Chapter 452-458
Four Hundred and Fifty-Two, Spider-Men
The universe is a circle.
Within a small circle, there are even smaller circles, and outside, similarly, there is a larger circle encompassing this small one.
The Marvel Universe is even more so.
Countless numbered universes orbit the main universe, or exist parallel to it, or in its shadows. And among these universes, there are always some who can break free and travel freely.
Right now, this is the case.
Peter Parker's face flushed slightly as he listened to Peni Parker's undisguised disdain for his'sneaky' photography: "I wasn't taking a sneak peek."
Peni Parker glanced at Peter Parker, crossed her arms, gave him a look, and said nothing.
Just then, the heartbroken Spider-Man, who had become a decadent-style Spider-Man after breaking up with Mary Jane in his own universe, cleared his throat: "That's Mary Jane. Actually, it's understandable."
Back in his day, let alone peeking, he would occasionally appear in Mary Jane's line of sight, wearing his Spider-Man suit, just to win her admiration.
What's so bad about peeking?
If you don't even dare to peek, then what kind of love are you talking about?
However... that being said...
But, as someone who had been through it, the heartbroken Spider-Man patted Peter Parker's shoulder, and with another burp, said: "Give up. Even if you win Mary Jane over, and she agrees to be with you, by the time you're thirty, even if you're the guardian of New York City, she'll still leave you without hesitation."
Peter Parker opened his mouth.
"Alright."
Spider-Man Noir spoke up at this moment: "Enough reminiscing, it's time to talk business. Peter, who killed Kingpin?"
Peter snapped back to attention, looking at Spider-Man Noir, who gave off the impression of being a boss among Spider-Men, and blinked: "What?"
Spider-Man Noir said gravely: "It's not just us who can travel between universes and come here. Kingpin, a Kingpin from another universe, can also travel here. Especially after the Kingpin here died, he's already obtained the coordinates. So, we must stop Kingpin, understand?"
Peter Parker shook his head.
I understand... my ass!
In the morning, he was at home. Then, in the afternoon, he was dragged to the NYPD. Now, in the evening, he's been dragged here.
Wait a minute... Peter Parker seemed to realize something and looked at Spider-Man Noir: "Damn it, it was you, you kidnapped that person, didn't you?"
Spider-Man Noir frowned: "What?"
Peter Parker said in a low voice: "You went to New Amsterdam Hospital, kidnapped Cindy Moon, and then left spider webs to frame me, didn't you?"
Peni Parker looked at Peter Parker expressionlessly: "What nonsense are you talking about? The three of us came to this world less than an hour ago. I haven't been bitten by a spider, so I can't shoot webs. Besides, I've tested it. Uncle Noir's webs and this decadent uncle's webs, even though they both came from spider bites and mutations, their data and everything are completely inconsistent."
Peter Parker was stunned by this: "Could it really be me?"
No, that's not right.
How could I kidnap someone?
I was clearly sleeping at home last night, trying to figure out how to ask Aunt May for money to modify my Spider-Man suit.
"No, that's not right."
"Hm?"
Peter Parker looked up at Spider-Man Noir: "What's not right?"
Spider-Man Noir looked at Peni Parker and said in a deep voice: "I remember when we were traveling, we detected traces of other targets entering. We initially thought it was Kingpin."
"It's not Kingpin."
Peni Parker shook her head: "At least, it's not the Kingpin from your world, Uncle. And, Uncle, the Kingpin from your world has already been defeated by our combined efforts and imprisoned in an underwater prison."
Spider-Man Noir nodded: "Yes, so, it's very likely that another Spider-Man has come over."
Peni Parker was slightly startled.
Just then, the incapacitated mech suit behind them suddenly pulsed, and then a projection was cast directly.
In the projection was a wanted poster.
Peter Parker's wanted poster.
Plus... Peter Parker's crimes.
"Cindy Moon?"
"Cop killer?"
"Wait."
Spider-Man Noir looked at the charges on the announcement, then looked at Peni Parker again: "Just now, when you rescued him, you accidentally killed a police officer?"
Peter Parker was utterly bewildered.
Peni Parker, who in another world was of Japanese-American descent and had a beautiful appearance, was speechless when she heard this: "How is that possible? I'm an honorary citizen of New York City, and an honorary consultant to the NYPD. Even though it's not the same world, how could I accidentally kill my comrades?"
What a joke.
Peni Parker would never kill anyone.
Her favorite thing to do was to use her mech to catch one dark-skinned illegal immigrant after another, then hand them over to the NYPD, watching them get packed onto fishing boats by the NYPD and sent back to Africa.
Nothing made her happier than seeing the city she had single-handedly saved become cleaner and cleaner.
"Then what's going on?"
Peter Parker pointed at the projected wanted poster and the charges: "How did I become a murderer, and why is all of New York City after me?"
Peni Parker shrugged: "I just stunned that police officer with a mini taser. It has nothing to do with me."
It has nothing to do with... Peter Parker opened his mouth, feeling an urge to curse.
"Enough!"
Spider-Man Noir said in a deep voice: "This matter isn't important. What's important is that we need to find out who killed Kingpin here, because Kingpin will be coming very soon to seek revenge."
"What do you mean..."
"Countless Spider-Men from countless worlds have already been killed by Kingpin."
"...What?"
Peter Parker was slightly stunned.
Peni Parker looked at the bewildered Peter Parker, smiled slightly, and explained: "Obviously, according to Uncle Noir, in these countless parallel universes, the relationship between Kingpin and you Spider-Men has always been hostile. Either you kill Kingpin, or Kingpin kills you. It has developed into a cross-world confrontation. The Kingpin of this world is dead, and without a doubt, the biggest suspect is the Spider-Man of this world. Guess who the Spider-Man of this world is? I'll tell you quietly, not all Spider-Men are named Peter Parker, but those named Peter Parker are definitely the default Spider-Men."
Peter Parker froze completely.
Seeing this, Peni Parker spread her hands: "So, if I were you, I wouldn't worry about crimes I didn't commit. Instead, I'd worry about my own life."
Gulp!
Peter Parker couldn't help but swallow.
Kingpin?
Before he started reporting news at the NYPD, he had heard some people mention Kingpin's name.
But... he had never had any contact with Kingpin at all.
What does it mean, either Kingpin kills me, or I kill Kingpin?
"Tell us."
Spider-Man Noir looked at Peter Parker, who, under Peni Parker's persuasion, was finally able to concentrate, and said: "What exactly happened with the Kingpin in this world? The information Peni Parker found online is very limited. Were you at the scene the night Kingpin was killed? If it wasn't you who killed him, then who was it?"
Peter Parker shook his head: "I wasn't there. I was in Queens."
Hell's Kitchen, though its name isn't great, is geographically located on Manhattan Island, and it's a prime location, less than three kilometers in a straight line from Central Park.
Let's put it this way.
Hell's Kitchen might be a slum, but it's a slum located within a luxurious rich area.
And the slum he was in was located in Queens, which, to put it simply, was a slum in a third-tier city.
