As the projector continued to display the events, Spot's voice filled the room with a mixture of anticipation and fear. "All right, this is gonna work. Or vaporize me and everything in this building, which would not be good."
Gwen, watching in growing panic, muttered, "Shoot!!" Her anxiety was palpable as she realized the danger Spot was putting everyone in.
Miles, still cloaked in his invisibility, echoed her sentiment in a whisper, "Shoot." careful not to reveal his presence to Gwen.
Spot, now fully immersed in his experiment, had completed his collider. The machine whirred to life, emitting a powerful beam that began to open a portal. Spot stood in the middle of the beam, his body absorbing its energy. His face contorted in pain as he gritted out, "Aurg!!" The energy coursed through him, and for a moment, it seemed like he might be overwhelmed.
Gwen, unable to do anything but watch, repeated in frustration, "Shoot."
Suddenly, the entire setup exploded in a burst of light and sound, and when the dust settled, Spot was gone. The building was left eerily silent, the only sound being the hum of the projector.
The watch on Gwen's wrist chimed, signaling the end of the replay. "Replay complete." it announced.
Gwen, realizing the severity of the situation, started to panic. "Nononononono, Why, why, why?" She was desperate, knowing she had failed to prevent Spot's escape.
Before she could gather her thoughts, the watch projected another figure into the room. It was Jessica Drew, the black Spider-Woman. Her tone was sharp and questioning.
"Gwen, Gwen, Gwen!" Jessica's voice startled Gwen, who was already on edge.
"Hah," Gwen gasped, clearly caught off guard.
"Gwen. Hi. Whatcha doing?" Jessica asked, her suspicion evident.
"Nothing. Uh, good. All good," Gwen stammered, trying to sound casual but failing miserably. "Yeah, everything's good. Bye." She hoped to end the conversation quickly, but the projector remained on, betraying her.
Jessica wasn't buying it. "Where's the bad guy you were supposed to monitor?" she asked, her tone growing more accusatory.
Gwen scrambled for an excuse, "He just stepped out for a moment." she lied, hoping Jessica wouldn't press further.
"Dude!" Jessica's exasperation was clear. She wasn't letting this go.
"He's just some villain of the week." Gwen added, trying to downplay the situation.
But Jessica wasn't convinced. Her suspicion deepened, and she issued a command. "Lyla, track what's happening here."
Gwen, realizing the gravity of what Jessica was about to do, tried to stop her. "Oh! We don't need..."
But it was too late. Lyla, the AI, had already started tracking the situation. "Tracking..." she announced, her digital voice filling the room.
As Lyla processed the information, she suddenly reported, "Hey, look, I got him... Nope, never mind." There was a pause before she continued, "Hold on. Slippery guy."
Jessica, sensing this might take a while, decided to change the subject. "Did you go see your little friend?"
Gwen's heart skipped a beat. "What? No," she replied too quickly, her voice betraying her.
"Miles?" Jessica pressed, her suspicion now fully focused on Gwen's actions.
"I mean..." Gwen stammered, unsure how to navigate this conversation.
"Are you kidding me?" Jessica's tone was a mix of disbelief and frustration.
Gwen, feeling cornered, admitted, "Only briefly. From afar."
Jessica sighed, clearly not pleased. Gwen's mission was becoming more complicated by the minute, and the situation with Spot was far from over.
As Jessica Drew's holographic image stood before Gwen, her expression a mix of frustration and concern. Gwen, still in her Spider-Woman suit, felt the weight of Jessica's gaze, her own nerves barely contained. She tried to make light of the situation, but the truth was, she had gotten too close—both physically and emotionally.
Jessica's tone was sharp as she asked, "How far?"
Gwen hesitated, then sheepishly demonstrated with her hands, showing a distance that was anything but far. "Like, you know, about this." she said, her arms indicating a very close proximity. "About this far."
Miles, hidden in his invisibility, watched the scene unfold from the shadows, feeling a pit in his stomach. He couldn't believe how close Gwen had been to him, even though she knew the risks.
Lyla, the AI, caught on to Gwen's demonstration and chimed in, her tone blunt. "That's way too close."
Jessica's expression tightened with disapproval. "Girl! You know you can't meet him." she said sternly, her eyes boring into Gwen.
