Chapter 53: World on the Edge Part II

Chapter Fifty Three: A World on the Edge Part Two:

“Looks like the web head bit off more then he can chew this time!” bellowed Jameson, or for him, talking in his indoor voice, as Peter had presented the few pictures he managed to grab with the battle with Electro. “See Parker, if you would have gotten this picture at a different angle, it would have really shown Spider-Man getting the beating he deserved. Better than nothing and since it’s a slow news day, it will have to do, it will be put on the first page.”

“It was lucky I got these many, Mr. Jameson,” said Peter as he swallowed. “Sir, I want to ask you a question.”

“This better not be about a raise Parker, because we’re overbudget as it is,” said Jameson.

“No, no, it’s not about a raise, but you’ve been in the news business a long time, and you know a lot of things that other people don’t,” said Peter and Jameson looked up, curiosity getting the better of him. “What do you know about Captain America?”

“Captain America…now there’s a great American hero, patriot to the people, unlike Spider-Man, who is some punk thug in a mask, it’s a shame that you won’t be able to live with such a hero in your time, well he was before my time too, but that’s not the point, still he’s great,” said Jameson with pride. “He’s the reason why great papers such as the Daily Bugle can bring the facts and warn the public about menaces like Spider-Man.”

“But what happened to him?” asked Peter, and Jameson paused for the briefest second.

“Don’t know Parker, he just vanished, retired, veteran of the war and all of that, don’t blame him, given the state the country is in, because of people like Spider-Man being allowed to run free on the streets,” said Jameson. “What’s the sudden interest about this anyway?”

“I heard Spider-Man get yelled at the museum where the battle happened, some government agent threatened him,” said Peter and Jameson suddenly perked up.

“Did the web head get arrested?” asked Jameson.

“No,” replied Peter shortly and Jameson looked like someone had shot his puppy. “But, there was something about a Doomsday Device, someone was after it…The Red Skull.”

Jameson jumped from his chair, going suddenly pale and the normally boisterous Jameson looked around in absolute terror.

“Don’t give me a heart attack Parker, the Red Skull, he’s dead, good riddance, he’s done things that would give you nightmares just hearing about it, and that’s if you’re lucky,” said Jameson, stammering.

“Still, Mr. Jameson, this Doomsday Device, it’s bad if someone puts that thing together,” whispered Peter.

“Well of course it’s bad Parker, they wouldn’t call it a Doomsday Device because it gives everyone candy and flowers,” said Jameson, regaining some of his composure. “The government has to handle this, I don’t even know if I should print this. Anything about the Red Skull, what’s the matter with you Parker? Don’t even whisper that he might be coming back.”

“But what if he is?” asked Peter. “Someone’s going to have to stop him.”

“He’s gone, Parker,” said Jameson. “Long gone, before I was even born and definitely before you're even born.”

“No one really knows what happened with that final battle with Captain America,” said Peter. “What if someone tracked down Captain America? Wouldn’t he want to know? Just think of it, if the Daily Bugle can track down Captain America, when no one else can, sales will go through the roof.”

“True, but who am I going to send on this wild goose chase?” asked Jameson. “All the other reporters are on assignments right now that I can’t pull them away.”

“I should go and I’ll do it for free,” said Peter and Jameson just looked like he had gotten the best deal in history. “Do you know anyone who might even have an idea of where Captain America is?”

“Well there’s this one guy, named Brubaker, he’s the guy who put together the Captain America exhibit at that museum, he might have a clue,” said Jameson as he leafed through several files. “Here’s his address, go there and see what you can uncover, Parker. If you can uncover anything.”

Peter left as Jameson just shook his head.

“That kid isn’t going to find Captain America, no one else has,” said Jameson as he shook his head from side to side. “Of course if he does, I’ll win, but if he doesn’t, no foul and I don’t have to pay him one dime. What's the worst that can happen?”

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Electro sat, glowing from head to toe, as he turned around, before he got to his feet, with the computer right to the side of him firing up, as did a radio. Sinister stood, with a smirk on his face.

“Very good, your powers have worked even better than I could have imagined,” said Sinister. “Those appliances that were started, they were damaged beyond repair.”

“I could hear them,” said Electro with glee. “They told me what was wrong and I just repaired them with a thought. And I can make them work as I want to. Watch.”

Electro operated the radio, turning through the stations without barely exerting himself. It was easier than breathing, not that he needed to do that with his powers.

“With this power, I can bring everyone to their knees!” cried Electro with glee.

“I would test this new gift you’ve been given on a grander scale,” said Sinister. “The entire state of New York wouldn’t be able to stand up for you and from there, you can begin to control your destiny and have whatever you want.”

“We’re thinking on the same frequency,” said Electro as he stepped forward, before the door swung open on his own accord and Electro walked out, the doors pushing open on their own accord, as he continued to move forward, visions of the terror that he could cause dancing in his hand.

“That should keep the entire city distracted,” said Sinister as he looked forward, eyes narrowed in a calculating manner and a small knowing smirk on his face. “That simple minded fool doesn’t know the scope of his own abilities and that is a shame, for him.”

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Peter walked up to the house, raising his fist and he knocked on the door. It was several moments, before Peter heard some sign of movement inside and the door opened, before he saw a man peer out, looking from side to side but he relaxed when he was it was merely a seventeen year old boy.

“Who are you?” asked the man.

“Peter Parker, I’m a photographer at the Daily Bugle,” said Peter and the man seemed to breath a sigh of relief. “Are you Mr. Brubaker?”

“Yes…come it…quickly please,” said Brubaker, as he nearly yanked Peter inside, before he heavily locked the door and Peter noticed that he had a handgun on him. “Sorry, if I seem to be rushing you inside, but I have to keep my doors locked. I heard about the theft at the museum. One component to an overall device, I kept it safe, put in the last place anyone would look….they’re going to be shaking me down for the other two components, even if I don’t know anything about them and where they could be hidden.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that…well you have other things to worry about,” said Peter. “The other two components they’ve been found and someone’s stolen them….it could be…you know…The Red Skull.”

Brubaker paled and clenched his gun, as if expecting the Red Skull to show up.

“Anyone who even has the most rudimentary knowledge of Captain America knows what that monster can be capable of and there’s evidence to state that history has had it dumbed down,” whispered Brubaker as he looked from side to side, pulling down the sleeve of his shirt to conceal a couple of nasty looking bruises. “The Doomsday Device…if it’s him....I don’t know what to tell you.”

“There’s got to be something you can tell me, something about Captain America,” said Peter. “He’s the only person who can take down the Red Skull if he’s back.”

“Yes, but he doesn’t want to be found, he’s hidden away, people have been trying to track down Captain America for years,” said Brubaker. “He just doesn’t want to be found. I know, I've tried. After his battle with the Red Skull, where we thought Captain America defeated triumphed, it’s just a dead end. Surely you’ve seen the exhibits that I’ve put together.”

“Surely there has to be something that you know, anything?” asked Peter, a bit of desperation coming through in his voice.

“I’ve told you all I’ve know,” said Brubaker, but as he turned, he suddenly looked thoughtful. “There might be someone who might be able to help, but it’s a longshot.”

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“Sorry, kid. I don’t know anything about where Cap went off to. Wish I did. But there is someone else who might have a better idea.”

XXXXX-XXXXX

“You’d have better luck finding a needle in a haystack. Still, I’ve got the address of someone that might know something but I’m not making any promises.”

XXXXX-XXXXX

“I told you, I don’t know anything. Here take this address and go there and get out of there before I call the cops.”

XXXXX-XXXXX

Sorry, I could not have been more help you man. But here's the address of someone who might be able to help you on the quest to get the information that you want. So, face front true believer and don't give up hope. EXCELSIOR!

XXXXX-XXXXX

“Well, eight people later and I’m here, if this Steve Rogers guy doesn’t know anything, then I give up, you must have been an idiot to even think that you would be able to find a guy that people have been looking sixty years for,” thought Peter. “A complete and utter idiot, oh well, here goes nothing.”

Peter looked up, on the dirt driveway that he walked across, with a small and cozy looking cottage out in the woods.

“Quaint,” thought Peter as he walked up the dirt path, seeing a garden on the other end of a wooden fence, as he knocked on the door.

There was no answer at first.

“Mr. Rogers!” called Peter. “Is anyone home? I need to talk to you….about Captain America!”

