Disclaimer:
Spiderman and all the character mentioned within are trademarks of Marvel Comics Inc.! Now onto the story...
THE LASCIVIOUS SPIDERMAN: -Chap-8
Title: THE BLACK CAT
Pt-1<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
The Marine Aquarium Of Northern New Jersey is one of the foremost facilities dedicated to the preserve, research, and understanding of marine biology on the east coast! One of its head scientists [Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius] has made breakthrough research on the behavior and study of various Octopi, discovering their brain capacity and gifts for figuring out complicated situations unmatched by any other mammal on the planet [other than human beings]...!
Dr. Octavius decided to use octopi in his research to create a bigger, smarter octopus...one that could relate and talk to man on a more `human' level...! By adding electroshock to the octopuses' tanks, Dr. Octavius hoped to boost the creatures intellect by increasing the electrolytes in their bloodstreams, theoretically enhancing the creature's brain cells...!
Everything [however] went horribly wrong one night after Octavius dismissed his science crew for the weekend, then stayed behind by himself to overlook progress. While inspecting a 10,000 gallon tank [containing the octopus], Octavius slipped on a wet sport on the floor and nearly fell in, saving himself only by grabbing onto an overhead electrical cord...! Unfortunately the octopus inside the tank reached out with one of its tentacles and physically pulled Octavius into the tank with it, also causing the electrical cord to snap and electrify the water inside the tank...!
Both Octavius and the octopus were being charged with significant amounts of electricity, causing the 2 to thrash about in the water...! The sudden merging of raw energy and water caused most of the circuits to overload in the building [causing a blackout], and causing the water tank to explode and shatter, as water, scenery reef, octopus, and Dr. Octavius all came crashing to the researchers' floor, wet logging everything in its path!
Octavius and the octopus suddenly found themselves merged together as one...one brain, one body, one occupant...as Octavius slithered away...!
Pt-2<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
NY
Spiderman [and The NYPD] spent a lot of time searching New York City and Manhattan for Maxwell Dillion, after he tried [unsuccessfully] to rob The Manhattan Bank Of America [last chapter]...! Police was SURE he would strike again, having failed to secure the money from his first bank job! The Daily Bugle ran a story on the foiled heist, blaming Spiderman for letting [what the papers called] `Electro' get away! When Peter Parker [freelance photographer] tried to explain to the paper's owner [J. Jonah Jameson] that Spiderman SAVED the day and managed to nab the stolen loot and give it back to the police as evidence...Jameson said "They may've been IN on it together for all you know...!"
"WHAT...??!" cried Parker, unable to believe his ears...! "There's absolutely NOTHING that indicates Spiderman's in league with Electro...! WHERE did you even come up with that ridiculous idea...?!"
"HEY..." yelled Jameson, not liking being talked to THAT WAY by a punk like Parker...! "...were YOU there...?" he asked, pointing his lit cigar at Peter...! "Do you know for certain these 2 didn't know each other before...?...and cooked up this whole scheme to begin with...?"
"No..." answered Parker, "...but neither were YOU...! You can run articles calling Spiderman a nuisance' and say he undermined' the police when the police and bank officials are calling him a HERO...!"
"HEY...when you get your own paper YOU can write articles on whatever YOU want...! But when last I checked The Daily Bugle was owned my ME...!...and I'll write whatever the hell I wanna write in my own paper! YOU just stick to taking pictures and leave the headlines to me...!"
"Whatever!" said Parker, storming out of Jameson's office with a couple of hundred dollars in his pocket for photos taken at the crime scene...!
"Parker, wait...!" said Bugle editor Eddie Brock...causing Peter to slow down and take a breather...! "Look...I KNOW Jameson can be a handful, sometimes..." he admitted, pulling Parker aside...! "...but I've been looking over your photographs...and I really think you have a good eye for detail...!"
"Thanks, Brock...I appreciate that...!" said Peter, already calming down...!
"THAT said..." added Brock, "...I want YOU to cover a Jewelry Gala happening at the New York's Smithsonian tomorrow night...! There ought to be a lot of celebrities there, showing off expensive jewels of their own...!"
"Me...?" asked Peter, suddenly intimidated by the idea of being a real photographer...! "I'm not a reporter, Brock..."
"I know, Peter...I'LL be covering The Gala as well...! I want YOU to take the pictures while I do the story...! It ought to be a match made in heaven...!"
"Cool." said Peter, shaking Brock's hand! "I'll be there!" he agreed, taking his `press badge' so he could get in...!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
With the case to find Electro going cold, Parker went home to sprues himself up for The Gala! It was reported that jewelry from all over the world would be on display at New York's Smithsonian, with NYPD there acting as extra guards for the expensive gems!