There's a difference between slums and slums.
"Wait."
Peter Parker shook his head, then his eyes lit up, and he looked up at Spider-Man Noir and said: "I heard at school the next day that it seems the NYPD surrounded Kingpin's mansion and then killed Kingpin."
"Ha!"
"Hahahaha!"
"Hahahahaha!"
"..."
Peter Parker looked at the three people who, as soon as he finished speaking, exchanged glances and then burst out laughing, completely bewildered: "What are you laughing at?"
"NYPD?"
"Impossible!"
"Do you know what Kingpin is?"
"A Titan."
"Ah!"
Peni Parker made a gesture, like an ape, and looked at Peter Parker, saying: "In countless worlds, Spider-Man's identity and era may differ, but Kingpin is almost always cut from the same cloth. The boss of Hell's Kitchen, a muscular brute, whose body can withstand bullets. Do you know why this is?"
Peter Parker honestly shook his head. He was a straight-A student, but his academic background could only stretch so far as to believe these three when they said they were also Peter Parker from parallel universes; that was already pushing his limits.
Besides,
He didn't even know one Kingpin, let alone so many Kingpins.
"Simple."
Peni Parker spread her hands: "We are Earthlings, and Kingpin is a Titan. In terms of life level, although we are all ordinary life forms, Titans stand at the very top of ordinary life forms, understand?"
Peter Parker shook his head.
Spider-Man Noir said: "You can understand it as Kingpin being a replica, so they are basically all cut from the same mold. But no matter which world's Kingpin it is, the NYPD cannot deal with them. Tell me in detail what you know."
Peter Parker came back to his senses and looked at Spider-Man Noir
Chapter 453: Locke's Alias
Following this, Peter Parker told Spider-Man Noir everything he knew regarding Kingpin's death.
In truth... what Peter Parker knew was very limited. It was essentially just the information released by the NYPD, plus some hearsay he picked up at Midtown High School.
For example.
Earlier, before Kingpin and his entire family were annihilated, Police Superintendent George Stacy's home was invaded. Even earlier that morning, Police Superintendent George Stacy had raided Hells Kitchen.
"Could it be George?"
"Wait."
Peter was slightly stunned. He looked at the disheveled Spider-Man who had spoken and asked blankly, "Didn't you just say that Kingpin was someone standing at the apex of ordinary life, and that George couldn't possibly be the one?"
Spider-Man shook his head and said, "The George in our World definitely couldn't do it."
"What do you mean?"
"It means that the Georges in some Worlds are quite formidable."
Spider-Man Noir replied to Peter, then looked at Spider-Man and said, "However, the George in my World is already quite formidable—he's the Executive Director of the Hells Police Department's New York Branch. But even we struggled immensely when we teamed up to kill Kingpin. Is the one in this World even stronger?"
"No?"
Peni Parker, having returned to her Mech, quickly scrolled through all the available data on George on the Mech's screen. "The George in this World seems quite ordinary. Moreover, George wasn't home that day; only his daughter, Gwen Stacy, was there."
"Unless..."
As she spoke.
Peni Parker's projection showed the footage captured by the surveillance camera outside Gwen's apartment door that day—the scene where the kitchen looked like it had been demolished. "Gwen Stacy is that formidable."
"Huh?"
Spider-Man noticed Bullseye, who had landed heavily with a thud and looked extremely disheveled. "Bullseye?"
Spider-Man Noir seemed to recognize Bullseye too. "Yes, it's him. It's rare to see him so battered."
After all, just as Kingpin is the massive King of Hells Kitchen in every timeline, Bullseye is, without exception, Kingpin's most capable bounty assassin in every timeline.
Yet, regardless of the timeline, those who can corner Bullseye to this extent are few and far between.
Spider-Man Noir frowned and looked at Peter Parker. "Are you sure Gwen Stacy was the only one in the apartment at the time?"
Peter Parker nodded. "Yes."
Because the next day, even his classmates had heard about it, especially Mary Jane and Harry, who had teamed up with people from the next class to visit Gwen during lunch.
Therefore, he remembered it clearly.
"Wow..."
Peni Parker couldn't help but exclaim as she looked at the retrieved records—pages of outstanding achievements from childhood to present. "Another goddess who possesses both beauty and wisdom, just like me."
Spider-Man looked at the full-body photo of Gwen Stacy projected on the screen and asked Peter Parker, "Why aren't you pursuing this one?"
Mary Jane is the woman who makes Spider-Man heartbroken.
It's the same in every timeline.
As a veteran—a middle-aged man who even has a beer belly—Spider-Man felt he could use his own lessons to advise the young Spider-Man and prevent him from repeating the same mistakes.
After all, dating Mary Jane only leads to heartbreak for Spider-Man.
Since that's the case.
Why not choose someone else?
This Gwen Stacy is excellent: fair-skinned, beautiful, and possessing great temperament.
At a glance... she doesn't seem like the type of woman who would break Spider-Man's heart.
Peter Parker listened to Spider-Man, looked at him, and shook his head. "Gwen Stacy already has a boyfriend."
Spider-Man shrugged. "Mary Jane had a boyfriend when I pursued her too. It doesn't matter. Women love Heroes, especially girls this age. Just put on the Spider-Suit and swing around a couple of times, that's all it takes."
At the very least, tell the girl your secret. There's an eighty percent chance she'll feel you trust her greatly, and you'll successfully win her heart.
Spider-Man was imparting his experience to Peter Parker.
But... Peter Parker continued to shake his head. "Gwen's boyfriend is not the same as Harry."
"How are they different?"
"..."
Peter Parker glanced at the questioning Spider-Man, opened his mouth, but found himself unable to speak.
How should he put it?
If he were to steal Harry's girlfriend, Peter Parker felt there wouldn't be any major issues.
But... steal Locke Broughton's girlfriend?
Forget taking action; just thinking about it made Peter Parker's Spider-Sense tell him he would die, and it would be a horrible death—the kind where you are utterly annihilated.
"Found it."
Peni Parker also retrieved Locke's information at that moment, exclaiming again, "Male God! I like him!"
On the screen.
Photo after photo of Locke was projected directly.
Cowboy Locke.
Horseback Riding Locke.
Suit Locke.
Fashionable Locke.
Every single one of the high-quality, beautifully produced photo prints that Locke had published at the time made Peni Parker's beautiful eyes unable to look away.
However, what Peni Parker cared about most was his resume, which was equally impressive compared to Gwen Stacy's.
The next second.
Peni Parker raised an eyebrow and looked at Peter Parker. "Peter, do you mind switching Worlds? You go to mine, and I'll come to this World. You don't dare steal this Male God's girlfriend? I'll do it."
When a man pursues a woman, it's separated by mountains.
When a woman pursues a man, it's separated by a veil.
Peni Parker felt that if she took action, she could capture this magnificent Male God in three days—no, two days. That chest, I could play with for a year without getting tired.
Clearly.
This Peni Parker is a Lookist.
Hearing Peni Parker's words, Peter Parker was utterly speechless.