At those words, there was some movement as Peter heard someone walking to the door and the door opened, to reveal a built man wearing a red sweater, with blue pants and white stripes. He had thick glasses and grey streaks in his blond hair.

“Well, come in then,” said Rogers, as he stepped back, to allow Peter to walk inside the house. It was three rooms. In the living room, there was a couch with a chair in front of a lit fireplace and on the mantle, there was a very old radio, plugged into the wall, which was the only luxury. On the wall, there was a picture of Captain America and President Roosevelt shaking hands and right next to it, there was a familiar red, white, and blue shield mounted on the wall.

“Wow, a replica of the Captain America shield, it looks so real…focus Parker, focus,” thought Peter as he gave his head a shake.

“So, anyway, I’ve heard you know about Captain America,” said Peter tentatively.

“You might say that,” said Rogers calmly. “I must say, you’re the first visitor I’ve had in a long time, I don’t even know how you found me.”

“It’s a long story, and it took about eight people before I even got here,” said Peter. “Please tell me you know something.”

“I know something Mr….” stated Rogers before trailing off.

“Parker, Peter Parker,” said Peter and the eyebrow of Rogers raised up at his last name, but he quickly regained his composure. “So, you don’t get any visitors here.”

“It’s rare,” confirmed Rogers. “I normally visit others, far away from here. Very few people know where I am and trust me, that’s for the best.”

“Look, I’m sorry for being so rude, but I really need to know if you know where Captain America is,” said Peter quickly.

“Why would a young man like you want to know where Captain America is?” asked Rogers, with a raised eyebrow. “He’s way before your time.”

“He might have been but I heard all the stories,” said Peter getting all excited. “My Uncle Ben told me all of them, to think that a true hero like that existed, it’s inspiring and exciting, it must have been so cool to be there.”

Rogers just responded with a sigh.

“Anyway, I really need to know because…The Red Skull’s back and he’s got the Doomsday Weapon,” said Peter and Rogers just gave him an unflinching look. Most people just responded with fear, but Rogers just seemed to be numb to news about the Red Skull. “You know, Red Skull, one of the greatest evil’s this world has ever seen.”

“I’m familiar with that monster, yes,” said Rogers as he tapped fingers on the edge of the end table, but he looked at Peter. “The Doomsday Device, the Red Skull never got a chance to utilize it. I hoped that it would have been destroyed by now but apparently not.”

“What does the weapon do?” asked Peter suddenly and Rogers looked at him, as if considering what he should tell him. “Do you know?”

“It causes slight imbalances in the magnetic structure of the earth, which essentially creates a simulated black hole, if that monster gets his hands on a lot of power, he could do some serious damage, swallowing some of the largest cities in the world in a matter of moments,” said Rogers and Peter swallowed, at the possibilities that such a weapon could bring upon it.

“He could bend the entire world to his will,” whispered Peter. “He could have whatever he wants and if anyone tried to fight him, he could just make them disappear. He could kill millions.”

“He will kill millions,” corrected Rogers grimly. “Just to prove a point, that he is the one and only Red Skull and if he succeeded with getting the weapon, then he is the real deal and not some imposter.”

“He needs to be stopped,” thought Peter.

“Look, this is all very interesting, not to mention horrifying, but I need to know now if you know where Captain America is,” said Peter and Rogers just contemplated something for a moment, but there was whirling of helicopters outside of his house.

“SHEILD,” muttered Rogers, as if this was something that he expected and they were right about on schedule by his estimate.

“I can’t be see here,” said Peter, as he backed off. “Trust me, I really can’t…long story.”

“You won’t make it out alive if you try to run, in the closet,” said Rogers, as Peter went right into the closet, just mere seconds before the door is pushed over and Nick Fury walked in, looking around from side to side.

“So, I’ve finally found you, figured you might be at somewhere like this, out of the way of everything,” said Fury.

“What do you want, Fury?” asked Rogers calmly.

“I won’t mince words, that monster the Red Skull’s back and he’s got his little toy back, and you know what you need to do,” said Fury gruffly. “We need you back now.”

“I’m done Fury, I’m retired,” said Rogers simply. “Captain America was another lifetime.”

In the closet, Peter barely stifled a gasp.

“Steve Rogers is….Captain America?” thought Peter as it slowly clicked in his mind.

Peter remained silent, as he heard footsteps close to the closet door and for a brief second he thought he was going to be found out. Even though his heartbeat slowed down but he heard someone walking away from his hiding place.

“Retired, well you better get your ass out of retirement, because you’ve got a job to do,” said Fury as if there was no argument.

“Not this time, the fact the Red Skull’s still out there proves that true evil can only be stalled and never defeated,” said Rogers calmly. “Fury, I’ve done my time in the war. I took down more enemy agents in five years then you ever could hope to in your lifetime.”

“You’re the symbol of everything this country is about, Rogers,” said Fury. “You wear those colors, you are the embodiment of the United States of America.”

“I represented this country, but a lot has changed in sixty years,” said Rogers, as he stood his ground firmly. “This entire country isn’t what I fought for. It’s changed and not for the better.”

“Yeah, we’ve got problems, but you shouldn’t take it out on the innocent people that the Red Skull will slaughter if you don’t do anything,” said Fury. “It’s only lucky that nutcase hasn’t gotten his hands on a power source that can power his little device for more than a few minutes.”

One of the SHEILD agent’s handed Rogers a briefcase, which clicks open, to reveal a Captain America costume.

“Time to get into uniform, solider,” said Fury and Rogers looked at the uniform, considering it.

“I’m done Fury, please get out of here,” said Rogers but Fury and the rest of the SHEILD officers stood. “You can fight me if you want to but it won’t change my mind.”

“Guess you aren’t the hero that people think you are,” said Fury shaking his head with a look of disappointment on his face. “The Doomsday Device is in place, it’s bad enough that Spider-Man bumbled three times but now the one man who could stop this can’t find his spine.”

“Spider-Man?” asked Rogers.

“Some punk kid, don’t worry, I put him in his place,” said Fury. “If you actually do grow a set, you know where to find me.”

The SHEILD officers left and Rogers stood, the briefcase containing the Captain America uniform on the floor, he looked at it.

“You can come out now,” said Rogers calmly and Peter stepped outwards, mouth a gap.

“I’ve looked for Captain America and I’ve found him, it’s you!” shouted Peter suddenly as he almost jumped to the ceiling in excitement.

“I was Captain America, now I’m Steve Rogers, a private citizen, who just wants to live a nice life out in the woods,” said Rogers in a collected voice.

“Look, I know Fury really comes across as an…well…he doesn’t come across well, but we do need Captain America, if the Red Skull is back, you beat him before, you can beat him again,” said Peter. “You have to go against him, to fight him.”

“I don’t have to do anything, Peter” said Rogers. “My tour of duty ended sixty years ago.”

“Still, you’re Captain America, no one else can stand up to the Red Skull,” persisted Peter.

“Someone’s going to have to, because I just don’t have it in me anymore,” said Rogers. “You heard it out there. At one time, I represented everything this country stood for but now this country has changed too much. I’m not fit to represent what America has become. I guess you could say that I’m out of date.”

“You can’t be out of date, you’re Captain America!” pushed Peter. “In all of those stories you overcame all the odds, no matter what and never gave up. You can do it again, you can stop the Red Skull.”

“I appreciate your enthusiasm Peter, but that was another time and I can’t bring myself to,” said Rogers as he looked at Peter.

“We need someone to rally behind though,” said Peter. “Someone who we know who is going to stand up to the Red Skull.”

“Perhaps someone is already there,” said Rogers. “Perhaps someone like this…Spider-Man that Fury was telling me about.”

“Spider-Man….Fury forbid m…him from ever putting on that mask again,” said Peter. “Besides, Spider-Man messed up, big time, he can’t take on the Red Skull, he’d get killed.”

“There comes a time where we have to do what we feel is right and not what other’s feel we should do,” said Rogers slowly, considering Peter. “Spider-Man, if he feels he can help in any way, he should get back into the fight and not sit on the sidelines, sulking. Just as I’m doing what I feel is right.”

“No, you’re not doing what is right, not any more, Captain America would never run away from a fight,” said Peter suddenly but he turned. “All those stories, they taught me that no matter what, no matter how impossible the odds seem, you have to keep fighting.”

“It's a nice moral, but it doesn't have any bearing in the real world,” said Rogers gently and Peter just stepped back, as if he had been slapped right in the face and in a sense he was.

