The first day in prison, Otto was scared. Afraid — not for himself, but for his wife. She was alone. No...Peter was there. Peter would make sure nothing happened to her. Good boy, that Peter. Good boy. If only he'd had a son like that.
By the end of the first day, Otto was curled into a ball. His cellmate had beaten him within an inch of his life. Otto was scared — so scared. But the voices came to him. The AI system wasn't in the arms; no, it was in the harness. Removing the arms had done nothing but agitate them.
On the morning of the second day, the guards came to find Otto covered in his cellmate's blood. A shiv in his hands and a smile on his face.
By the end of the second day he was in the solitary confinement wing of the Ravencroft Institute. There were only five other people in that wing with him, each deemed too dangerous or unstable to be housed with the general population.
On the second night he met Adrian Toomes — a man who appeared to match Otto's intellect and hunger for power. He held a grudge against Spider-Man, who had apparently come out of retirement specifically to stop him. But there was something interesting Otto learned. Toomes had been sent here because he had tried to kidnap Norman's son.
Once Toomes was convicted, Norman spent considerable money ensuring he would go away for life — and ensuring he would end up here, with the others. The man hated Spider-Man, but he also hated Norman Osborn, and that was something Otto could use.
On the morning of the third day, Otto had a visitor. A psychiatrist — a pleasant-looking woman named Dr. Ashley Kafka. The poor girl didn't belong here. She belonged somewhere better.
But that afternoon, on the way back to his cell, he met another of his neighbours: Aleksei — a man who was vicious and utterly without restraint. He had driven a mobile armored vehicle into the middle of a populated city without a second thought.
He also hated Spider-Man. And he hated Norman too. He had been hired by someone to steal the Rhino armor — and he had done so. After he was caught and sent here, he spent a year trying to trace back who had set him up. Finally, he had a name. Norman Osborn. Otto could use him too.
That night, someone tried to break free. The Sandman. He was a shifting mass of sand, his mind no sharper than a lizard's. He was crying out in distress — the guards hadn't allowed him an extra cup of pudding at dinner.
After the guards had gone, Otto slid his own cup of pudding through to Marko's cell. The Sandman cried out with joy. Otto then knocked on his vacuum-sealed door, bringing the guard back to toss Marko another cup. The guard assumed Otto had simply dropped his own.
They gave it to Marko. He was satisfied. And just like that, Otto had another ally.
The fourth day brought another session with Dr. Kafka, during which Otto discovered something very interesting. His arms were being stored several floors below, behind a vault door that would have given even the Hulk serious pause.
Otto couldn't fathom why they would be foolish enough to keep a prisoner's weapons on the same premises — but in the end, it didn't matter. It would simply make things easier for him and his team.
That afternoon he met an idiot. Otto couldn't understand why the man was in Ravencroft at all — he wasn't a cold-blooded killer, just a fool with ambition. But a fool could be manipulated. He wanted to make a name for himself. Otto offered him the chance of a lifetime.
He was a small-time criminal joining a team that already included a serial killer, a man with an arsenal of alien-derived technology, a monster made of living sand, and a man ruthless enough to kill anyone who stood between him and the door. Herman Schultz — who called himself the Shocker — agreed almost instantly.
And finally, there was Max. On the night of the fifth day he overheard Otto making plans with the others. He insisted on joining, claiming he wanted revenge on Spider-Man. Otto agreed — on the condition that Max help them settle their score with Norman first before going his own way. Electro agreed without hesitation.
On the sixth day the plan was finalized. On the morning of the seventh day, they escaped.
Marko dug down through the floor into the level below, where they found their equipment. Otto had his arms back. Shocker had his gauntlets. Aleksei had his suit.
Toomes' wings had been melted down, but he assured Otto he had a spare set stored at his base — which was promptly designated as their first stop once they were clear of the facility.
Otto, Toomes, and Herman rode out on the Rhino's back as he smashed through the outer wall. Marko generated a sandstorm to cover their escape, and under that swirling cover they vanished — each of them carrying the same single thought.
