Chapter 9: I: The Scorpion
It was December 13rd at 19:45 PM, and Peter and Gwen wandered the street. It's been over a week since the battle with Sandman, and MJ has been giving Peter the cold shoulder.
"MJ still giving you the cold shoulder, huh?" Gwen asked.
"Yeah, and I can't really blame her," Peter sighed.
"Don't you think this would be easier if you told her the truth?" Gwen asked.
"I told you when you broke up with me," Peter reminded her.
"Because it took you forever to tell me the truth; I mean, I understand why you kept it hidden, but I found the lack of trust insulting."
"And I'm sorry I kept it hidden from you."
"And I accept the apology, but I don't feel as if we're a good match now. Look, Pete, you don't tell MJ soon; the two of you are going to fall apart."
Peter was about to send something when he suddenly sensed his spider-sense going off.
"Something wrong?" Gwen asked, recognising the look on his face.
"I think we're being followed," Peter whispered.
Gwen quickly pulled out her compact and used the mirror to look behind them. Sure enough, in the mirror, they could see a man in a trench coat tailing them.
"Looks like we have a tag-along," she said.
"But why are they following us?" Peter frowned.
"Or maybe they're just following you."
Peter looked at her, startled. "You don't think that he thinks I'm Spider-Man or something?"
"I don't know, but you had better find out," she said.
"Okay, guess I'll see you tomorrow," said Peter.
"Just don't do anything crazy."
The two of them immediately separated, and Peter immediately entered an alleyway and quickly climbed up the walls. He then changed into his costume just as the man in the trench coat made his way down the alleyway. Clearly, he had been following him just as Gwen predicted.
"Where did that kid go?" he said to himself.
"Let's see what you're after," he said.
Spider-Man fired a web line, catching the man and yanking them up towards him. The man screamed, losing his trilby hat in the process.
"Good now, but notice that you seem to be following a pair of kids around," said Spider-Man, bringing them up to his face. "Care to explain why the interest?"
"I'm not looking to mog the kid," he said quickly.
"Then why take an interest?" Spider-Man asked.
"I'm not interested in him at all; I'm just a normal bloke."
"Look, mate, and trying to be nice, but if you don't start telling me the truth, I might just end up dropping you," Spider-Man warned, easing his hand slightly, causing the webbing to slip slightly. "And that we tell you it's not to be a pleasant mess to clean up."
"All right! All right!" he cried. "My name is Mac Gargan, and I'm just a private investigator; I was hired to tail the Parker kid."
"And who hired you?" Peter pressed.
"That's private information!"
"Shame because my hand is starting to get tired," said Spider-Man, easing his hand again.
"No, you wouldn't do that," said Gargan, starting to look worried. He then looked at him with a hopeful look. "You're supposed to be some big hero, aren't you?"
Spider-Man realised he had to be a bit more aggressive if he wanted Gargan to spill the beans, so he released him. Gargan's screams could fill an entire opera house, but just before he hit the ground, Spider-Man fired another web line and pulled him back up.
"If you're still not willing to talk, we can find a more fireproof rooftop if you like, and we can continue this conversation," Spider-Man offered.
"J Jonah Jameson hired me," Gargan cried. "Now, will you please let me go?"
"As you wish, but Jolly Jonah, he should hire someone with a bit more backbone and someone much smarter."
Spider-Man released him and began screaming again, but instead of hitting the pavement, he landed in a dustbin, which, unfortunately for him, was full of trash.
"I hope that smell improves your complexion!" Spier-Man called as he swung off.
Gargan glared at him. "You'll regret this! No one makes a fool out of Mac Gargan!"
He heard a noise above him, looked up at the waste disposal pipe, and realised what was coming down.
"Oh no," he said.
Moments later, waste fell right down on top of him, covering him from head to toe.
It was 20:56 PM and MJ was currently at Aunt Anna's, doing her nails in the living room, when she saw Peter return home. He didn't look pleased, but at the current moment, MJ couldn't care less and turned her head away from him.
"Mary Jane, I think you've made your point," said Aunt Anna.
"He ditched me on a date, Aunt Anna," MJ pointed out.
"And he apologised, but you know how busy he is," she said gently.
MJ sighed. "I know, but when we're dating, I would prefer it if he actually tried to make some time for us. He seems to prioritise his job over his girlfriend. He is just like Dad was to Mom."
"That is an unfair accusation," said Aunt Anna. "That boy is anything like your father; he's not putting his career ahead of his family."
"He certainly is not giving that impression," MJ huffed.
"I won't deny the boy not making as much time with you as he should; comparing him to your father is uncalled for. You have to admit he's a lot better company than the other boys used to date."
MJ wished she could disagree, but Aunt Anna was right: Peter was undoubtedly a step up from the other boys in her life. Mind you, that wasn't exactly a hard bar to begin with, and Peter really wasn't doing himself any favours.
Peter got hope at about 21:09 and he immediately called Gwen to tell her what had just transpired.
"So your boss hired him to tail you?" said Gwen.
"Yeah, to find out how I got those fabulous photos of myself," Peter nodded.
"Well, I could understand his curiosity. I mean, you seem to be the only photographer in the entire city able to get good pics of Spider-Man, and you are rather secretive about it."
"I can hardly tell them that I'm Spider-Man, and I'm only taking pictures myself to earn some quick money. Besides, any photographer's work would never reveal how they got their photos. At least, unlike some photographers, I'm not capturing tabloid photos."
"Fair enough, but what's going to stop Jonah from doing it again. There's a good chance that he can continue tailing you."
"I don't think that private investigator he hired was the best, and I gave him a good scare."
"Can I say I don't exactly approve of that sort of thing?" Gwen scolded.
"Hey, I don't like doing it either, but if it throws Jonah off my back, I don't really care. I mean, I could hardly just burst into his office and demand to stop."
"I just hope this doesn't come to bite you."
The next day at 9:34 AM, Peter was at the Daily Bugle; he didn't have many photos to hand in, but he was hoping that Betty got a lead on this crime boss.
"Still nothing?" Peter asked.
"Only rumours, and rumours don't really sell on the front page," said Betty regretfully.
"I'm surprised that Jonah is allowing you to dig in on this," said Peter.
"That's the thing, he doesn't know that I'm investigating this on my own time," she whispered.
"Betty, if Jonah finds out you're going off on your own, he's gonna blow his top."
"Not unless I get him a front-page article," she winked. "He most certainly liked that article I made on Sandman."
Peter remembered the article, and while Betty praised his actions, that didn't stop Jonah from asking people whether he had staged it all.
"Seriously, Brant," said a new voice.
Peter turned and saw another reporter making his way towards them. His name was Eddie Brock. He was rather muscular with short blond hair.
"No one really cares about the truth, so long as you spin it into something enjoyable," said Brock.
"It's our job as reporters to report the truth," Betty glared.
"It's our job to make sure the newspapers get sold off the shelves. Don't get me wrong, your articles are certainly worth reading, but they're far too kind on Spider-Man. I mean, you're making him sound like he's some sort of hero."
"He is a hero," said Peter.
Brock scoffed. "Of course, you would say that, Parker. You're his personal photographer."
"You've made your point, Brock, but I'm still going to write things how I like," said Betty. "You want to put your own spin on things, fine by me, but at least I have my integrity."
"Sadly, integrity doesn't pay the bills," Brock laughed as he walked off.
"Don't let him get to you," said Peter, looking at Betty. "Personally, I find your articles rather engaging."