“I can't believe it, the great Captain America, a coward who turns his back on the people who need him the most!” shouted Peter in frustration which caused Rogers to flinch. “I thought you were a hero. I guess I was wrong.”

Rogers just remained silent, for a moment, a brief flash of guilt appeared in his eyes and Peter left, without another word. He picked up the Captain America costume and looked at it for a long moment.

“It was another time,” muttered Rogers to himself, as he held the Captain America costume up. “Things change.”

Rogers gently folded the costume back up, took a step forward, holding it over the fireplace, fingers loosening around the fabric but he hesitated.

He turned his back and with a simple motion put it back on the sofa and turned to walk towards his bathroom and shut the door behind him, as the Captain America costume remained dormant on the couch.

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Electro stood, a twisted smirk appearing on his face, as he watched the entire city of New York. It was so safe, so secure.

So open for him to take control, with Electro raising his hands, with electricity sparking in the air.

He continued to make his way through the city, causing traffic lights all throughout the city to go haywire and the sounds of several car crashes indicated mass hysteria. A loud explosion in the distance and Electro pointed right to an electronics store, before forcing the door opened and a crowd of people screamed, as Electro sent several appliances flying right towards them. The cords wrapped around them and began to slowly strangle several people. He watched with glee, at the screams of terror and the frantic, but futile struggles for oxygen by those who had been ensnared by is power.

XXXXX-XXXXX

“Captain America wasn’t anything like you expected,” summarized Gwen, as she joined Peter, sitting down, drinking milkshakes.

“Understatement,” said Peter, who looked completely despondent. “Fury couldn’t even really force him, so I never had any choice. Guess he didn’t have anyone to blackmail him with.”

“Most of his friends and family might be dead,” said Gwen. “Guess that super solider formula isn’t all it was cracked up to be.”

At that moment, the coffee maker exploded, scalding the cashier with hot coffee. The cashier turned around, as the cash register sprung out, causing money to fly everywhere.

“Something’s wrong,” muttered Peter, as the electronic doors began to swing open and shut. Peter pulled out his cell phone. “Dead”

“Mine too,” agreed Gwen with a frown. “What do you think…”

Peter waved his hand and carefully edged right towards the door, as he saw outside, a panicked populace. He then saw a very familiar figure standing on the outside, shooting bolts of electricity.

“Electro,” whispered Peter, before he turned but stopped in his tracks.

“Not this time, Peter, you can’t do it, there’s too much on the line…but….if I don’t….if I do then…but if I don’t….I have to….” thought Peter, conflict ranging in his mind.

He stared at Electro, unable to either take action or walk away. The villain turned and he saw Peter looking at him, slack jawed and Electro turned around, the discharge causing Peter to stagger backwards.

“What are you staring at?” questioned Electro violently as he turned to Peter. “Huh, TALK TO ME!”

“N-nothing,” said Peter and Electro actually looked quite enraged at this response.

“Nothing, you think I’m nothing, everyone thinks I’m nothing, well no more, no more!” shouted Electro as the air cackled, like heavy static, before Electro raised two hands with the ground electrified, forcing Peter to move around and causing him to stagger backwards. “So, is this nothing? Is this nothing? IS IT?”

Electro continued to try and blast Peter into nothing with a series of bolts.

“Stop, leave him alone!” shouted Gwen furiously and Electro just stopped, before he turned slowly, looking at Gwen, recognition dawning, as his crazed eyes narrowed in absolutely terror. Gwen took a step back.

“Gwen, run, now” mouthed Peter, but Electro reached from behind him and blasted the ground, causing Peter to get launched into the air.

“You think you can tell me stop and I’ll just jump,” said Electro. “Do you think you’re better than me? Do you think that just because of who Daddy is, you can tell me to stop? Huh, you little bitch!”

Electro blasted a bolt of lightning at Gwen, who just barely was able to move, but she twisted her ankle in her attempt to get away. She struggled, as Electro stalked her, sadistic grin on his face.

“Not so high and mighty now!” shouted Electro. “You laughed at me. People like you laughed at me my entire life! Thought I was a joke! Thought they had power over me! Well, guess who has it now?”

Electro caused several lights to shatter, causing glass and sparks to fly everywhere, as Peter pulled himself up, but Electro electrified the floor, causing him to get knocked back again.

“See this, see what I can do to anyone, no one can stop me, electronics rule the world now and since I can rule electronics with a mere thought, the world is mine!” yelled Electro.

“You can’t get away with this,” managed Gwen painfully, as Electro just looked at her with a twisted sense of mirth.

“Who’s going to stop me?” taunted Electro. “Spider-Man. No, because the web head should have shown up by now if he was going to stop me. He’s running scared. I beat the coward last time and I only had ten percent of the power that I do now. Imagine what I can do to him. He’ll know what every insect feels like when they hit a bug zapper, only multiply that by a thousand times.”

Electro stood putting his hands on the wall, where Gwen was trapped in the corner, as the walls sparked. She tried to push him away but she screamed, burning her hands in the process.

“Never tried sticking your finger in a light socket when you were a kid, did you?” tasked Electro as he leaned in as close as possible, without electrocuting his pray, looking right in her eyes, unblinking, a murderous, unhinged look about the super villain. “No, Daddy wouldn’t let his little princess do that. After all, you’re on the straight and the narrow, never do anything wrong, never take any chances. Until today, when you mouthed off to me. Maybe I should show you exactly how that feels. What you missed out on?”

Gwen closed her eyes, hoping that someone could happen but she saw Peter on the floor, having taken a nasty hit when Electro sent him flying, blood dripping from the side of his head.

“Let me go,” managed Gwen, her voice cracking, as Electro was way too close to her for comfort. “LET ME GO!”

“Sure, I’ll let you go!” shouted Electro, as he stepped back with a twisted smirk and Gwen let out a breath, as Electro appeared to turn around and walk away but then he spun around and sent a bolt of lighting right at the miniature neon sign right above where Gwen was standing, causing it to fall and spiral towards the air right towards her.  

Next Chapter

Chapter 52: World on the Edge Part I

A World on the Edge Part One:

“Nothing like a good bout of web slinging around the city to clear someone’s head,” thought Spider-Man as he swung over the city. “Got to stop thinking about this, Peter, I mean, really, this Doomsday Device thing, you’re not even sure what’s going on. Someone’s after it, but the third component, whatever it is, has to be perfectly safe. Go around the block one more time, then get home. Nothing like a slow evening like this. Might make it home in time for dinner.”

An alarm went off as Spider-Man had passed the same museum that he had just left hours earlier as Peter Parker. He paused, as the alarm suddenly went dead and so did all of the lights in the museum.

“Better check it out,” thought Spider-Man as he swung forward, with the doors left open. “Whoever is doing this is sloppy, not to mention lazy. At least maintain the illusion that you’re not breaking in. Not that I’m complaining when the bad guys make it a bit easier on me but still…”

The web slinger carefully climbed around the wall, but he saw out of the corner of his eye, the only light in the museum. Getting a closer look, he saw the form of Electro in the midst of looking for something right in the Captain America exhibit.

“You know, the museum does have a strict policy about touching the exhibits,” stated Spider-Man which caused the super villain’s eyes to snap up, before he looked at Spider-Man surprised.

“Spider-Man!” shouted Electro, before he raised a hand and blasted a bolt of lightning right at Spider-Man, who ducked. “I was hoping to run into you web head!”

“Yeah, guess you checked yourself out of Ravencraft, yeah someone escaping from there, that’s a shock,” said Spider-Man dryly.

“Oh, you’re going to get a shock alright Spider-Man!” yelled Electro as he aimed right at Spider-Man, blasting him time and time again but the web slinger ducked it.

“Really, Electro, after all of this time, you still have these lame electricity based puns,” said Spider-Man but Electro aimed right at Spider-Man, causing the lighting to scorch the ground right where Spider-Man was sitting.

“You can’t match my power!” yelled Electro as he waved his arms, before he sent two more blasts right at Spider-Man. “Stand still so I can take you down.”

“Why do villains always think I’m going to do that because they ask me too?” asked Spider-Man as he sent a line of webbing but Electro charged up, causing the web fluid to heat up and melt into nothingness. “You know, Electro, all things considered, the museum is the last place that I’d expect someone like you. Never seemed cultured type.”

“Hey, I’ve got a job to do and I’ll be rewarded!” yelled Electro, as he sent two more bolts right at Spider-Man. Loud cracks could be heard as the lighting hit the ground. Electro held his hand up but several sparks just flew out.

