Chapter 42: A Sand Storm Part I

Chapter 42: A Sand Storm Part I:

“Alright, let’s get the loot and get out of here,” said a man in a blue suit with a helmet with goggles, to his gang, dressed similar to a NASCAR pit crew. “We’ll be halfway across town before the cops even have their coffee and donuts.”

“Yeah I mean who could stop us now?” asked one of the gang members cockily.

“I guess that’s my cue,” said Spider-Man as he swung into the entrance, wiping out two of the gang members.

“So, the infamous Spider-Man, finally I’ve hit the big time,” said the leader of the gang as he motioned for his gang members to go forward to face off against Spider-Man.

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re all tingling with excitement,” said Spider-Man as he lazily fought the gang members off one by one. “I’d give you my autograph to keep you company when you’re in prison, but exactly who should I be making this out to?”

“The name’s Big Wheel, know it well Spider-Man, because I’ll soon be the villain that knocked off Spider-Man,” said the villain, the man known as the Big Wheel which caused Spider-Man to chortle in amusement.

“Really, the Big Wheel, I’ve fought Doctor Doom, The Green Goblin, and Doctor Octopus and I’ve got to go against someone who calls himself Big Wheel,” said Spider-Man. “What are you going to do, run me over with your tricycle?”

“You won’t mock me Spider-Man,” said the Big Wheel, but as his henchmen had began to surround Spider-Man. “Getting a bit overwhelmed, web head? If you think my name is so stupid, what’s that going to make you look like when you get humiliated by my gang?”

“Guy makes a good point, got to wrap up these guys quick,” thought Spider-Man as he continued the fight. “I don’t even know how this guy even got this many mooks to work for him. Must have good dental, yeah that seems right, because Mysterio would laugh at his get up. That really says it all.”

The thoughts of the web slinger were interrupted, when a burly member of the Big Wheel’s gang grabbed him from behind. Spider-Man kicked off and knocked him backwards, before he grabbed the arm of his adversary and managed to twist it, before throwing him to the ground. Unfortunately, he was unable to fight off the odds for long, as he was out numbered pretty much fifteen or so to one.

Suddenly, one of the members of the gang was viciously yanked through the ground. He popped back up, flying backwards with a thud. The other gang members were confused and that allowed Spider-Man to drop one of them, before he ducked the charge of another, as Shadowcat phased out from the ground.

Spider-Man webbed another gang member up, as he moved around the attacks.

“Figured you could’ve used a hand here,” said Shadowcat as she dodged the attacks.

“I had it handled just fine,” said Spider-Man, as he avoided another attack. Two of the gang members tried to attack Shadowcat but when she became intangible, causing them to run together and knock each other out.

“Right, of course you did, Spidey,” said Shadowcat with a roll of her eyes, as she watched Spider-Man move around the attacks of one of the larger members of the gang. “Was that before or after you nearly got your head caved him?”

“Hey, my spider sense would have alerted me in time,” said Spider-Man as he calmly webbed up one of the members of the gang and then leapt over Shadowcat, before he took out another member of the gang that was behind her with a heavy pipe, ready to do her harm. “Watch your back!”

“I thought that’s what you were here for,” said Shadowcat, as she disappeared through the floor, before she grabbed the feet of one of the members of the gang and phased his feet into the floor. She popped back up, as the gang member struggled to free himself and Spider-Man swung over, before taking the gang member out. He was out on his feet, stuck to the floor and Shadowcat pulled him out.

“Mind your surroundings,” said Spider-Man in an irritated voice. “You can’t always rely on your powers and just become intangible to keep you from getting yourself out of trouble.”

“So says, Mr. “I rely on my spider sense to warn me of danger”,” said Shadowcat, as she flipped one of the henchmen to the ground. “Man there sure is a lot of guys working for this tool.”

“Good dental, I suppose,” said Spider-Man as he continued to fight.

“Makes sense to me,” said Shadowcat as she phased though another guy, causing him to trip over his feet and fall flat on his face. “So I didn’t quite catch who this guy’s name was?”

“Big Wheel,” said Spider-Man.

