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#6
JUL 10 |
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“Prey Behavior”
Alyosha Kravinoff ran his blade carefully over the sharpening stone, conscious of the proper angle to hold it. A sharp instrument meant life and death in the wild, and there was little difference between the wild and this city. Kraven took a deep breath in, smiled and turned to his companion. She was young, about thirteen, with short blonde hair and a claw painted over her right eye. She had begged him to allow her to tattoo the image to her flesh, but he refused. War paint was much more fearsome.
“I have an interesting lesson to teach you, sister,” he said. “You are ready to face the spider, and Mister Lincoln’s offer came at the perfect time. I have taught you to hunt many beasts, but this will be a first.”
Ana Tatiana Kravinoff smiled, baring her sharp teeth. “Hunting man,” she declared.
“No,” Kraven replied, “but close. Men are predators, killing the weak, culling the excess and slaughtering for sport. A spider is a complex predator also; it lays traps, waits patiently and detects the slightest sign of danger. It will suck its victim’s lifeblood from its body to feed its own.”
“Ah,” Ana replied. “I see.”
“Yes,” Kraven replied, “you will be acting out that all too common cliché: Today, predator becomes prey.”
Mariana Pacheco hung over the lights of Broadway. Of all the sights she had seen above New York’s street level, this was her favorite. It helped her get away for just a few minutes, away from the poverty she’d known for so long. She was special now. Ever since the strange manifestation of spider-like superpowers three months ago, she had been trying to learn as much as she could about being a superhero. Getting to learn how from Mister Parker and meeting Johnny… Those were perks.
“So, you’re getting pretty predictable kiddo,” a voice said, startling her. She turned to see the other man she’d come to know in the last ninety days.
“Good to know I’m meeting your expectations, Zeke,” she said to Ezekiel Sims.
The older man hung on the building next to her. “So are you figuring things out pretty well?”
“Yeah,” she said. “Having superpowers is just an adjustment, y’know?”
“Yes,” Ezekiel said. “I know. Don’t forget, I was there once.”
“Thanks for pointing me towards Mister Parker,” she said. “He’s been a huge help.”
“Miss Pacheco… shepherding young ones like you…It’s my duty. I-I…can’t explain it to you.”
“If you shepherd young super-kids, why didn’t you meet Mister Parker until a few months ago?”
“I’m sorry, Mariana,” he said, “but that’s another thing I can’t explain to you right now…or Peter. Please, don’t say anything to him about it.”
Mari frowned and glanced back at the street below. “Okay, why are you suddenly being so…” She turned to see that Ezekiel was gone.
“So what?” said a different voice from behind her. She turned to see Spider-Man hanging upside down next to her. “Handsome? Charming? Hard-assed?”
“Oh hell,” she muttered. “Is this going to be another homework lecture?”
“Nope,” Peter said. “You’re not that lucky. Who were you talking to?”
“No one,” she muttered. “What’s up tonight?”
“Just on patrol, happened to notice you here,” he said. “Things going okay?”
“Yeah,” she said. “Thanks. What did the Chief want with you last night?”
He began chewing his lip. “There are some dangerous people in town,” he said. “Very dangerous people, and it’s gearing up towards something big.”
“What sorts of people?” she asked.
“People you need to avoid,” Peter said. “They’re mind controllers, and one of them specifically can take control of women. His name is the Mandrill and you need to leave him to me. Promise me.”
“Will do,” she said.
“I’ve got to get home,” Peter said. “Be careful tonight, Wanderer. Okay?”
“Will do, Spidey!”
Peter walked into his apartment from the balcony. It was a new home for him, but getting back together with MJ meant a new start, so it was appropriate.
“Tiger, is that you?” MJ called from the bedroom.
“Yeah, who else comes in from the balcony?”
She poked her head around the corner. “Well, you know, all my other superhero boyfriends,” she said. “Hawkeye said he was going to stop by in the next day or two.”
“Good thing I know he’s at Pier A,” he said, “or I might be inclined to believe you.” He pulled his mask then top off and joined MJ in the bedroom. He pulled a pair of warm-ups over his costume’s bottoms. “I wouldn’t put it past Clint to put the moves on you,” he muttered.
“I need your help,” she said. “Killing spiders.”
“Ha ha,” Peter said.
“You stink,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “You washed the costume lately?”
“Every time I go out for more than an hour or two,” he said. “What do you really need help with?”
“I need another set of eyes hanging these pictures,” she said. She picked up one of the framed photographs.
Peter grinned. “So, does this mean we’re closer to being there?” he said. The photo was a black and white close-up of MJ on their wedding day. She was pulling her veil away from her face and laughing. She smiled and leaned close to him.
“Yeah,” she said. “You know we are. Come on, Peter.”
“Yeah, I know,” he said. “I just like hearing it.”
“Yeah,” she said, “me too.” She sighed. “So what do you think?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe… Hmm… How about the subject join me over here on the bed?” He sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to him.
She giggled. “I come sit down, I’ll never get these pictures hung, will I?”
Peter smiled. “Nope,” he said. MJ sat the picture down and crawled onto the bed. She kissed Peter lightly. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her closer.
They never hung pictures that night.