"Thanks, Pete. I can always count on you to—" She stopped as she sniffed the air and pinched her nose. "—What is that smell?"
Peter sniffed the air, and he could smell the horrible odour as well. He looked around, then saw Mac Gargan heading straight towards Jonah's office, clearly giving his report on what had happened the night before.
"What happened to him?" Betty frowned.
"Who knows?" Peter shrugged.
"You stink, Gargan," said Jonah as Gargan entered his office.
"It's not my fault, Mr Jameson," said Gargan. "I was doing as I was told, tailing the Parker kid."
"Well, did you find out how he got those photos?" Jonah asked.
"Uh, no, Spider-Man nabbed me before I had a chance, and then he threatened me. I might have ended up telling him that you're the one who hired me."
"Gargan, you're worthless," said Jonah disappointingly.
"Ah, jeez, Mr Jameson, don't call me names," said Gargan pathetically. "I've been called names my entire life."
"And I can see why," said Jameson, folding his arms. "It only took that masked menace five minutes for you to spill the beans. I mean, you're quite literally wetting your pants."
Gargan looked down and noticed for the first time that he had indeed wetted himself.
He looked down at the ground, humiliated. "That spider freak made me look ridiculous. People always try to find a way to make me look ridiculous."
"You are ridiculous, Gargan, but what would you say if I could help you make a name for yourself?" Jonah asked.
"Get back about wall-crawler," Gargan smiled. "I would kill for the chance."
"Then you're hired," Jonah smiled. "I may have a way to rid ourselves of that freak once and for all."
"How?"
"I know this brilliant scientist who just so happened to be working on something extraordinary. With his help, you get the power to squash that menace once and for all."
"And this is going to work?" Gargan asked.
"Sure, it will. If the law is not gonna do something about that menace, then it's time I take matters into my own hands."
It was 11:23 AM and MJ was currently at the Coffee Bean with Gwen.
"I see that Peter hasn't bothered to show up," MJ noticed.
"He had to do some work for the Daily Bugle," said Gwen. "Don't you think you're being a little harsh on him?"
"Gwen, I thought all of you would have my back," said MJ. "I mean, you used to date Peter. Did he ever do something like this to you?"
"Well, yes," Gwen admitted. "But that wasn't the reason we broke up; we just simply fell apart."
"Probably because the two of you didn't spend a lot of time with one another because he spent most of the time gallivanting off to who knows where."
Gwen sighed. "Look, MJ, I'm not saying what Peter did was typical of a normal boyfriend, but to be honest, he's not exactly normal."
"What do you mean by that?" MJ asked.
"Well, Peter feels as if he has to pick up the slack ever since his uncle was killed; he feels that the entire world rests on his shoulders. It's not that he doesn't want to spend time with you, MJ; it's just that everything is happening too fast for him to process."
"Still sounds like an excuse to me."
Gwen shook her head and got up. "Look, MJ, the world doesn't revolve around you. If you can't understand that, I'm not wasting my breath trying to make you understand."
MJ was about to protest, but Gwen left, leaving her completely alone.
"That was quite a heated argument," said a voice.
MJ looked up and saw Harry standing there.
"Harry?" MJ blinked. "How much of that did you hear?"
"Every little bit of it," he confessed.
"So, do you think I'm overreacting?"
"No, I think he's being an idiot ignoring such a beautiful woman," Harry smiled.
"Thanks, but all the same, do you think Gwen has a point?" MJ asked.
Harry shrugged. "From what I've heard, Pete is the one at fault here. I mean, every single girl he stated he seems to ignore and take for granted: you, Gwen and Liz Allen. If Peter can't find the time to be with his girl, then I think he doesn't deserve one."
MJ looked at Harry; she wasn't quite sure what to make of any of this. Some part of her was grateful that Harry was talking about her in such a way, but at the same time, it felt wrong. It's not that she didn't dislike Peter; he was smart, funny, and something much better than the other boys she had dated. However, she wished he could spend much more time with her.
It was 12:23 PM and Jonah soon escorted Gargan to a private laboratory where they came face-to-face with Doctor Stillwell.
"Is it ready, Stillwell?" Jonah asked.
"Everything is set. Is this the volunteer?" Stillwell asked, looking at Gargan.
"Mac Gargan, meet Doctor Farley Stillwell; he used to be a scientist working at Pym Tech," said Jonah.
"Until I left to start my own research," said Doctor Stillwell. "Mr Jameson was more than happy to fund my research."
"And what exactly am I volunteering for?" Gargan asked, looking concerned.
"I have been working on the human gene and have found a way to splice human DNA with other species. I believe that Spider-Man is a prime example of the finest blend of human and animal DNA. I do not know how he achieved those abilities, but I believe I can recreate something similar. In this case, I plan to use the DNA of a scorpion. If this experiment is successful, you will have enhanced strength, speed and agility."
"In English, doc," said Gargan, utterly clueless about science.
"In layman's terms, since Spider-Man appears to have the characteristics of a spider, we will be using a scorpion, which is the natural predator of a spider."
Gargan still didn't look entirely convinced of this idea.
Jonah then pulled to one side. "Gargan, you said you would kill for the chance to squash Spider-Man, did you not? You can either chicken out now and remain a loser for the rest of your life, or you can finally become someone. Make a choice."
"I'll do it," said Gargan.
"Then put this on," said Stillwell as he flicked off a light switch.
The lights went on, revealing a green costume which looked about two sizes too big for Gargan. He also noticed what looked like a tail with a sharp sting on the back.
"What is that?"
"This will be your battle suit," said Stillwell.
"Isn't it a little big?"
"Don't worry, you'll grow into it, and once you do, we will then attach the tail to your spinal cord."
"You attach the what to my what?" Gargan gasped.
"Do not worry; you won't feel a thing, and it will enhance your biting capabilities. The stinger is filled with hallucinogenic poison; not all, but it certainly confuses the enemy if they get stung. Beautiful, isn't it?"
"It should be, considering how much I paid for it," Jonah grumbled. "Right, let's get this over with."
Gargan began putting on the battle suit, though it didn't quite fit him. Regardless, he made his way onto the platform as Stillwell sat at the control console with Jonah behind him.
"Now we begin," said Stillwell as he pushed a button.
Mechanical arms then lowered, grasping Gargan's arms and legs. He then saw another pair of arms leaning towards them with syringes and began to inject him.
"Doc, what are you doing to me?" Gargan asked, starting to feel sick. "I feel strange."
"Easy, it's your body accommodating to the splicing," said Stillwell calmly.
Gargan then began to cry out in pain as his body began to grow; it was like every single muscle in his body was screaming at once.
"Stillwell, what's going on?" Jonah asked.
"He'll be okay," Stillwell assured him as he began pressing more buttons. "Now we begin fusing the tail."
More mechanical arms then lowered and appeared to weld the tail to his back. Gargan cried out even louder as he felt something being drilled into his spine.
"The pain will pass," said Stillwell.
"Shouldn't you be using anaesthesia or something?" Jonah asked.
"Anaesthesia could easily mess up the experiment, and we only have a short window until his DNA sequence is mixed with scorpion DNA. We have to use that time to attach the tail to his spinal cord. Just look, it's working."
Sure enough, Gargan was starting to fill into the suit; he was more rigid than he had been in his entire life. The tail they had fastened onto his back moved. It moved to his every command, and he used it to cut through the restraints on his arms and legs.
Jonah smiled upon seeing Gargan. "Spider-Man will at last meet his match."