Spider-Man Noir expressionlessly watched the projected image of Locke Broughton, frowned, and looked at the Spider-Man beside him. "Do you have this person in your World?"
Spider-Man shook his head. "No. But the CIA has someone named Lorraine Broughton."
Peter Parker looked up at Spider-Man. "Lorraine Broughton is Locke Broughton's mother."
This matter is no longer a secret.
After all, Locke had revealed this himself when he used media leverage.
"That's wrong."
Spider-Man shook his head and looked at Peter Parker. "Lorraine Broughton's son is a rancher in Texas. I asked the CIA about it once when we worked together. Her son was adopted by a rancher in Texas, and I think his name was Clark Kent or something."
"In my World, he's named Unico Broughton!"
Peni Parker raised her hand. "Gavin Broughton in my World!"
Spider-Man Noir raised an eyebrow, pointing at Locke's projection. "There's something strange about him!"
Peter Parker was slightly taken aback. "How can you tell?"
Spider-Man Noir looked at Peter Parker.
"He's your classmate?"
"Yes."
"And you have a history of antagonism with him?"
"Yes."
"Then he is not an ordinary person."
"This..."
Peter Parker blinked, looking confusedly at the others. What kind of ridiculous deduction was that? Was there some necessary causal link?
But... both Spider-Man and Peni Parker nodded in agreement after hearing Spider-Man Noir's statement.
In short.
They, the Spider-Men, were the protagonists in their respective timelines.
And among those who interact with the protagonist and have a history of conflict, how many of them could possibly be just ordinary, unremarkable people?
Not to mention, according to reports about Locke, he is a Male God who has consecutively challenged three law enforcement agencies.
"Where is he?"
Spider-Man Noir looked at Peter Parker. "The problem might lie with this Locke Broughton."
Peter Parker: "..."
Where is Locke?
Without a doubt.
Locke was, of course, at home.
To be precise, Locke was with Gwen, video chatting with Helen.
"What?"
"Not only did Peter Parker run away, but he also killed a Police Officer?"
"Hiss!"
Locke, who was currently in Starlight Tower, gasped sharply upon hearing Helen, who was video chatting with Gwen. He was speechless internally. "Goodfellas, is he skipping the process and going straight to becoming Black Spider?"
But... doesn't a Black Spider-Man usually require Venom?
Where is the Venom?
Furthermore.
This transformation is too fast.
Spider-Man.
A Police Officer?
The good friend of justice, the friendly neighborhood of New York City, killed a Police Officer?
Tsk tsk.
This is increasingly looking like a conviction.
Helen, who was temporarily residing in Long Island, looked at the startled pair and asked curiously, "Manhattan Island has been sealed off. Didn't you two know? What were you doing at home?"
Locke recovered, exchanged a glance with Gwen, and then coughed.
What were they doing?
That was a PG-13, difficult-to-discuss topic.
Getting up.
Locke directly opened the soundproof floor-to-ceiling window. Instantly, the sound of police sirens, which intermittently echoed throughout the Manhattan area, appeared and was captured in the air.
"All twenty-one bridges have been raised."
"Three tunnels have also been sealed off."
Helen looked at Gwen, whose cheeks were slightly flushed after she finished speaking, and instantly realized what the two of them had been doing at home. She immediately changed the subject: "Georgejust called. He said he won't be coming home tonight. Someone brazenly killed a Police Officer inside the NYPD building. George said that if they don't catch the culprit immediately, even breathing feels painful to him."
The pain of guilt.
Gwen, sitting on the sofa, still looked somewhat incredulous. She had also heard the police sirens echoing across Manhattan after Locke opened the soundproof glass.
It's just.
It's hard to imagine.
Could it be that Peter Parker has been completely controlled by Black Spider?
Gwen thought to herself...
454. Little Peter Parker
After all, Peter Parker had been bitten by the Black Spider.
And that Black Spider was a real piece of work.
That Black Spider had devoured many of jelly's kin; if jelly hadn't been clever, it probably would have been devoured completely by that nasty thing too.
So... although it was unknown why Peter Parker was only a semi-finished product, it didn't change the fact that Peter might have been influenced by that Black Spider, which led to him killing the Police Officer.
Gwen thought to herself.
After a while.
Helen, who was on a video call with Locke and Gwen, told them not to run around at night before looking at Gwen and saying, "Stay safe!"
After saying that.
Helen hung up the phone immediately.
Gwen opened her mouth.
Helen's words just now seemed to have a double meaning.
Was it just an illusion?
Standing behind Gwen, Locke thought about Helen's gaze just now and smiled. Then, he walked back to the open-air balcony and cast his gaze upon New York City, which looked like a city that never slept.
The wailing of police sirens reached his ears from time to time.
Even... Locke raised an eyebrow as he picked up unusual information in the air and looked toward the 66th Street Lincoln Center Station.
There?
Locke raised his eyebrows.
Just then.
Gwen also got up from the sofa and walked to the balcony, looking out at the brightly lit Fifth Avenuebelow, which seemed completely unaffected.
"Peter Parker killed someone?"
"Yeah."
"And he escaped?"
Gwen shook her head, looking down at Manhattan with some curiosity. "Where could he have run to?"
Most importantly.
How could Peter Parker have escaped right under the noses of countless Police Officers without alerting the NYPD?
Gwen could accept the premise that Peter Parker might have been controlled by the Black Spider to kill the Police Officer, but come on, that was the NYPD, not the Peerless Assassin. Did he really think anyone could just come and go as they pleased from the NYPD?
Locke smiled, withdrew his gaze from 66th Street, and looked at Gwen. "We have to believe in George. Manhattan has been locked down. Even if Peter Parker is hiding underground, George will find him."
Interesting.
At the 66th Street Lincoln Center Station, he actually captured four sets of informational signatures that were similar but not identical to those of the Little Spider, Peter Parker.
Four Little Spiders?
Locke felt a wave of curiosity, but as the saying goes, curiosity was no match for mission rewards.
There was only one thing that could make him give up on the current mission.
And that was a higher mission reward.
Or... if someone came to him trying to break his 'Calm Semester' and came looking for death. If that was the case, Locke felt that any measures he took to ensure he completed the mission should be considered self-defense.
"Eh?"
Locke suddenly thought of this, his eyes lit up, he blinked, and looked back toward the 66th Street Lincoln Center Station, then sighed. "Ah."
Gwen looked at Locke, who had suddenly sighed. "What's this..."
"Uh..."
Locke snapped out of it, looked at Gwen, and smiled slightly. "Although I don't like Peter Parker, we were classmates after all. Suddenly, a classmate becomes a wanted criminal suspect, and at our age too—it's just a bit emotional."
Gwen nodded. "True. Speaking of which, he must be the second person from Midtown High School to be wanted."
"Hmm?"
"The last one seemed to be Nina Bell."
Gwen said this, then seemed to think of something and looked at Locke. "Wait, this is a bit strange. You were planning to file a civil lawsuit against Nina Bell, and then suddenly, Nina Bell's whole family ended up in the electric chair. Now, you're about to file a civil lawsuit against Peter Parker, and Peter Parker has become a fugitive."
