CHAPTER 8: Memory
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Spectacular Characters or Marvel Characters.
MANHATTAN GENERAL HOSPITAL
It's a bright Saturday morning in New York, and the best way to start off the morning was by waking up in a hospital, obviously. Of course, waking up at all was a blessing, but there are better places to wake up in than a hospital.
But Liz Allan slept in the waiting room, shivering the whole night. The empty room may've been chilly, but she didn't want to leave till she knew Sally was okay. Although a blanket or a thick jacket would've been nice.
At least she didn't wake up in a hospital bed. Now that would be another tragedy.
She made sure that she texted her parents during the night, that she'd wait for Sally till she got out of surgery. Or else they'd worry, put out missing posters for their daughter before midnight struck. HECK, there wouldn't be a doubt in Liz's mind that her parents would've called all the police stations in New York.
And sure, it wasn't the best to tell them, but she promised to be there for Sally, 'for better or worse.' It sounded as if they're getting married... But they've made that promise for as long as they've known each other, so since pre-school. Both bonded over boys, fashion, and later on, cheerleading. Man, did they love cheerleading! That's what they looked forward to the most before their freshman year. And they loved it. It felt like they were the queens of M3.
But freshman cheerleaders weren't on the same tier as the varsity team yet, but not far off. Must say, their freshman class had high self-esteem, especially the cheerleaders.
During Sophmore Year, Liz and Sally craved being on top of the Highschool hierarchy. One way of being on top was dating the star varsity quarterback, who at the time was the sophomore jock, Flash Thompson.
Sally knew this was their chance to be the queens of M3, although Flash's attraction to her was lacking. She didn't know why, but people had their preferences.
But the star quarterback was attracted to her best friend, Liz... so Sally urged her to date him. And Liz was hesitant about the whole idea. On the surface, he was attractive, with that 6-foot diameter, blonde hair, and toned skin. Under the surface, however, he wasn't as attractive since he's a bully. He had this toxic alpha male, macho aspect to his personality. Some days that would be confident, and macho qualities. Other days would be narcissistic qualities... But Liz knew it was inevitable, like it was an arranged marriage.
So for a couple weeks, she'd dated the quarterback, and she had to admit, it wasn't bad. Sure, he could and would be a major douchebag, living up to the name of the highschool jock and bully, yet Flash Thompson wasn't 'the shallow tough guy' as he so led on. He showed his soft side to her, actually letting his guard down. And that's what she admired and made her actually care for him. It got to a point where she became clingy to him, hanging off his arm for the rest of sophomore year.
Although Sally didn't expect Liz to commit to Flash... it's a good thing they started dating for their popularity status at Midtown. For as long as Sally knew Liz, she never saw this sparkle in her eye, when she was with any previous guy... till she started dating the blonde-hair quarterback.
However, during their junior year, that sparkle would return when she's around Peter Parker. It was the weirdest, most disgusting thing to Sally. Popular girls like her and Liz were not supposed to be in the same proximity with geeky guys like Parker. HECK, even dating was out of the picture. Liz didn't think so, because somehow, the geek made her happy every second they were in proximity to each other. This threw a retch to their friendship, as they slowly distanced themselves from one another.
Till now, when the nurse finally let Liz into Sally's room. She'd seen her parents walk past her, in deep concern written all over their faces. And Lizzy didn't enjoy seeing her friend with all these tubes all around her body.
Instantly she noticed that Sally's eyes slightly opened to her presence, so she calmly patted her friend's hand.
"Sal, you awake?"
"Li-Lizzy? You're here..."
"Why wouldn't I be here, Sal?!" She cheerfully sounded.
"Well-I thought you'd be hanging out with Parker"
"Not now. Not when my bestie since pre-school, is on her... ahem, deathbed," Liz snarky joked at her.