“And we spent all day that one day making fun of Shocker,” said Shadowcat barely suppressing a grin as she watched Spider-Man get grabbed from behind by one of the larger members of the gang. “Need a hand.”

“No, got it,” said Spider-Man as he kicked off the wall, sending the gang member crashing right into two other members. “Yeah, three in one go. I believe I took out the most gang members.”

“I so took out more than you did,” argued Shadowcat.

“So did not,” retorted Spider-Man.

“So did too,” said Shadowcat as she stuck out her tongue.

“Oh that’s real mature, well we’ll figure this out later, because the Big Wheel is getting away,” said Spider-Man as he watched as Big Wheel made his way from the building. He raised his arm, but only a few bits of webbing sputtered out.

“You’re out of webbing again,” said Shadowcat in an exasperated voice, as she raised her hand up and smacked her palm right into her face. “I can almost hear Spider-Man fan blogs firing up to complain about the fact you keep running out of webbing.”

“Wait a minute, Spider-Man fan blogs?” asked Spider-Man unable to comprehend such of a thing. “As in plural.”

“Hey, you’re popular, don’t think that everyone is like Jameson and rip you apart for every little thing you do, but they do think that you should be more careful about running out of webbing at crucial times,” said Shadowcat.

“And you wouldn’t be part of any of these blogs, would you?” asked Spider-Man.

“Look, let’s just catch the Big Wheel,” said Shadowcat quickly changing the subject, as she turned to the side, hiding her blush, as Spider-Man reloaded his web shooters, as the two teenagers moved their way from the bank.

“He couldn’t have gotten that far,” said Spider-Man as he looked up and he saw the Big Wheel walk towards what could only be described as a gigantic wheel. “Oh, how could I have missed that thing?”

“Very easily, I didn’t see it either,” said Shadowcat. “Maybe he called it by remote control.”

“Could be,” agreed Spider-Man as he moved over but the wheel was already rolling across the city. The web slinger chased after the wheel as it continued its movement throughout the city, rolling over a car, with the passenger just managing to get out before he was completely crushed.

“That hangs it, I’m moving to Montana!” shouted the man, throwing his hands in the air, as Spider-Man held his arms up but suddenly, several laser cannons retracted from the wheel and began to blast at Spider-Man. Shadowcat gave a yelp, before she quickly grabbed Spider-Man by the arm and they both became intangible.

“That thing has weapons!” shouted Shadowcat.

“Of course it does,” dead panned Spider-Man.

“You know a guy in a wheel is less lame when you’re about ready to get blasted into bits by lasers,” thought Spider-Man, as the Big Wheel continued to roll, blasting lasers behind them.

“What now?” asked Shadowcat as she watched the Big Wheel’s big wheel move over, nearly running over a group of children. “We’ve got to stop that thing before someone gets hurt.”

“Well, yeah,” said Spider-Man as he tried to move it over into his head, and the gigantic wheel rolled up the side of the building and continued to gain height.

“Swing around by fifth, take a right, yeah I think I cut him off before he gets away easily,” thought Spider-Man mentally.

“I’ll be right back,” said Spider-Man.

“What if you need any help?” asked Shadowcat. “I mean if those lasers start firing at us, my powers would help us a lot.

“I suppose so,” said Spider-Man in a resigned voice as he held his arm out. “Hang on tight.”

“Really?” asked Shadowcat gleefully.

“Yes, really but please don’t make me regret this and keep your wits about you,” said Spider-Man. “The last thing we need is for you to get excited and phase in mid air. Especially phasing without your clothes.”

“That was one time in the Danger Room, it was my first training session!” yelled Shadowcat in a mortified tone before Spider-Man looked at her sternly. “Okay, maybe a few times but I haven’t done that in a few months.”

“Just hang on and a word of advice, don’t look down,” said Spider-Man as he shot a line of webbing out, as Shadowcat held onto him, as the two swung around the city, as Spider-Man caught site of the Big Wheel. He was in the distance, but if they had swung around, they could cut him off before he reached the edge of the city. “Okay?”

“Fine, it takes some getting used to and it’s dizzying at first, but it’s a bit fun. You should really rent yourself out as a theme park ride.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I can just imagine all of the girls lining up, looking to ride Spider-Man.”

