123CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Finale
An Untangled Web
He lay comfortably in his warm bed as he looked up at the ceiling with his right hand behind his head. His clock on the opposite wall and the sun shining through the window on his right indicated it was eleven in the morning; definitely too late for a superhero to be waking up. It had been four days now since the alien empress had been dispatched. The city seemed to be slowly-but-surely pulling itself together after all the carnage, but it was still up to the heroes to offer help. And no-doubt a few small-time crooks would be looking to make a pass on an unaccompanied store or bank. And he was supposed to be out there right now.
But at the moment, he didn't really feel like Spider-Man. He felt like Peter Parker: ordinary man with an ordinary life. He looked over at his left arm, and the beautiful red-headed woman it was wrapped around. The gorgeous creature he had made passionate love to only a few hours ago, and his wife, Mary-Jane Parker. Last night had been their first back in their apartment, and they definitely made it count. He had thought about getting up, but lying there next to the woman he loved just seemed to make everything else fade away. The troubles of a high-flying superhero were put on hold, and feeling her against him just made him feel so human; so normal, and yet so great.
Her left hand lay across his wiry-yet-toned chest, with her right laying under her pillow. His arm wrapped around her back to her left shoulder. She lay peacefully against her pillow without a hint of worry or concern in her soft, perfect face. He pulled his right hand from beneath his head and pulled away some of the loose locks of her silky red hair that blocked his visage of her. He stared at her beauty as she slept, still disbelieving that he was married to such a lovely lady. He couldn't help but smile. He took her left hand in his right before leaning over and kissing her on the cheek. As he leaned back, her pretty eyes fluttered open and she moaned tiredly. He watched a smile curve around her lips as she looked upon him. He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it before speaking.
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
Her reply was sleepy, but still in that sensual voice she used that just radiated love and affection. He rubbed her shoulder with his left hand and pulled her close so he could kiss her forehead. She cuddled up to him and lifted her head up from her pillow with her right hand while tracing her fingers around his muscled chest.
"I had a great time last night, Tiger."
"Was that before or after the amazing sex?"
She giggled just like he'd wanted. Sometimes he just couldn't restrain his lightning-fast wit. It had always been a trait of Spider-Man, but Peter Parker was really starting to enjoy it too. MJ laid her head on his chest and wrapped her left arm around his stomach while scooting her legs up to his. She was so warm. He breathed deeply, both her scent and the morning air, before releasing a satisfied breath.
"Haaa. It's good to be home. Back in our own apartment."
MJ chimed in cheerily.
"And our own bed."
"And no more aliens."
"Amen to that."
Disgusting monsters. It was a wonder he hadn't had nightmares or anything. He could only hope there weren't any left. Of course, three days of S.H.I.E.L.D. scanning hadn't found anything, so they were probably in the clear. Then he remembered his belt light was still broken. Damn it!
No. He wasn't going to get worked up. He'd earned a rest, and he was taking it. Bored with the ceiling, he looked out his window over the city while MJ's soft and steady breathing relaxed him a bit, expunging the negative thoughts. Jeez, everything about her was good for him. He rubbed her shoulder again and gave her another kiss before speaking.
"Well, I was planning on going out on patrol; stop some looters and help put a few buildings back together. But staying in bed sounds nice too."
"Well, either way you can work up a nice sweat. There are plenty of things we could do here in bed..."
He looked down at her smirking face as she rolled over on top of him. He felt her legs straddle him as she engaged him in a slow flurry of deep kisses. Not exactly what he had in mind, but hey; who was he to refuse? He ran his arms up and down her back, attempting to give her a nice massage as he groped her. She in turn traced her hands over his chest and abs. The ringing of a phone call put a slight hitch in the heated moment. MJ spoke between their still-deep kisses.
"Who is it?"
He reluctantly pulled his face away from hers in an attempt to look at the caller ID. He swore, if it was Jameson he would know the guy had it in for him. Fortunately it was Aunt May. Feeling MJ's groping becoming more passionate, he saw the misfortune in that as well. Without another thought he picked up the phone and pressed it to his ear.
"Hi Aunt May."
At the sound of the name, MJ immediately took on a playfully-disappointed pout before coming up and lightly biting his ear.
