Chapter 45: Stark Contrast Part II

Chapter Forty Five: Stark Contrast Part II:

Two glass doors blew completely open from the shockwave blasts, as the criminal known as Shocker stepped forward, with a look of contempt as he made his way deep into the bank. He turned, as he pointed his arm to a very frightened looking bank teller.

“Alright, don’t move and you might live to tell your children about the day you met a super villain,” said Shocker as he held his gauntlet in the air, pointed dangerously at the bank teller. “Now point me to the vault.”

“Right back there s-s-sir,” stammered the bank teller, preparing to press a silent alarm but Shocker turned and the desk blew to pieces with one attack and Shocker turned towards him, before the villain took a menacing step forward.

“Told ya not to try anything funny,” said Shocker as he held his gauntlet right in the chest of the bank teller. “Now, I’m going to have to teach you a lesson that you’ll never forget.”

“Funnily enough you still haven’t learned a lesson, given the fact that you still go out in public with that gaudy outfit on,” taunted a very familiar voice and Shocker turned angrily, to face the arrival of Spider-Man and he stopped and did a double take, before he began laughing hysterically which caught the web head totally off guard.

“That armor…that armor!” cackled Shocker, as he looked at the armor that Spider-Man was wearing. It was truly not that much different from his normal outfit but it looked absurd on someone like Spider-Man. “And you have the nerve to make fun of my outfit. What did you wield a bunch of tin cans together or something?”

“I’m being made fun of by the Shocker,” thought Spider-Man, before he looked at the armor. “Yeah, I see his point but I’ve got to get him while he’s amused.”

“See who’s laughing now!” shouted Spider-Man as he pushed a button but instead of engaging the thrusters of the armor forward, they went backwards, causing the web head to smash right into the wall. Thankfully the armor saved him from getting every bone in his body broken but his ego was most certainly bruised.

“Man, you sure showed me, Spidey,” said the Shocker sarcastically, as he clutched his chest, having trouble breathing, as Spider-Man thrashed his arms and legs in an attempt to pull himself up. “And I’ll be laughing now, I mean, I think you got clonked on the head one too many times to put that thing on.”

“Don’t quite have the hang of getting up to my feet either, there got it,” thought Spider-Man as he pulled himself to his feet and immediately, Shocker turned, before he blasted Spider-Man right through the wall. There was a loud clang as the vibrations echoed, rattling the armor with Spider-Man in it.

“Man, love to stay and…admire your outfit, web head, but business before pleasure,” said Shocker, as he took a step forward, before he blasted the vault open and helped himself to several stacks full of money that he shoved into a duffel bag. He raised his gauntlet and sent the desk right into Spider-Man, trapping him against the wall.

“Yeah, this quite frankly blows, but I think I’m getting the hang of this, sort of,” thought Spider-Man as he kicked the overturned desk over, before struggling to make his way up to his feet. The web head was clunky. “Suit appears to still be in decent shape, and other than that ringing in my ears, I am too.”

Spider-Man followed on foot, nearly losing his balance, as he watched Shocker make his way down the street, blasting a hole right in the road to stall the police card.

“Not going to get away this time,” thought Spider-Man as he instinctively held his arm but remembered. “Oh right, no webbing, force of habit.”

Spider-Man managed to engaged the propulsion systems in his armor and for the most part there was no travesty, unless one counted Spider-Man going way too far into the air and he looked down, far from the sky, as Shocker continued to make his get away. The web head tried to move around to get him but he found that right turns were a bit jerky with the suit.

And left turns were not that much better for that matter.

Going straight was not a picnic to be honest as well.

“I think I’m getting the hang of this, I hope,” thought Spider-Man as he watched, Shocker sent one of his gauntlet blasts up and thankfully, Spider-Man avoided it, at the price of getting even further away from Shocker.

“My ride’s right around this alley way,” muttered Shocker to himself, blasting a wall out, to give himself some cover and he made itself to the alley, where a masked carjacker was in the process of stealing the getaway vehicle that he had stolen himself earlier. “Get out of my way!”

Shocker blasted the carjacker, which caused him to slam right into the wall, as Shocker made his way into the front seat of the car.

“Honestly, this city is a cesspool of crime, people can’t even steal anything honestly anymore with someone else trying to steal it for themselves,” grumbled Shocker as he started up the car and backed it out of the alley way and prepared to make a clean getaway.