There was a long awkward pause.

“You know, that didn’t sound as remotely as dirty in my head as it did coming out of my mouth.”

“That better be the only thing coming out of your mouth, young lady. Besides Gwen would kill me.”

“No, Gwen would kill everyone else. Granted, she’s probably jumped to the front of the line.”

“I really think that’s on a need to know basis. As in, you don’t need to know.”

“It’s always the quiet ones, isn’t it, Peter? Of course, that could apply to either of you, come to think of it.”

“Kitty, I think what goes on behind close doors should stay behind closed doors. After all, who knows what group activities go on in the X Mansion?”

“Well, whatever probable scenario you might be thinking of has to involve Wolverine.”

“Well there goes my ability to reproduce. Not to mention my appetite.”

“Relax, Peter, there’s nothing going on, I was just joking.”

“Right moving swiftly along, exactly how are things going at the Institute?”

“Well there are a couple of new arrivals. They’re settling in nicely. Like Ororo or Storm as her codename is, she came in from Africa and after some culture shock, she’s adjusting quite nicely.”

“Right, the one that controls the weather.”

“Well the name is kind of a dead giveaway. I mean, duh, Storm.”

“At least I know who to blame next time I get eight feet of snow dumped on my front porch.”

“Right and the other one is Kurt or Nightcrawler as he’s called, he’s….”

“Hold that thought, Kitty, because I’ve just caught site of the Big Wheel. It shouldn’t be too hard to trap him right now,” interrupted Spider-Man suddenly, which caused Shadowcat to move with a start and sure enough, the Big Wheel was coming.

“No sweat, Spidey, I can handle this one,” said Shadowcat as she phased right through Spider-Man’s grip, startling him and it only took a few seconds to realize what she was going to do.

“No, wait, don’t phase…” started Spider-Man, who had planned on jamming the propulsion systems with his webbing and stopping it that way, but Shadowcat was already right towards the Big Wheel. The Big Wheel stopped, eyes widened and he aimed his lasers towards the girl but they passed right through her.

A loud crackle, as Shadowcat phased through the Big Wheel’s big wheel and it began humming. Spider-Man shot a line of webbing, wrapping it around the feet of the Big Wheel and pulling him out. As Shadowcat withdrew, the Big Wheel’s big wheel had blown to pieces.

Spider-Man dove over, as he webbed around a large chunk of the big wheel, before it had fallen over the ledge of the building to crush some civilians. With a deep breath, he pulled back, as thankfully no one was hurt. The Big Wheel was completely webbed up, left for the police.

“I can’t believe that,” said Spider-Man in an exasperated voice.

“I know, I disabled his little toy pretty good, didn’t I?” asked Shadowcat with a smile but suddenly, she stepped back, a bit worried, when she saw how annoyed Spider-Man was. “Wait, what’s gotten into you?”

“I’ll tell you what’s gotten into me,” said Spider-Man as he threw his hands. “I was giving you a direct order about what to do and you….”

“Excuse me, direct order?” asked Shadowcat defensively. “You’re not the boss of me!”

“I told you not to phase though, because I knew what would happen, you were going to blow that thing into several directions,” said Spider-Man in frustration. “A piece of that thing almost fell on some civilians.”

“It didn’t,” said Shadowcat, biting her lip, feeling a little bad that she could have endangered innocent lives but regardless, she did not, so there was really no need for Spider-Man to yell at her.”

“Only because my webbing caught onto it before it fell over the ledge,” said Spider-Man as he threw up his hands. “Look, if you want to tag along with me, you’ve got to start listening to me. Of course, I don’t really want a sidekick….”

“EXCUSE ME, SIDEKICK, TAG ALONG!” shouted Shadowcat.

“Yeah those were the wrong words to say, Pete,” thought Spider-Man. “Still she should…oh boy, I think I hit a nerve.”

“You just think of me like I’m some inferior little kid!” yelled Shadowcat angrily, as she turned to Spider-Man. “Even though, I’m only two years younger than you! I can’t believe this, I worked hard because I wanted to be as good as you, be a hero like you, save people and help someone that I thought was my friend! Fine, you want to be this way, fine!”

