Elimination

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***

Downtown Manhattan. New York City. 15:00.

The office building in one of New York's tallest towers was striking in its scale and splendour. Spacious, with clean marble floors. From the front door, to the wall of the room, at the end of which stood a massive red oak desk, were special stair risers. The centre and descending row, all the way to the exit.

At the table sat a man in a strict black suit, but what was remarkable about him was his skin of a greyish-light shade, in the shadows it seemed granite.

The man was looking thoughtfully out the panoramic window of his office and contemplating a pressing problem.

Lincoln Thompson had been in business for a long time. This year would be exactly thirty years. He'd started out as a twelve-year-old boy. If anyone found out that the Big Boss's first business was trying to steal ice cream.....

Tombstone laughed. If only the old friend hadn't chickened out then. Anyway, it's a thing of the past. A lot of water has passed since then. He's become smarter, more cold-blooded. Though there was a period of turbulent youth before that.

Joining Silvio Manfredi's gang was Thompson's first good card. He went all the way from an ordinary six to personal bodyguard and punishing executioner of the then boss of the New York underworld.

Grey-haired.

Old school. Before Fisk. But of course, as soon as Tombstone had the opportunity to take his place as leader, he took it.

Who knew there'd be so much trouble with new players afterwards?

Silvio had one thing going for him: he was respected and feared.

Right now, it was Big Man and Kingpin who were the biggest players. But there was no unity of power.

Though Lincoln would be lying if he said he wasn't happy with everything. Fisk had proven himself to be a reasonable partner. And meddling in affairs... the screw-up happened on Tombstone land, so it was up to him to fix it.

But that doesn't mean the moment of disrespect has been forgiven or forgotten.

- Boss, you paged?

Lincoln turned round.

Sledgehammer. A very promising assistant. A relic from the days of Greyface. His support after the overthrow of the previous king was invaluable. Still, an old friend to watch out for, who knows when the titan forehead will get tired of serving?

- Yeah, we're talking. I take it the Thunderbirds didn't live up to expectations?

- Boss.

- We can't afford any weakness at this time. The enemies are watching our affairs relentlessly. Another mistake could cost us our privileged position.

- Do you have a plan?

- The thugs were a rather famous and expensive solution to our spider problem. And they haven't lived up to the hype. So I thought, tell me, Sledgehammer, which mercenary is the best?

Lawfully the gangster shrugs his shoulders.

- The one about whom it is very difficult to find information. Fortunately, I managed - Big Boss took from the table a notebook with a pen and began to write something, - here is the address, tomorrow you come, give our friend an advance payment and a picture of the target.

- That's it?

- Professionals don't waste their time on trivialities.

***

Seconds count.

No margin for error.

It's one chance or death.

- Ulta!

- Oh, no, Pete, you can't hit that combo.

Pressing every button on the gamepad in unimaginable combinations, Osborne hits an unbroken streak that marks Parker's unconditional defeat in the virtual battle.

- YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. And with the series at 3-2, it's Harry Osborne who wins!

- The button on my controller was stuck," I pull out my phone, rolling my eyes.

- Yeah, tell me about it," Gar pours himself a Pepsi.

After talking things over, Harry and I decided to devote today to finding out who the champion of Mortal Kombat was.

- By the way, Pete, did you do your summer projects?

- Back in June.

- Can you help me with one of them? Physics, you know how I am with physics.

- You mean Miss Simons' paper? Chapters one to seven, all the information's in there.

- It's nearly 100 pages, Pete! Help me, please!

- OK, how about tomorrow?

- Done, we'll do a spot of pissing and moaning.

- I'd like to continue our entertaining duel, but Uncle Ben needs help. Bye, Gar.

- Good luck Pete," disconnecting the second controller, Ozborn continued his battle with Shao Kahn.

***

- Hello, Uncle?

- Pete, you coming?

- Yeah. Buy anything?

- I've got all the materials, now I just need you to be there.

- Then I'm on my way, Uncle, I'll end the call.