It was 14:21 PM and Spider-Man was is swinging through the city, trying to get some air. He had three science papers to work on, plus she had the joys of studying all night for a big exam. Then, if things weren't bad enough, things were still on the rocks between him and MJ, and he wasn't certain if he could fix it.
He was so busy swinging through the city that he overlooked that a helicopter was tailing him.
"This is J3 Bravo; I have a Spider-Man citing, heading due south," the pilot reported.
"I copy that J3 Bravo," said a second pilot, who then turned to Jonah, who was sitting behind him. "We finally found him, Mr Jameson."
Jonah smiled. "Get ready, Scorpion."
"I hear ya," Scorpion smiled.
Spider-Man continued to swing through the city when suddenly his spider sense went off; a split second later, a green blur shot right by and sliced through his web line. He ended up falling but managed gracefully to land on a nearby rooftop, though he still had no idea what had just happened.
He then looked up and came face-to-face with Scorpion. "Who the heck are you?"
"A real hero, you freak," he smirked.
He then swung his tail directly at Spider-Man, who quickly somersaulted out of the way.
"I'm a freak? You're the one with the mechanical tail!" he pointed out. "I don't know what you're trying to do here; you're making a terrible first impression."
"Says the guy who dropped me in a garbage bin!" Scorpion growled as he swung his tail.
Spider-Man quickly noticed that the tip of his tail was laced with poison. He had no idea what it would do to the human body, but he suspected it would be pleasant. However, his immediate thoughts turned to what Scorpion had just said, and he soon realised who he was.
"Wait, you're that private investigator who was tailing the Parker kid?" he blinked.
He then looked up and saw a helicopter flying overhead. Looking down from the window with glee was J Jonah Jameson himself.
"Oh great, flattop is here, just what I need today."
He then quickly repositioned himself by sticking to a nearby wall, but Scorpion had disappeared from sight.
"Where did he go?" he said, looking around.
"Up here," said a voice above him.
He quickly looked up and saw Scorpion sticking to the wall. "I can stick to walls, too. Plus, I'm stronger and faster than you."
He swung his fist at Spider-Man, who quickly jumped out of the way. However, he swung his tail and grazed his arm.
"Yes! That's how it's done!" Jonah cheered from the helicopter.
Spider-Man quickly grabbed hold of the ledge, but he was already feeling somewhat dizzy, and his vision became blurry. He looked as if he were looking at two Scorpions.
"Ah, man, and I thought one was ugly enough," he groaned as he crossed his head.
"I'll show you ugly!" Scorpion roared, swinging his tail.
His tail struck Spider-Man in the chest and head, and it was so much force that he was sent flying off the roof. While his mind was still groggy, he was still able to fire a web line and land on the wall ledge.
It became clear to him that Scorpion wasn't the most stable person, and he worried about what would happen if they fought on the streets. The last thing he wanted was for innocent bystanders to be caught in the crossfire.
Unfortunately, before I had a chance to move, Scorpion landed right in front of him and began swinging his tail. Peter knew the toxin in his tail was bad enough with a single scrapie. He could only imagine what would happen if we got a bigger dose, but that wasn't his primary concern. As he swung his tail, Scorpion damaged the ledge, causing rubble to fall on the busy streets below.
He quickly fired some webbing to catch the ball and rubble before the bell rang for the passersby. Unfortunately, Scorpion didn't seem to notice this and struck him with his tail. He had worked so hard that he found himself falling right down the street and crashing into the top of a car.
"This is the end for you, little man," said Scorpion as he jumped down.
"Yes, that's it, Gargan!" Jonah cheered.
As Scorpion approached Spider-Man, people began to scream and run away, but his primary focus was on Spider-Man himself. Spider-Man managed to pick himself up as he was sore all over, not to mention still suffering from Scorpion's poison; he felt as if he was going to black out at any moment.
Spider-Man quickly fired some webbing, hoping to wrap him up, but he was able to slice through with his tail. He then punched him in the face, knocking him down into the middle of the road.
"Unmask him!" Jonah ordered.
Scorpion begins to approach Spider-Man and is just about to remove his mask when he suddenly feels a tin can hit him in the back of his head. He spun around and saw a little kid standing there.
"Leave Spidey alone, you freak!" he yelled.
"Who are you calling a freak, brat!" Scorpion snarled and swung his tail towards him.
He would have flattened the little boy if Spider-Man hadn't quickly fired some webbing to catch his tail, for it made contact.
"Picking on kids, shame on you," Spider-Man winced.
The boy's mother quickly rushed over and grabbed him, pulling him to safety. "Leave him alone, you monster!"
"Don't call me names!" Scorpion roared.
At that moment, the police arrived and immediately aimed their pistols at Scorpion.
"No sudden moves, freak!"
"We have you surrounded!"
Jonah was watching the scene from the helicopter. "Gargan, unmask Spider-Man this instant!"
"Don't you tell me what to do!" Scorpion roared.
"The nut job is talking to himself," said a policeman.
Spider-Man had no idea what was going on, but it was clear that Scorpion was starting to lose control.
"Everyone back away from him!" he yelled.
"And why should we take orders from you?" one of the policemen asked. "You're just as much of a freak as him."
"I'm not a freak!" Scorpion yelled and began swinging his tail angrily at everything around him.
He began crashing cars, slicing through lampposts and smashing fire hydrants. As this happened, he felt his body going through a massive amount of pain and started screaming in anguish.
"What's happening to me?" he yelled.
He then suddenly ran off, leaving behind destruction in his wake.
The policemen had managed to jump out of the way before he began smashing things.
"What's his deal?"
"No clue, but we'd better call for backup."
"Not a total loss. We still got the Spider-Freak."
"You might want to look again."
The policeman looked around and saw that Spider-Man was no longer there.
"Where did he go?"
"Who cares? At this point, I'm more concerned with the freak with the tail; he's the real menace here."
Jonah had seen the entire thing from his helicopter, and to say that he was devastated would have been an understatement.
"What have I done?" he said as he leaned back in his seat. He then looked at the pilot. "Take us back to base."
Spider-Man had enough strength to pull himself to a nearby rooftop, but every part of his body cried out in pain. He was clear that the Scorpion was no joke, plus that his venom made him even more dangerous. He would want nothing more than to chase after Scorpion. However, his body was still reeling, and he wanted a countermeasure against the toxin, so he decided to make his way home.
Meanwhile, Jonah had returned to the Daily Bugle building. He immediately made his way down to his office, where Robbie was watching the news.
"Have you seen this, Jonah?" Robbie asked.
Jonah looked at the news and saw that Betty was talking with Captain Stacy.
"This is Betty Grant from the Daily Bugle," she said. "And currently standing at the battle site between Spider-Man and Scorpion, as you can see behind me, a lot of damage was inflicted, but thankfully, thanks to Spider-Man and the police, no one was injured. Captain Stacy, what are your thoughts on this new villain?"
"I would advise all citizens to stay indoors until this Scorpion is apprehended; it is clear that he is mentally unstable," said Captain Stacy. "If you see the Scorpion, call the police immediately and do not approach him."
"What have I done?" Jonah groaned as he fell to his knees.
"You? What do you mean?" Robbie asked, confused.
Jonah looked up at him, ashamed. "Robbie, I helped create that thing."
Robbie's eyes widened in horror. "You made… Why would you do that?"
"For Julia, my wife," said Jonah as he turned his eyes to his desk, where there was a picture of him and his wife. "Years ago, a crime boss warned me to back off a story, but I refused. They sent a man after me, a man in a mask; he aimed at me but hit her. Now, I have sworn to keep this city safe from people who hide behind masks and think that they are above the law."
