Spider-Man reached downtown Manhattan within minutes, following the smoke and the trail of destruction across several city blocks. He swung above abandoned cars, shattered storefronts, and police officers struggling to move civilians behind barricades. Ahead of him, Rhino tore a parking meter from the sidewalk and hurled it through the windshield of an empty police cruiser.
Rhino turned toward a city bus that had become trapped between two damaged vehicles. Several passengers were still inside, pounding against the doors while the driver tried unsuccessfully to reverse. Lowering his horn, Rhino charged toward the bus as the street trembled beneath the weight of every step.
Peter fired two web lines toward the bus and pulled with all his strength, dragging its front end sideways seconds before Rhino reached it. The armored criminal missed the vehicle and smashed through a delivery truck instead, burying himself beneath twisted metal. Peter landed on the roof of the bus and forced open its damaged doors so the passengers could escape.
"Everyone out, and please move behind the police barricades!" Peter called while helping an elderly woman down from the bus. He glanced toward the wrecked truck as Rhino began throwing pieces of it aside. "The complimentary wildlife tour has been cancelled due to the rhinoceros having severe anger-management issues."
The trapped passengers hurried toward safety while Peter jumped from the bus and landed in the center of the street. Rhino emerged from the wreckage without a visible scratch across his gray armor. He looked toward Spider-Man and slammed both fists against his chest, producing a heavy metallic sound that echoed between the buildings.
"So, are you actually a rhinoceros, or did a concrete mixer sneeze on you?" Peter asked as he lowered himself into a fighting stance. Rhino roared and charged without answering, his horn pointed directly toward Peter's chest. "Right, not much of a conversationalist. That's fine I've been told I can talk enough for two people."
Peter waited until Rhino was only a few feet away before leaping over him. He twisted through the air, landed on Rhino's broad back, and fired several webs across the armor's faceplate. Rhino staggered blindly through the street before reaching over his shoulder and attempting to grab Peter, but Peter jumped away before the massive hand could close around him.
Rhino ripped the webbing from his face and turned toward Peter with an angry snarl. "Hold still, bug!" he shouted before swinging one enormous fist. Peter ducked beneath the blow and replied, "Spider, actually. Eight legs, better branding, and significantly less attracted to bright lamps."
Peter struck Rhino in the side of the head with a carefully controlled punch, but the armored man barely moved. Pain travelled through Peter's hand and wrist as though he had punched a solid concrete wall. Rhino grinned beneath the suit while Peter shook his hand and muttered, "Good news: your helmet works. Bad news: I'm sending you my medical bill."
Rhino swung again, and Peter's spider-sense warned him just early enough to avoid the enormous fist. The punch struck the pavement and created a wide crater where Peter had been standing. Peter flipped backward, but Rhino caught him in midair with the back of one arm and sent him crashing through the side of an empty newspaper stand.
At Gwen's apartment, the live camera followed the fight from behind a line of police vehicles. Gwen leaned forward anxiously when Peter disappeared into the ruined newspaper stand, gripping the edge of the blanket with both hands. Her mother stood behind the couch and watched with equal concern, unaware that the masked hero on the screen was the same young man who had kissed her daughter goodbye only minutes earlier.
Rhino charged toward the wreckage, expecting to crush Spider-Man before he could recover. Peter shot upward at the final second, using a web line to pull himself onto a nearby traffic light. Rhino crashed through what remained of the newspaper stand while Peter hung upside down above him and said, "You really need to learn how brakes work. Most people figure that out before driving through downtown."
Peter studied the armor as Rhino turned beneath him. The outer plates appeared almost indestructible, but their movement revealed narrow gaps around the shoulders, knees, and hips. Every time Rhino bent one leg, the hydraulic mechanisms beneath the plates became briefly visible, giving Peter an idea that didn't require punching the thick armor again.
Rhino grabbed the traffic-light pole and ripped it from the pavement, forcing Peter to leap away as it was swung through the air. Peter landed against the side of a building and fired a web bomb at Rhino's right knee. The compressed webbing spread into the exposed joint, clogging the moving components before the armor plates could close around them.
Rhino tried stepping forward, only for his right leg to jerk and move more slowly than before. "What did you do?" he demanded as he tore at the webbing around his knee. Peter fired a second web bomb into the opposite hip and answered, "I gave your suit a free upgrade. It now comes with reduced speed and the handling of a broken shopping cart."
