Heartbeat (Danny Rand)

Twenty-Six

 "I just don't see how someone who runs around with bad guys, letting them terrorize the city, can be considered a hero!" Harry rants, gesturing wildly with his hands.

"Spiderman has saved thousands of lives, Harry! The only reason he 'runs around with bad guys' is that he's stopping them from hurting people!" I quickly defend, glancing around to see if anyone noticed his outburst.

Everyone seems to be absorbed with whatever they're doing though, so I return to the issue at hand. "What's with the sudden hatred of Spiderman, anyway? Did J. Jonah Jameson pay you to go around and complain about him or something?"

"No, although he's right. Spiderman is nothing more than a menace," Harry snaps, standing up from the table we're sitting at and storming out of the library. I look after him with wide eyes, before shrugging off his erratic behavior and turning back to my math homework that's due next hour.

Math has never been a particularly difficult subject for me, but our teacher always gives us a ton of homework so it takes me a while.

I'm not sure why Harry's so worked up over Spiderman all of a sudden, but I can only guess it's because of his Dad. Since I work with Doc. Connors to develop all sort of weapons and gadgets, I also get to learn a lot about the villains they're going to be used on.

We've been talking a lot about a relatively new villain, the Green Goblin, who is supposedly Norman Osborn, Harry's dad. I don't know if he's aware of his dad's issues, but if he is then it could explain why he's so upset. Spiderman has been on the news beating the living daylight out of the Goblin multiple times, although he hasn't been able to capture him.

I fill out the rest of my math homework, making sure to clearly mark my answers since my math teacher is extremely sensitive when it comes to organization. If your boxes around your answers aren't perfectly symmetrical she'll count you off for more points that the problem is worth.

The day drags on in a lethargic blur, time passing slowly enough for it to last forever but quick enough for me not to be aware of what's going on. By the time the last bell finally rings I'm so ready to go home and curl up on my couch that I nearly sprint out of the classroom.

I force myself to take my time though, not seeing the point in tiring myself out before the tediously long walk home. After piling my books into my backpack and slipping on a light jacket, seeing as it's almost spring and the air has gotten significantly less nippy, I wave goodbye to a couple friends and walk out of the building.

My hands are tucked into my pockets, absentmindedly playing with my keys, when a crash in a nearby alley catches my attention. Despite the warnings of literally every horror movie ever, I decide to investigate, creeping along the side wall of the darkened alley.

Even though it's the middle of the day, the shadows cast by both brick office buildings make it difficult to see. Not that light would've made much difference though since I don't see the metal, tentacle-like arm reaching out behind me until it's too late.

*****************************************************************************

When I wake up after essentially being kidnapped for the second time in the past three weeks, which is two times too many, I notice immediately that I'm lying on some sort of hard table, my arms and legs strapped down so I can't move.

I pull at the restraints wrapped around my wrists anyway until a dry voice laughs. "You said she was a fighter, Doctor."

"Well, I certainly hoped so. She is my daughter after all," another responds, and my blood immediately runs cold.