Hey, kids, it’s your old pal, Peter Parker! You might know me better as the Amazing Spider-Man, though.

It’s Spring Break, so my pal Flash decided to take me out to L.A. to reconcile with my wife, Mary Jane. That was the plan, in theory. Somewhere along the line, Felicia Hardy joined the adventure, something MJ wasn’t too pleased about.

I also didn’t expect to be caught up in a kidnapping plot, the target being a teenage co-star of MJ. I stepped away for ten minutes, and when I got back, all hell had broken loose. It’s a good thing I planted a spider-tracer on the kid.

Now all I have to do is follow the trail to the kid, as well as Flash and Felicia. Hopefully they’re all safe…

WELCOME TO SPIDEY-WOOD

Part III

By Tobias Christopher

The doors to the small, abandoned church out in the countryside opened as Riley was led in. He had been entranced into following the will of the man who’d kidnapped him, as well as the Black Cat, who’d tried to resist the hypnotic spell, but was hit with it at full force until she had no choice but to obey.

“You brought the child, excellent,” said the cult’s leader as he approached. He looked at Riley and smiled. “Hello, son. My name is Anthony Burdette. I’m your father.”

The boy just stood there, his eyes glazed as the leader looked at the man who brought Riley to him. “Excellent work, Headlok. I trust you had no trouble?”

“Some slight complications,” Headlok replied as he looked at Black Cat as he started peeling away the skin that had been applied to his face after removing his wig. Underneath was a pale, bald head with red eyes. “But everything was quickly brought under control.”

Anthony looked Black Cat over and smirked. He snapped his fingers as his followers approached. “You couldn’t have chosen a better person to bring to our little get together. Take Riley and prepare him for the ceremony. Make sure the girl is secure, we don’t want her coming to her senses and escaping for help.”

Anthony handed Headlok a briefcase filled with cash. “There’s your payment, plus an extra $50,000. I want you to stick around for added security to make sure that everything goes perfectly. I’ve waited 18 years for this, and I won’t risk waiting 18 more.”

Mary Jane was standing outside of the alley in the film studio, waiting for Spider-Man to emerge. Peter was getting into costume then he was going to go find the kidnappers who had taken their friends. Spider-Man stepped out and put his hands to the wall to start climbing.

“Wait, you’re not going without me,” said Mary Jane as Spider-Man stopped.

“I’m going after kidnappers who are possibly armed, there’s no way I’m putting you in danger,” said Spider-Man as Mary Jane grabbed onto his back.

“Get over yourself, Tiger,” said Mary Jane as she held on. “I took responsibility for Riley, and Flash is my friend too. Felicia, not so much, but still…I’m going and that’s final!”

“You’d think we were married or something with that kind of attitude,” said Spider-Man as he started climbing. Once he arrived at the top of the building, he got a good look at the landscape ahead, which didn’t include a lot of buildings to webswing from. “Aw, crap.”

New York

Norman Osborn was standing in his penthouse, pouring a glass of scotch when he realized he had a visitor. Turning around, he held out the bottle. “Care for a drink?” asked Osborn, not even caring that someone had just walked right on in.

“Maybe later,” the person said as they eyed the newspaper with Drew’s picture on it.

“That doesn’t bother you, does it?” asked Osborn as he walked toward his guest. “The doctors are already declaring him brain dead. Normally, I wouldn’t care about insignificant ants like Drew Michaels, but you know no one in Parker’s circle gets a free pass.”

“It doesn’t bother me at all,” the guest said as she lowered the hood she had worn in, revealing long blonde hair. “I knew what I was giving up. You know, I think I’ll take that drink after all.”

Norman poured a glass of scotch and smirked at her. “Beautiful with a cold heart – my favorite kind of girl! So what brings you here tonight?”

“We’re ready to begin the first phase,” the woman told him as she took the drink. “I trust your people can do their job and deliver the packages to the right places?”

Osborn looked at a calendar on his desk. “We have until next Monday, when Midtown High comes back into session and Peter Parker returns from his vacation. We’re on a very tight schedule; everything must go exactly as planned.”

The woman looked down at the paper as she downed the rest of her drink. As hard as she tried to fight it, she really was feeling sorry for the son that was dying in a hospital bed.

Los Angeles

“This is so humiliating,” said Peter as he sat in the passenger seat next to Mary Jane as they drove down the street. “I can’t believe I have to hitch a ride from my estranged wife to save the day. You know, L.A. could really use some taller buildings in the outer city.”