Revenge.
---
With Peter:
The call connected in two rings. "Didn't think I'd be hearing from you again, kid."
I smirked. "Aw, Fury — you almost sound happy about it. Did I just make your day?"
"Something like that. What's this about?"
"The six who escaped yesterday," I said as I pulled up to the house, parking a few blocks away before slipping in through my window. "Do you have a fix on them?"
"We have people on it," Fury's calm voice replied. "It's being handled."
"Really? The same kind of people like Bobbi? Because she couldn't handle one of these guys, let alone all six."
"And what would you have us do, kid? We're stretched thin as it is. Latveria just made a move — I'm doing everything I can to keep us out of a war."
I paused. "Doom's moving?"
"He's positioning missiles along his borders. People are scared. On top of that there's a terrorist threat against the nation. My plate is very, very full right now, kid. I'm sorry."
I grinned. "It's fine." I opened my closet and found my old leather jacket costume hanging there, almost smirking back at me. It had known I would come back. It was only ever a matter of time. "I'll handle it."
"Wait — what?!" I hung up, dropped the phone on my bed, and started changing while I thought through what I was actually facing.
I didn't know how Otto had assembled them — the man himself didn't particularly care about Spider-Man; what he cared about was revenge on Norman Osborn. The others would need something too, though. Otto wouldn't have secured their loyalty without offering them something.
Vulture hated me, but he also had unfinished business with Norman. The Rhino — if he had found out who had originally commissioned him, he might have a grudge there too. Marko, the Sandman — I hadn't expected him to still be active. Damn Wyndham.
Then there was Shocker. Why him? He was honestly useless, and Otto had to know it. Maybe it didn't matter. And Electro — I knew for a fact Electro hated my guts, so he was probably just along for the satisfaction of it.
The point was: they were all converging on the heart of the city — where civilians could get hurt — because they were after Norman Osborn.
I zipped up my jacket and put my helmet on. "Sexy — call Harry Osborn."
"Calling." I slipped out the window, dropped into the tree below, and vaulted down to the street before getting into my car and driving out.
Harry picked up after a few rings. "Hello? Parker?"
"I just saw the news. Is your dad safe?"
"What?"
I sighed. "Harry — the news. Six super-powered criminals are coming for him. Is he somewhere safe?"
"He's fine, I think." Harry paused. "We're at the penthouse in the city. Dad has his best security in place — even brought in some top-tier personal protection firm. We'll be okay."
"I hope so," I said, and hung up.
What was I saying — of course he wasn't going to be fine. And neither would I if I went in without a plan.
I needed a suit. A real one. I had barely managed to handle Electro last time, and Marko wasn't to be underestimated either. I had no idea when they were going to strike again, but I couldn't afford to wait.
So I went to the only place I could think of for proper equipment. Avengers Tower.
I drove to a reasonable distance before activating my car's flight function and lifting into the city, setting down on the helipad on the roof.
The moment I stepped out of the car, the roof access door exploded open and a squad of armed guards poured out, surrounding me and raising their weapons. "Hands in the air!"
I raised an eyebrow and complied. "Ah — okay? Can I help you?"
"We have a suspect in custody, bringing him in for questioning," the squad leader spoke into his radio. He turned to me. "Turn around and put your hands on your head. You're under arrest for trespassing."
"What?! I'm Spider-Man! I'm a friend! Hello?!" I cried out.
The guards exchanged confused looks. The leader scoffed. "Kid, I've seen Spider-Man. You're not Spider-Man."
I blinked. "You are genuinely something special, aren't you?"
"Stand down — all of you." Bruce came jogging out. "I'm sorry, Spider. I didn't realize they would pull something like this."
"It's fine," I shrugged.
"Sir — this is an intruder," the squad leader told Bruce.
Bruce looked at the man and raised a single eyebrow. "Are you telling me I don't recognize my own teammate, Mr...?"
"Brandon, sir. And no — no, sir, it's just—" He gulped as Bruce continued to say nothing. The man straightened. "Right. Everyone stand down. Now."
