Spider-Man: Marvel Knight

Chapter 7-Fate Changes

   Gwen swung home with a semi-heavy heart. She wanted to help Peter so bad. Plus, she wanted to apologize for what she had done. She basically betrayed MJ by doing this.
   As Gwen landed in front of the front doors, her spider sense began to tingle. Hers was beginning to work very clearly now. The thing was, she wasn't sensing the danger at the detox center. It was coming from inside the house. Something was telling her that something bad just happened. She began to see mental images... "MJ!"
   She rushed inside to see Liz in tears and Harry geared up as Hob-Goblin. He looked at her with worried eyes. "Gwen, where the hell have you been?" he asked sternly.
   "Practicing with Peter," she said. "Where's MJ?"
   Liz wiped some tears from her eyes. "How do you know about that?" she asked her.
   Gwen pointed to her back. "My spider sense is beginning to work a lot better. Where is she?"
   Harry activated his glider. "Electro took her." He hopped on. "That bastard took her right from under our noses. I'm going after him. Where's Peter?"
   Gwen pushed her hair behind her ear. "He's headed to the detox center, why?"
   Harry looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "The detox center? That's where Electro said that he was taking her."
   Liz gasped. "He's trying to trap him!"
   Harry shook his head. "More like baiting him away from the detox center. Something's going on, and whoever is in charge, be it Electro or anyone else, doesn't want Peter to be there."
   "We need to help him," Gwen said. She pulled her hood over her head. "Let me ride with you."
   He raised an eyebrow. "Gwen, this is a legit thing here. We need experienced fighters, not rookies."
   She stomped her foot. "I wasn't asking, Harry!"
   He looked over at Liz, who was still crying. She nodded, which meant she agreed with Gwen. Harry sighed. "Get on, Spider-Gwen." He pulled his hood over his head as she leaped onto the glider. They sped through the front doors to the detox center. MJ wasn't the only person that needed saving tonight. Peter needed their help.
 

