ELECTRO leads me deeper into the prison's underbelly, where the air is thick with oil, sweat, and something else I can't really put into words—kinda like my socks after a night out as Spider-Man.
The place is alive with movement.
Inmates swarm like worker ants, welding metal, wiring up devices, sketching rough blueprints on the walls. Most likely trying to fortify this place to keep the Goblins out.
I take it all in, shaking my head. "This is exactly how I pictured Doc Ock running a prison."
We weave through the chaos until I spot a crowd gathered around a rusted-out table. Mac Gargan—Scorpion—is locked in an arm-wrestling match with two other inmates.
His biceps twitch, veins bulging, sweat dripping from his shaved head. Across from him, the other two guys are straining so hard their faces look like overinflated balloons.
Then there's Aleksei Sytsevich—Rhino—standing nearby, laughing so hard he nearly topples over.
"Come now! You lose to these little men, I break your arms myself!" Rhino bellows, smacking the table hard enough to make it groan.
Gargan grits his teeth. "Why don't you shut your mouth? I have to win with my honest strength! I wasn't given rhino steroids!"
One of the guys across from Gargan gasps out, "You're—gonna—lose—"
Gargan, with zero hesitation, slams their hands to the table so hard it cracks down the middle. The crowd erupts, some laughing, some groaning.
Rhino claps his massive hands. "Hah! Lucky! Next time, we do four men!"
I take another step forward, and that's when everything stops.
Adrian Toomes—the Vulture—is the first to notice me. His beady eyes widen. His voice cuts through the air like a blade.
"The Amazing Spider-Man lives."
The room goes silent. All at once, every head turns. Hands tighten into fists. I can feel the weight of their stares, the raw, simmering hatred behind them.
Yeesh, I can't tell if I have a better relationship with these bozos or with the people of New York.
Electro steps forward like he owns the place. "Relax everyone. He's here to talk."
"To talk?" Gargan sneers. His fists curl, his knuckles popping. "You really stupid enough to show your face after what you did to us?"
Rhino cracks his neck. "Da. Maybe we kill him now. It would make my day."
Adrian studies me with sharp, calculating eyes. "Max," he says, voice low and dangerous, "why haven't you fried him yet?"
Electro shifts. His jaw clenches. "Because...Maybe there's a chance we can take care of the mess that Goblin freak got us all into."
Gargan scoffs. "What mess? We got no cops. No military. No one telling us what to do. It's paradise."
"No, it's not," Electro snaps, his voice cracking with something deeper. "You know those pills the Doc told us about? The ones turning people into those Goblin monsters? He said they got into hospitals. Into pharmacies. My mom... she was sick. I don't know if she took one. I don't know if she's—" His hands tighten into fists, electricity sparking at his fingertips. "She might think of me as just a monster now...but...she's still my mom. And I can't—" His voice cracks a bit.
That actually makes the room pause.
It's not surprising Doctor Octavius would've told them all about the Goblin pills considering how close he and Doctor Connor's worked with Norman on his projects.
Toomes exhales, rubbing a hand down his face. "My granddaughter's out there. Haven't seen her since this whole nightmare started." His voice is quiet, but there's a sharp edge underneath it. "Not like I haven't thought about wanting to...fix things as well. But, working with the bug?"
I glance between them, then back at the rest of the inmates. "You can hate me all you want," I say, my voice steady. A flash of memory hits me—our last fight, all of them against me, my ribs cracking from Rhino, Gargan's tail slicing past my face, Octavius' arms nearly crushing me. I push it down. "But we all hate Norman more."
Rhino growls at the name, his fist slamming into the wall. It caves under the force like wet cardboard.
I nod. "Yeah. That's what I thought."
Toomes crosses his arms. "Even if we agree, why should we help the guy who locked us all up? Why don't we just kill you, then get rid of Osborn ourselves?"
"Because if you could've killed Osborn, you'd have done it already." I take a step forward. "And I'm guessing not even the great Dr. Octavius knows that Norman Osborn...is the Green Goblin."
The room goes dead still.
Gargan looks around. "The hell are you talking about?"
"I thought Goblin was just another freak experiment," Toomes mutters.
Then, metal clanks against stone. The sound echoes through the silence.
I turn.
Dr. Otto Octavius steps into the room, his mechanical arms clicking into place. His expression is unreadable.
Then he smiles.
"Spider-Man," he says, his voice smooth and knowing. "Isn't this a surprise."
I stay still, watching him carefully.
