Post by Drake on Mar 14, 2014 12:41:13 GMT -5
Spider-Man #14: Spider War Part 4
The End Begins
By Drake
The End Begins
By Drake
Peter Parker sat back onto a desk in Prowler’s downtown warehouse HQ. He glanced briefly over at the unconscious Miles Morales, who now lay in a clean t-shirt and shorts on a table. Peter’s expression darkened as he turned his attention to a drawer below him. This was it. The battle begins.
“I don’t agree with your decision.”
Peter sighed, “I know, but it’s the best I can offer Miles. He can’t be a part of this.”
Bill Connors walked up to Peter and put a hand on his shoulder, “He already is, Pete. You just don’t want to accept that. You don’t want to risk losing him too.”
“Stop,” Peter stepped away from Bill, allowing the other scientist’s hand to slide away. The middle-aged CEO pulled open the drawer he’d been looking at, exposing a new, clean black and red Spider-Man suit. “It’s time.”
Bill nodded, “Go.”
…
Peter Parker couldn’t help but let out a brief cry of joy as he swung through Manhattan. Sure, he was in more pain than he knew was possible, but he was doing it again! Web swinging! It was just like all those years ago. For a brief second, Peter regretted ever giving up the tights, but then he was reminded of his predicament when ParkerCorps’ headquarter caught his eye, and he remembered why he wore the suit now and why he quit being Spider-Man.
His family, and Miles’ family and friends were in danger. A madman had them trapped somewhere in Parker Tower. A madman Peter had once called his best friend…
Peter landed roughly on the sidewalk in front of Parker Tower, spandex hugging his pained legs tightly. The guards out front immediately pulled out their firearms and aimed at the returned vigilante.
“Spider-Man, hands over your head! You’re wanted for…”
“Please!” Spider-Man held his hands up, “I did not bomb this building. I know what this looks like, but I’m here to help. I have reason to believe a terrorist—Parker Tower’s bomber—is hidden in the building.”
“Whoa…Spider-Man’s bigger than I realized…”
“Youtube makes his voice sound so much higher!”
“Take a pic with me and Spidey!”
Peter shut out the voices of the civilians around him as the two guards looked at one another, unsure of what to do. They whispered a couple things to each other, before agreeing on something and turning back to Pete.
One cop began, “Keep your hands up, Spider-Man. If we’re supposed to trust you, then you’ll have to trust us. Come with us downtown and…”
“Damn it!” Peter fired two globs of webbing. One nailed the speaking cop, knocking his gun out of his hand and sticking it against the ground a dozen yards away. The other completely missed its mark. That intended target fired. Peter barely dodged the bullet in time. He was out of shape, dammit!
Peter fired three more globs. Two missed, but one managed to hit the gun out of the cop’s hands. Peter ran forward and webbed the two officers against the side of Parker Tower before they could call for help. He glanced around at the civilians around Parker Tower. They all looked shocked, some angry. He didn’t have much time.
Peter ran inside.
“Out! Everyone get out!” Peter shouted, motioning for those remaining construction workers and ParkerCorp employees to run outside. They did as was ordered, screaming, confused and upset.
All right, now Peter was alone. Now he could take a look around and think. Where would Harry hide his secret base? It didn’t take much thinking. When Peter had made OsCorp’s HQ his own after the company merger, he’d had to secretly destroy Norman Osborn, Harry’s dad’s, leftover headquarters under the building. To this day, Peter hadn’t been sure if he had destroyed them all. The Osborns had a habit of going too far with their plans and bases.
So, where else was there to check but down?
Peter lifted up the flap of the torso section of the Spidey suit, unveiling a red and blue utility belt. He hadn’t used this iin years. The thing had rusted a bit, but the little compartments still worked decently enough. Pete pulled out a couple round, small red balls. He pushed them together and tossed them into the ground. Three. Two. One.
Boom.
A small section of the floor exploded, crumbling into itself. Peter looked down over the hole. He couldn’t see the bottom.
“Yay,” Peter sarcastically muttered. He leaped into the abyss.
