One Universe: Season IV IC Thread

[Byrd Man]

​

Naples, Italy

I follow Gilda's rental car through the south of France and over the Alps into Italy. The trail goes cold in a small town just outside Naples. That's where she turned in her rental car and went God knows where. I try to pick up the trail by going into the city and asking around at travel agencies, airports, and rental car places. My inquiries draw attention, but not the kind I was hoping for. My fourth day in Naples is when the Polizia di Stato come knocking on my door and take me to their Naples headquarters.

"Benvenuti, signore," a fat man says from behind his cluttered desk. "I am Inspector Andolini of the Polizia di Stato...or State Police, as you would say in English."

"Well, Inspector. Could you tell me what I'm doing down here?"

"A woman who works a ticket counter at the airport called the Naples Police about a man, a civilian, asking questions about a woman who may or may not have passed through the airport a year ago. It was only until the police ran a background check on you that I was called in, Signore Gordon...or shall I say Commissario Gordon? Why exactly is an America, the police commissioner from Gotham City no less, here in Naples asking questions?"

"You don't need to call me commissioner. I quit a few weeks back."

"So I found out," Andolini says with a smirk. "You were forced to quit. I suppose you really made your bosses happy?"

"They wanted a commissioner to take orders and I wanted to be a commissioner that did real police work."

"Believe it or not, Italy is filled with bureaucrats and the people who decide what is best for the police is often someone who has never been police."

"I had to fly thousands of miles, but I finally found someone who gets it."

"Yes. But you still have not answered my question, signore. What brings you to Naples?"

"I'm looking for a friend."

I pull the folded picture out of my pocket and slide it across the desk to Andolini. He stares it for a few seconds before handing it back over.

"She is beautiful. How long has she been missing?"

"She left Gotham right around the time..." I pause, struggling to find the words to say. "She left right around the time her husband died. So, about a year."

"In my experience, I have found it very hard to look for a missing someone if they don't want to be found. Especially as more and more time goes by."

"So far I've tracked her from Gotham to England, and then France and the Alps and all the way through Italy to right here and Naples. She was here about ten months ago."

"I see. And you cannot trace her credit cards?"

"Her last use of any kind of plastic was an ATM withdrawl when she was in France. Took out ten thousand, her whole checking account."

"Cash is impossible to trace. You have managed to find her trail by asking people?"

"Yes. Most people who saw her remember her. They say she looked sad, almost heartbroken. Motel clerks, gas station cashiers, restaurant waiters all remember the woman with the sad eyes."

"Your trail ends here in Naples, but where?"

"At the airport. Lady at one of the ticket counters says she purchased a one-way ticket. She remembered Gilda and her name....just not where the flight was headed."

"She did not look it up?"

"It's been ten months. I think the flight records on her computer at the time were just for that month."

"Well, maybe a call to the airlines from the Polizia di Stato will be able to find out which flight this woman got on ten months ago."

"You'd do that for me?"

Andolini nods. "Si, I will do it. But quid pro quo, Commissario. I need a favor in return."

"Yes?"

The man's face breaks out into a large grin. "Tell me what the Batman is like."​

 

[Carnage27]

"Ole!" I yell as I hop over Goblin as he speeds towards me on his glider. He passes just underneath me, and I twist in midair to face him, firing a few webbing balls at him. They strike the glider sending it just slightly off course, forcing Goblin to take the time to correct his trajectory.

I use that time to fire a webline into the truss work of the bridge and slingshot myself up through the metal girders. When Goblin's on that glider I don't stand much of a chance. I need time to think, and the only way that's going to happen is by going somewhere where he can't get to me easily.

"Come now, spider! You're not scared are you?" he taunts me as he attempts to traverse through the metal unsuccessfully. "Come down here and face death!"

"No thanks! I think I'm okay up here!" I reply.

"Then I guess I'll have to bring you down here," he replies, taking a sphere off of his belt and tossing it my way. It explodes, and four robotic flying blades swoop my way.

I push off of the girder I'm on and fling myself to the top of the bridge, being met by one of the blades. It slices across my thigh, but I knock it out of the air afterwords, ensuring it won't come back again.

Two of the remaining fly towards me, but my Spider Sense alerts me to another threat from behind. I jump, and the two frontal attacks smash into the final, fourth blade. The metal weapons explode into pieces that rain down towards the bridge's road.

The an explosion rocks the girder I'm standing on, and I'm flung into the air. I have to gracefully weave myself through the truss work of the bridge, ensuring I don't hit anything on the way down. I land safely on the asphalt below, but my security is short lived.

I spring off my heels as Goblin flies towards my back, but I'm not fast enough. He grabs my ankle and drags me up across a series of metal I-beams, my face bouncing off the metal. I feel my nose break and blood gush from it. The warm red liquid fills up my mask and mouth, and I choke on it, the iron taste overpowering my other senses. Once we're at the height of our flight he flings me back towards the pavement.

I attempt to slow myself with a webline, but it does little to slow my momentum. I swing towards the ground, but end up bouncing along the ground before sliding to a halt. I stand and tear a mouth hole into my mask, and spit blood into the pavement.

Goblin brings his glider twenty feet from me and laughs maniacally, "Why don't you just surrender, Spider-man? This would be much less painful if you did."

"The jocks in my school say pain is weakness leaving the body. It's dumb and cliche, but hey, it sounds good so I'm gonna go with it," I respond glibly. "You're not going to win here, Goblin. I'm going to stop you. And I'm certainly not going to die."

"Defiant until the very end! I like that, bug!" he cackles as he charges yet again on the glider.

I turn and spring for the edge of the bridge in a last ditch, desperate plan to get my adversary off of his flying weapon. I fling myself off the side of the bride and quickly fire five weblines into the underside of the bridge. Goblin follows me over the side of course, and I smile weakly to myself.

So far, so good.

As he quickly approaches, I fire weblines at the front of his glider and they all take hold. I shift my weight using the lines on the bridge, and kick Goblin in the face. It disorients him, which is all I need. I pull up hard on the lines attached to the glider, which shifts its trajectory up. The glider and Goblin barely miss the edge of the bridge. But the tension in the weblines cause the glider to wrap around the side and slam into the asphalt above, sending Goblin rolling.

I swing back up to the bridge, to see my opponent scrambling towards the craft. I act quickly, webbing his arms, and yanking him towards me. I drive me knee into his gut as he reaches me, and deliver a headbutt to his face, "That's for my nose."

He stumbles backwards, and I press my advantage by delivering a combination of kicks and punches to his midsection. I feel every strike and blow. I feel every nerve react to my assault, and for a moment I lose myself in the attack. This monster hasn't hesitated to attack my family and friends. He assaulted Aunt May, kidnapped Gwen and then...hurt her. It's all because of him. It's all his fault, and I should punish him for what he's done. He doesn't deserve mercy.

