In the dimly lit lab beneath Fisk Tower, the atmosphere felt thick with tension. Kingpin, in his usual sharp suit, paced slowly as he observed the various projects that were being put together in his private underground facility. His eyes flicked over a large glass casing, inside of which sat a sleek, glistening wing suit. He moved past it, his broad frame brushing by the polished glass as he continued his walk. His gaze shifted to another display—a set of four mechanical arms, ominously displayed and clearly the result of years of scientific innovation. He didn't pause for long, though. His focus remained laser-sharp as he walked toward another section of the lab.
His companion, a man dressed in a sharp suit, followed closely behind, staying silent. Kingpin's eyes narrowed as they landed on a jar containing a shifting black goo. The substance seemed to pulse with a life of its own, moving restlessly inside the jar, as if eager to be unleashed. Kingpin stood for a moment, watching it, a small glimmer of anticipation in his eyes.
Continuing down the lab, Kingpin's gaze lingered on a green bottle with the word "Goblin" clearly marked on it, a chilling reminder of the experiments that could turn someone into something more than human. He didn't stop there either.
Finally, they reached a large steel door, and Kingpin stopped in front of it. He glanced at the man beside him and gave a curt nod. The door opened with a hiss, revealing a green-suited figure standing beside a lab table. His red hair gleamed under the sterile light of the room.
"Mister Fisk, the volunteer and the suit are ready," the man, Norman Osborn, said with a hint of nervousness.
Kingpin's lips curled into a smirk, but there was no humor in it. "This better work, Norman. Or there will be a problem."
Norman nodded quickly, a fearful look flashing across his face. He didn't waste a moment, rushing toward the lab table where a scarred man lay unconscious. Above him, the suit—sleek, mechanical, and dangerous—hung suspended, waiting to be activated.
Norman pulled a lever, and the suit activated, descending onto the man's body. The scarred figure convulsed as the suit bonded with his skin, the mechanical parts clicking into place, causing the man to scream in agony. Kingpin's expression didn't change. He simply watched, his lips curling into a satisfied smile.
"Soon, the Spider will be crushed," Kingpin muttered under his breath, his eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction.
Back in Ben's apartment, Johnny sat at the small dining table, leafing through the pile of files they had received from Matt. His brow furrowed as he scanned the pages, the gravity of what they were reading beginning to sink in.
"Damn, this is… a lot," Johnny muttered, eyes glued to the pages. The list of crimes Kingpin was suspected of committing was long—endless, it seemed. From money laundering to murder, everything was connected to Kingpin. But what caught their attention the most was a name that stood out among the rest—Norman Osborn.
"The guy who's running for mayor?" Johnny asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ben nodded, a frown tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yeah. According to these files, he's worked with Kingpin on more than one occasion."
Johnny looked up with an idea brewing in his mind. "What if you sneak into his office and find out what he's hiding? Maybe we can get something on him."
Ben shook his head. "No. That's too drastic. If we can't figure out anything else, then we'll turn to that. But we need to be smarter about it."
Johnny sighed but nodded in agreement. Before they could continue the conversation, Ben's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID, a smile spreading across his face.
"It's Felicia," he said, picking up the phone. "She wants to grab some food. I'll meet her at the pizza place."
Johnny grinned. "Go, man. I'll keep looking through these files."
Ben grabbed his jacket and left the apartment, heading for the pizzeria where Felicia was waiting.
At the pizzeria, Ben and Felicia were having a great time. They laughed, shared slices of pizza, and talked about everything and nothing. Felicia seemed to be in a good mood, but her demeanor changed when she suddenly looked down at her plate, her expression turning serious.
"There's something I've been meaning to tell you," she said, her voice soft, almost hesitant.
Before Ben could respond, his spider sense went haywire. His body tensed, a chill running down his spine as a car careened toward the restaurant, barreling down the street with reckless speed. Without thinking, he dove forward, grabbing Felicia and pulling her out of harm's way, just as the car crashed through the front windows of the pizzeria. The impact sent debris flying everywhere, and the screech of metal against concrete filled the air.
Ben's heart raced as he stood up, his breath coming in short bursts. Felicia was unconscious in his arms. He didn't hesitate—he rushed outside with her and laid her gently on the curb, just as an ambulance arrived. As the paramedics took over, Ben's mind raced with worry. He couldn't afford to let his guard down, not even for a moment.
As the ambulance drove off, Ben ducked into an alley, quickly changing into his Spider-Man suit. He was about to swing into action when he heard shouting up ahead.
Police officers were clustered around a man in a green suit with a scorpion tail, his movements erratic and dangerous. He was yelling something about Spider-Man and lunging at officers with his tail, narrowly missing them as he rampaged through the street.
Spider-Man swung into action, kicking the man in the chest, sending him crashing into a nearby wall. But the man bounced back to his feet with ease, his eyes flashing with a fierce, manic intensity.
"Spider-Man! There you are!" the man yelled, his voice thick with hatred.
Spider-Man crouched in a ready stance, glaring at the man. "Who are you?"
The man stood up and adjusted his suit with a smug grin. "The name's Scorpion," he replied. "And I'm gonna enjoy taking you down."
Spider-Man's heart raced. "A little on the nose, but okay."
What followed was a brutal battle. Scorpion was fast, strong, and relentless. Spider-Man dodged, countered, and fought back with everything he had, but it wasn't enough. Scorpion's tail slashed through the air, landing heavy blows on Spider-Man's body, leaving him bruised and battered.
As the fight wore on, Spider-Man's movements grew sluggish. A bone cracked as Scorpion slammed him into the side of a building, sending him sprawling to the ground. Spider-Man barely had time to react before Scorpion loomed over him, preparing to strike with his deadly tail.
In desperation, Spider-Man reached into a nearby fire extinguisher and sprayed it directly at Scorpion's face, the foam clouding his vision. Scorpion recoiled, growling in frustration. "You won't get away this time, Spider-Man!"
But Spider-Man didn't wait for him to recover. He used the distraction to launch himself into the alleyways, swinging toward his apartment with whatever strength he had left.
He stumbled through the window of his apartment, his body aching with the pain of broken bones and bruises. Johnny looked up from the table, his eyes widening in alarm as Spider-Man collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
"Ben!" Johnny shouted, rushing to his side. He shook him gently, panic rising in his chest. "Ben, wake up!"
But Spider-Man didn't respond. The battle had taken everything out of him, and for the first time in a long while, Ben Parker was powerless.
Chapter End.