Chapter 76: House of Cards Part Three

Chapter 76: House of Cards Part Three.

“Package for Spider-Man?” asked Jameson as he tried to register what he had seen right in his head. “Again? Do we look like a PO Box for that web head?”

“Jonah, it says it’s extremely important,” said Robbie as he looked seriously.

“Well extremely important, than perhaps I should take a little peak to make sure it’s safe,” said Jameson as he tried to pry open the package, but he could not get it open. “Blast it, how does anyone expect anyone to open this thing?”

“Well it was only meant for Spider-Man, so perhaps whoever sent it made it so he could only open it,” said Robbie, as Jameson gave one last futile attempt to pry the case right open. “I wouldn’t try that, it’s not going to open.”

“You’re right, blast it, I wonder what’s so important,” said Jameson as he rather looked at the package. “WHAT COULD THE WEB SLINGER NEED!”

“Jameson, you nearly woke up half of the neighborhood with that one,” said a voice and Jameson turned around, to see Spider-Man standing there.

“You, how did you get in my office?” demanded Jameson as he rose to his feet.

“You left your window open, you know and I could hear you shouting, I heard my name, so I figured that was as good as an invite,” said Spider-Man.

“Now listen here…” started Jameson.

“Ah, package for me, something tells me this isn’t fan mail, don’t worry, doesn’t seem to be something too dangerous,” muttered Spider-Man as he web yanked it right off of Jameson’s desk, not caring that he sent papers flying in every direction. “I’ll take that off your hands, have a nice night.”

Spider-Man swung right out of the window, to get far away, half hearing the yells of protest that Jameson was likely to give. He wondered who could be sending him something.

“My curiosity is really something that has been grabbed,” thought Spider-Man as he dropped down at the ledge. “Almost midnight, there’s some light right now. Let’s see what I can do, grab the clasp and get it open.”

Spider-Man pulled it open and his eyes widened underneath his mask. Information, concrete information about where to locate the Kingpin was held right in his hands. For once, something actually went smoother than expected, which naturally made him immediately suspicious.

“If it is true, I’ve got it,” thought Spider-Man. “The Kingpin, tonight, I’ll come face to face with him for the first time. Well don’t jump the gun, Spidey, you still got to get there and something tells me it’s not going to be as easy to step right in the front door and punch him right in the face.”

From a perch, stood a figure, who watched Spider-Man with a frown from high above, but dropped down, to follow him. Once again the web slinger had no idea what he might be getting himself into, although inadvertently he may have helped getting him closer to the Kingpin then he ever dreamed.

X-X-X-X-X

A group of armored thugs stood outside of a large office complex outside of the city. For a casual watcher, it would seem like nothing more than a rudimentary run of the mill office building, a dime a dozen in this city. Indeed, it served as a standard nine to five place of business, with accountants, employees, and business meetings that dragged on forever.

That was by day. By night, the business served was something more different. As a figure was perched above, he spotted the guards but thankfully they did not spot him.

“These late shifts, I tell you,” muttered one of the guards.

“Hey, better than being out on the streets, doing business that way,” muttered the second guard. “I mean, there’s Spider-Man, that guardian devil, and did you hear the rumors about some guy with a skull on his shirt taking people out the other day?”

“Man, that’s just some urban legend, they can’t be for real,” muttered the first guard.

“Shift ends in about fifteen minutes, good, I need a drink.”

“Yeah, tell me about it. Just make sure no one gets through that front door.”

Spider-Man swung right over them with swift ease and perched right over them, before Spider-Man shot a line of webbing on each wrist and pulled the guns. The two guards staggered, but Spider-Man slid right down, before he knocked his heads together.

“Lights out,” muttered Spider-Man. “Well that was easy.”

The moment Spider-Man touched the door knob an alarm began to blare. Quickly, Spider-Man forced his way into the office complex and dodged right around to the side, as he saw another group of a dozen guards.

“The guards at the door have been compromised, someone’s here!”

“Well if they got in, we can never let them out alive!”

“Tell the Kingpin!”

X-X-X-X-X

In his office, Kingpin sat and he took a transmission.

“Kingpin, we have an intruder in this building!”

“Indeed,” muttered Kingpin. “We’re compromised then, which means I will collect anything I need. Make sure no one gets to the top of the building. Shut off the power and block the stairs. And give anyone who has entered a suitable reception.”

