Chapter 78: Up for Grabs Part Two

Chapter 78: Up for Grabs Part Two: The Menace of the Master Planner

“What’s causing this?” thought Peter as he tried to lift his arms but the effort had been mostly in vein. “Let’s see Parker, you’re supposed to be a genius, figure this out. Someone is slowing movement, some powerful device, surely they can’t be mucking around with gravity, but it feels like things are about ten times heavier than they should. Which is even a problem for someone like me. Normal people, crushed. Can barely even lift my eyelids to blink”

Spider-Man could not even begin to look around because by his calculations, it would take him moments to make it across the room and would tire him out. He could not even sense anything around him but at that moment, his spider sense went right into overdrive and suddenly, he was thrown forward and landed on the ground.

“Spider-Man,” gasped Captain Stacy as the shock of having full movement returned to him propelled right throughout his body. “Are you…”

“Fine,” managed Spider-Man as he pulled himself off of the ground. “One minute, we’re here, the next minute, it’s like some kind of super slow motion…”

“I know,” agreed Captain Stacy, as he shook his head. “Whoever did this…they can grind pretty much everything to a halt.”

Spider-Man turned around, and darted his eyes from side to side, before he moved over. Any hint, any clue, but there was no idea what caused the disturbance.

“Nothing, nothing, not a think, nothing that clued in my spider sense, until after it happened,” muttered Spider-Man.

He drew in a breath, before he turned around and looked. The gangsters were still incapacitated so he was at a loss.

“I don’t really know how this has to do with anything or anyone’s…master plan?” asked Spider-Man as he stopped suddenly. “Wait a minute, master plan, Master Planner?”

“The Master Planner, of course, whatever this is, part of his plan,” said Spider-Man as he moved off, before he swung right into the night. “I’ve got to go, Captain, find him, before he does some worse.”

“If I can find him, then I can really find out what happened, yeah good luck but still,” thought Spider-Man, as he looked down, on guard, in case anyone caught him.

X-X-X-X-X

In the catacombs, surrounded by control consoles, two metallic arms clicked right through the air, as data was printed up. With a quick grab, the print out was out and the figure looked down, and looked at the read out.

“First test was a success. Even Spider-Man was stopped right cold. Even his strength could not battle the force. I am pleased, as it will stop anyone, even any super power do gooder. Just expand its scope, make a few alterations, and the gravitational field will keep all in place. Now, to test, the second function.”

A dial was turned, as the second function of the machine was activated and the results of the experiment would be known momentarily.

X-X-X-X-X

“Now, for ten minutes, a mysterious effect gripped the city, in the early parts of the morning, where the citizens found themselves frozen in time. Even Spider-Man was trapped. Low level energy readings have been detected but authorities cannot pinpoint the precise source of the disturbance. Only those within a six block radius on all sides were affected by the attack. The authorities continue to investigate this, along with the continued gang activity right in the city.”

Gwen turned towards the television, curiosity piqued. She had slept through the entire thing but it was rather strange. She turned and noticed her cell phone was ringing. Immediately, she grabbed it, thinking it is Peter.

“Gwen, are you there?” asked Mary Jane.

“Oh, hi, Mary Jane,” said Gwen, her voice slightly flattened.

“You see a bit disappointed,” said Mary Jane.

“No, it’s just, I’m expecting a call from someone else,” said Gwen. “What do you need?”

“Have you heard from Harry lately?”

Gwen frowned, as she racked her brain. “Not since school got out really, but…he was acting a bit off, a bit cold, what did you say to…”

“I was afraid he’d take it the wrong way,” said Mary Jane. “But he’s acting…he’s not returning my phone calls. I mean, I’m still his friend, at least I think I am.”

“Harry’s just being…well him,” said Gwen. “Do you want to me to call him…I figure I should check on him, I just have a lot on my mind.”

“I know, I know,” said Mary Jane. “Just, something that he said, I didn’t think much about it but now…let me know if you can get ahold of him.”

