Chapter 58 Slums (12)

Vice Captain Eddie Thompson assembled his team of 20 police officers in the rough streets of the slums, their expressions showing determination mixed with annoyance. But before explaining their mission, he couldn't resist expressing his irritation about the bothersome reporters.

"Finally, we got rid of those reporters. They're like hyenas," he muttered, shaking his head in annoyance. "It's because of those reporters that our operation got halted. Tsk."

The officers nodded in agreement, their expressions reflecting the shared frustration at the delay caused by the media's meddling.

"Are you ready, boys?" Vice Captain Thompson asked, seeking affirmation from his team.

"Yes, sir," came the unanimous response from the officers, their determination clear despite the annoyance caused by the reporters.

With the brief acknowledgment of their shared annoyance out of the way, Vice Captain Thompson refocused the team's attention on the task at hand. It was time to set aside their frustrations and focus on the mission—to infiltrate the slums, locate the captives, and bring them to safety.

With a nod from Vice Captain Thompson, the team set off, their footsteps echoing on the rough, cracked streets of the slums. They moved through tight alleyways and poorly lit paths, keeping an eye out for any signs of danger.

After reaching the location designated by Captain Edward, Vice Captain Thompson and his team found themselves facing a big base in the middle of the slums. It looked rough but sturdy, standing out among the rundown surroundings.

"Alright, team, let's move in," he ordered, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. The officers nodded in unison, their expressions resolute as they prepared to breach the base and confront whatever awaited them inside.

With cautious steps, they approached the entrance, their senses alert for any signs of danger. Vice Captain Thompson signaled for the team to spread out, ensuring they covered all angles as they advanced.

As Vice Captain Thompson and his team continued to search the base, they came upon a room, different from the others they had encountered. Sensing that this might be where the wealthy captives were held, Vice Captain Thompson motioned for the team to stand ready.

With a swift kick, the door gave way, revealing a dimly lit room beyond. Inside, they found a group of wealthy individuals and also terrorist.

Then Vice Captain Eddie aimed his gun at the terrorists, his eyes narrowed with determination, remembering their past encounter. The room grew tense as the police and fugitives squared off, both sides ready for what was about to happen.

"You're all terrorists who got away before!" Vice Captain Eddie's voice rang out with anger, his gun pointed squarely at Jamal and his crew.

Anton stood firm, his loyalty to Jamal as strong as ever. "I told you, Boss Jon, surrendering is not an option," He declared with conviction, "I'd rather die than bow down to scum like him."

(Meanwhile Mark side)

Mark's eyes widened in shock, his face showing a mix of disbelief and fear as he grasped the gravity of the situation. Unsure of what to do next, he looked back and forth between Jamal and the Vice Captain, feeling torn between conflicting emotions.

Beside him, Emily's breath caught in her throat as she witnessed the tense standoff unfolding before her. Her hand flew to her mouth in shock as memories of past trauma rushed back. The sight of guns pointed at each other triggered painful reminders of the school incident, leaving Emily paralyzed with fear and anxiety.

(Tension arose in this situation.)

Then, suddenly, Jamal, let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping under the weight of the accusation. "I understand, Anton," he admitted, his voice tinged with resignation. "But listen, we don't have to hide anymore."

His words hung in the air, the implications sinking in for both his comrades and the police officers. Jamal raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"We've been on the run for too long," Jamal continued, his voice firm despite the seriousness of the situation. "It's time to face the consequences of our actions and try to make things right."

Vice Captain Eddie looked at Jamal with a mix of doubt and cautious hope, relaxing his hold on his weapon a bit. "What are you doing?" he asked, sounding a bit skeptical but also curious about their intentions. "And what exactly is your purpose?"

Meanwhile

As I shot a web at Sephiro's hands, effectively immobilizing both of his arms, I swiftly yanked him out of reach, pulling him away from Chris and Conrad.

With Sephiro distracted by the sudden interruption, I looked around quickly. Chris was on the ground, knocked out, and Conrad was by his side, worried but determined. Even with everything going crazy, I knew I had to keep them safe and stop Sephiro's rampage.

Without hesitation, I charged forward and landed a strong punch on Sephiro before he could react. The impact sent him flying towards the room's wall, the sound of the collision echoing loudly. Despite his toughness, Sephiro grunted in pain as he bounced off the wall, clearly feeling the force of my attack.

Glancing over at Mr. Hilton, I swiftly retrieved the health potion from my inventory. Using my web, I carefully directed it towards Mr. Hilton, urging him to give it to his son Chris.

"Mr. Hilton, catch!" I called out urgently, my voice tinged with urgency. "Make Chris drink this. There's no time to explain."

With urgency in his movements, Conrad caught the potion and swiftly knelt beside his son. His hands trembled slightly as he opened the bottle, pouring its contents into Chris's mouth without delay. "I hope this works," he urged gently, his voice filled with concern. He didn't have time to doubt Spider-Man's words; all he cared about was making sure Chris got the help he needed.