“What’s the matter, Electro?” asked Spider-Man. “Dead battery.”

Electro dove right at Spider-Man, his powers had a tendency to flake out every now and again after that stupid therapy that Hamilton put him through. Spider-Man dodged, before he knocked Electro backwards with a jump kick. Spider-Man grabbed Electro but he immediately felt like he stuck his finger in a light socket as he was blown back.

“Who turned the power back on?” asked Spider-Man groggily as Electro turned his attention towards an unplugged floor buffer, before he blasted it and the floor buffer nearly ran Spider-Man over. The web head bounced up, as the buffer continued to move right towards him but he sprang on top of it and with his spider strength, he managed to dismantle it before it could take him out.

He watched as Electro quickly turned over several parts of the Captain America exhibit, dismantling them in his crazed search.

“Hey, hey, that’s American history, you’re defiling!” shouted Spider-Man in an exasperated voice, as he shot multiple lines of webbing to try and pull Electro back but Electro managed to recharge.

“He’s stronger when he’s near a wall plug,” thought Spider-Man. “He’s drawing more power. I have to lure him away somehow!”

“Don’t care about some guy who was around before my parents were born!” shouted Electro, as he caused an electrical charge to surge through the floor and Spider-Man leapt up, and tried to pry open the water sprinklers to short circuit Electro, but much to his dismay, the powerful super villain had welded them shut and they were impossible to manipulate even with his spider strength.

A blast of lightning knocked Spider-Man down. While he was not hit, the resulting impact hitting near him had caused him to hit the ground. Electro waved his hand, and several bolts of light erupted from the floor, making a cage surrounding Spider-Man.

“There, see, you put me in Ravencroft, now I’ve got you trapped,” said Electro gleefully, as he manipulated the electric bars to barely give Spider-Man enough room to breath. “I’ll finish you off in a minute, Spider-Man. Right now I’ve got a job to finish and then I’ll have more power than even I know what to do with.”

“Okay, there’s got to be a weakness in this cage, yes of course, my web fluid might short circuit it or it could kill me,” thought Spider-Man as he made careful aim with his web shooter. He had no room for error and barely any room to maneuver. “Here goes nothing.”

A web line shot out, immediately impacting the wall, causing the light around Spider-Man to bend and the web head just enough time to move out. Barely enough time given the shock to his costume. Readjusting his footing, Spider-Man moved to fight Electro, but Electro blocked his attack, before Spider-Man leapt over, before he climbed up the wall, where Electro continued to attack him.

“You’ve got nothing on me Spider-Man!” yelled Electro as he waved his hands and the video camera rattled, before several strands of tape shot out and wrapped around Spider-Man, pretty much causing him to be strung up as Electro cackled in triumph. “Now, let’s see….it’s got to be around here somewhere….yes…it’s here.”

Electro threw the paper down on the ground, before he picked up a rusty old key.

“I’ve done it!” shouted Electro. “I’ve won. I’ve defeated Spider-Man!”

“All these priceless artifacts and you took one stupid key,” said Spider-Man, who would have shaken his head if he was not tied up so tight. “I think you’re brain’s short circuited, Electro.”

“It’s not just any key, it’s the key to ultimate power!” shouted Electro but there were the whirls of jets! “Looks like today’s your lucky day, web head. I’ll be getting out of here and you’ll live long enough to tell the story about your failure today.”

Electro rose several feet off the ground as sparks flew every which way, causing the doors to be sealed shut and the museum to be put under lockdown, except for one small window that allowed Electro to escape.

“Great, great, great, just a bit more, got it, about five seconds too late!” thought Spider-Man as he busted free and landed right on the ground, fatigued from his battle with Electro, short but intense.

There was a sound of somewhere outside of people breaking into the museum and suddenly, a group of SHEILD agents made their way in, weapons at the ready, most of them pointed at Spider-Man, before Nick Fury stepped in, eye narrowed, as he turned towards the table.

“He took the key,” said Fury gruffly before he waved his men off and he turned to Spider-Man. “You let him take the key!”

“I was a bit tied up at the moment,” said Spider-Man defensively, but Fury grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pushed him back. “Hey, wait a minute…you can’t….”

“You let him take the key!” shouted Fury angrily. “That’s the third time you let something slip by your fingers on your watch, web slinger!”

“Wait a minute, the key was the third component?” asked Spider-Man, eyes widened underneath his mask in shock and Fury just snorted.

“You’ve put the pieces together but if you think you’ve figured it out, you’re wrong,” said Fury as he was right up in Spider-Man’s face.

“I’ll get it back, Electro can’t have gone far,” said Spider-Man but several guns were right in his face at Fury’s motion.

“You’ve done enough!” snarled Fury, practically foaming at the mouth. “I’ve indulged your little habit for far long enough. Your little hero exploits, I might have found it kind of cute at first and let’s face it, there were times where I thought you might be something, but you’ve just proven to me one thing. You’re not a hero Spider-Man. At one time, I thought you might be of use, but I guess you can’t shine shit. You’re nothing but a reckless punk who was lucky enough to get bitten by the right kind of bug.”

“Well maybe if you just told me right away, then maybe I would have thought to protect that stupid key from Electro!” retorted Spider-Man but Fury just took another step forward, so towering over Spider-Man.

“Your bout of endless teenage angst ends right now Spider-Man, I’ve let it go on for too long, your uncle got shot, well guess what, that’s life kid, deal with it,” said Fury callously and Spider-Man tensed up but he calmed himself down enough not to strike Fury with so many guns on him. “From now on, it’s over. You’re done, finished, there’s no more Spider-Man. I’ve given you all the chances that you needed and now you’ve doomed us all.”

“I’ve doomed you all Fury, really?” asked Spider-Man, feeling a bit braver than he most likely should have been with all of the guns pointing in his face. “You know what, you think you can stop me from becoming Spider-Man, well, good luck to you. I’m not going to stop fighting just because you told me to.”

“Inordinate punk,” said Fury angrily.

“Lock me up Fury, I’ll just get out again,” said Spider-Man and for a brief moment, Spider-Man thought that Fury was actually going to do just that.

Instead, he grabbed the web slinger and pulled him into a room right beside them, separate from SHEILD agents and pushed him down into a chair.

“Sit and listen to me for once in your life, Parker,” said Fury in a deadly voice. “Fight me and you will be going into that cell and I’m throwing away the key this time. Just stay put. You have no idea what you’ve just done. If you would have just have left this alone, that crackpot Dillon wouldn’t have gotten his hands on the key. He would have been captured easily. Instead he fought you and he was alert…shut up, Parker, I’ll let you know when you can speak.”

Fury took a step backwards and he looked Spider-Man.

“Go to college, have a future, but never again put on that mask and that outfit,” said Fury in a tone of voice that left no room for argument. “I better not even catch you swinging across the city ever again. Or else the world will know exactly who you are under that mask. It would be a shame if your friends and family were targeted because of some of the criminal nutcases that you fought wanted to take revenge on you.”

“You wouldn’t,” whispered Spider-Man.

“Try me, I doubt your poor Aunt May will be able to stand the shame of what her nephew was up to,” said Fury gruffly. “She’s had enough tragedy in her life as it is. So, the next time you put on that outfit, the entire world will get undisputed proof of who Spider-Man really is.”

“You’re a bastard, Fury,” said Spider-Man in a voice dripping with hatred.

“I’ve been called worse, kid,” said Fury, disinterested. “Go, you wouldn’t want to be late for dinner after all.”

Spider-Man balled up his fist envisioning what it would be like to smash it right into Fury’s smug face.

“Is one free shot worth a lifetime in the most secure prison cell in the world?” asked Fury as he stared Spider-Man right down.

“You’re not worth it Fury,” said Spider-Man. “Good luck cleaning up this mess that you made.”

Spider-Man turned and walked off, as the SHEILD agents moved forward.

“We need to find Captain America now more than ever,” whispered one of the agents, half watching Spider-Man web sling into the distance, for the last time.

“Yeah, and I need to grow wings and fly to work, but that isn’t about to happen,” quipped another agent.

“Look, we just need a bit more time,” said another agent.

“We don’t have time, we need a hero, but not just any hero, the greatest hero the world’s ever seen,” muttered the first agent.