“Yeah, I will, don’t worry,” replied Gwen but instead of Mary Jane responding, she got static. “Oh come on, brand new, don’t do this to me!”

Gwen held the cell phone in her head, but suddenly it was working.

“Mary Jane, sorry, this stupid overpriced thing is failing,” said Gwen but she didn’t hear, Mary Jane.

Rather she heard someone on the other end of the phone, speaking, rather confused. Italian by the sounds of the voice, and Gwen turned around, as she held her phone.

“Crossed signal, maybe?” muttered Gwen, as she moved right to her computer. “Maybe I can find out what’s wrong.”

She frowned, as she logged on. There was no connection. She tried another website, nothing.

She checked her connectivity.

It said it was working properly.

Yet, no Internet.

She tried again, resisting the urge to hurl her laptop out the window because the Internet wasn’t working.

“Can’t be a virus,” muttered Gwen. She wasn’t stupid enough to open attachments, go on suspicious websites, or click on random ads. “Damn it, why won’t you work?”

Gwen tried again, then she tried her cell phone, but still nothing.

Technology seemed to have it in for her this morning.

She wasn’t the only one however.

X-X-X-X-X

Over the city swung Spider-Man but he heard a panicked yell belong him.

“Just hang on a minute!” yelled Spider-Man as he saw a man dressed in a suit on the street, with a laptop on the hood of a car and he was cursing. “What happened?”

“My computer’s not working,” grumbled the man. “The entire Internet, I can’t connect at all.”

“Oh from the way you were yelling, I thought someone got shot,” said Spider-Man, relaxed and annoyed at the same time.

“No, it’s worse than that,” said the man, frustrated as several people filed outside of the building.

“It’s the same thing, the Internet’s not working inside now!”

“How are we going to get any work done?”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Oh, the Internet’s down, everywhere it sounds like,” thought Spider-Man. “On the bright side, that’s one thing people can’t blame on me. I think.”

“I can’t call a technician either, my phone picked up some guy in Afghanistan!”

“Are you sure that wasn’t the repair line anyway?”

“No, he didn’t know anything about computers, at least I think that’s what he said.”

“Curious,” thought Spider-Man. “Let’s see if I can get to the bottom of this.”

Spider-Man swung around the corner. With a swift movement, the web slinger dialed, it was just as well, he needed to check in with Aunt May, so it was just as well. While he was eighteen and an adult, as long as he temporary lived under his aunt’s roof, he figured he would offer the courtesy.

“Good day to you true believer!”

“Um, hello,” said Spider-Man. “I guess I got the wrong number, everyone’s been getting the wrong number…”

“You too, man, I tell you what, all I wanted to do was call the plumber. And I got some woman telling me out I could spice up my love life, that was a shocker. That’s not the kind of leak I had in mind.”

“I’d imagine,” said Spider-Man. “Sorry about that…”

“Don’t be worried about it. Have a nice day, good sir. EXCELSIOR!”

Spider-Man put his cell phone away.

“Well that was an interesting old man,” thought Spider-Man in amusement. “So it appears that the Master Planner’s master plan is two fold, disrupting all kinds of communication and having the ability to stop people in his tracks. He has something to gain, but what? Well I can’t just find out, sitting here and pondering. Got to go out there, and find out what’s going on. And quickly as well. People are getting mighty testy without their cell phones and Internet.”

X-X-X-X-X

In the middle of the chaos, in a secret lab, far away from the chaos, Norman Osborn was at work. His son had been an annoyance that delayed him, but he had far more important matters. He watched the city come preciously close to burning over the past few weeks. It wore down the various rival factions. The only variable was this Master Planner, but Osborn had his own technology that would minimize any annoyances.

“Perfect,” muttered Osborn has he looked at the chemical compound that had been completed. He walked over and entered a combination, before he popped open the door to side room.

Fisk was gone, the city was in the middle of a huge gang war, and the communications being brought down would serve as an unintended diversion.