Peter was in his room getting dressed, when his uncle Ben walked in...
"You haven't worn that suit since your aunt's funeral..." he said, recognizing it immediately as Peter stood facing the mirror [fumbling over his tie]...!
"It's my BEST suit..." said Peter, now suddenly conscious it might have sentimental value for his uncle...! "...maybe I should change...?"
"No..." said Ben, walking into the room to help his nephew with his tie...! "...WEAR it! I'm just glad to see you getting out of the house...! And photographing a big NY gala at that...! May would be proud...!" he said, standing face to face as he tied the tie perfectly!
"Thank you, uncle Ben...!" said Peter, as his uncle turned to walk back downstairs [still refusing to sleep in the old bedroom he shared with his deceased wife]...! "Uncle Ben..." called Peter, as his uncle stopped at the top of the stairs and looked back...! "...I miss her too...!" he added, as Ben smiled [faintly], then descended the stairs to his domain...!
Pete couldn't help but feel sorry for his uncle...having lost the ONE thing that made his life have meaning!
Pt-3<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
THE SMITHSONIAN
The Gala was big, with showing coming in from all over the world [Paris, China, Russia, India, Egypt, Peru]...! Parker could see security was TIGHT, with guests having to walk through metal detectors for terrorists and bombs...!
Peter started taking photographs immediately, despite having not yet seen Brock anywhere in the building!
He was just finishing up photos of an Egyptian Mummy...when he heard his NAMEb being called from behind...!
"PETER PARKER...!" said a voice he felt he should have recognized...!
Turning around, he was surprised to find a men in uniform standing behind him...!
"Jordan Graham..." he said [not quite as enthusiastically], recalling how HE and Flash Thompson used to beat and belittle him all during his high school years...!
"OFFICER Graham, now..." corrected Jordan, pointing at his cop badge! "...I was surprised to see YOUR name on the guests list...! How've you been...?"
Peter tried not to look as traumatized as he felt inside...
"Let's not pretend to be FRIENDS, Jordan...you didn't like me very much in school...!" said Peter [having grown BALLS since becoming Spiderman]...!
Jordan was surprised at Parker's forwardness...
"It wasn't that I didn't like you, Peter..." he recalled, thinking back to their HS days [which felt like yesterday]...! "...its just...KIDS being kids...!" he defended! "WE were jocks and YOU was a bookworm...water and oil...! Speaking of which...SHAME what happened to Flash, eh...? Who'd've known he was such a QUEER...?"
"Yeah..." said Pete, thinking of how he got his revenge on Flash [somehow it wasn't quite as rewarding a feeling as he thought it would be]...! "...shame...!"
"Got kicked out of the NFL drafts...kicked out of his dad's crib...forced to join the military in shame..." remembered Graham, "...sucks to be HIM, eh...?"
"Yeah...sucks...!" said Peter. "Tell me, Jordan...how does a bully like YOU become a police officer for The NYPD...?" he asked, taking a quick photo of him in uniform...!
Jordan was just about to snatch the camera from Parker's hand, when his uncle suddenly walked up from behind...!
"Jordan..." called lieutenant Marcus Stone, also showing up in police gear...! "...what're you doing...?" he asked, making Jordan feel like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar...! "I told you to WALK the perimeter...!" he reminded, commandingly! "So WALK!"
Jordan gave Peter an angry snarl, then slowly turned and did as ordered by his uncle and commanding chief...!
"I'm sorry about my nephew..." said Stone, turning towards Parker...!
"No problem..." said Pete, turning away real quick, trying to keep the lieutenant from seeing his face too clearly...!
Stone thought he recognized the guy from somewhere...as he physically pulled Peter back around specifically to see his face...!
"YOU..." he said, realizing it was Spiderman unmasked...!
Peter felt a cold shiver run up his spine...! His identity was compromised! "...YOU'RE the one I saw in back of the bank...! YOU'RE..."
"SHHH..." said Peter, pulling Stone aside to talk more privately...! "...you said you would keep my identity a secret...!" I reminded, looking around to make sure no one was nearby within ear-shot...!
"I will!" agreed Stone, "I'm just surprised to SEE you here..." then he moved in and whispered, "...out of costume...!" then stepped back...noticing Peter's press badge...! "What're you...?...some kind of reporter...?"
"I'm a photographer..." corrected Pete, nervously...! "...I'm here covering The Gala for my paper...!" he explained! "Any new leads on Electro yet...?" he suddenly asked, changing topics!
"We've...got it covered..." said Stone [clamming up], "...he's show up eventually...!"
"How can you be so sure...?" asked Peter. "Maybe Spiderman can help...?"
