[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/XV1PIyT.jpg?2[/img][/center] The city is an absolute mess as I swing over it. There's so many cop cars illuminating the streets, you'd think the entire city was having an America-themed rave. I can hear gunshots echo through the air as I make my way into Manhattan, and I can tell the Silk Cartel is pushing its way towards the upper echelon of the Maggia power structure. Well, the remaining upper echelon after the Punisher got to them. The Maggia is the old money of the New York crime community. They are the first to ever set up shop in the city. They were here before the Kingpin, and they probably figure they'll be here after him too. While most gangs are usually centered on the fringes of cities, the Maggia have been here long enough to have roots in Manhattan. They're the sophisticated criminal. They're the ones that think they're better than everyone else. Good for them, but now their hubris has brought a gang war into the heart of New York City. From below me, I see a strike team of Silk Cartel soliders blow a hole in the side of a bank, which I can only assume means Maggia money is being head there. I don't really want to waste my time stopping the guys robbing a bank when I'm sure worse things are going down around town. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea what the plan is for the cartel, and the only way I'm gonna figure that out is by getting some quality one-on-one time with some of their goons. Here goes nothing. I let go of a webline at the bottom of my arc, rocketing myself towards the gash in the side of the building. When I'm within range, I swing myself through the opening, slamming my feet into one of the bank robbers as I do. The other four are caught off guard, and I incapacitate three of them before they can react. The fourth has his weapon yanked out of his hands by webbing before I suspend him from the roof with more of it. [color=ec008c][b]"Well, you're the lucky one that doesn't get knocked out!"[/b][/color] I tilt my head and pull my hood down. [color=ec008c][b]"Which is like, super bad for you, FYI. So you should thank me."[/b][/color] "You're the reason we're even out here tonight," the man growls at me. "Your involvement in the Tranantula's affairs has gone on too long." [color=ec008c][b]"All this for little ol' me?"[/b][/color] I respond, adopting the exaggerated accent of a Southern Belle. [color=ec008c][b]"You flatter me."[/b][/color] "You laugh now," the man laughs, venom seeping through his words. "But tonight, the tarantula will kill the spider, just as we, his followers, will destroy his enemies in the Maggia." So they're on a shock-and-awe style attack tonight. They want to take out all their enemies in one swift and brutal night. Meaning the Black Tarantula himself is out there somewhere tonight, probably waiting for me. Fun. Looking around sarcastically, I say, [color=ec008c][b]"You, you guys are doing some real destruction here. I'm sure the Maggia's gonna be scared of some property damage."[/b][/color] "You are overconfident, Spider." [color=ec008c][b]"Yea, and you're hanging from my web. So maybe a little overconfidence is warranted."[/b][/color] My spider sense sounds off a warning in my head, and I barely make it out of the way of a big, sand block aimed right at the back of my head. I watch, in almost slow motion as it connects with the Silk Cartel member, sending him bouncing like a ragdoll on the end of a bungee cord. Looking up, I find myself face-to-face with Flint Marko, the Sandman, [color=ec008c][b]"Marko? Come on man. I already helped your bosses out tonight here. Do we really need to do this? Go home and I can kick your butt some other night."[/b][/color] [color=aba000][b]"I ain't working for the Maggia no more,"[/b][/color] he snarls. [color=aba000][b]"I'm just here to get the cash they owe me."[/b][/color] [color=ec008c][b]"Ugh, why do you guys always have to be so difficult?"[/b][/color] I ask, ducking yet another attempted blow from him. [color=ec008c][b]"Can't the bad guys just take a night off once in a while?"[/b][/color] [color=aba000][b]"Sorry, Spider-Dork,"[/b][/color] he responds, throwing yet another sloppy punch with a wreckingball-sized fist at me, [color=aba000][b]"not when I still need to kill you."[/b][/color] I manage to backflip over the punch, unfortunately my opponent can literally change shape at any moment he wants. The large fist becomes a tendril which wraps itself around me leg and slams me into the wall of lockboxes on the wall of the vault, sending a shower of bills and wills flying into the air. The sandy tentacle snatches the money out of the air and incorporates it into the Sandman's body. [color=ec008c][b]"Ew, Marko,"[/b][/color] I groggily taunt, [color=ec008c][b]"don't you know money is the dirtiest thing in the world? You're putting it inside yourself? Gross."[/b][/color] [color=aba000][b]"You know, you should talk less,"[/b][/color] Marko snarls. [color=aba000][b]"Maybe you'd be prettier then."[/b][/color] He rears up, forming both his hands together into a big sledge hammer, hoping to bring it down on me in a killing blow. Instead, the strike finds open air and the hard floor of the vault as I roll out of the way under it, closing the gap between Flint and I. [color=ec008c][b]"You know, Marko, the crime I can tolerate,"[/b][/color] I say as I take one of the two remaining web grenades I have and push it into his chest. [color=ec008c][b]"But the casual misogeny is not appreciated."