She seemed to have discovered a key point.
Locke was also stunned by Gwen's remark, then shook his head. "This time it really has nothing to do with me."
God as my witness.
He didn't grab Peter Parker's hand and make him kill the Police Officer.
So.
If Peter Parker ends up in the electric chair in the future, it would be his own doing and have nothing to do with him.
Gwen nodded, then suddenly paused. "Wait, 'this time'? What about the Nina Bell time?"
Locke raised an eyebrow and looked at Gwen.
Gwen looked at Locke suspiciously. "You just said 'this time' it has nothing to do with you. What about last time? What did you do, honey?"
Locke blinked and smiled. "Honey, you forgot. The Federal Bureau of Investigation came to take our statements. At most, I was just giving a statement. But this time, it really has nothing to do with me."
"Is that so?"
"Of course."
Listening to Locke's words and seeing his smile as sincere as gold and his twinkling eyes, Gwenconfirmed he wasn't lying and nodded. "Alright. But don't you think it's weird? I mean, it can't be that every target of your civil lawsuits ends up in the electric chair, right?"
Locke shrugged. "I hope not. Because I'd rather have them pay me money than take their lives."
That was the truth.
If Locke wanted their lives, he would have taken them from the start instead of going through the trouble of a civil lawsuit. After all, the final result of a civil lawsuit is monetary compensation.
At most, if the civil lawsuit was settled and the other party didn't plan to pay or tried to be a deadbeat, Locke would personally visit to enforce it.
But... if the other party paid after the civil lawsuit's conclusion, Locke wouldn't take any further action once he got the money.
As for these two civil lawsuits?
Locke leaned toward it being a coincidence.
Regarding Nina Bell, Locke might have had a slight bias, but that was because Nina Bell had planned to make him socially dead first. Locke only acted against Nina Bell on the principle of striking first.
But with Peter Parker, Locke hadn't involved his personal feelings at all. It was strictly business. He hadn't thought of any way to send Peter Parker to the electric chair.
Locke wasn't one to look for trouble.
He had always been refined and easygoing. As he said before, as long as no one offended him, he was still very sunny and cheerful, enjoying time alone or doing things he liked with Gwen.
For instance, right now.
Locke already knew where the escaped Peter Parker was hiding, but did he go there?
No.
As long as no one provoked him, he quite enjoyed the current peaceful times. If he could just hold out for three more months, he could get the point reward for the 'Calm Semester'.
So... Locke took one last glance toward the 66th Street Lincoln Center Station and withdrew his gaze. Over there, besides the three similar Spider-Man presences, another one seemed to have appeared. He looked at Gwen beside him. "We should rest. Don't forget, you promised Dr. Connors you'd go to the lab tomorrow."
Five Spider-Men?
Have they learned to self-replicate just like that damn spider?
Locke thought to himself.
Gwen snapped back to reality and looked at Locke. "Oh right, I almost forgot. Sleep, sleep!"
This morning, while accompanying George to see Dr. Connors, Dr. Connors had once again expressed deep regret that Gwen couldn't come to the lab this semester, suggesting she could come on her days off, even if just to look around.
Dr. Connors was so enthusiastic that Gwen could only say she would definitely come if she was free on her days off. Moreover, because tomorrow might be the first biological experiment in the reorganized lab, Gwen, upon hearing this, also said she would definitely come to witness it.
Over at the 66th Street Lincoln Center Station.
At the same time Locke sensed that fifth Spider-Man-like presence, inside the underground tunnel, as they listened to Peter Parker describe what he knew about Locke Broughton.
The Spider-Sense tingled instantly.
"Who's there?"
Spider-Man Noir extended his right hand, and with a thwip, a strand of Spider Silk shot out, hitting the only entrance. Bang!
Pebbles flew.
There were even... sparks from the friction.
After the sparks splattered, a figure wearing a Black Spider-Man suit slowly walked in. Then, under everyone's gaze, he pulled back his hood. "With just you guys, you'll never beat Locke."
The face under the hood.
Was also.
Dark.
It was a young Black man.
Peter Parker was already immune; after all, he had even seen a female Parker. He could accept another one with dark skin. Besides, Peter felt he wasn't as discriminatory against Black people as Locke was. "Are you Peter Parker too?"
The young Black Spider-Man looked at Peter Parker. "No, my name is Miles Morales. In my World, you're dead. Your wife, Mary Jane, announced your death, and that's how we learned your true identity."
"Mary Jane..."
Spider-Man heard this and looked at the young Black Spider-Man. "In that World, is Mary Jane still by my side?"
The young Black man calling himself Miles Morales looked at Spider-Man and smiled slightly. "Yes. At the press conference for your death, Mary Jane held your son and announced your death to all of New York. By the way, I brought your son with me. Do you want to see him?"
Spider-Man was stunned. "What? A son?"
The young Black Spider-Man nodded. "Yes. I arrived a few hours before you guys and placed Little Peter Parker in a safe place for now. Do you want to see him?"
Spider-Man nodded immediately.
Just then.
"Wait a minute!"
455. The Weaver Miles
The voice came from Spider-Man Noir.
After Spider-Man heard that in another World he and Mary Jane had not only stayed married but also had a little Peter Parker, he was so excited he wanted to throw himself at this little Black Spider-Man.
But just then, born in the Shadow Universe, clad in a black suit, striking fear into the dark, making the World itself dim wherever he goes—a bona-fide hard man and reputedly the craftiest of all Spider-Men—Spider-Man Noir stepped in front of the thrilled Spider-Man, narrowed his eyes at the suddenly appeared little Black Spider-Man and asked, "That Police Officer—you killed him on purpose?"
Peter Parker froze and looked at the Black Spider-Man. "It was you? Why?"
The Black Spider-Man's sausage-like lips parted. "No choice. They raided my secret Base, took my stuff."
As he spoke.
The Black Spider-Man's eyes lit up. Looking at the dishevelled, middle-aged Spider-Man, he pulled a photo from inside his suit. "I even brought a picture of little Peter. Look."
Spider-Man stared.
In the photo a boy of eleven or twelve who resembled him smiled brightly at the camera.
"This is…?"
The middle-aged Spider-Man looked up. "Mine and Mary Jane's?"
It was another World's Peter Parker and another World's Mary Jane.
But he, too, was called Peter Parker; his wife, too, was called Mary Jane.
That was enough.
The Black Spider-Man nodded. "Right. I brought him here specially."
"Where is he?"
"At Peter Parker's house."
"…"
Peter Parker blinked. "My house?"
The Black Spider-Man nodded, then smiled at the hood-shrouded Spider-Man Noir. "I've worshipped Spider-Man since I was a kid. Seeing you here is amazing—if only—"
He never finished.
Peni Parker's mech flared to life; a scanning laser swept over the Black Spider-Man from head to toe. A voice issued from the armour: "Then can you explain why we're finding DNA from three different Peter Parkers on you?"
"What?"
Peter Parker was stunned. "Three Peter Parker DNAs?"