At this time, Spider-Man was propelled right into the car. He braced himself from impact as Shocker froze and Spider-Man smashed right into the car, causing it to spiral out of control and wreck. Spider-Man rolled over, relatively unharmed, as Shocker stepped out of the car, looking rather angry.

“That’s it, you’ve done it now, you stupid insect!” bellowed Shocker as he held his gauntlets, ready to blast Spider-Man but found they had been slightly damaged. He watched as Spider-Man once again tried to make his way to his feet, kicking and squirming on the hood. “You got lucky, web head.”

Shocker turned around, but was met with several armed offices of the law.

“Freeze Shocker!”

Shocker had no choice and he held his hands in the air. Without his powers, it would be hard. He was escorted out, as Spider-Man rolled off of the car, as a crowd had joined them.

“So, pretty good, huh, catching Shocker,” said Spider-Man but people were yelling and pointing at him.

“He nearly killed me flying in that thing!”

“The Bugle is right. He should be locked up and the key should be thrown away!”

“Arrest him too!”

“He’s about as bad as that Shocker guy!”

“Marry me Spidey!”

The web head found himself pelted by several pieces of fruit.

“Man what are these people’s problems, it’s not like I hurt anyone, came close, but I managed to pull out before it was too late,” thought Spider-Man in desperately, as he ran down the alley way. “I almost got the hang of this thing, but my propulsion system is a bit jammed and yeah, direction needs work, but other than that I am…where do people get all of this rotten fruit anyway? Do they just carry it all day, hoping for a riot to happen?”

Spider-Man nearly tripped but a very familiar individual managed to lift him out of safety. The web head turned, to see Iron Man standing there.

“So how’s the suit?” asked Iron Man.

“Jeez, I’m being hunted by an angry mob after my direction control spazzed out and are pelting me with rotten fruit,” said Spider-Man in an agitated tone of voice. “I would have to say the suit is working just great!”

“Ah, the direction control, no wonder you’re having problems with it, the suit is not properly calibrated,” said Iron Man as he took a stepped forward. “I mean, did you even read the manual? It says right there on the first line.”

“Actually the manual you sent me was in…”

“No matter, it’s rather a simple process,” said Iron Man.

“I’m sure,” said Spider-Man dryly, who had no idea how anything about this crazy, bipolar armor could be simple.

“Here allow me,” said Iron Man.

XXXXXX-XXXXXXX

Two masked men stood on the building, one of them with a remote control device in hand.

“We have the subject in sight boss.”

“Excellent. The link has been established. Now all you need to do is press the button and that fool Iron Man will be mine.”

“As you wish, boss.”

A finger rose and pressed the button that activated the remote control device.

XXXXXXX-XXXXXXXX

“You know, you should have explained this armor to me in person, if you wanted to help me so badly!” shouted Spider-Man hotly. “And for a simple process, it is taking a lot of time to get this thing calibrated properly.”

“Don’t worry, once this is done, it will be smooth sailing, well maybe not as good as my suit, but you might not need as much help,” said Iron Man. “Still every little bit helps…let’s see, just one more calibration, and we’re all set to….”

Iron Man suddenly paused, not finishing the sentence, when he felt a tingling feeling in his armor.

“Is there a problem?” asked Spider-Man.

“It appears there is an anomaly in my armor,” replied Iron Man just as the web slinger’s spider sense went into overdrive.

“Yeah I’d say there was an anomaly,” thought Spider-Man as he looked from side to side, before he spotted two figures up on the side of the building, one of them with a remote control device.

“Iron Man, look out!” shouted Spider-Man and Iron Man turned, but found himself unable to control his own armor. Iron Man was blasted upwards, trying to fight.

“Access emergency protocols!” muttered Iron Man in a frantic tone of voice. “Locked out!”

“Hold it right there!” responded Spider-Man as he tried to kick up.

“The web head’s after us!”

“Yeah, in that clunky thing, he could barely control it, but this should keep him out off our back. We can control Iron Man’s armor, remember”

Suddenly, Iron Man turned, before his weapon protocols were engaged and they began firing right at Spider-Man, who despite his armor being mostly calibrated, managed to avoid the shots, just barely.

“Spider-Man get out of here, I can’t control it!” shouted Iron Man.

“Yeah, welcome to my world,” grumbled Spider-Man.