XXXXX-XXXXXX

“I can’t believe this!” thought Spider-Man as he swung right into his bedroom window, carefully moving around, before he moved inside. “Well, guess being benched might be a good thing. But still, I can’t help but be haunted right in the back of my mind that Electro’s still out there and he got the third component…maybe he’s not involved in this…yeah I know. Dare to dream. Still don’t know what this Doomsday Device does. Fury does, he’s spooked about it.”

Spider-Man changed into Peter Parker and put his costume into the closet for the last time, buried deep under everything else.

“Like saying goodbye to an old friend,” thought Peter bitterly. “Oh well, Spider-Man, its been fun, but all good things must come to an end. I’ve already lost Uncle Ben because of this. If something happens to anyone else and Fury didn’t seem like he was bluffing.”

Peter turned to a picture of him, Uncle Ben, and Aunt May on his desk. It must have been taken a few weeks before Uncle Ben was shot. For some reason, he could not shake the image of Uncle Ben looking at him with a disappointed look of just caving in and giving up his responsibility of being Spider-Man.

“Peter are you up there?” called Aunt May from up the stairs which broke Peter out of his thoughts.

“Yes, Aunt May, I’m here!” replied Peter as his aunt opened the door.

“Goodness Peter, I never seem to here you come in, I don’t know how you manage it,” said Aunt May. “I guess my hearing must be going on me.”

“No I don’t think so, Aunt May, you must have been distracted cooking dinner,” said Peter before he sniffed the air. “I can see why, whatever you’re cooked smells delicious.”

“Thank you Peter, you’re too sweet,” said Aunt May with a smile. “You’re have to tell me about your day, you were nearly gone the entire day.”

“Well it wasn’t really nothing out of the ordinary, same old, same old, hung out with some friends, had fun, that sort of thing,” said Peter.

“Lovely,” said Aunt May. “It’s nice to see you out and about. Tomorrow’s going to be another beautiful day as well.”

“I hope so, Aunt May, I really do so,” said Peter.

XXXXX-XXXXX

Electro walked to the designated location where he was told to guy, glee dancing in his eyes, as not only did he capture this key but he also managed to punk the web head and also give those government agents the slip. The government was always holding down people like him, while stuffing their own pockets.

“Well, I’m going to have the last laugh,” thought Electro as he walked inside.

“Good day, Mr. Dillon,” said a figure in the shadows who stepped up to reveal Mr. Sinister and Electro just paused for a moment, before nodding.

“So you’re the guy who arranged for that overgrown hairball to bust me out of Ravencroft,” said Electro casually as if discussing the weather.

“Yes, you’ve guess correctly,” said Sinister with a calculating grin. “I’m surprised that my appearance does not alarm you.”

“Have you ever been to Ravencroft?” asked Electro with a slight roll of his eyes.

“I see your point,” said Sinister as he held his hand out. “The key and then I will give you the reward as I promised.”

“There you go, don’t see why its important but whatever,” said Electro.

“Trust me, it’s the most important thing that you’ll ever steal,” said Sinister. “Now step into my laboratory and we’ll get you fixed up with the power upgrade that I promised.”

The two walked inside, to see a very stressed looking scientist piecing together to pieces.

“I trust you’re nearly done, Dr. Ohnn,” said Sinister calmly.

“I’ll be done as soon as I can,” said Ohnn with a frown. “This is delicate work and one slight miscalculation and we’ll all be sucked into a worm hole.”

“I expect to get what I pay for,” said Sinister briskly.

“Excuse me, you kidnapped me, you and your goon squad!” argued Ohnn loudly.

“Well, you will most certainly pay if there are not any results soon,” said Sinister calmly “I expect the components to be put together by sunrise in the morning, so we can move it. With everyone at SHEILD looking for us, we don’t have much time and my masking technology will only lead those fools on a wild goose chase for a short time. Trust me, you don’t not want to see my acquaintance upset with you.”

He turned to address Miles Warren who stood there, to await everything.

“Warren, I trust our little reward for Max here is prepared,” said Sinister calmly.

“Yes, it is,” agreed Warren as he motioned for Electro to sit down. “It's remarkable.”

“Right get on with then,” said Electro impatiently. “Electro Version 2.0 is going to bring this city to its knees. The web head can’t stop me and no one else will either if this little upgrade is half as good as you thought it was.”

“Oh believe me, it is much better,” said Sinister, but there was a calculating glint in his eyes that Electro did not seen, as if he knew something that Electro did not know and would not find out.

At least until it was too late.

“Warren, hook him up, then I’ll be done with you, you can get back to work on our main project,” said Sinister as several tubes hooked into Electro. “Oh and Mr. Dillon, one thing.”

“What’s that?” asked Electro curiosity getting the better of him.

“This may sting a little,” said Sinister as the tubes began pumping an orange fluid and Electro screamed, as the new substance had fused with his already altered DNA. “Or a lot but trust me, it will be all worth it in the end.”

Elector’s body continued to be infused with the energy, as he collapsed suddenly, while his body slowly assimilated itself with the new energy.

XXXXX-XXXXX

“My life is never the easiest,” thought Peter as he sat down on the steps outside of the house, right after dinner. “Welcome back to being normal I guess. This forced retirement, can’t say I didn’t want it, but there is just a part of me that wishes that I did it on my own terms. There’s just something that I wished I had done on my own. Its funny, really it is. All those times where I wanted to give up being Spider-Man and then when Fury threatens me, I don’t want to.”

Peter turned on himself, hand in his chin as he began to think deep in thought. There was a time where he thought he could solve any problem, at least in theory, but ever since he became Spider-Man, that illusion was shattered.

“Anyone home!” called a voice which jerked Peter out of his thoughts and he turned to see Mary Jane standing right over the fence next door.”Oh, I guess there is, didn’t seem to be, I’ve only been trying to say hello for the last couple of minutes.”

“Huh, oh, hi, MJ,” said Peter. “Sorry, I didn’t here you at first.”

“I figured that much,” said Mary Jane with a sigh. “You look like you’ve just been sentenced to die or something.”

“You could say that,” said Peter dryly.

“What’s the matter, relationship problems or something like that?” asked Mary Jane and Peter just shook his head. “Okay, nothing that serious, I suppose, but something you’re still taking way too seriously.”

“Yeah, but this is pretty serious,” said Peter.

“Well, I wouldn’t let it get to me whatever it is,” said Mary Jane. “Brighten up, have some fun, life’s too short.”

“I wish it was that simple,” said Peter. “It’s…more complicated.”

“Only if you let it be,” replied Mary Jane. “You’re a good guy, Peter, I’d hate to see you sink into depression or something because of something that happened.”

“I’m not sinking into depression,” argued Peter defensively. “It’s just frustrating me…people expecting way too much of me and blowing up at me.”

“I would tell those people where to go if I were you,” suggested Mary Jane, looking a bit more serious. “Look, you have your secrets and whoever these people are…they should appreciate you more for who you are instead of who they expect you to be.”

“Yeah, Fury appreciate me, good one,” thought Peter.

“Anyway a bunch of us are hanging out in the mall, don’t suppose I can pull you out of your fortress of angst long enough to have you and Gwen join us,” said Mary Jane.

“No, Gwen and I have plans tonight,” said Peter.

“Too bad, maybe some other time then,” said Mary Jane but she just smiled. “You two have fun and don’t do anything that I wouldn’t do.”

“Yeah, yeah, see you around,” said Peter, barely hearing Mary Jane’s greeting out of the corner.

“Glad she’s happy, no problems to deal with…shouldn’t be so bitter about this, just because I’m cursed to have a complicated life doesn’t mean everyone should be,” thought Peter. “Oh well, maybe I can enjoy this retirement thing. Providing there’s no crime to deal with…not that I can deal with it.”

XXXXX-XXXXX

Sinister watched as the kidnapped scientists began to haul the assembled Doomsday Device into the area where the Red Skull had indicated, under the watchful eye of Sabertooth. The presence of the mutant had caused the scientists to ensure that they would not be dropping it any time soon.

“A bit to the left gentlemen and we will be good to go,” said Sinister calmly, and carefully, the scientists set the machine down and Sinister made his way to the machine, before he slid the panel back, to reveal a key slot as he picked up the rusted old key that Electro had grabbed from the museum.

At that moment, the doors slid open and the entire room went silent, eyes widened by the scientists and even Sabertooth. No one in the room breathed, when they gazed upon an impressive sight. The legendary Red Skull, who stepped forward, a cold, emotionless expression etched on his distinctively features. On either side was a pair of large bruiser bodyguards. They had pale white skin, sunken in eyes with black rings around them, no hair, slimy green lips, and sharp fang like teeth, with claws and spikes on their arms, with no hint of emotion or human feeling.