“So, you can’t websling to the rescue,” Mary Jane said as she looked ahead. “This will give us a chance to talk without me getting bugs in my teeth.”

“You know you love me taking you for webrides around the city,” Peter smirked as he looked over at her. “You can’t say you don’t miss the Big Apple.”

“Yes, I miss the constant threat of super-villains, or the daily threat of New York being blown up on a daily basis, if not from your rogue’s gallery then by someone from the Fantastic 4’s, or the Avengers,” said Mary Jane. “But I do miss my old friends, and Flash, that little pizza place on the corner. No one makes a pie like Antonio’s.”

“But do you miss me?” asked Peter as he looked out of the window.

As the car traveled out of the city, they passed by Headlok’s car, which was sitting in the ditch on the side of the road, where Flash was still in the backseat.

New York

A.J. was sitting outside of the hospital, looking at the paper that he had been asked to sign. The doctors had declared Drew to be brain dead, who was only being kept alive at this point by being hooked up to machines. His hand shaking as read through the papers, A.J. wasn’t sure if he could go through with signing them. As Drew’s only family, he was the only one who could give permission to pull the plug.

“I can’t do this,” said A.J. silently, trying to stay strong as the smell of cigarette smoke became too strong to ignore. Turning his head, A.J. saw a young man with red hair sitting on a bench, having just lit up. “Do you mind? I already have cancer and I’m not looking to make it worse.”

“It’s a free country, dude,” said the guy as A.J. realized the guy was dressed in scrubs. “It’s still legal to light up outside. At least until you health freaks decide to take that right away, too.”

“Well, excuse us for trying to keep your lungs from turning to charcoal,” said A.J. as he gathered up his papers. He looked at the other person and thought he recognized him from somewhere. “Don’t you go to Midtown High?”

“Recently transferred in,” said the young man as he took a puff. “Aren’t you the kid who was brought in with that pipe through his body? You were brought in with Lizard boy. Bet that was a fun story to hear.”

“Lizard boy happens to be my boyfriend, thank you,” said A.J. bitterly. “How’d a jerk like you get a job here?”

“Community service,” replied the young man with a proud smile. “So, you and the Lizard’s kid, huh? So, um, how does work romantically? How do you even–”

“Screw you!” said A.J. angrily as he started walking away.

“Maybe if I had scales,” the guy replied with a laugh.

Los Angeles

At the abandoned church, the followers were all starting to gather. The place had been decorated to suit the cult’s tastes. There was an ancient Egyptian theme, with Egyptian symbols on golden curtains hung over the windows. Golden cat statues were set up on a stage, lining around an altar.

“Everything is ready,” Anthony was told as he looked at Headlok. “Keep the cat girl under your spell and stop anyone who isn’t a part of our group. This ritual must be done without interruption.”

Headlok nodded and walked toward the back of the church.

Outside more followers were walking in. Not too far away, Peter and Mary Jane were hidden from view in a small wooded area as they watched the building.

“The kid’s in there,” said Peter as he looked over at Mary Jane. “It’s not going to be easy to get in and find him, though. We don’t even know what’s going on in there.”

“No, but I think I see someone who does,” said MJ as she pointed over toward her co-star, Nick Hammond, who had parked his car and was walking toward the church. It wasn’t long before a stream of webbing attached itself to his back, pulling Nick away.

Moments later, Nick was hanging upside down, with everything but his head in a cocoon made of webbing. Peter and Mary Jane stood in front of him, ready to question the man.

“Mary Jane,” said Nick with a smirk. “What brings you out here?”

“My guess is the same thing that brought you here,” said Mary Jane. “You’re a part of Riley’s kidnapping aren’t you?”

“What? Me? No!” Nick answered. “I came to find the kid, too. Maybe we can-”

Peter brushed Mary Jane aside and looked at Nick. “Cut the bull, you’re not that good of an actor. What do these people want with the kid?”

“I don’t know!” Nick shouted as Peter sighed.

“Fine, we’ll do this the hard way. Good thing I learned a few interogation techniques from Nick Fury,” said Peter as he looked over at Mary Jane. “I’ll need a weed eater, a live chicken and a some peach preserves–”

“Fine, I’ll talk!” Nick relented. “They’re called the Cult of Bastet.”

“Bastet?” Peter replied as he tried to remember where he’d heard that name before. “As in the Egyptian Cat Goddess?”

“The same,” Nick told him. “She’s been worshipped for centuries by our cult. It was foretold that at the end of the 20th century, a vessel would be created for her spirit to return to her people. That vessel is Riley.”