The webbing slowed Rhino, but it didn't stop him. He ripped enough of it away to charge again, although his movements had become uneven and predictable. Peter dropped to the street and waited directly in his path, waving both arms as if encouraging an angry animal to attack.
"Come on, Horn Head!" Peter shouted while pointing toward himself. "You've destroyed cars, buildings, and several perfectly innocent parking meters, but you still haven't hit me properly." Rhino roared and increased his speed, ignoring the damaged joints grinding inside his suit as he raced toward Peter.
Peter fired two thick web lines toward buildings on opposite sides of the street, creating a nearly invisible strand across Rhino's path. At the last second, Peter jumped and pulled the webbing tight against the front of Rhino's ankles. Rhino's trapped legs stopped while the rest of his enormous body continued forward, sending him face-first across the pavement.
The impact shook nearby windows and carved a trench through the street. Before Rhino could rise, Peter landed on his back and fired webbing into every visible joint in the armor. He wrapped the knees, elbows, shoulders, and hips beneath layer after layer, forcing the suit's mechanisms to fight against one another whenever Rhino tried to move.
Rhino still managed to push himself partly upright, roaring as the webbing stretched around him. Peter attached additional lines from the armored suit to several streetlights, parked construction vehicles, and the reinforced foundation of a nearby building. "I know rhinos are supposed to be strong," Peter said while adding another layer, "but let's find out how you feel about becoming New York's least attractive public sculpture."
With one final burst of strength, Rhino snapped two of the web lines and nearly reached his feet. Peter leaped in front of him, fired another web bomb directly across his faceplate, and yanked his horn toward the pavement. Unable to see or properly move his legs, Rhino lost his balance and crashed down again with enough force to leave his entire body embedded in the webbing.
Police officers cautiously approached from behind their vehicles while Peter remained perched on Rhino's back. The armored criminal struggled beneath him, but every movement only tightened the webs around his joints. Peter tapped twice on the side of Rhino's helmet and said, "You're going to want to stay still. The next stage of this treatment involves a rolled-up newspaper and someone shouting 'bad rhinoceros.'"
A few officers laughed despite the destruction surrounding them, while specialized units moved forward with heavier restraints. Peter helped guide the remaining civilians away from the damaged buildings and checked that no one had been trapped inside the vehicles Rhino overturned. Behind the barricades, news cameras captured Spider-Man standing over the immobilized criminal as the crowd began cheering his arrival.
Across the city, Hammerhead watched the live broadcast from the back room of one of his remaining clubs. The television showed police fastening heavy restraints around Rhino while Spider-Man stood nearby speaking with officers. Rhino had no connection to Hammerhead's organization, but watching Spider-Man defeat another powerful enemy only made his growing reputation more dangerous.
A private phone resting on the table began ringing, silencing every man in the room. Only a handful of people possessed that number, and Hammerhead immediately recognized the name displayed across the screen. He ordered everyone to leave before answering and straightening his jacket. "Kingpin," he greeted carefully. "I was about to contact you."
"You were about to offer me another excuse," Kingpin replied, his deep voice carrying more menace than shouting ever could. "Your weapons warehouse is in police custody, several of our records were taken, and Spider-Man continues interfering with business across the city. You assured me that he would be dealt with before he became a serious problem."
Hammerhead glanced toward the television as the news replayed Spider-Man defeating Rhino. "Rhino and Mysterio had nothing to do with us," he pointed out. "Their defeats didn't cost our organization anything." Kingpin remained silent for several seconds, allowing Hammerhead to realize that the distinction had done nothing to improve his mood.
"They may not work for me, but their failures make Spider-Man stronger," Kingpin answered. "Every public victory earns him greater support from the city, encourages the police to cooperate with him, and teaches him how to defeat more dangerous opponents. Meanwhile, he has already destroyed one of our most important storage operations."
Hammerhead's hand tightened around the phone, but he kept his voice controlled. "I hired the League of Assassins to eliminate him," he explained. "Their first attempt failed because our information on his abilities was incomplete, and Batman's interference forced them to delay their next move. Talia assured me that the contract remains active."
"Fifteen million dollars purchased a failed poisoning and an indefinite delay," Kingpin answered coldly. "While the League waits for Batman to leave New York, Spider-Man continues searching for the people behind that warehouse. I did not place you in charge so you could surrender responsibility to assassins hiding in shadows."