“Technology, got to love it,” thought Spider-Man bitterly.

“Somebody must have found a way to hack into my armor!” shouted Iron Man.

“Yeah, I guessed that,” said Spider-Man dryly. “Seriously, you should really be careful who you share your passwords with it could…”

Much to his discomfort, Spider-Man was cut off and a laser cut right through the air and impacted the armor, which caused it to beep.

“Armor overheating, armor reaching critical mass,” said the computer. “Beginning to enact protection protocols…error, protection protocols not properly calibrated….armor unable to response….evacuate or risk termination.”

“Yeah, that would be the one thing that he didn’t manage to properly calibrate,” thought Spider-Man as another blast moved through the air and he had to think quickly.

XXXXX-XXXXX

The two figures in the distance watched, as the armor containing Spider-Man blew to smithereens, causing it to crash down onto the street with another explosion and smoke and fire began to shoot into the air, as a shocked Iron Man looked on, helplessly.

“That’s it for the web head,” said the man with the remote as he watched with absolute glee. “Boss, Iron Man is on his way, I’m sure you can take it from here and Spider-Man is finished.”

“Excellent, this is turning out to be my crowning triumph,” said the voice that belonged to Abner Jenkins, otherwise known as the Beetle

XXXXX-XXXXX

A hand pushed wreckage away, including a smoldering, melting spider armor and Spider-Man gingerly pulled himself out the wreckage, wearing his regular outfit and rolled over, getting to his feet.

“And what have we learned today, Pete?” asked Spider-Man to himself. “Oh yeah, when your girlfriend tells you that something is a stupid idea, it most likely is one…I really should have already have know that.”

With a simple gesture, Spider-Man brushed the soot and wreckage off of his shoulder.

“Good thing I thought to wear my other outfit underneath this armor,” thought Spider-Man. “And good thing I managed to get free before the armor blew up. Too close, that burn’s a nasty one.”

Spider-Man caught his breath and gazed up, where Iron Man was just a speck in the distance.

“Going to be a bit harder without my web shooters, but no time to get them now,” thought Spider-Man. “Of course, I should have known this might happen, but live and learn, now got to catch up to Iron Man before I lose him…and the hard way too without web slinging.”

Without another word or stray thought, Spider-Man went off in pursuit of Iron Man, as he hoped that he would not be too late.

XXXXX-XXXXX

Iron Man struggled, but found that since the armor had been locked down, he was merely a man in an extremely heavy shell that was nowhere near his control to maneuver. The figure of Abner Jenkins walked over and walked over to Iron Man.

“You thought you had power but in the end, you proved to be wrong and in a while, you’ll be dead wrong,” said Jenkins with a sadistic glint in his eye. “While I do have a detailed scan of your armor, as evidence by my ability to take control of it, I wish to ensure that I have everything that I need to upgrade my armor to become more powerful than yours. The process should only take about five minutes, maybe less.”

“You won’t get away with this, Jenkins,” said Iron Man but Jenkins just laughed.

“Yes, I expected you say such a played line, hero,” said Jenkins. “But the fact is I already have. Within moments I will have the armor design and then I will be able to rule this city. They will learn to fear the Beetle. And as for you, Iron Man, since you will be obsolete, you will share the same fate as everything else that is the previous model. You will be disposed in that scrap crusher over there, to be recycled, both the suit and the fool that Stark had conned into wearing it as well.”

Iron Man began to struggle but found that with his armor completely locked down.

“Spider-Man was right, it’s not the armor that makes the man, it’s the man that makes the armor,” thought Iron Man. “Now I’ve just proven what kind of man Tony Stark is. Weak, powerless, at the mercy of the villain…no use struggling, this is hopeless and even then I killed a man. I should have never tried to play this hero bit.”

“It’s done, Beetle”

“Excellent,” said Jenkins as he admired his new and improved armor. “And just think, Stark deciding to deny my genius opened the doors from this revolutionary armor. New York will have a new master and it’s the Beetle. It’s a shame that you’ll be scrapped and recycled. You won’t be able to thank Stark for the fix that you’re in. Of course, I’ll make sure to thank him properly when he gets a first taste of what he missed personally.”

Now dressed in full armor, Beetle prepared to operate the Iron Man armor, so the hero would throw himself into the scrap crusher. The villain took a few seconds to admire the struggles.

