42: Angry Tony & Connors Looking for Peter

Main City Road.

Tony sped his R8 full throttle toward the charity event. 

Beside him, Yinsen white-knuckled the door handle. 

He regretted following Tony here - better to have stayed home.

"Relax. Trust me." 

"Hehehe... Tony watch the road! Watch the road!"

...

After a torturous half hour, they finally arrived. 

Tony stepped out dashingly. 

Yinsen looked queasy. 

"Take care of him, I'll go first."

Tony casually tossed his keys to the valet and entered solo.

His arrival made waves, instantly the center of attention. 

All were handled by him. 

At the bar. 

Tony picked up a wineglass, having come to see who hosted this in his name.

"Mr. Stark."

Beside Tony, Phil Coulson spoke up. 

With Tony holed up, he'd lacked chances to approach him.

Now seeing Tony, Phil felt nervous inside. 

He knew Tony's typical arrogance. 

Rarely engaging strangers, especially uninvited ones. 

"You are?"

"Agent Phil Coulson." 

Phil presented his ID upfront, feeling it the only way to grab Tony's attention.

For to the elite, they remained just stronger ordinary people.

"Yes, yes, you're the one..." 

Tony didn't know his agency.

"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division" 

S.H.I.E.L.D's public name. 

"Gosh, that's a mouthful. You guys really changed names." 

"Yes, many say that hearing it."

Feeling Tony's impatience, Phil cut to the chase. "We deeply sympathize with your recent ordeal." 

"But I'm hoping you'll make time for a debrief." 

Just then, a shapely back caught Tony's eye - his assistant Pepper.

And Pepper was wearing...

A dress hotter than ever before. 

"Certainly, I'll have my girl set something up, how's in five days at seven pm? I've business with her presently." 

Tony perfunctorily shook Phil's hand.

He'd forget five days later anyway. 

Ignoring Phil's eyes, Tony went to Pepper on the dance floor. 

They danced briefly before leaving together. 

Phil could only stand there awaiting orders.

Soon Tony returned inside from outside.

As Phil moved to approach, he saw another beauty making for Tony. 

"F*ck, how do rich guys predestine women!" 

"She's gorgeous!"

Under Phil's envious gaze, the woman already addressed Tony.

"Tony Stark, fancy seeing you here." 

Tony found her familiar but initially couldn't place her. 

"Carly..."

Tony improvised, having forgotten her name. 

"Christine..."

"I remember now!" 

Tony did recall she was his date the night he saw the mystery mech.

"I've found you rather untrustworthy lately." 

Tony frowned. "I think I'm pretty credible." 

Christine produced photos. "Know this place called Gulmira?"

She laid them on the bar. 

Seeing their content, Tony's expression darkened. 

Weapons, Stark Industries weapons, and with intact serial numbers. 

Numbers of arms he'd ordered destroyed. 

How did they end up here?

A notion occurred to Tony! 

He took the photos and exited the hall.

At the entrance, Obadiah handled reporters. 

Tony stepped up. "What's with Gulmira?" 

"Tony, relax. I've kept the board at bay for you." Obadiah murmured. 

To the press he wore a friendly face. "Tony, eyes ahead. Let's get a group shot." 

"Are you dealing behind my back?"

Obadiah whispered while chomping his cigar, "Don't be naive, who do you think hosted this, and moved you off the board?" 

He then resumed with the reporters, leaving Tony stunned.

He never imagined Uncle Obadiah, who'd watched over him since his parents passed, could act this way. 

However cocky Tony was, he knew he'd never mistreated Obadiah. 

Why would he do this?

"Hey, didn't you go in? Why are you standing here?"

About to enter, Yinsen saw Tony alone and came over. 

Tony clenched the photos. "Let's go, back home!"

Yinsen: "???"

I just recovered from one car ride...

But seeing Tony's urgency, Yinsen knew something was up.

Grimacing, he followed. "I'm cursed!" 

In the car, Tony explained what happened. 

Yinsen reflected. "Gulmira..." 

"You know it?"

"Yes, near the cave where we were held. Also Ten Rings territory." 

The Ten Rings again!

They'd abducted him too. 

And now buying his destroyed weapons. 

Tony had an inkling, yet didn't want to believe it. 

Maybe just coincidence. 

"What will you do?"

"Since I ordered them destroyed, they'll be destroyed." 

Tony floored it, engine roaring down the boulevard...

...

New York sewers. 

A shadow flitted through dim tunnels. 

The wind pressure shook passing manholes. 