"I had my suspicions, of course," he continues, as if we're having a casual conversation over coffee instead of standing in the middle of a lawless prison compound. "After the chaos that befell this city five months ago, I calculated a ninety percent probability that the Goblin—no, excuse me, Norman Osborn—had failed in his attempts to kill you as we have. And so, here you are. As alive as I would've expected." His head tilts slightly. "Fascinating."
I cross my arms, doing my best to keep my voice even. "Gee, Doc. Missed you too."
Electro steps forward, eyes narrowed. "Wait—so you knew? This whole time? You knew Norman was the Goblin?"
Octavius doesn't even hesitate. "Of course I knew. It was blatantly obvious."
Electro's hands spark dangerously, a low hum filling the air. "And you never thought to tell us?!"
Octavius doesn't flinch. "What would you have done with that knowledge, Max? You seem to believe we had some sort of power over Osborn. We didn't. Even now, we don't." He gestures around the room. "The city is overrun with his creations. And without electricity running through most of New York, I'd say you're not quite the force you once were, are you?"
Electro looks like he's about to lunge at him, and honestly, I don't blame him. I can practically feel the rage rolling off him.
I step between them before things get out of hand. "Alright, as much as I love watching you guys work through your deep-seated issues, let's focus. We all want the same thing—to take down Norman."
Octavius raises a brow. "And why, pray tell, would we ever help you do such a thing? If it's even possible."
"I'm working with someone—his name's Virgil," I say. "He's using my blood to help create some kind of cure. But we need more than just my DNA to make it work. And you, Doc, along with Connors, know Norman's research better than anyone. With you two on board, our chances of fixing this whole mess go way up."
Octavius hums, considering this. "Intriguing. A cure... And what would I get in return, I wonder?"
I already know where this is going. "If you're about to ask for a vacation in the Bahamas, I—"
"Freedom," Octavius interjects, his voice calm but firm. "I have no desire to live in a world overrun with Norman's beasts. I have a mind that could change the world, Spider-Man. And I'd much rather do it in a civilized society." He meets my gaze. "As a free man."
The other members of the Sinister Six murmur in agreement.
"We want the same," Toomes adds, his beady eyes sharp.
"Da," Rhino grunts. "I do not like being locked up in basement. Smells bad."
"You smell bad," Gargan mutters.
"Ha! Talk to me when you win against me in the arms of wrestling!"
"I didn't lose—!"
"Enough," I say, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Look, I'm gonna be real with you—freedom? Probably not happening. You guys have done, like, a lot of unforgivable things. But if you help bring this city back? Maybe we can figure something out. At the very least, we can improve your living situation. I mean, anything's gotta be better than this basement."
"Depends," Gargan mutters. "We got a pool table."
"You have a what?" I blink. "Wait, no. Doesn't matter."
The group exchanges glances, their expressions varying between reluctant and intrigued. Finally, Toomes exhales through his nose. "I suppose it beats sitting around waiting to see which one of us gets turned into a Goblin next."
Rhino cracks his knuckles. "I get to hit something, da?"
"Lots of things," I assure him.
"Then I am in."
Electro folds his arms. "I wanna see this cure for myself. If it's real, I'll help."
Gargan scowls, but eventually shrugs. "Tch. Fine."
Octavius clasps his hands together. "Well then, it appears we have an agreement."
I let out a slow breath. "Great. So, where's Connors?"
Octavius smirks. "Ah. Now he might be a bit harder to convince."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gwen taps her fingers against the ground, her other hand propping up her cheek as she stares at the grass. The silence between her and Felicia stretches, broken only by the distant hum of the city.
Through the tree line, she can just make out the prison. No matter how hard she tries, she can't stop imagining all the things that could be happening to Peter in there.
She wonders if her father had known Peter's secret. The thought had never crossed her mind before.
"I wouldn't worry," Felicia says, finally breaking the silence. "Peter's gotten out of worse situations than whatever's going on in there."
"Not that I would know," Gwen replies, her tone flat. She turns to Felicia. "You must be pretty close, though. Since he trusted you with his secret all this time."
Felicia scoffs, tugging off the mask Peter had given her. "I wouldn't call it trust at first. I just... found out. After that, well..." She trails off, remembering how she'd roped him into helping her with Herman Schultz, how he'd saved her and her friends. "I don't think he actually trusted me until much later."
Gwen nods. "Pete mentioned you were having issues with your dad. That's why you started staying at his place."