" you should have killed him before he gained experience," Kingpin replied. The quiet disappointment in his voice caused Hammerhead to stop moving. "You allowed a masked child to become a symbol in my city, and now criminals fear attracting his attention more than they fear disappointing the people who control New York."
Hammerhead looked toward the television as the broadcast showed Spider-Man helping clear a path for ambulances. "Give me more time," he requested. "The League will move once Batman returns to Gotham, and when they do, Spider-Man won't survive." A long silence followed, leaving Hammerhead more uncomfortable than any shouted threat could have.
"You have already used more time than you were given," Kingpin finally said. "Deal with our spider problem before he damages another operation, or I will deal with you. Men who cannot protect my interests become liabilities, and I have never allowed liabilities to remain in my organization."
The call ended before Hammerhead could respond. He stared at the dark phone screen for several seconds, his anger growing until he threw the device across the room. It struck the wall and shattered beneath the television while Spider-Man continued waving toward the cheering crowd on the broadcast.
Hammerhead stormed toward the door and called his men back into the room. Several hurried inside, but none dared ask about the broken phone or the fresh crack in the wall. "Send a message through every underworld channel we control," Hammerhead ordered. "Mercenaries, assassins, gang leaders, metahumans I want all of them to receive it."
One of his lieutenants hesitated before asking what kind of message he wanted distributed. Hammerhead turned toward the television and pointed at Spider-Man's image. "An open contract," he answered. "Five million dollars to whoever kills Spider-Man and brings us proof. I don't care who accepts it or how they get the job done."
The lieutenant immediately began contacting the brokers who carried information through New York's criminal underworld. Within minutes, Spider-Man's image, known abilities, patrol areas, and the value of the contract were transmitted through encrypted networks. The offer reached professional killers, desperate criminals, and dangerous metahumans searching for the payment that could change their lives.
Peter remained near the police line until a specialized metahuman-response team arrived to deal with Rhino. After cutting through the hardened webbing around the armor's locking mechanisms, the technicians opened the damaged suit and pulled the exhausted man from inside. Even without the armor, Rhino possessed enhanced strength, so officers immediately secured his wrists with heavy meta-dampening cuffs.
Once Rhino had been placed inside an armored transport, Peter decided the situation was finally under control. He slipped away before the reporters could surround him, fired a web line toward the nearest building, and swung back toward Gwen's apartment. The familiar sensation of being watched followed him for several blocks, but it disappeared by the time he reached her neighborhood.
Peter landed quietly on the roof of Gwen's apartment building and checked the surrounding windows before approaching the air-conditioning unit. His backpack remained exactly where he had webbed them before leaving. He removed the webbing, placed the camera around his neck, and hurried behind the maintenance structure to change out of his Spider-Man suit.
After hiding the suit inside his backpack, Peter used his phone to transfer several still images from the HUD recording onto the camera. The pictures showed Spider-Man avoiding Rhino's charges and webbing the armored criminal's joints, giving Peter something to support his photography excuse. Satisfied that his story could survive a few basic questions, he headed toward the rooftop stairwell.
Peter opened the door leading onto Gwen's floor at the same moment the elevator doors slid apart. Captain George Stacy stepped into the hallway wearing his police uniform, looking exhausted after responding to the destruction downtown. He immediately noticed Peter emerging from the stairwell with a camera around his neck and a backpack resting over one shoulder.
For several seconds, they simply stared at each other. Peter finally forced an awkward smile and said, "Captain Stacy, nice to see you. I'd ask how work was, but I saw the giant rhinoceros on the news, so I'm guessing the answer is somewhere between terrible and extremely terrible." George studied him before replying, "That would be accurate."
They began walking toward the Stacy apartment together, leaving Peter desperately searching for something else to say. "The weather was pretty nice before all the smoke," he offered. George glanced toward the nearest window and answered, "Half of downtown is covered in dust." Peter nodded slowly and murmured, "Right. I probably should've picked traffic."
George's attention shifted toward the camera hanging from Peter's neck. "Were you close to the Rhino attack?" he asked. Peter quickly explained that he had gone to take photographs of Spider-Man but had remained behind the police barricades. George's expression made it clear that he didn't entirely believe the last part, although Peter showed him one of the images to support his story.
"That was taken from much closer than the barricades," George observed while studying the photograph. Peter swallowed and claimed that he had used the camera's zoom from a nearby rooftop. "A very safe rooftop," he added. "Possibly the safest rooftop in Manhattan. It had railings and everything."