No one would ever suspect him. They were too busy looking elsewhere.

X-X-X-X-X

“I won’t mince words, the Master Planner has struck hard,” said Captain Stacy as everyone has gathered around. “He’s hacked into our communication frequency, and whatever equipment he’s using, it’s not trackable.”

“That is by design, Captain Stacy,” announced a distorted voice which caused everyone to jump. “Yes, I have the ability to hack into the police frequency. Or any other that I choose. You’ve been trying to track me down for months, futile, I may add. Even Spider-Man has not been able to take me down and he’s swinging around in circles, to try and trap me. As you know, communication is key. Motion is also key. I have a device that can control both so ever how I choose.”

“What do you want?” demanded Captain Stacy, as his hands clasped and he sat, jaw firm and set, as he awaited the next word.

“Power,” said the Master Planner simply. “The Kingpin had it. Now I have the means to seize it. A couple of hours without access to the Internet and the ability to properly use cell phones should give you a hint of the type of power I can wield. Ten minutes, where I froze the city and much more time, where I could crush it completely flat. Do not think that I will not do more. I have planned this for months and now the city is mine.”

“We’ll see about that,” said Captain Stacy.

“I’ve already seen to it, Captain,” said the Master Planner. “Who is to stop me? Spider-Man? Please, don’t consider the absolute laughable notion. I even froze the arachnid in his tracks. You will come to my terms, and I find that we will find this mutually beneficial to all parties.”

“I’m listening,” said Captain Stacy.

“Your people are being run ragged because of the chaos, it will only get worse from here,” said Master Planner. “My employees have the technological capabilities to put out the fires that your men can’t. You’ve seen what I can do. I’ll give you all your precious communications back, for the moment. For twelve hours, at least. Then you have to make a choice. My gang will clean up the streets, but we need full reign and full authority. Hand the city to me, and we will fix the mess Spider-Man made when he put Fisk behind bars. Refuse to cooperate, and there will be consequences. You’ve only gotten a small taste of the technology I now wield.”

Captain Stacy remained silent.

“And don’t be a hero, Captain,” said Master Planner. “Remember, you’re out of your league and rest assure, I will take this city whether or not you agree. Only, if we do this the hard way, then I’ll apologize for the corpses that will litter the streets. And remember, only a couple of hours without their luxuries sent most in this city into a tizzy. I can do far worse and for far longer.”

The Master Planner paused.

“Twelve hours. I’ll be in touch.”

“What are you going to do?”

Several people voiced similar questions.

“I think that’s something I’d like to know to,” said Spider-Man and several of the police officers stood rather rigid and a couple had reached for their guns.

“Stand down,” said Captain Stacy. “He’s our best chance in taking down the Master Planner. In the meantime, try and track him again, even if it gets us some false lead, more than the no lead we had before.”

With that point out of the way, Captain Stacy turned to address Spider-Man, who sat, and waited.

“How much did you hear?” asked Captain Stacy.

“Enough to know we’re in pretty deep if we don’t find this guy in the next twelve hours,” said Spider-Man. “He’s masking where exactly he is. Getting a fix on him will be next to impossible, even if I had the right equipment. We’re in quite a fix.”

“I am willing to hear any suggestions, Spider-Man,” said Captain Stacy.

“Hand him the city,” said Spider-Man suddenly and Captain Stacy just turned, taken completely aback.

“I beg your pardon,” said Captain Stacy. He had respected Spider-Man but at this moment, he wondered if he had lost all sense of mind.

“Hand it over to him, I’m completely serious,” said Spider-Man.

“Will all due respect, are you out your mind?” asked Captain Stacy.

“No, well yes, but no,” said Spider-Man. “He’s utterly got us trapped, he’s going to fire that thing, there’s no way I or anyone else can stop him in twelve hours. Rest assure, it’s in our best interest, if you agree to meet him and give him full authority.”

“I don’t really feel like caving into criminals, Spider-Man,” said Captain Stacy.

