a spider trapped on a cherry tree

Chapter 4 - A Resolution Made - Part 2 (Peter)

Insert song: Kenshi Yonezu - Lemon

- The night after -

"You got the visual, Parker?" Captain Rogers talked through the comms.

"Yes, he is right here, Captain," I informed him.

I found the ring leader, Shingen Yashida sitting behind his desk at his main office. He seemed to be by himself.

"Should I go barge in?" I asked, waiting for his signal.

"..., okay.... web them up...," his voice wasn't clear.

It was a bit weird of a response. He normally told me to wait for the rest.

"You sure? I mean I can take him alone but you usually put me on hold on infiltrations," I made sure.

"....", there was no response.

"Alright," I prepared myself.

I crashed into the office landing handsomely in front of the boss. He wasn't flinched at all, staying focused on his papers.

"Did someone send you to assassinate me? People should know by now it ends with their clans destroyed," he spoke calmly.

"Uh, I don't understand what you are saying, but... whatever, I promise I won't hurt you, mister," I replied, throwing my web at his face.

He dodged it, though strains of it stuck on his left cheek. He stood up from his chair and menacingly smiled.

"An American. And on the young side too," Shingen was thrilled at his new challenger, "Who sent you?"

"Well I don't really work for anyone, it's kind of a hobby. I mean, not everyone, but for some of us, it's something to pass our time with. I don't even come to this country for you specifically," I chatted, "It was for my boyfriend. We are not together anymore but we still have hots for each other, you know? You have to see him one day, he's unbelievably pretty. Doesn't mean I only like him for his face though!"

"Interesting. I wonder what they were thinking when they sent you to me by yourself," he walked toward his dope-looking sword he hung on the wall, "I'll be sorry for your boy lover. I'll give him my regards later."

"Oh no, I don't feel like punching anyone tonight, sir," I shot some webs to prevent him from taking his sword.

He was incredibly fast, cutting through the sticky fluid easily. That was when I knew he wouldn't be an easy opponent. Before I knew it he was already inches away from me. If I didn't have my spider-sense and reflex, I would probably have lost my head in seconds. I bent my back backward and counterattacked him by tripping his foot. He flipped sideward and grabbed my leg instead. He managed to throw me across the room. I could feel he wasn't exactly a normal human either. I immediately stuck myself at the wall.

"Ouch, what the heck?" I belatedly felt the cut he made at the back of my left hand.

It didn't sting but weirdly my hand was numb. The next thing I realized was I couldn't move my fingers anymore.

"Fuck. The sword was poisoned," I said under my breath.

Soon, his henchmen entered the room with guns, ready to bombard their guns at me. I ran by the wall and webbed them one by one before they could pull the trigger with only one functional hand. I was on the upper hand until Shingen leaped at me with his poisonous katana. I managed to kick him away with both feet, but I forgot the unfortunate fact that my left hand was crippled when I tried to shoot at the ceiling to swing away. I fell dumbly at my butts. The enemies didn't stop there. More men with more swords and pistols marched at me. I readied myself to fight despite the losing situation when a dark circle formed between me and the rest. Few black, gnarly hands came out of it. It was a scarier sight than when I was about to be mobbed earlier. I was about to uncoolly escape out of the building until I noticed the familiar top of someone's head.