George handed the camera back without responding, which somehow felt more intimidating than an accusation. Peter tried making another comment about Spider-Man defeating Rhino, but George merely grunted as they reached the apartment door. By then, Peter had accepted that every attempt at small talk was making the walk considerably worse.
Before George could take out his keys, the door opened and Gwen appeared in the entrance. Her face brightened immediately, and she rushed toward them. George smiled, placed his bag on the floor, and opened both arms in preparation to welcome his daughter.
Gwen moved straight past him and wrapped both arms tightly around Peter instead. "You're okay," she whispered as she buried her face against his shoulder. Peter hugged her back and quietly assured her that he was fine, while George remained frozen in the hallway with his arms still spread and an expression of complete disbelief.
Mrs. Stacy saw everything from the dining room while placing the final plates on the table. She covered her mouth with one hand but failed to hide her laughter. "Welcome home, George," she said as he slowly lowered his empty arms. "It appears you were standing in the way of the person she was actually waiting for."
"Good to see you too, Gwen," George muttered as he picked up his bag. Gwen finally released Peter and gave her father a quick apologetic hug, but the gesture did little to repair his wounded pride. Peter tried not to smile, knowing that laughing at Captain Stacy would make an already uncomfortable evening much more dangerous.
Peter joined the Stacy family at the dinner table while Gwen sat beside him, keeping one hand lightly against his knee beneath the table. Mrs. Stacy served the food while George loosened his tie and continued giving Peter occasional suspicious looks. Peter focused on eating and tried not to think about how much easier it had been to face Rhino than survive dinner with Gwen's father.
George eventually asked Peter whether he intended to sell the photographs he had taken of Spider-Man. Peter explained that several newspapers would probably be interested, especially after the fight had been broadcast across the city. He offered to send George copies for the police report, and George accepted, although his expression suggested he still had questions about how Peter had gotten so close.
Gwen helped steer the conversation away from the photographs by asking her father about the cleanup downtown. George explained that several streets would remain closed while engineers inspected the damaged buildings, but no one on the bus had been seriously injured. Peter quietly relaxed after hearing that, knowing his decision to move the bus had prevented Rhino from reaching the passengers.
When dinner ended, Peter and Gwen helped Mrs. Stacy clear the table before Gwen asked if they could go onto the balcony. Mrs. Stacy agreed and began washing the remaining dishes, while George reminded them not to stay outside too long. Gwen took Peter's hand and led him through the living room before sliding open the balcony door.
The evening air was cool, and the noise of the city drifted upward from the streets below. Peter looked toward the sky, but the glow from thousands of buildings washed away nearly everything except the moon and a few of the brightest stars. "We probably won't see much from here," he said. "There's too much light pollution in the city."
"I know," Gwen replied as she moved closer and rested against his side. "I didn't really come out here for the stars." Peter looked toward her and smiled when he realized she had simply wanted somewhere quieter for them to be together, away from the television, her parents, and the remains of the day's chaos.
A wide outdoor lounge chair rested near the balcony railing, and Peter lowered himself onto it before leaning his head against the cushion. He stretched out carefully, enjoying the cool air after the heat and noise of the Rhino fight. Gwen watched him for a moment before climbing onto the chair and gently straddling him, placing her knees on either side of his body.
Peter's hands settled carefully against her waist as Gwen lowered herself and kissed him. The kiss was slow and affectionate, allowing both of them to forget the interrupted afternoon and everything waiting beyond the apartment. When Gwen finally pulled back, Peter smiled up at her and whispered that this was considerably better than staring at the nearly empty sky.
Gwen shifted until she was lying comfortably against him, resting her head over the center of his chest. Peter wrapped one arm around her back while the other remained against the chair, holding her securely as they listened to the distant traffic. Beneath her ear, his heartbeat remained steady and strong despite everything his body had endured that day.
Neither of them spoke for several minutes. Peter looked past Gwen toward the few stars visible above the buildings, while she listened to the comforting rhythm beneath his chest. Her breathing gradually slowed, and before Peter realized what was happening, Gwen had fallen asleep in his arms.
Peter glanced down at her peaceful face and smiled, careful not to move enough to wake her. He gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from her eyes and continued holding her as the city lights glowed around them. After fighting Mysterio, Rhino, and the constant feeling of being watched, the quiet weight of Gwen sleeping against him made Peter feel completely safe.