Kingpin shut off the transmission. He thought his security was airtight. Most of his employers had never even met him face to face and only a select few knew of this place, only the security force that he hired to guard and a few of his key lieutenants.

Yet there as a leak and Kingpin moved over to the file cabinet, before he began quickly removing documents. He would burn the rest while taking only the necessary records and not leave a trace.

“Helicopter to the roof, I’ll be there in thirty minutes,” ordered Kingpin as he began to gather up everything.

X-X-X-X-X

Right in the shadows, a guard moved around and pointed his gun, as he looked around, but a fist had knocked him right in the back of the head. Spider-Man rolled right out of the way, throwing himself behind a reception desk, before he propelled himself up and three lines of webbing wrapped around the legs and arms of another guard.

“I see him, the web slinger!”

“Uh oh, better move,” thought Spider-Man.

Spider-Man ran up the walls and propelled himself right behind the guards, before he knocked one of them down, but he was shot right at, which caused him to move around. Unable to get a direct shot on anyone, Spider-Man flipped over, and threw a chair into the air, before he bounced off of it, somersaulted in the air, and webbed one of the guards around the eyes.

“Call for back up!”

“Ah, you guys are just doing a good enough job at shooting at me yourself!” taunted Spider-Man as he propelled himself, but the ceiling was shot at, forcing him to swing over as he dodged and pivoted around, before he slid on the ground on his side, wrapping his webbing around the ankles of his adversary and yanked it.

The guard crashed right to the ground, on his face and Spider-Man found himself trapped right in a corner, with nowhere to go.

“Well that didn’t work out as well as I thought,” managed Spider-Man.

Right before they could close in, one of the guards were clubbed right in the back of the head and forced the others to turned around. That allowed Spider-Man to fly right out and nail two of the guards, wrapping webbing around them. He could see other guards drop right down to the ground, as he webbed himself to a light fixture, before he pulled it down.

With a crack, the light fixture wrapped around the head of the enemy, as he spotted Daredevil, nailing one of the guards right in the face with a baton, before two of the guards were knocked right out. An entire pile of bodies were on the floor right in time, all with minor but non fatal injuries, as the two heroes turned to face each other.

“Umm, thanks,” said Spider-Man as Daredevil remained silent for what seemed like some time.

“You’re in now, Spider-Man,” said Daredevil grimly. “And not halfway, you’ve landed right in one of the Kingpin’s bases of operations. He knows we’re here.”

“I figured that,” said Spider-Man.

“He won’t let us live now,” said Daredevil. “And he’s likely to make it out of here before we can reach him but he will want to silence you know for disturbing his operations.”

“Not if we stop him,” said Spider-Man. “But we need to work together.”

“It won’t be easy, the Kingpin has more than a few surprises,” said Daredevil. “He’s likely to shut off the elevators. Up the stairs and be prepared to fight for your life.”

“Right,” muttered Spider-Man as they ascended the stairs, but immediately before they reached about five or six steps, his spider sense went into overdrive but Daredevil threw himself to the ground, rolling forward, dodging the gunfire, as more thugs stood right on the landing. Spider-Man shot a line of webbing, before he wrapped around the ankles of one of the thugs and yanked him down the stairs.

“Don’t let them up here, or the Kingpin will have our heads!”

Immediately Spider-Man kicked said thug right in the head, and continued to do battle up the landing. He took a deep breath.

“Keep moving, there will be more,” said Daredevil.

“We’ll never make it in time,” thought Spider-Man. “No, focus, not on the negative, there’s got to be another way.”

Sure enough, just as they had met even more enemies right on the second level of the building. Spider-Man catapulted himself using his webbing right up the stairs, before he nailed two of the thugs, as he saw Daredevil do battle.

“You guys, just won’t give up,” muttered Spider-Man, as a thug charged him but he fell right down the stairs. Spider-Man scaled the wall and the wall crawler knocked him down. Daredevil continued to batter his enemies, as the fight continued to rag on right on the stairs.

Daredevil buried his fist right into the stomach of one of his attackers, and knocked the wind right out of him and two of them were taken out on one blow.

“We have three more floors,” muttered Spider-Man, as Daredevil knocked out the last thug. “There’s got to be a quicker way of getting up there.”