"Hello. Why, Peter, you sound tired. Am I interrupting something or did you just wake up?"
"No no, we've been up for a while. We were just getting situated."
Too bad spider powers couldn't save him from awkward moments. As MJ stopped her advances and pulled away, she spoke into the receiver.
"Hi May!"
"Hello Mary-Jane."
He watched as MJ stood up from the bed and walked her beautiful... slim...half-naked... form over to the dresser for some clothes. As difficult as it was to focus on Aunt May, he chose the latter. He swung his legs onto the floor and stood up, once again looking out the window.
"What's up, Aunt May?"
"Are you sure the two of you wouldn't rather stay here? That apartment must be so small and drafty, and I have this whole house to myself. And that whole area was plagued by those awful monsters... Are you sure you wouldn't be more comfortable here?"
He looked to his left to see Mary-Jane stark naked in the mirror, and the feelings welling up inside him at that moment more than answered his question.
"No, thank you, but we're just fine here. It's really not that bad. And besides, the Bugle is much closer to here. And moving back in would be such a hassle..."
"I don't mind if you two have sex. Just as long as you keep it modest..."
And that pretty much killed the aura in the whole apartment.
"Aunt May!"
"Oh, hush up. Oh, I'm sorry dear but I have to go. Something is happening on the television. I'll talk to you soon."
"Alright. Love you. Bye."
He turned off the phone and placed it back on the hook before grabbing the remote and turning on the television across from the bed. It was always on the news.
"...super-criminal known as Shocker has made an assault on the First National Bank of Long Island at the center of Times Square. Reports are coming in..."
He turned the tv off and went for the closet next to the window. He opened the trunk within and pulled out his spider-suit, laying it out on the bed. MJ came back from the bathroom still brushing her teeth in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. She stopped brushing as she noticed he was suiting up.
"Heading out again, honey?"
He slipped the shirt on before responding, followed by the web-shooters and gloves.
"Well, you know; a hero's work is never done."
After making sure the boots were nice and tight, he walked over and gave his wife a quick kiss.
"Mmm. Minty-fresh."
"Don't you think you should take a shower?"
"As much as I'd like to, I don't think Shocker's going to wait around. Besides, nobody's going to smell my spider-funk."
"Well, good. More hot water and spider-funk for me. Hehe."
He gave her one more kiss before sliding the mask on.
"I'll be back soon."
"I won't wait up, then."
He slid open the window and stepped out onto the fire escape, placing his wrist to his forehead dramatically.
"Oh, the sarcasm, it's too much. Goodbye cruel world..."
He leaned and fell backwards off the fire escape before turning and spinning a web to a building on his right. As he let the white strand and the forces of gravity & inertia lift him back into the air, he looked back to see MJ waving at him from the fire escape. He turned and blew her a quick kiss before turning again and spinning another web. He felt really bad leaving her so suddenly. It made him curse the powers he had been given, and the responsibility it entailed. But he'd tried giving it up once. Didn't work. It was just his life, and he was convinced of enjoying it no matter what. Now that was the Spider-Man he knew. It may have been hero time now, but he'd be Peter Parker again soon. With that invigorating warmth in his chest and a spring in his step... well, web... he released an excited whoop and let the cool swift breeze of his web-slinging carry him off through the city he loved.
They sat hunched over on their perch, a small bridged hallway connecting two halves of the marble building. It was comfortably situated low enough below the top of the building to avoid being spotted from the air, and high enough that he wouldn't be sighted from the street. The sun was still high in the sky, about noon, and it was a bit cloudy today so their shadow didn't cast down to the street. The cold wind combined with the lack of sun gave the air a brisk feeling. It was a good day; a clean day. The remains of the Xenomorphs had been cleaned out of this area already, so business had continued as normal. They stared at the great concrete block building across the street. It had an odd sculpture carved out of the wall just above the foyer entrance. They had used their old detective skills from his journalism days to get this far. Now they were just watching and waiting, vigilantly, like a hunter for its prey. These things do take quite a while, but they had been patient. They watched each person exiting the building, waiting for their target.