Peter stuck to the side of the wall immediately upon jumping in and webbed up the hole. Couldn’t risk anyone else stumbling into this mess, right? And with that final thought, Peter jumped down the hole into the abyss.
It took Peter a few weblines and close calls with the side of the hole, but he managed to find the end. What he found surprised him.
All around him, glass cases of Green Goblin and Spider-Man memorabilia stood erected like a museum. Posters, newspaper clippings, and costumes hung over the walls. Yep. Definitely an old Goblin base.
“Look who decided to show up…”
Peter swung around to come face to face with Green Goblin, who leaned against the side of an open doorway, his sick yellow smile exposing his psychotic, exuberant attitude.
“Harry…you are Harry Osborn, right?” Peter had to make sure.
“Harry? Name’s Green Goblin. Or Gobby. Whichever you prefer. Hahaha!!” Green Goblin stood up straight and laughed.
That was an answer, right? Peter pushed the thought away. This was Harry. Only Harry could pull this off. Only Harry knew his identity…and Miles’.
“I’m going to give you one last chance, Harry…”
“Or what?” Green Goblin threw his hands up to emphasize his point, “Lil old Petey-Spidey’s gonna bite me? Your venom’s been lost, buddy. Game over. You’re toast. Mm, sounds tasty. Spidey toast…”
“Enough!” Peter roared, stepping forward.
Goblin put his hands up defensively, “Whoa! Please don’t hurt me, scary man! I’m just an innocent Goblin!” The villain paused, looked at his hands, and then laughed, “Oh wait, no I’m not! HAHAHA! Check out all this blood on my hands! I mean, first off there’s Jefferson…”
“YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Peter lunged for Green Goblin. The emerald criminal jumped out of the way.
“What? No quips, Petey? I’m disappointed,” Goblin chuckled, throwing a pumpkin bomb at Peter. The old hero barely rolled out of the way in time. The explosion destroyed a case holding an old Goblin mask.
Peter tried to tackle the Goblin, but only managed to get a knife in his gut.
“Agh!” Pete cried, clutching his stomach.
“Game over, old timer,” Green Goblin roundhouse kicked Peter into the ground. The villain laughed as he stood over the injured hero.
Peter couldn’t bring himself to move. This was it, damn it! And his baby girl…
“Where is Mayday…?”
“Nonna ya business, mister,” Goblin replied, “Top secret.”
And then Green Goblin leaned in, covered one side of his mouth with his hand like he was telling a secret, and whispered, “Don’t tell the boss I told ya, but she’s in the next room over. HAHAHA!”
Peter spit blood on Goblin’s face. The villain recoiled, feigning shock and disappointment.
“Oh, Peter, how very unsportsman-like of you! Well, I guess I should have expected this…I did win the Spider War after all,” And all faded to black for Peter as the Green Goblin laughed maniacally.
…
Red sky. Bodies all around. Dad on the ground, why? He…no, what’s wrong? And mom…uncle Aaron…Ganke…Mayday!! And that smile, that sick yellow smile…so familiar and so horrible…The Goblin’s face…he…No…
NO!
Miles jerked upright, panting. What the hell was that dream? He…his family and friends couldn’t have…
And then Miles remembered the war. And Bill Connors spoke up.
“Peter left.”
Miles turned to older scientist, already aware of what he needed to do, “I have to go after him.”
“I know,” Bill agreed, before grabbing something from the desk he was sitting at and throwing it at Miles, “Here. Catch.”
Miles caught the object, only to discover it was the red and blue original Spider-Man costume.
“What…?” Miles wondered.
“Peter brought it in from his home….and, well, he took your other suit. You need it.” Bill explained. Miles nodded.
“Thanks.”
“No problem. Go save us all, kid.”
This was it. The end begins. Miles looked down over the pale lenses of the costume. He had to stop this. He had to save everyone.
After all, he was Spider-Man. It was in the job description.
NEXT: GREEN GOBLIN’s IDENTITY REVEALED! Part 1 of the two part finale!