Spider-Man Noir had already pulled Peter Parker behind him. Expressionless, he regarded the still-smiling Black Spider-Man and said grimly, "Meaning this thing has devoured—and murdered—three Peter Parkers."
The Black Spider-Man's grin widened.
"I knew it…"
He shook his head, eyeing the battle-ready spider-mech as black matter rippled across his body, forming an ebony mask. "I shouldn't have come—but it's hard to gather four Spider-Men from different Worlds in one place. I couldn't resist."
Spider-Man Noir demanded, "Who are you, really?"
"Me?"
"I already told you—Miles Morales!"
The Black Spider-Man lifted his head slightly, then—boom—vanished, reappearing an instant later, already attacking. A metallic clang rang out as he clashed with Spider-Man Noir, spun one-hundred-twenty degrees, and clung to the ceiling like a spider.
His name really was Miles Morales.
That part was true.
But unlike Spider-Man Noir, who had come seeking the one who killed Kingpin, Miles Morales wasn't here to recruit heroes.
Miles was here for personal reasons.
In his World, Spider-Man—Peter Parker—had existed, but he was dead.
Killed by Miles.
He had no choice.
He wanted Spider-Man's power.
In Miles's World, the Black Spider and the White Spider had both fallen to Earth, but Peter Parker had bonded with the White Spider and become its Hero long before Miles gained the Black Spider's power.
Living at the bottom, bullied at school, Miles succumbed to the Black Spider's whispers, used Peter Parker's trusting nature to set a trap, and murdered him.
Afterwards.
Devouring Peter, Miles and the Black Spider learned that Spider-Men existed not just in their World but in countless others.
Sure enough, with a few tweaks, two more Spider-Men dropped into his reality.
One was a female Spider—like Peni Parker—except her name wasn't Peni or Parker, it was Gwen: Ghost-Spider Gwen of Earth-65.
The other?
A spider-pig named Peter Porker.
Tempted by the promise of godhood from the Black Spider, Miles joined forces with his Universe's Kingpin and cut down the Spider-Ham who had come to kill Kingpin, devouring him so completely that not even a speck remained.
Yet, when faced with Ghost-Spider, Miles hesitated.
He wanted Gwen Stacy of Earth-65 to be his girlfriend.
Clearly, the Gwen from Earth-65 hadn't lost her mind; she hurled scorn and mockery at the dark creature who grew stronger by devouring Spider-People.
In the end, the Ghost-Spider from Earth-65 detonated herself, exposing Miles as the true killer of this World's Spider-Man, and sneered, "There are countless parallel Worlds, but I guarantee no Gwen Stacy anywhere would ever fall for a thing like you."
The revelation enraged Miles, and worse, once his identity was exposed, the entire World turned on him—even Kingpin claimed he'd never known him.
Miles stormed off to confront Kingpin.
But Kingpin beat him half to death; if Miles hadn't fled, he'd have become a dead spider. After that, he escaped to another World, found its Spider-Man—a certain Jack Parker—devoured him, and suddenly caught a familiar scent.
Another White Spider.
No—
to be precise, two White Spiders.
Miles Morales landed right in front of New Amsterdam Hospital, where he found Cindy Moon lying in a bed. An idea struck him: test whether this World had a Spider-Man. He donned the classic red suit, snatched Cindy, and vanished.
Then.
Following the Spider-scent, he raced to a Queens warehouse, tossed Cindy onto a cot, and planned to enjoy her once this World's Spider-Man returned.
Instead of the wall-crawler, the NYPD crashed through the door.
And outside, Miles caught a whiff of something terrifying—just a residue, yet so dreadful he didn't dare face its source and fled in haste.
After losing Cindy, Miles set out at once to locate this Universe's Spider-Man.
Using the symbiote's infiltration power he'd absorbed during his fall, he slipped inside—only to find an unconscious Police Officer and no sign of Spider-Man.
Glaring at the cop, Miles blamed the NYPD for stealing Cindy and simply hanged the man from the ceiling.
Then… he tracked the scent here.
Goodfellas.
He was ecstatic—three Spider-People at once.
Peni Parker didn't count.
She'd never been bitten, but since he was here, why not taste her too?
Clinging to the wall, Miles licked his lips. When Spider-Man Noir and the others attacked, he sprang away and shot straight at the middle-aged heart-broken Spider-Man. "Peter Parker—don't you want to see little Peter Parker again?"
The words made the despondent Spider-Man, already drowning his sorrows after Mary Jane left him, falter for a fatal second.
The next instant—
a scream.
Eight spider-limbs burst from Miles's back and plunged into the heart-broken Hero.
In a heartbeat—
literally the blink of an eye—
thud!
The man who had spent his life defending justice, only to lose Mary Jane and drown in alcohol, withered visibly.
Crash!
The body hit the floor, raising a cloud of dust.
"Ah!"
Miles retracted his limbs, belched, felt the Black Spider cells rejoicing, licked his lips again, and turned to Spider-Man Noir and Peter Parker. "Your turn."
Spider-Man Noir flicked his wrists.
Thwip-thwip!
"Get him out!"
"What?"
"Go—now!"
While hurling web-balls at the creature who was no longer Spider-Man but The Weaver, Spider-Man Noir shouted to Peni Parker, "Find Police Officer George Stacy of this World—move!"
With a mighty yank he brought the wall down, sealing Peni, Peter, and Max off from himself and the oncoming nightmare
Four hundred fifty-six, The True Spider-Man
"Rat-a-tat-tat!"
Under the night sky of New York City, a New York Police Department helicopter with flashing warning lights roared as it arrived over Queens.
Below.
Was a certain community in Queens, to be precise, the community where Peter Parker lived.
"George."
Detective Kate Beckett, also sitting in the helicopter, furrowed her brow and said to George, who had opened the cabin door and was watching the slowly descending helicopter, "Peter Parker couldn't have run back here, could he?"
Moreover, Manhattan Island had already been locked down within half an hour.
How could Peter Parker alone escape the heavily congested Manhattan Island in half an hour?
The aircraft landed steadily on the community's street.
George got off the plane, looked at Kate Beckett, who had descended behind him, turned his head, and said loudly, "I always feel like something's been overlooked here?"
"What?"
"I don't know, that's why I came to check."
He had too many unanswered questions.
For example... the most important one was, how did Peter Parker brazenly kill a Police Officer inside the heavily guarded New York Police Department and then leave silently without triggering any surveillance?
If Peter Parker really had that ability, why didn't he just act in the interrogation Room?
And then there was the Spider Silk that hanged the Police Officer.
Although it looked the same as the Spider Silk found earlier, George still vaguely sensed something off when he touched it. For instance, whether it was the Spider Silk hanging at the NYPD entrance or the Spider Silk found in the warehouse, there wasn't much difference in texture.
But the Spider Silk that hanged the Police Officer?
Cold.
Bone-chilling cold.
The moment George touched it, he felt a sensation different from the previous two Spider Silks. Besides the bone-chilling cold, it even made him somewhat restless.
How to describe it?