“Kingpin’s likely blocked off the elevator, the stairs are the only way,” said Daredevil.

“He turned off the power, but if he turned off the power, there is another way,” said Spider-Man as he swung around. “I’ve got a plan, I think it’ll work, it has to work. Trust me”

There was a pause and Daredevil nodded.

“I’ll hold them off on this end and meet you there,” said Daredevil as Spider-Man made his way over the elevator, before he grabbed it tightly. He strained, as he managed to pull the doors opened, before he managed to ascend the wall right inside the elevator shaft.

“Thankfully Kingpin didn’t think of everything,” thought Spider-Man, but his eyes closed. He immediately expected some kind of defense, but nothing came. Spider-Man crawled up, hearing the signs of combat right outside. “Daredevil can handle things. I get my one on one time with the Kingpin. If I can catch him.”

Spider-Man sensed he was close and he kicked the elevator door in, before he ducked and rolled right behind a potted plant. Two lines of webbing caught two of the guards right off guard and knocked them down, but the third guard attacked Spider-Man, despite being disarmed. Spider-Man blocked his attack and continued to do battle right with him. The guy was a bit tougher to take down immediately, but Spider-Man swept his legs, before he landed right on his face.

Spider sense and Spider-Man dodged, as a pencil blasted right through the air at a hundred miles per hour it seemed.

“You,” said Spider-Man as he came face to face with the Kingpin’s master assassin, the unbalanced and unpredictable, Bullseye.

“You’ve reached the end of the road, web slinger,” said Bullseye, as he stood in a battle stance. “I’ve got a score to settle with you.”

Immediately Bullseye aimed a punch and Spider-Man was knocked down. Spider-Man bounced right to his feet, blocking another attack, as he struggled with Bullseye. Bullseye continued to do battle with Spider-Man,

“Got to give you credit, webs, tough, but last time, I was taking it easy on you,” said Bullseye, as he grabbed Spider-Man and kneed him, before he knocked him right into a wall. “Holding back but now, you’ve incurred the wrath of the Kingpin. I’ll enjoy spilling your spider blood.”

Spider-Man managed to dodge what appeared to be a death blow.

“Come on, a blind grandmother could hit better than you,” said Spider-Man as he kicked his enemy, staggering him, before he resumed the fight.

“Don’t mock me!” yelled Bullseye, as he flung a handful of quarters right at Spider-Man. Spider-Man winced, as one of the quarters hit him, very nearly shattering his elbow and Bullseye rushed forward, but Spider-Man rolled underneath it. “Dodge me, I’ll make you pay, you web slinging…stand still!”

“No, too busy beating you,” responded Spider-Man as he shot several lines of webbing, which Bullseye easily avoided, while the assassin made an honest attempt to crack Spider-Man’s skull. “Master assassin, would hate to see the bad assassins!”

“You’re just angling for a more painful death,” said Bullseye, pure sadism dripping form his voice but Spider-Man rolled and landed right on his feet, before he webbed on Bullseye’s hand.

“Look, no hands!” taunted Spider-Man and Bullseye managed to flick a coin with his foot, which Spider-Man ducked and the coin had put a hole right in the ceiling. Spider-Man shot a line of webbing, which spiraled around the feet of Bullseye. “And no feet!”

“You’re dead, do you hear me, dead?” yelled Bullseye, as he struggled but he found his mouth webbed shut.

“And no mouth either,” said Spider-Man and then Bullseye was knocked right in the face. “And he’s out like a light, well got to be careful, because if my guess is correct, the Kingpin should be right up here somewhere.”

Spider-Man rushed down the hallway, he could hear a helicopter right on the roof, which indicated that he did not have much time. He rushed at a breakneck speed, to reach his destination.

“Okay, this is the only office up here, so let’s see who the Kingpin is,” muttered Spider-Man to himself as he grabbed the door. It was locked, but that was something that was only a minor annoyance to someone with spider strength. With a great grip, Spider-Man yanked the door right open and he became face to face with a man who was about to move out of the door. He stood back struck dumb for a few seconds, before everything clicked. “Wilson Fisk is the Kingpin?”

Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime, no matter what he was called, he turned face to face with Spider-Man, as he clapped slowly for less than a minute, before he turned to face his adversary who had given him trouble for nearly two years.

