Looking at the swarm of police officers who had appeared so suddenly, Holm couldn't help but feel shocked. He had always heard people talk about how inefficient and sluggish the police were, whether it be in his past real life or the movies he watched, but here he could see an entirely different scene, guess NYPD was not bound by this rule of showing up late.
As Holm turned his gaze toward Spider-Woman, who was standing a short distance away, he couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind. She noticed him watching, and as their eyes met, George Stacy's voice echoed across the area through a loudspeaker, cutting through the tense silence with a sharp, demanding-authoritative tone.
The police officers around them raised their pistols, each of them focused squarely on Spider-Woman in the center of the scene, waiting for George Stacy's command. In a flash, Spider-Woman made her move, launching herself in Holm's direction.
"Yeah, I figured this was coming," Holm muttered, bracing himself as he raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, knowing full well what would come next. He wasn't planning to make any sudden moves. Instead, he simply hoped his makeshift plan would keep him out of the line of fire.
Spider-Woman's figure quickly closed the distance between them and the police officers' aim followed her every movement.
"Stand down! Don't fire!" George shouted, trying to prevent any accidents.
But despite his warning, a shot rang out, the sound piercing through the tense air. Maybe the officer was startled by George's sudden shout, or perhaps it was the pressure of the situation. Either way, the bullet was now shooting straight towards Holm. Without missing a beat, Spider-Woman, halfway to the alley, reacted instinctively, firing a line of webbing at Holm and yanking him out of the bullet's path just in time. The bullet narrowly missed him but grazed her arm instead.
Holm found himself unexpectedly pulled into Spider-Woman's embrace, feeling her arms wrap around him.
He had been ready to dodge the bullet himself, knowing that no matter how unreliable Venom could be, it would kick in to protect him. But Spider-Woman, unaware of his abilities, had stepped in to save him.
It was a strange feeling, and Holm couldn't help but think, 'I'm supposed to be the one doing the rescuing, aren't I?'
But Spider-Woman didn't pause. Still holding Holm, she pivoted toward a nearby alley and began to swing them both away, firing web after web to navigate through the buildings. He couldn't deny that being carried through the air like this, flying past buildings, was exhilarating. The thrill of movement was far more intense than anything he'd felt on any amusement park ride.
Amid the excitement, Venom's voice piped up, its tone curious. "I'm sensing an interesting chemical response in your brain. What's that about?"
Holm rolled his eyes, scoffing. "It's called 'if you don't shut up, you're not getting any more chocolate.'"
Venom fell silent, clearly taken aback. It had been ready to react to the bullet but by then Spider-Woman had already pulled Holm away and now, it sulked, as if determined to redeem itself the next time something dangerous happens.
Holm could sense Venom's dejection, so he chose to ease up, giving a straightforward explanation. "The human brain releases different chemicals depending on the stimulus. Don't ask me to name them all, though. Look it up yourself. You don't need to sleep, right?"
As Holm was speaking, the rhythm of their flight faltered, and he felt them begin to free-fall. Spider-Woman tried to shoot another web, but the strain on her injured arm threw off her aim. Holm reacted quickly, wrapping his arms around her, shifting their position to control their descent.
He angled them toward a narrow alleyway, navigating the descent with precision. Using the fire escapes and railings as makeshift steps, he broke their fall with a series of calculated movements, guiding them safely down.
Spider-Woman was visibly stunned, her eyes widening as she registered Holm's agility and strength. His ability to control their descent made it clear he wasn't just an average civilian.
"Your arm needs a bandage," Holm said, breaking her out of her reverie. She quickly slipped out of his arms, as if the sudden proximity made her self-conscious.
Her wounded arm was still bleeding, and her father's harsh words about Spider-Woman, constantly labelling her as a criminal, echoed in her mind, intensifying the pain. She thought about Peter, the accident, and how complicated things had become with her father, who now viewed her as a criminal.
Holm, noticing her distracted state, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pack of gauze. As a trained agent, he always kept basic medical supplies on him. He also had a pack with painkillers, hemostatic agents, and even a small sewing kit for emergencies.
He took out a packet of hemostatic powder, tore it open before sprinkling it over her wound. Then he carefully wrapped her arm in gauze, before tying it nearly to finish.
"There. That should hold," Holm said, satisfied with his work. Once again, his agent training came in handy.
Spider-Woman looked down at the bandage, then back at Holm, her curiosity piqued. Everything about him—his reflexes, his calm in a crisis, the way he carried medical supplies as if it were second nature—hinted that he was no ordinary person. And he made no attempt to hide any of this from her, as if he were inviting her to make her own assumptions.
As intrigued as she was, Gwen's instincts reminded her to keep her distance. Life had taught her to be cautious about trusting others, especially now when she was a wanted vigilante with secrets she couldn't afford to share.
She took a few steps back, maintaining eye contact with Holm, then shot a web toward a distant building.
"Thanks," she said softly.
Before Holm could respond, she had already disappeared, swinging gracefully away through the buildings.
Holm watched her go, noticing the hint of caution in her gaze. He chuckled, shaking his head slightly, and reached into his pocket, pulling out an FBI badge. Just then, the sound of sirens echoed in the distance, growing louder as they closed in.
In seconds, several police cars came screeching to a halt at the entrance of the alley, tires screeching as officers walked out of the cars, guns ready.
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Thank you all for reading, hope you are liking this fic.
If you see any unwanted thing in this chapter or any other chapter, please let me know.
By unwanted things I mean, any racist sentence, any Chinese propoganda and all. Though I truly hope you all don't come across them as that will mean that I have done my work. :)