The weapons came down. I lowered my hands and fell into step beside Bruce as we headed inside. "What's with the suits and guns?"
"Security," Bruce explained as we descended two flights of stairs toward the main lab. "You did just land on one of the most famous buildings in the world. People were bound to react."
I chuckled. "Fair enough. Didn't think about that."
We reached Bruce's lab. He motioned me inside and closed the door behind us.
"So why are you here, Spider?" he asked.
I sighed. "I need your help. Or more accurately — I need to use your resources."
"What for?"
"Did you see the news? The six who escaped?"
Bruce nodded. "Six criminals, correct? If I understand it properly, you put away nearly all of them."
I nodded. "Yeah — and they're all dangerous, every one of them. Any single one of them can kill dozens of people. Well..." I paused. "Maybe not Shocker. That man is genuinely useless."
"And you're here because...?"
"The Baxter Building is extraordinary, but it doesn't specialize in weapons development. I need my suit back if I'm going to stop these people. It would take me at least a week to build something from scratch at the Baxter. I was hoping Tony had left some tools here that I could use to put together some protection before the Six decide to level this part of the city."
Bruce smiled. "Actually — I think I can do you one better." He crossed to a wall safe, entered a code, and removed a steel case, setting it on the table in front of me. "Well? Open it."
Cautiously, I did.
No way.
"How?"
"Tony believed you wouldn't stop being a hero. That no matter how hard life hit you, you would always find your way back. And that when you were ready, you would need this."
It was my suit. My high-tech black and red suit — rebuilt as if it had just come off the production line. I lifted it out and turned it over in my hands. Perfect. Gauntlets and all.
"Wow." I turned to Bruce. "This is — this is too much. Bruce, all of this — thank you."
"No," Bruce said firmly. "When Tony brought you in...I thought you were dead, Spider. I genuinely did. It wasn't until he yelled at me to do something that I realized your heart was still beating. You're an Avenger — no one disputes that. But you're also just a kid. And if you're going to be out there with us, we are going to make sure you have the best protection we can give you. Tony wanted to make modifications, but I told him to hold off. It's your suit. You deserve first crack at changing it."
I sighed. "The reason I stepped back was because I stopped seeing the point in any of this."
"And now?"
"Now?" I smirked. "Now I'm not going to just sit here and wait. When Otto escaped the first time he killed ten people. Innocent people. They died and I couldn't do anything. He's coming back, and he's not alone. If I don't try to stop them — who knows what happens."
"So you're going to go out there, make a mess of things, act like a lunatic, and fight six people at once?"
"Yup."
"Fury's not going to be happy about this," Bruce said with a quiet smile.
"I don't need his permission," I replied.
Bruce chuckled. "Tony said you'd say that."
"Spider," Sexy's voice came through my earpiece, "I've pulled a tip from the police scanner. There are reports of Doctor Otto Octavius and his associates moving toward 46th Street."
Bruce blinked. "What was that?"
"An AI Tony helped me design," I smirked. "Guess even then he knew I'd be back. Good work, Sexy."
"You named your AI Sexy?" Bruce stared at me.
I grinned. "Yup."
The man took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Right. When do we leave?"
"We?"
Bruce removed his jacket. "You're going after six wanted criminals. There is no version of this where I sit on the sidelines."
"The last time the Hulk showed up in New York you nearly broke Harlem in two, Bruce. I'm sorry — but no. I can't have to fight the Sinister Six and a furious Hulk on the same afternoon," I said firmly.
"I have it under control, Spider. I'm not letting you walk into that alone. Six against one isn't good odds for anyone. I'm coming. That's final."
I sighed and looked around the lab — and then I spotted something. One of Tony's older armored suits, parked in storage near Banner's workbench. An idea clicked into place.
"Actually — I have a better idea. How are you with remote-controlled vehicles?"
"Ah...competent. Why?" Bruce followed my gaze to the suit. "Spider — no."
"Spider — absolutely yes."