“Good evening, Doctor Essex,” said Red Skull in a crisp voice, as he looked around, before he turned to his device and gave a short, concise nod.

“The key to your ultimate triumph,” said Sinister simply and the Red Skull took it, before he placed it into the key slot and turned, before the device began to hum loudly.

“You’ve done well,” said the Red Skull coldly. “The machine is in working order. Now I will be able to control unlimited power to wipe out anyone that I choose and there will be no star spangled simpleton to stop me this time.”

“Now the matter of my payment,” said Sinister casually.

“You will have it as soon as the world is under my control,” said The Red Skull swiftly. “Patience, Doctor, you will be able to have access to years of genetic research, to do with what you’ve pleased. That area no longer has any interest for me. Phase two will commence soon. I require ample power to run this machine for more than a short time.

“You will have more power than you can deal with,” said Sinister calmly. “Sabertooth, let’s see how our friend, Maxwell is holding up after his upgrade.”

Sabertooth just grunted, as he followed Sinister, as the two walked from the hallway.

“The device naturally will be mine once the Red Skull lets his guard down,” stated Sinister to Sabertooth once they were away from Red Skull.

“You’re going to really go against the Red Skull, sir,” said Sabertooth eyes widened.

“You fear him, Sabertooth?” asked Sinister, with a raised eyebrow and Sabertooth shook his head, snarling, but it was half hearted to say the least. “Good, because you will play a part. I’ve given the Skull his device and his minions as well, building up sufficient capital and about as much trust as I can get from someone like the Skull.”

“Yeah, you did a good job with those girl scouts,” chuckled Sabertooth.

“I aim to please,” said Sinister casually with a twisted smirk, as the two walked off to check on how Electro was dealing with the power upgrade.

XXXXX-XXXXX

“I still can’t believe a movie like that caught on, I mean, the plotting makes no sense, it has no basis in reality even for a movie, and the special effects were so obvious that you could see the wires,” said Peter as he walked from the theater with Gwen, during the later part of the night. “It was really cheesy.”

“It wasn’t that bad, Peter,” said Gwen and Peter just raised his eyebrow. “Okay, it was kind of cheesy but there’s been worse.”

“It would have been worse if I wasn’t there with you,” said Peter and Gwen just smiled.

“Look who’s being cheesy now,” said Gwen and Peter just laughed, before a burglar alarm went off not too far from where they are. “Well, at least we got through the movie and had a good time. See you later Peter.”

“Are you trying to get rid of me, Gwen?” asked Peter playfully, which caused her to frown.

“Peter, a guy just broke into the store, there aren’t that many people around, you can slip into that alleyway easily,” said Gwen and Peter just looked at her with a shrug and she suddenly became alarmed, before her voice dropped to a whisper. “Oh, please don’t tell me you lost your powers again.”

“Powers are still here,” whispered Peter.

“Okay, what’s the deal, I mean, its not like we’re fighting and you decided to give up being Spider-Man for me out of some attempt to salvage our relationship,” said Gwen.

“Thankfully not,” said Peter, they did not need to go down that road ever again.

“Okay, Pete, spill,” said Gwen firmly.

“I was canned,” said Peter and it took Gwen a few seconds.

“How were you fired from being Spider-Man?” whispered Gwen as she pulled Peter into the alleyway.

“Fury,” said Peter. “You know that battle with Electro I had, it must have been all over the news.”

“I heard about that, but…the third component of course,” said Gwen as she nearly smacked her forehead. “But, Fury doesn’t have any right to tell you what you can do….”

“Well technically he can,” said Peter.

“Well technically you should tell him to shove his order up his….” started Gwen but Peter quickly cut her off.

“Gwen, he said he would expose who I was to the world,” said Peter and Gwen looked shocked, but then angry.

“That low life…I can’t believe it…that was low…then again this was someone who threw you in a SHIELD cell under flimsy evidence,” said Gwen, throwing her hands up into the air. “So, what are you going to do?”

“Does it look like I have much of a choice, I don’t want you or Aunt May or Harry or anyone else close to me hurt,” said Peter.

“So you’re really just going to stand there and just let it go like that,” said Gwen in a disbelieving voice.

“Yeah, I kind of have to,” said Peter.

“You won’t last Peter,” said Gwen knowingly.

“Gwen, I have no choice,” argued Peter but Gwen just shook her head.

“Peter, I know you too well, you can’t just stand back,” said Gwen. “If you do, then that’s when you stop being who you are.”

“Thanks Gwen, but its done,” said Peter. “Besides the police handled it well. Your dad runs a tight ship, everything should be fine.”

“Sure for a couple of common crooks trying to break into somewhere, but what about if Doctor Octopus or The Sandman or Mysterio or anyone else shows up, then what?” asked Gwen, as she grasped, Peter’s hand, as she looked a bit scared when she voiced the next possibility. “The Doomsday Device, what if….I don’t want to even think about it…but what if…he’s behind it….The Red Skull.”

Those three words were whispered in fear, as if Gwen was terrified that the Red Skull would materialize out of nowhere in the alleyway and slaughter them both. Peter felt shivers going down his spine.

“Someone else is going to have to deal with it,” said Peter, as he pulled his girlfriend into a hug. “The world didn’t fall apart before Spider-Man. Someone will take care of it after it. There are a lot of other super heroes in this city too.”

Gwen nodded slowly, conceding Peter’s point.

“I better walk you home,” said Peter, as they slowly walked out of the alleyway. “This city’s not safe later.”

“Of course if the Red Skull is back, no where is going to be safe, I've never seen Gwen this upset,” thought Peter. “Of course, upsetting her, its upsetting me.”

Gwen turned around and they walked home.

“I don’t want him to get hurt, I never wanted him to be Spider-Man, so why am I arguing this?” thought Gwen. “It’s something that he has to do. Maybe there was a reason and people count on him a lot of the time. He won’t be able to live with himself.”

“Are you okay?” asked Peter gently.

“Fine, Peter,” muttered Gwen dismally.

“She’s fine, good, she looked pretty shaken up at the thought of the Red Skull, its going to keep me up at night, but if he’s back, I don’t even think I could fight someone like that, he’s greater than anything I’ve ever fought,” said Peter. “Maybe, there’s something I can do, maybe there’s something that Peter Parker can do that Spider-Man couldn’t. I can find him, Fury would have a fit if I found Captain America before he did…yeah a seventeen year old finding Captain America, welcome to fantasy land, Parker. Still, I’ve got to try.”

XXXXX-XXXXX

Electro’s eyes opened, a twisted grin appearing on his face, as he felt more powerful than ever before. There was a slight fatigued feeling but he felt it fading by the second.

“Excellent, you’ve awakened and with no ill effects,” said Sinister as he nodded approvingly as the energy around Electro began to get brighter and more prominent. “Now, it’s time for you to take full advantage of what you've been given.”

Next Chapter  

Chapter 51: The Legend of Captain America

Chapter Fifty One: The Legend of Captain America:

The first hints of the sun coming out had given the promise of a great day. It was precisely one week since the battle between the Brotherhood and the X-Men had been caught on cameras. Needless to say, pretty much everyone had seen the footage of that battle and many were talking about what threat these mutants had and precisely how many of them were out there. Even Washington was talking, as many pushed for legislation to help regulate mutants, some of the more outspoken calling mutants a threat to national security. It was merely a waiting game to see what happened next involving the mutants.

“People are scared,” remarked Gwen as she walked with Peter towards the X-Mansion early that Saturday morning. “Right or wrong, they discovered mutants when they were in the middle of a violent battle. That’s not a good first impression.”

“Yeah, it isn’t,” said Peter, as he doubted that many would be able to comprehend that some mutants were good and others were bad. “Xavier knew this day would come. But not like this. And to be honest, I have other things on my mind. I want to know what that Doomsday Device is.”

“Peter, maybe you shouldn’t worry about this,” suggested Gwen.

“You can say that all you want and I try not, but I still do,” said Peter with a half smile, but it was rather pained. “The way Fury’s been talking, it’s something big. But what is it?”

“What I want to know is why the stupid thing just wasn’t destroyed instead of disassembled and hidden,” said Gwen with a frown.