Felicia glances at Gwen, noting the mask still on her face. "Well, he shouldn't have. It's not really anyone's business."
"I'm not prying, I just—" Gwen hesitates. "I guess I can't help but think about how worried you must be. About your dad, I mean."
Felicia exhales. "Worried? Yeah, I guess. Who knows what happened to him after Norman infected the city? He could be dead, or one of those things. I don't know what's worse. He's an asshole. Irresponsible. Just an all-around piece of shit. But still, I wouldn't want him to be dea—" She stops, suddenly aware of who she's talking to. "Oh, man. I'm sorry. I sound like a total brat. Here I am complaining about my dad when..."
Gwen offers a small smile. "Just because my dad's gone doesn't mean no one's allowed to talk about theirs."
Felicia chuckles. "I guess not. But still."
"It's fine." Gwen gives her a thumbs-up. "Besides, this is probably the most real conversation we've had that isn't about Peter."
"True."
Gwen shifts, sitting up a little straighter. "So, be honest—did you ever have a crush on—"
A sharp screech cuts through the trees, followed by another. Then another.
Felicia and Gwen turn toward the sound. The shadows between the trees shift, growing wilder, faster. Then, dozens—no, hundreds—of Goblins burst through the darkness, rushing straight toward the prison. But leading them riding atop of a Goblin, is a man they've come to know all too well.
Kraven the hunter.
"Oh, shit." Felicia jumps to her feet. "He must be here for, Peter. Did he track us? Shit, that little scumbag just doesn't know when to quit."
Gwen yanks her behind a tree, both of them watching as the swarm barrels past. Her grip tightens around Peter's bag. The bag that holds the device Virgil gave him.
Peter had failed to bring the device with him. Or inform the girls of the only thing that might've stopped what comes next.
"We have to warn Peter," Gwen whispers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Whoa... this is..."
I trail off, words failing me as I'm led deeper into the compound. The deeper we go, the worse it gets—walls covered in deep scratches, smashed panels, dried blood. No doubt the work of my favorite reptilian friend.
"How long has he been down here?"
Gargan scoffs. "Ever since that freak ate a few of the other inmates. Thought it was best to lock him up."
Octavius clears his throat. "Yes, well... it proved to be quite a challenge."
Rhino cackles. "Speak for yourself! No man, no creature, can overpower Aleksei!"
I did.
The cell isn't far now. When we reach it, I see him—huddled in the corner of a reinforced glass cube, nothing but a thin slit in the middle. Probably for feeding him. I can only hope it's not people.
But he's not in his Lizard form.
He's just... a man. Naked, shivering. Small.
Nothing like the scientist I once worked with.
Guilt washes over me. I never found a cure for him. Never saved him. Just kicked him back into a prison that saw him as nothing more than a monster. They didn't care who he used to be. A man. A husband. A father.
I step forward, pressing a hand to the glass. "D-Doctor Connors? It's me... it's Pe—Spider-Man."
He doesn't move.
He's one of the few people who knows my identity—besides Felicia, Gwen, and Norman. He's never spoken a word of it. At least... I hope not.
"Spider-Man?" His voice is hoarse. "You're... so you didn't die." He still doesn't look at me. "That's good."
I glance back at the group of superpowered idiots behind me. "Hey, you think we could get some privacy?"
Octavius sighs, as if I'm wasting his time, but he leaves. The others follow, though not before Gargan flips me off on the way out, cackling as he slams the door shut.
Would it be wrong to punch him now that he's out of the suit?
I pull off my mask. "Doc... it's me. It's Peter."
Connors finally moves, just enough to let me see his bloodshot eyes. He looks exhausted. Broken.
"It feels like ages since we last spoke, Peter."
I chuckle weakly, rubbing the back of my head. "Yeah... last time, you were trying to bite my head off in Times Square."
His face falls.
I wave my hands quickly. "N-No! I mean—it's fine! Well, not fine, but... I know it wasn't you."
He turns a little more toward me. "I don't even know if I believe that anymore, Peter. The things I've done..." His voice wavers. "Oh god... I'll never atone for what I've done."
He looks like he did the day he lost Vanessa. That grief, that void in his eyes... that's what led him here. To Norman. To the serum. To this.
"Doctor Connors... it was wrong of me to let them keep you locked up like this," I admit. "I should've tried harder. I should've—"
"It's okay, Peter." His voice is sincere. "You're a kid. A kid who's taken on more responsibility than you ever should have. I should be the one apologizing. After Vanessa died, after Margret left... I fell apart. And it led me to a place I can only blame myself for." He lifts his gaze to me. "But look at you. Spider-Man. A hero, risking his life every day for people he doesn't even know. It's marvelous."