In a small alley.

An interracial couple was getting intimate. 

Sudden manhole rattling spooked the black woman. "Jess, something's over there?"

"What, what is it?" 

"It's just us here, babe." 

Jess heard nothing. 

Reassured by him, she closed her eyes again.

When she opened them, she screamed. 

"What..."

Jess's headless body gushed blood before her. 

Behind him loomed an enormous silhouette in the gloom. 

Then a giant maw descended.

The now headless woman was also dragged into the sewer.

In the sewer, a platform was piled with bones. 

After eating, Lizard-Connors muttered, "Peter, I'm coming for you." 

But he recalled the metal man - the Emperor - from pursuing Peter. 

An animal's core drive is survival. Lizard-Connors was highly instinctive. 

The Emperor's blow nearly killed him. Only his extreme healing saved him.

Lizard-Connors' slit pupils turned, emanating chill. 

He seemed to be devising a counterplan.

His pupils flashed an odd yellow light before he slipped into the dark sewer.

...

New York streets. 

Dozens of gangsters lay battered, moaning painfully. 

Many were stuffed in trash cans.

Amidst them stood two figures in white and red. 

"You're Spider-Woman?"

The red figure was the lawyer Matt Murdock, Daredevil. 

Gwen inspected Daredevil up close for the first time. 

"Yes, I'm Spider-Woman." 

Gwen said proudly. 

Though blind, Daredevil sensed much else about her.

"Haha, spirited girl. Know whose men you just took down?"

"No... Hey, I'm not a girl, I'm Spider-Woman!" 

Daredevil smiled. "My apologies, Ms. Spider-Woman. These were Kingpin's gang." 

"He's ruthless and vengeful. Expect retaliation."

"Kingpin? Who's that?" 

Gwen had no knowledge of Kingpin. 

Only top figures knew that name.

Daredevil gave no details, lightly vanishing into the night.

"Hey, you didn't finish!" 

Gwen web-swung upward.

But Daredevil had disappeared. 

"Red, can you locate Daredevil?"

"Unable to track him presently, Miss Gwen."

"Oh well, let's keep at it." 

"Stopped two crimes tonight already." 

"Gotta tell Andrew later."

Gwen felt somewhat proud. 

Like a child wanting adult praise for good deeds.

She perched atop a high wall, watching for trouble. 

After some time with no new reports from Red,

"Red, let's head back to Andrew."

"Very well Miss Gwen."

Gwen swung toward 13th Block.

Just before arriving, Red alerted her. "Dr. Connors spotted in Queens!" 

Gwen halted. "Queens? Isn't that Peter's area?"

Without hesitation she web zipped the other way.

"There are complications, Miss Gwen."

"What is it, Red?"

"Chief George is also there per surveillance." 

"Dad? What's he doing over there?"

"Monitoring Peter Parker it seems."

Hearing George was present too, Gwen picked up speed. 

She instructed Red, "Try calling my father."

"Trying now." 

Shortly after, Red responded "Call failed, his phone was off after last speaking to your mother."

"Mom..." 

Gwen now wondered what was happening.

After confirming she was home, George had turned off his cell to avoid disrupting the operation. 

"Call Peter then."

"Mr. Parker has been in a signal blocking area since entering Osborn Industries today..."

Having tapped police channels and dispatch, Red knew the NYPD's actions and plans extensively. 

"Damn, how long until we arrive?"

"You will take nine minutes at current velocity, Dr. Connors five minutes."

"Faster..."

Gwen could only pray George's team did not confront Connors directly. 

If anything went wrong...

She wouldn't forgive herself.

Elsewhere. 

Amid spiritual training, Andrew suddenly opened his eyes, awoken by Red.

He regarded the computer. "What is it?"

Red summarized the Lizard-Connors situation, and Gwen enroute to intercept. 

"Peter, what's he doing at Osborn's? Could he be..."

If Andrew recalled right, Dr. Connors ultimately reverted human. 

Thanks to a serum Peter developed...

"How long until Gwen gets there?"

"Miss Gwen requires nine minutes, Connors five." 

Andrew donned another custom earbud. 

"Let's go see for ourselves then."

He took out the Emperor's Belt. 

"Emperor's Armor...Combine!" 

"Armor fusion!"

With Gwen's destination, Andrew had coordinates. 

No need to fly. 

"Teleport!"

...To be continued.

***

Note : 

"I decided to merge two chapters into one to create a more engaging reading experience while simultaneously expanding the word count. There is no drop in quality"

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