But that's not who I am. I'm not a vigilante murderer. I'm a protector of the people. I'm the one that can stand up for justice in this city when slime-balls like him get out of line. The people look up to me, respect me. And something like this would destroy everything I have worked for. Everything I stand for.

With great power, comes great responsibility.

I deliver a final blow to the Goblin's jaw that sends him flying back, landing hard on the asphalt. I stand there, panting and bleeding, my mask ripped open and "You're lucky I'm not like you, Goblin. Or you'd be dead right now. Give up. You've been beaten."

"Come now, spider! Don't you think I've got more up my sleeve than just this?" he says as he presses a button on his right glove, and a rocket flies from the glider behind me and slams into where I was standing. The explosion knocks me off course as I attempt to swing away. I slam into the road with my shoulder, popping it out of place.

I stand, and remember when Batman popped my shoulder back in a few months ago, and do the same thing. I suppress the yelp of pain that attempts to escape from my lips, and turn to see Goblin coming at me with a green, glowing sword, "Seriously, Gobby? The sword thing again? Can't you be a little more original?"

I fire webbing to yank the sword from his hands, but instead a jolt of electricity flows down the line and sends my body into a shot set of convulsions. I unconnect the webbing and shake the cobwebs out of my head, "Well, that should teach me to keep my big mouth shut."

Goblin wastes no time in attacking. He charges me, swinging the blade as he does so. He's always been just as fast as I am, but tonight it seems like he's faster than he's ever been. He slices and sweeps with the sword, and I have to pull out all my flexibility and dexterity to keep from losing a limb...or my head.

I roll under a slice from the weapon, but Goblin reacts quickly and spins around, catching me across the chest with the blade. It's only a flesh wound, but the electrical charge that runs through my body is even more powerful than the one through the webbing.

The shock brings me to my knees, and Goblin rears up for a killing blow. As the blade speeds towards me, I manage to just roll out of the way. With the force that Goblin put behind the swing, the blade wedges itself in the pavement. I deliver a swift kick to the blade, and it snaps in half, taking away one of his primary weapons.

"Now, now that wasn't very nice, breaking my toy like that," Goblin laughs as he grabs me by the throat. He raises me off the ground and begins to choke the life out of me. I struggle like a fish on a hook, and manage to deliver a kick to his groin. It stuns him enough for me to get some space between the two of us.

But Goblin tosses a pumpkin bomb my way, and the explosion distracts me long enough for him to get back on his glider. He speeds through the flames of the bomb and grabs me, flying the two of us towards an abandoned wharehouse on the river's edge.

He tosses me through a window, the glass tearing into my skin like a thousand tiny daggers. I slam hard into the ground, and Goblin wastes no time in going after me. He speeds towards me, but I slide under the glider, and fire webbing onto his back, yanking him off the rocket.

He slams into the ground, but grabs the webbing and pulls me towards him. He throws an elbow across my jaw, shaking my mind to the core. I drop to my knees, and he drives his knee into my forehead, dropping me to the ground.

"You know, Spider-man, at first I was gonna let Aunt May and cute little Gwen be after you were gone. But now that you've really pissed me off, they're gonna die. Slowly. And painfully. Yea. Me and your women are gonna have one hell of a time!"

And with that Goblin makes his biggest mistake. Flashes of Aunt May and Gwen in extreme pain run through my mind. The torture this monster would put them through is unbearable to me. And it fuels me. A massive amount of adrenaline rushes through my body, and I feel the best I have since the fight began.

Goblin draws back for a punch, and I drive me shoulder into his midsection, knocking him off balance. I fire two weblines into the decaying ceiling and bring some of it down on top of him. The large pieces of wood and metal slam into him, crumpling him to the floor.

But it doesn't keep him down. He bursts out of the pile, charging me. But I expect his move and dodge his attack, and fire a line into his back. With all my strength I yank him off the ground, swing him over my head and down into the ground.

The impact emanates a horrifing sound, and as I approach, he turns around and puts his hands up, and crawls backwards towards a wall. He stands and pleads, "Please! I'm beat. Spider-man, I surrender!"

The plea catches me off guard, and he press a button on his gauntlet. My spider sense goes off like crazy, almost as if it's beating me across the head to get my attention. Out of pure instinct, I jump and perform a back flip, and as I do I see Goblin's glider rocket by underneath me.

As I land, I see the glider slam into Goblin's midsection with a sickening crunch. His top half slumps down onto the glider as I approach carefully. As I get closer, I realize with horror that the glider has gone through his body, impaled by his own weaponry.

I shake my head, and pull the Goblin's mask off, and the face that greets me below causes me to recoil in horror. Norman Osborn. My best friend's father, and a man that I often thought of as a father figure. The man who often offered to mentor me in the scientific world. The man who reached out to my family after Uncle Ben was killed. He was the man who had been making my life a living hell for over a year now. And he knew who I was the whole time.

I drop down to my knees, not knowing what to do next. What would happen to Harry? What am I going to say? How am I going to act normal around him knowing I fought his father to the death? What is the press going to think? There were no witnesses to this. For all they know I killed him.

Shaking the doubts from my mind, I replace his mask and swing out of the wharehouse, back towards the police barricade. The officers stare at me in shock, the first to speak is obviously taken aback by my numerous wounds, "Spider-man, you should see a medic."

"I can't do that officer. No time. But the Goblin is in that building. He's...he's dead," I respond, shaken.

"Did you...?"

"No," I respond with conviction. "I don't do that. But he tried to catch me off guard with his glider and got hit with it himself. Now, if you'll excuse me...I have to go."

I swing off towards the nearest hospital, where I surmise Gwen will be, knowing nothing will ever be the same again.

Nothing.

 

[Catman_prb]

NIGHT OF TERROR: GANGS INVADE NEW YORK CITY - PAGE 6
AVENGERS: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE TEAM OF TOMORROW? - PAGE 12​

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​

STAMFORD
Tragic accident, or top-level government conspiracy?​

Emergency crews on the scene​

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​

Where were you when Kennedy was shot? Where were you when Martin Luthor King was assassinated? Where were you when Stamford was destroyed? The story of Stamford has become public knowledge over the last few days; during an ill-advised battle between the Justice League and the AI known as 'Amazo', the android destroyed itself in an explosion so large it obliterated the entire town of Stamford. There has been much rhetoric on the issue, but President Luthor has made a key point: why are these heroes not accountable for their actions? If the military had been in charge of the situation and had made such a catastrophic error then there would be a military enquiry. But with these unelected, self-appointed guardians of justice, there is no accountability, no form of enquiry, no regulation. They are dangerous. They needs limits. That is President Luthor's message and I, for one, agree with him.

