Spider-Man: Marvel Knight

Chapter 13-An Ugly Future

   ~one week later~

   Peter sat on the edge of Oscorp's rooftop, which was now repaired from the Lizard's rampage. He was in his Spiderman costume, drinking his coffee. He was on the phone with Harry, who was at the hospital with Otto.
   "So, are you feeling, doc?" Peter asked over speaker phone.
   Otto chuckled in his hospital bed. "Sore as hell to be honest, but I think I'll make it."
   "So, no permanent brain damage?"
   "The doctor doesn't seem to think so," Harry said. "He's releasing him today, but he told me to keep a close eye on him just to make sure."
   "Tell your friend that I don't need anyone to look after me, Peter," Otto said with a chuckle. "I can take care of my own damn self. I'm a grown man."
   "I'll do my best, doc. Get some rest."
   Harry put the phone on normal and put it to his ear. "So, how's the other doc?" he asked. He moved outside to room so he could talk to Peter in private.
   "Kurt?" Peter started. "Oh, he's still in the detox center, trying to get project x out of his veins. I'm just glad that the police didn't press charges."
   "Yeah, me too." Harry rubbed his forehead. "I guess Kurt didn't cause that stuff. The lizard did."
   "True," Peter said, taking a sip of his coffee. "You know, Harry? What am I doing with my life?"
   "What the hell do you mean?"
   "I mean, I don't know how I'm gonna balance this life. Being your partner, your 'brother' when you get married, working at Daily Bugle, and Spider-Man all at once. I can't be all of them at one time. I mean first...it was...your father, then those five wack jobs, then the Lizard...I mean what am I gonna do, Harry? Seriously."
   "Pete," Harry started, "if there's anyone I know that can do a lot of things and be totally cool about it, it's you. And listen, when you need help fighting to good fight, you've got me and Felicia to help you."
   Peter smiled. That made him feel good. "Thanks, Hob-Goblin."
   Harry chuckled. "That name won't stick at all," he responded. "The news is already talking about me too much."
   "I don't know, man," Peter said. "I kinda like it."
   Harry chuckled again to change the conversation. "So, you gonna go out on another date with MJ? Maybe this time don't try to go, you know, straight to sex?" He smirked. "No lizard people involved this time."
   Peter chuckled. "You know what? I think that I will. And, duly noted about the sex. I'll talk to you later."
   "Alright, bud. Bye."
   Peter hung up and moved to MJ's contact. He pressed the call button and put it up to his ear. MJ picked up her phone and pressed the answer button. "Hey, tiger. What's up?"
   "MJ," Peter started, "are you doing anything later tonight?"
   "Am I sensing another date night?" she asked, giggling. She pushed her red hair behind her ear. "Last time we tried to do that there was a giant lizard trying to kill us."
   Peter chuckled. "Yeah, sure, buy aren't in worth it?"
   MJ giggled as she turned down the volume on her TV. "Of course you are..."
   "I'll even let you pick the place this time," he said.
   "Ok, sounds good," she said. "And I agree with what you said earlier, about taking it slower. We did kind of jump into the sex part rather quickly didn't we?"
   "Yeah, we did," Peter said, laughing nervously. He cleared his throat. "So we're down for tonight?"
   "Yep, sounds good, tiger," she said. Peter was about to answer her until he felt a cold tingle down his spine. His spider sense was telling him something. This one felt a lot like a robbery.
   "Oh crap," he said.
   "Let me guess," she started, "superheroing?"
   "Yep," he said, throwing his cup of coffee on the roof and putting on his mask. "Superheroing."
   "Go get 'em, tiger."
   Pete hung up and put his phone in his pocket. He stood on the side of the buidling and dive bombed off to swing towards where his spider sense lead him. Moments like this let him enjoy being Spider-Man. Being in the moment, the wind in his face, the adrenaline, the rush; he loved it.
   The criminals loaded their guns and entered the diamond store. Luckily, there was no one in there. "Ok, boys," the leader said. "Rob this place clean. I don't give a shit what's in here. I want everything that has value in our bags."
   They started filling their bags with money and jewelry. Suddenly, they heard one of their people scream in terror. The leader went around the corner to see what has happened, but he couldn't find him. "Reggie?" He looked at his other men. "Yo, where the hell is Reggie?"
   There was a loud bang, that sounded like it was all around them. They got back to back and began to walk away from each other. "Spread out and find it!" Slowly but surely, the leader began to realize that he was alone. His men were all gone. He slowly looked up and saw them all webbed to the ceiling with Spider-Man sitting up there.
   He dropped his gun in fear. "You--you're the Spider-Man!"
   Peter chuckled. "Damn right."

~epilogue 1~

   Otto sat in his living room, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. Suddenly, he began to hear whispering. "What? Who's there?" he asked, looking around.
   He looked over at his mechanical arms, that were hung up. "What?" he asked the silent whispering that was coming from them. "Why would we do that?"
...
   "Our mission?"
...
   "But it wasn't his fault."
....
   "Yes..."
.....
   "I see. He must not live. As long as he's here, there might be another accident."
..
   "Yes, we need help."
...
   "That's dangerous. They're all criminals."
...
   "But if we release them..."
.....
   "...yes.."
...
   "Peter would understand, he's a hero. But you're right, if he gets in the way, they'll deal with him."
.....
   "Yes, that'll work. We'll kill him."
...
   "We'll kill Kurt Connors."

~epilogue 2~
   Peter was walking out of the Daily Bugle with his paycheck from JJJ. He wasn't so cranky this morning. I guess the Lizard was something interesting that he could add to his little conspiracy podcast.
   He walked down the sidewalk, until he heard a familiar voice. "Peter." He turned to see Gwen.
   "Gwen?" Peter asked. "What the hell are you doing here? Why aren't you in Jersey? When did you get back? Why didn't you call me?"
   Gwen pushed her golden hair behind her ear. "I needed to talk to you about something."
   "And it couldn't be done with a phone call?"
   "No," she said while grabbing his hand. "Follow me." She led him down an abandoned alley and took off her jacket.
   Peter raised his eyebrow. "Gwen, I'm flattered that you want to get together again, but you broke up with me. I'm not about to have alley sex with you."
   "Shut up and look," she said, jumping to one of the walls...and staying there. Peter's jaw dropped at what he was seeing.
   He rubbed his forehead and looked at her. Peter realized what had happened, and it hit him like a ton of bricks. "What have I done..."

End of Volume 2
Next: Volume 3: The Sinister Six