“You’re persistent,” said Beetle. “But it is futile. Nobody can stop me now.”

“Hi, I’m nobody!” called Spider-Man as he moved into the window and faced off against the Beetle, was shocked momentarily.

“Spider-Man?” asked Beetle in shock. “But it can’t be, you’re dead!”

“I got better,” dead panned Spider-Man. “But you won’t be!”

Beetle turned and he immediately went right at Spider-Man. With a casual motion, he knocked Spider-Man right on his back. Spider-Man bounced up, using his agility to narrowly avoid the attack from Beetle. Spiraling in the air, Spider-Man was caught in mid kick and thrown right to the side. Beetle grabbed Spider-Man by the arms and pinned him against the wall.

“You see, Spider-Man, this armor is stronger than Iron Man’s!” yelled Beetle as he pinned Spider-Man against the wall. “You can’t outrun that so what makes you think you can outrun mine.”

Spider-Man managed to shove Beetle off and Beetle moved around, as the two engaged in combat. Really wishing he had his webbing, Spider-Man had to improvise, with a can of an adhesive substance of some sort. Beetle nearly dodged being webbed up by adhesive in the can.

In an instant, Spider-Man found his back slammed against the wall, as Beetle choked him. Struggling, the web head attempted to kick Beetle off, but the strength of the armor was incredible.

“Got to gain the necessary leverage before he takes the life out of me,” thought Spider-Man as he managed to get underneath the Beatle and kick him off. The villain was staggered and Spider-Man bounced off the wall, leaping at Beatle, in an attempt to pin him down, but Beatle quickly reversed the position and once again tried to choke the life out of Spider-Man. “Got a few more seconds to get out, before I’m unable to breath.”

“You should have stayed down when you had the chance,” said Beetle, as he rammed Spider-Man in the head with the side of the elbow, before he blasted up, grabbing the web head by the shirt, as he continued his descent upwards, before he sent out a grapping line, which hooked onto the switch for the scrap crusher. “I planned this little fate for Iron Man, but you know you’ll do just as well. The guy who owns this place will love me when he has to scrape your guts out of it but oh well, that’s his problem.”

Iron Man watched this grim situation, as he managed to weakly lift an arm. He was still pretty much locked out but he felt like he had to do something. He just could not let the Beetle murder Spider-Man and in such a messy way at that.

“Think Stark, you’re supposed to be a genius, got to override his control,” thought Iron Man. “Almost got in right now, yes I’ve got it, don’t know how long I can or how much power that will give me but just enough to break free and save him.”

Iron Man busted free from his restraints as his armor flashed, warning him that the power was being exerted in a way that it was never meant to be, as he watched Beetle throw Spider-Man downwards. Rocket thrusters engaged, Iron Man managed to catch Spider-Man and get him safely to the ground.

Immediately, Beetle moved forward for the control device, but using his speed, Spider-Man kicked it away, before he crushed it under his foot.

“No, thank you, I’ve already fought enough controlled super heroes lately,” said Spider-Man.

“You might have crushed my device, but he’s still under my control….” Started Beetle but Spider-Man rocketed him backwards with an uppercut. The villain was stunned, as Spider-Man winced as his hand was sore, but he also dented the jaw of the armor. “Impossible, it was supposed to be strong enough to withstand anything.”

“Withstand this Beetle!” yelled Spider-Man as he managed to muscle up a cinderblock and heaved it into the air, causing it to smash against Beetle’s armor. The controls system was slightly off kilter, as Spider-Man ducked his head, rolling forward, but Beetle dove down, firing lasers, not caring what they hit and a part of the ground exploded, causing Spider-Man to launch up.

“Nice try, but you don’t win, not this time,” said Beetle, as he held Spider-Man’s head and prepared to cave it in, but Iron Man, despite being mostly depowered and the suit with just enough reserve power to walk, picked up a crowbar and attempted to pry the back of the Beetle’s suit open.

Beetle spun around and knocked Iron Man down, but what he ignored was the back of the suit had been damaged, to reveal that a fuel line that was powering the suit. With all of his might, Spider-Man got up to his feet and gripped the fuel line. With all of his spider strength, he ripped it out. Beetle took a step forward.

“The suit has reserve power, you fool!” yelled Beetle but the next punch knocked him right into the scrap crusher. Beetle staggered over the edge, before Spider-Man pulled the lever, just enough to trap him in there but not enough to crush him.