But the Stamford event is not as it seems. Where did Amazo come from? Who created it? Why was it so hell bent on destroying the Justice League? This reporter believes that she has an answer. Recent evidence has come to light detailing the origin of the homicidal android. Official government documents requisitioning parts from numerous government sponsored sources, as well as a number of private contractors, have been recovered. These requisition orders have all been signed by the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and close personal advisor to the president, Amander Waller. At least some of these burnt, blackened parts have been found on the scene at Stamford and are currently being held by the military in a classified area. Without a doubt these requisitioned parts were used to construct Amazo. But why would the government do this? And what part does Amanda Waller have to play? I had an interview with President Luthor in order to find out.

In what capacity was Amanda Waller involved with 'Amazo'?

"Entirely her own capacity. I can assure you that Ms. Waller was not acting on behalf of the US government with her...involvement with this monstrosity," President Luthor says, wrinkling his nose in distaste at the mention of the killer automaton.

So Waller was acting in a manner outside of her government authority?

"Absolutely," the president assures me "As far as I am concerned she abused her power to illegally obtain parts which she then used to construct this 'Amazo' device,"

And what do you say about your involvement in the creation of 'Amazo'?

"I'm not sure that I follow?" he asks, geniuinely confused for a second.

Well some of the parts were constructed using Lexcorp machinery...

"And some of the parts were constructed from Stark techonology, and Waynetech, and using techonology obtained from Kord industries," the president says "I don't see you questioning them about this sordid affair,"

And your personal involvement with Waller?

"It is a very great shock to me, to have such a vital member of my staff betray me in such a way. She was a trusted advisor, a confident and a friend. It hurts me, personally, to find out that she has treated our country with such disdain,"

What do you think her motivation could have been?

"I would rather not fill my head with the garbled reasoning of a criminal,"

So you do think that Ms. Waller is a criminal?

"That is for the courts to decide,"

And how does this affect your policy on superhuman registration?

"I don't see how that should change. The origin of 'Amazo' does not change the fact that the superheroes acted in an irresponsible way in dealing with the threat. In fact, this proves my point. Amanda Waller will face court proceedings, where I hope that she shall be punished to the full extent of the law, and there will be an enquiry into how she succeeded in such a heinous act. Superheroes should be subject to the same rules and regulations that we government officials are,"

What do you have to say to the rumours that Superman attempted to blackmail you into giving up on the registration act?

"I'm afraid I can't comment upon that," Luthor says with a slight smile.

We have it straight from the horses mouth; Amanda Waller illegally constructed the Amazo device towards some end completely seperate of the government. She will be punished, as she should be, but who will punish the superheroes who helped destroy Stamford? Where is the court that will try Captain America? I believe that President Luthor is right when he condemns the superheroes actions over the Stamford incident. It is unfortunate that such a great man has been betrayed by such a close advisor; it is, perhaps, ever the case that strong men can only ever be decieved by those that they value most. Already there are plans for Stamford to be rebuilt, bigger and better than before. Rumours are abundent that the funding comes from the president's personal bank account. The Luthor administration will recover from this blight within it's innermost core. Strong men such as Vice President Kelly, General Ross, and indeed, President Luthor, will bring this country to the position of greatness it once held. But we must believe in them; some will say that the president is directly responsible for creating Amazo. These cynics are the same ones that dragged America's name down in the dirt. Don't be afraid of the people we elected. Trust our leaders. Look to the future. Look to Luthor.

-Sally Floyd, Staff Reporter​

 

[Eddie Brock]

I resist the urge to put my fist through the newspaper stand as I stare at the Planet's cover story.

STAMFORD
Tragic accident, or top-level government conspiracy?
(Reprinted by permission of The Daily Bugle)
​

Luthor. I wasn't fast enough. We made a mistake going to Luthor before collecting enough damning evidence against him. We showed our cards too soon, and Luthor played us. I can't even say I'm particularly surprised. I just wonder what Batman might be thinking.

I stride across the main lobby of the Planet silently, slipping into the elevator without so much as making eye contact with any of my colleagues. My gaze is fixed firmly on the floor as my mind races through a dozen possible scenarios for our next move.

He made sure to implicate Superman.

Even Jimmy isn't his usual cheerful self when he sees me coming out of the elevator. "Hey, CK. Guess you saw the news?" he asks solemnly. When I offer no response, he continues, "It's all a bunch of lies, of course, but what are we gonna do? Chief can't ignore a story like that, especially when the President had given an exclusive interview."

I give a little scoff, but I don't think Jimmy notices. "Offers" to give an interview. More like "requests" one. No doubt Luthor hand-picked Sally Floyd from The Bugle to write it up for him. The Luthor publicity machine at work. And while Amanda Waller is far from innocent in this conflict, I can only expect that Luthor will replace her with someone even worse.

"I've done nothing but work my ass off for this paper, and you pull this behind my back?!"

"She was in the Chief's office first thing in the morning," Jimmy explains, nodding to the closed door and pulled shades. Not that it helps. When Lois is this mad, she can be heard on every floor of the building. "As you can imagine, she's not too happy."

"Neither am I," I mutter. I make my way across the office to Perry's office, letting myself in without a word. Luckily, Lois and Perry are so engrossed in their argument that they barely pay me any attention.

"This was my story! I was the one who brought you the requisition orders! Itold you I needed more time to investigate! And since when do we take The Bugle's sloppy seconds?!" Lois barks. No one on this paper has the nerve to speak to Perry the way Lois does. If it wasn't for her exceptional reporting, she wouldn't have that privilege, either.

"When they get an exclusive like that! Lane, what would you have me do?!" Perry barks back. "You wanted me to print a story condemning the goddamned President! Because of what? A few documents signed by someone in his cabinet?" He points an accusatory finger at Lois. "That's bush league reporting, especially coming from you, and you know it! This is The Daily Planet, not The Inquisitor!"

Lois's face flares red. "When have I ever steered you wrong, Perry? If I tell you I'm onto a story, shouldn't you be inclined to trust me after all I've done for this paper?"

"You weren't reporting, Lane. You were going on a witch hunt!How can I expect you to report objectively on Lex Luthor with your history?"

"Oh, and Sally Floyd's the model of objectivity!" Lois holds up her copy of the paper and reads aloud mockingly, "'Trust our leaders. Look to the future. Look to Luthor.'"