“You and me both Gwen, you and me both,” said Peter with a sigh, as they had cleared the gates of the Mansion, which while not completely returned to its past glory, had looked much better than it had a week ago when a good portion of it was blown up.

“Not too shabby,” thought Peter. “Then again, it helps when you have mutant powers. It speeds up the construction process, just a little bit.”

The two teenagers made their way inside of the mansion, stepping inside, as they heard the sounds of construction, coming from the Cerebro Room.

“Come in you two, the doors open,” said the voice of Professor Xavier and Peter and Gwen entered, to see the entire group of X-Men assembled around the machine, dressed in full uniforms, as if they were ready to deal with some threat at a moment’s notice. “I have nearly put the finishing touches of the database here at the Mansion, cataloguing everyone’s powers. I believe everything is in order.”

“Then we can get Cerebro back online,” stated Beast.

“And not a minute too soon,” added Cyclops.

“Agreed, now more then ever, its imperative that we get to new mutants and help them, because the world could become a very harsh place for those with the mutant gift before too soon,” remarked Xavier. “Kitty, why don’t you introduce your friends to the members of the team?”

“Oh yeah, duh,” said Shadowcat as she turned to Nightcrawler, Storm, and Rogue. “Guys, this is Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy. Peter, Gwen, these are the new members of the school that I told you about.”

“You mean they know,” said Nightcrawler.

“Relax, they can be trusted,” said Shadowcat.

“Don’t worry, Ah think they can,” said Rogue, with a knowing smile.

“Oh yeah, she knows, because I had her absorb my powers,” said Peter. “Man, I really need to be a bit better in keeping my secret identity…well a secret.”

Xavier meanwhile scrolled through the files that he had on the members of team, to ensure that they were all in place, as they appeared on his screen one by one.

Name: Charles Xavier

Codename: Professor X

Age: Classified

Abilities: Telepathy, Telekinesis, Mental Manipulation

Name: Scott Summers

Codename: Cyclops

Age: 19

Powers: Optic Blasts

Name: Warren Worthington III

Codename: Angel

Age: 20

Abilities: Flight

Name: Henry McCoy

Codename: Beast

Age: 21

Abilities: Enhanced Speed, Strength, and Agility

Name: Robert Drake

Codename: Iceman

Age: 17

Abilities: Ice Manipulation

Name: Jean Grey

Codename: Marvel Girl

Age: 19

Abilities: Telepathy, Telekinesis, Neural Reconfiguration.

Name: “Logan”

Codename: Wolverine

Age: None of your stinkin’ business, bub

Abilities: Accelerated Healing Factor, Enhanced Senses.

Name: Katherine Pryde

Codename: Shadowcat

Age: 15

Abilities: Intangibility

Name: Ororo Munroe

Codename: Storm

Age: 20

Abilities: Mastery of the Elements.

Name: Kurt Wagner:

Codename: Nightcrawler

Age: 16

Abilities: Teleportation.

Name: Unknown

Codename: Rogue

Age: 17

Abilities: Absorption of Life Energy/Mutant Abilities

“What, pray tell, is neural reconfiguration?” asked Gwen curiously, as she looked at the list of abilities.

“Its rewiring the mind of a person to work or not work,” explained Jean. “It could bring people out of comas, if used right. Of course, there’s only a slight chance that it’s going to work right, according to the Professor. There’s more of a chance I’ll just turn someone into a vegetable.”

“Lovely,” said Peter dryly.

“It’s a power that takes a great deal of concentration and control,” added Xavier in an absent minded manner as he continued his work on the files. “It isn’t a power that you can practice in training as it is…there we go, everything appears to have been in order. Everyone can go on with your plans for the day. I would hate to keep you in this room on such a beautiful day.”

The entire assembled team left, with Kitty following Gwen and Peter.

“Everything holding up okay?” asked Peter and Kitty just sighed.

“It’s been mostly fine, we’ve been rebuilding everything in the Mansion mostly, thankfully the Danger Room isn’t going to try and kill us again,” said Kitty. “Of course, with Logan, you never know. A few reporters have been lurking around. Logan convinced them that it was in their best interests to buzz off.”

“I imagine he did,” said Gwen, smiling.

“Did you find out anything about that thing that Mystique was after?” asked Kitty.

“Nothing, in fact, I’m at a loss,” said Peter frustrated. “It’s connected to the thing that Chameleon took…which was connected to my parents, somehow. I don’t know how a pair of scientists that died in a plane crash would have anything to do with a Doomsday Device. Of course, I never really knew my parents. I only know what Uncle Ben and Aunt May told me. Fury knows something, but good luck trying to get anything out of that guy.”

“Yeah, he’s a real piece of work,” said Kitty but she suddenly remembered something and had a panicking expression on her face.

“What’s wrong?” asked Gwen.

“School project, it’s due on Monday, I nearly forgot about it,” said Kitty in an exasperated voice as she bit her lip. “I can’t believe I nearly forgot about it.”

“Well, there’s been a lot going on,” offered Peter. “Maybe if you explain…actually that sounds like a stupid idea.”

“No kidding, rival mutant group blew up my mansion doesn’t sound like a good excuse,” said Gwen. “Not now, not when Harry used in Freshman year, I doubt it would fly well at any time.”

“Especially considering when its sort of the truth,” agreed Kitty, but she frowned. “But I’ve got to get a good grade on this paper. If I don’t, I’ll fail and I’ll have to take this class over again. I can’t believe it, I have to research a famous World War II figure and the Internet at the Mansion is down.”

“Well you can always look it up at the library in books,” suggested Gwen.

“People still do that?” asked Kitty in shock. “Really, seriously?”

“Yes, seriously,” said Gwen.

“Yes, but they do have the Internet there…but today’s Saturday and the library closes early,” said Peter.

“How early?” asked Kitty, biting her lip.

“Oh about ten minutes ago, I would say,” said Peter and Kitty just looked horrified at that news.

“Well, that’s it for me, I’m doomed, there’s no way I’m going to be able to write a paper on….I don’t even know who the teacher assigned me to write a paper on, hang on, let me check,” said Kitty. “Oh of course, they would have to give me the lamest person on there.”

“It can’t be that bad,” said Peter.

“It’s Captain America, of course it’s that bad,” said Kitty.

“Wait a minute, Captain America, did you say Captain America?” asked Peter.

“Oh boy, here we go,” said Gwen with a slight smile and a roll of her eyes.

“I really don’t know what you’re complaining about, he’s the greatest hero that ever lived, I mean, Captain America’s the measure that all heroes are measured to,” said Peter excitedly.

“He wasn’t around for that long,” said Kitty. “Even I know that.”

“He made a difference through,” said Peter. “He’s still talked about today. I remember Uncle Ben telling me stories about Captain America and his adventures all the time. Granted, some of them seemed corny today, but he was a true, blue hero and…there’s a Captain America exhibit at the museum…that we fought Sandman in a while back. Maybe we can go there and you can find something that will help you write your paper.”

“Yes, I suppose I really don’t have a choice,” said Kitty, who really wished that this paper did not slip her mind.

XXXXX-XXXXX

“Well if nothing else, they did a nice job of getting the place back to where it was, after my little back and forth with Sandman,” thought Peter. “It’s been a long time…actually can’t remember the last time I was year…had to be a few months before Uncle Ben died at least.”

“Okay, we’re here,” said Gwen as she looked around at the exhibit. “Looks a bit dusty and a bit…well it’s not kept up all that well.”

“People should show some respect, this is a great landmark, this is Captain America, there’s his shield,” said Peter firmly. “He held it with pride and fought with dignity. It was a different time. A time where you didn’t need big guns or a bad attitude to be considered a true hero.”

“Or climb walls or use webbing that runs out about halfway into battle,” added Gwen.

“Very funny, Gwen,” said Peter but he looked around at the various pictures depicting Captain America and his faithful sidekick Bucky in action against various enemies throughout the war. “This is the day where Captain America infiltrated the strong hold of the enemy and managed to take all of the men down inside. All in one fell swoop. I’ve heard this story so many times, that I can tell it by heart.”

“He took out over five hundred men on his own,” said Kitty skeptically as she read the caption on the painting. “That seems impossible.”

“Cap was the ultimate solider,” said Peter with a shrug. “He had strength, stamina, and speed beyond anyone else who had ever fought in the war. He was one of a kind. I mean, just look at him, there’s his statue right there, life sized replica….they really need to wax it, but other than that, you get the picture.”