“My men proved to be a disappointment on this evening, Spider-Man,” said Kingpin softly as he put down the case. “It appears, as if I’m going to have to finish the job off myself.”

“Well by the looks of you, the only thing that you can finish off as a buffet,” quipped Spider-Man but immediately, at a speed and agility not expected by someone his size, Kingpin charged in and punched Spider-Man once right in the face, before he nonchalantly threw him across the room. Spider-Man tried to swing over, but Kingpin caught him in mid attack and put a squeeze on him with a massive bearhug.

“Only eleven pounds of my girth is body fat,” said Kingpin, as he tried to squeeze the air out of Spider-Man with his massive arms, as the web slinger felt his back and ribs crack and pop. “You’re about to see first-hand what four hundred pounds of solid muscle can do to a man.”

“I so wasn’t coming here for a hug from a thug,” breathed Spider-Man, as he channeled all of the energy he could. The Kingpin had no super powers but yet it was obvious, anyone with that much muscle proved to be an issue.

“Got…to…break…somehow,” managed Spider-Man as he managed to free his arms and reach them up, before he smashed his hands right into either side of the Kingpin’s head.

Kingpin struggled backwards, a ringing sensation echoing right through his ears, before Spider-Man tried to attack him but the Kingpin punched him right out of midair, causing him to land right on the ground with a thug.

“You’ve been a worth work out Spider-Man, but in the end, you know too much,” said Kingpin, as he stood right on Spider-Man’s head, grinding his face right into the carpet. “And now…”

Kingpin turned, alert, as he was kicked right in the chest, which staggered him face. As the large villain turned on the spot, he came face to face with Daredevil.

“So the guardian devil is here as well,” said Kingpin as he cracked his knuckles, as Daredevil stood, as if he waited for the Kingpin to come to him. “Two enemies in one night, a profitable venture.”

Kingpin aimed a punch but Daredevil dodged and knocked Kingpin back.

“I’m taking you down once and for all Fisk, I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” said Daredevil but Kingpin reached under his desk, but Spider-Man shot webbing, causing his hand to be stuck. Kingpin struggled but managed to free himself, dodging Spider-Man, then he dodged Daredevil, before he tucked his head and rolled, before he shot right at Daredevil.

A round of bullets spiraled against the wall, but Daredevil dropped down, and kicked the weapon, but Kingpin pulled out a concealed cane, which Daredevil clashed against his. The two enemies dueled right into the hallway, right over the body of Bullseye.

“You fight well,” said Kingpin, but he stabbed Daredevil right in the leg. Daredevil did not show pain but was slowed down. “You don’t think you’re going to win?”

Kingpin grabbed Daredevil, pushing him right to the side, and Spider-Man swung right into the hallway, right towards the two enemies.

Both of Spider-Man’s feet connected with Kingpin’s back, as they flew right towards the elevator shaft and began to fall down it. Daredevil managed to grab onto the wall, as Kingpin flew, but Spider-Man sped up his descent.

Daredevil made his way down the ledge. He could hear a large thud right down at the bottom of the elevator shaft, right near the basement. The man without fear dropped down immediately and he sensed two heart beats. One of the Kingpin and one of Spider-Man, that indicated both were still breathing, but had taken a very bad landing.

Spider-Man rose to his feet, having pushed the barely conscious form of the Kingpin off of him. His massive girth had broken a lot of the fall.

That, and Spider-Man’s body.

“Spider-Man?” asked Daredevil.

“Fine, just going to hurt like hell for the next couple of weeks due to that tub landing on top of me,” grumbled Spider-Man as he winced, and leaned against a stack of boxes. “Fisk is the Kingpin…I can’t believe it.”

“Not many will,” said Daredevil. “There’s enough evidence that even Fisk will have trouble explaining away.”

“Yes,” said Spider-Man. “Look…”

“You handled yourself better than I expected,” said Daredevil. “But I stand by what I said. Fisk and people like him are dangerous.”

“Nothing taught me a harder lesson than actually fighting him,” said Spider-Man. “But since you know who I am, you understand why I do what I do.”

“Yes,” said Daredevil crisply as the doors opened, as the New York City police spilled in.

“What’s going on here?” asked one of the cops.