“Now, I didn’t really mean that, it’s just that…” started Spider-Man but he was cut off again before he could explain.

“You just want to do everything on your own, in the X-Men, we might have our problems, but we’re a team,” said Shadowcat as she looked torn between anger and tears. “I can’t believe that someone that I admire and looked up to ends up like this. Just forget it, if you don’t want to be burdened with me tagging along, I won’t stop you. In fact, I don’t think I’m just going to ever speak to you again!”

“Kitty, wait, I…” stated Spider-Man.

“Just leave me alone!” shouted Shadowcat as she phased right through the roof of the building

“I was just….I didn’t want to see anyone get hurt,” thought Spider-Man desperately. “Why is it that I always come across as the bad guy in these situations? I just don’t get it.”

Spider-Man made sure the Big Wheel was secured before he checked the time. With only a few minutes to get to class, he had to hurry.

“And I was doing so well this semester,” thought Spider-Man. “Guess I’m going to be late today.”

Spider-Man swung off, unfocused, and trying to think of ways to reason with a temperamental and impulsive teenager girl.

Needless to say, he was more up for round two with the Sinister Six at the moment.

-

“And now the winner will get this solid gold statue worth one billion dollars!” shouted an announcers to a group of excited spectators on the beach. “Now watch as our contestants navigate through this tricky obstacle course.”

“This just in, there has been a last minute entrant,” said a voice, as the sand began to shift and form into the Sandman, as he rose up from the beach, before he turned around.

“The Sandman!” gasped one of the guards. “He’s after the trophy, stop him!”

The guards rushed forward, but ropes made out of pure sand shot out from the ground of the beach tying them up and disarming them.

“You fools can’t stop an entire beach,” said the Sandman. “The more sand around me, the more my powers grow! Nothing can stop me here, not even Spider-Man!”

The Sandman turned at the group of spectators, who were shell shocked and completely unable to move. His arm contorted into a large hammer before he swung it and smashed the trophy right into dust.

“Your billion dollar trophy, just a cheap promotional gimmick, barely worth a few pennies,” said the Sandman with contempt. “I have a much bigger prize in mind, the performance bonds that the contestants of this contest put up so they couldn’t back out of competing.”

“But that’s for charity, that would be wrong to steal it, it’s going to a worthy cause!” shouted the announcer.

“Indeed it is, the first national bank of Sandman,” said Sandman with a greedy glint in his eye. “And don’t deny that the promoters of this event would not have just pocketed a good chunk of that anyway.”

The Sandman vanished and the people screamed, as the large metal box that contained the cash that was given as performance bonds was sucked right into the sand. The guards were released from their bonds.

Everyone moved forward, to dig through the sand, but there was no evidence than anything sentient had ever been a part of it. Both the Sandman and the money were long gone with no clue as to where it might have gone.

-

“I had thought the Sandman as locked up in Ravencroft, Jonah,” said Robbie at the Daily Bugle.

“Robbie, that place is like a motel, people are checking in and out all of the time,” said Jameson as he looked at the notes in front of him. “They said that he broke out and left a shell of himself behind. By the time anyone found him, he was long gone. I swear, if this is where our tax dollars are going….”

Jameson just calmed himself. His doctor had told him that he had to cut down on the long winded rants, as it had raised his blood pressure through the roof. It was quite the shock to J. Jonah Jameson to learn that he had high blood pressure.

“Robbie, get me Parker, this is right up his freak show alley,” said Jameson.

“Jonah, Peter’s in school right now, I don’t think we can get him away for something this trivial,” said Robbie.

“Right school, Parker, that punk’s not graduated yet,” said Jameson under his breath. “Fine get me Brock!”

Robbie just did as he was told and Eddie Brock walked in, looking all smug.

“You wanted to see me JJ,” said Brock.

“No, Brock, I never want to see your face, but considering the fact that I need a photographer and you’re the only one who resembles one around here, you’re going to have to do,” said Jameson. “The Sandman has broken out of Ravencroft and likely that web head’s going to get involved, as he always does. There will be mass chaos, putting the citizens in peril. I need pictures of it, yesterday!”

