Spider-Man : The Story of a Hero

Abandoned Warehouse (Tombstone’s Hideout) — Day

Little by little, Spider-Man opened his eyes.

His vision was still blurry.

The darkness of the room made things even more difficult, and he struggled to regain his bearings.

When he tried to move, he immediately realized something was wrong.

His arms were immobilized.

His legs too.

Strong metal restraints kept him tied to a chair.

As he tried to gather his thoughts, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

— I see you’re finally awake. Did you enjoy your nap? Must’ve been a little difficult with the poison, I imagine.

Spider-Man slowly lifted his head.

— W-Where am I...? And who are you?

The man continued walking forward.

— You don’t recognize my voice? Have you already forgotten me? Weren’t you supposed to send me to prison to stop me from doing whatever I want in this city?

Peter’s eyes widened slightly.

— The... Big Boss...?

A smile appeared on the man’s face.

— Exactly. But know that I’ve been given many names over the years. And the one I like most... is Tombstone.

Despite his condition, Spider-Man tried to keep his sense of humor.

— Tombstone, huh...? Seriously...? Couldn’t you have... come up with something better? Like...”The Grey”?

The man stared at him for a moment before raising an eyebrow, confusion clearly visible on his face.

— Y-you got it? Because your skin is gray.

A heavy silence filled the room.

Then Peter let out a painful breath.

— Yeah, okay... I admit it... that one’s pretty bad.

Without warning, Tombstone hit him.

A right hook.

Then a left.

Then another right.

The blows came down relentlessly.

Already weakened by Scorpion’s poison, Peter struggled to think clearly.

Eventually, Tombstone stopped.

He observed his prisoner for a few seconds.

— It’s a shame, you know? You would’ve made a good mercenary. Money, power... all of it could’ve been yours. But instead, you choose to stand against me. I have dozens of men, two fighters capable of matching you... and you’re alone. Yet you refuse to give in. I expected you to beg, or at least tremble with fear... but no. You’re suffering, I can see that, but you’re not afraid. You’re... different. Does stopping me really motivate you that much? Why? Why risk so much just to get in my way?

Spider-Man slightly raised his head.

His voice was weak.

But steady.

— You really... want to know why...?

A faint laugh escaped him.

Despite the blood beginning to accumulate inside his mask.

Tombstone frowned.

— What’s so funny?

Peter’s tone changed.

More serious.

More sincere.

— I’ve been doing this for a few months now. Helping people. Fighting. Stopping criminals... And yes, from a logical point of view... you’re right. I gain nothing from it. No one will remember what I do. I risk my life for strangers, and I lose more than I gain.

He lifted his head a little higher.

Then continued.

— But I don’t need thanks. Or recognition. I do it because it’s the right thing to do. And because I have to honor someone. I have the power to help. So why not? Just because it doesn’t benefit me? Bullshit! If I can stop someone from suffering the way I suffered... then it’s worth it.

Tombstone continued staring at him.

— But... what the hell is he talking about?!

Peter clenched his fists despite the restraints.

— I’ll keep going! I’ll send you to prison, you and everyone else. Because with great power... comes great responsibility!

Something about that sentence seemed to deeply irritate Tombstone.

His face immediately hardened.

— You’re still carrying Scorpion’s poison, I beat the hell out of you, and you’re still spouting nonsense?! Fine... we’ll see if you’re still talking like that six feet underground! But first... I want to see your face.

He reached for Spider-Man’s mask.

Ready to rip it off.

Then suddenly...

BOOM!

The massive warehouse door exploded.

Police officers immediately flooded into the building.

At their head stood George Stacy.

— Huh...? Gwen’s father...?!

Even Tombstone froze.

— What?! What the-?!

George raised his weapon.

— Chief of Police! You’re all under arrest! Raise your hands and come with us peacefully!

— The Chief of Police? Well then... respect.

Tombstone immediately turned toward his men.

— Shocker! How did they find us?!

— I have no idea! We weren’t followed!

George Stacy displayed a slight smile.

— No need to follow you... when you have a tracker on you.

Tombstone’s face immediately darkened.

— A tracker?! Shocker, Scorpion, check yourselves!

As the criminals searched one another, both visually and physically, Scorpion eventually noticed something attached to Shocker’s back.

— You’ve got one on your back, man.

Shocker abruptly turned around.

— Seriously?! Get it off me!

Scorpion tore the small device off without hesitation.

Then crushed it beneath his foot until it was reduced to pieces.

Tombstone watched the scene with disgust.

— I hate cops... Shocker, Scorpion! Deal with them, then get yourselves where you know you’re supposed to be.

Tied to his chair, Spider-Man immediately felt his stomach tighten.