And this time the expression will be literal. Looking for the nearest alley and amongst the city's so beautiful and familiar rubbish nooks, Peter Parker gets lost and the Amazing Spider-Man enters the scene.

Firing two strands, I bounce off, betraying my body with just the right amount of acceleration. Once I'm among the skyscrapers, I begin my steady flight.

It's amazing how quickly one can get used to such stunning things like jumping several kilometres high? After only seven months, I can't imagine my life without them.

I get to Queens in 20 minutes. I'm in a good mood and there's no traffic.

- I'm home!

- Hey, Peter, Ben's in the basement.

- Hi, Aunt May," I walk over and kiss my relative on the cheek. - How's it going?

- Good, and you're in high spirits, I see.

- Full of vigour and energy!

- What has had such an effect on you, young man? - Auntie asks slyly.

- Life is booming, what's not to be happy about?

- Young years. You know, when I was your age I felt the same way, especially after I met Ben.....

- Ah, I'm coming, Uncle! - I'm flying down to the basement to the laughter of my aunt.

- Hey, champ, that was fast.

- I had to make up for my mistake.

I put on my boots and take a torch.

- I know we said we'd deal with the flood today, but you could have stayed with your mates. Trust me, your old uncle can still handle one rotten pipe.

- I don't doubt that in the slightest. But I promised to help, and family is the most important responsibility of all.

- That's good to know. You don't usually forget anything, was there a reason this time?

- There's more than one.

- Undoubtedly the most important one of all, living next door and making you hover in the clouds? - Ben slyly points out

- Just when I thought I'd avoided a romantic discussion with Aunt May, you attack from the lee of the wind, Uncle. What about male solidarity?

- Come on, Pete, don't blame old people for being curious, come on!

- Oh, all right. Not much to tell. We went to a restaurant, sat around, reminisced about our childhood. Towards the end, we got really candid...

I decided to stretch the time and tease my uncle.

Why? I don't like to talk about my private life. Not even to people close to me.

- И?

- We confessed our feelings for each other. So now Mary Jane and I are dating.

- Good for you, nephew. Congratulations.

- Thank you," I accept my uncle's kindly embrace.

- Just remember to use protection.

- What?! - I stare in shock.

I really didn't expect it.

- Come on, man. I was young too, and I know exactly what boys your age are thinking. Girls think about it just as much, by the way. Or do you think the saying that they grow up before we do is just a story?

- Wow.

In canon, Ben Parker left early, and he and Pete could have had a conversation like that.

- Let's just keep working.

***

It took me and my uncle a few hours. We didn't completely clean up the flooding, but I can tell you that even this unpleasant job with Ben was fun. And May could handle the rest of the puddles.

- My father and Richard always said, 'There's nothing like a good job,'" Uncle Ben said, tossing me a bottle of water.

As I sipped the life-giving water, I asked a question that had long plagued me.

- Uncle, what was my father like?

As if on cue, Ben Parker's happy face a moment ago was illuminated by a shadow. And whether it was sadness or resentment is unclear.

- Your father loved you and your mum very much, Peter. He was a good man.

You could never get more from your uncle. Is the Parker couple's life story as Shield agents being repeated in this reality, too?

- I understand, Uncle Ben, thank you," I replied with fake calm.

- So what are your plans? - Uncle Ben changed the subject as tactfully as he could.

With a squeak, but it worked.

- Actually, there are quite a lot of them. To begin with, I've had a chance to work with a first-class journalist in the editorial office. You can say he is a legend of the old guard and prepares an investigation of the criminal syndicate, the head of which hides behind the mask of a decent businessman and philanthropist.

- That sounds very dangerous," said my uncle, frowning.

- Honestly, it is. But I think it's worth the risk. Besides, I'm just a part-time photographer.

- That's true, too. Besides, your sudden adolescent development will be useful," Ben smirks, pointing at my muscles, "I'm sure you won't go to waste.

- Right! Also a few projects...

- Why do you lock yourself in the basement so often at night?

- Labs. And yes.

It's nice that I can hide my "experiments" behind my Spider-Man nighttime activities.