"Liz, I'm not dying"
"I know. Trying to put me at ease for a sec, Sal. Usually, I get freak accidents during practice"
"Oh yeah. I remember when you were on top of the pyramid, then you flipped off and landed on your head"
"Ahaha! Not my greatest moment. But hey, don't forget you had your fair share of accidents," Liz chuckled.
"Jeez! Days when concussions were pretty okay!"
"Can't believe in a million years the only thing that stopped me from finishing cheerleading is a rock to the back," Sally added.
"To be fair, it's senior year! You technically finished," Liz pointed out as her shoulders shrugged.
"Then technically, I'd be finished if Parker didn't swoop in. You know, he works out. Who would've thought?" Sally quickly mentioned.
"Wait, what?"
"Didn't he tell you? Gotta say, for a geek, he's strong... I never got why you dug Parker, and I still don't... but I guess you're into muscular guys. HECK, he carried that piece of crap off me, Rand and Flash! Now, that's some actual strength"
Her confession of his action stunned Liz. Peter used his powers without the mask. He's the reason Sally's still alive. She also wants to understand why he never told them.
"Jeez, Lizzy, Parker seriously doesn't tell you anything, does he?"
"Well, he's told me some stuff"
"Like what?"
"W-well... he's uh-well... it's not my secret to tell," Liz admitted.
"Well played, Lizzy. Parker's a mysterious guy... kinda attractive. Not like I'd ever date him. Just saying," her friend chuckled.
"Yeah. I get it, Sal," Liz responded with a smile on her face.
...
FISK TOWER
As the dust settled from their evening operations, Fisk gazed upon his empire, deviously calculating his next move, like a man of his caliber should. He stared out to the city he loved, all those beloved skyscrapers and whatnot. Then his eyes focus on the wretched apartment building he's raised in for a whole second.
"Usually a man, with something to lose, doesn't act... irrationally"
"What're you saying, sir?" his colleague questioned.
"I'm saying that if you take away something of importance from them... they'll squeal till you give it back. And they'll do anything to get it back," Fisk continued.
"That's how you want to handle Brown... by attacking him at the heart?" Wesley asked for clarification.
"Precisely"
"Then... I'll make the arrangements," Wesley assured his employer.
"Thank you, Wesley," he deviously grinned at his colleague. The Kingpin knew that handling problems like this would require a little more squealing.
NELSON & MURDOCK ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Right as Peter Parker stepped foot in the law firm's building, his cell phone buzzed in his pocket, immediately catching him off guard.
'It's probably nobody... but the last time I thought that, it was Hobie, so... I better check'
Instantly, his eyebrows rose when he saw who it was from, his blonde, dorky friend, Gwen Stacy.
'Hey Pete, I need to talk to you bout something... meet up at the silver spoon later?' - Gwen
'Goodness now?... I don't have time for this,' Peter felt flustered, and another thing he needed on his plate was a talk with Gwen.
'Sorry Gwen, I already made plans today. Tomorrow?' - Peter
'Okay see you then, Pete!' - Gwen
'Man, she's so gonna give me the look,' he frustratingly admitted to himself.
But he immediately put his phone down once he saw Hobie sitting in the hallway, with his back against the wall. He still wore the same outfit from homecoming, but he seemed unwell and unrested, especially with his droopy eyes and dry skin. He tried his best to keep himself awake, blinking multiple times if he had to.
"Door's locked," Hobie drowsily mentioned.
Peter approached him, and whispered, "Hobie, why'd you want to meet up?"
Hobie seemed startled, with his eyes darting all over the place. Without a doubt, he looked paranoid.
"I-I need to tell somebody... anyone," he quickly muttered to Peter.
"Tell me what?"
"Promise you won't tell anyone"
"I promise. Hobie, please just tell me"
"Well, y'know during the dance, you saw me being chased by Shocker and Black Cat. Well, that wasn't by accident. They're after me cause of my job. I... I've taken jobs for the Kingpin... for Wilson Fisk," Hobie quietly confessed.