Kitty just looked at the Captain America statue.

“Well, he does look like he can take care of himself,” admitted Kitty grudgingly. “Still, it says he fought tirelessly in the war, for less than five years. What happened to him after it?”

“No one really knows,” replied Peter. “I mean, anything could have happened. Once the war ended, he just dropped off of the face of the earth and what he did became the things of legend. Of course, I don’t really see him working a nine to five job but what do I know?”

“He’s got to be long gone by now,” said Kitty.

“I wouldn’t be sure about that,” said Gwen as she read the paper. “It says here that a super solider formula turned him into Captain America and it was said to allow the subject to age a fourth as quickly. He could be just in his thirties or forties physically.”

“Something like that is hard to tell, because no one knows when Captain America’s birthday is or who he really was,” said Peter, but he wondered what ever did to become of Captain America. It was something to consider.

“So, no one knows what happens to the guy and he did a lot of impossible things, that defy all conventional logic,” said Kitty but she frowned, wondering how true these stories would be. There was some bit of truth to them, but they were exaggerated over time. They had to be.

“Halt, who dares mock the Red Skull!” declared an angry voice, which caused Kitty to jump three feet in the air and spin around, to come face to face with a statue of in light brown, with a completely red head, but his facial features were sunken in, looking very much like a skull, with piercing yellow eyes with a murderous expression etched into them and a sadistic smile.

“That statue got me the first time Peter dragged me here too, that recording is pretty clear and spooky” said Gwen in a sympathetic voice.

“It nearly caused me to phase through the ceiling, it freaked me out so much,” said Kitty. “Statue? That thing looks rather real.”

“The centerpiece of the exhibit, Captain America’s most fearsome enemy, the Red Skull,” said Peter with a shiver.

“Few men have walked this earth who could be called a monster and a terror to humanity but one on this list would have to be the infamous Red Skull, who masterminded the slaughter of countless during the war, although given his harsh disregard for human life, many believe that the Red Skull did in fact count and kept detailed records of every man, woman, and child that he murdered, but that has been lost to history. One thing is for sure, the Red Skull is perhaps history’s greatest menace,” read Kitty before she shuddered. “I wouldn’t want to meet him in a dark alley.”

“I wouldn’t want to meet him in a well lighted area either, look at him,” added Gwen as she shivered. It might have been a statue, but the look on the Red Skull’s face looked rather unsettling.

“Well what’s the chances of any us coming face to face with the Red Skull any time soon?” asked Peter, looking rather relieved at this fact. He could deal with people like Sandman, Chameleon, and Doctor Octopus well and good but someone like the Red Skull was far more dangerous than anyone he had ever faced ever. He even made Doctor Doom look like a harmless girl scout.

“Wait, there’s more,” said Kitty, as she read. “The Red Skull and Captain America fought to the finish on a brutal June afternoon. The Skull was being chased for weeks, as his subordinates lost one by one to Captain America but before he could flee Europe, Cap caught up with him. Details of the battle are mostly unknown but Captain America managed to escape unscathed, while the Red Skull perished. While many over the last few decades have briefly taken on the mantle of the Red Skull in an attempt to drum up fear, none have lived up the terror of the original.”

The three teenagers shuddered and for good reason. Despite being a duplicate, there was still something unnerving about the face of someone who had killed countless staring at them. It was almost like the specter of some horrific entity had lingered in the room.

Moving to the side quickly, they saw more pictures seeing Captain America battling several foes, embellished to an extent.

“After his final battle with the nefarious Red Skull, Captain America was seen briefly at a medical hospital to treat his relatively minor injuries,” read Kitty as she looked over at the image of Captain America handing a mysterious item over to someone that was shroud in shadows. “Look at that guy in the picture. Look familiar to either of you.”

“Fury,” muttered Gwen.

“Yeah, I saw that too, only with both eyes, I guess, resemblance looks uncanny,” said Peter.

“No one else could look like that much of a….” started Kitty but she paused suddenly, before noticing something out of the corner of her eye right to the side of her. She turned slightly and her mouth opened in shock. Peter and Gwen turned. “Speaking of looking familiar, look at that cylinder thing…its…its….”

“The component that the Chameleon stole!” gasped Peter. Immediately he took a step back and looked over everything. “And that’s the part that was stolen from underneath the Xavier Institute…wait a minute…oh my….read this.”

The following words were written underneath the portrait.

Out of all of the horrors that the Red Skull accomplished during his reign of terror, one of the most horrifying was the one that he never got an opportunity to unleash before he was thrwarted by Captain America. The Red Skull created a Doomsday Weapon beyond anything that has been seen before or has since been seen. Details are sketchy, although historical scholars have debated on what the weapon is for the past fifty years. There are whispers that an attempt was made on the weapon, by a group of terrorists lead by a man passing himself off as the Red Skull less than fifteen years ago but the plan was stopped by agents of the government, before the weapon was dismantled into three separate components, due to the fact that its instability made it difficult to destroy. The story is mostly unconfirmed and remains a historical curiosity.

“Think we just confirmed something big,” said Gwen quietly after what seemed like an eternity of silence.

“Big, this is a huge!” exclaimed Kitty. “I thought this trip would be a total bore….but as far as we know, there’s only been two parts taken.”

“We’d know if the third part was taken,” said Peter. “Whatever person took it would be trumpeting loud and clear that he had put together the Red Skull’s legendary doomsday weapon.”

“The problem is no one knows what it does,” said Kitty. “And what’s the third component anyway?”

“With any luck something small and something buried where no person in their right mind will look,” said Peter as they walked pass an exhibit of various trinkets involving Captain America.

“Hopefully, but whoever it is found out where the other two components are,” said Gwen, as she leaned against a table, that had a few pieces of paper along with a nondescript rusty old key slightly visible.

“Maybe they saw this picture and did some research,” muttered Peter, as he looked over it, but the problem was, it was hard to see if there was anything else. The caption underneath the portrait said there was three components.

“Of course, that’s what they want you to think,” thought Peter as he watched as Kitty took a few notes, but she seemed just as distracted as he was. “Of course, given what we just learned, who couldn’t be?”

XXXXX-XXXXX

“Any luck with finding the energy readings!” barked Fury to the SHIELD agents who had been working around the clock, trying to locate the two already assembled components to the Doomsday Device. Fury had briefly thought about getting the third component but he could not risk it falling into the hands of any shapeshifters that might be posing as SHIELD agents. Security was cracked down severely but no security was fool proof and Fury was under the assumption that the enemy always would make an attempt to get a set of eyes right under his nose.

It was a paranoid thought but it had allowed him to live far longer than anyone in his position would have normally had.

“Negative Commander Fury,” stated the agent, looking rather tired and worn down.

“We should have been able to find it by now,” said a second agent.

“Should haves don’t cut it in this organization!” snapped Fury. “Must be masking it. We need to find a way around it. Keep working. If they get that device together, our goose is cooked.”

“Commander, could it be…you know…him?” asked one of the agents, looking rather terrified but Fury just ignored him. He had been chasing Red Skulls for half of his life it seemed, ninety five percent of the time being some hotshot imposter wanting to make a name for themselves and it was not the real deal.

Still something about this seemed even more unsettling then normal, with the disappearance of several scientists around the country, mysterious and without a trace.

To add to the fund, mutants had been exposed to the general public at the worst possible time imaginable. Any other time and it would be a headache still but with this entire Doomsday Weapon fiasco, it was so much worse.

“Any luck with finding our mutual friend,” said Fury roughly to a pair of agents, who had just returned.

“Dead end,” said one of the agents.

“Maybe he’s dead,” suggested the other agent.

“No, SHIELD would know if he’s dead, he’s out there somewhere,” said Fury. “Trained too well and he’s still got it out of all of these years. He’s avoiding us. We need to drag his ass out of retirement, because if it’s the worst case scenario, then he’s the only one who might be able to save us. Find him or else.”

“We need more time, Commander,” said the agent in an apologetic voice.

“Time isn’t something we have anymore,” said Fury roughly. “No sleeping, no eating, I don't want to even catch you taking a trip to the bathroom, nothing, until either that Doomsday Device is found or Captain America is. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, sir!” shouted the agents around him.

Fury just stood back, keeping an eye on the alarm where the third component was located. If someone had touched it, it would alert Fury immediately and he had a jet prepared, where he would take care of the thief before he could even make it out of the front door.

It was just merely a waiting game for someone to make their move.


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