"That's exactly what your creation is doing," said Robbie furiously.
Jonah nodded. "You're right, Robbie. I've made a horrible mistake."
It was 15:57 when Peter made it back home and immediately headed to his lab in the basement. He had taken a blood sample and analysed it for toxins when Gwen came in.
"Peter!" she cried and hugged him. "I was so worried."
"I'm a little worse for wear, fine," Peter assured her.
"You sure?" Gwen asked, not entirely convinced. "Dad said that you got beaten up quite a lot."
"I won't lie, I was barely able to hold my own," Peter admitted.
"Just who was that?"
"The guy was tailing me the other night, believe it or not."
Gwen looked shocked. "What happened to him?"
"No clue, but it's clear what method even his powers made him immensely unstable, making him far more aggressive. I have to stop him before he hurts anyone else."
"But he nearly killed you, Pete," Gwen pointed out.
"Which is why the next time, interface in a fight smarter, not harder," he said as he turned back to his experiment. "I need to find an antidote for his venom. He only grazed me, and I started hallucinating almost instantly. If you inject me with a full dose, I don't even want to think about what could happen."
"You do lab partner?" Gwen asked.
Peter smiled. "Thought you'd never ask."
Doctor Stillwell became very aware of what was happening with Scorpion when he received a phone call from Jonah.
"Stillwell, Gargan is going on a rampage!" Jonah yelled.
"I know," said Stillwell frantically as he placed the phone between his ear and shoulder. "The genetic realignment is making him mentally unstable."
"Can't you do something?"
"I did warn you that it was experimental," Stillwell reminded him. "How could it have gone so horribly wrong? I was sure that I had covered all my basics."
Then suddenly, smashing through the wall, was Scorpion, whose skin was starting to turn greenish.
"Stillwell, fix me!" Scorpion demanded. "Turning back to what I was!"
"I can't!" Stillwell yelled terrifyingly as he dropped his phone. "The process is irreversible!"
"You knew this would happen to me!" Scorpion yelled.
"No, I had absolutely no idea; you have to believe me."
"I listen to both you and Jameson, and look where that got me!" Scorpion snarled as he raised his tail.
"No! No, don't!" Stillwell cried.
Scorpion then swung his tail at him.
"Stillwell, what's going on?" Jonah yelled into the phone. "Stillwell, answer me!"
Scorpion then stepped on the phone crushing it. "Your next Jameson."
Back at his lab, Peter and Gwen had just finished the antitoxin, and they were sure it would work.
"Maybe we should wait until we're certain that it will work," said Gwen.
She suddenly received a phone call from her father and answered it quickly. "Hey, Dad. No, I'm at Peter's place. What? Okay, I hope you catch him."
"Let me guess, bad news," said Peter.
Gwen nodded. "There's been a murder, and according to my Dad, all signs point to the Scorpion."
"Then I need to stop him before he kills anyone else," said Peter as he removed his lab coat.
"But do you even know where he's going to strike next?"
"During our fight, I saw JJ flying in a helicopter while we were fighting, and Scorpion was a private investigator that he hired."
"You really think Scorpion go after him?"
"Possibly. It looks like Jonah is involved somehow, and it's the only lead I've got."
"Well, do be careful."
"Since when have I not?" Gwen was just about to open her mouth. "Don't answer that."
Jonah was in his office trying to reach Stillwell, but all attempts had failed so far.
"Come on, Stillwell, pick up," said Jonah, frustrated.
Then, suddenly, smashing through the window was Scorpion; Jonah quickly spun around and fell on his backside.
"Hello, Mr Jameson," Scorpion growled, smashing his desk with his tail.
"G-Gargan," said Jonah as he scooted away from him. "L-Look, I know things didn't go according to plan, but if you can't come down, I'm sure we can find a solution."
"You knew this would happen to me!" Scorpion snarled.
"No, I had absolutely no idea, and you went along with it!"
"Because you convinced me! Now look at me; I'm a freak, and I'm being hunted!"
"Look, let's go to Stillwell and see if we can't sort this out," said Jonah as he continued to back away until he hit the wall.
"Too late. I've already paid him a visit, and he said this process can't be reversed!"
Jonah's eyes widened. "'Said?'"
"I'm afraid he won't be taking any more calls from you," said Scorpion viciously. He then extended his tail towards him. "But don't worry, I'm sure the two of you will have a nice conversation in the afterlife."
He swung his tail, Jameson, but at the last second, a web line stuck to Jonah, and he was pulled to safety. Scorpion's tail instead went straight through the wall, and it instantly turned around to see Spider-Man had arrived, now sticking to the ceiling.
"That was a little too close," he said.
Scorpion pulled his tail from out of the wall and glared at Spider-Man. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Uh, saving JJ, apparently," Spider-Man shrugged.
"But why? He's your enemy; he greeted me to take you out."
"Guess I really should be flattered, but to answer your question is a mystery to me as well."
Jonah just stared at Spider-Man, confused; he couldn't understand why he had just saved him after everything he had written down on the papers. That said, he wasn't about to trust him, but regrettably, he was the only one who could stop Scorpion.
"Fine, I don't really care. I was looking for you as well," said Scorpion.
He swung his tail at him, and Spider-Man quickly jumped and stuck to the ceiling. He then fired some webbing that wrapped around his arms and tail, but he broke free.
"That's not going to work on me," he said.
Naturally, all this commotion did not go unnoticed by the people outside, and Robbie opened the door.
"Jonah, what's going—" He stopped when he saw the chaos that was ensuing in the office.
He quickly closed the door just as Scorpion tossed the chair across the room.
"What's going on?" Betty asked.
"Call the police," he said.
Spider-Man was jumping around, using his agility and the confined space to his advantage, but Scorpion was just as fast, and he had his tail. A fact he soon realised when Scorpion successfully grazed him.
"This fight is going to end just like the last one," Scorpion smirked.
He then quickly jumped at Spider-Man, thinking that he was helpless due to his venom. However, Spider-Man quickly launched himself at him and performed a flying kick right in his chest, sending him smashing into the wall.
"Sorry, pal, but I came prepared this time," he said.
Scorpion picked himself up and looked at him in confusion. "My venom should have landed you helpless."
"And it would have if I hadn't created an antidote just before I got here," said Spider-Man proudly.
"That still won't be enough to save you!" Scorpion roared as he grabbed the desk and tossed it at him.
Spider-Man quickly ducked down, allowing the desk to fly over his head, and Scorpion jumped at him, trying to stab him with his tail. However, he quickly rolled to the side, and his tail stabbed the floor instead. He then quickly rose to his feet and dealt a few jabs, but Scorpion was able to grab one of his fists and then dealt a powerful elbow to his back, knocking him to the floor.
"This is the end for you, Wall-Crawler!" he roared triumphantly.
He then raised his tail again and was prepared to strike when suddenly, completely out of nowhere, Jonah hit him in the back with a chair. Spider-Man was unsure who was more surprised by this manoeuvre, him, the Scorpion or Jonah himself.
Scorpion immediately turned on Jonah. "Why would you risk your puny life to save his?"
"Because you're a greater evil, and heaven help me, he's the only one who can stop you," said Jonah.
"I must hit my head because it sounds like J Jonah Jameson is on my side," said Spider-Man.
"You're nothing but a worm, Scorpion!" Jonah yelled. "An insect, a silly sap!"