It felt stifling, like wanting to cry but unable to, wanting to get angry but not knowing why.
That was just weird!
Approaching.
"May Parker is currently at Manhattan Hospital, no one's home."
"Search warrant?"
"Right here."
George glanced at the search warrant Beckett produced, nodded, then nodded to the two SWAT Teammembers who had followed.
The next second.
With a thud!
Peter Parker's front door was directly breached by the SWAT Team using a battering ram.
Entering the Room.
Pitch black.
With a click, as the switch was pressed, the living Room lights turned on. Beyond the entrance, a simple yet clean living Room appeared clearly in George and Beckett's view.
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
After the two SWAT Team members conducted a brief search of the first floor and confirmed no danger, Beckett holstered her service weapon and looked at George, "So, what are we looking for?"
"Where is Peter Parker's Room?"
"Second floor, left side, first Room."
"Hmm."
George nodded, looked at the staircase not far away, and prepared to step up.
But... Beckett directly blocked George's path, smiling, "George, even though you're the Officer, I believe if I let you go first, the other Detectives would definitely not invite me to gatherings anymore."
Don't think there's no gender discrimination in the federal system.
Gender discrimination in law enforcement is even more severe.
Beckett knew this all too well. Back when she first joined the NYPD, some male Officers directly told her to her face what a woman was doing in law enforcement.
Although it's much better now, Beckett earned this through her own efforts, by achieving a higher case clearance rate than any male Detective, earning respect.
In the NYPD, her case clearance rate was second only to George's.
But even so, as they say, if other Detectives found out she let the only chief inspector who knew what their grassroots Officers wanted and would undoubtedly stand by them take risks, they probably wouldn't let Beckett attend any bar gatherings.
George shook his head helplessly, "Kate, I'm still me."
Beckett shrugged, "I also think you're you, but not all Detectives think that way."
George opened his mouth but, seeing Beckett's determined expression, said nothing more.
Seeing this, Beckett drew her service weapon again, exchanged glances with the two SWAT Teammembers, then formed a triangular formation and ascended the stairs to the second floor.
George also held his gun, covering from the rear.
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
The second floor wasn't very large, with just three Rooms: one for May Parker and Ben Parker, another for Peter Parker, and the last one was the bathroom.
Moreover, without needing a detailed search, it was quite clear once the doors were opened.
"George..."
Beckett holstered her weapon again, calling for George to come up, but when she turned, George didn't appear. Slightly puzzled, she quickly walked to the staircase and saw George standing at the corner, "What..."
Before she could finish.
George made a shushing gesture, frowned, and looked at the wall in front of him, "There seems to be a sound inside?"
Beckett was slightly taken aback and walked over to George.
Listening closely.
A rhythmic thumping sound seemed to come from within the wall.
"They don't have a basement."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course!"
Beckett said matter-of-factly, "In fact, none of the houses in this community have basements. During the search this morning, Ryan confirmed it with architectural blueprints from City Hall."
"There's movement inside."
Although Beckett said that, George trusted his ears and directly said, "Spread out and search."
The two SWAT Team members nodded, one staying upstairs, the other going downstairs.
George holstered his weapon and pressed his ear against the wall.
Then... tapped it with his hand.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
"...Thump thump thump!"
It seemed that upon hearing George's tapping, the sound inside responded, as if finally found, changing its rhythm to become very urgent.
Beckett, pressed against the wall nearby, now also believed there was indeed movement inside. She looked around the wall, then tapped along the wall where the sound came from.
But it seemed there was no hidden door, just solid.
Just then.
"Officer!"
The SWAT Team member who went downstairs suddenly reported, "Over here in the storage Room."
George and Beckett hurried down to the cluttered storage Room. As soon as they reached the doorway, the movement from within the wall seemed clearer.
The group exerted effort to move most of the clutter aside, and instantly, a hidden door previously obscured by piled-up clutter appeared.
Beckett raised an eyebrow, drew her weapon again, aimed at the hidden door, then nodded to the two SWAT Team members.
The two SWAT Team members stepped onto the clutter, then glanced at George.
The next second.
With a thud.
"Ah!"
"Bang!"
With George's nod of confirmation, the two SWAT Team members pulled open the upward-opening hidden door. Then, an unidentified object making muffled sounds fell from above, thudding onto the clutter and rolling down.
"shit!"
"What is that?"
"A person!"
"..."
The four were startled. Beckett reflexively aimed her gun at the fallen object. Fortunately, Georgereacted quickly and moved Beckett's gun aside.
But even if not moved, Beckett wouldn't have fired instinctively.
After all... Beckett was a highly professional female Detective. Instinctive firing was something no qualified Detective allowed.
"Goodfellas."
Beckett looked at the boy at her feet, bound tightly with his mouth gagged, appearing around ten years old. She holstered her weapon and looked at George in surprise, "So, Peter Parker not only kidnapped Cindy Moon but also kidnapped another child?"
Goodness.
What kind of person were they dealing with?
Some kind of Zhenren (Immortal) serial kidnapper who hides their true nature?
George's expression also darkened immediately.
After all, based on existing evidence, a serial kidnapping murderer was already confirmed. The thought that Peter Parker was also his daughter Gwen's classmate made George feel terrible.
Beckett had already holstered her weapon, crouched down, and helped untie the boy's restraints, then removed the gag from his mouth.
"shit!"
The successfully rescued boy gasped for breath, "Goodness, it was so stuffy in there. Thank goodness you showed up. I thought I was going to die. I love you guys so much."
After being freed, the successfully rescued boy's words came out like a machine gun, not giving Becketta chance to ask questions, chattering incessantly.
In the cramped storage Room, Beckett inexplicably felt like she was being swarmed by a dozen flies.
And... why did this little boy seem not scared at all?
After all, he had just been kidnapped.
Beckett and George exchanged glances, then looked at the boy who stood up, patted his butt, and seemed accustomed to it, feeling bewildered.
"Hi."
George took advantage of the boy finally stopping his chatter to ask, "What's your name?"
"Peter!"
The boy turned to George, showing a shy smile, "My name is Peter Parker!!"
He said it with a very proud tone...
Four Hundred and Fifty-Seven, Dutch Brother Spider-Man
Yes.
Peter Parker.
But, to be precise, his name should be Peter Parker II!
Peter Parker II had a perfect upbringing.
His father was Peter Parker I, the world's only superhero, New York City's friendly neighborhood hero, and even the guardian of New York City.
His mother was Mary Jane, an equally famous Broadway actress in New York City who silently assisted his father, Peter Parker I, in fighting crime.
So... even though both Peter Parker I and Mary Jane passed away when Peter Parker II was very young, Peter Parker II, under the care of Aunt May, was proud of his heritage.
In fact, whenever he passed by Spider-Man Plaza, which was built for his father in New York City, he would look at his father's statue and secretly vow that he too would become a superhero like his father.
He would never disgrace his father!
However.
His first attempt ended in defeat.
Just thinking about the first time he put on his father's suit and went into action today, Peter Parker II couldn't help but blush slightly.