"Spiderman should leave police work to the police and STOP being a vigilante..." said Stone! "...especially after what happened to him LAST time...!"
Peter's anus puckered...
"That was an accident..." said Parker, feeling like a failure...! "...it WON'T happen again!"
"Revenge isn't a good idea..." said Stone, straining his eyes to ready the name on the photographer's press badge...! "...Peter...! Leave it to the police!"
"No offense, sir..." said Peter, stopping Stone before he could walk away...! "...but if HE'D left it up to the police like you said...he would have gotten away AND still had the money...!" he added, before making a hasty exit himself...!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Peter roamed about The Gala taking pictures, even though his heart really wasn't IN it...! He wanted to find Maxwell Dillion and get him OFF the streets before he hurt, raped, or murdered someone else...!
Peter didn't think Stone had any grounds calling his desire to catch Dillion: revenge...! Pete didn't want to RAPE Electro...he just wanted to see him caught! There was a difference!
"The Princess Diana Collection is breathtaking...is it not...?" asked a gentleman standing off to the side, mistaking Peter's deep thought as admiration for the jewels he was inadvertently staring at...!
"huh...?" he asked, looking up at the strikingly handsome young India man [with short shopped dyed white hair] looking back at him...! "OH..." he responded, catching ON to what the man was talking about...! "...yes...! Yes, they are very beautiful...!" he agreed!
The man tip-toed around the museum piece [sitting atop a stone column encased in thick unbreakable glass with an elite alarm system attached] towards Peter as he marveled at the piece of sparkling diamonds...!
Peter immediately pegged the man as GAY!
"It is an ORIGINAL..." informed the man, his eyeballs lusting over the rare diamonds packed into an even rarer neckless...! "...its value is PRICELESS...! Princess Diana wore this gem to the royal wedding of Ali and Shana Fadal of India...! It was the ONLY time she ever wore it in public...over 20 years ago...!"
"You sound like a collector...!" said Peter, having only thought of it as a gaudy piece of jewelry!
"Me...?" questioned the slim well-tailored man, "Oh no...I just knew beautiful pieces when I see them...!" he said, staring at Parker! "I am Osian Fadal! And YOU are...?" he suddenly added, introducing himself...!
"Peter..." said Pete, grasping the man's delicate [manicured] hand to shake...! "...Peter Parker!"
"Nice to meet you Peter, Peter Parker...!" smiled the brown-skin man, showing a row of sparkling white teeth...!
Peter chuckled...
"No...it's just Peter Parker..." he said, "...ONE Peter...!"
"But why have just one Peter when two together sounds so much more intriguing...?" flirted the man, causing Peter to blush as he quickly looked around to make sure no one overheard that innuendo...?
"You have a wonderful smile, Peter Parker..." said the man, liking Pete's soft lips...! Peter wasn't sure...but he believed the man was FLIRTING with him...!
"Waitaminute..." he said, realizing something...! "...did you say your name was Fadal...?"
"I did." said the young man.
"From India...?" questioned Parker.
"Yes."
"And you said Princess Di wore THIS neckless to the royal wedding of The Fadal's 20 years ago...! Would they be relatives of yours...?"
"Yes..." smiled Osian, "...they are my parents...!"
"So you're royalty...?" asked Peter, astonished! "Does YOUR family have jewels here on display as well...?"
"Yes..." answered Osian, "...we have a small exhibit on the other side of The Gala...!" he admitted,
"I'd love to take pictures of you and your jewels...!" said Peter...as Osian blushed with a telltale smirk...! "uh, I mean...of you and your FAMILY'S jewels...!" corrected Peter, realizing THAT phrase was even worse...! "I mean..."
"It's okay..." said Osian, touching Peter gently upon his hand...! "...I understand what you meant...! And I would be honored to have you photograph me and my family's legacy sometime..." he said, "...but not tonight...tonight I am NOT royalty...! Tonight I am just a humble spectator just like everyone else here...! Now...if you'll excuse me...?" he concluded, bidding `adieu' before leaving...!
Peter watched as Osian walked off, passing through the crowds like a dancer, avoiding making contact with swifts moves and spins like an eccentric cast member from a Broadway musical or something...!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THAT NIGHT
As the searchlights outside The Smithsonian shut down for the evening [ending the first of its 2 day run on display before moving onto another city], and spectators and police alike left for the night [all to return tomorrow for The Gala's big end], a lone man was unseen climbing the side of the building in the dark, scaling the outside stone front as if treading through water [with little to no effort whatsoever]...!
Upon reaching the top, he swiftly crosses the roof and quickly scales down into an air shaft until he reaches the inside of the museum...where the display is his smorgasbord...!