Immediately, a surprised Peter nearly choked on his water, till he coughed it all up. He set his water bottle to the side, as he tried to process what Hobie told him.
'WAIT! WHAT!... Hobie was the prowler! That's INSANE! But wait... actually thinking about it, it makes sense. I should've seen it before'
"That's why I'm hardly at school, and why I haven't been helping you two with the project," Hobie continued to confess.
"Wow... well, didn't see that coming, but it explains a lot. You must tell, you know..."
"Mr. Murdock and Nelson? Wha- NO! If they know, they'll turn me into the Feds, and... I'd put them in danger."
"No Hobie... that'll take guts. You're doing the right thing if you tell them."
"By turning myself to the cops?"
"No by exposing Fisk. The Feds catch him, he'll be in a cell for years, and the entire city will know how much a scumbag is Wilson Fisk"
"Yeah, but he owns most of the cops. He has that kind of power"
"He owns most of the cops, but not all of em. Captain Stacy is one of the good ones," Peter assured.
"Even if... My parents will kill me, once they find out... They'll never trust me again"
"But you're doing good for this city"
"Good for the city, but what about me? What if I do this, I lose my foster family? You know, that's a lot to give up, Parker... It's hard to find people that'll accept me again."
"You'd be losing the life you've always wanted. I get that, Hobie"
"I have that life, and right now I love it. Can't just... let that go, Parker"
"Well, my uncle used to tell me, 'With Great Power, there must be great responsibility.' And I brushed it off as another cheesy quote."
"Where's this going, Parker?"
"Hobie, hear me out. I-I finally got it after a year since he passed. I thought I got it before... but now, I understand. I-if you can do the right thing, it's your moral obligation to do it, no matter the consequences. And I hold that power, you hold that power. The 8 million people of this city own that power. And everyone in the world does. But sometimes the right thing to do, may not be the thing we want... It may destroy our dreams."
There was a brief silence between the two young men. Hobie was about to make the choice that dictates what happens to the city... either let corruption win, or lose everything he had.
"So, are you going to do it?"
"Might as well have to. It's either going to jail, without taking down Fisk. Or taking him down with me. Neither way I lose," Hobie honestly admitted.
Suddenly they heard loud footsteps coming their way.
"Oh, hey, guys! Odd seeing both of you here... on the weekends... What's up?" Karen grew surprised to see the two high-schoolers there.
It surprised her that anyone was there at the office, during the weekends. They get little foot traffic, but at least the blonde secretary would have company.
"Oh, Ms. Page, we're just waiting for Mr. Murdock and Nelson. We need their help," Peter explained.
"Well then, by all means, come in," the secretary motioned them through once she unlocked the doors.
After moments of awkward small talk, small instances of silence and fidgeting amongst the three individuals, the door swung open for the Nelson & Murdock Law Firm. And Peter was excited to see who entered the room: Matt and Foggy.
"Hey Mr. Murdock! We need to talk about WHOA- what happened to you?!"
"I got into a freak accident. It's my fault," Matt confessed.
"I'm thinking that not all of these injuries are from freak accidents"
"Well, I'm a blind man, in the biggest city of the United States... I believe freak accidents are bound to happen"
Foggy snarky commented, "Matt's not wrong."
"Um... I missed being around you guys. But didn't we already finish your project?"
"Well, we're still in the editing stage. But we aren't here for our project"
"So why're both of you here?"
"Hobie wanted to tell you all something important"
"What is it, kid?"
"Guys, I-I've been..."
"You've been what?"
"I've been working for Fisk, since the start of summer"
"FISK! Wait, you-you worked for FISK!"
"WILSON FISK?!" Foggy practically screamed.
"I'm not proud of it," he muttered.
"How did you even- How'd Fisk get to you?"
"I-I don't even know how any of it got started... Over the summer, I just needed a job, and Fisk found me. He offered good money, and all that. But he made me do the dirty work, providing the suit and all," Hobie confessed.
