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***
Ibid.
- Say that again, Gonzalez," George became much more focused.
- "There's been a series of explosions at Raft Prison, the systems have been hacked and the inmates are rioting, there are fatalities, we've miraculously managed to get a message from the prison staff over the radio frequencies," the officer reports.
- Shit!" Stacey grabs the radio, "all patrols, head for the pier! We need to send as many people to the island as possible.
- I'm coming with you," Spider muttered, silently analysing the information.
In response, the captain only nodded.
- You come with me," the grey-haired man walked past the dazed newcomer and started down the stairs.
George walked all the way through the police station to his personal car, completely ignoring the surprised and questioning looks his colleagues threw at the quietly following hero in a suit.
Stacy unlocked the car and got into the driver's seat, Spider took the seat next to him.
- Hang in there," the captain said casually as he stepped on the gas.
The car sped out of the car park at lightning speed. The speed only increased with each block.
- I understand we're in a hurry, Chief, but we're hardly in a hurry to get to the other side! - There was more surprise in the passenger's voice than actual fear for his life.
George himself could only contemplate the situation. He had never had a mass escape from a prison before, especially one like the Raft. After all, in addition to maniacs, murderers and repeat offenders, there are super criminals imprisoned there. The thought made Stacy shiver. They, with the support of SWAT, helicopters and all the patrols, would not be able to cope with even the same Rhinoceros, and in prison there are many more enemies. The Captain cast a quick glance at the unaccustomedly silent Spidey. It's a good thing he went.
- You're quiet, is something wrong? - The policeman was the first to speak.
Stenolaz didn't answer right away.
- I think. There's a hell of a lot of criminals with superpowers in the Raft at the moment and, I'm the one who put a lot of them in there.
- Worried they won't be happy to see you? - George tried to joke.
- I'm worried about how much mayhem they'll do and whether I did the right thing," Spider said thoughtfully, looking out the window.
- What do you mean? - Stacy frowned, looking at the road.
- Leaving them to the police rather than killing them, for example," the web thrower turned and looked at George carefully. - What do you think, Captain?
- I think you need to get all that crap out of your head, lad," the policeman turned towards the harbour, taking his eyes off the road and looking closely at the hero. - Our path isn't always easy, Spider-Man, but it's the right path. Yes, killing criminals like Rhino and Electro might have put out a few fires, but in the long run, what would have come of it? And how many would you have sent to the graveyard before the police, for example, were sent after you? Or would you have killed them too?
- Of course not, George. It's just, if it's the bad guys that got away, it's my responsibility.
- No, lad, if anyone gets hurt, it's not your fault, it's theirs. If you take responsibility for every creep who robs an old lady, you could easily go mad. Besides, you can just as easily blame me and the police and the prison staff and so on down the list.
- You don't have my powers.
- And you're just one man, remember. So don't get philosophical, but get ready, it's gonna be hot on the island.
- Yes, sir.
George thought that Spider's voice became more cheerful.
Ten minutes later the police captain's private car joined the police patrol motorcade. The journey to the harbour passed quickly enough and finally at least thirty police cars stopped at the quay.
The guys in blue began to unload.
Peter noted that there were at least six dozen cops.
George moved some distance away from the crowd and, climbing onto one of the cars, activated the loudspeaker.
- Attention, everyone! As you know, there's a riot at Raft prison, I've been informed that SWAT teams have already moved in on helicopters. Half of those present here will stay in the harbour and watch for approaching transports from the sea, the rest will go to the island and provide control together with the guards and special forces, is everything clear?
There were thunderous confirming answers.
- All right! Get ready.
The policemen remained waiting for the service boats and furtively looked at the focused Spider.
***
Meanwhile.
"Raft."
Herman Schultz.
The mercenary, who once called himself Shocker, followed the man in the imposing high-tech armour and his blockmate, Adrian Tooms.
Their path lay to the prison yard. Herman was completely unaware of the layout of the prison, except for the location of the mess hall and courtyard. Except that the guards usually led them the other way.
- Are we sure we're going the right way? - The old man asked irritably. He too seemed to be confused by this dubious trek.
In response, the man the strange man in the hologram called Beetle was silent.
Maybe joining the riot was a bad idea?
Suddenly, Beetle turned towards the toilets.
- Well, great, you have to pee right now? - Schultz asked, irritated with his own irritation.
The mercenary was silent again, he just took a small round thing out of his glove and placed it on the wall.
There was an explosion.
- Okay, I'll shut up," the criminal says, looking at the shattered brick wall, "you're tough, man.
Beetle just walks on, and Tooms just snorts.
We end up in the outer courtyard. There's a frenzied action in the middle, with two super freaks going wild clearing the area of guards. Rhino manages on the ground, while Electro, with his charges, shoots at the guards in the towers.
Beetle's flying towards them.
- Should we go after him? - Tooms asks the prisoner, but the old man, without dignifying him with an answer, walks forward.
Herman sighs and follows the old man.
*
Many of the convicts, seeing a definite force gathering in the centre of the yard, began to gather in a circle, strengthening the position of the rioters. Some of them were banging on the concrete with batons taken from the guards, some were shouting, but the mass was still divided and trying to achieve something on their own.
A few minutes later there was the distant sound of helicopter blades, and some prisoners looked up, distracted. A large police helicopter began to land rapidly in the yard of the site.
The guards rejoiced.
However.
The right landing door opened.