Pt-4<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
THE NEXT DAY
The headlines read `Spiderman Is A Thief...?' The story goes on to tell how a rare neckless was stolen from The Princess Diana Collection, with the perp slipping in and out unseen and unheard and leaving no distinct fingerprints, markings, or anything police could use to identify the culprit!
But then The Daily Bugle goes one step further by insinuating that `only Spiderman' has the ability to sneak in and out of places unseen! The paper goes on to ask WHO IS Spiderman...? And even offers a $50,000 cash reward to the person who catches Spiderman and unmask him publically at The Bugle!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BROOKLYN
Ben Parker awoke to the sound of pounding at the front door...and got up off the couch in his underwear [boxers and wife-beater] to find the police standing at his front door...! "Sir...I'd like to speak with Peter Parker please...?" said lieutenant Stone, dressed down in civilian clothes...!
Uncle Ben walked up to Peter's room, barging in to find Petey still asleep in bed...!
"PETER!" he yelled, causing Parker to snap up startled...! "The POLICE are downstairs to see you...!"
"The police...?" asked Peter [yawning, and scratching his balls through his boxer briefs]!
"A lieutenant Stone...!" he whispered, in case Peter was in trouble...! "What have you been UP to, young man...?!" insisted Ben, wanting to know why the cops were at his door?
"It's nothing serious, sir..." said Stone [having snuck upstairs behind Ben], squeezing by him as he entered into Peter's room uninvited...! "He's assisting me on a case....that's all!"
"A case...?" questioned Ben, confused! "HOW can my 18 year old nephew help the NYPD on a case...? Isn't that YOUR job...?!"
"Photographs..." said Stone, stone-faced! "...we'd like to see the negatives he took last night at The Gala, is all sir...!"
"Oh..." said Ben, no longer as concerned as he was...! "...okay then...I'll uh...I'll go back downstairs and put on a pot of coffee...! Would you both like coffee...?" he asked, getting silent head nods from both men...!
Stone closed Parker's bedroom door after Ben left...!
"WHERE were you last night between the hours of 1 and 5am...?" asked Stone, sounding official!
Peter scratched his head...
"uh...I dunno..." he said, thinking back...! "...I'd taken all the pictures I needed...then left somewhere around 10:30 or 11 o'clock...! Why...? Has something happened to Electro...?" he thought suddenly, wondering if his body had washed up somewhere and Stone thought HE was the killer...?
"No." answered Stone! "One of the features from the exhibit was stolen last night..." said the officer, tossing Peter a copy of his own paper...! "...and The Daily Bugle theorize Spiderman's the only person who could have snuck in and out undetected...! And I must say...he sounds about right...!"
Peter quickly read the headline...!
"You can't take anything J. Jonah Jameson says about Spiderman seriously...! I mean..., he HATES the guy...!" explained Peter!
"You mean YOU...!" said Stone [knowing Parker was the wall crawler]...!
"No..." said Peter, "...I mean, yeah..." he corrected, "...I mean...Jameson hates everybody..." he clarified, "...but he REALLY hates Spiderman for some reason...! He's had it out for HIM...I mean ME...ever since I came out...!"
"Is there anyone who could collaborate your story...?" asked Stone, curiously!
Peter shook his head...
"No...I usually sneak in through the window so I don't disturb my uncle while he's sleeping downstairs...!" he explained, getting a curious look from the officer...! "My aunt died recently...and my uncle can't bring himself to go into their room...so he's been sleeping downstairs...!"
"What a girlfriend...?" asked Stone, still trying to find someone who saw Peter in the hours in question...! Peter shook his head. "Boyfriend...?" asked Stone! Peter frowned. "What...?" asked Stone, "Damn near everybody's gay nowadays...!" he joked!
"Look...I don't think you stole anything..." admitted the lieutenant, "...but I've been wrong before...! SOMEONE'S gone through a lot to make it look like Spiderman, or at least someone LIKE Spiderman broke into that museum last night after we left...and I think it might be in HIS best interest if he helped us FIND whoever did it...! Don't you think...?"
"I do." agreed Peter, sitting on the edge of the bed in his briefs...!
Stone's gaze dropped down over the boy's half naked body...wondering how someone so young could pack so much power...?
"I'll let myself out..." he said, opening the door [before he found himself getting into trouble]...! "...tell your uncle `thanks' for the coffee...!"
Peter looked back down at the headlines, reading the article that basically called him a THIEF...! If he wanted to clear Spiderman's name and reputation...he'd have to find the person responsible...and make them PAY...!
to be continued...
NEXT: Cat and Mouse, err,,,Spider...!
If you would like to read MORE Lascivious Spiderman, hit me up @ NPhillydogg@aol.com with your comments and/or suggestions. OR you could join me on my Facebook page under the same name!
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