“But Riley’s a boy,” Mary Jane said as she looked down at Nick.

“Riley’s the last of Bastet’s bloodline born in the 20th century,” Nick replied. “The gender doesn’t matter, Bastet’s blood still courses through his veins. Her followers have waited centuries for him so that she may live again. Bastet was to be brought back to life on New Year’s Eve, 1999 at the stroke of midnight. But the boy’s whore mother stole him from us and escaped.”

“So, then shouldn’t that have rendered this whole thing null and void?” asked Peter.

Nick started laughing. “Tonight’s the night of the Cat’s Eye Eclipse. It only happens once every 1,000 years, when the moons of every planet in the solar system align to allow our Goddess to return. Bastet will claim her vessel and the world will bow before her glory!”

Peter looked over at Mary Jane. “You’ve been spending time making a movie with this nut?”

“He actually seemed pretty sane up until now,” Mary Jane told him innocently.

“So how’s this ‘claiming the vessel’ thing work?” asked Peter. “Does the kid just lay there until she kicks him out of his body?”

Riley had been dressed in a golden robe as he lay on the altar, still entranced by Headlok. The boy had no idea what was going on around him or else he would have been frightened out of his mind. Elsewhere in the church, his father opened a case and pulled out a long, gem encrusted dagger.

“They’re going to stab him to death?” asked Mary Jane in shock.

“The dagger will force Riley’s soul out of his body so Bastet can enter,” Nick told them. “Riley will only suffer momentarily then he will be rewarded eternally for his generous sacrifice.”

“All right, I’ve had enough,” said Peter as he looked across the street. “I’m going in to get the kid. If I’m not back in five minutes, just wait longer.”

“You’ll never get in,” Nick told him with a laugh. “You didn’t think we wouldn’t have covered all the bases on security, do you? No one can get into that church undetected and, even if you did, everyone there is armed and ready to kill anyone who tries to stop Bastet’s return.”

“A crazy cult armed to the teeth? Who’d have thunk it?” asked Peter as he thought. “Looks like I’ll just have to do this the old fashioned way.”

Peter headed back to the car as Mary Jane followed him, leaving Nick hanging in the tree. Peter grabbed his bag out of the backseat and pulled out his Spider-Man mask.

“I can get through a few dozen armed psychos, no problem,” Peter said as he started changing.

“That’s not the problem, though,” Mary Jane told him. “The problem is getting Riley out of there unharmed. He’s not bullet proof, you know. Plus Flash and Felicia are probably in there. How are you going to get all of them out without getting anyone killed?”

Peter sighed as he changed into costume. “You’re just loving this, aren’t you? Fine. Mary Jane, I need your help to get everyone out of this alive.”

“That wasn’t so bad, was it, Tiger?” asked Mary Jane.

“One of New York’s biggest heroes and I’m asking my wife to help me kick evil’s butt. Unbelievable.” said Spider-Man as he pulled his mask on.

Flash was still in the back of the car in the ditch, unable to move. As the sun was starting to set, darkness fell on Flash before a bright light shined onto him from inside the car itself.

“Don’t die on me yet, Eugene. You still have a lot to do and a lot of lives to ruin for me.”

Flash moaned softly as he barely opened his eyes, just as the light consumed him.

“All right, I scoped the outside of the building out,” said Spider-Man as he returned to Mary Jane. “There are two exits in the back, and one of them is through a cellar. I’m going to create a distraction and you’ll get Riley out as fast as you can.”

“What about Flash and Felicia?” asked Mary Jane.

“For now we just have to assume that they’re fine,” Spider-Man told her as they headed back towards Nick. “We’ll dress you up in actor boy’s robe and send you in. You’ll get as close to Riley as you can and when you see the signal, grab the kid and run.”

“What’s the signal?” asked Mary Jane as she looked around. Spider-Man was gone already so that Nick wouldn’t spot him. “Alright, Nick, give me that robe.”

“Uh, this is kind of embarrassing,” Nick told her. “I’m not wearing anything under the robe.”

“That’s… that’s not right,” Mary Jane told him as she punched his unconscious before letting him out of the webbing. After putting the robe on, Mary Jane headed for the church, hoping she’d blend in.

Spider-Man landed on the roof, waiting until everyone was inside before he went in himself. Inside the church, Riley was laying perfectly still on the altar as he stared straight up the ceiling. Mary Jane had just walked through the doors when she felt someone grab her arm.

“Where do you think you’re going?” asked Headlok as he looked at the hooded person in his grasp.

To be continued…