Perry looks one step away from having steam blow out of his ears. With gritted teeth, he snaps, "When you're the editor, you can decide what gets printed! Now I won't discuss this any further!"

Lois glares at Perry, turns and looks at me, violently tosses her copy of the paper into the trash can, and storms out of the office.

"You got anything to say, Kent?" Perry grunts, finally acknowledging me for the first time.

I shake my head. "No, Chief." And to avoid any further conflict, I let myself out of the office. Jimmy's nowhere to be seen, and Lois is typing away furiously at her computer. I adjust my tie and make for my desk. I inwardly hope for a crisis to draw me away from the office for a while, but all's silent outside.

Somewhere, Luthor's smirking.
​

 

[Eddie Brock]

CYCLOPS

With a deep breath, I tie the blindfold around my eyes. This is something I practice from time to time, just to keep my skills sharp. Before I learned to control my abilities, it was too dangerous for me to open my eyes. I taught myself how to live blind. Unfortunately, this made me an easy target for the bullies at the orphanage, so I took it one step further.

The first assailant approaches from behind, brandishing a knife. I know because I've practiced this probably one hundred times. I spin, catching his arm by the wrist. With my free hand, I punch him once in the jaw. While he's disoriented, I disarm him by twisting his wrist. The knife falls to the ground with a clatter, and I finish with a high leg kick to the side of his head.

The second assailant grabs me from behind, locking my arms to my sides. I attempt to stomp on his toes, but he moves his foot at the last moment. A third assailant comes rushing up, delivering a crushing blow to my stomach, winding me. I jerk my head backwards, connecting with the second assailant's nose. When his grip loosens, I grab him by the arm and flip him over my head into the third assailant.

The fourth and final assailant is the toughest one of all. I only manage to avoid his first attack because I have it memorized by now. Bending backwards at the waist, I feel the rush of air as his bo staff swings just inches over my head. I throw out my elbow to absorb the blow of his second swing, but that doesn't make it any less painful.

I jump and kick in the direction of the assailant, but he tactfully dodges by dropping low and rolling. He comes up swinging, and I'm forced to bat the staff away defensively. I try another kick, this time lower, but he spins away from my attack and prepares for a counter-strike. He thrusts the bo staff straight forward, and I bend at the waist like a hula dancer to avoid taking it to the gut.

Before he can pull the staff back, I reach out and grab it with one hand. As I tug on one end of the staff, I throw a wild cross with my free hand. The assailant slaps my hand away. I connect with my elbow to his jaw, and he stumbles. I'm able to wrench the staff free from his grasp, and in one fluid motion I swing it around and take him out at the knees.

"Working off some nervous energy?"

I drop the bo staff and remove my blindfold. Jean's standing at the far end of the Danger Room, looking impressed. I give an airy laugh as I breathe heavily, replying, "You could say that."

Jean nods contemplatively. "Impressive moves," she remarks. "How'd class go?"

I shrug, wiping the sweat from my forehead. "Not that bad, actually," I answer honestly. "Maybe I am cut out for this."

Jean smiles. "That's the spirit."

***

KNOCK-KNOCK.

A blonde-haired man stands on the front step of the Mansion, wearing a leather jacket with his hands in his pockets. He gives a heavy sigh and runs his fingers through his hair as he waits for someone to answer the door. He makes a move to knock again when the door swings open.

The man is surprised to see a beautiful redhead standing on the other side of the door. Smiling politely, she says, "Can I help you?"

"Yes. This is Charles Xaviers' Institute for Higher Learning?"

The redhead nods.

"Yes, good. I'm looking for someone. Scott Summers?"

The redhead furrows her brow, looking curious but also surprised. "You're looking for Scott Summers?" she repeats.

"Yes, you see, I'm actually--"

"His brother!"

The man smirks. "Yeah, actually, I am."

Spoiler

"How'd you know that?"

 

[Carnage27]

I land on the side of the hospital and search the windows, hoping for a sign of Gwen. Eventually I come across a wide-open window, and I poke my head inside. Captain Stacy's voice echoes from inside, "I figured you'd be here eventually."

My eyes are drawn to Gwen lying on the hospital bed, neck wrapped in a brace. A pit in my stomach forms just looking at her, knowing this was all my fault. Knowing that I could have prevented this by pushing her away. Dropping into the room as he closes the door, I answer, "I just wanted to make sure she's okay. And to tell you the Goblin is dead."

"She'll be fine. The webbing broke her ankle, and she's got a pretty wicked case of whiplash, but she'll make a full recovery. And I know about the Goblin," he responds, shaking his police radio in his hand. "Norman Osborn. I can't believe it. That'll be one hell of a mess to clean up. And I can't imagine what his son will go through. And I don't know how that will affect you. He's your best friend, isn't he?"

The captain's question throws me for a loop. Not again. My girlfriend's father, another police officer, has figured out my identity. I shouldn't be surprised though. Two girls kidnapped to draw me out of hiding, and both were dating me. I honestly can't believe more people haven't figured it out.

We seriously need to work on your secrecy, Parker.

"Relax, Peter. You're secret is safe with me. You know how much I respect what you do," he says as I take off my mask. He recoils a little at the sight of my broken face. "He really did a number on you, didn't he?"

"It's just a flesh wound," I respond in my best English accent.

We need to work on when not to joke, too.

"Well, I'll make sure to take you home and tell your aunt that you got caught up in the gangs tonight. Oh, and by the way, thanks for calling in your friends. From the sounds of things they've done a bang up job of cleaning things up," he smiles as he refers to the titans. After the battle with Goblin I had almost forgot about them.

But then Gwen stirs, and Captain Stacy looks at me, "I'll leave you two alone."

I head over towards the bed and take her hand in mine, "Hey, kid. How are you feeling?"

"Like I got dropped off a bridge," she smiles weakly. "You went back to the red and blue I see. Very sexy," she jokes.

"Yea," I nod. "After he took you I remembered what you had said about the black costume. And you're right. I need to be a symbol of hope for the city, not a symbol to strike fear in a criminal's heart like Batman."

"Exactly," she tries to nod, but winces slightly in pain. "I can't believe I never saw it before. You being Spider-man. I knew you were special. But I had no idea how special."

"I'm not so special. If I wasn't Spider-man this wouldn't have happened. None of this-"

"Stop," she cuts me off. "Stop that talk right now. I know where this is going. You have a gift you need to use to help people. And I know you're going to say it's too dangerous for us to be together, but I don't care. I'll take the chance."

I can't help but smile. Even in a weakened state Gwen isn't going to run from anything. She's the same smart, beautiful, couragous girl I fell for. And damn am I impressed. I plant a kiss on her lips and smile.