“I’m not too fond of it either but…this one isn’t going to be won head on,” said Spider-Man. “Agree to meet him, it will work out, trust me.”

Captain Stacy stared at Spider-Man but he got the message loud and clear.

“We have no choice, I’ll get in touch with the Mayor, I’m certain he’ll jump at a chance to get the entire city off of his back,” said Captain Stacy.

“I just hope that this works, I’m taking a big gamble on this one,” thought Spider-Man. “Here goes nothing.”

X-X-X-X-X

Silvermane angrily put his cigar out on a table as he addressed Hammerhead.

“You let, Spider-Man, slip through your fingers again!” shouted Silvermane. “We’re fighting a war to get back my city, the city that snot Fisk robbed me of, and now, some punk who dresses and blue and red pajamas knocks you around and puts some of my best men in prison.”

“It won’t happen again, Spider-Man caught us off guard, I swear, next time I get my hands on the bug, I’ll pulverize him,” said Hammerhead.

Hammerhead waited, as Silvermane got to his feet.

“I have something you can’t buy, experience, experience with pest control,” said Silvermane. “And this Spider-Man is nothing but a pest. This time, I’m going to take care of him myself. He won’t see it coming. You act as live bait and I put one right in the back of his head.”

Silvermane held a hand gun up for emphasis.

“I’m ready,” said Silvermane.

X-X-X-X-X

Gwen just remained silent. She had tried to call Harry the next three times over the past couple of hours but nothing. Having nothing better to do, she turned to the television.

Whoever said watching the news was the number one leading cause of stress was right.

“The ultimatum given by the mysterious Master Planner, to give control of the city over to him, so he can deal with the situation has received a resolution. The city government in connection with the state government has agreed to give the Master Planner immunity against the law, and allow him to do what he pleases to quell the storm. Captain Stacy has agreed to supervise the transfer of power at seven o’clock PM this evening”

“WHAT?” shouted Gwen, eyes widened, and scarcely able to believe a single word of what she had heard.

“Dad, can’t have thought this was a good idea, I’m sure he had his reasons, but that Master Planner, I don’t know, he can’t be trusted,” thought Gwen as she moved forward and stared at what transpired.

“The entire city is up in arms but whispers, hints, that the Master Planner was responsible for most of the city losing Internet and cell phone capabilities this morning for a couple of hours, along with the odd disaster in the early morning hours, states that blackmail may have been involved. Some citizens feel that is necessary to get the gangs off of the street, but others believe this akin to making a deal with the devil. Yet, others feel that there is no choice but to comply. Gang factions continue to maneuver for territory, as we will keep it right here, for late breaking news.”

Gwen could not wait a moment longer, she reached for her cell phone. Peter had to know what the hell was going on, surely he was not going to stand by and let this happen?

She tried to call Peter. There had been no answer. She decided to try Harry again, no answer on that front either.

It seems like the rest of the city, she was just an observer to the insanity that was unfolding and the answers were far away.

X-X-X-X-X

In his bed room at that moment, Harry Osborn stood, eyes blood shot as he stared at the pill bottle, the temptation right in his hand. He noticed that both Gwen and Mary Jane had tried to call him, but he didn’t feel too bothered about it. He didn’t much feel like talking to anyone right now.

He was the master of his life. Not his father, not Gwen, Mary Jane, or Peter, he was the one that was in control but he needed to master that control, with a little help.

“One more, just one more, I need, I’m strong, I’m not weak, I can stop, just one more,” babbled Harry, as his hand trembled. “I went without for almost a week, now I can’t…I need help, but that would admit that I couldn’t handle this, I can handle this. Just one more, I swear, just one more, so I can stop tomorrow. Just one more.”

Empty.

He hurled the pill bottle across the room and began tearing it up, searching for more.

“I can’t have taken them all!” yelled Harry in a panicked voice, as he felt the world spinning around him as he hurled several more empty bottles that he had forgotten to throw out around his room. “Empty, empty, empty, just like the promises of friendship, how fitting!”