- Just don't get lost in the action, you know girls don't like to be forgotten," the old man winks.

- I'm aware of that," I roll my eyes and pull out my phone, "Speaking of birds.

"Good morning, Tiger! The weather outside is just right for a walk, are you in?"

I smirk looking at the message, for a second, from my girlfriend! Yeah, never gets boring.

"Hello, my sleepyhead. It's twelve on the clock, so it's not morning, it's afternoon)"

"When you're up, it's morning. So what about the walk?"

"Pack up, I'll pick you up in 15 minutes."

"I'm waiting))"

- Looks like my day is just beginning, I'm off uncle.

- Good luck Casanova! - Without turning round, I wave at the cackling old man.

I run into the lab, methodically checking projects and reagents, making sure that nothing explodes in my absence. I grab my rucksack, throw my suit and shooters in it. I walk over to the mirror and see a sturdy, handsome man of average height in my reflection. I comb my hair, a little perfume, and boom! I'm ready.

*

At the Watson family home.

I knock on the door, and a moment later, MJ opens it.

- Hey, Pete," the girl stands up on her toes and kisses me.

- Hey, gorgeous, honestly, were you peeking through the peephole?

- Maybe a little. You ready?

I just offer the girl my hand in return. We hold hands and walk down the pavement.

- To the park?

- To the park!

- So, Mr Parker, what can you share?

- In terms of?

- I'm moving to Midtown, and school starts pretty soon. I need information.

- You want to gossip?

- Gather information!

- Okay, okay, I'm kidding. What exactly are you interested in?

- What people study, what groups are formed, what usually happens, that sort of thing.

- Wow! I don't even know where to start. Standard high school: jocks, nerds, regular high school kids. No frills.

- Very informative. What about your company?

- Me?

- Obviously, you're not a nerd anymore. But you're also a little too--

- Smart?

- Pragmatic. You've always had a problem with that path.

- That's true, Carrot-top. There are a few people in "my" company, as you put it: first Harry Osborne, you may remember he came to visit me a couple of times when I was a kid, you may have crossed paths.

- I do, vaguely.

- Then there's Miles Morales, cool guy, moderately smart, moderately geeky. Good friend.

- Yeah.

- And Gwen Stacey. Daughter of a cop. Transferred in last year, so I think you two will be friends.

- Gwen.

- Whoa, is that a growling note of jealousy, kitten?

- Not at all! And, wait, kitten?

- Since I'm Tiger, you're a kitten.

- Why not Tigress?

- You may be a Tigress to everyone around you, but you're a kitten to me," I whispered in her ear, wrapping my hands around her waist in a tight lock of my own.

MJ trembled slightly in my arms and blushed.

But such a romantic moment was interrupted by a thunderous roar.

- PAAARKER! - across the park was a shrieking Kenny Kong, running towards us, followed by Gloria Grant.

- Kenny, you could have been a little less rude. We're obviously interrupting Peter and... I'm sorry, I don't know your name," the dark-skinned girl said in an apologetic tone.

-Come on, Gloria, we haven't seen Parker all summer! - laughed Kong while munching on a hot dog.

- I'm Mary Jane Watson, I'd like you to meet me," MJ shook Gloria's hand. - Are these your friends, Tiger?

- You could say that, Mary. The fat guy who can fit thirty hamburgers is Kenny Kong. And his lovely companion is Gloria Grant. They're my classmates, and in the future, yours.

- Ha! "Tiger," you heard Gloria. Very fitting for our Petey," Kong tried to take me in his grasp and "wrangle" my head, but I twisted away.

- Careful, King Kong, you'll ruin your hair.

- Kenny, stop it, you're embarrassing us! - After reprimanding the athlete, the girl continued the conversation. - So, Mary, you transferred to our school?

- Yes. I moved here from Boston. I live with my aunt. Peter and I are neighbours and we've known each other since we were kids.

- You don't just know each other," she slyly shot her eyes at our interlocked fingers.