"I have to go. The Titans are out there, and I need to find out how they're doing. I'll be back though," I say heading towards the window.

"Peter, what happened to Goblin?"

The question stops me in my tracks. Gwen and I had been trying to rekindle our friendship with Harry for months now, and this will not help things at all, "He's dead. His glider impaled him when he tried to have it stab me in the back."

"Good. He deserves it," she responds with conviction.

"Gwen...he was Mr. Osborn," I say in a barely audible whisper.

"What? How?" she responds, shocked.

"I don't know. We'll talk when I get back," I answer, heading out of the window and putting my mask on.

"Pete...I love you," she smiles.

"I love you too," I respond before swinging to find my friends.

 

[Carnage27]

Clever, Luthor.

I sit on my throne in Khandaq, reading the story that has been printed all over the world, claiming the director of SHIELD clandestinely built the Amazo robot and attack Samford with it on her own accord. And I'm sure the sheep in America are lapping the story up and calling for Waller's head, instead of seeing this as an obvious deflection on Luthor's part.

But those people are fools. They'll believe anything their told in order to ensure their illusion of security remains intact. But Luthor has already showed his hand. He's made a power play much too early. His next slip up will be his last. And I'll make sure of that.

"Lord Adam," one of my advisors says, entering the throne room. "What is our next course of action?"

"We go to the United Nations. I'm sure they will be interested to know President Luthor had a visiting dignitary detained for no reason."

 

[Catman_prb]

President Luthor sat at his desk in the Oval Office, resting his pen down on the report that he was annotating. He turned around in his chair and looked out the window at the setting sun. The oranges and reds cast strange shadows around the room, shrouding his face weirdly in the dying embers of the day. The door opened and then closed with a click. Luthor sighed, the moment to himself over.

"Congratulations on your promotion Director Danvers," he said, without turning around "I trust your takeover went smoothly?"

"Yes, thankyou sir," Carol Danvers said, standing awkwardly at attention in front of the desk.

"Please, call me Lex," the president said, smiling easily "I assume you've been briefed,"

"Fully," Danvers said, inclining her head. She'd recieved a full briefing of what had occured between Luthor and the previous head of SHIELD from one of the many shadowy figures that surrounded the president.

"Then you know the next stage. We propose the Superhuman Registration Act. And then we wait. I just want you to know Carol...what happened with Amanda Waller...it was unfortunate. And I shall make sure that it does not happen again," Luthor said severely, looking Director Danvers full in her startling blue eyes.

"Of course sir, I quite understand,"

 

[Eddie Brock]

"Say, Lois?"

Lois continues to type at a furious rate, to the point where I'm worried she'll put her finger through the keyboard. This whole business with Perry and Luthor has really gotten under her skin, and her uncharacteristic silence tells me all I need to know. Still, I decide to proceed.

"I, uh, I don't know if you heard," I begin sheepishly, slipping into the bumbling Clark Kent persona that I know so well, "but there's a new Italian restaurant opening downtown tonight. I'm told it's quite good, and, uh..." I rub the back of my neck. "I didn't know if you might be interested..."

Lois finally looks up from her computer screen. "What's that, Smallville? Were you saying something?" she asks obliviously.

My face turns as red as my cape. I avert my gaze to my half-empty cup of coffee to avoid eye contact. "No, nothing," I mumble. "Don't worry about it." God, I'm such an idiot. I sometimes wonder which is the act: Superman or Clark Kent. I straighten some pens to keep my mind busy.

"Clark, I have to go down to Met U to follow up on a lead in this Milton Fine disappearance case," Lois explains with her typical conviction. "Can you hold down the fort here?"

Still preoccupied with my failed attempt at asking her out, I answer Lois weakly, "Yes, I'll be fine." I wait until I hear her footsteps fading away to look back up again.

Moments later, a voice behind me asks, "Hey, CK. Why so blue?"

I give a weak smile to Jimmy, who's clearly recovered from this morning. "It's nothing, Jimmy. I'll be fine."

"You know you've got me if you ever need to talk," Jimmy says before giving me a light punch in the arm. In truth, I barely feel it, but to maintain appearances I flinch and rub the spot softly. "I'm a great listener. Everybody comes to me with their problems, but I don't really mind. I mean, after all, we're more than just coworkers, right? If we can't talk with each other--"

"RRRRRRRRRRAAAGHHHHHHH!"

"Hold that thought, okay, Jimmy?" I say as I stare out the window in the direction of the animal-like growl I just heard coming from downtown. I then hear shattering glass, horrified screams, and the familiar sound of police sirens. I stand up from my desk and jog out of the newsroom, waiting until I'm out of eyesight to break into full sprint.

***

"RRRRRRRRRAGGGGHHHHH!"

"I'm going to have to ask you to stand down," I say calmly yet boldly.

The rhino man stares at me, his face contorted with rage. "Stay out of this, hero, or I'll squash you like a bug!" In the next moment, he rips off a car door and throws it at me.

With one hand, I reach out and grab the flying piece of metal before it can even come close to me. I casually drop it at my feet, folding my arms once more and announcing, "I've given you fair warning. Your rampage stops now."

The Rhino stops what he's doing and glares at me. "I told you to scram! Now, you've went and made me angry!"
​

 

[Carnage27]

I land on a rooftop in New York, and feel my injuries beginning to wear me down. I turn on my communicator and send a message to Robin, "Robin, this is Spider-man. Goblin has been dealt with. What's your status."

I sit on the roof, exhausted, and wait for a reply.

 

[Carnage27]

Nightcrawler

I pace back and forth in my dorm room, even going as far as to climb across the walls and the ceiling, much to Pete's chagrin. He asks, annoyed "Must you do this?"

"I'm sorry, Pete. You know how much I get antsy vhen ve haven't been on a mission in a vhile," I respond hoping down onto my bed. "I vonder if zhe Professor isn't risking an incident with all the new anti-hero sentiment in zhe country..."

"Who knows," he responds, tossing a book to me. "But maybe in the mean time you can do some homework."

"Ugh," I grunt, turning the pages to the assigned reading.
​

 

[Byrd Man]

I land on a rooftop in New York, and feel my injuries beginning to wear me down. I turn on my communicator and send a message to Robin, "Robin, this is Spider-man. Goblin has been dealt with. What's your status."

I sit on the roof, exhausted, and wait for a reply.

"My status is busy," I reply as I cartwheel back and kick a thug in the chin before landing on the floor. "I'm on the twenty-second floor of Fisk's building while Supergirl is busy downstairs finding him. We've cut through most of the baddies here, but there's plenty more."

As if on cue, another criminal turns the corner, a shotgun clamped on his hands.

"I could use some back-up. Jamie and Johnny are en route. Robin out."