Hammerhead's open contract moved through the criminal underworld faster than his men expected. Within an hour, encrypted copies reached brokers in Gotham, Metropolis, Central City, Star City, and countries far beyond the United States. The message offered five million dollars for Spider-Man's death and included footage of his recent battles, known abilities, and usual patrol areas.
Inside a private safe house along the Mediterranean coast, Slade Wilson studied the footage across several monitors. Deathstroke replayed the moments when Spider-Man reacted to dangers he couldn't see, searching for the limits of his spider-sense. The money was attractive, but defeating a target the League of Assassins had already failed to kill interested him far more.
Slade packed his armor, swords, firearms, and specialized ammunition into reinforced cases. He rejected several heavier weapons after deciding that speed and misdirection would matter more than destructive force. Before sunrise, Deathstroke boarded a private aircraft heading west, already planning how to surround Spider-Man with several threats at once.
In Gotham City, Floyd Lawton received the contract while cleaning one of his wrist-mounted guns. Deadshot watched Spider-Man move through automatic gunfire and immediately understood that an ordinary sniper attack would fail. "Five million for someone who dodges before the trigger is pulled," he murmured. "At least this one might be interesting."
Floyd packed several weapons, compact explosives, and remote firing devices into an equipment case. If Spider-Man sensed danger from the person attacking him, Deadshot intended to separate himself from the weapon that fired. He boarded a late-night train under an assumed identity, sitting quietly beside ordinary passengers while his equipment rested beneath his seat.
In Hong Kong, Cheshire read the contract beside an open case filled with carefully sealed poisons. The League's failed attempt fascinated her, especially the report that Spider-Man had survived a toxin designed to stop his heart. She selected compounds that attacked balance, muscle control, and perception instead of repeating Talia's unsuccessful method.
Cheshire concealed her poisons inside jewelry and ordinary travel containers before booking a flight under a false identity. She had no intention of challenging Spider-Man openly while cameras watched. His habit of approaching injured civilians would eventually bring him close enough for her to touch him, provided she created the right victim.
In Central City, George Harkness laughed when he saw the size of the contract. Captain Boomerang had been searching for a profitable job that didn't require stealing from a city protected by the Flash. He studied Spider-Man's webbing before selecting bladed, explosive, electrical, and remote-guided boomerangs from his collection.
Harkness purchased a train ticket with stolen money and packed his weapons inside a reinforced suitcase. "Five million for a teenager in colorful pajamas," he muttered while entering the station. He ignored the footage of Peter lifting vehicles, convinced that every young hero eventually became overconfident enough to stop dodging.
Elsewhere in Central City, Sam Scudder received the contract through a fence specializing in stolen technology. Mirror Master paused the footage whenever Spider-Man passed reflective windows, wondering whether his spider-sense could identify an attack traveling through a mirror. The unanswered question convinced him to join the hunt.
Scudder packed several mirror guns, portable projectors, and prepared reflective surfaces into padded cases. Instead of purchasing a ticket, he stepped through one of his larger mirrors and disappeared from his workshop. Moments later, he emerged through a darkened store window near the outskirts of New York, arriving ahead of most of his competition.
At a private training facility near Keystone City, Sportsmaster studied Spider-Man's victory over Rhino. Lawrence Crock respected opponents who could transform a physical disadvantage into victory, even if Peter's constant joking irritated him. To Sportsmaster, the contract became a competition offering five million dollars to whoever could defeat the city's newest champion first.
He packed reinforced throwing discs, weighted nets, explosive hockey pucks, and a collapsible staff into the hidden compartments of a van. Crock planned to observe Spider-Man before attacking, learning which civilians he protected and which routes he followed through the city. He began driving east that night, treating every mile as part of his preparation.
In another Gotham safe house, Black Spider stared at the masked hero whose name resembled his own. The five-million-dollar reward could permanently change his life, but the growing admiration surrounding Spider-Man made the contract feel personal. To him, New York's new hero had stolen a symbol and transformed it into something the public celebrated.
Black Spider loaded his weapons, checked his body armor, and marked several locations where Peter had recently appeared. He intended to reach New York before the more famous assassins and prove that only one spider deserved to be feared. He left Gotham by motorcycle, carrying everything he needed inside narrow cases mounted behind his seat.