- Nothing can escape you, Gloria. Have you thought of opening a private detective agency?

- Don't be rude, Tiger.

- It's just a joke, kitten. So what brings you to the park this fine afternoon, isn't it a date?

Judging by the flushed face of not only Gloria, but Kong as well, I hit a ten.

- That's great, would you like to come with us?

Ehhh, spontaneity. That's what MJ's all about. Although she doesn't know I don't like Kong much because of my past. But maybe it's time to change that.

- Oh, great suggestion, if we're not interrupting? - and of course all eyes are on me.

Mary's questioning and Kong and Gloria's wary.

- I don't think I'd turn down the opportunity to have MJ solicit information about the school from more than just me.

- Great! - shrieks the redhead and grabs Gloria under her arm.

When the girls had moved a respectful distance away, Kenny came up to me with a very uncharacteristic expression on his face-serious.

- I mean, is everything okay?

- Don't sweat it, Kong. Of course, all your fuck-ups, my dear athletes, I won't soon forget, but maybe the appearance of this beauty is your only chance for my calm and even friendly attitude.

- I hope we don't disappoint," Kenny replied, smiling.

I couldn't help but respond with a slight smirk.

- I didn't think my attitude was that important.

- After humiliating Flash? I don't really want to be in his shoes," Kong raised his hands in a 'surrender' gesture.

We both laughed after that.

- Okay, the girls are calling us, let's go, Kongster.

*

It was a very pleasant walk. I didn't expect to say that with one of the school's football team's goons in my company. Although Kong was quite a jolly fellow.

It was Gloria's positive influence.

After the park, we went to a pizza place. We ordered three mushroom pepperoni, two of which Kenny ate alone. Where does that fit in there?

Mary and Gloria got down to their favourite female pastime: gossiping. Although, needless to say, I listened just as attentively.

The big news of the summer holidays is that all is not well in paradise!

Word has it that Flash and Liz had a big fight in Hawaii. Could this be the break-up of the royal high school couple?

And then there was the small stuff. Sally Ervell started dating Randy Robertson. Too bad for Robbie's son, that bitch is gonna get all the juice out of him. The prom's moved to mid-October this year, and so on and so forth.

- Look, Mary, Peter's reputation has grown since last year, if he shows up at the ball with a girl like you, you've got a good chance of being king and queen of the school!

That's an unexpected offer.

- I don't know, Glory, I'm not sure my paperwork will be processed until mid-October. The last time the administration mentioned early November. Distance home schooling until then," Emerald eyes looked at me uncertainly.

- I'll always help with everything," a supportive smile. Mary also responded with a smile.

- Don't worry, MJ, and besides, you don't have to be a student to come with a student from our school.

- That's a thing for a while, now let's eat!

- Kenny, you just ate two pizzas.

- Just two," Kong said with a philosophical thumbs-up.

- And about the prom, I'm sure there won't be any problems," I summed up the discussion, taking a slice of the remaining pizza.

- Do you mind?

- Why would I mind?

- I didn't think you liked these meetings.

- You've got to get over yourself sometime," I shrugged and took a bite.

Wow, that's pretty good, I'll have to remember the place.

"Stan's." Huh.

***

We'd been sitting there for quite a while, and it was getting late, so it was time to call it a night.

After saying goodbye to our classmates, MJ and I headed home.

- You know, they're pretty cute.

- Gloria always has been, and Kong's changes are nothing but her favourable influence.

- I couldn't help but notice your slight...tension?

- I remember when we were dating, you said you saw me when you first arrived and I looked "like a real bookworm."

- You don't take offence, do you?

- Not once. But, as you realise, things weren't very reputable for a guy like that, and the Conga Company, led by our irreplaceable master athlete, Flash Thompson, liked to pick on "Beggar Parker".

- But something had changed, hadn't it? I could see in Kenny's eyes the caution he was trying to use with you.

- And the attempt to trap me?

- I'm guessing wanting to relax by acting normal. And don't dodge the question," my girl frowned slightly.