He was captured without any resistance as soon as he appeared, and he felt very ashamed.
And he was still captured, he wondered if Aunt May would worry about him not coming home for lunch.
"Oh, right."
"Aunt May."
Peter Parker II looked at the sky outside, thinking of Aunt May who had always taken care of him, and couldn't help but worry.
He quickly looked at George and Beckett behind him and said, "Perhaps you can call Aunt May first and tell her that I'm safe.
She's getting on in years, and I don't want her to..."
At this point, Peter Parker II paused once again.
He looked around.
The living room.
The stairs.
The secret door.
"Wait a minute."
Peter Parker II was slightly stunned: "This is Aunt May's house, wait, could it be... Oh my goodness, is Aunt May alright?"
If George hadn't grabbed Peter Parker II, he probably would have already rushed out and searched the whole house for his Aunt May.
Obviously.
Peter Parker II still didn't know that he was now in a different world.
However... George and Beckett were even more bewildered.
Especially half an hour later.
Little Peter Parker's mouth was wide open, muttering, "I've switched worlds, oh my god, this isn't my world anymore, wait, this isn't my world anymore?"
After their initial bewilderment, George and Beckett began to consider whether this little guy, who claimed to be Peter Parker II, had some kind of Stockholm Syndrome.
But... recalling the content of their mutual questioning over the past half hour, the two experienced detectives found it difficult to find any flaws in Peter Parker II's words.
So.
Did he really come from another world?
George and Beckett exchanged glances.
And, in that world, Peter Parker was also the guardian of New York City, a friendly neighbor, and even the world's only superhero?
"Wait a minute?"
Beckett was the first to regain his composure, and then, as if thinking of something, he looked at Peter Parker II, who was muttering, "Is there a me in that world?"
Perhaps, in that world, her mother and father were not dead.
But... Peter Parker II was silent for a while, then stood up, showing his ten-year-old age and height: "Officer, I'm only ten years old.
Although I've been doted on by countless people in New York City since I was a child, today is my first time being a superhero.
I originally wanted to make a grand entrance and then go to the NYPD, but I didn't expect..."
He messed up his debut and was even abducted to another world.
I have disgraced the Parker family's honor.
Peter Parker II clenched his fists tightly: "You hateful Black Spider, I will definitely catch you!
I swear on my Parker honor, I will definitely catch you, this damn Black Spider, who is out there swindling people and defiling the honor my father left behind!"
George also asked at this moment: "You just said you were captured.
Do you remember how you got here?"
Peter Parker II shook his head: "I don't know."
George frowned, beginning to ponder how this matter would unfold.
Just then.
Peter Parker II's eyes suddenly lit up: "However, when that damn Black Spider knocked me out, I think I heard him say something about smelling another world's spider.
Wait a minute, in this world, is my dad still alive?
That's great!
I'm going to find my dad and have him bring that damn Black Spider to justice."
As soon as he thought of this possibility, Peter Parker II immediately became excited.
In this world, your father is not a superhero, he's a suspect, and he's wanted all over the city.
George looked at the somewhat excited Peter Parker II, opened his mouth, and ultimately didn't tell him this cruel truth.
Instead, he said, "Perhaps in your world, these two people are already forty or fifty years old, but in this world, these two people are only eighteen.
And I don't think you can have contact with them."
Are you kidding me? If they made contact and something big went wrong, who would be responsible?
George, at least, had no intention of taking responsibility.
Fortunately.
George had also gone through two years of experience and had seen vampires and witches, so once he accepted Peter Parker II's origin from another dimension, he quickly relaxed.
At the same time, he also thought of an organization that was very suitable to be brought in at this moment.
As he spoke.
George took out his phone from his pocket, pressed a string of numbers, and then waited for the call to connect.
It was still the Macallan bar!
"Oh, the phone, sorry..."
Maria Hill, who was in the middle of a weekend drinking game with Lily and Ted, smiled and took out her phone.
After glancing at the caller ID, she downed the bourbon in front of her, then smiled and kissed her boyfriend Ted.
Immediately, she stood up and walked outside while answering the phone: "Hello, it's almost dawn, aren't you asleep yet?"
George listened to the noise on the other end of the phone: "I haven't slept all night, I didn't expect Director Hill to be up so early."
Hill walked out of the bar, stood by the roadside, covered her forehead, and quickly sobered up: "I can't help it.
Mr. Stacy has locked down all of Manhattan, and I'm worried there might be something I need to help with.
And sure enough, the call came.
So, George, is there anything I can help with?
I'd be happy to assist."
"Parallel universe!"
"Hmm?"
Hill raised an eyebrow, thinking she had misheard: "Sorry, what did you just say?"
George looked at Peter Parker II, who was sitting next to him: "Director Hill, how's your research on parallel universe theory?"
"Terrible!"
Hill chuckled: "In college, I originally wanted to study this, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me, and I don't really believe in parallel universe theory.
After all, if there were parallel universes, then there should be another me, sorry..."
"There's no you."
"Hmm?"
"There's no you in that dimension."
"...What?"
George smiled and interrupted Hill's speech: "I just asked, at least, he hasn't heard of you or S.H.I.E.L.D. over there.
But he's only ten, so he probably knows very little."
At this moment, Hill was more than half sober: "Wait, what did you say?"
George smiled: "I found someone here who claims to be from a parallel universe, at least I haven't found any flaws in his story, so I thought, maybe, you'd be interested..."
Hill interrupted directly: "Address!"
George smiled slightly and immediately gave the address.
"Ten minutes!"
"..."
After giving a time, Hill immediately hung up George's phone.
Then, she directly pulled open a taxi that had just driven up to her, disguised as a regular taxi.
After getting in, she immediately dialed the New York S.H.I.E.L.D. number.
Also at New York S.H.I.E.L.D., Victoria Hand, who hadn't rested and had been watching the city-wide search operation, was slightly shocked after hearing Hill's call.
Then, she stood up and said to Barbara Morse next to her: "Let's go."
Barbara Morse stood up, caught up, and entered the elevator: "Commander, where are we going?"
Ms. Victoria Hand looked at Barbara and smiled: "Hill said that Detective George Stacy of the NYPD found someone claiming to be from a parallel universe.
We're going to check it out."
"..."
Ten minutes passed in a flash.
Thump thump thump!
George listened to the helicopter outside, starting to resonate and preparing to land.
Looking at the ten minutes that had just passed on his wristband, he smiled and said to Beckett next to him: "I told you this case was strange, see, a parallel universe has even popped up.
So, we have to bring them in.
Otherwise, I feel this might be difficult to handle."
As a professional police officer with excellent professional skills and knowledge, George immediately felt that this case might not be as simple as it seemed after accepting the parallel universe theory.
It's still the same old saying.
The Federation is an entity that first passes the buck and then acts.
Throw out any potential blame, and after confirming that someone else takes responsibility, then do your own thing.
Moreover.
This also involves a parallel universe.
Even if he didn't pass the buck now, how to deal with it was a problem for George, who came from the NYPD and only had one skill: one magazine per second...