Those in the present company had their jaws dropped when they heard his story.
"Look, I don't care if I go in a cell. As long as that Bald scumbag goes down with me."
"But we can't just go to the FBI with 'he said-she said' evidence... we need more than that!"
"We need names, Hobie if you wanna bring down Fisk"
"You want names... I got 'em!"
Foggy glared at Matt and realized that this was the largest case they'll ever get.
"Names of every single person who worked with Fisk?"
"Well, not everyone, but I know a few major names that could bring that Bald douchebag down... but you gotta promise me, Mr. Murdock, my family will be safe"
"I-I promise... we promise. We'll do whatever I can to keep your family safe. But to do that, you must stay with me, for the night. I got a futon that you can sleep on," Matthew clarified to the teenager.
From afar, Peter stared at Hobie with pride. He's never seen a man so passionate about justice and writing his wrongs, since the Man in the Mask. And gotta say, he admired it. The Prowler did unjust things for the Kingpin, but now, Hobie was trying to right his wrongs, seeking penance for his mistakes. It wasn't what he wanted, but what he needed to do.
His past actions didn't matter to Peter.
Uncle Ben believed in redemption.
Spider-Man believed in redemption...
Why couldn't he? Everyone deserves a second chance to do good... even a certain webslinger.
...
GARGAN'S APARTMENT
The failed private investigator, Mac Gargan sat on his old foldable black futton, watching through the afternoon news stations, who constantly praised Wilson Fisk for his new contributions to New York. They even gave him a 30 minute segment breaking down Wilson Fisk's background... or what his PR team claimed was his background.
But Mac couldn't give him that same praise... because of what went on behind the scenes. HECK, he damn near killed a man and a teenager, for Fisk's sake. And now, Kingpin may send an entire police force on his payroll after him, for wanting out. And he may cut funds for his daughter, Elizabeth. It left him dreading.
The media saw Wilson Fisk, billionaire, entrepreneur, philanthropist... etc. A kind, generous man who planned to bring their city into new glory.
However, Mac Gargan saw this ruthless mob boss, who will stop at nothing, to commit to his blood-trailed plan. He'd bribe others to do the dirty work, do anything to silence those against his vision, and even kill, if needed. He saw the ruthless Kingpin of Crime, and nothing else.
And Mac became an accessory to his crimes. Reduced to a tool, with the other tools in the shed. He hated it. And he hated what the Kingpin had done to him.
He's tried to keep himself together. Every single rush of emotion went to his head.
At that moment, he realized what caused him all this pain. It wasn't the burden of his daughter.
It wasn't his financial burdens.
It was Kingpin and his organization that reached out to him.
He had the arsenal to take care of this pain... by taking out the Kingpin, away from him, the city and his daughter. So he couldn't hurt anyone else.
It felt like his heavy responsibility. Something that he knew he shouldn't and wouldn't fail at.
QUEENS, NEW YORK
'Gotta admit, today was really interesting... not the best day, but decent!'
Hobie admitted his truth, Mr. Murdock bled through his shirt, which, gotta say, was pretty suspicious, but common, and Gwen wanted to talk... wait, gotta add that to the to-do list.
On his way home, he heard grumblings in the dark alley. He saw through the shadows and witnessed men beating on another man, which looked barbaric. Mugging him with everything they had. Kicking him, throwing his body like it was a rag doll against the wall.
"HE-HELP! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!" the man agonizingly screamed through the beatings.
Peter heard his screams, and he wished he could do something. Wait... maybe he can. He still has his exceptional abilities. But he didn't have his suit. He didn't need his suit to save his man, all he needed was him.
'DON'T LOOK THE OTHER WAY, Parker!' He emphasized to himself.
Then his eyes turned to the battlefield.
His hands were palmy. His back drenched in sweat, and his heart pumped out of his chest. It was like his first time gaining his abilities with the full rush of crazy emotions. But this man needed his help, and that's what felt like minutes, was only seconds.