Finally the moment came. They spied a woman in a gray suit and skirt, carrying a briefcase. Nothing out of the ordinary, as this is the Supreme Court of New York building. But that short blonde hair, short thin frame, and nervous walk convinced them it was her. His ex-wife Anne. They had found her address and discovered that she was defending a client today. She was quite a successful lawyer. They wished that he could have seen that. As she continued walking down the street, they ascended to the roof and began following her. The last time they had spoken to her as Venom had not been pleasant.
Their reaction to Parker's supposed death and subsequent obsession with killing the Xenomorphs had made them take a look at all the things on this world keeping them going, and the things they truly treasured. Anne had been one of them. And now that they looked back on it, she still was. She had been a fine host for the symbiote for however brief a time, and he had always regretted losing her as a wife. It was possibly the only thing that made him feel guilty about their life as Venom. As they watched her make her way down the street, he realized how much he did still love her. He didn't think the symbiote could love. It was one of the few things that kept them separate. He missed her company, and felt so guilty about ignoring her and focusing on his hatred of Spider-Man. He had become a bad person. But they were working to correct that.
They watched as she crossed the street and stopped at the bus stop on the other side. There was no bench, so she just stood there, setting her briefcase down beside her. They could see her place her hand to her mouth and yawn before moving a few stray strands of hair behind her ear. She looked tired. Then again, a high-stakes legal case in the early morning would make anyone tired. They hoped she wouldn't have to wait long and backed away from the edge of the roof a bit so they could look further down the street. The bus was coming. But traffic was slow. As they returned to their crouched position at the edge of the roof, they decided that perhaps they... he... should go down and talk to her. Keep her company, perhaps. Yes. A good idea. They had been wanting to patch things up with her. And they were lucky enough that she had survived the invasion. Again, they felt guilty for forgetting about her in all the excitement. Nothing like the possibility of death to push one into action.
After taking one last look at the still-distant bus, they began moving toward the far edge of the building. Easier to 'unmask' and climb down without being seen. But as they moved, they noticed a shady-looking man approach her, and stand very, very close. They returned their full attention as she seemed to stiffen up at his presence. And they saw his hand move into the inner pocket of his coat, as if pointing at her. They watched his head look around quickly as she slowly picked up her briefcase and hand it to him. He was robbing her! How dare he! That low-life prick! Anger boiled up inside them. But they didn't want to harm Anne or any other innocents in the process, so they allowed the thief to make his way down the street between his building and her bus stop. He walked quickly toward the low bridge, and they followed. They took one more look back to ensure she was alright. She was. But she was shaking slightly, as if she were holding back tears. That tore it. This bastard would die now.
They used their adaptive camouflage and leaped to the wall of the other building, crawling to the bridge. As he walked beneath it, they followed. They saw him hide in the shadow of the bridge, looking inside her briefcase to look at his plunder. He was barely able to lift his eyes away before they attacked. He pulled the gun from his pocket and aimed to shoot them, but they webbed his arm to the wall, letting the gun fire harmlessly into the air followed by the screaming of a few bystanders. Letting their camouflage down and changing the symbiote into a set of clothing, they couldn't hold back a hateful growl. The crook managed to release a quick scream before they dug their fist into his chest, feeling a few ribs break as they did. His scream was cut short as the air was forced out of his lungs. He dropped the suitcase and tried to free his arm. They wrapped their hand around his throat and lifted him into the air, choking him.
"You think you can rob someone at gunpoint and get away with it you piece of shit? Huh?! Not in our city."
They growled again and raised their other hand intending to dig their claws into him. But they're 'spider-sense' flared before they heard a familiar voice.
"Eddie?"
They looked, and there she was. She must have come looking after all the noise. They released the crook and recalled their webbing, letting him fall to the ground. They didn't want to kill anyone in front of her. She had been through enough at his hands. He hadn't wanted to meet her again like this, but he wasn't going to waste an opportunity.
"Anne, I..."
Suddenly he heard the loud release of air from brakes and looked past her down the street to see her bus waiting for her. He quickly turned around and retrieved her briefcase, handing it to her.
"Hurry. You'll miss your bus."
