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***
Two weeks later.
Evening patrols. Rooftops.
Peter Parker.
The following days were quite difficult for me.
May didn't start to come out of her brokenness until four days later. I spent hours in her room, but most of the time my aunt just ignored me and cried bitterly. It made my soul empty and my heart filled with rage.
I thought things would get better quickly, but after Ben's funeral, Auntie's depression deepened.
During the day, I kept my joker face at school in front of my friends as best I could. Evenings were spent in May's room and if it wasn't for Mary's support, I'd have gone mad. But at night everything changed.
When my aunt fell asleep, I'd fly out of the hospital and put on my uniform in the nearest alley.
Like Spider-Man, I could breathe easier. It was just a cool night, spider webs and skyscrapers.
I had completely divorced myself from my idealistic image of the Friendly Neighbour. I dealt with criminals like burglars, thieves or car thieves quickly and cold-bloodedly. But if I came across someone else, they didn't get off easy.
Robbers and racketeers were the worst.
Over a period of time I was able to see this kind of outrage on street corners in Harlem, on the outskirts of the Centre, and so on. For all those who threatened the innocent, there was only one thing waiting for them: pain.
A memory.
In an abandoned high-rise near Madison Square Park, Leroy and his gang were taking a breather after a successful case.
- Boss, what the fuck?! Why did I get to collect lava from the old Monks and Billy got Coach Crunch?! It's not fair, there's more money being shaken from the Germans! - resented the young Latino.
- Toki, you've never been able to look at the big picture, we break down the impact by the degree of response. Tell me, would you have managed to scare that Nazi?
- Well....no boss," the Latino said with a sigh.
- Neither could I, - the sturdy negro said mentorily. - And our good friend Billy did it perfectly well.
- And yet...
The gangsters' quarrel was interrupted by a sudden switch off of the light.
- WHAT THE HELL?!
- Quiet! Billy, to the window, Toki, you and me to the door," Leroy said in a collected voice.
The bandits took up their positions as suddenly there was the sound of the ceiling collapsing from above. The lights that had been switched off did not improve the situation.
Because of the darkness and the rising dust, the criminals couldn't see anything.
But it wouldn't help them.
Something approached Billy with unnatural speed. Before he could even cry out, his head smashed through the window. It was enough to knock the massive big man unconscious.
- What is that?!
- I don't know! Shoot it! - Leroy and Toki opened fire, but the silhouette got out of the line of fire.
- Wait, we might hit Billy!
- Fuck him! I can't see a thing!
- Stay close, he can't have got away,'' the boss and his sidekick moved towards their downed comrade.
They didn't realise the intruder was watching them from the far wall.
- Billy, wake up Billy! - Leroy began shaking one of his largest fighters.
- I can't believe it only took the blond to take one hit," Toki said shocked. He knew how much damage Billy had taken in the same fights.
- That means our guest is not a weakling," the criminal said, reloading his gun.
- Daredevil? - Trying to pull himself together, the Latino asked.
- Maybe. Darkness is his thing, but what does he want in the suburbs? The Devil keeps his nose out of Hell's Kitchen.
The bandits' negotiations were interrupted by a couch flying in their direction.
Leroy dodged it, but Toki got hit.
- Toki, Toki!
The Latino was unconscious.
- All right, dickhead, here I come! - Leroy started shooting around the dark corners. - I'm here! - another weird squeak and a gunshot. - Come on! - The next shot was marked only by the clang of an empty clip.
- Finished? - A guy in a black suit came out of the shadows.
- Who the hell are you! - the thug reached for a new magazine.
Unnaturally fast the loner approached the criminal and, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket, threw him into the wall.
- 'I advise you not to get up,' the vigilante approached the subdued bandit.
Abruptly Leroy jumped up and rushed with a knife at the intruder. However, the suit completely calmly dodged each lunge and grabbed the offender's hand and snapped his arm, bringing his face to the floor.
- Enough," the vigilante said coldly.
- What the fuck are you, you fucking prick! - Leroy yelled in pain and shock.
- I'm Rukarakt, but with your and your kind's education, you can just call me Rukt. - The vigilante explained calmly.
- Motherfucker! - shouted the man, trying to break free of the steel grip. - Wait, wait, are you the shadow that destroyed three points in our neighbourhood? The guys call you Dusk.
- I don't care, suit nails the thug to the wall. - Now listen up, you're done with your racketeering activities. Whether or not you're in business with Shieldbearer like everyone else in this neighbourhood doesn't matter. I'm tired of teaching rubbish like you that it's not good to rip off old people, so," the dark man intercepted Leroy's forearm.
There was an audible crunch.
- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!! - The bandit's wild screams echoed through the abandonment.
- If I see you continuing to do your business, I'll kill you, I promise.
Leaving the threat hanging in the air, the vigilante leapt out the broken window.
End of Flashback.
The development of the new suit had taken place in record time. No wonder, because it didn't have to be fiddled with as much detail as the spider web pattern on the classic suit. The style came out simple and clear. In addition, it managed to combine several joints that made the suit more durable and resistant to damage.
