Spider-Man : The Morales Trilogy

Chapter 25

"Figured what out?" Connors asked, his arms crossed, staring intently at Miles with Kendra by his side.

"I think I know what the grand plan is. Shockwave and Smythe have both hinted at an individual called the Grandmaster. He's got to be the brains behind everything that's happened so far. And if we study the situation, this Grandmaster is interested in a weapon."

"And how would you possibly know that?" Connors asked quickly in a way that made him seem suspicious.

"You were abducted. You're an incredibly intelligent man capable of designing world-ending weapons. And you were in possession of such a weapon which was the symbiote. And Smythe, he's known for his dangerously weaponized robots and machines. The Grandmaster has had an interest in both of you so he must want a weapon."

"There's a third person," Sam said. "When we were still captive, Shockwave showed up with someone. He broke him out of the same facility he'd been held in."

"Richard Till," Connors said and beckoned at a large screen on the wall that displayed a folder Connors had just brought up. Information about this man.

"He's the fifth smartest man alive," Connors continued, "with a wide array of skills including physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, geography, astronomy and a lot more. He developed a serum that nullifies the effect of age and used it on himself."

"So he's immortal?"

"In a way. His cells regenerate as fast as they die so inflicting any damage on him is practically impossible. He developed another serum that made his coworkers at Hammer Technologies susceptible to suggestion. Practically manipulated their minds."

"Then what?"

"When this was discovered, Till lost his job and was arrested for the negative use of science. While being transported to prison, he killed everyone on the bus with him, criminal and cop. He almost got away until he was stopped by a very brutal Spider-Man."

"Go on."

"Turns out Till's never-aging serum granted him the ability to transform into some sort of physically and mentally enhanced humanoid creature. Four times bigger, stronger and smarter. That's how he managed to eradicate his prison transport."

"Spider-Man beat the serum out of him?"

"It was right after the disappearance of the other heroes so it didn't get publicized since the world was still reeling. But Spider-Man didn't appear again after that so the cops and some other people who knew thought he must have sustained a fatal injury. So his name was put alongside the fallen or missing heroes. And Till was sent into lockup and he met with a psychiatrist every day for his first three months in prison as part of his reformation program."

"So he's reformed."

"That's what it seemed like. But no one knows what he could do now that he's free and out in the world again."

"He's been imprisoned for so long, he'd definitely want his revenge," Sam said. "A man like that would be virtually unstoppable."

"Especially if he aligns himself with Smythe and Shockwave," Miles added.

"So what's the plan?" Dil asked. "We know they need a weapon. We know they have people who can build a weapon. But we don't know how they'll build it, when, or how the weapon would be used."

"You just had to kill the optimism in the moment," Miles said and sighed. "But you are right. The Grandmaster has to be getting all of his resources from somewhere. And Till's going to need a lot of resources to build whatever doomsday weapon the Grandmaster wants."

"OsCorp is shipping a lot of resources to a facility in North London. The ship departs tonight."

"It's very likely that Shockwave will make a move on the ship," Miles said. "We have to be there, waiting."

"You need to regenerate completely," Connors said. "You'll be easy prey if you face Shockwave right now."

"I can handle him," Miles replied.

"And he won't be alone out there," Sam added. "I'll help as much as I can. We can't let New York be destroyed."

"You'll need to suit up," Connors said. "I think we can all agree that too many people already know who both of you are. We don't know who's going to be on that ship or the kind of surveillance that will be present. You need to protect your identity. Unless that's not your thing."

"I have a suit," Sam said.

"And I happen to have one for Miles," Dil said quickly. "I just have to drop in at my place first and get the suit."

"You got the suit from Andy?" Miles asked. Dil nodded in reply.

"I wasn't going to leave it with him, it was impressive. And I think you'll love the suit just as much as I do."

"You can't go to your home right now," Sam said. "Too dangerous. Miles and I will get the suit, bust Shockwave and then we all return to Horizon."

"I agree. Modell already suspects something is awfully wrong."

"Alright then," Miles said and nodded grimly at Sam. "Let's go get my suit and save the world."

"OsCorp?" Shockwave repeated. "They always have heavily armed guards so this isn't going to be a clean job."

"Since when have you let that stop you, Daniel?" The Grandmaster asked, his voice coming from the shadows. Even Shockwave hadn't ever seen the man who gave him his orders.

"Since my plan has had a wrench thrown in it multiple times by meddling children," Shockwave growled. "I've already had more publicity than I'm comfortable with after that prison stunt."

"Don't tell me you're scared."

"I'm not. And I don't very much like your tone, Grandmaster," Shockwave growled with his fists clenched.

"I don't care if you like my tone or not. I give you orders and as my lapdog, you obey!" the Grandmaster retorted, his voice rising.

"That's it," Shockwave said and he fired a blast into the shadows. There was a thud as his blast hit something and then silence for a while.

There was an eerie slithering sound and Shockwave felt an invisible force hit him and hold him up in the air. Something was trying to pull him apart.

"Do you have any idea how remarkably easy it would be for me to rip you apart from limb to limb without even moving an inch of my muscles?!"

"Stop!" Shockwave groaned. Black lines were spreading along his face and body as his life was being seeped out of him by this invisible force.

"I'm not your typical superhuman, Daniel. I am the Grandmaster. I am singlehandedly the most powerful man who has ever walked upon this Earth. I glorify this world with my presence!"

The angrier the Grandmaster got, the faster life seeped out of Shockwave's body. "Beg for my lenience!" he growled.

"Please," Shockwave wheezed. He dropped to the ground on his knees and tried to get up but something had him pinned down.

"I do love my dogs kneeling before me," the Grandmaster said. "The next time you try to attack me, you'll be dead before you can bat an eye. Are we clear?"

"Yes," Shockwave groaned, still trying to get up.

"Good. Now take Till with you and make your move on the Oscorp ship. Take as much as you can and kill anyone who gets in the way."

Shockwave nodded and an invisible force hurled him out of the room and into the hallway and the door slammed shut. He stayed on the ground, breathing heavily.

He needed help.