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the Kingpin of Crime!” said Spider-Man and there are looks of skepticism and protest when they saw Wilson Fisk. “Look, there’s evidence right here and plenty more upstairs. And I’m sure you can connect the Kraven incident where he kidnapped Parker to him and a few more other things.”

“Spider-Man wouldn’t have attacked someone like Fisk without a good reason,” said Captain Stacy in a reasonable voice. “He says that there is evidence. I know what you all know about Fisk but things might not be what they seem. Get Fisk medical attention and keep an eye on him until we can sort this out.”

The police watched Fisk right on the floor. The large man was breathing and would likely be fine, but unable to put up much of a fight. Many could hardly believe that a well liked member of the community like Wilson Fisk could be the Kingpin of Crime and even a few who sympathized with Spider-Man wondered if he could make a mistake.

Spider-Man turned right to the side, as he looked right over his shoulder and saw that Daredevil was gone. Perhaps he had left the moment that the police had arrived. Right into the shadows, to remain mostly mysterious and likely to continue the fight against the scum that plagued the street.

X-X-X-X-X

“So, you needed to talk about something important?” asked Harry as he walked up to Mary Jane. “Well?”

“Listen, Harry, I’m sorry if you got the wrong impression, but you’re a good friend and I think that’s about the best we can hope for,” said Mary Jane and Harry just looked at her for a few minutes. “This isn’t your fault, really, but it’s just…I don’t think this would work. It wouldn’t be the most awful thing but…”

“I thought we had something,” said Harry, but in some way, he feared that this could happen.

“We could have but…there are things, where it just wouldn’t work, just too much,” said Mary Jane. “And let’s face it, you’re still on the rebound from Liz, so you’re just…”

“I’m not, I swear, I’m over that,” said Harry as his eyes darted from side to side.

“Harry, we both know that it was not as clean of a break as you’re saying,” said Mary Jane. “Just, you’re dealing with something and you haven’t quite figured it out, and you’re finding the easiest solution right now but…I don’t think it would work and it will be awkward, best to end it now, before…you start taking things a bit more serious.”

“It’s plenty awkward right now,” muttered Harry. “None of my friends, none of my friends, I thought…never mind.”

“What?” asked Mary Jane, but she regretted asking.

“Never mind, its nothing,” said Harry. “I’m sorry I got the wrong impression and I’m sorry I jumped the gun into thinking but that’s just my fault for thinking that something could go right for me right now.”

Harry took a deep breath.

“I’ve got to go, think about some things,” said Harry. “Just, got to get away from everything for a bit and clear my head...just think of some things.”

“Okay, well, just do what you need to do,” said Mary Jane as things got rather uncomfortable. “Get your head together, and don’t take this too personal.”

“No, I’m not taking this personally, I’m not fragile, I’m not weak,” muttered Harry darkly as he turned. “Well see you around, I guess, maybe.”

“Yeah, bye,” said Mary Jane taking a deep breath as she watched Harry walk off. He walked off silently, calmly, perhaps a bit too calm.

X-X-X-X-X

“Shocking news today when entrepreneur and well respected pillar of the community Wilson Fisk was reported to be the Kingpin of Crime. Fisk, who is seen in this picture taken earlier this year, was convicted on several counts of drug distribution, blackmail, embezzlement, murder, among other charges. The arrest of Fisk has caused the community to be divided. Many are shocked but accept the evidence is air tight, but others disagree. Some call into question the fact that Spider-Man found the evidence and Graydon Creed, of the Friends of Humanity group, has stated that this is part of a mutant conspiracy to frame good upstanding humans. Fisk has politely declined comment and with only a mere couple of weeks in prison, appears to be a model prisoner. All of Fisk’s resources have been seized and many of his business ventures may fold or at least go into scaled down operations.”

Peter watched, perched right on the couch, as he looked forward and he clutched a letter that was sent the previous day in his hand.

“Yeah, everything including my scholarship funds,” thought Peter dismally. “So once again Spider-Man gets in the way of Peter Parker, about right. Back to the drawing board, eh, Pete?”

“It’s hard to believe,” muttered Aunt May, who sat down next to her nephew as she watched the news. “Peter, don’t worry, I’m sure you can get another scholarship from someone else.”