She stammered and stood motionless, but the bus was leaving! He pulled the case and her close to his chest and fired a web line up to the building, swing them both around the corner to stand back at the stop. He pushed her onto the bus as it closed its doors and drove away. He watched as she tried to make her way back through the bus to see him, but it was too crowded. They sighed. Damn it. Another missed opportunity. Their senses flared again, and they realized how open they had been about their abilities. They quickly resumed their usual form and once again used their camouflage to leap back up to the rooftops unseen. Another fine mess they had made. They shook their head and leaned over the opposite edge of the building, away from the street, and looked out over the city. Their city. New York City, a breeding ground for crime. They had spent years trying to correct that, but it never seemed to do any good. It was always fun to try, though.
Speaking of fun, they heard a familiar thwisp sound as they looked over the buildings. Their spider-sense was going wild, and sure enough they saw the blue and red costume of Spider-Man swinging his way across the city. Finally! Now that the aliens were gone and their deal with him had expired, they were free to pursue him again. They rubbed their hands and ran their tongue over their teeth before employing their own webbing to follow him. They tried to keep a good distance behind him, but he seemed to be in an awful hurry. Where was he off to in such a rush? Well, wherever it was, they would follow. As they followed him around a corner, they couldn't help but think about all the ways they could tease him. Cut his web line... throw a car... push him in front of a train again... Ah, yes. Things had finally returned to normal. It was a brand new day in New York City. And a new hunt as well.
Speaking of hunting, their thoughts moved back over their former ally, Hunter. What could he be up to, they wondered as they swung through the city following their own prey.
He sat on his cot, meditating. Attempting to clear his mind for the task before him. Although their advanced technology aboard the ship had healed his wounds more or less completely, he still needed preparation. He had only met the being once before, and it required a steeled mind. But as much as he tried to concentrate, and as quiet as the engines of the vessel were, he could not. His thoughts drifted back to the warriors he had left behind on Earth. Venom, Spider-Man, and... ugh... Deadpool. He hoped they and their city were recovering well. It would have been a shame, all of them going through so much trouble only to have things worsen all over again. He had made sure to send a message to the Shi' ar Empire about a formula to disintegrate the Xenomorph's saliva material. It would be easier for the Shi' ar to send it to Earth. Foolish politicians. They never learn. And as soon as he arrived back on the homeworld, he intended to give the High Council another piece of his mind about this Xenomorph business. But he contemplated whether or not he should tell them about the Empress, and her above-average abilities. It could be just what they were looking for, in case they were somehow involved. And he wasn't about to give them the satisfaction.
With his concentration ruined by the entrance of anger, worry, spite, and frustration into his mind, he opened his eyes and fell out of his meditation position. Dropping his arms to his sides and swinging his bandaged legs over the edge of his cot to the floor, he looked around his cabin. As with all of them it was small. But being that he outranked the captain of this vessel, he had been privileged with a more spacious quarters. His armor and mask sat on a desk to his left. The walls were a cold metallic blue, while the cot was warm. Meant to be comfortable enough to slip into cryo-sleep for long journeys.
He heard a familiar beeping sound before the door to his cabin slid open, revealing another of his kind. He was tall and lean, wearing his uniform cape and several battle scars on his armor. The Captain. He told him in their language that they were nearing His ship, and would arrive in a few moments. He nodded in reply and told the captain he would be ready shortly. The Captain bowed respectfully and walked away as the door closed automatically. He was young for a Captain. But it was good to see that not all youthful Yautja were arrogant.
He stood up and retrieved his armor, placing it back over himself. He situated it over his chest and freed his tendrils that had been caught. Once he was comfortable again, he reached for his mask. But he thought better of putting it on. It was more respectful not to wear it. But now to the real point of interest. He opened the desk and reached inside, retrieving the device he had taken from Spider-Man on Earth. The Ultimate Nullifier. Strange how one of the most powerful devices in the universe had made its way to a relatively-primitive planet like Earth. He closed the desk and held the device carefully under his arm. He sighed. It was time. He made his way out of his cabin toward the rear of the ship. His feet clanked on the lit metallic floor, just as the others crew members' did as they followed him. The lights came from the floor and either corner of the ceiling, leading him down the dark vessel.