“Right, gotcha, boss,” said Brock.

“Oh and Brock, just remember, that if you don’t get the pictures this time, you’re be looking for a new job,” said Jameson. “And this time I mean it. The Bugle has to make some cutbacks and your head’s on the chopping block. I’m giving one chance to impress me. If you don’t come up with something big, don’t let the door hit you on the backside on the way out.”

“I won’t let you down, JJ,” said Brock.

“For your sake, you better not!” yelled Jameson before he took a deep breath. “Now go, move it, I’m not telling you again. I want those pictures by tomorrow morning so the Bugle can run them first thing and blow everyone out of the water.”

-

“Peter, you were a bit insensitive,” said Gwen with a sigh, as Peter had explained the situation with Kitty to Gwen.

“How, am I insensitive when she could have put lives in peril with her irrational actions?” asked Peter.

“Well, you could have handled this a bit better and considering you pretty much yelled at her, that didn’t really help matters,” said Gwen delicately. “Calling her a sidekick, well that was completely and utterly stupid. That just proves to her that you don’t think that she’s equal.”

“Well, I’m more experienced than her,” said Peter and Gwen just sighed.

“Five months, six months, whatever, not really that much longer,” said Gwen. “It would be just like I’m saying that you’re too young to understand something, despite the fact that I’m only two months older than you.”

“That’s completely different,” said Peter and Gwen just bit her lip, before she just gave a small shake of her head. “So, you’re saying that I was wrong for caring about what happened. Not to mention the fact that she could have gotten flash fried in that thing if she had just lost focus for a second.”

“Did you mention anything to her about that?” asked Gwen.

“No, it kind of slipped my mind,” said Peter sheepishly.

“Well I’m sure if you had explained that to her, she might not have blown up at you so much,” said Gwen. “And I think I know the reason why she took it so hard.”

“Enlighten me because I haven’t the slightest idea,” prompted Peter.

“Well imagine if you ever got the opportunity to team up with Captain America,” said Gwen and Peter just looked up, failing to see where this went. “Someone who you looked up to, who you idolized but you made a mistake. How would you feel if you were yelled at and demeaned?”

“It wouldn’t be too nice,” said Peter. “Still, it’s an absurd comparison, comparing me to Captain America in anyway….”

“Absurd or not its quite valid to her, Kitty does look up to you, both as Spider-Man and as Peter Parker,” said Gwen. “To her, you’re a symbol of hope, but you just crushed that symbol by going off on her and she reacted badly. It was like she got slapped right in the face.”

“Never really thought of it that way,” said Peter. “Guess I really messed up. I better apologize to her….”

“Better give her time to cool off, Pete,” said Gwen as she grabbed Peter’s hand to stop him. “She’s not going to believe it right now. I saw her earlier. She’s in quite the mood.”

Gwen paused, as the bell rang. They had snuck off from lunch to have this talk and now since it was over, there would be people in the hallway.

“Just think it over, Peter,” said Gwen as she leaned forward to kiss him goodbye before they parted to their respective classes, but a familiar voice interrupted them.

“Hey everyone did you hear about what happened, that Sandman guy just busted out of the nuthouse,” said Flash Thompson as he walked around and everyone gasped. “Yeah, don’t worry, I bet that Spider-Man will take care of him at any time.”

“The Sandman broke out,” muttered Gwen. “I thought he was locked up in Ravencroft.”

“C’mon Gwen, you know that people check in and out of that place more often than a motel,” said Peter, but the gears were grinding in his head.

“So, heard the good news I take it?” asked Harry as he walked up with Liz.

“It’s awful, the Sandman, they’re saying that he’s stolen an entire beach and he’s holding it for random,” said Liz.

“Don’t be ridiculous Liz,” said Flash as he had invited himself to join in on the conversation. “There was some charity benefit thing and the Sandman sucked the money right through a hole thingy in the beach.”

“A hole thingy?” asked Peter with a raised eyebrow.

“Hey, Parker, not all of us our brainiacs like you are,” said Flash defensively. “He took all that money, I mean it was for charity, how much of a jerk can you be to do something like that?”