The four of them sat around a round table, as they always did the night before a heist. A small holographic model of the bank lobby glowed in the middle of the table. Brian DeWolff was the only one standing. Tonight, he was wearing the skin of his vessel for the following day’s robbery—an attractive young teller. Although he preferred wearing males, it was nice wearing a female skin every once in a while. Different physical urges were… refreshing. On the other hand, the Mandrill leering at him was not.
“Mandrill,” he growled. “You stare at my chest one more second, I telekinetically castrate you.”
“I like it when a woman talks dirty to me,” the ape-man hissed.
“Too bad I’m not a woman,” Wraith hissed, putting enough pressure on his lap to convince him to turn away. “Get your damn sandwich off the table too. Now!”
“What’s the plan this time?” Crossfire muttered. “Does Lincoln want us stealing out of the Kingpin’s piggy bank? Taking his grandma’s wedding ring?”
“It’s actually a little simpler,” Corruptor said, a twisted grin on his discolored face. “We go in there, raise as much of a commotion as possible and draw Spider-Man in. We keep anything we get away with.”
“I like that,” Wraith said. “Tombstone want the spider dead?”
“Da,” said a new voice. Kraven stepped into the light and leaned over the table. “None of you will be killing him. None of you will be touching him. The spider is Kraven’s hunt, none other.”
“How do you know we’ll get the web-slinger and not Daredevil or Cage?” Mandrill muttered. “I wouldn’t mind seeing Black Cat or that new Jackpot chick though…”
“Daredevil’s a ninja, dumbass,” Crossfire growled. “He’s only active at night.”
“My sister and I have studied the spider closely since your employer hired me,” Kraven said.
“Sister?” Corrupter interrupted.
“An unimportant detail at the moment,” he continued, “but she is my apprentice. From the amount of traffic by him, we feel the spider’s civilian identity works in the immediate area. With innocents in peril, he will be forced to act. It is the spider’s constant.”
“Can we at least rough Spidey up?” Crossfire asked. “I’d love to take a shot at that son of a bitch.”
“No physical blows,” Kraven said. “This is merely the first contact. I want to put the spider on guard; prey of that type is much more challenging.”
“We’re pulling a job just so you can spook Spider-Man?” Mandrill asked.
Kraven nodded and Wraith grinned. “I like that,” he said. “I like that a lot. This’ll be fun.”
Peter seriously considered banging his head against a wall or his desk. These papers were pathetic, junior High level at best, and some of the worst were coming from supposed honors students. He’d have to talk to one of the English teachers to see why it was so horrible. He looked out of the classroom window. It was a gorgeous day outside and, technically, he was done for the day. There was a lot he could get done. The Bugle was still buying some of his photos and the city was always in need of a patrol.
“Chemistry is really starting to drive me nuts, too,” he whispered to himself. A vapor trail criss-crossed the sky and he realized that he wasn’t the only one that needed to get outside. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed a number. When Phil Urich picked up, Peter could hear what he suspected.
“Hey Pete,” he said. “What’s up?”
“Nice day, isn’t it?” Peter asked. “Perfect day for flying over the city?”
The Green Goblin began laughing. “Yeah,” he said, “it sure is. I’m sure it’s not as exciting as the way Spider-Man gets around the city though.”
Peter grinned. “Meet me for coffee, same place as always?” he asked.
“Ten minutes,” Phil said.
“Ten minutes.” Peter was already out of his chair and halfway out the door by the time he hung up the call.
Ten minutes later, they hung over the Daily Grind. It was a small shop, not far from the school and it had been a favorite of Peter’s since his ‘brother’, Ben Reilly, had worked there. The owner, Shirley Washington, was very spandex-friendly, and gave them a free cup daily. Peter suspected that Shirley knew (or at least suspected) that her late employee was a costumed adventurer of some sort. She probably took pity on them.
“So,” Peter said, taking a sip, “are you ever going to tell me how you got your equipment working again?”
“I will,” Phil said, “when I’m ready. Sorry, Pete…it’s more complicated than just telling.”
“Then just tell me,” he said. “You obviously trust me, Phil.”
“Why can’t you trust me with this, Pete?”
“Because my last encounter with Norman Osborn was way too recent,” he answered. “WAY too recent. I don’t like Goblins and, honestly, it’s taking a lot of restraint for me to not punch you in the face even now. That face puts me on edge and you being cryptic doesn’t help.”
“I know, Pete,” he said. “There are some questions I still have about this new suit and, once I figure them out, I’ll…” He suddenly stopped. “Police scanner just turned on he said.” He held a finger up. “It’s another bank robbery, and this one is close.”
“Same robbers?”
“Looks like it.”
Peter sighed and put his coffee down. It seemed like it never ended. It was too bad, the coffee was really good this afternoon. He pulled his mask over the bottom half of his face and rolled his shoulders, stretching his muscles a little.
“Well, this will be interesting,” Peter said. “You ready?”
“Always,” Phil said. The two heroes sprung into action, ready for the worst.
From some distance away, Kraven smiled as they began to grow close. It wouldn’t be long now.
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To Be Continued...
Next: In Amazing Spider-Man #7: Wait! Spidey, Goblin, you’re walking right into a trap! Crap…they didn’t hear us…
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