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Chapter 22: Heavy Hitters

Peter's phone rang as he put the dishes in the dishwasher.

"Ava?"

"Peter, Scorpion got me with his tail...!" she groaned.

"Shit!" Peter cursed. "He uses a powerful hallucinogenic neurotoxin; your mind is going to create nightmares that your body thinks are real! Thankfully, I have the antidote for it!"

"Okay..." Ava used her watch to change her super-bike to flight-mode and climbed on it.

~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~

Peter and Michelle already had the antidote ready when Ava showed up. Needless to say, she looked like she was in a lot of pain. Michelle helped her over to the couch, and took her Tiger Amulet. Peter administered the antidote as gently as he could, then let Ava rest.

"After she wakes up, you wanna head to F.E.A.S.T.?" he asked.

Michelle didn't answer. She kinda didn't want to go to the F.E.A.S.T. Center, since her dad was there.

"I'm guessing no?" Peter inquired.

Michelle picked up Anya, "Mom told me...my dad is there, helping..."

"Oh..." Peter muttered in realization.

"Yeah...he helped mom and Miles out of the center that was burned down, last night."

"Well, are you just not gonna go at all, just cause he's there?" Peter asked. "People still need help."

Michelle glanced at him, seeming unsure.

"Look, MJ," said Peter. "You can't let your dad keep you from doing the right thing. I know you're still mad at him, but you also told me that you still love him."

"I know," Michelle said. "I just...I just wish it was that simple!"

Peter hugged her gently, since their daughter was still in her arms,
"I'll be there with you."

"...Will you, really?" Michelle asked.

"Of course, I will," Peter began. "But only if you want me to."

"It...it might make things easier..." she admitted.

After thirty minutes, Ava woke up, still feeling a little dizzy from the after-effects of the poison. Upon request, Ned gave them a portal to the F.E.A.S.T. Center so they wouldn't have to travel through the chaotic streets.
May saw them as soon as they walked in.

"Peter, MJ, Anya, Ava!" She hugged each of them. "Are you all okay?"

"We're fine, May," said Peter.

"Where's my mom?" Michelle asked.

May sighed, "Probably checking on your father. He's...catching his breath."

Michelle actually got concerned, "Is he okay?"

"He's coughing a lot and getting tired faster than normal," May said.

"...Was he...?" Michelle asked.

"...I think he was," May replied.

That worried Michelle; even though she was still angry at her father, she didn't want him to die.

"Where's Miles?" Peter asked.

"He's out, picking up medical supplies from the relief center," May answered. "It's amazing how quickly we go through antibiotics."

"Well...this isn't something like your usual cold or flu..." Peter muttered.

Michelle, still holding Anya, finally saw her mom come over.

"Thank God you're still safe," Desirée said, hugging them both.

"You, too, Mom," Michelle said. "Is...is dad gonna be okay?"

"I don't know," Desirée answered. "But you don't have to see him if you don't want to."

Michelle shook her head, "I feel like I need to."

"Are you sure about that?" Desirée asked.

Peter put his hand on her shoulder, "I'll be with her."

"I appreciate that, Peter," Desirée smiled.

The three of them went to where Craig was sitting. He'd changed out of his prison jumpsuit into some regular clothes. His eyes widened when he saw them.

"Hi...dad," she responded with reservation, adjusting Anya in her arms.

"Hey, Michelle," Craig greeted with a smile before he coughed a bit. "Sorry...I'm not exactly in the best shape right now."
He then noticed Anya, "Is that...?"

"Your granddaughter, yes," Michelle replied. "Her name is Anya."

"How old is she?" he asked.

"Almost one and a half."

"I see," Craig nodded. "Well...she's very beautiful."

"Thank you," said Michelle as she adjusted Anya in her arms so that she wouldn't fall. "Peter, my arms are getting a little tired."

"On it," said Peter as he took Anya for her.

"Thank you," Michelle sat in a chair, facing her father. "I've had a lot of time to think over the last few years, and...I tried to forget about you. ...But then, Peter and I saw a play that Lexi made about me, her, Cassie, Maddy and Kat when we grew up from middle school to junior high. She...included the parts where you hurt us... It made me think about you for the first time since you were arrested, and...it made me realize..."

She took a deep breath, releasing a barely restrained sob. Even her eyes were becoming glossy.

"I don't hate you anymore, but I'm still mad at you; I think I will be for a long time. But...I still love you, dad..."

Craig bit his lip and took a deep inhale, but even that caused his body to shake. He honestly didn't blame Michelle for wanting to hate him forever...but to know that while she was still angry at him for the things he had done but still loved him...it was more than he could take. Without warning, he sobbed.

Michelle smiled a bit, "I'd give you a hug, but..."

Craig nodded in understanding. Peter's phone buzzed, so he handed Anya to Desirée and checked; it was Miles!

"Sorry, I have to take this."

He glanced at Michelle, and she gave him an understanding look.
He went over and gave her a quick kiss, "Love you."

"Love you too," she whispered back.

He walked out of the room and answered his phone,
"Hey Miles, I was just about call you."

"Pete, you're not gonna believe what just happened to me!" Miles exclaimed.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down," Peter said. "What happened?"

"Well, the long and short of it is I just escaped from Rhino and Scorpion with my life!" Miles answered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Less than an hour ago, Miles was at the shipping yard looking for antibiotics. But the place was crawling with escaped prisoners, and even worse, it looked like a bulldozer had torn through the area!

After sneaking around, searching, and coming up empty handed a couple times; he finally found a crate full of bottles of Amoxicillin! He put it in his backpack, but then he saw Rhino interrogating some Sable Agents, with Scorpion! The poisonous villain killed one of the agents to scare the others into talking.