“So he sucked money into a hole in the beach,” said Harry in a skeptical voice, as if he was trying to work out exactly how this was done in his head.

“I’m sure Parker or Stacy might be able to explain it to you in smaller words, Osborn,” said Flash. “Don’t worry your pretty little rich head, I’m sure Spidey’s going to smoke that guy before the Sandman drags your little mansion into the ground with everyone inside.”

Flash walked off but Peter was in deep thought and paid his departure or anything he might have said little mind.

“The last thing I need is for the Sandman’s powers to have evolved even more,” thought Peter as he shook his head. “Oh well, can’t really worry about that. I doubt I could think of a way to get from school, they are watching me after I was late today. Got to hope that Sandman slips up and I catch up with him. Of course catching up with him is the easy part. Yeah, got to beat him. The weather’s cleared up, so I can’t freeze him this time and he’s not about to go into any construction sites, so what to do?

-

A three year old girl was in her room happily playing with her dolls when suddenly the wall in her room began to shift around and sand began to leak from the wall. She watched, eyes widened, absolutely transfixed, as the sand rose up, before it swirled around, to reveal the form of the Sandman.

“Shh,” said the Sandman, putting a finger to his lips but the girl just began screaming bloody murder. Quickly, the Sandman’s arm stretched out, with a hand made of sand gently placed over the girl’s mouth. “Now, we’ll have none of that. Don’t worry, no one needs to hurt. Uncle Sandman is just here to take your Mommy’s precious collection of jewels, don’t worry about a thing, I’m not going to hurt you or anyone else. I’m just a thief, not a killer. Got to make a living somehow. Got to put bread on the table. Well technically I can’t eat bread in my condition, but you get what I’m saying. Now just sit here, play with your little dollies and Uncle Sandman will be out of here before you know it. That’s a good girl.”

The moment the hand was removed, the girl began screaming again.

“MOMMY, MOMMY!” screamed the little girl at the top of her lungs and there were footsteps heard, as the Sandman just sighed. He would have to be in his physical form to be able to make a getaway with the jewels and the girl had complicated things.

“What’s the…” started the girl’s mother before she opened the door. “You’re that low life who stole from the charity benefit!”

“Hey, I’m just a guy trying to make a living, we can’t all live the posh lifestyle, you know,” said Sandman, as he quickly dissolved, before he slid underneath the door and his hand rose up, slamming it shut. A chunk of sand was shot out, before solidifying around the door knob, keeping it in place.

“Should hold it, move quickly, that broad might have tripped an alarm and I have to escape to the girl’s sandbox before I can make a clean getaway,” thought Sandman as he moved quickly.

His hands stretched forward, running across every portrait on the wall of the place one by one. Given how long the hallway was, that was quite the task, even with someone of the Sandman’s powers but he was determined to get the jewels.

-

“A little girl screaming, that’s never good, Sandman or not, better check it out,” thought Spider-Man as he swung into action. “Nice place, perfect for some lowlife to get a free hand out. I don’t need my spider sense to tell me that the Sandman’s around here somewhere. I just hope I’m not too late.”

Spider-Man swung around, before he made his way towards the nearest window and opened it immediately, to see a terrified three year old girl sitting on her bed, in a state of shock and her mother frantically trying to open the door to no avail.

“What happened here?” asked Spider-Man.

“Spider-Man!” shouted the mother in absolute surprise, taking a moment to get herself. “That Sandman nutcase has just broken into my house, you’ve got to stop him, he’s going to rob me blind, I can’t get the door open to call the police.”

“Let me,” said Spider-Man as he firmly grabbed onto the door handle, before he planted his feet on the door and gave a mighty shove, which managed to force the door open. As he made his way outside, Spider-Man was greeted by an empty hallway.

“All that effort, for nothing,” thought Spider-Man but at that moment, his spider sense flared up and he just narrowly dodged a large sand hammer that swung from out of nowhere.

“Okay, Marko, enough with the cloak and dagger stuff, come out and face me!” called Spider-Man.

