The Edge | Peter Parker

Chapter Fourteen

Octavius sent his minions, Scorpion, Electro, Rhino, Vulture, and Mister Negative, scurrying to do their separate missions while he tackled his part of the plan, the main punchline. He had been the one to steal the Devil's Breath earlier, snatching it seemingly easily despite Spider-Man being around. He was the only threat to their plans, but now he had been taken out. Octavius didn't necessarily want to kill him, but he wanted to make sure he was out of the picture. Spider-Man had taken all of them on— of course, besides him— and he'd defeated each of them. Octavius may have given them new suits with new abilities, but he wanted to make sure nothing put a wrinkle in his plans. He had been waiting for this moment for so long, so it felt, and he was going to get it. He climbed through Times Square, damaging a large screen with Norman's fake-smiling face plastered over it. He held the Devil's Breath in his hand as he stared down at all the people standing around for the rally. "All these years, all these lies. It's over, Norman. Time to give them the truth."

He used one of his tentacles to take the Devil's Breath from his hand. It traveled out and above the people, another tentacle following it out and meeting it. Both of the tentacles dug its claws into the glass, breaking it open and releasing its contents onto the people of New York. He placed a gas mask on his face to avoid inhaling it. The Devil's Breath traveled through the air quickly and efficiently, affecting everyone in the area. Octavius' plan was already halfway completed, and he'd only faced Spider-Man once, almost killing him then. Octavius walked away, feeling content with what he'd done.

After a while, Yuri spotted Peter from a search boat as he drifted in the water on an Alchemax barrel. He was lucky he landed on it, as he was clearly badly wounded and unconscious. The men helped her pull him out of the water and gave him immediate medical attention. For her own sanity— not really— she made sure they kept his mask on. Yuri managed to find his phone and called Meredith Stark. If anyone could do something for him in this state, it was her. Yuri knew she cared about him and he'd be in good hands. Instantly, the Iron Man and Iron Woman were at his side. Yuri watched as they lifted him up and carried him away, in the direction of the Avengers Compound. She just hoped he'd be alright, and she hoped she made the right call.

They arrived quickly and retracted their suits as they rushed to get Peter to Dr. Cho in her lab. They'd already let her know what was happening so she could stop whatever she was doing and prepare. Steve, Nat, Bucky, and Sam rushed up to them as they hurried in. "What's going on? What happened to him?"

"Maybe it is getting bad out there." Meredith sighed out as she responded to Nat, glancing over at her. They were all wearing worried faces.

"Here, I've got him." Steve reached out. They handed him off to him, and he lifted him gently into his arms. They followed him quickly through the lobby and down multiple halls until they got to Dr. Cho's lab. She looked at him and chewed her lip nervously. He was bad. Reminded her all too much of when she first came here for Clint way back when. Only, Peter was a million times more worse off.

"Quickly, into the Cradle." Since the Ultron fiasco, and since coming to work for the Avengers, the Cradle had endured many, many upgrades. It could now do way more than it could before and at a faster rate. Steve laid him on the table, and Helen began removing his suit with the help of her assistant. They all stood around him, chewing their lips nervously with concerned and sad expressions. He had cuts all over him with blood dripping from all over his body. Bruises littered his skin, and parts of his body were swollen. Not to mention the huge wound which obviously came from a sting from Scorpion. That explained why he was still unconscious. No matter how many times Peter got hit, he always got back up. They all hoped he would this time, too. Helen got the Cradle started. It examined his body with a laser, identifying all his wounds, then began to print tissue in order to quickly heal his wounds. Eventually, the crowd dispersed. Peter seemed to be alright for the time being. Meredith and Tony stayed by his side. The others stayed in the building waiting to hear something. Including Steve and Pepper with Sarah and Morgan. It was going to be a long night.