Catch Me // Spider-Man (BOOK 1)

Chapter 14 - I can't lose him

"I keep it in my boot. Oh for god's sake that doesn't matter. Don't mess with me Lauren. Where the hell are you?" He did not sound happy.

"Would you believe me if I said my kitchen?" I'd given up pretending now. He knew me way too well. I think the alarms, heavy panting as I raced up the stairs and nerves in my voice had already given it away though.

"You promised me you'd go home."

"Gwen is at Oscorp Pete. I sent her to do the antidote. I was so caught up in everything I totally forgot until you left and I...I have to get her out Pete. She's my best friend." Ok hold it together Lauren. Hysterics are not going to help right now.

"I'll get Gwen, you stay away from Oscorp. Do you hear me?" It's a bit late for that.

"I'm already there." It came out as nothing more than a whisper. I wish I wasn't telling him this. I wish I was telling him that I was at home, safe. That he didn't have to worry about me.

All I could make out coming from his end was his ragged breathing, and aggravated grunts. I could picture him now exactly. He'd be hiding in an alley somewhere or on a roof top, pacing and gripping on to his masked head. It was scary that I knew that, just from a noise that came out of his nose.

Peter had just begun to mumble my name through the phone, more than likely trying to think up some clever wording to convince me to leave when suddenly, out of nowhere I felt the building start to shake. It rumbled, it lurched.

I continued to climb, determined to get to Gwen. Debris was falling all around me and I knew I didn't have much time.

"Pete?" I shouted into the phone, hoping beyond hope that he was close by and able to help us get out of this mess.

"Pete? PETER?" I yelled even louder when I got no answer. I stopped momentarily on one of the mezzanines and checked the screen on the cell. Just my luck.

"No service. You gotta be kidding me."

Making one final push I ran up the last two flights of stairs, knowing that is where Gwen would be in the lab. If she was right about timing the antidote would be complete in just over a minute. I just wanted to get her, grab the serum and get the hell out of there.

If I'm honest I wasn't happy knowing that it was Peter that had to fix all this, but was there another alternative? He was super human after all. He was the cities only hope, but to me he was so much more than that. I couldn't process what was happening around me right now, never mind contemplate something happening to him. What if that phone call was the last time we ever spoke? What if I never got to tell him how much he means to me?

"GWEN?" I screamed, reaching the lab, throwing myself through the entrance doors and locking them digitally behind me.

"LAUREN?" She darted towards me, throwing her arms around my neck and not letting go for what felt like forever. I'd never seen her so dishevelled and crazed.

"Are you ok?" I asked, pulling myself free from her arms and looking over every inch of her.

"I'm fine." At least that was something I guess.

"Oh my god, Lauren your arm?" Gwen said looking down at my bandaged limb. Blood was seeping through and it was throbbing like your ears after an all night rave. My arm was the least of my problems right now though. We had way bigger lizards to fry. I don't think that's the right analogy is it?

"It'll be ok. Gwen, is it ready?"

"90 seconds tops." 90 seconds too long more like.

As she frantically checked the progress of the serum, I ran to the window, prising one of the emergency panes open so I could look down and see what was going on. Geez we were high up.