- Of course, Oprah. Just like Gloria said, my reputation, in the last year, has taken a steep dive. It's all about me deciding to fight back. It helped.

- Was there a fight?

- More like a beating," I smile grimly, but, noticing Mary's slightly startled look, I add cheerfully, "of course, then I gave Flash my hand and offered a reconciliation. It's just that it doesn't come immediately.

- I see.

Our journey continued in silence. Mary was thinking about her own things, and I was worried about whether I'd shown too much of my "dark" self.

When I reached the Watson house, I kissed MJ goodbye and went home.

It was evening, which meant it was time for patrol.

***

An hour earlier, dock area.

Hammerhead really didn't like what had been going on lately.

First the total screw-up with the Thunderbirds, who he'd recommended to the boss. Now a strange assignment, with no explanation, and yet Bigman had always trusted him, after overthrowing Silvermine.

- "Picture and money, leave on the container," quoted the boss's instructions to Hard Forehead.

Climbing to the top cover, Sledgehammer complied with the instructions and began to descend. A sharp whirring sound made him turn around. The only thing he saw was the silhouette of a man in grey-purple armour resembling a bug suit....

- Fucking freaks!

***

Between the high-rises.

Spider-Man.

Flying over New York City, what could be better?

As long as it's nice and quiet.

I stopped three crimes today. One was a bank robbery. The guys were heavily armed, and it's not like there were 12 of them.

The criminals suddenly stepped up, it's weird.

Spider sense!

The thread on which I was swinging was cut by a blade. As I fell, I caught my footing on the wall of the skyscraper and looked around. Opposite me, hovering in the air on jet propulsion from his satchel, was a guy in a grey and purple suit. Was it...

- A bug?

The villain pointed his hands at me and started firing from his wrists.

I duck, pondering. So, a mercenary whose services even dictators don't shy away from. What does he want with my humble persona? I'm not sure I'm ready to fight him. The charges of his weapon are already a strange subject. A cross between a plasma laser and classic bullets. Interesting technology. I'd like to study it.

OK, nerd thoughts aside, I've got a professional mercenary here, hungry for my blood!

- Nice suit, are the wings on the jetpack for aerodynamics or just for beauty? - Spider-Man's first rule is never shut up.

Of course, the mercenary didn't answer. He silently began poking buttons on his wrist.

Again the alarming ringing of the flair.

Oh, come on!

From Beetle's shoulder-mounted launchers sprang... missiles.

Is this a fucking joke?

I run across the roof and use the full potential of my spider agility to dodge the missiles.

Hiding behind the air conditioner.

What do I know? High-tech suit, armed to the teeth, jetpack. Doesn't work for food. I mean, it's probably just another gift from the mysterious head of the underworld.

Okay, here's an idea.

- Hey, bug, come with me!

I cling to the nearest building and fly away.

The criminal doesn't keep me waiting and rushes after me.

All right, so far so good. If I'm not mistaken, the intersection of the two towers is...here.

I land with a roll on the roof and get into a stance.

To my surprise, the bug also comes down to the ground. Before I can say anything, the mercenary extends his arm and a half-metre blade erupts from his wrist.

- Suddenly you realise that transferring the charges of your gauntlets and missiles is a stupid thing to do?

In response, Beetle only waved his palm invitingly.

With my fists out, I began to move towards the enemy, surveying the area. The three water towers were ideally placed, the most important thing was that he didn't get the idea.

The beetle got tired of waiting and rushed at me with his blade. Dodging sharply from the blade, I intercepted the enemy by the wrist and added kinetic energy to throw him into the nearest tower.

It wasn't enough force for him to smash through it, but it was enough to send him floating inside.

Whether from surprise or shock, Beetle was stuck in the tower for a full twenty seconds. But I didn't think the fight would end so quickly.

- I can't tell because of the mask and your silence, but I'm sure you're pretty angry! - I commented on the wet Beetle jumping out of the broken turret.

The mercenary still moved silently towards me, but activated his jetpack before approaching.

Still, he decided not to fly away, but to give himself the advantage in hand-to-hand combat.