 

[Eddie Brock]

CYCLOPS

"Alex."

My brother gives a little smile. "Hey, Scott. Are you gonna invite me in?" he asks casually, as if his presence is nothing out of the ordinary. My eyes drop down to the duffel bag at his feet.

"Scott?"

I fold my arms. "What are you doing here, Alex?"

"What? I can't visit my older brother?" Alex replies with a laugh. He looks over my shoulder at Jean.

"I haven't seen you in five years," I answer. "I haven't even talked to you. You've never shown an interest in my life before." I nod to the bag. "What's that for?"

Alex's smile falters. He looks away from me, gives another little laugh, and says, "You caught me, Scott. I'm looking for somewhere to stay." Noticing the look on my face, he adds quickly, "Just for a little while, nothing serious. Besides, this is a home for mutants, isn't it?"

"You're a mutant?" Jean asks curiously.

"Yeah, I--"

"You can stay," I interrupt. As Alex's face lights up, I continue, "But this doesn't change the last fifteen years."

Alex nods understandingly. "Look, Scott, I get it. I haven't been the best brother. But I'm trying. That's all I can do."

I don't move. "Jean, can you help Alex find a vacant room?" I say icily, letting Alex see that his little speech didn't move me. I've heard it too many times before. I've fallen for it too many times before.

Jean picks up Alex's bag. "C'mon. I'll show you around."
​

 

[Carnage27]

"My status is busy," I reply as I cartwheel back and kick a thug in the chin before landing on the floor. "I'm on the twenty-second floor of Fisk's building while Supergirl is busy downstairs finding him. We've cut through most of the baddies here, but there's plenty more."

As if on cue, another criminal turns the corner, a shotgun clamped on his hands.

"I could use some back-up. Jamie and Johnny are en route. Robin out."

"On my way," I sigh, standing and swing off towards Fisk's building.

A hero's work is never done.

*******

I crash through a window in Fisk's tower and smash into a group of thugs, sending them sprawling. I drive a few kicks into sternums and chests, sending the thugs to the ground dazed.

Spinning around, I see Robin dropping a few himself, before looking at my battered being, "Yea, I know. I look like crap, can we do our job now?"

Sure, not my usual cheery disposition, but I've been through a lot tonight.
​

 

[wiegeabo]

"Are you serious?"

I lean back in my chair as Vicky Vale holds the paper up for me to see. "Well, seeing how it's my paper, and it's been printed, I guess I am serious."

"You wrote an editorial against President Luthor?!"

I give her a wry smile. "I sure did. What, you believe our beloved President?"

"I've never believed a President, and I probably never will."

"So what's the problem?"

"I'm pissed because you didn't give me the interview! I'm your best reporter. An interview with you could have made front page."

"I doubt that. And by writing an editorial, I can say whatever I want."

"Yes, true. But Bruce Wayne, the completely non-political Gotham playboy, decides to come out against the President of the United States in his own paper, and I don't get to tell the story?"

I inhale through my teeth. "I'm afraid it's a little worse then that."

She eyes my suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

"Guess you haven't been paying attention to the tv." I pickup my remote and press a button. A very, very large tv slides up from the wall and pops on. I press play on the DVR and...

"This is Larry King Live, and with me, if you haven't already been following along, is a surprise guest, billionaire Gothamite, Bruce Wayne."

I nod to the camera, giving them my best smile.

"...you're ****ing kidding me."

"Just watch..."

"So, before the break, you were saying that you didn't believe in President Luthor's story. The one first published by the Daily Bugle."

"Larry, I don't believe it for a second. Luthor is a brilliant man. So the idea that one of his top people could have been behind such a travesty as Stamford-"

"But it's happened before. President's have had the truth kept from them."

"No, doubt, Larry. But this is no ordinary President. And this is no ordinary secret. At best, President Luthor has shown he's completely incompetent in his ability to keep a leash on those individuals that he supposedly has authority over. At worst, he's culpable, if not outright the guilty party, and should not only be impeached, but imprisoned."

Larry leans in. "Wait, are you saying that President Luthor was in someway knowledgeable of the Amazo attack?"

I lean forward myself. "Larry, I'm saying he ordered the attack to shove his registration bill down Congress' throat."

Larry leans back in his chair, absolutely shocked. "Bruce, everyone is going to call this a conspiracy theory."

I nod in agreement. "Of course they will. I know how this sounds. And if I hadn't seen the evidence myself, I'd be with them calling me a crackpot and whatever other names I could think of."

Larry leans in again. "You've got the evidence?"

I nod. "Delivered to me personally. Proof that SHIELD bought, borrowed, and sometimes outright stole the equipment necessary to build Amazo. This could only have come from the top level of government. And the fact that Luthor just happened to have the Registration Act ready to go the day after Stamford..."

"But Bruce, how do you know the attack order came from the President?"

I lean back with a satisfied expression on my face. "Because a Luthorcorp satellite was in orbit directly above Stamford, recording the attack, just before it happened."

Even Larry is stunned into silence. And if you've ever watched his show, you'd know what it takes to get Larry to stop talking.

"So, when can we see this evidence?"

"It's safely stored for the moment, Larry. But everyone will be able to read about it in the next edition of the Gotham Gazette, and will be presented to the proper officials in government who can decide to bring President Luthor up on charges."

"You're talking about bringing down the government. Some people would call that treason."

"If I was attacking the government, trying to replace, absolutely. But speaking out against the government, exposing it's fraudulent and criminal acts? That's the most patriotic thing someone can do. That's why it's one of the rights given to us. That's-"

I pause the recording. "It goes on like that for a while."

Vicky just stares at the screen. "I quit."

"Pardon?"

"I. ****ing. Quit."

"Vicky, you don't mean that."

"Like hell I don't!" she says, her voice full of fury. She grabs her bag from the table and starts to storm out.

"Vicky!"

"What?!"

I pull a folder from my desk and throw it on top. "You're not quitting."

She stares at the folder. "What's that?"

"The evidence. See you on page one."

 

[Eddie Brock]

The Rhino snorts and charges at me. I merely float out of his path, and he goes tumbling headfirst into a newspaper stand. I doubt that horn of his could pierce my skin, but it's not worth risking impalement. "Wait'll I get my hands on you, tough guy!" Rhino growls as he pulls his horn free.

"That's enough." I ice Rhino's tree trunk sized feet to the pavement, locking him in place. "Now, take a minute and relax."

Ignoring me, Rhino grits his teeth as his face turns red. He grunts and strains until cracks start to appear in the ice blocks around his feet. The ice won't hold much longer.