Miles ran away as quickly and quietly as he could, but he accidently knocked over a toolbox. This alerted the villains, so Scorpion told Rhino to check it out. Then Miles spent the next few minutes trying to sneak by the very large armored Russian. It was definitely easier said than done. Rhino wasn't just a very large man, but he had a very short fuse. Just about anything set him off...and if Miles wasn't careful, he would definitely be joining his father. Luckily for him, Rhino was pretty easy to fool.

Using his remote hacking device, he used radios and lights to distract Rhino while he made his escape. There were times when he thought that he might get caught, but thankfully, he managed to stay out of sight, every time.
Eventually, he got to a point where he could get away, and Rhino gave up.

"Bah, it is chase of goose!" he yelled, throwing a shipping crate! "I hate chase of goose!"

As Miles was about to head back to F.E.A.S.T., he saw a couple escaped prisoners mugging someone! He yelled at them to leave him alone, and the civilian fled. The two prisoners went up to Miles, but he actually managed to knock one of them out by remembering the fighting lessons he got from Spider-Man!

It was quite a feat. Dangerous, perhaps, but Miles truly showed his grit at that moment. There was no way he was going to stand on the sidelines after what happened to his father.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peter suited up and headed for the shipping yard! When he got there, he saw Rhino about to crush two Sable Agents in his big hands! Peter threw a storage container at him, making him drop the Agents and fall to his knees!

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size, Rhino?"

"There is no one my size, pauk," Rhino responded.

"Good point," Peter said. "So, how about I go find someone and you wait here?"

Rhino charged at him, but Peter avoided it and threw another storage container at him, stunning him for a minute! Peter also made Rhino charge into some concrete pipes, which also caused some damage to his suit! One of the times he was stunned, Peter attached some webs to Rhino's fist and maneuvered around him to deliver a double kick to his face!

Rhino fell on his back after the hit!

"Alright Rhino," Peter stated. "Let's wrap this up-"

He cut himself off as he had to dodge a glob of acid shot at him! Sure enough, Scorpion was the one who had shot it!

"Never send an eight ton infant to do a man's job!" he said. "Let's finish this!"

"Aw Mortal Kombat, I love ya, but you do know it's rude to cut in, right?" Peter asked rhetorically as he dodged more shots of acid, and Rhino charging at him again! He also had to avoid Scorpion trying to pounce on him and stab him with his tail!

"Karen, next time Scorpion jumps at me, fight him off with the spider arms," Peter whispered to his AI.

"You got it, Peter," Karen responded.

"If I didn't show up, what were you gonna do?" Scorpion questioned Rhino. "Beg him to give up?"

"Yes Gargan, that's exactly what I was going to do," The Russian answered sarcastically.

"Aw, you two are like an old married couple," Peter taunted.

When Scorpion jumped at him again, three mechanical arms came out of Peter's suit and blocked him!

"What the-?!"

"You guys aren't the only ones that can upgrade!" Peter said before maneuvering around him and kicking him in the face! He then quickly got out of the way as Rhino charged at them, causing Scorpion to get accidently run over, knocking him out!

"Pathetic Gargan," The Russian spat. "I will squash the bug myself."

"Toro, toro!" Peter taunted.

Rhino charged again, but the web-slinger back-flipped onto a crane and made the hook swing down to knock the large man away! Scorpion woke up just as Rhino hit the ground!

"Do you know what Octavius will do if he finds out you failed?!"

"I failed?!" Rhino questioned.

"Yes you, dumbass!"

At that point, Rhino had enough and charged at the armored criminal! He tried to run away, but the Russian shoved them both into a storage crate!

Peter closed the doors and webbed it shut, "A little forced together time might teach you guys to play nice."

Peter waited for the police to show up, then left.

He also called Yuri, "Just took care of Rhino and Scorpion; only Octavius and Li left."

"Something tells me they won't be as easy," Yuri said. "But they're only half the problem: Devil's Breath cases are getting worse, and Oscorp is being coy about an antiserum. I'm worried they're seeing dollar signs in a seller's market."

"I'd expect nothing less from Norman," Peter remarked. "Leave Devil's Breath to me; my friends are on it."

He hung up, then started a conference call with Michelle, Ned and Betty.

"Hey guys, getting the antiserum is now priority."

"I've been through city, state and federal databases - if this Devil's Breath lab does exist, it's off the books," Betty said. "The only other place I can think to look is Norman's personal files."

"We've already looked through his office computer," Ned pointed out. "Maybe his penthouse has something!"

"That place is full of Sable Agents, and Silver herself," Peter said. "Plus, we can't risk other residents getting hurt."

"We have a man on the inside," Michelle pointed out. "Harry."

Ned sighed, "But we haven't heard from him since the chaos started."

But, speak of the devil; Harry was trying to join the conference call.

Betty let him in, "Harry, we were just about to call you!"

"Yeah, sorry I haven't talked to you guys in a while," he apologized.

"It's alright," Michelle told him. "Everyone was hit hard when this whole thing started."

"Some more than others," Harry muttered. "But, if my dad is somehow responsible for this; I wanna help in any way I can."

"Good to hear," Peter stated. "Cause we need your help to find the Devil's Breath cure."

"Okay," Harry immediately caught on. "You think we can find it's location here at our penthouse?"

"It's the only other place we can think of," Ned responded. "We've already gone through his office computer."

"Of course you have," Harry remarked, chuckling. "Well, I can't look around with my dad here, along with Sable and her men."

"Maybe we can figure out a way for you all to leave and then one of us can sneak in," Michelle suggested. "Ned could easily get us in via magic portal."

"Certainly!" Ned boasted.

"Okay," Peter agreed. "It's risky, but it's probably the safest way."

"MJ, I'll get them to leave, then you sneak in," Betty suggested.

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