As he released his second blade, he drew closer. Dodging an attack like that isn't even close to the level of a Gromila. I miss a kick to the chin and end up on the edge of the roof. And Beetle doesn't think he's gonna give me a second to breathe.

Truly a world-class mercenary. Methodical, cold-blooded, ruthless.

But he's only human.

Dodging sharply from another swing, I grab my enemy's arms and break him, hitting him with the palm of my hand at the articulation of his elbow.

For the first time in the entire fight, Beetle let out a quiet sound like a groan. Still, it's worth remembering that his suit is primarily armour. So it's unlikely I knocked out his arm. It's probably dislocated.

Realising it wasn't worth messing with me on the ground, Beetle decided to fly away.

- Not so fast - having shot two strands of the enemy in the satchel, I twist it with all my might and launch it into the second water barrel.

I have thirty seconds at best, I need to get ready.

I jump back to the third barrel and make preparations.

I raise my head and notice a mercenary flying aggressively in my direction.

- Seeker and Seeker flies, - I jump away from the beam and in the air caught on the enemy who flew past me.

Pressing on my backpack, I change the direction of the mercenary's movement and launch him into the third barrel. I jump back and hang upside down on the inner roof of the tower.

- I hope your suit is damaged enough," I commented to the bug that had emerged from the water.

I shoot out a thread and activate the electric web. The beetle starts convulsing from the electrical discharges.

I jump out of the tower, which has suddenly become the point of death. Just kidding, water and current are not a good combination.

Once on the roof of the building, I look up at the tower. A minute after me, the Beetle comes out, albeit with difficulty.

- How much do you need?!

I guess my shouting scared the mercenary. Or maybe it was a throwing throw of a broken metal mount?

Either way, the enemy decided to leave the battlefield.

- No way - I shoot out a strand of webbing and snag Beetle's boot.

Suddenly, the boot detaches. And now, I'm holding part of the mercenary's equipment and Beetle himself, burning all his fuel just to get away.

I didn't think he'd give up his gear so easily. Though it was unlikely that anything useful could be extracted from it after the shock bath. But it's worth a try.

There's a much more important topic, will the mercenary return from his failure? Beetle doesn't like to leave a job unfinished. Either way, I'll be as ready as he is.

***

Office in downtown New York, late at night.

Lincoln Thompson sat in his office, thinking.

The situation in the city was heating up. Nearly five years of peaceful rule with the other authorities of the New York underworld. The spheres of power had been distributed, and everything was going smoothly. But disturbances began to appear.

In Hell's Kitchen, in Ambal's territory, a vigilante began to operate. Locals called him Daredevil.

And now Tombstone's territory is not so quiet either. Spider-Man. He's been a pain from day one.

The original idea to take out the upstart with their own main forces was a complete failure. Not only were over twenty soldiers out of action for months, but Spider had managed to get away.

Then he had hoped that the Thugs would try their best to redeem themselves, but in the end they were tied up by the police. And even Lincoln's best lawyers couldn't exonerate them. Illegal weapons, damage to city property, flying an unregistered aircraft, robbery. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Bigman's hopes are now pinned on a world-class mercenary. And the price tag on that kind of manpower is steep. And although the gold in Lincoln's pockets will not soon show the bottom, the fact that he has to think about money at all, a very alarming bell. After all, the spider has interrupted too many operations. Including a major heist.

Abruptly the door to the balcony of Tombstone's office swung open.

In the doorway appeared the figure of a mercenary, of whom Lincoln had only a rough portrait. And the Big Boss didn't like what he saw, because Beetle looked too battered.

- Job done?

A briefcase landed at Tombstone's feet.

- "Personal," was all the mercenary said, and then he left.

Taking the briefcase and opening it, Thompson sighed heavily. Of the ten million paid for the contract, Beetle had returned only five. No wonder, a mercenary of his level could afford it, but with this failure, his reputation in the right circles would be ruined.

Once again, Spider survived.

- Perhaps it's time to change tactics? - Questioned Big Boss into the void.