In Metropolis, Mark Richards sat alone while the contract glowed across his computer screen. The Tattooed Man possessed living designs capable of becoming weapons, creatures, and protective armor, making ordinary security searches useless against him. Spider-Man's webbing interested him because Peter could restrain whatever he created without needing to overpower it.
Richards added several new tattoos to his collection before covering them beneath a long-sleeved shirt. He boarded an early bus toward New York carrying no visible weapon and attracting no attention from the driver. Everything he needed moved silently beneath his skin, waiting for him to call it into the world.
Throughout the night, aircraft, trains, buses, cars, motorcycles, and stranger methods of transportation carried villains toward New York. None trusted one another, and most planned to eliminate any rival who came between them and the reward. Hammerhead had wanted the underworld hunting Spider-Man, but he had also invited a collection of dangerous enemies into one crowded city.
Helen quietly opened the sliding balcony door and stepped outside carrying a thick blanket. Peter remained still so he wouldn't disturb Gwen, who was sleeping peacefully with her head against his chest. Helen carefully spread the blanket over both of them, tucking one side around her daughter before turning back toward the apartment.
"Thank you, Mrs. Stacy," Peter whispered before she could close the door. Helen paused and looked at the way he held Gwen protectively against him, then gave him a warm smile. She didn't say anything in return, allowing the quiet moment to speak for itself before sliding the door shut behind her.
Peter remained on the balcony for another couple of hours while Gwen slept. He listened to her breathing and felt the steady warmth of her body against his, occasionally adjusting the blanket whenever the wind moved it. The city gradually became quieter below them, although distant sirens continued reminding him that New York never truly rested.
The temperature continued falling as the night grew later, and Peter eventually decided Gwen would be more comfortable inside. He carefully moved one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back before lifting her from the lounge chair. Gwen stirred slightly and pressed closer to him, but she remained asleep as he carried her through the apartment.
Peter brought Gwen into her bedroom and gently lowered her onto the bed. He pulled the covers over her, moved a strand of hair away from her face, and watched her for a few seconds to make certain she was comfortable. Before leaving, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, quietly promising that he would see her again soon.
When Peter entered the living room, he found Helen reading at the table while George watched the late news. Peter adjusted his backpack over one shoulder and said, "Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Stacy. Everything was really good, but it's getting late, so I should probably head home before Aunt May starts worrying."
George looked toward the clock and frowned when he realized how late it had become. "I don't particularly like the idea of my baby girl's boyfriend staying here overnight," he admitted, "but you can sleep on the couch if you want. The streets have been dangerous lately, especially after what happened downtown."
Peter hadn't expected the offer, and the concern behind it surprised him even more. George glanced toward the television, where another report discussed Rhino's attack and the damage left behind. "I'm glad this city has Spider-Man," he continued, "but he's only one man trying to protect millions of people. He can't be everywhere, and I don't want you getting hurt because no one was close enough to help."
Those words stayed with Peter because George had unknowingly described the fear Peter carried during every patrol. "Thank you, Captain Stacy," Peter replied sincerely. "I really appreciate the offer, but I should get home. I'll be careful, stay on the main streets, and call Aunt May before I leave the building."
Helen stood from the table and walked Peter to the door. She wrapped her arms around him in a brief hug and said, "Go straight home, Peter. No stopping to take photographs, and send Gwen a message when you arrive so she sees it in the morning." Peter returned the hug and promised that he would let everyone know he made it safely.
Peter thanked both of them again before stepping into the hallway and closing the apartment door. He waited until he heard the lock turn and remained still for several seconds, making certain neither George nor Helen followed him. Once the hallway was empty, he turned away from the elevator and headed back toward the stairwell.
Peter climbed to the roof and moved behind the same maintenance structure he had used earlier. He removed his Spider-Man suit from the backpack, changed quickly, and packed his ordinary clothes and camera inside. After securing the bag against his back and pulling on his mask, the HUD flickered to life across the corner of his vision.
He stepped onto the edge of the building and looked across the illuminated city. George's warning returned to him as police sirens echoed somewhere in the distance, reminding Peter that one hero could never be everywhere at once. "That's why I should cover as much as I can," he murmured before firing a web line toward the neighboring rooftop.
Spider-Man leaped into the night and began another patrol, unaware that the city had become far more dangerous since sunset. Trains, cars, and aircraft carrying bounty hunters were already entering New York, each one searching for an opportunity to collect Hammerhead's reward. Peter felt those unseen eyes return as he swung between the buildings, but this time, far more than the League of Assassins was watching him.