going through the open doors and kicking out the Demon with the rocket launcher!
He made sure to throw that Demon back into the building so he didn't fall to his death, then stuck to the bottom of the helicopter! He moved up to where the engines were, webbed the Demon's hands to the side when he swung his sword at him, and disabled the engines! Soon, the chopper began to whirl around, completely out of control as it began to descend toward the city!
Peter shot two weblines to the top of a couple buildings and attached the ends to the chopper! It went swinging like a pendulum above the street, until the tail hit it and broke off, also damaging the pavement!
"Come on, Pete! You got this!"
He caught the tail as it rolled down the street, stopping it from hitting anyone, then threw it into one of the buildings and webbed it there! The helicopter swung higher into the air, then fell! Peter jumped off the chopper and fired several webs between two buildings to catch the wrecked chopper in a giant spider web!
Peter then landed on the chopper in a very Spider-Man-like pose! There was crowd gathered below that started pulling out there phones to record.
Peter called Yuri, "Hey Yuri, I caught the bad guys, but..."
"But what?"
"You might wanna bring a ladder; a BIG ladder." Then he swung away.
Among the crowd was a black/Hispanic fifteen year old, watching with hero-worship.
"Come on, fan boy," His friend, Ganke told him. "Miles?"
Miles followed him, but then got a text from his Dad, "Crap, I'm late!"
"You coming?"
"Can't, I gotta get to City Hall for my dad's ceremony."
"Oh yeah. Tell your pops I said "congrats"!"
The two friends bumped fists and went their separate ways.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MJ just exited the subway when Peter called her, "Hey, where are you?"
"On my way," he responded. "Have they started the ceremony?"
"I think they're still setting up," she told him.
"Okay, I'll be there soon." Then he hung up.
"MJ!" A familiar face called out to her.
"Hey Harry," she greeted him, and saw Betty and Ned were there. "Here to support dear old dad?"
"Not because I want to," Harry muttered.
"I'm only here cause Betty asked me to come," Ned mentioned.
"My family's coming as well, to support Jeff," MJ said. "But May's watching Anya."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~A little later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The front of City Hall was decorated with a few large banners for "Re-Elect Mayor Osborn", and several people were wearing caps and hoodies with the same words written on them. Harry was in the crowd with his friends, even though Norman insisted that he stand with him. Betty was taking pictures as Norman gave Jeff an introduction, then gave him the Department Medal of Honor. Everyone applauded and Jeff stepped up to the stand.
"Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I share this honor with my family- my wife, Rion, and my son, Miles. With their support, I...I couldn't do what I do."
Harry noticed his father leaving the stage. And he was on the phone.
"Yes?"
"I've worked many years for this moment," A male voice spoke from the other end.
"Who is this?" Norman demanded.
But the unknown caller just continued his rant, "Over the coming days, your company, your city, and everything you care about will be destroyed."
Norman signaled one of the officers to bring his car around.
"People will beg you for help, but you won't be able to save them."
Norman just chuckled, "Listen jackass, I get threats like this twice a week. Why don't you grow a pair and tell me what you want?"
"To watch you suffer." Then the caller hung up.
Norman looked around before he had the officers escort him to his car.
Peter and MJ felt their spider-senses go off; danger scale 8 out of 10! They glanced around and saw someone get out of a car, wearing a bomb vest! His colors changed to negative! Then they saw a man wearing a three-piece suit, generating the same dark energy that Demons used in his hands! Except, they recognized the man...Martin Li...!
The Deputy Mayor on stage turned negative as well, then the first suicide bomber exploded! Everyone screamed in fright, alarm, and surprise! MJ rushed over to Desirée and Caleb, while Harry got Ned and Betty to safety! Miles yelled to his father about the Deputy Mayor, who was also wearing a bomb vest! Jeff pushed him away, then covered one of his fellow officers before the bomb went off!
"GET DOWN!" Peter yelled as he ran over to MJ and her family, then another explosion went off!
People scrambled down the street away from City Hall, more explosions went off from wreckage, and some people who were injured or unconscious were helped to safety! Some were more bruised than others, like Ned, who sprained his ankle while running away! Harry and Betty helped him, while MJ and Caleb were carrying an unconscious Peter!
Coincidently, Ned, Peter, and a disoriented Miles were all taken to the same spot. Desirée, seeing both of her children were alright, helped Rio tend to her son. MJ, after asking Ned how bad he was hurt, focused on Peter.
"Peter?" she called, gently. "Peter, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me!"
No response.
"Pete, come one, man!" Ned exclaimed.
"Peter, please listen to my voice; I love you and I need you," MJ's voice started to break to full on sobbing. "Our daughter needs you. Please, come back to me!"
Finally, he squeezed her hand.
MJ breathed a huge sigh of relief, laying her head on Peter's chest.
"Thank god...!" she whispered, her voice breaking slightly.
She then looked around; there was dust everywhere, an ambulance was nearby and EMTs were tending to the injured. Sirens could be heard in the distance, and she briefly saw Miles run towards City Hall.
"Mom, where's Miles going?" she asked.
"Rio went to find Jeff," Desirée said.
MJ had a bad feeling, and it was confirmed when her enhanced senses picked up the sound of Demons killing the survivors around the steps of City Hall!
"Oh God...!"
"Can you...hear what's happening?" Caleb asked his sister.
She nodded, "Demons are killing any survivors... But we're a safe distance away..."
"Jesus...!" Ned muttered.
"What about Rio?" Desirée asked.
"She's okay..." Then she heard a voice; a voice she was very familiar with.
"Enough! We have to leave, now."