Furious Scorpion swung his tail at Jonah, causing him to trip and fall on his backside again.
"I told you before…" said Scorpion as he advanced towards him. "…do not call me names."
Spider-Man used this distraction and performed the sweet kick, knocking him off his feet. He then quickly fired some webbing, this time sticking his arms, legs and tail to the floor, preventing him from gaining any leverage.
"No! Noooo!" Scorpion roared as he tried to free himself.
"Oh, shut up," said Spider-Man and fired some webbing on his mouth to shut him up.
Jonah then collapsed to the ground, relieved. "It's finally over."
Spider-Man then walked up to him and held out his hand. "Thanks for saving my life, JJ."
Jonah merely glared at him. "Don't think this changes anything between us. I'm not going to rest until you're unmasked and behind bars."
"Fair enough," said Spider-Man as he pulled his hand away. "Just make sure that you don't end up in jail yourself in the process."
He fired a web line and swung out of the office, and the police arrived.
Captain Stacy then looked at Jonah. "Mr Jameson, I have a few questions for you."
It wasn't until late at night that Peter returned home; he was absolutely exhausted. He still can wrap his head around the fact that Jonah saved his life, but he had a feeling that regular service had been resumed.
"Peter!" MJ cried as she quickly rushed out of the house and towards him.
The next thing he realised, she was strangling him in a hug.
"MJ… can't breathe," Peter winced.
"Sorry," she said, releasing him. "I just heard the news about what happened at the Daily Bugle. Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," he assured her.
"If something happened to you before we made up, I don't even want to think about it," MJ cried.
"So, we're good?" Peter asked hopefully.
MJ gave him a small smile. "I'm not letting you off that easily, Tiger. I'm still mad at you. But I'm grateful you're all right."
She kissed him on the cheek and began to make her way back to her house, but not before looking back at him with a seductive smile.
"I'll see you around, Tiger."
Peter just stood there, trying to make sense of what had just happened. He smiled at MJ before making his way back into his house.
Chapter 10: I: The Circus of Crime
It was Christmas Eve at 10:20 AM, and Peter was wandering through the streets of New York City with Gwen.
"I'm getting concerned with all the supervillains showing up to challenge you, Peter," said Gwen.
"You're concerned you weren't the one facing him," Peter joked.
Gwen gave him a hard look. "This is no laughing matter, Peter. The Scorpion nearly killed you."
"Yeah, and I was saved by John Jameson, of all people," said Peter.
"You may not be that lucky the next time, and it is ruining your relationship with MJ. Have you considered giving up the mask?"
"Gwen, you know what happened the last time I let someone go," Peter reminded her.
Gwen sighed. "I know."
Fortunately, the trailer was interrupted by circus music. They quickly followed the noise to a large group of people and saw a circus convoy descending the road.
"Looks like the circus is in town," Peter noted.
"Come one and all and enjoy yourselves at Tiboldt's Circus," said a man in a green suit wearing a top hat. "I promise you, you won't have any fun anywhere else. Tickets are for sale, so bring the family."
"This seems rather fun," said Gwen. "Hey, this would be a perfect opportunity for you to take MJ out."
"To the circus?" Peter blinked.
Gwen elbowed him. "Come on, it wouldn't do any harm."
At 21:12 PM, Peter was enjoying himself with his friends and family. MJ had agreed to accompany them and had brought her aunt. They were currently watching the circus, which had been set up in Central Park.
In the centre of the ring, appearing in a puff of purple smoke, was the ringmaster.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages!" he yelled dramatically. "I am Ringmaster, and I bid you welcome to the Tiboldt's Circus! Now, what you say is that we get this show on the road! First comes a star attraction; he has the eyes of a hawk and never misses a target; it's Hawkeye!"
Then, suddenly emerging from a cloud of green smoke was a 25-year-old man with blond hair, wearing a purple outfit and mask. In his hand, he held a bow and instantly notched an arrow. Suddenly, targets began to fly out of nowhere, and Hawkeye began to run across the ring.
The targets were moving incredibly fast, and Peter found it hard to believe anyone could shoot them while they were in motion. However, he was proven wrong as Hawkeye fired arrow after arrow, destroying the targets with a perfect bull's-eye.
"He's incredible," said MJ.
"There's no way that's humanly possible," said Gwen. "He must be using some kind of tech that helps them pinpoint the targets."
"I don't think so; I think he's just that good," said Peter.
Once the final target was destroyed, Hawkeye bowed before the crowd, disappearing in a puff of smoke.
"And now let us welcome the princess of snakes, Princess Python!" Ringmaster yelled.
A trapdoor opened, and a lady in a brown skintight outfit appeared with the largest snake Peter had ever seen wrapped around her. Everyone watched as she commanded the snake's movements with flawless precision. Peter was sure that if anyone else tried this, they would be eaten alive.
"I'm not too fond of snakes," said Aunt Anna.
"Yes, I'm not comfortable with having such dangerous creatures in the middle of the city," Captain Stacy agreed.
"Still, it's not like it is circa shows up here in the Big Apple," MJ pointed out as she watched the circus, looking somewhat hypnotised. "I just so love show business."
"Thinking of running away to join the circus, are we?" Peter grinned.
MJ smirked. "Oh, I don't think a circus like this is for me, Tiger."
Gwen smiled at Peter. "I'm glad she and the two of you want to be on talking terms again."
"Still a long way to go, though," he whispered.
"Maybe you should tell her about your secret?" Gwen suggested.
"We discussed this, Gwen," Peter hissed.
Gwen closed her mouth, clearly realising that convincing Peter was going to be a wasted effort.
They returned to the ring just in time to see Princess Python having her snake perform a figure-of-eight before smashing a chair with its tail. She bowed before the crowd along with her snake and was lowered back underneath the ring.
"And now, let us introduce our strongman, who is as strong as a Hulk," said Ringmaster. "It's Bruto!"
Then, stepping onto the stage carrying an insane amount of weights was a muscular man in red spandex. Once on stage, he flexed his muscles as he juggled the weights with effortless grace.
"Just look at those muscles," said MJ.
Peter narrowed his eyes. "Come on, he's just showboating. And claiming that he's stronger than the Hulk, as if."
"Is someone jealous?" MJ smirked.
"Of that big brute, no way," said Peter, folding his arms.
"No need to get so defensive, Tiger; I find your muscles impressive as well," MJ whispered as she traced her hand across his right arm.
"Well, I tried to work out when I can," said Peter, a bit taken aback.
Gwen merely smirked.
"And now the greatest feat of derring-do, watch as the Human Cannonball flies across the big top!" Ringmaster yelled.
They heard the cannon's boom as a man suddenly flew through the air on a jet pack. He was wearing grey armour and zooming around like a cannonball.
"Whoa, would you look at that," said Gwen. "This circus has got quite a bit of fancy tech."
"Yeah, I just hope he has control of that thing," said Peter.
The Human Cannonball continue to fly around before heading towards a group of friends. Suddenly, the rings burst into flames as he flew right through them flawlessly before landing on the ground. Instantly, the crowd burst into cheers.
"I say he's got control of it," said Gwen as he joined in with the cheers.
"And now, to demonstrate some acrobatic feats, the Gambonno Twins!" Ringmaster announced.
Spotlights then shone at the very top of the big top, and that's when they saw two Italian men, clearly twins, swinging from the trapeze without a safety net. Twin number one grabbed and released his grip while twin number two was hanging upside down from the trapeze and grabbed his brother. He then promptly tossed him up into the air, where he somersaulted before grabbing the trapeze.