Harry managed to find a bottle, underneath a sweatshirt. He shook it, there were still some pills left. The expiration date was a few months ago, but Harry couldn’t be bothered by that now. He turned over, and grabbed a wine bottle that he had liberated from his father’s storage cupboard.

“To my health,” muttered Harry, as he poured the remaining pills in his hand and downed them, along with a large swig of the alcohol.

X-X-X-X-X

December 23^rd was the date. 6:53 PM was the time. An abandoned warehouse in one of the worst parts of New York was the time.

A group mobilized right into the factory. In a matter of moments, a daring move would occur. The Master Planner had bedeviled many, and had stolen a lot of high end technology. All for the purpose of this end game.

Time was running down, for them all.

There was certainty that someone was going to come out a winner.

There was a sad certainty that many other individuals would come out big losers.

It was time.

“Let’s go,” said Captain Stacy, jaw firmly set, as his eyes darted above, and some of his most capable people followed him. Yet they were outmatched, given the taste of the technology that the Master Planner gang had been known to wield.

Yet it was not what he knew that worried him.

It was the harsh mistress of the unknown.

That was most troubling.

X-X-X-X-X

About around this time, one of the splinter factions of the Kingpin had holed right up. Several causalities had occurred, although they smacked around a few people as well, so not all was lost.

“Alright, we’ve got a few of them, but we’re still losing on the east side, and now we can’t afford to look weak or scared. We can put them down, we’re the most loyal, the toughest, the Kingpin’s greatest. Fisk might be in prison but we can take his empire and rebuild it. Kill anyone who stands in our way, whether it be that old geezer Silvermane, the Master Planner, Spider-Man, or anyone else who’s trying to stand in our way.”

At that moment, there was a slow and loud clapping sound from the shadows.

“Bravo, an excellent speech, too bad it won’t do you any good!” yelled a voice from the shadows as he stepped out. The members of the gang turned, to see a green figure, dressed in purple, hovering right over them on a glider.

“What are you, freak?” asked one of the gang members.

“It’s true, I haven’t introduced myself, and it’s been a long time coming that I’ve come out, but call me, the Green Goblin,” announced the Green Goblin as he submerged right from the shadows. “So Fisk was thrown in the big house and you’re all fighting over his empire like rats over crumbs. But you can’t think you’ll win. Not without some added motivation. That’s where I come in. I give the direction, to master the city. Without leadership, you may find conquest difficult.”

Goblin turned.

“I elect myself as your new leader, the new Kingpin of Crime so to speak,” said Green Goblin, not that they had a choice, the poor fools.

“Forget it, we aren’t taking orders from some freak playing dress up with a purse,” said one of the thugs but Green Goblin shrugged as he reached into his bag.

“Here, do hold this for me,” said the Green Goblin as he handed a pumpkin to the protesting thug, who instinctively and rather stupidly took it.

Seconds later, an explosion echoed right through, as the assembled group watched in horror at the grisly fate of the protesting crook.

“Well, my leadership is really no need to go to pieces,” said Green Goblin as he looked around. “I trust no one else has any problems, with working underneath me.”

Several people shook their head, absolutely fearful at the consequences.

“Good boys,” said Green Goblin in an animated voice. “Now, could someone get a mop? Blood and guts tend to bring down the retail value of a place.”

Everyone fearfully moved to comply with the orders. The Kingpin might have been a harsh boss, but this guy was crazed and obviously willing to kill just easily one as one would make a sandwich.

Soon what remained of Kingpin’s former empire would be consolidated under one roof once again and then they would take out the competition. Green Goblin watched. It was step one, and then he would come face to face with an old friend to settle the score one more time.

Maybe one last time.

X-X-X-X-X

The Osborn family butler had made his sweep around the house. There was not much to do. Mr. Osborn likely had many activities that took up his time and he was seldom around the house, given his government contracts and his projects to contain mutants. The very nature of the activities was something that might be questionable.