- What are you waiting for, Beetle, jump! - shouted a man in a police uniform.
The mercenary calmly flew through, beckoning his targets to act likewise. Those who had been spoken to did not hesitate. Rhino, Electro, Vulture, and Shocker ran towards the chopper in a friendly manner. Some of the criminals tried to follow them, but the Latverian mercenary shot at them accurately, sending several into eternal slumber with headshots. As soon as the fourth fell, the flow of the willing fell off completely.
- Are you kidding me?! Take us with you! - shouted a short criminal with short-cropped blond hair and green eyes.
- Chill out, Gargan, as you can see we can't afford the ticket for this bird.
- What do you suggest, Montana?
- Find another way.
Meanwhile, the helicopter took off.
The criminals inside were silent for a while, and Dillon was the first to speak.
Max walked to the cockpit.
Inside Electro saw a slight ripple on the body of the guy in a police uniform, and now on the pilot's seat sat a man in a business suit and a white balaclava mask.
- Look, mate, I'm grateful and all, but those guys over there," the mutant pointed to a shoal of helicopters just ahead, "they're not likely to let us out.
- Don't worry about it," Chameleon mumbled and began tuning his radio. - Ten-four, over, says flight seventeen, we are flying from the island, there is a badly wounded guard in the cockpit, we need urgent medical assistance, do you copy, over.
The reply came almost instantly.
- Flight seventeen, we hear you well, over, fly, you will be allowed through the outpost, good luck.
- Copy that, over and out
- Not bad," Tooms said.
- Where are we going? - Schultz asked a question when he came to his senses.
- To meet the boss," replied the spy in the white mask.
The helicopter began to fly in a direction known only to the pilot.
***
Meanwhile, the Path to the Raft.
Spider-Man.
Comfortably perched on the metal railings of the police barge, watching as we relentlessly approached the island.
"Raj, what do you think the chances are that the riot has been successfully quelled, no one has escaped, and I can go home in peace and get some sleep?"
"Shall I give you an honest answer, Peter?"
"No, lie."
"I'm sure it's all over by now."
"Well, thank you," I smirk.
"Why are you so worried?"
"Apart from the fact that it's the Raft, and it's full of criminals who've been made comfortable in the zone by me? Plus the fact that I'm not in the best of shape."
"Then why the trip?"
"To confirm my worst fears."
The island drew inexorably closer.
Finally the barge docked at the island's small harbour, where a SWAT team, led by a woman who looked nothing like a SWAT team.
George came out from our delegation.
- Captain Stacey? - the dark-haired Asian woman asked a question.
- Exactly, may I ask your name, officer?
- Watanabe. Yuri Watanabe. Please follow me," the woman turned round.
All of Stacy's squad chose to follow their captain.
I step ahead of the others and stand next to George and the Yuri I knew before. The girl only casts a quick glance at me, full of interest.
We pass the main gates of Raft quietly. We pass through the security rooms and corridors and enter the courtyard.
To my surprise, the place is full of landed helicopters and special forces. The riot has been quelled.
"Interesting, I thought I'd have to crawl all over the prison and deal with the prisoners," I turn to the symbiote.
"Apparently, the law enforcement agencies don't just eat their bread," Raj says reasonably.
- Thanks to Oscorp's security systems, the staff was quickly able to regain control of the Raft, and the SWAT team arrived with only the most heated," Detective Watanabe reports.
- Any data on the escapees? - I ask a question.
The policewoman looks at me with the same interest.
- Right now, the technicians are restoring access to the cells, but there's verbal confirmation from the guards that five prisoners escaped in a fake police helicopter.
- Five, including the pilot?
I wish it was, not the six, not the six.
- The techs should have finished, follow me," Yuri left my question unanswered.
Let's go to the technical rooms. Inside there are several ice axes swarming in the system.
- Anything? - the policewoman turns to the blond guy with the glasses.
- Not much, Detective Watanabe, we've managed to regain control of the system, but in some places the virus is still preventing access.
- Do you mind if I give it a try? - I turn to the people around me.
Everyone looks at me in surprise, but George nods in agreement.
I go to the computer and begin to work the technomagic. If I'm not mistaken, the structure of the prison's security system should be based on the same algorithms as the Shield's database, only much more simplified, and since I've recently put my own spyware into a similar system, all I have to do is backtrack from the anti-virus point of view, and...
- Done.
- Really? - The blond exclaimed in surprise and ran to the monitor. - Unbelievable.
- Thank you, - it's always nice when skills are appreciated.
I adjust the camera footage while George and Yuri stand to my right and left.
A picture begins to flicker on the monitor, showing a shadow in the painfully familiar grey-purple armour.
- What's that blurry thing? - George squints.
- Worst fears.
I'm transferring the recording to the interior of the lower levels. The monitor flashes a picture of the compartment where the supercriminals are being held. Rhino and Electro are chatting sweetly to a hologram with familiar metal limbs.
Oh, no.
- Are you seeing this too? - Clarifies the guy with the glasses.
- George, remember the Dr Octopus case? - ignoring the officiousness, I ask Stacey a question.
- The bloke with the metal tentacles? Yeah.
- What happened to him?
- There was some confusion upstairs, and Octavius was assigned to his employer....Norman Osborn for treatment," the captain said, as if he'd guessed something.
Osborne.
I involuntarily clenched my hands into fists.
- Good, because if my eyes are correct, the good doctor is responsible for the escape of dangerous criminals.