   Kurt sat in his room reading a magazine. It was the only way to keep him busy when he wasn't going through defusion therapy. Project x left a rough mark on his blood stream and cells. Although it could be painful at times, it was the only way to clear the tainted liquid out of his veins.
   Suddenly, all of the lights turned off. Kurt simply thought that there was a power outage, and fairly quickly, the backup power would come on shortly. But this wasn't a normal power outage. The lights began to spark and explode. Someone was overpowering the electrical grid, and hundreds of people were now trapped inside the detox center.
   Peter swung there as fast as he could. He landed in front and began to help people escort themselves out. He grabbed one doctor and pulled them aside. "Where's Kurt Connors?" he asked him.
   He pointed down the hall. "I didn't see him come out of his room. Room 308, Spider-Man!"
   Spidey ran inside and looked for Kurt's room. His spider sense told him that his former mentor was in danger. Finally, he found 308. He grabbed the doorknob and yanked the door off of its hinges.
   Kurt jumped in surprise when it happened. He looked at Spiderman jogging in. "Peter?" he asked, confused. "What are you doing here? What's going on?"
   Peter grabbed Kurt's arm. "I'm here to get you out of here. I think someone's trying to kill you."
   "Kill me?"
   Pete shook his head. "I know it sounds crazy, but my spider sense never lies. We need to..." His spine got another chill. Someone else was here. "Wait."
   Kurt looked around. "What is it?"
   Spiderman looked around to see who was in their presence. The hallway was dark, and he couldn't see over the sparks that were raining down on the floor. Faintly, he could make out a figure.
   "Kurt, get out of here," Peter told him. Kurt ran back into his room to try and crawl out of a window. Spidey took another step towards the figure and saw the long tail that came from the back. He could recognize that dark green suit anywhere. Scorpion took a step towards Spider-Man and chuckled.
   "Buenos noches, spiderman," he greeted. His long weapon that was attatched to his waist slithered around him. One stick from that needle and it was over for Peter.
   "Mac," Pete said. "Good to see you. Is there anyway I could convince you to maybe stand down and turn yourself back into the psychiatric ward right now? I haven't been having the best week."
   Gargan took out a knife and tossed it in the air. "Not gonna happen, gringo," he said. "I've been waiting a long time for this, and I'm gonna enjoy it."
   "Figured as much," Peter said. He pulled a foldable web grenade out of his hidden pocket and chucked it to Scorpion as hard as he could. The grenade exploded, sending Gargan flying back and landing on the floor, tangled with webs, and stuck to floor. "Sorry, bud," Spidey said. "I tried to warn you."
   Suddenly, something hit him out of nowhere. Something big, something strong...it had to be Rhino. Peter couldn't see him because he had been knocked almost completely out.
   "Did I say 'I', gringo?" Scorpion shouted. "I meant 'we'!"
   Rhino ran through the building and slammed Spiderman on the ground. "Of course you would remember me, Spider?"
   "Of course...Aleksi..."Peter said weakly with a cough. "Been...Been a while...."
   Someone grabbed Peter's head and turned it to his face. Peter could smell the expensive cologne. "Hello, Spider," Kraven said, spitting in his face. His lion mane coat waved in the wind. "It HAS been a while."
   Vulture landed next to Peter with his giant wings. "We knew you wouldn't forget us...any of us."
   Peter began to feel himself lift off the ground. It wasn't Vulture. This felt much too...mechanical. He turned to see who the culprit was. He wanted to throw up when he saw him. It couldn't be true...it just couldn't be true...
   "Otto?" Peter asked weakly.
   Dr. Octavius smiled. "It's Doctor Octopus, now, Peter. But being formal is always accepted."
   Spidey felt the mechanical arms wrap tighter and tighter around him. "...wh..why?" he asked with a cough.
   Doc Ock shook his head. "I told you to keep your head down, Peter. But you had to be a hero." He adjusted his goggles and moved closer to Peter. "You're lucky that we're not here to kill you." Peter never would have believed these next words if he hadn't heard them come out of Otto's mouth. "That being said. Where the hell's Kurt Connors?"
   Spidey began to feel weaker and weaker. "Why...why do you want...him?"
   Doc chuckled. "You know, Peter, I had a revelation. You can't protect civilization with just being a jailer. You must do what is necessary. As long as Kurt lives, there will always be those who'll try to mimic his ways."
   "If...you kill," Peter started, "you'll just be as bad...as all the other...criminals..."
   Otto chuckled and looked at his four associates. "A small price to pay for justice." He began to squeeze Peter tighter. "I won't ask again. Where is he?!"
   Spiderman chuckled through a cough. "I'll never tell you..."
   Doc laughed. "Figures. Maybe you just need some motivation." He picked Peter up and faced him to the roof. Electro had MJ in his grasp. His hands were full of electric bolts, ready to zap her. Otto had no means of killing or hurting her. She was simply a bargaining device. "Tell me where Kurt is, or your girlfriend gets ten thousand volts to the chest."
   MJ shook her head as Electro's hand drew close to her. "Peter, don't do it!" she shouted. "Don't tell them anything."
   "MJ..." Peter said weakly. He couldn't hold on for much longer. Be was slowly being suffocated.
   Suddenly, Electro got blindsided by a white dash. He landed on the ground, disoriented. He looked up to see Gwen in a hoodie and black leggings. MJ looked at her and smiled. "Looking good, babe," she said.
   Gwen turned to her and winked. "Thanks, hon."
   Max snarled and shot a bolt at Gwen. Her spider sense decided not to work at that moment and she didn't see it coming. "Watch out!" MJ shouted. She pushed Gwen put of the way, and flew back into the wall as the bolt hit her side.
   "MJ!" Gwen shouted. MJ was knocked unconscious.
   Peter, dizzy from Otto's arms, looked up at the blurry picture of Gwen going to help a unresponsive MJ. "MJ...no..." Peter said weakly.
   "No..." Otto said. He could tell that she had cracked her skull. She wouldn't make it much longer. He had never meant for this. He was only supposed to kill one person...and someone innocent was mortally injured from this. "Max, you idiot!!!" he shouted. He looked at the other four and gestured to the city. "Run before the police arrive!"
   All of them ran except for Electro, who got up and walked over to Spiderman. "Sweet freakin' dreams, Parker." Electricity coursed through his hands and was ready to stop Peter's heart. He was stopped by a knife sticking in his hand. He looked up to see Harru hovering over Peter ready to defend his friend at all costs.
   "I'd listen to your boss if I were you," Harry said, ready to throw another one. Max growled and ran to the other five towards the city. After he left, Harry bent down to Peter to help him up. "You okay, Pete?" he asked.
   "I'm fine," Peter said. He looked over at Gwen bending down next to the wall. "Oh no...MJ..." He stumbled over to them and saw what was happening. MJ was leaned up against the wall with a blood stream running from her nose. Gwen was crying trying to get her to respond. There was nothing but breathing and a weak pulse.
   "MJ?" Peter asked, slighting shaking MJ's shoulder. "MJ, it's alright. We're safe. You can wake up now..."
   There was no response.
   "MJ..." Peter said, his voice breaking.
   "MJ, wake up!" Gwen said, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
   "MJ?" Of course no response. Tears began to pour from his eyes. "Please.... I need you..." He pulled her nearly lifeless body close to him. Gwen placed her hand on Peter's shoulder as she suppressed her tears. "I can't lose you too..." Peter said. "Not...you....please......"
   Harry grabbed Peter's shoulder. "We need to get her to a hospital, Peter. But we need to leave now. We need to get her help now...so get up, Peter. Get up!"