'It WAS him...!' she thought, recognizing Martin Li's voice.
And it got worse when she heard Miles found Jeff, "Dad no! Wake up!"
MJ burst into tears, crying silently.
"Oh, no...!"
"Michelle?" Desirée asked.
"Jeff..." she muttered.
Ned, Betty, Harry, Desirée and Caleb all gasped in horror.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~One Week Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A funeral was held for Jefferson Davis. Peter, MJ Ned, Betty, Harry, Desirée and Caleb all attended to support Rio and Miles. Norman gave Rio a folded flag, and the NYPD saluted their fallen comrade. But Miles...he was grieving so much he didn't wanna be consoled by anyone. Not even Caleb or MJ, who were like siblings to him.
MJ had a crisis of her own; dealing with the fact that Martin Li was behind the bombing. The man she'd gotten to know at F.E.A.S.T. didn't seem capable of such horrible acts.
Peter felt the same way, but assured her that they'd get to the bottom of this. He was now out on patrol, in the rain, heading toward a recycling center that Li bought a controlling interest in the previous year. Betty had given him the address, and also informed him that she spoke with a detective about the Demons they arrested. They said Li had to power to "corrupt" people; like mind control- makes you do things you wouldn't normally do.
Hence why Li was called "Mister Negative".
Peter got to the recycling center, incapacitated the Demons on guard, overrode the locks and went inside. There was a room with crates full of weapons and other stuff. On the wall was a map of Manhattan, and several locations marked in red.
"This must be where they're planning to attack next..." Peter muttered.
"Peter, these locations are all Norman Osborn campaign offices," Karen stated.
"And all the paths originate from the same address," he added.
In the crates were explosives from the construction site, and weapons from Silvermane's armory. There were even blueprints for truck bombs! It became clear to Peter; this was never a gang-war. Li had his Demons steal from Silvermane so they could go after Osborn.
As he exited the building, he started a conference call with MJ, Ned and Betty.
"Did you find Li?" The blonde asked.
"No, but you were right," Peter answered. "Li's using the place as a front for the Demons. Bomb-making, gun running..."
"Oh my God..." MJ muttered.
"And they're planning another attack, on Osborn's campaign offices..."
"Wonder what Mr. Li's beef is with Norman?" Ned wondered out loud.
"Knowing Osborn, could be anything," MJ said.
"I have another address that I'm heading to."
"Be careful, loser!"
Peter chuckled, "I will, promise."
Then the call ended.
He soon arrived at the headquarters of Consolidated Shipping, which was guarded by a lot of Demons. He moved around the area, incapacitating every Demon one by one; even got some with his new Trip Mine gadget. It worked by shooting small device that attached to a wall or enemy, which upon detecting an enemy nearby, will hit them with a web and pull them towards one another, causing them to slam together.
Once they were all down, he went inside. On the desk was a clipboard with an invoice from an auto shop; Pale Horse Ridez. Quite an expensive tune-up. Next thing he found was a map on the wall, which marked some bases that the Demons had set up around the city. As he exited the building, a Demon approached him, carrying two dark-energy whips!
"Oh, great," Peter said. "As if one deadly whip wasn't enough!"
He barely had time to dodge as the Demon charged at him while lashing his whips at him. He tried to tie him up with his webs, but it didn't work! The Demon was also quick, but Peter was quicker! He threw some objects at him with his webs, which knocked him out, but then more Demons appeared! Peter dealt with them fairly quickly, but then he heard some helicopters flying overhead.
Two guys in full black body suits with white body armor came down on ropes, and they carrying some fancy assault rifles. Not knowing what they wanted or who they were, Peter decided to play it safe and watching from a distance.
One of the Demons started to get up, but one the armor guys hit him with the butt of his rifle, then kicked him!
"No, he's mine," The other one said, then grabbed the Demon and pointed his rifle at his head. "I'm executing this son of a-"
"HEY!" Peter zapped him with an electric web, then spun-kicked the other guy. "That's not how do things around here!"
His spider-sense tingled and he saw more guys in armor.
"Code SM One!" One of them said, and more appeared on the roofs of the building.
"Before we do this; who the hell are you guys?" Peter asked.
Another chopper flew in, which dropped several plates behind Peter, which Karen warned him about. In the chopper was woman in her mid-to-late 30s, with short, grayish-white hair, with the left side partly covering her eyes. She wore a white/silver coat with a light and dark gray uniform underneath. She had piercing blue eyes, and eyebrows that possess a similar color to her hair. She carries two gray pistols, which are stored on the left and right side of her waist.
But Peter focused on the angry expression on her face. She jumped out of the chopper, drew her pistols and fired strange red bullets at him, which he dodged and she landed behind him!
"You know that landing is really hard on your knees," Peter commented. When several electric bolas sprung out of the plates, Peter jumped out of the way! "Nice try!"
The woman's face looked more irritated, but then a police car drove in, Yuri got out and got between them.
"Stop; he works with us!"
The woman got a small snarl before she holstered her pistols.
"Yuri, what the hell is this?" Peter asked.
"This is Silver Sablinova, head of Sable International," Yuri introduced the woman. "A private security force; paid for by Mayor Osborn."
Peter scoffed, "Oh, the mayor has a pet army now?"
"Next time you get in my way, even your cop-friend won't stop me," Silver threatened him, her accent clearly Russian.
"Then keep your Storm Troopers under control," Peter retorted. "We don't just kill people around here; criminals or not!"
"Go, we'll talk later," Yuri told him, so he swung away...after giving Silver a hand-signal that he'd be watching her troops.
If there was one thing Peter hated, it was people who abused their authority.
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