“You stupid bug, Flint Marko was a two bit thug, the Sandman is a master thief,” said the Sandman as he burst from the wall, but Spider-Man dodged the attack, before he sent webbing at Sandman, in an attempt to slow him down, but it would not stop him not even for the second, as Sandman shifted around, in an attempt to find a working form to take down his enemy.

“Yeah, master thief, considering you revealed yourself to a three year old girl, who’s screams told me you were here,” said Spider-Man as he scaled up the wall, to avoid another attack by the Sandman.

“Hey, it’s not a picnic traveling in the walls to get here,” said Sandman as both of arms shifted into large gongs, that he tried to smash Spider-Man in between, but the web head pulled himself up. “Never mind, I have been meaning to get a bit of payback on you after you embarrassed me the last time.”

Sandman shifted his arm into a mace made of sand and swung it around, trying to smash Sandman but the ducking and the dodging of Spider-Man had caused Sandman to smash several antique vases right to pieces! Two ropes made of sand shot out but the web slinger avoided them.

“You’re not the only one who can tie people up,” said Sandman. “And unlike you, my sand webbing’s organic, so I don’t have to worry about those stupid web shooters running out any time soon, unlike you.”

Spider-Man swung a vicious punch and it smashed Sandman right in the face, causing him to splatter against the wall, before he reformed.

“Get him outside, get him away from innocent people, Spidey,” thought the web head as another punch was swung but Sandman burst into globs of sand, but he had reformed immediately. “Yeah, I kind of figured that was not going to be as easy as I expected. Just think….”

A large sand hammer had swung right at Spider-Man but he dodged the attack. He tried to open his mouth for a well placed quip but Sandman’s arm extended outwards and nearly punched him right in the mouth. Spider-Man dodged the attack, bouncing back up, as the sand had smashed into the wall. Sandman withdrew his hand the other way, as it turned into a sand axe, but narrowly, Spider-Man ducked it trying to cut into the back of his head.

“Hey, watch it with that thing Sandman,” said Spider-Man as he dodged another well placed attack by Sandman.

“What’s the matter, Spidey? Afraid you’d lose your head in the head of battle?” taunted Sandman. “Don’t know if it will work to be honest with you, but it’d be fun trying.”

“Please, Sandman, you’re anything but honest,” responded Spider-Man, as Sandman raised his arms up, as they smashed right into Spider-Man, knocking him down. He opened his web shooter, as he switched web cartridges.

“Stickier webbing, worth a shot, maybe it’ll slow this guy down,” thought Spider-Man. “Not going to stop him, but easier to think when I’m not fighting for my life.”

Spider-Man took aim and a line of webbing shot right around Sandman but the criminal once again avoided the attack. The sound of sirens from outside had caused Sandman to freeze for a second.

“The police, figures they’d stick their nose into it,” said Sandman. “Catch you later, web head, but I’ve got to ditch this and take it as a bad job.”

“No, I don’t think so!” shouted Spider-Man as he shot two lines of webbing, wrapping around the Sandman, holding the villain in place. For the briefest second possible, he thought Sandman was in place, until a large sand hammer swung at him from behind him, rising from the floor, spider sense just narrowly warning him. With a loud crack to the back of the head, Spider-Man was done, as Sandman managed to free himself and escape through the crack of the wall.

“Not that easily Sandman,” thought Spider-Man but the police had arrived.

“There arrest that monster for what he did!” shouted the woman as she pointed at Spider-Man with an angry expression on her face. “The Bugle’s right, he should be locked up and condemned.”

“Hey, wait just a minute lady, I just saved Sandman from using your house as his own personal cookie jar,” argued Spider-Man.

“You also let him shatter a priceless, irreplaceable, antique vase!” yelled the woman who was beyond hysterics. “That thing cost more money than you’re ever see in your life.”

“Now, look, Ma’am, accidents do happen,” said Captain Stacy as he walked up. “I’m certain that Spider-Man never meant you any harm and the vase was not purposely destroyed.”

“I don’t care, I want him put behind bars!” shouted the woman angrily as she looked at the vase. “These super powered nutcases wouldn’t be around if it was not for him.”

“Captain, we found this young man lurking around downstairs,” said one of the officers, who lead in Eddie Brock, who gave a sheepish grin.