The decision to create a new personality was justified by the desire to keep the purity of the suit as a symbol and Spidey's personality in particular, from being particularly cruel. Rukt will now be in charge of the dirty work.
Flying over the overpass.
Another mask hiding me.
Still, my uncle's death, and its subsequent effect on Mei, has shattered me.
At first I thought the gloom had lifted: my aunt had been operated on, I was back in society, trying to put the spider's affairs in order. But it all went wrong again.
A memory.
- Betty, hi.
- Pete, it's good of you to come, but I'm afraid the boss is too--
- PARKER! MY OFFICE NOW?!
The girl gave me a look of pity. I made my way to Jonah's den, uncomprehending.
The chief, seated at his desk and glowing with displeasure, tossed me a newspaper.
- Look.
I picked up the latest issue of the Daily Globe. On the front page was a picture of Spider-Man and Captain Stacy shaking hands, accompanied by the headline - "SENSATION! ESTEEMED POLICE CAPTAIN RECOGNISES NEW NEW YORK HERO."
- Now tell me, Parker, why didn't my best photographer PREPARED to take pictures of an incident that every ROTUS in the city took pictures of?!
- Mr Jameson, I--
- I don't need your excuses! Those degenerates sang the Spider Menace's praises, and I couldn't run an article with your old photos, it would have buried my reputation.
Robbie walked into the room, the old mentor looked at me with pity.
- Oh Robbie, it's good you're here. You're going to be a witness. Congratulations, Parker, you're fired.
I stood, but there was no disappointment on my face, just anger.
Robbie wanted to say something, but at that moment, I exploded.
- Now you listen to me, you stubborn sheep! This may come as news to you, but the whole world doesn't revolve around your confrontation with Spider, sometimes people have unforeseen circumstances, but that's not what this is about. If you're such a shortsighted idiot that you're firing your UNOFFICIAL employee because you can't bask in your own ego and slime the man who stopped a real criminal before he destroyed a homeless shelter and hospital in yet another article, you're welcome! I'm sure my talent as a photographer will be appreciated at a normal publishing house that WOULD at least employ me, have a nice day, John!
I slam the door behind me, to the shocked stares of not only Jameson and Robbie, but seemingly every employee on the floor.
I throw Betty a parting smile and leave.
End of memory.
Yeah, after that, it seemed like it couldn't get any worse.
Landing on the roof.
Flashback
Three days ago.
- So how am I doing, Doc?
Things have been so crazy lately, I completely forgot about Maria. Luckily, I managed to get away to see Crawford now.
- I'm sorry I didn't come when you asked, but my life's a mess right now.
- It's okay, Spider, it's even good that you gave me time for additional tests, even if unknowingly, - Maria's voice was concentrated, but anxious.
- Somehow I don't like your attitude, Doc. What's wrong with me?
- I've been studying your blood, and I'm afraid I have some bad news. You're right, your cells are mutating at an advanced rate. If you had delayed the problem, the consequences would have been irreversible. Now we have time.
- Wait! Time for what? What do you mean, irreversible? What consequences?!
That's all I need to be happy.
Uncle's dead. Auntie's depressed. I've been sacked from my job, ruining my prospects. And now the threat of turning into a monster.
- Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm being too pragmatic as usual. Look," the girl gave me a seat at the microscope.
I jump off the wall, which has become my "chair" in this lab, and look.
- What do you see?
- Cells are dividing at an unnaturally fast rate. Even for a mutated organism, it could be a threat of genetic regression.
- You're a scientist? - Maria didn't expect this kind of analysis.
- More like just smart," I try to keep my face in front of the circumstances.
- I'm sorry," Crawford tries to be supportive, seeing how I'm crushed by the news.
- Thanks, Doc. You were talking about the decision?
- Yes. I'm sure I can develop a serum that will stabilise your condition, but I'm not sure it's permanent...
- It's worth a try.
- Okay, but you have to get a fresh blood sample every few days.
- Got it.
The woman put her hand on my shoulder.
- We'll be fine, Spidey.
- Thank you, Dr Crawford.
- It's just Maria.
End of Flashback.
Since that day, I've just been lost. Mentally, I was prepared for the possibility of turning into a spider monster, but why now?!
This is so bad timing.
I accidentally fly to the roof of a warehouse across from Garden Park. That's where I keep the Rukaract suit.
Lest anyone draw any parallels between Rukt and Spider, I don't use the web in it.
Sure, the eyes are similar, but I think the overall grim look of the costume and my behaviour will blur that detail.
I liked the design of the lenses too much.
What time is it?
I glance at the timer running in the nearest advertising booth.
It's time, I'm late. It's not nice to keep a girl waiting.
It didn't take long to get to a place so familiar from the route of many patrols.
- Almost on time, well done, Spidey.
A small picnic area opened up to me. A coloured blanket adorned the concrete roof, and a picnic basket, a bucket with champagne and, of course, candles completed the picture.
- Ready? - Black Cat asked with slyness in her eyes.