"These guys are incredible," MJ clapped.
"They've certainly got moves," said Peter.
Once the circus was over, everyone began to leave the big top; plenty of people still hung around for the games set up everywhere.
"This is like the best Christmas Eve I've ever had," said MJ.
"It was certainly a nice change of pace," Gwen agreed.
"What about you, Tiger?" MJ asked.
Peter was about to speak when they heard a sudden yell.
"You think you can barge in here without proof!" said the voice of Ringmaster.
Curiosity getting the better of them, three of them snuck around back when they saw Ringmaster arguing with a man in a suit. Hawkeye stood there, looking as if he were trying to calm things down, though he was failing.
"I am merely stating facts," said the man in the suit. "There was another tech robbery at the bus stop on your tour."
"We've heard these complaints before," said Ringmaster dismissively. "You've already searched our place top to bottom and haven't found anything."
"Whoa, let us calm down," said Hawkeye.
"I'm perfectly calm," said the man in the suit. "True, we haven't found any proof, but be warned, if I find out that your circus is involved, I will shut you down, and everyone here will be imprisoned."
He then turned around and stormed out of the tent. Peter and the others quickly hit as he stepped outside and crept in closer as Ringmaster talked with Hawkeye.
"The nerve of the FBI," Ringmaster grumbled. "Thinking that we have anything to do with these robberies."
"They do have reason to believe that," Hawkeye pointed out.
"Whose side are you on, my boy?" Ringmaster questioned. "Have you forgotten who took you in? We fed you and trained you a little bit of loyalty, which would be nice."
"I'm immensely grateful for everything you've done," said Hawkeye. "I just didn't like the way that we operate."
Ringmaster then gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Clint, you know we look out for each other. This circus is like one big family."
"I know that."
"Then trust your family and be assured that I'm doing everything I can to make life easy for us."
Peter looked at Gwen and MJ, and they quickly backed away from the tent.
"What was all that about?" MJ asked.
"Sounds like there were some robberies, and the FBI think the circus is involved?" Gwen frowned.
"And it sounds like the archer isn't happy with how things are being run," said Peter.
"They could have been just talking about how they run the circus," said MJ. "And it could have just been common since all the robberies happen along their route."
Peter and Gwen looked at one of them, and both were somewhat sceptical. It was clear that this circus was more than it seemed.
It was about 1:00 AM, and Spider-Man was swinging over to the big top. He would want nothing more than to sleep in and enjoy Christmas day, but he couldn't get what he overheard out of his head.
He made his way backstage and headed straight towards Ringmaster's office. Fortunately, there didn't appear to be any security around the tent, so getting inside was relatively easy, though a little unusual.
All that was there was a simple desk, a stack of notes on it, and a wardrobe, no doubt filled with the Ringmaster's gear.
"Okay, let's see what you're up to, Ringmaster," said Spider-Man, going through all the notes on the desk.
Most of the notes were plans for the circus or schedules, but he also noticed designs for some impressive technology. Power amplifiers, some highly advanced arrowheads, and some hypnotic devices.
"Pretty high-tech for a circus," he frowned.
As he continued to review the notes, he noticed mentions of Roxxon. Thinking back, he remembered a mention in his weekly science paper that Roxxon had developed a new state-of-the-art power amplifier.
"Most definitely not your normal circus."
He then suddenly felt his spider-sense tingling and quickly ducked just in time to avoid an arrow. He quickly spun around and saw Hawkeye standing behind him, pointing an arrow at him. He then fired off another arrow, but Spider-Man quickly somersaulted out of the way.
"Fast move, kid," said Hawkeye as he nocked another arrow. "Mind telling me what you're doing snooping around our big top?"
"Oh, just trying to get a sneak peek for tomorrow's performance," said Spider-Man innocently.
"Right," said Hawkeye, sounding unconvinced, and loosed another arrow.
This time, he fired the arrow at some traits, shooting the rope, which often caused the crates to fall right on top of Spider-Man. He quickly fired some webbing, sticking the crate back in place, and then promptly jumped up into the air to avoid Hawkeye striking him with his bow.
"Ever thought of joining the circus?" Hawkeye asked as Spider-Man hung onto the tent support.
"No, I couldn't stand that thing, fortune," he said as he jumped down.
"Look, kid, I don't know what you're doing here; you need to leave now. Ringmaster isn't the forgiving type."
"Oh, I'm just checking to see that you're not a criminal organisation using the circus as a front," Spider-Man shrugged.
Hawkeye looked at him, surprised. "How could you possibly know that?"
"I overheard your boss arguing with that FBI agent; I wanted to see if there was any truth in his claims."
"Well, there isn't," said Hawkeye.
"Really?" Spider-Man asked dubiously. "Then, care to explain those designs on the desk. They seem to be rather advanced for a simple circus."
"We're hardly simple, and everything is above board," said Hawkeye.
"You trying to convince me or yourself?"
"Look, kid, take some advice from your elders and stay out of this."
"The last time I turned my back on a crime, I lost someone very close to me; I wouldn't make that same mistake again."
He then quickly fired some webbing at Hawkeye, but he proved to be quite the Acrobat and promptly jumped out of the way. He then didn't waste a single moment and fired off another arrow, but this one was quite different. The tip exploded and fired off a pair of bolas wrapped around Spider-Man's waist.
"Should have taken my offer when you had the chance," said Hawkeye.
However, to his surprise, he watched Spider-Man flex his muscles and break free from the rope.
"You're stronger than you look."
"Proportionate strength of a spider," Spider-Man shrugged and quickly fired some webbing.
This time, he struck Hawkeye and soon found himself stuck to a crate. He tried to free himself, but the webbing was just too strong.
"Gross," said Hawkeye as he struggled. "Does this stuff come out of you?"
"Don't worry, it'll dissolve in an hour," he said.
"Very reassuring," said Hawkeye sarcastically.
Spider-Man then approached him. "With all your skill, you could actually do some good and not rob people blindly."
"I owe the circus everything. They took me in when no one else did; they're like my family," Hawkeye argued.
"A family that is forcing you to commit robberies."
"Ringmaster promised that this would be the last job, and then we would go straight."
"Do you really believe him?" Spider-Man questioned. "Besides, do you have any idea what could go wrong if you steal that amplifier? If you yank it out, you could create an explosion that could destroy several city blocks. Do you really want all those deaths to be on your head?"
For a moment, it looked as if he got through to Hawkeye, but he then shook his head defiantly. "No, you're just trying to convince me to turn against them."
"My uncle once said that with great power comes great responsibility, and I have done everything I can to live up to that. You can do the same."
"I heard a commotion!" Bruto's voice yelled.
"Well, that's my cue to leave," said Spider-Man. "Just think about what I've said."
He quickly exited the tent and fired a web line, swinging off.
The rest of the circus had made it to the tent, where they found Hawkeye trapped.
"What happened to you?" Princess Python asked.
"Just get me out of here," said Hawekye.
Bruto made his way over and used his strength to tear the webbing off of Hawkeye.
"What happened?" Ringmaster asked.
"I caught Spider-Man snooping," said Hawkeye.
"And you let him get away?" Princess Python exclaimed.
"Hey, the guy was pretty tough," Hawkeye challenged.
"How much did he learn?" Ringmaster asked.
"Enough to know that we are planning to rob Roxxon. Maybe we should call off the heist?"