“Fisk is the Kingpin,” muttered Peter. “Spider-Man…”

“Did the right thing, Fisk was dangerous, more so because no one suspected him,” said Aunt May sternly. “He’s the one who hired that hunter to kidnap you, right after he sat her the day before, drinking tea, right on our couch. He seemed like a nice man. Which in a way, makes him more awful.”

“I suppose,” said Peter solemnly as he skimmed over the letter one last time. He did do the right thing by putting the Kingpin away, even if it kind of did screw him over. “Better get going.”

“Make sure to wear a jacket, its cold out there,” said Aunt May and sure enough, December had come, with a vengeance, with Christmas rapidly approaching.

“Will do, Aunt May, thanks,” said Peter, as he held the letter from the Fisk Foundation, expressing their regrets that they would have to pull his funding and assuring him that it was of no fault of his own.

If they only knew.

X-X-X-X-X

“You got it taken away from you, didn’t you?” asked Gwen seriously as she looked at Peter who nodded, as they stood outside of the school, where they could talk without being bothered by the Friends of Humanity propaganda that seemed to increase with each passing today.

“I’m glad that the Kingpin’s off the street, don’t get me wrong and I did the right thing but…” said Peter, and Gwen just cut him off with a kiss.

“You did the right thing, stop while you’re ahead,” said Gwen seriously. “Look, Pete, you would have been used as some tool for the Kingpin, if you had got that scholarship and could you had lived with yourself?”

“I guess you have a point,” said Peter. “I had it and I’m back to nothing.”

“You took down one of the biggest crime lords in this city that counts for something,” said Gwen, as she gripped Peter’s hand.

“Thanks, Gwen,” said Peter, as he held his girlfriend in tight. “Love you, don’t know how you put up with me.”

“Lots of practice,” said Gwen with a grin. “And love you too. And I’ll never stop.”

Right there it started snowing and the warning bell inside the school rang, as they stood outside of the school, which they barely registered, caught in the moment.

X-X-X-X-X

The news broadcast replayed on a screen to the side, as a large metal arm clicked in the air, as it made sure all settings on the machine was calibrated. The figure in the shadows saw the Kingpin had been put away. It would make his conquest of the city a lot easier and he would be considered to be the new supreme crime boss.

Months his Master Plan had been built, stealing technology, gathering resources and man power. Yet, all would be for nothing if he had made sure the plan had went off without any problems.

Calculating all of the probabilities, he continued to make the final adjustments for his machine. Months of careful planning would pay off and with the Kingpin off of the streets and likely his empire shattered, it will make things all that much easier.

X-X-X-X-X

Wilson Fisk lounged in a private cell in a large chair, right next to a big screen television, with shelves stocked with books and a lap top with top of the line Internet connection right next to him. The man who had been recently been disposed of the Kingpin of Crime, cut into a large steak and ate the hearty meal. Off to the side was a luxurious bathroom sweet, clean and pristine, and a top of the line workout room.

Recently Spider-Man and Daredevil had took the Kingpin down and exposed him as Wilson Fisk to the public.

This had been the first vacation he was able to take in years. He had connections and favors owed to him still. At the expense of the taxpayers, he was able to live a moderately scaled down version. The fact that he had peace and privacy from the public eye was a handsome bonus.

“Mr. Fisk, the day’s newspaper and there was a letter for you,” said a guard.

“Thank you Carter, how’s your wife and son?” asked Fisk.

“They’re doing good, Mr. Fisk, thanks for asking,” said Carter, as he handed Fisk. “I’m sorry that Spider-Man got you thrown in prison.”

“No, need to apologize, Spider-Man did what he felt he needed to do,” said Fisk as he looked relaxed, as he put his newspaper down, before he opened up the letter and looked at it. It had only one word.

Checkmate

Then in the corner, scrawled was a crudely drawn picture of a Goblin in a green marker. Fisk took the piece of paper and just looked at it.

“So you did,” muttered Fisk. “Well played, my friend, but one day the tables may be turned.”

Fisk tossed the paper to the side and continued eating his steak. He was safer than most in the city right now, as by taking down his empire, he imagined the ensuing chaos that would soon occur when everyone fought over the scraps.

Spider-Man had no idea what he had unleashed. The Kingpin was a necessity to keep the peace in the crime world.


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