As Conrad kept a close eye on Chris, something incredible happened. Chris woke up suddenly, just like he was coming out of a long nap. Conrad couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that all of Chris's bruises or injuries were gone, like they were never even there.

"Chris, you're awake," Conrad said with a mix of calmness and surprise evident in his expression. He couldn't quite understand how Chris had recovered so quickly, but he was extremely thankful nonetheless.

Chris blinked in confusion, looking around with wide eyes. At first, he seemed a bit lost, but then he noticed something strange. Despite the recent incident, he felt perfectly fine, like all his injuries had just disappeared into thin air.

"What... what just happened?" Chris's voice was filled with wonder and confusion.

Conrad could only shake his head, still trying to make sense of it all. "I... I don't know," he confessed, struggling to comprehend the sudden change. "But you're okay now. That's all that matters.."

"For now, let's focus on Spider-Man's fight," Conrad suggested, his focus turning to the ongoing battle between Spider-Man and Sephiro. With Chris safe and doing well, Conrad's main concern was the fight between Spider-Man and Sephiro.

(Mc Pov)

"How?" Sephiro exclaimed in shock, attempting to move but hindered by his severe injuries. "Aargh!" he grunted in pain, his movements restricted by the extent of his wounds. "How, Spider-Man? What sorcery did you use to heal completely like that?" Sephiro's disbelief was evident as he observed Spider-Man's seemingly unscathed condition.

"Give up, Sephiro. You can't win," I stated firmly, my voice resolute as I confronted him. Despite his injuries, Sephiro was still a formidable opponent, but I knew he didn't stand a chance, especially in his weakened condition.

"Damn you!" Sephiro shouted in frustration, his voice tinged with anger and despair. "Why do you always have to ruin my plans? Why?!" His words were filled with anguish as tears welled up in his eyes, betraying his emotions.

Seeing Sephiro's dramatic breakdown, I couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. Even though we were in the midst of a big fight, watching him cry like that made me feel like I'd taken something really important from him. It was kind of like watching a villain in a soap opera suddenly show their soft side. I mean, who knew bad guys like him could cry like that? It almost made me want to offer him a tissue and a hug... almost.

"I know, Sephiro. I understand what you've been through," I said gently, my voice carrying a note of empathy. "I may not have experienced it myself, but I know what it's like to lose someone important." Despite our differences and the battles we'd fought, in that moment, I felt a connection with Sephiro, bonded by our shared experiences of loss and suffering.

"Spider-Man!" Sephiro's voice rang out, filled with desperation and determination. "If I can't have my revenge, then I must kill all of you!" His words were filled with a chilling resolve as he activated the self-destruct mechanism embedded within his artificial vibranium heart.

My Spider-Sense tingling, signaling danger. I immediately tapped into my chi sense, suddenly I detected a powerful energy building up in Sephiro. It felt like he was about to explode, putting everyone at risk of a massive blast.

Realization dawned on me like a lightning bolt. Sephiro intended to sacrifice himself, taking us all down with him in a massive explosion. Innocent people would get caught in the crossfire. I couldn't allow that to happen.

With a rush of urgency, I shot out my webbing and quickly wrapped it around Sephiro's body, using all my strength to fling him upward into the sky. "Argh!!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs as I sent him soaring higher and higher.

Reaching a critical height, I released the webbing, sending Sephiro flying even higher with the force of the explosion pushing him further away. The blast erupted below, its shockwave spreading out with terrifying force.

Sephiro's voice cut through the chaos with one last shout, "Spider-Man!!!" before he self destruct, causing everything to erupt in a fiery blast.

Luckily, since he were in the higher up, we didn't get hit by the explosion directly. But we still felt the shockwaves, like big invisible waves shaking us up. throwing us around in the air. Even though we were flying a little bit, the blast's power was so strong that it knocked us off course and sent us spinning out of control. It felt like being in the middle of a wild storm, unable to steady ourselves until everything calmed down.

(Meanwhile after the surrender)

The sudden shockwaves left everyone in a state of panic and confusion. The terrorist sensed the tension, his eyes darting around anxiously. Meanwhile, Emily and the other wealthy captives looked worried, their expressions showing fear and uncertainty.

Vice Captain Eddie felt a surge of urgency as he scanned the area, searching for the source of the disturbance. Loe, a 15-year-old with a buzzcut, and Mark, one of the rescued captives, exchanged worried whispers. Mark's eyes widened with Anxiousness, while Loe tightened his grip on his weapon, readying himself for whatever might come next.

"What's going on?" Thomas exclaimed in confusion, his voice filled with disbelief. In his thoughts, he couldn't help but wonder, "Spider-Man, what on earth is going down on your end?"

To be continued