Ringmaster immediately turned on him. "I do hope that you were not serious. Do you know how much effort we have put into planning this heist? I will not throw in the towel because of the Webhead freak."
"But if he tells the police or the FBI?" Hawkeye asked.
Ringmaster scoffed. "Like the police or the FBI will respond to the word of a vigilante without evidence. That said, we should move up the schedule; we'll hit Roxxon tonight."
"But what if Spider-Man himself shows?" Hawkeye enquired.
"If he shows him up, I'll crush him," said Bruto, flexing his muscles.
"It's just one guy; we'll make quick work of him," said Princess Python confidently.
Hawkeye wasn't sure; he had just witnessed how Spider-Man moved.
Ringmaster noticed the hesitation in his eyes and approached him like a father. "Clint, have I ever steered you wrong?"
"No," Clint admitted.
"Then trust me, once we get the amplifier, we will be sitting pretty. There will be no more need for any of this."
"Spider-Man said if we try to remove it, we could end up destroying several city blocks."
Ringmaster scoffed. "You really believe him over me? He was only trying to sow doubt in your mind, and it seems to be working. You know me, Clint."
Hawkeye nodded, though he still had his doubts.
It was now Noon, and Peter was enjoying Christmas Day with Gwen and MJ.
"I am sorry if it's not much," said Peter, handing MJ her present.
MJ smiled at the book on Shakespeare's plays that Peter had given her. "It's wonderful, Tiger. And he's yours."
MJ handed Peter his present, which was a book on science written by Reed Richards. "Thanks, been wanting to get this."
Gwen then pulled Peter aside to discuss the circus. "So, did you find anything?"
Peter looked around to make sure they were out of earshot. "They're not your normal circus performers who are planning to break into Roxxon."
"Do you know when?" Gwen asked, alarmed.
Peter shook his head. "No idea, but the circus will stay on until the New Year. I guess I'll be spending most of my time on stakeout."
"Maybe you should inform my Dad?" Gwen suggested.
"He can't mobilise the police on my word alone, and the same goes for the FBI."
"What are you two talking about?"
They quickly spun around and saw MJ standing there, looking at them curiously.
"We're just talking about the circus and what we overheard," said Gwen.
"Before we were ready, we went over there," said MJ. "Besides, it's Christmas. We should be celebrating."
"She's not wrong," said Peter.
They made their way back into the living room and grabbed a drink.
"You know, a girl could get jealous if they find their boyfriend talking to their ex alone," MJ smirked.
"It wasn't anything like that," said Peter quickly.
"Oh, I know, just wanted to point out that a girl could easily misunderstand the situation."
"Okay, message received."
MJ's eyes then met hers when she smirked. "Mistletoe."
Peter immediately looked up and saw that the two of them were directly under a piece of mistletoe. Not wanting to break with tradition, the two of them leaned in with one another and kissed.
Hawkeye and the rest of the circus were now making their way to Roxxon Tower, which was quite the eyesore. He heard that Roxxon had demolished several residential districts to build the place, leaving many people homeless.
He pulled out his bow and notched an arrow with a device instead of an arrowhead. He fired the arrow straight at the camera and made contact.
In the security room, he saw a fluctuation on the monitor, but it quickly stabilised, and he merely shrugged, sitting back down.
"Security footage is now on a constant loop," said Hawkeye.
"Excellent, now step two," said Ringmaster.
Ringmaster then began to lead his troupe towards the doors to Roxxon. Naturally, the security force quickly went out to meet them.
"Stop right there!" said one of the security guards, pointing his pistol at them.
"You're entering private property, please turn around."
"I'm sure you gentlemen will see things my way," said Ringmaster.
The circle on his top hat then spun around in the garden, completely mesmerised by it.
"Now, you fellas, go on with your daily business and ignore everything around you," said Ringmaster graciously.
"Yes, master," the security guards replied.
Ringmaster approached the doors with his hands behind his back, walking casually. "Come on, troupe, we have business to conduct."
It was about 22:00 PM, and Spider-Man was swinging towards Roxxon Tower. He couldn't take the chance that the circus would exploit the lack of security. He soon landed on a building that stood opposite Roxxon Tower.
"Okay, should I wait for them or sneak myself?" Spider-Man pondered.
Despite the lack of security on Christmas Day, he still found it hard to believe the circus could break in. That's when he noticed something unusual about the guards: they had blank expressions and were wandering around.
Curiosity getting the better of him, he swung down to the nearest guard.
"Hey, Merry Christmas, pal," he said.
The guard didn't answer; he kept walking as if he couldn't see him. He quickly made his way in front of the guard and set his fingers in front of his face, but he didn't react.
"Okay, weird," he said.
He made his way to another garden and did the same thing, but he didn't acknowledge him.
"Very weird," he said.
He then looked at Roxxon Tower and saw an arrow attached to the security camera. He climbed up to examine it and saw a device connected to the arrow.
"I think I know who did this," he said.
He quickly made his way inside the building. He began following the cameras, which had devices attached to them similar to the one outside. He figured it was his best way to track down the circus, and sure enough, he began to hear voices.
"Quite magnificent, isn't it?" said Ringmaster's voice.
Spider-Man carefully and stealthily entered the room where he found the circus was gathered around a massive generator. Spider-Man instantly recognised it as the amplifier generator; many wires ran to it, reaching all the way to the ceiling.
To Spider-Man, it looked like a shoddy replica of Stark Industries' Arc Reactor, but way more unstable. Removing one of those wires could send a massive feedback loop throughout the entire building and possibly outside.
"I don't know. I don't like all those wires," said Hawkeye.
"Don't tell us you're going chicken now, Hawkeye," said Princess Python.
"Look, I'm no scientist, but even I can recognise when something is dodgy."
"We haven't come all this way for nothing," said Ringmaster. "With this, I can amplify my hypnotic technology, and we can finally get out of entertaining those snot-nosed brats."
Hawkeye stared at him. "What? I thought we were going to give up this criminal life."
Ringmaster looked at him incredulously. "Are you out of your mind? Why would we waste our talent entertaining the masses when we can just rock them blind?"
"Yes, I'm getting sick working on peanuts," said Princess Python sickeningly. "I want to live in five-star hotels being waited on hand and foot like a proper Princess."
The other circus troupes nodded in agreement.
"B-But…" Hawkeye protested.
"We're already deep, Clint," Ringmaster warned. "If you walk away now, you can spend your entire life in prison, or you can help us and live a life of luxury. Bruto, get the amplifier."
"With pleasure, boss," said Bruto as he made his way to the amplifier.
Spider-Man knew he had acted now; if Bruto ripped the amplifier, he wouldn't even want to imagine what kind of explosion it would make. He quickly swung down and performed a dropkick upon Bruto, knocking him away from the amplifier.
"Trust me, pal, you don't want to touch that thing," he said.
"Ah, the Spider has graced us with his presence," said Ringmaster.
"You don't know what you're messing with," said Spider-Man pleadingly. "If you just yank that thing out, it will cause a massive backlash that will destroy this entire place and everything in the surrounding area."
"Or it could give us an unfathomable power," said Ringmaster. "Your warning is appreciated, Spider-Man, but the Circus of Crime knows what it's doing."
"Circus of Crime? Really?" Spider-Man frowned. "That's what you're calling your supervillain group."
"We're not supervillains," said Hawkeye.
"You're using your powers of personal gain, you don't care about hurting innocence, and you've just broken into a high-tech corporation," said Spider-Man, counting off his fingers.