I look down. I don't feel like a hero. Not after what I let happen to this city.
"Doctor Connors, you might think redemption is hopeless." I meet his eyes again. "But I think there's still a way."
He looks at me, lost for a moment. Then, without hesitation, he struggles to his feet. "Peter, if there's anything I can do, I will. I owe you—and everyone I've hurt—at least that much."
I grip my mask, slipping it back on. "Glad to hear it. But... are we gonna have to worry about your other friend showing up?"
Connors exhales. "Not unless it feels threatened. It's a living thing. We share a mind, but when I'm in control, I'm in control. When it's in control... well you know how that is. But even when I'm me, I never stop hearing it. Never."
That's not horrifying at all.
"That'll have to—"
The doors slam open. Octavius strides in on his mechanical arms. "It would appear you've attracted some unwelcome guests, Spider-Man."
I blink.
Gwen? Felicia? No. I told them to wait outside. Even if Gwen wanted to charge in, Felicia would never let her.
"Who's—"
Then I hear it.
Gunfire. Screams.
A fight has broken out in the prison.
And I have a very bad feeling I know exactly what.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After finding Connors an orange jumpsuit—because no way am I letting him run around in his birthday suit—the three of us start moving.
We don't make it far before I see them.
The halls are crawling with Goblins.
They flood in like a wave, tearing through inmates like wild animals. Screams echo through the prison, the sound of flesh being ripped apart making my stomach churn. A severed arm flies past me, splattering blood against the wall. The stench of iron and burning flesh clings to the air.
This is a slaughter.
"Octavius," I say, glancing at him, heart hammering. "Tell me you have another way out."
He scoffs, like the question offends him. "What kind of fool do you take me for? There's a side exit. We leave through there."
I turn back to the fight.
Rhino is laughing, tearing through Goblins like a wrecking ball. Every punch sends a creature flying, their bones crunching under his brute strength.
Electro isn't having as much fun. His body flickers, sparks barely crackling at his fingertips. He tries to fry them—his lightning crackling through the swarm—but it isn't enough. He's drained. I can see it in the way he staggers, in the way his blasts lack their usual power.
Then there's Toomes and Gargan.
Neither has their suits.
Toomes fights like a desperate old soldier, jabbing a shiv into any Goblin that gets too close. His breath is ragged, sweat dripping down his face, but he refuses to go down.
Gargan, on the other hand, is barely holding on. His knuckles are bloodied, his arms torn open from deep gashes. He backs against the wall, eyes darting, surrounded by Goblins closing in.
I clench my fists.
I can't just leave them.
"There's a forest left of the prison," I say quickly, turning to Octavius. "Take Connors and get out of here. I'll meet you there."
Connors grabs my shoulders. "Pe—Spider-Man, what are you doing? Come with us!"
I shake my head. "I will. But not until I make sure everyone else is okay."
Octavius chuckles, already turning away. "Ever the hero." One of his mechanical arms wraps around Connors, dragging him toward the exit.
That's one problem handled.
Now—
LOOK OUT!
My Spider-Sense screams. I twist just in time to avoid a spear that whistles past my head, slamming into the wall behind me.
I flip backward, landing in a crouch. My eyes lock onto the figure standing a few yards away.
Kraven.
My jaw clenches. "You. How are you here?!"
He cracks his knuckles. Then his neck. "I believe my title speaks for itself, no?"
I scoff. "In case you haven't noticed, this isn't exactly the best time for a grudge match. Those things are going to tear everyone apart—including you."
He doesn't even flinch. Doesn't acknowledge the chaos around us.
"Well, that is why I let them chase them here." His smirk is razor-sharp. "I had thought I'd never get the chance to repay you for how you humiliated me in the battle at that school, never reclaim the honor you'd taken from me. But imagine my surprise when I found out you were alive. Not only that..." His grin widens. "I was in your home and didn't even realize it. I met your family."
My blood runs cold.
My hands curl into fists. Anger bubbles in my chest. "If you think I'll let you—"
He lunges.
I move to meet him, throwing a punch straight for his ribs, but he redirects it—guiding my momentum past him before jabbing me hard in the throat.
I stumble back, gasping for air—just as he unsheathes a knife and swipes.
I flip away, just barely avoiding the blade as it whistles past me.