Before Rhino can break free, I launch myself at him fists first. It feels like running into a brick wall. The ice blocks shatter as I drive Rhino through the air into the side of a white van. The van crumples like a piece of paper under the force of impact and Rhino's weight. I back myself up, looking down at the immobile Rhino.

"Ugh..." Rhino shakes his squared-shaped head. "I'm gonna rip that cape off your back and strangle you with it!" Moving with surprising swiftness, the Rhino pops up and drives his horn into my stomach. As I suspected, the sharpened tip snaps like a twig, which shocks and angers Rhino. "I'll kill you for that!"

My fist meets Rhino's jaw with tremendous force. Facing someone as strong as him means I don't need to pull my punches anymore. The impact drives Rhino back through the van, creating a huge hole through which I can see Rhino laying in a crater on the sidewalk. He looks dazed, to say the least.

"Give up?"

Moving a little slower now, the Rhino takes hold of the van with one hand, flipping it aside so that there's nothing between us. "Not while I'm still breathing," he grimaces. He's feeling that last punch. A few more should put him down. "Come on, hero."

I fly at Rhino once more, but this time he's ready for it. Despite my speed, Rhino is able to land a punch before I can reach him. It sends me sideways through the air before I collide with a fire hydrant, knocking it loose and sending a tower of surging water into the air. I rub the spot where Rhino hit me. I actually felt that. He's stronger than I thought.

I have no time to contemplate this before Rhino charges at me. I completely dislodge the hydrant, throwing it at Rhino. He knocks it aside carelessly, not losing any speed. Devising a new strategy, I stick my foot on top of the water spray, redirecting it at Rhino's face. At the same time, I rattle off a blast of heat vision. They meet at the same time, turning the water to steam and blinding Rhino.

With this window of opportunity, I'm able to land a combination of full strength punches on Rhino's face and body. The last one, an emphatic uppercut, sends Rhino straight up into the air. I rise up to meet him, lifting my elbow and driving it down into his gut. He hits the ground with a resounding thud, and without checking I know he's not getting up anytime soon.

The crowd, aware the danger has been subdued, begins to gather, looking up to me and calling out, "Superman! Superman!" I smile and wave before taking off to find somewhere else I'm needed.
​

 

[Catman_prb]

"Interesting," Luthor said, leaning back in his chair, drumming his fingers on the table idly. He threw Wayne's paper down on the desk, along with the other papers, some of which were attacking him, more of which were supporting him.

"I see that Wayne's crawled out of his hole," General Ross said from across the desk.

"Yes, a most unexpected development. Though this does raise the question of just how involved Mr Wayne is with the Batman. This may bear futher analysis at a later date. And definitely more surveillance," Luthor said, rubbing his temples, attempting to alleviate the stress building up.

"So what do we do next?" Ross said, a vein standing out on his forehead.

"Well, as far as I can see we have one of two courses of action. I can engage in a long and extensive media war with the likes of Bruce Wayne and, inevitably, Tony Stark. In the hope that eventually the public will come even more on side than they are now. Or we can force another situation, get some heroes involved, and then show them again how wrong they are," the President said, drumming his fingers again, louder now.

"Your opinion?" Ross asked.

"Another situation. We still have public support on our side. People are still angry about Stamford. If we can get another example of metahuman misconduct, before they turn it around against us...then we still have a chance," Luthor said.

"But the public..."

"To hell with the public. They want to be protected. They know now, they know, that these so called heroes are bad news. They want to be protected. That's why they elected us. They don't want to think that they elected the wrong government. They want to believe in us, not fear us," Luthor said, a fierce intensity to his voice that Ross was only passingly familiar with.

"Lex, it'll be alright. We can carry on with this. Write up the Act, get ready to propose it to Congress. Organise this...new situation. It WILL work out. Keep the faith," the Secretary of Defence said.

"Oh I've got the faith, Thaddeus my old friend, don't you worry about that. I still believe in this country. We can fix this. We will,"

"What, might I ask, will this situation be...?" Ross asked, perhaps a slight note of concern tinting his tone.

"Think...Mutant-town..."

 

[Byrd Man]

I crash through a window in Fisk's tower and smash into a group of thugs, sending them sprawling. I drive a few kicks into sternums and chests, sending the thugs to the ground dazed.​

Spinning around, I see Robin dropping a few himself, before looking at my battered being, "Yea, I know. I look like crap, can we do our job now?"​

Sure, not my usual cheery disposition, but I've been through a lot tonight.​

"Fine by me."

I complete a hand-spring and leap into the face of an assassin. I take him down after a few well placed punches.

"Robin to Supergirl. How we looking on Mr. Clean?"

"I found him. He was in the lobby."

"Well, that was the last place they'd look."

I turn to Spidey. "I guess we're going down."

I toss a batarang into a nearby window, shattering the glass and creating an inpromptu window. I go first, running across the carpet and leaping out of the exit to free-fall towards the street below.

 

[Carnage27]

I follow Robin out of the window and let my body go into free fall. The air flowing past my body feels heavenly against my injuries, and this is one of those times that I really wish I could fly.

But I can't, so as we reach the bottom, I shoot a webline at the side of the building simultaneously as Robin fires his grapnel. The two of us soar through a hole already created by the goons that attacked this place, and find Kara floating in front of Wilson Fisk, a group of thugs standing at a good distance, some of their friends knocked unconscious below her.

"Nice of you guys to show," she smirks at us.

"Terrific, more of you," Fisk mutters under his breath.

"You want us to leave?" I snap back at a man I'd rather be putting away than protecting. "Because we can do that, too. I'm sure these guys would like to get to know you better."

Fisk says nothing in response, but shoots me an angry look. I turn back to the assembled thugs, and put my hands up, "I think you should all surrender. The Goblin is dead, and if you continue along your current path you're going to be in a lot of pain along with serving a lot of jail time."

"No way the Goblin's dead!" one yells.

"Yes, he is," I respond with conviction. "I watched him die with my own two eyes."

I feel the surprise radiate off Robin, Supergirl, and Fisk as those words escape my mouth. I knew from the minute it happened that I'd have tons of explaining to do to the authorities, but my new teammates' view of me is more important than them. If they don't trust me this team will never work.

The surprise that Goblin's men feel is enough time for Robin and I to spring into action. I fire weblines out, trapping them where they stand, and the Boy Wonder throws some batarangs, incapacitating others.

But as they fall, a sonic boom slams into our group, and I look up to find someone I'm really tired of seeing.

"Miss me, bug!?"

 

[Byrd Man]

​

Athens, Greece​

This is where it all ends.