— This is dangerous for Gwen’s father. If I don’t do something, this is going to end badly. Come on, Peter... I know you’re hurting, but there’s no time to catch your breath. Break... these chains!

He violently pulled against his restraints.

Nothing.

The chains held firm.

— Damn it!

— Very well!

— Perfect... let’s see what my new strength is capable of.

Spider-Man gritted his teeth.

— What... is this really how it ends? Beaten and chained up after all that talk about responsibility?! If I don’t break these chains, I’m going to die... and so are they. Tombstone will keep doing whatever he wants... and that...

Tombstone then approached him.

— And as for you, I’m not finished yet. You’re coming with me.

He extended his hand.

Ready to lift him and carry him away.

But something changed in Peter’s eyes.

Absolute determination.

— And that... is OUT OF THE QUESTION!

With a deafening metallic crack, the chains exploded.

Tombstone took a step back.

— What?! How did you-

He never had time to finish his sentence.

Spider-Man leaped forward.

Then delivered a monumental kick.

Tombstone was literally launched across the room before crashing into the far end of the warehouse.

Silence fell.

Even the police officers stood frozen.

Everyone had just witnessed something unexpected.

— This spider really is impossible to kill! I’ll handle the cops. You deal with him!

— Yeah, got it!

Scorpion immediately turned his attention toward Spider-Man.

— This whole thing is starting to piss me off... I’m going to give him another dose of poison, and this time for real.

He charged straight at him.

Tail raised.

Aiming directly for his neck.

But Peter’s spider-sense activated.

Spider-Man dodged at the last second.

Grabbed Scorpion’s tail with both hands.

Then violently spun around.

The giant was hurled across the room.

BOOM!

His body slammed into a wall.

The surface cracked from the impact.

Then Scorpion collapsed to the floor.

Unconscious.

Shocker stared in disbelief.

— WHAT?! How is he still standing?!

Panicking, he raised his gauntlets.

Growing energy gathered inside them.

— Alright... let’s see if you can survive THIS!

But just before he fired, a web shot out.

It bound both of his hands together.

Shocker’s eyes widened.

— What?! NOOOOOOOO!

The shockwave fired anyway.

But directly into his own gauntlets.

An explosion erupted.

The equipment was blown to pieces.

And Shocker collapsed as well.

George Stacy watched the scene in astonishment.

— Wow... that was... incredible! Nicely done, Spider-Man.

Peter staggered.

The poison was still affecting him.

Yet he kept moving forward.

Then suddenly...

He pointed his web-shooter at George Stacy.

The police officer jumped.

— Hey! What are you doing?!

For a split second, George thought Spider-Man was about to attack him.

But instead, a web yanked him violently out of the way.

Gunshots immediately rang out.

Spider-Man dodged several bullets.

Then neutralized two police officers behind George.

The police chief stood frozen.

The two men Spider-Man had just taken down were wearing the same uniform as him.

Traitors.

Tombstone’s men.

— What...?! They were about to shoot me?! And he... he saved my life again!

Spider-Man staggered.

His vision was becoming blurrier and blurrier.

He looked at George Stacy one last time.

— I was... right...

Then his legs gave out.

After defeating his enemies.

After protecting Gwen’s father.

After saving the police.

Spider-Man finally collapsed to the ground.

Unconscious.

New York Hospital — Peter’s Room — Evening

Peter slowly opened his eyes.

His vision was still blurry.

The white ceiling above him seemed strangely familiar.

A few seconds later, he realized where he was.

A hospital.

His gaze immediately swept across the room.

Then his heart skipped a beat.

He was no longer wearing his costume.

— If I’m here... and without my mask... that means they saw my face! I have to get out of here!

He suddenly sat up.

His eyes then fell upon a chair placed near the bed.

His costume was neatly folded on it.

Without wasting a second, Peter jumped out of bed.

A few moments later, he had already put his costume back on.

Ready to escape.

He headed toward the window.

But before he could open it, the room’s door suddenly swung open.

George Stacy entered calmly.

Peter immediately froze.

George raised a reassuring hand.

— It’s been a long time, Peter.

The young man remained paralyzed for a few seconds.

— M-Mr. Stacy... are... are you going to arrest me...? Or tell everyone...?

George blinked.

Then a slightly amused smile appeared on his face.

— Arrest you? Reveal your secret? Come on, Peter... you saved my life! I owe you at least that. Would you mind sitting down? I’d like us to talk. And don’t worry: I’ve requested that no one enter this room without my authorization.

Peter hesitated.

Then eventually sat back down.

Still cautious.

But already a little more relaxed.

George sat down across from him.

— So, feeling better? You were in pretty bad shape.

— The poison’s gone and... thanks to you, I’m doing much better. But how come nobody saw my face? At the hospital, they should’ve... you know?

George let out a small laugh.