But it was above his station to question. He got his paycheck. He did his work. Like any employee would. It would not really affect his life to answer questions.

Young Master Harry was acting rather aloof but then again, it was above his station to deal with such things as well. Likely, he had his problems, like any young person would, and that really was not in his job description. It was just to ensure that everything in the house ran, while Mr. Osborn went along his many responsibilities.

The butler turned, and noticed a rather peculiar site. Master Harry’s door was slightly ajar. He had taken care to secure his door whether he was in the house or outside of it. Even though he thought such thoughts would be outside what his job description entailed, he felt inclined to investigate why this might be.

He had his hand on the door, but he was taken completely aback by the sight.

Harry Osborn was sprawled out on the bed, eyes barely responsive, eyes bloodshot, blue in the face, and barely breathing, with drool out of the side of his mouth, surrounded by pill bottles and a half drunk bottle of wine.

In a swift and practiced panicked motion, the butler immediately darted right towards the nearest phone and dialed for an ambulance.

“My employer’s son, he’s passed out on his bed, he’s barely breathing, get someone up here, immediately, yes of course, the address…”

X-X-X-X-X

The time had arrived as Captain Stacy stood, prepared, as the other officers of the law stepped around him, and an imposing looking young man, dressed in a blue body suit, with a helmet and silvery belt stepped right in, followed by several others, at least a dozen of.

“The Master Planner?” inquired Captain Stacy.

“No, the Master Planner designates far menial tasks to his trusted subordinates,” said the leader of the gang. “You’ve come to a decision.”

“We have, and we see that your boss holds all of the cards,” sighed Captain Stacy. “You have authority, to do what you must to get the warring gang factions off of the street. We’re not happy but we wish to minimize causalities.”

“We knew you did,” agreed the leader of the gang. “The Master Planner will bring order to the city, through the use of scientific brilliance but first there is the one that is to blame for what has gone on. The Master Planner wants insurance against double dealing, therefore, he wants you to hunt down Spider-Man and put him away.”

“That wasn’t part of the agreement,” said Captain Stacy.

“Consider it an act of good faith, otherwise…well you know the consequences.”

Captain Stacy just remained silent.

“Come on now, Spider-Man or the citizens of this city? Surely the decision cannot be that tough? Do you really believe that Spider-Man can be your protector?”

Captain Stacy just looked forward, stoic, before he spoke. “Well, you should ask him that question.”

“What?” asked the leader, but suddenly, Spider-Man dropped down immediately, before he webbed up two of the members of the Master Planner gang, and knocked them down.

Spider-Man rolled right in, as the head gang member moved right behind a crate, before he pulled out a communications device.

“Master Planner, Spider-Man is here, it was an ambush.”

“Pathetic, but predictable. You know what to do now.”

Spider-Man continued the battle, with the Master Planner gang. They were stronger, with their enhanced battle armor, but the web slinger would not back down.

“Just give up,” grunted one of the members of the gang, and Spider-Man just knocked him over with a thud.

“I’ve got to act fast, see if I can find a lead, anything,” thought Spider-Man. “Should have known the Master Planner wouldn’t have shown his ugly face here.”

“Surround them and close in!” yelled Captain Stacy. “If Spider-Man gives you an opening to disable one of them, then do it!”

As he pivoted in the air, Spider-Man found the thugs backing off.

“Now!”

Spider-Man watched them touch something on their belts and the next moment, he felt the sensation of being unable to move right at that moment.

“Stuck again,” thought Spider-Man but he looked up, to see the Master Planner’s gang moving in on him. He tried to struggle against the force that exerted against him “Oh, that’s great. They’re having no trouble walking!”

“Spider-Man’s not going anywhere. Your orders Master Planner?”

“Exterminate him where he stands.”

Spider-Man remained immobile, as the Master Planner gang pulled out nightsticks that emitted electricity and they prepared to move in for the final blow.

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