458. Wrong Gun?
So… rather than clutching this hot potato and having no idea what to do with it, better to hand it off early to someone whose specialty matches. If you don't know any such people, fine—but as luck would have it, George happened to know one agency that just loves handling this kind of supernatural mess.
The moment the thought struck him, George dialed Maria Hill without hesitation.
Exactly as he'd expected.
Ten minutes.
Ten minutes on the dot, and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Maria Hill arrived to take custody.
'Even—'
'No, wrong.'
George opened the door, saw the three women on the stoop, smiled, and shook the still-casually dressed Maria Hill's hand. Glancing at the brightening sky, he corrected himself: 'Good morning.'
Hill smiled, looked past George's shoulder, and spotted the living-room's costumed Dutch—Peter Parker II—in a Spider-Man suit.
Next second.
Hill's gaze swept the room; then she turned to George, curious. 'Where's Locke?'
George blinked. 'Locke? Why would Locke be here?'
Hill looked surprised. 'Isn't this whole thing Locke's doing?'
George gave her a you've-lost-me stare.
What did any of this have to do with that wild boar?
That boar was probably still sprawled asleep in his own house, snoring loud enough to rattle the windows—and the thought that the pig might be cuddling his little cabbage made George want to blow smoke.
Hill blinked. 'So Locke really isn't here?'
Goodfellas!
Before arriving, Hill had assumed this was yet another case of 'disaster always one step behind Locke' and had even considered calling Nameless to cancel the year-end honorary citizen award for New York.
But… rare indeed.
Back when New York was disaster-prone, Locke had been its inseparable shadow.
Reading George's expression, Hill gave an easy laugh. 'Not here—good, very good.'
George suddenly understood.
Hill's asking about Locke was clearly another attempt to recruit that wild boar; she wasn't giving up.
But what exactly did that pig have that the CIA—or S.H.I.E.L.D.—wanted?
What was his special export?
Apart from fancy gunplay and slick horsemanship?
With that thought, George collected himself, led Hill and company inside, and pointed at Peter Parker II. 'That's him. I can't spot a lie, but maybe you've got tech that can.'
Hill shook her head. 'Parallel Worlds exist only in theory; no one's actually seen one. Still—if Peter Parker is a Hero over there, what about in our World?'
'Still looking.'
George frowned. 'By rights he should have nowhere to run.'
'Should still be on Manhattan Island.'
'But after all this time even a foreign rat would've been found; there's no reason we still have zero leads.'
Wait a minute…
Rat?
Spider?
Just then—
'Ding-ling-ling!'
'Officer!'
'Something's moving under the 66th-Street Lincoln Center station!'
'Wha—ah!'
'Hey, hey, hey!'
George listened to the report, then a burst of gunfire, then silence. He snapped his gaze to Beckett. 'Move—66th Street!'
With that—
He glanced at Peter Parker II and told Hill, 'He's yours now.'
Watching the hurried George, Hill turned to Barbara Morse. 'Agent Morse, go with them. If necessary you can mobilize every New York asset to help.'
You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours—Hill understood the rule.
NYPD had handed S.H.I.E.L.D. a guest who likely hailed from a parallel universe; Maria Hill figured that backing NYPD, even taking the blame if needed, was small potatoes.
Besides, once the Council learned of a parallel World, they wouldn't utter a word of protest.
Fifteen minutes later—
Rat-tat-tat!
When the NYPD chopper reached 66th Street, Lincoln Center station below was already ring-fenced by squad cars.
'Oh, shit!'
'What the hell happened?'
'My God…'
From above, Beckett and Barbara stared in shock at the half-collapsed station.
But that wasn't the worst of it.
Amid the rubble and billowing dust, a black blur and a red blur were zig-zagging at high speed.
What in the World—
Inside the dust cloud kicked up by the cave-in…
Spider-Man Noir was pushing himself to the limit, drawing on every ounce of combat experience to face The Weaver Miles—a foe who possessed both Spider-Man's cunning and Venom's savagery.
After evolving into The Weaver, Miles could devour Spider-Men and steal their powers, one by one.
Fortunately…
…experience is the one thing he can't copy.
That single truth let the battle-scarred Spider-Man Noir keep Miles pinned here, locked in a brutal stalemate.
But… his stamina wasn't infinite.
BOOM!
CRASH!
A split-second misstep—Spider-Man Noir hesitated, planning to shift position—gave The Weaver Milesthe opening he needed. A right hook shot out, black symbiote-like fluid surged, and a massive ebony hammer formed, slamming into Spider-Man Noir with a thunderous roar.
In an instant…
…the poor, battered Lincoln Center Station lost another third of its structure to the collapse.
*cough cough*
"Where do you think you're going?"
The inky liquid melted into the ground, then welled up again. Miles re-formed beneath the rubble, rising through the tar-like pool. He flung out his hand; a frigid, sticky web wrapped Spider-Man Noir tight, framing Miles's pitch-black grin. "You're no different from every other pathetic Little Spider I've met."
Spider-Man Noir coughed, blood trickling from his lips. "Justice never falls to evil."
Miles laughed the way a proper villain should, surveying the empty ruins. "Justice? Power is justice. That's what your filthy kind taught me."
When he'd been powerless, those "filthy" people had bullied him.
So he swore that once he had strength, he'd kill every last one of them.
"I never had parents. So what if I stole? Who are you to judge me?"
More blood ran from Spider-Man Noir's mouth. "If I were you, I'd go home—before someone here kills you. I may die tonight, but you'll follow soon after."
"Who's going to stop me?"
"This World's Little Spider?"
"Ha!"
Miles's thick lips curled in mockery.
The next second—
SHING!
SHING!
SHING!
Four arachnid limbs burst from each of Miles's flanks—eight in total. Suspended by them, he clutched Spider-Man Noir in the air.
"That kid who doesn't even know what's happening?"
"Hmph."
The spider-legs inched toward Spider-Man Noir's temples as Miles's smile turned cruel. "Once I kill you, I'll find him—and every other spider across the multiverse. One by one."
He finished the sentence.
Cold eyes narrowing, Miles drove the gleaming legs down, aiming to skewer Spider-Man Noir's skull—
—when a voice rang out.
"Hey!"
"What—"
BANG!
THUD!
Miles snapped his gaze upward. From a hovering helicopter, George Stacy leaned out, service pistol spitting flame. A single brass round arced through the air.
But—
A bullet?
"Even a machine gun wouldn't—"
KABOOM!
The thought died as the bullet struck. A blinding flash erupted, shearing off one spider-leg and blasting Miles deep into the wreckage.
His mind reeled.
Pain screamed through him like a wounded spider. He watched Spider-Man Noir drop to the ground, then stared up at George—at the gun that now radiated terror.
In the next heartbeat…
…Miles melted into the rubble and fled underground.
George blinked in stunned disbelief.
"WTF?"
He looked from the crater to his smoking sidearm. "When did my pistol get that hot?"
Then he noticed the serial number on the weapon and froze.
"Wait… this isn't my gun."
It was… that boar's?