Spider-Man: Home Sick

25 - Always Have A Plan

Third Person P.O.V

Several things then happened at once.
Down below the ground, in the basement of the towering skyscraper, Lucas was hammering away at the power generator until it exploded and flung him halfway across the room.
"Ow!" He moaned, getting to his feet and rubbing the back of his head in pain. In the dark, he fumbled his way to the exit "It's too dark! I can't see!" Lucas complained into his walkie-talkie.

Several floors above him, Pippa replied, rolling her eyes so hard that Lucas could hear it "Pretty normal seeing as you just cut the power." Then she turned to Anya, who was furiously typing on the computers in front of her "Any luck yet?"
"I mean, I did what MJ told me too, and I think she's seeing the security footage now, but she's not responded."
"She's probably nervous. I mean, it's likely that she's gonna die doing this. What about Peter?"
"We've had no contact, just like MJ said. Since we haven't heard anything, he's probably fine..." Anya looked up at the 17 year old girl that she considered a sister "Right?"
"I'm sure he's fine, Ani." Pippa ruffled her hair affectionately.
Lucas' voice crackled out of Pippa and Anya's walkie-talkie "Have you heard from Zara or Z yet?"
"Nada. Estelle's been checking in every 2 seconds to see if Z's okay, but there's just no way to tell. I think she's frustrated at MJ making her getaway driver, just 'cause she's only 12." Pippa looked deliberately at Anya.
"Where you go, I go. We're family, and - "
Pippa cut her off, seeing the flashing red light on her wrist communicator "Uh-oh. Luke, we've got trouble. Meet us in Drop Zone Yankee."
"The top floor, just say the top floor!"
Pippa scoffed, like that was the most ridiculous suggestion she had ever heard.

Meanwhile, at the top of the skyscraper in J. Jonah Jameson's office, Zara asked "You have a job to do? Like you're working for someone?"
The girl who'd just arrived, Tidal Wave as she called herself, curled her nose disdainfully at Zara "And you are?"
"Zara." She answered shortly, with finality.
Lauren stood up a bit straighter and recited, as if she'd spent hours memorising it, "Zara Terrell. Daughter of Edward Terrell, and never knew your mother. Ran away from home when you were 8 after your dad committed suicide." She smirked, gaining confidence with each word "Your best friend turned you away after you told her - "
"Just Zara." She interrupted, her voice staying level and calm "I'm just... Zara."
Tidal Wave scoffed in dismissal and turned her back on her, facing Spider-Man again "Hand yourself over, without fighting back, and you'll get your friends back." She gestured to May, who was still being held in Beast's grip.
"No."
"No?"
"No. I lost my parents. I lost Uncle Ben. I lost MJ. I lost Tony. I was snapped away by Thanos. Because I was weak. I won't lose anyone else. I have no more material attachments to this Earth. I. Will. Be. Strong."
Tidal Wave raised an eyebrow impressedly "I guess you've finally grown up, Peter Parker. But there's no use in fighting it. We are going to destroy every single hero, starting with you, until we destroy the gods themselves. There will be no more superheroes. We will have all of their power."
"No more superheroes? But - "
"Heroes make you weak!" She snarled "You will rely on them, and trust them, but they will all let you down eventually. And you shouldn't be left powerless when that happens."
"That's not true. I won't let anyone down."
"Oh really? You already have, Peter. You let down your precious Tony Stark. He died because you couldn't protect him. I had a hero once." Her voice turned bitter and harsh.
"What happened?"
Tidal Wave pulled off her mask, revealing a face that would have been pretty if not for the permanant snarl fixed on it, a wave of cascading chestnut hair, and a huge scar that stretched from the temple of her head all the way down to her chin, crossing over one of her sea green eyes "She gave me this."
As this conversation was going on, while everyone was distracted, Zara slowly snuck around the edge of the room, keeping to the shadows. Lauren caught a glimpse of her in the corner of her eye but by accident, or by design, she was letting her get on with it.
Zara had pushed the emergency button on her communicator, alerting the others that something was askew with their plan - namely, the appearance of 'Tidal Wave'. She found herself behind Tidal Wave and right next to the now empty secretary's desk. Placed on it, rather recently, was a picture of a woman, in her 30s, with a tired smile but bright eyes. Standing next to her was a 4-year-old girl, and in her arms was a baby no more than a few months old. All 3 of them had the same matching chestnut hair, and the girls both had identical sea green eyes.
The other photo was of a group of 4 girls. They were all around 14, making silly faces, and laughing like someone had just told a joke. The girl in the middle was clearly 'Tidal Wave', the same hair and eyes and everything, but no scar yet, and a smile of pure joy on her face that Zara could never imagine on the bitter and angry girl. Written at the bottom of the photo in cursive handwriting was 'We're all rooting for you, Myra. Don't let us down!'
Zara subtly pocketed the photos and continued on her path towards Happy, Ned and May. Just as she reached the massive figure of Beast, Tidal Wave whirled around and snapped "You didn't think I wouldn't notice, did you?"
Zara made a desperate lunge to free May, but Tidal Wave flicked her hand as if she was throwing something and Zara shot backwards into the wall, collapsing to the floor. Tidal Wave stood over her, laughing.
While she was sufficiently distracted, Lauren took her chance. Her knife still in her hand, she leapt at Spider-Man and stabbed him right in the chest.
The blood spread over his suit, staining it even more red. His mouth formed an 'O' shape.
And then he fell.