— Let’s just say... I have connections. Besides, being the Chief of Police helps a little. If I hadn’t been there, you’d already be on the front page of every newspaper.

— Yeah... I don’t doubt that.

Peter’s smile gradually disappeared.

His expression became more serious.

More worried.

George noticed immediately.

— Listen, Mr. Stacy... this really has to stay between us, please. You can’t tell anyone. And I mean anyone! It’s crucial, you can’t even imagine how-

George slightly raised his hand.

— Peter. I don’t know how you do what you do, and honestly, I think it’s completely insane. But I’m sure of one thing: if you hide your face, it’s not just for yourself. It’s to protect the people you care about. Today, I saw you fight and save me. Twice. So trust me: you can trust me.

The tension finally left Peter’s shoulders.

For the first time since waking up, he smiled sincerely.

— Thank you, sir. But don’t say you did nothing: without you and the tracker idea, I might not be here. You saved my life too.

George returned the smile.

— And Shocker? Scorpion? Were they arrested?

— Yes. I called in some reliable colleagues. When they arrived, your webs were still holding them. Scorpion was unconscious. The only one who escaped was the one who was standing near you. We don’t know who he was, but-

Peter’s expression immediately darkened.

— Tombstone...

George frowned.

— Sorry?

— The one standing near me... he’s the one behind all of this. He calls himself ”Tombstone”... or the ”Big Boss.”

George remained thoughtful for a few seconds.

— Tombstone... that name sounds vaguely familiar. I’ll do some research later. And the other two?

— Shocker and Scorpion? They’re his men. Shocker already ambushed me once with an army of mercenaries. As for Scorpion... I met him at the same time you did. I don’t have any more information, sorry.

George shook his head.

— You don’t need to apologize. You’ve already done more than enough.

Peter gave a small smile.

Clearly touched by those words.

Then George continued in a more serious tone.

— Alright... I know you’re a minor, and this shouldn’t be your responsibility. But let’s be honest: without you, the police will never catch these guys. So I’ll be direct. I’d like us to work together. You and me. If we share information, we’ll be able to put Tombstone and his entire gang behind bars. And even if I asked you to stop... I know you wouldn’t listen, would you?

Peter let out a small laugh.

— ...Yeah.

— I really feel like I’m an open book to him...

— Perfect. Then I’ll leave you to it. I assume you’re going to leave... through the window?

Peter responded with an embarrassed smile.

George couldn’t help but laugh.

— Go ahead then. I’ll tell them you’ve recovered. And don’t worry: I’ll take care of the medical bills.

— Thank you, sir!

A few seconds later, Peter opened the window.

Then he launched himself into the darkness of the night.

George spent a few moments watching the city.

Before leaving the room as well.

As promised, he informed the medical staff that the young patient was doing perfectly fine.

He then paid the medical expenses.

And left the hospital.

But barely had he stepped through the building’s doors when he suddenly stopped.

— Damn... I forgot to ask for his number.

He shook his head.

Then a slight smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

— Well... it’s not like we’re never going to see each other again. Besides, Gwen and he are friends. I’ll just ask her.

Parker House — Living Room — Night

— I hope Aunt May isn’t here...

Peter opened the front door.

And was immediately greeted by the glow of the television.

Sitting on the couch, Aunt May turned her head toward him.

Her face instantly lit up.

She practically jumped out of her seat.

— Hi Peter! So, how was your day?

— Well... I guess there’s my answer...

Before he could even respond, she wrapped him in an incredibly enthusiastic hug.

Peter could almost feel his ribs protesting.

— I’m okay, Aunt May, but... you’re crushing me a little. It’s only been one day since we last saw each other...!

— One day without you is already too much!

She continued squeezing him tightly.

Then her gaze fell on the visible marks on his face.

Her expression immediately changed.

— Peter! What happened to you? Did you get into a fight?!

— W-What?! No! Of course not! I just... got scratched by a cat!

The moment the words left his mouth, Peter wanted to smack himself.

What a ridiculous excuse.

Aunt May narrowed her eyes.

— Hmm... you’re not lying to me, are you?

Peter forced a smile.

— No, I promise.

She continued staring at him for a few seconds.

Then finally sighed.

— Alright... I believe you. Do you want something to eat?

— No, don’t bother. I’ll finish yesterday’s leftovers. You should get some rest, you must be exhausted.

May’s expression softened.

— You’re right... good night, sweetheart.

— Good night, Aunt May.

A few minutes later, she went upstairs to bed.

Peter quickly reheated the leftovers from the previous day.

Then he ate before heading up to his room.

Parker House — Peter’s Room — Night

Once he was lying on his bed, he pulled out his phone.

And his blood ran cold.

Several missed calls.

All from Gwen.