He immediately rushed towards the muggers, and aggressively threw them to the wall, like they were weightless.
"Get away from him!" Peter demanded.
The muggers instantly realized who they're messing with was no joke, so they made a last-ditch attempt. "C'mon leave him, let's get outta here!"
But Peter wouldn't let those muggers off the hook, easily. Probably not at all, when he easily dispatched all the muggers, and threw each one against the trash can, knocking them out.
"We need more people like you," the beaten victim smiled at him, as Peter held his hand out to him.
"Thank you. I should probably get you to a hospital," Peter acknowledged.
The man clung onto the young man's shoulder like a tick until he stood up on his own.
"No need. You've done enough for me... thank you, young man," the injured man appreciated his righteous act.
Peter gave him a slight nod before he heard the police come near the alley.
'Not gonna lie, that felt good,' he thought to himself as he fled from the approaching patrol cars.
ACCEPTANCE - PARKER RESIDENCE
Once Peter arrived home, he quickly greeted his Aunt with a peck on the cheek, and without speaking another word, went to his room.
In his room, Peter gazed at a picture of himself and his Uncle for a minute. He stared at himself with the circular-framed glasses and his oversized blue polo shirts.
Man, what a time! A time when he didn't have to worry about girls, saving people's lives and his secret identity. Easier times.
He stopped staring at the image and set it aside on the bed.
Then he laid down on his bed, trying to clear his head. His eyes were closed, shut, and took deep breaths, searching through all his thoughts.
In an instant, it felt like everything around him disappearing in ashes before him. His entire world turned into black and white. So there he was, alone, staring into the abyss of nothingness. Till a bright light pierced out of the dark abyss. Then it became slightly visible... revealing an outline of a man he once knew. His face becoming ultimately familiar to his Uncle Ben. His nephew looked up at him, like he was the small child he once knew.
"Uncle Ben, I-uh, made a mistake... I wanted a normal life, I wanted a life without these powers... or responsibility of them. But all of this is my fault"
"Peter, we all make mistakes. Your Aunt is flawed, I'm flawed... we're all flawed. And we are all broken, son. We all have a breaking point, and it's not a matter of if, only when. But that's not what matters, son. It doesn't matter how or where you break, what matters is how you put the pieces back together."
"Where'd you get that from?"
"From... a fortune cookie, your Aunt got when she bought take out. Must say, some quotes are inspiring."
"Hilarious Uncle Ben," Peter chuckled.
"But Peter, it doesn't matter how far you fall... it's about whether you get up. It's up to you! And I know you got the willpower to do it"
"But the whole public despises Spider-Man"
"Then give them a reason not to. And even if they still do, that shouldn't stop you from doing what you need to do. Kiddo, you can't control how people react, but you can control how you do."
"You get that also from a fortune cookie?"
"Clever Kiddo. But remember, I've always believed you were a hero since you were 6 years old. A shy kid who just lost his parents, and was in a house he didn't know. But you're still here now. That's resiliency. And remember what you told that young man... to do the right thing. Sometimes the right thing may not be what we want, but it's what we need to do. And I believe you can be that hero again, son."
"Spider-Man isn't what makes you the hero... It's you, Peter. It's you that makes Spider-Man, the hero this city needs."
"Thank you so much, Uncle Ben. You know, I miss you, still. After a year."
"I know. But I'm always with you, kiddo! No matter how alone you feel, remember, I'm not that far away, kiddo. Good luck!"
Then Peter opened his eyes, and everything was normal. Everything in his room was the same. So why'd he felt like he's the only one that changed? His perspective on Spider-Man completely shifted, with the help of his Uncle, of course.
New York needed Spider-Man, more than ever, even if they may not like him at the moment. And Peter was gonna give it to them, as the Spectacular Spider-Man!
'Ah crap! Now I gotta make a suit!'
TO BE CONTINUED...