Soon enough he arrived at the portal viewing room. The collected crew members bowed as he passed them to stand in front of the large transparent window that separated the interior of the ship from the crushing depths of space. The Captain stood next to him as the ship back up toward a large silver air-locked entrance. As they approached the doors opened, allowing them to proceed into the depths of His ship. The doors behind them closed as the door before them opened. As they approached the end of the tunnel, he could see more and more of the activity within. Soon enough the ship stood out in the open air before the massive thrown and the being sitting upon it. The World-Devourer known as Galactus was many times larger than their ship, so they approached his thrown level with his eyes. Finally the being took notice of them as the ship stopped before him.
"Yautja. What business do you have aboard my ship, hunters?"
The colossus spoke like a booming machine; devoid of any emotion aside from an air of self-righteousness. The others, including the Captain, backed away to allow him room. The window was opened for him, and a ramp extended outward from it. He held the Ultimate Nullifier before him and stepped out to the edge of the ramp, lifting the device toward its master and creator. Galactus was fond of the Earth language for some reason, so he spoke it once again. He steeled his mind by counter-acting his mild fear with confidence.
"We have come to return the Ultimate Nullifier to you, World-Devourer."
The massive purple being leaned forward interestedly, as he had been previously lying comfortably back. His large glowing eyes fixed upon the device, no-doubt scanning it for authenticity. After a few tense moments, the giant leaned back once again.
"You have my gratitude, Yautja. Your planet has already been declared immune to my hunger. How else do you wish to be repaid?"
He had thought about this on the way. And as angry as the High Council would be if they discovered his choice, he didn't care.
"I ask that you extend the same immunization to the planet Earth."
The behemoth pondered for a moment. He needed the energy supplied by entire planets to survive. His homeworld was a wasteland; not a considerable loss. But Earth was much more lush. It was a chance, but Galactus would never lose a chance to regain the one object in the universe that could destroy him.
"Very well, Yautja. Earth will be spared."
The giant's hand rose from the control panels in the arm of his chair and reached toward the device. He knelt down to one knee and presented the device above his head. Beams of energy flew from Galactus's fingers and lifted the device from his hands, bringing it to rest in his enormous grip.
With the bargain struck and their business concluded, he rose up once again and re-entered the ship. Galactus's notice of them ceased as they retracted the ramp and closed the window, exiting the enormous ship the way they had entered. As he thanked the Captain and made his way back to his cabin, he caught a few of the crew members giving him odd looks. A favor from Galactus was like being spared Death's blade. Anything was possible. To them, using such power on a planet like Earth was ridiculous. He'd had the Captain give his word that their meeting would not leave this ship, but he doubted it would stay that way.
As he returned to his cabin he realized that honestly, he didn't care about the consequences. He had not defied them or committed treason, so the Council was in no position to kill him. And being Warden of their Xenomorph planetoid was already the worst task they could assign to him. As far as he was concerned, stopping the infestation of Earth was his responsibility, and no one could argue with that.
As he removed his armor again and laid down on his cot, he activated the cryo-sleep function. It was quite a long trip between here and the homeworld, and he didn't intend to spend it awake. As the cot's cover closed over him, he closed his eyes and relaxed. For the first time in many days, he could rest. And dream. Dream of glory, honor, & comrades. Dream of battles passed. And battles yet to come.
The End
Author's Note: Cue the "Predator" theme music! I promised myself I wasn't going to cry... just kidding. Well th-th-th-th-th-th-that's all folks! The story is over. All is right with the universe once more and as usual, the heroes come out on top. Just in case you're unaware, "Yautja" is the official name for the 'Predator' species according to the official books, and is therefore (C) Dark Horse/Fox. I hope you all liked the -ahem- 'little' guest appearance by Galactus. It's Marvel, so why not end it with the biggest bang of all, eh?
Seriously, though. I just want to thank all of you who have supported me while I've been writing this. It hasn't been easy, but the best things in life rarely come that way. I'm so glad that I've finally finished this. Let me tell you, 35 chapters was a far cry to how short I thought this would be. But it was all you people. Without your support I don't think I ever would have finished this. Thank you all so very very much for reading. I hope it has enriched your lives & knowledge of these great franchises the way it has with mine. I sincerely hope you, and everyone who reaches this point, have all enjoyed reading this monster of a crossover. Once again thank you all so very very much, and have a nice day! Keep reading, writing, and reviewing!
-War Journalist