"He makes another good point, Clint," said Princess Python as she stroked her snake. "You know he would make a delicious meal for my pet."
"Well, you can tell your snake that I taste horrible," said Spider-Man.
"Enough banter," said Bruto. "We should crush this bug."
"Agreed, we've wasted enough time as it is," Ringmaster agreed. "Circus of Crime, attack!"
The Circus of Crime immediately began to attack Spider-Man.
"Trying to squash the spider!" said Bruto as he charged at Spider-Man.
"Careful, Bruto, he's stronger than he looks," Hawkeye warned.
"No one is stronger than Bruto!"
Bruto swung his fist at Spider-Man, who quickly leaned back to avoid it and then promptly countered with a powerful spin kick. Bruto was not bad, but he quickly recovered and slammed both of his fists at him. Spider-Man somersaulted back, avoiding the blow, and then dealt a powerful uppercut, which knocked Bruto out cold.
Gambonno Twins somersaulted into the fray, now both wearing two pile driver devices, each on their legs. While they were in midair, they switched the pile drivers around so that they could be on their hands. They then swung the pile drivers, but Spider-Man quickly fired a web line and pulled himself to safety before they could hit.
However, he had no time to relax as the Human Cannonball flew in and tackled him. They were heading straight towards the wall, but Spider-Man fired some web fluid in one of his thrusters, causing him to lose control. Spider-Man freed himself from Cannonball's grasp and kicked him back before firing some webbing, sticking him to the wall.
Ringmaster watched the battle, somewhat impressed. "I must admit you're quite skilled, my boy. I don't suppose I can persuade you to join our side."
"No," said Spider-Man.
"Pity, such a waste of talent," said Ringmaster, disappointed.
The Gambonno Twins had jumped into the air using their pile drivers, but before they could land a hit, Spider-Man fired some webbing and began spinning them around. Once he was through with that, he slammed them into the ground, knocking them out cold.
"Stick with being performers; it's what you guys are best at," said Spider-Man.
"You think so?" Princess Python smirked.
Spider-Man then held his Spider-Sense going off, but before he could move, Princess Python's giant snake coiled itself around him and began to squeeze. He was finding it difficult to breathe, and the state's grip was far too tight to squeeze out of.
"And now it appears we have reached the final curtain call," said Ringmaster. "You should have taken my offer while you had the chance. Hawkeye, finish him off."
Hawkeye raised his bow and nocked an arrow, meaning it directly at Spider-Man. Spider-Man desperately tried to free himself of the boa constrictor as it was squeezing him too tightly; it looked like this was the end. Hawkeye fired his arrow, and Spider-Man closed his eyes, preparing for the end.
However, the arrow missed him by a hair and flew into the security alarm on the opposite side of the room. Instantly, alarms began to cry out, and the security guard in the security room shot back to his feet. He quickly performed a hard reset of the security system and saw the Circus of Crime and Spider-Man.
He quickly grabbed the nearest phone and placed it against his ear. "Get me the police!"
Ringmaster stared at Hawkeye incredulously. "What have you done?"
"I missed," said Hawkeye.
Ringmaster marched up to him. "You never miss!"
There was a tense moment, and then Hawkeye quickly struck across the face with his bow and fired off another arrow. This time, he hit the snake, and the arrowhead exploded, causing the snake to release its grip on Spider-Man, who naturally took this opportunity to free himself.
"You've betrayed us!" Princess Python yelled.
Hawkeye just stood there in silence.
Princess Python quickly ran towards the door, but Spider-Man quickly fired some webbing, tying her up.
Hawkeye looked to the ground. "He didn't have to be this way."
It took a few hours for the police to arrive, and they began to drag into the Circus of Crime. Hawkeye was included, and Spider-Man was making a statement with both Captain Stacy and the FBI agent.
"So you overheard the conversation and didn't inform anyone?" the FBI agent fumed.
"Would you have believed me?" Spider-Man asked.
The FBI agents sighed. "No. And I suppose I should be grateful that you were able to capture them."
"What about Hawkeye? He saved my life," said Spider-Man.
"He's still a criminal," said the FBI agent. "He may have gained a conscience, but that doesn't excuse him from his other crimes."
Spider-Man wanted to argue that Captain Stacy placed a hand on his shoulder. "Spider-Man, I know it's difficult, but he's right. Clint Barton is still wanted for theft and assault."
Spider-Man sighed. "Can I at least talk to him before you take him away?"
"I have no issue," said the FBI agent.
Spider-Man approached Hawkeye, who was handcuffed and being led by a police officer.
"Thanks for the save," said Spider-Man.
Hawkeye shrugged. "Don't sweat it, kid."
"I'm just sorry that there's nothing I can do to help."
"I had it coming; as you said, I must take responsibility. Oh, and Merry Christmas."
Spider-Man then watched as Hawkeye was escorted away, and Captain Stacy approached him.
"Does it have to be this way?" Spider-Man asked, looking at Captain Stacy.
"I'm afraid it must, and now, thanks to you, he has the chance to get his life back together. You did good, son. Now I suggest you get home."
He nodded. "Merry Christmas, Captain."
He then fired a web line and swung off.
A few days later, on New Year's Eve, Peter was listening to Jonah's podcast. He was currently sitting on the porch, looking up at the starry night sky.
"As of today, the circus clowns calling themselves the Circus of Crime are now spending 20 years behind bars. The FBI are taking credit for the arrest, but my sources tell me that Spider-Man was once again in the middle of it. Was he trying to take the glory from our country's State Department, or was he part of this circus and then betrayed them? Be assured, listeners, that J Jonah Jamerson will find the truth; until then, stay tuned to Just the Facts."
Peter groaned as he switched off his iPod. "I say this with Jonah. He doesn't give up."
"I don't know why you bother listening?" MJ asked, joining him on the porch.
"Trust may have been asking myself the same question."
MJ sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulders. "Still can't believe that we stumbled on a criminal organisation."
"Disguised as a circus, guess I can cross that off my bucket list."
"Curious that Spider-Man happened to be there at the right time. You wouldn't have tipped him off, did you?"
Peter shrugged. "Maybe."
The two of them then watched as fireworks shot off into the sky, signalling the start of the New Year.
"So, got any New Year resolutions?" MJ asked.
"Continue to try to get my degree, make sure Jonah doesn't fire me and try not to disappoint my girlfriend."
MJ smiled. "Those are like worthy goals to me."
The two of them sat there, watching the fireworks.
Clint had been escorted to a holding room; he had just been charged with theft, assault and aiding and abetting. The guards dumped him in the room and then walked out. He then noticed a dark-skinned man in a trench coat with an eye patch walking into the room.
He held a file in his hand and began to read it aloud. "Clinton Francis Barton, you lost your parents at the age of six, and were taken in by Fritz Tiboldt and joined his circus troupe. From there, you discover that you have exceptional archery skills, which your adopted family quickly developed. You also have little expertise in developing your own arrowheads to assist in your circus performance."
"Is there anything you don't know about me, Mister…" Hawkeye asked.
"Fury, Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.," he said. "And I am here to give you a choice, Barton. You can either spend the next 20 years behind bars, or I can arrange it for you to put your talents to good use."
"What makes you different from Ringmaster?" Clint questioned.
"I'm allowing you, actually, to do some good. Trust me, you will not get a better offer."
"And while you are offering this chance to me, I'm a criminal?"
Fury then leaned in towards him. "Spider-Man saw some good in you; this is your chance to prove him right. The choice is yours."
Clint just continued to look at him in silence.