"I'm trying to fix this city!" I shout, my voice raw with frustration. "Why are you getting in my way?! Is revenge really that important to you?! Are you this stupid?!"
Kraven doesn't even blink. He runs a finger over the tip of his blade, testing its sharpness. "All of that is meaningless. Oh, how I wanted to kill you that day. The moment you sent me flying through that wall, I was ready to rip you apart. And your little friends, too."
My stomach twists.
"But," he continues, voice casual, "the fall broke a few of my ribs. And fighting you in anger would have most likely resulted in my defeat. So, I waited. I watched."
He watched us?
He knows. He knows. He knows.
"I don't care who you are, Peter," he says, stepping forward. "Or who's close to you. Or what you do when you're not wearing that mask."
He lifts his blade.
"All I want is to claim your life. To add your head to my wall." His grin turns feral.
"Only then... will I truly become the greatest hunter."
A fresh wave of Goblins floods the hall, shrieking, eyes glowing with madness.
And Kraven charges.
I duck under his swing, but a Goblin crashes into me from the side, sending me stumbling. I barely catch myself before another leaps, claws swiping at my face. I flip backward, webbing it mid-air and slamming it into the ground.
Kraven doesn't stop. He moves through the chaos like a predator, dodging flailing limbs, using the Goblins as cover. A knife whistles past my head. I snatch it out of the air and fling it back without hesitation.
He twists, barely dodging, but that's the thing—he had to dodge.
I'm in control now.
He's fast, strong, a trained hunter. But I've fought him before. I know his movements, his rhythm, the way he shifts his weight before a strike.
He leaps—right hand cocked for a punch. I step inside his swing, hook his leg with mine, and throw him into a Goblin mid-air.
Kraven snarls, shoving the creature off him, just in time for another Goblin to grab his shoulder and bite down.
He roars in pain, grabbing the creature's head and twisting. A sickening snap echoes.
I don't give him time to recover.
I slam my fist into his gut, then web his arm before he can stumble back.
"Here," I grunt, yanking him forward. "Lemme help you out."
I launch him straight through the nearest wall.
The bricks explode, dust filling the air as Kraven crashes through into the next block, slamming into the empty cell bars.
I step through the hole, rolling my shoulders. "You don't get it, Kraven," I say, voice cold. "You can't win."
He groans, pushing himself up, one hand clutching his ribs.
I crack my knuckles. "Because I don't have time to hold back."
Before he can move, I punch him square in the chest. The impact sends him flying into an empty cell, crashing hard against the back wall.
I web the door shut.
He coughs, glaring up at me. "Locking me away like an animal, Spider-Man?"
"No." I stare down at him, jaw tight. "Keeping you safe."
Kraven chuckles darkly, wiping blood from his lip. "You can't run from me forever. And when I get out? I know who you are. I know who you love."
My body freezes.
The words burn through me.
Something inside me snaps.
I step forward, fists clenched so tight they shake. "If you ever try to hurt them..." My voice is low, steady, dangerous. "Any...of them."
I meet his gaze.
"I will kill you."
His smirk fades.
"That's a promise."
I don't wait for a response.
I turn, stepping back through the hole I made—
And stop.
The prison is drenched in chaos.
The Goblins are everywhere, flooding the halls, tearing into the Sinister Six.
Toomes and Gargan are struggling, both battered, their clothes ripped, their bodies bruised. Toomes wields a broken pipe like a desperate soldier, fending off anything that gets too close. Gargan is already on the ground, Goblins tearing at him, his screams lost in the madness.
Then there's Electro.
His body convulses, sparks flickering around him as the Goblins rip into him. His electricity sputters, weak, fading. He lets out a choked scream before disappearing under a swarm of bodies.
I move, webbing one Goblin off Gargan, kicking another in the face—
But there's too many.
They overwhelm me. Claws slash through my suit, dragging me down. I fight—punch, kick, web, dodge—but for every one I take down, three more take its place.
I can't do this.
I can't—
Outside the Prison~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Felicia watches, arms crossed, tapping her foot impatiently.
Gwen rummages through Peter's bag. "There has to be something in here I can use," she mutters.
Felicia sighs. "This is stupid."
Gwen doesn't listen.
She digs through web cartridges, some random tools, a half-eaten protein bar—
Then her fingers brush against something strange.
A small, unfamiliar device.
She lifts it. "What's this?"
Felicia glances over, frowning. "No clue."