[/b][/color] I kick off his chest, driving the grenade deeper into his sandy body, and as I fly through the air I detonate the web grenade. The device goes off, splattering out of Marko's chest. If he was a normal person, what I'm looking at would be disgusting. Weblines covered in the silica particles that make up Flint Marko have exploded out of his torso in all directions like some sort of terrible sci fi death. I don't know if it hurt him, but he is definitely in distress, [color=aba000][b]"What the hell did you do to me!?"[/b][/color] [color=9e005d][b]"Web grenade. Friend of mine cooked them up for me,"[/b][/color] I smile and toss the other one up and down in my hand. [color=aba000][b]"No!"[/b][/color] he pulls back, attemptting to get out of the snair. Some of him manages to escape, but most of the sand is trapped in the webbing. He manages to pull away, but he looks like a deflated balloon by the time he does. [color=aba000][b]"This ain't over, webhead!"[/b][/color] With that, he dissolves into a heap, and blows away. [color=ec008c][b]"Okay,"[/b][/color] I have to admit, "[color=ec008c][b]that exit was pretty cool."[/b][/color] My phone rings in my ear, and I answer, [color=ec008c][b]"Hello?"[/b][/color] [color=0054a6]"Gwen, are you out there?"[/color] Peter's voice asks. [color=ec008c][b]"Yea,"[/b][/color] I respond. [color=ec008c][b]"Good news, the web grenades do wonders against Marko."[/b][/color] [color=0054a6]"That's great, but you're gonna want to get to Manhattan General,"[/color] he changes the subject. [color=0054a6]"The Black Tarantula has taken the hospital hostage."[/color] [center]**********[/center] The footfalls of the Black Tarantula echo off the walls of the hospital as he walks the halls. His men have already made sure the doctors and patients were barricaded in their rooms. If need be, he would allow a doctor to take care of their patients. He is not a monster. He is merely a man on a mission. He knows the Spider-Woman will foolishly fall into the trap he's set. She will be overconfident. She will come in thinking he is merely a man. And as long as she does come, he will have no reason to hurt these people. Taking out the vial Octavius had given him, he places it in the injector, and forces the liquid into his bloodstream. Instantly, he feels the strength flowing through him. The power high is something he will never tire of. The only thing that will make him feel better is leaving the Spider-Woman dead at his feet. A pity it's a high he'll only feel once. She has inserted herself into his plans for the last time. He had conquered his home continent. Tonight he would conquer New York on his way to North America, on his way to the world. The Silk Cartel would control the crime world in every corner of the globe. Kings, Presidents, and Prime Ministers would fear to say his name. [center]**********[/center] [color=82ca9d]"Any word on how many men they have in there?"[/color] Captain George Stacy asks of the lead officer on the scene outside the hospital as he steps out of his car. "We think almost three dozen, sir," the officer responds in a snap. [color=82ca9d]"Three dozen? Christ,"[/color] Stacy rubs the back of his neck. [color=82ca9d]"They mean business. As if tonight could get any crazier. Any demands?"[/color] "Just one, sir. Guy called a few minutes ago. Only wants one thing. Says if he gets it, no one gets hurt." [color=82ca9d]"And what's that?"[/color] "Spider-Woman, sir." [center]**********[/center] [color=ec008c][b]"Peter,"[/b][/color] I say as I overlook the scene at the hospital. The entire place is surrounded by more cops than I thought lived in the city. They've set up a perimeter, a pretty standard formation. They're waiting to go in. Probably waiting for me to go in first. Smart. They know what's in there, and they probably know the Tarantula is waiting for me. Why go in and get someone hurt when all he wants is for me to go in there and face him. [color=ec008c][b]"I"m about to head into the building."[/b][/color] [color=0054a6]"I hacked into the police scanners. The ones they don't want people to hear,"[/color] he responds, and I can hear keystrokes in the background. [color=0054a6]"I think there's about thirty or so Cartel members in there. Not including the Tarantula. He's made contact with the police. Says all he wants is you."[/color] [color=ec008c][b]"Yea, that's been a running theme tonight,"[/b][/color] I sigh. [color=ec008c][b]"Says he's not gonna hurt anyone as long as I cooperate, right?"[/b][/color] [color=0054a6]"Hasn't said that much, to be honest. Just that he wants you."[/color] [color=ec008c][b]"Well, he's in luck."[/b][/color] [color=0054a6]"Gwen...just...be careful, okay?"[/color] I can hear his understandable worry. [color=0054a6]"Tarantula is...different. He's a regular human, but he is the definition of infamous."[/color] [color=ec008c][b]"Don't worry, Pete. I'll be fine. More than I can say about him though."[/b][/color] I swing towards the hospital, and towards the showdown with the Tarantula.