Gwen tried to explain, her voice tinged with desperation. "Look, I had to know how he was."
Jessica's patience was wearing thin. "I honestly can't with you." she said, her voice heavy with frustration.
Gwen's shoulders slumped slightly as she admitted her mistake. "I know I messed up, okay?"
Jessica's expression softened, but only slightly. "He can't be part of this," she insisted, her words final. Miles could not be a part of the Spider Society, and Gwen had known that from the start.
Miles, still hidden, felt a swirl of emotions—anger, confusion, sadness—as he listened. But he remained silent, as his mind racing.
Gwen, sensing the gravity of the situation, nodded. "I know. I'll never see him again. All right?" she promised, her voice steady but sad.
Jessica's gaze lingered on Gwen, her expression a mix of concern and sternness. "You better be," she replied, not entirely convinced.
Just then, Lyla interrupted, her voice carrying a note of urgency. "Hey, guys? He's making his own portals."
Jessica's eyes widened in surprise. "What?"
Lyla continued, her tone matter-of-fact. "He can jump wherever he wants. He could be a total canon killer."
Jessica turned back to Gwen, her frustration boiling over. "You said he was the villain of the week. Do you know how bad this is for you?" she shouted, her voice echoing in the room.
Lyla, still processing data, added, "Every dimension he stops at has an Alchemax."
Jessica, now deeply concerned, looked at Gwen for answers. "What's he up to, Gwen?" she asked, her voice demanding but tinged with worry.
Gwen, shaken, shook her head. "I don't know." she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Meanwhile, Miles watched from his hiding spot, his thoughts churning."He's making himself more powerful so he can beat me." he thought to himself, the realization dawning on him like a cold wave.
Jessica, unable to contain her sarcasm, remarked, "Amazing. My star pupil, everyone." Her words stung, but they were laced with a truth Gwen couldn't deny.
Gwen, desperate to make things right, quickly offered a solution. "I'll get him, okay? I can get backup."
Jessica's expression darkened as she warned, "If Miguel finds out about this..." Her words hung in the air like a heavy cloud.
Gwen's heart sank at the thought of Miguel finding out. "Don't tell Miguel. He'll kick me out and..." She trailed off, her voice tinged with fear as she met Jessica's eyes. "What if he sends me home?" she asked, the vulnerability in her voice unmistakable.
Just then, Lyla interrupted again, her voice crisp and efficient. "I got him. Earth-50101." She had pinpointed Spot's location. "What do you wanna do?"
Gwen's mind raced as she looked at Jessica's holographic image. "You never made a mistake? Never got too close to someone?" Gwen's voice was pleading, searching for some understanding.
Jessica's expression softened, just a little. "I did. But I got over it." she admitted, her voice firm but with a hint of empathy.
Jessica then turned to Lyla, her tone decisive. "Alert the local Spider. Tell him Gwen will meet him there."
Lyla responded promptly, "I'm on it."
Gwen, feeling a mix of relief and gratitude, said, "Thank you. I won't let you down again."
Jessica's tone softened slightly as she replied, "Okay. You're welcome. Shut up." But her gaze was still serious as she looked into Gwen's eyes, delivering one final warning. "You got an hour to fix this. Or I can't help you." With that, the holographic projector blinked off, leaving Gwen alone in the room.
Or so she thought.
Miles, still cloaked in his invisibility, watched Gwen's back as she stood there, the weight of her mistakes heavy on her shoulders. He could see the loneliness in her posture, the burden she carried. But he knew he couldn't reveal himself—not now. Not when things were so complicated. He stayed silent, his heart aching as he watched her, knowing that for now, he had to remain hidden.
Gwen stood in the dim light, her eyes distant as she whispered, "Goodbye, Miles." Her voice was soft, filled with the weight of her decision. She knew she had to leave before things got even more complicated. With a swift motion, she activated her watch, opening a swirling portal to Earth-50101, the same dimension where Spot had fled. The portal's light cast an eerie glow across the room, illuminating Gwen's conflicted expression.
Without hesitation, Gwen stepped through the portal, her figure disappearing into the swirling vortex. The portal began to close behind her, the energy flickering as it prepared to seal off the passage between worlds.