“Hey, Captain, Eddie Brock, award winning, star photographer of the Daily Bugle,” said Brock with a smile but Captain Stacy was not impressed. “Surely you’ve heard of me.”

“Mr. Brock, this is a police investigation, the press aren’t welcome here, as there could be criminals on the loose,” said Captain Stacy sternly as he turned to Spider-Man. “Spider-Man, if you will join this young man outside the house, so we can get on with the investigation.”

“What about the vase?” asked Spider-Man.

“We’ll sort it out,” said Captain Stacy and Brock just protested, but Spider-Man grabbed him and pulled him outside.

“Come on Brock,” said Spider-Man. “Trust me, there’s nothing to see here, the excitement’s already passed, what are you doing here anyway?”

“Well I’m a photographer and Jameson told me that I needed to get pictures of Sandman and I saw you swinging by,” said Brock. “Too bad I didn’t manage to find a way inside sooner, huh? I would have got some great photos and Jameson would be so pleased that I’d be living the high life. Plus, maybe I can get him to can that loser Parker. Between you and me, the kid’s a dweeb and he makes you look ten pounds overweight in your pictures anyway. I could do a much better job.”

“Seems to me you can barely get any pictures of me at all,” said Spider-Man through gritted teeth.

“That’s not true! I got you in those photos with the Black Cat,” said Brock. “Those was some good work, remember those?

“Vividly,” said Spider-Man dryly.

“Anyway, got to run Spider-Man, Sandman’s got to be around here somewhere,” said Brock “Just think, I’m going to be the top dog at the Bugle.”

“Yeah, I’m going to have more trouble than I thought with that self centered glory hound snapping pictures for a little fame and fortune,” thought Spider-Man. “Not that he’s going to get any with Jameson. Well back on the trail right now I guess.”

-

“Everything’s in order,” said a man in glasses as he looked at two guards, who stood outside of an armored truck. “Move now, no telling if anyone is going to get cute and try and steal the truck.”

“Yeah, like anyone would be dumb enough to try,” said one of the guards as he held his gun at the read.

Unknowingly, sand began to shift from underneath one of the tires and crept underneath. The armored truck was not enough to keep the sand to continue to slip into the crack bit by bit, until the Sandman appeared in the front seat of the truck, with a satisfied smirk on his face.

“How nice of you, an entire truck of gold all gift wrapped for the taking,” said the Sandman as he just turned, smugly.

“The Sandman!”

“How did he get inside?”

“I don’t know but there’s no way he can do anything, as I’ve got the keys right here.”

Sandman just responded with a smile, before he raised one of his fingers, as he shifted it into a key. After a moment’s work, it fit the ignition and with a turn, the armored truck had started out, as Sandman withdrew, the solidified sand key still in the ignition.

“The web head found out I learned lots of new tricks when I was put away and this was one of them!” said Sandman, as he drove with the truck. The two guards were powerless to stop it and the armored truck had continued to drive.

-

Just seconds later, Spider-Man swung into the scene, hearing the trio of men sputtering and unable to formulate anything remotely resembling a complete sentence.

“Spider-Man…Spider-Man…he snuck into the truck and managed to…oh it’s awful.”

“He went that way, if we don’t recover that gold….”

“I’m on it,” said Spider-Man as he swung off into the distance, following the truck from a safe distance, as it continued to move down the street.

“Almost there, just a little bit more, got to make a perfect landing or I’m road pizza,” thought Spider-Man as he landed right on the trunk.

“Great, I’ve got a bug on my windshield,” grumbled Sandman, before he dissolved into a pile of sand and began to slide down the seat, before he reappeared right in front of Spider-Man. “Better knock it off so I can see where I’m going.”

Sandman swung two sand mallets but Spider-Man avoided the attack. The web head had very little room to maneuver, as he tried to move into position.

In an instant, in the heat of battle, another problem presented itself, especially as the armored truck began to careen out of control.

“And no one’s driving the thing,” dead panned Spider-Man as the armored truck remained at high speed, only just barely slowing down, as it made its way down an incline, smashing through a barricade and making its way towards an unfinished bridge that was under construction.

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