Gwen inspects it, running her thumb over the smooth surface. "It's gotta be something useful. Maybe like a pipe bomb or something. Maybe if I blow that entrance it'll stop the Goblins from getting in."
Felicia leans against the wall. "A pipe bomb? Why in the world would Peter have that? And If you're thinking of pressing it, don't. That's the kind of dumb decision that gets people killed."
Gwen narrows her eyes at the device.
She presses it.
"Oh my god!" Felicia shouts.
Gwen hurls it toward the entrance of the prison and dives behind cover.
Felicia braces herself.
Nothing happens.
Then—
A piercing noise rips through the air.
A frequency so loud, so inhumanly sharp, it makes the ground quake.
From inside the prison, an earsplitting howl erupts.
Back Inside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I clench my head, the sound rattling through my skull. The Goblins?
They screech in agony.
One by one, they flee.
They scramble over each other, pushing, running, clawing at the walls just to escape.
I pant, chest heaving, watching as the wave disperses, as the hall goes silent.
Gargan groans. Toomes collapses.
While Rhino laughs proudly proclaiming his victory against the Goblins, as if he isn't covered with scratches and blood.
The only thing left is the stench of blood and the bodies they left behind.
I exhale sharply.
Felicia. Gwen.
I don't know how they knew what that thing did...
But they just saved everyone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I grunt, dragging Electro's barely-conscious body out of the wrecked prison. His suit is torn, the occasional spark flickering weakly across his skin, but at least he's breathing.
Beside me, Rhino stomps forward, carrying both Gargan and Toomes like a couple of oversized duffel bags. Gargan groans, clearly out of it, while Toomes mutters something under his breath, too exhausted to even sound bitter.
The few prisoners still standing scatter into the night, their freedom taking priority over whatever just happened in there. I don't blame them.
I just hope they run far from here.
The moment we reach the treeline, I see them.
Felicia and Gwen.
They're both wearing the extra masks I gave them, simple cloth covers that hide their faces just enough. Thank god they remembered.
Before I can say anything, Gwen spots me and runs.
She practically slams into me, arms wrapping tight around my neck.
"Woah," Rhino grunts. "Didn't know Spider-Man had a fan club."
Gargan chuckles weakly from where he's slung over Rhino's shoulder. "Yeah, think they might be here for an autograph, bug?"
I try my best to ignore them.
Felicia smirks, folding her arms. "I'm sorry, but exactly what use is regular man without his suit?"
Felicia smirks at Gargan, who groans in response. "Shut yer' mouth you litt—"
I ignore them, holding Gwen for just a moment longer before pulling back. "How did you guys even find us?"
Felicia jerks a thumb toward Rhino. "Kinda hard not to spot the giant gray...dude? Animal?"
Fair enough.
I glance at Gwen. "How did you know to use that device?"
She chuckles, rubbing the back of her neck. "I, uh... thought it was a bomb."
I blink.
She shrugs. "Turns out it was some deus-ex-machina noise machine instead, so, y'know... even better."
Electro groans, shifting against my side. "Are we just gonna sit here making jokes, or are we actually going somewhere?"
Gwen, however, isn't listening.
She's staring at the men around us.
At Toomes.
I follow her gaze and realize exactly why she looks like she wants to take a step back.
The last time she saw Adrian Toomes, he had her and so many others trapped in Oscorp. He killed so many people.
Her voice is quiet. "They're... on our side now?"
I exhale. "For now."
She stares at them a second longer before nodding. "I'll trust you, Pete."
I turn to the rest of them. "We need to find Octavius."
—
It takes a bit of searching, but we eventually find him and Connors in the woods not too far from the prison.
Connors spots me first. "Thank god," he breathes, rushing over, his eyes scanning me for injuries. "I thought—" He catches himself, glancing at the others, and quickly corrects, "I thought you might not have made it."
I give him a small nod. "Ran into an old friend, but I'm here."
Gwen, however, doesn't say anything.
Again I can see that she's looking warily at Octavius.
I can see the hesitation in her stance, the way she subtly leans back instead of forward. The last time she saw our old biology teacher, he was tearing through an auditorium, trying to kill Norman Osborn.
She doesn't trust him.
I step beside her, quietly reaching for her hand.
She hesitates—then takes it.
I squeeze gently before turning back to the group.
"Listen up," I say, my voice firm, cutting through whatever side conversations were starting.
Everyone quiets.
"We're going to see Virgil. We're going to find a cure." I look over the strange group standing before me. "And we're taking back the city."