Miles, still invisible, watched as Gwen vanished from sight. The realization hit him hard, tightening his chest with a sense of urgency. He couldn't let her face this alone, especially not after everything he had just overheard. The responsibility of stopping Spot weighed heavily on him; it wasn't just Gwen's fight—it was his as well.
As the portal began to shrink, Miles's thoughts raced. "It's my responsibility... that villain is my responsibility!" he thought, determination flooding his veins. He knew he couldn't stand by and let Spot wreak havoc on another world, and he couldn't let Gwen shoulder this burden alone.
With a burst of energy, Miles leaped towards the portal, just as it was about to close completely. The vortex responded to his presence, flickering briefly as if resisting, but Miles pushed through, his heart pounding with resolve. He followed Gwen into the unknown, the portal sealing shut behind him with a soft whoosh, leaving the room empty and quiet.
Now, both Gwen and Miles were on their way to Earth-50101, where a new challenge awaited them, and where Miles would have to confront the growing responsibility he felt for the chaos Spot was unleashing.
.....
In a shadowed alleyway of New York City, the night air was filled with tension as two figures perched on the rooftop, looking down at a group of third-rate criminals in the midst of a money heist. Michael Wilson, known as the legendary Spider-Man, stood tall in his sleek black suit, the deep blue spider emblazoned on his chest glowing faintly in the darkness. His mask, black with piercing blue eyes, concealed his experienced gaze as he observed the scene below. Beside him, Peter Parker—still just 16 but already making a name for himself as Spider-Man Red—was clad in his iconic red and blue suit, eager to make a move.
Peter's voice broke the silence, laced with the usual quip and light-heartedness he brought to every fight. "Hello, can you please leave those money bags here so we can wrap this up? How's that sound?" His tone was playful, though his eyes were sharp, watching the criminals' every move.
The leader of the criminals, a grizzled man with a face twisted in anger, snarled back, "Fuck you, Spider-Men!" His words were filled with venom, but his fear was evident as he gripped his weapon tighter, eyes darting between the two heroes.
Peter glanced back at his mentor, Michael, with a mock sigh. "Captain, it looks like these people won't listen to me." His voice carried a hint of amusement, but there was a readiness in his stance, muscles coiled like springs, ready to leap into action.
Michael smirked beneath his mask, his voice calm and assured as he responded, "Then we should educate them, straighten them up, right?" His tone was firm, but there was a playful edge, reflecting the bond between mentor and disciple.
With that, Michael leaped into action, swinging down from the rooftop with precision and speed. He landed silently behind the criminals, his black suit making him nearly invisible in the shadows. Before they could react, he struck, his movements swift and efficient. Michael aimed a powerful kick at the nearest criminal, sending him crashing into a wall.
Peter wasn't far behind. He flipped off the rooftop and swung into the fray, landing with a flourish. "You really thought robbing a bank tonight was a good idea? Should've stayed home and watched Telenovela!" he quipped as he shot a web at one of the criminals, yanking the gun out of his hands. In a fluid motion, Peter somersaulted over the stunned criminal and webbed his feet, pulling him off balance and slamming him onto the ground.
Another criminal charged at Michael with a crowbar. Michael dodged the swing effortlessly, stepping to the side and delivering a sharp punch to the man's gut, knocking the wind out of him. As the criminal doubled over, Michael webbed his hands to the ground, leaving him immobilized.
Meanwhile, Peter faced off against two criminals at once. They rushed him, but Peter was too quick. He ducked under a wild punch, then spun around, delivering a roundhouse kick to one criminal's face. The second criminal tried to grab Peter from behind, but Peter flipped over him, landing behind him and shooting webs at his hands and feet, pinning him to the ground.
The leader, realizing they were outmatched, tried to run, but Michael was faster. He shot a web at the fleeing man's legs, tripping him up. As the leader fell to the ground, Michael yanked him back with the web and slammed him against the side of the bank, webbing him to the wall for good measure.
Peter looked around at the now incapacitated criminals, all of them tangled up in webs and groaning in pain. "Well, that was fun," he said, landing lightly next to Michael. "Think they learned their lesson?"
Michael nodded, satisfied with their work. "Maybe they'll think twice before trying something like this again."
The two stood side by side, the night's work done, but both knowing that in this city, the fight was never really over. As they looked out over the city, lights twinkling in the distance, they knew they'd be ready for whatever came next.
To be continue