— Oh no... she’s going to kill me!

He immediately called her back.

The phone had barely started ringing before Gwen answered.

— Gwen, I’m sorry! You covered for me, I disappeared like a thief, and on top of that I didn’t even answer you and I-

A light laugh interrupted him.

— Wow, slow down! Am I really that scary?

Peter blinked.

— Wait... you’re not angry? Oh, thank God! Thanks, Gw-

— Hold on! I’m still a little offended. You disappeared without any explanation, and I had to distract the supervisor for you.

Peter lowered his eyes slightly.

— Y-You’re right. I’m sorry. Really...

Gwen’s voice immediately softened.

— But still... I know that if you did that, there must’ve been a good reason. So don’t worry, I forgive you. Besides, I’m used to it by now.

Peter felt a smile appear on his face.

— I’m really lucky to have you as a friend... you’re way too nice to me.

— Exactly! And by the way, to thank me, maybe you could take me out sometime?

Peter’s heart nearly skipped a beat.

For a second, he hesitated.

Then he took a deep breath.

And went for it.

— Well, actually... that’s exactly what I was about to ask you.

Silence.

Then:

— W-What?!

Peter immediately felt his nervousness return.

— W-Would you like to go out tomorrow? It’s been forever since we’ve spent time together, just the two of us. You know...? Like the good old days.

This time, the silence lasted longer.

Peter could almost imagine Gwen blushing on the other end of the phone.

Finally, she replied in a much softer voice.

— ...Are you serious?

— Yes. But if you don’t want to, I’ll understand and-

— Tomorrow, 2:00 PM.

Peter froze.

— Huh?

He could hear the smile in her voice.

— Meet me downtown, near the sweet drinks stand.

Peter instantly felt his cheeks heat up.

— O-Okay! Got it!

The conversation came to an end.

Gwen hung up.

Meanwhile, in his room, Peter was lying on his bed, his heart racing.

But what he didn’t know...

Was that Gwen was in an even worse state than he was.

The Stacy Apartment — Gwen’s Room — Night

She remained frozen for a few seconds.

Then her face lit up.

— H-He asked me out! Just the two of us... him and me...!

She hugged her phone against her chest.

Her cheeks bright red.

A small squeal of joy escaped her.

Then a familiar voice echoed from the living room.

— Gwen? Gwen sweetheart, are you there?

Gwen immediately jumped.

— Uh... yes, Dad, I’m coming!

She quickly put away her phone.

Then left her room.

The Stacy Apartment — Living Room — Night

George Stacy was sitting in the living room when she arrived.

He looked up at her.

— So, how was your day?

Gwen sat down beside him.

— The day was a little eventful, but I’m okay. The guy they call Spider-Man saved me while I was on my way to school. Because of all that, I arrived late... but at least I wasn’t hurt.

George couldn’t hold back a discreet smile.

— Well now... he saved both of us... on the same day. That kid is truly incredible. Thanks for looking after her, Peter.

Gwen slightly frowned.

— Hey! Are you listening to me, Dad?!

George immediately returned to reality.

— Huh? Yes, sorry. What were you saying?

— I was saying that I’m going out tomorrow.

— Oh really? With friends or by yourself?

Gwen slightly looked away.

— No... with Peter.

At those words, a smile immediately appeared on George’s face.

A smile Gwen knew very well.

And one she would describe without hesitation as evil.

— With Peter... really...?

— Yes, with Peter. Why? Do you have a problem with that?

George gently shook his head.

— Not at all... but admit it, you like him, don’t you? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him, but I remember the way you used to talk about him. You even told me he was the boy you wanted to mar-

— DAD! Stop it, be quiet! I was little, it’s way too embarrassing to hear that now!

George laughed softly.

Then his expression softened.

— But you still like him, don’t you?

Gwen remained silent for a few seconds.

Before answering quietly.

— ...Yes.

Her cheeks immediately turned scarlet.

She hid her face behind her hands.

George watched her with affection.

— In that case, that’s reassuring. Peter is a good boy. I’ve known him since he was little: he’s brilliant, kind, courageous, and I know he cares about you. Your mother would’ve said the same thing. So tomorrow, enjoy yourself and have fun.

Gwen slightly lifted her head.

A huge smile lit up her face.

— Really... thank you, Dad.

George answered with a warm smile.

Then he suddenly seemed to remember something.

— By the way... could you give me his number?

Gwen blinked.

— Huh? Yeah, but why?

— Oh, nothing special. Just to chat with him a little when I have time. Check on how he’s doing... and on his aunt as well.

— Okay, I’ll send it to you by text.

— Thanks, sweetheart. And... no funny business tomorrow, alright! You’re still very young!

Gwen instantly turned red.

— DAAAD!

TO BE CONTINUED.