“Not anymore,” said Spider-Man as he forced open the front panel of the suit and began ripping wires out, dismantling it bit by bit. Beetle struggled but now he was just a man, as Spider-Man ripped off his suit, before freeing him from the scrap crusher. The only part of his armor still intact was the legs and they were quickly fastened together by the adhesive.

Without the suit, he was completely powerless and Spider-Man moved over to Iron Man, as he took a step forward.

“I believe you can figure out how to regain control of your suit with this destroyed,” replied Spider-Man. “You know, you did good enough without the suit, distracting him.”

“Yeah but I think I will stick with the suit, it does work well enough for me,” said Iron Man. “I just got to make my encryption more airtight.”

Iron Man paused and he looked to Spider-Man.

“I guess some of us do need a super powered suit to fight and some of us can just go by with their wits and a little help from something they made out of their garage,” said Iron Man. “Now I know why you’re a hero, because it’s not what you have, it’s what you do and I respect that.”

“I do what I can,” said Spider-Man.

“As will I, believe me,” said Iron Man. “It’s funny, this was just a little test run to see how the suit works, nothing more than a hobby, but now I realize that I can actually do good.”

“Believe me, the more the merrier, less trouble for me,” said Spider-Man as the two heroes shared a laugh. “Now, let’s leave this joker for the police and hopefully he’ll be put away for a long time this time.”

“I do hope you are right, Spider-Man,” said Iron Man. “Perhaps we’ll team up again one day.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it, I do have the tendency to run into super heroes in this city very often,” said Spider-Man as he took a step forward, relieved. He just hoped that the Beetle would be in a more secure cell this time.

XXXXX-XXXXX

“As you can see by the pictures, Iron Man’s technology might be good but Spider-Man’s spider powers were the thing that helped defeat the Beetle,” said Peter to Harry and Gwen the next day. “Not that Iron Man didn’t do his share but it just proves that technology isn’t everything. Trust me, I was there.”

“Yeah, in the corner taking pictures,” said Harry. “Unseen by everyone.”

“Hey, better to be in the corner where it’s safe,” said Peter.

“If only,” muttered Gwen so only Peter could hear her.

“Good thing Spider-Man ditched that armor, I mean, it made him like a tool,” said Harry. “Tell him that for me next time you’re taking his picture.”

“I’ll be sure to relay the message,” said Peter.

“Anyway, I heard about the band playing at the prom,” said Harry suddenly changing the subject.

“The prom?” started Peter.

“Yes, Pete, the prom, you know big school wide thing that’s happening next week, go on a date, dance, put yourself into bankruptcy by overspending on your date, then half of the class gets wasted and gets suspended, you know the prom,” said Harry.

“Yes, I am quite aware of what it is,” said Peter.

“Don’t tell me you forgot about it,” said Harry.

“Well, yes, I mean no, I mean, Gwen please don’t kill me,” said Peter but Gwen just looked rather amused and resigned at the same time.

“Peter, it’s no big deal,” said Gwen. “Given our luck with school events, it wasn’t really something that I’m looking forward to all that much.”

“Yeah, but what’s the chance that the Hulk’s going to crash the prom?” asked Harry and Peter just gave him a look. “Okay, in this city, there’s a pretty good chance, but really.”

“Chances are that a super villain is going to show up and ruin the night…pretty good actually,” thought Peter. “Chances are that Spider-Man’s going to get blamed for this somehow….even better.”

“We can go and try and have a good time,” said Peter.

“That’s all I ask for,” said Gwen. “And if you spend one cent on a limo that you can’t afford….”

“I can lend you one after all, I mean I got about six of them,” said Harry but then he coughed.

“You mean your Dad has about six of them,” said Peter.

“No, I have six of them, Dad has about twenty,” said Harry.

“What on earth would someone need with twenty limos?” asked Gwen.

“Please, Gwen, this is the least of my father’s problems,” said Harry and that was a point that could not be disputed. “Anyway, the band, the Mercy Killers are going to be playing.”

“Who?” asked Peter and Gwen looked equally baffled.

“You know, the Mercy Killers, you know them, they did the thing with the…” stated Harry. “Who are the Mercy Killers anyway?”

“Proof that the school budget obviously hit its lowest level in years,” said Gwen as the bell rang and they had to make their way to their respective classes. 


Next Chapter