A beach on the Aegean Sea is where Gilda Dent decided to end her life. It's a sad story, really. Her life, as well as her husband's, ruined by one bottle of acid. Is it Maroni's fault? I should have saw the signs, the cracks Harvey's psyche and his obsession with bringing the mob down. I was too caught up in it, too. I didn't care about who or what helped, as long as we got the job done. Harvey paid the price for it in the end.

It was a year ago, about the time Two-Face took control of the Gotham underworld, that the Greek police fished a dead body out of the sea. She was a Jane Doe until an hour ago, when I looked at the case file and gave my positive ID. Jane Doe 214 was Gilda Gold Dent.

I walk farther down to the beach, the sea lapping against my loafers. This wasn't the result I was hoping for. I tracked her credit cards and trail all across Europe, hoping and praying I could bring her back to Gotham with me. Maybe, just maybe, she could talk sense into Harvey and put him back on the right path.

It was a fool's errand. I know that now. Gilda's dead, Harvey is lost forever and Batman probably couldn't care less. I'm the only one left, standing on a beach in Greece wearing a business suit.

"Excuse me, sir?" A young woman asks in a thick Greek accent. She crosses the sand and approaches me. "Are you lost?"

I take a long moment to respond, contemplating her words.

"Yeah," I finally say as I turn around and walk off the beach.

"I'm lost."

 

[Byrd Man]

But as they fall, a sonic boom slams into our group, and I look up to find someone I'm really tired of seeing.

"Miss me, bug!?"

"Who is this guy?" I ask as I hold my side in pain. "And why is dressed like a gay back-up dancer."

"Shut up, kid. I'll teach you the hard way not to **** with the Shocker."

"The Shocker? Like the sexual act? 'Two in the pink, one in the stink?' Hahaha."

"Shut up!"

Another sonic boom comes out of his gauntlets, I backflip out of harm's way and prove to be enough of a distraction to give Spider-Man a chance to hit this clown with a web-ball.

 

[Carnage27]

Shocker stumbles from the webball and blindly fires his gauntlets in multiple directions. I manage to dodge one wave, but another sends me flying into a support pillar.

I try to shake the cobwebs out of my head, but I can here the villain approaching. My injuries are just too much for me now, and my healing factor is really laboring under my current conditions.

Luckily, that's why I have a team backing me up. As Shocker charges up his gauntlet directly above me, a fire ball and a blast of super-cooled air blast into him, locking his muscles up due to the extremes in temperature. I look up to see Johnny and Kara floating over me, along with Jamie and Starfire helping Robin up.

"Thanks," I say as Kara gives me her hand. "Almost became mashed potatoes."

I head over to Shocker and web him up, ensuring he won't be getting away, "You really are a joke, my friend. Why don't you give it up?"

"Screw you-" I shut him up with a webbing.

As Sirens approach in the distance, I turn to Fisk, "You're lucky this time Fisk. Next time I'm going to take you down."

"You wouldn't have the evidence to keep me away, Spider-man," he smiles like a smacked-ass.

"Guys, head to the roof," I say. Once we're there, I address the group, "Thank you everyone. Without you here tonight would have gone a lot worse. You really are the next generation of heroes that this planet will need, and I'm proud to call you my teammates. Tonight, the Green Goblin died in a fight with me, impaled with his own glider in a trap gone wrong. Turns out that he's also one of the most powerful business men in the world: Norman Osborn. With everything that's been going on with the government lately, I don't doubt that this isn't going to be good for me. But I want to ensure you that I did not kill him. You know that isn't my style. And knowing what could be on the horizon, are you guys still up for this team? I'd hate to drag you down with me."

 

[Byrd Man]

"Guys, head to the roof," I say. Once we're there, I address the group, "Thank you everyone. Without you here tonight would have gone a lot worse. You really are the next generation of heroes that this planet will need, and I'm proud to call you my teammates. Tonight, the Green Goblin died in a fight with me, impaled with his own glider in a trap gone wrong. Turns out that he's also one of the most powerful business men in the world: Norman Osborn. With everything that's been going on with the government lately, I don't doubt that this isn't going to be good for me. But I want to ensure you that I did not kill him. You know that isn't my style. And knowing what could be on the horizon, are you guys still up for this team? I'd hate to drag you down with me."

"Have you seen who my boss is? I'm used to being feared and hated by association. We're a team, dude. We stick together no matter what, right?"

"Right."

"Right."

"Ummm...." Kara elbows Johnny in the ribs, causing him to wince in pain. "Right.....I think I need to go to the hospital."

 

[Carnage27]

"Have you seen who my boss is? I'm used to being feared and hated by association. We're a team, dude. We stick together no matter what, right?"

"Right."

"Right."

"Ummm...." Kara elbows Johnny in the ribs, causing him to wince in pain. "Right.....I think I need to go to the hospital."

"Exactly. More than that, we're like a family. How many super heroes are there in the world?" Kory adds.

I can't help but smile. No matter how many bad things happen in the weird world of Spider-man, I always seem to have people backing me up. I always have arms ready to pick me up when I fall, and I have friends ready to stand up to oblivion with me. And now I have a team of the best young heroes in the world fighting side by side with me.

The bad guys really don't stand a chance.

"Thanks guys. That means a lot," I respond with a smile. "Now, go home and rest. I think we can all use some healing time. Well...except for Kara, I guess," I say chuckling.

As my team dissipates, I swing back towards the hospital where Captain Stacy is ready to take me home and claim I got mugged.

 

[wiegeabo]

"Well, Mr. Garrick?"

I look around the palace, and yes, it indeed qualifies as a palace, in awe. "I've got to admit, I haven't been in many places like this."

I can't be sure, but I think he's smiling under that mask of his. "So, you approve of your room?"

"Yeah, it's-wait, what?"

"Your room, Mr. Garrick. Granted it's not the best of my accommodations, but I reserve those for other heads of state. One never knows when one will get a visit by some random dignitary. But, if these do not suit you, I would be more than happy to have one prepared..."

I shake my head. "This will do just fine, Doctor. It's bigger than my house."

"Ha, yes. No need to exaggerate, Mr. Garrick."

"No, I'm not. I really think this is bigger than my house."

"Ah. Well, I'm glad I can make you so comfortable. The bed is in the adjoining room, as are the facilities. I'll leave you now to make yourself comfortable. If you would do me the honor of joining me for dinner tonight, I would like to discuss the first steps of our new venture."

I sling my duffel bag off my shoulder and drop it on a sofa that probably costs more than I used to make in a year. "Sounds good to me. Thank you for all this."

"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Garrick. Until tonight, feel free to explore my country. We are a hearty, but happy people."

"I think I'll do that. And, please, call me Jay."

Doom nods. "And you may call me Victor."