SWNOVELXO Chapter 5: Containment Plan
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***
Peter had barely taken a few steps away from the Daily Bugle when the first raindrops began to fall. Within seconds, the rain intensified, turning into a strong, noisy downpour.
Peter looked up at the sky, frustrated, as water streamed down his face. "Great. Just what I needed," he muttered, running toward the cover of a nearby building. He leaned against the wall, trying to shield himself from the rain that fell diagonally, pushed by the wind.
The street, once busy, was now nearly deserted, with only a few people running under umbrellas or taking shelter in nearby shops.
As he waited for the rain to ease, he pulled his phone from his pocket and checked his messages. There was one from May, asking if he could pick up a few things from the market on his way home. He replied, promising that he would, and put the phone back in his pocket.
The sound of the rain hitting the ground and rooftops was almost hypnotic, and Peter found himself lost in thought. The city's noise seemed distant, muffled by the gray curtain of water.
Then, a chill ran down his spine.
!!!
His eyes instinctively lifted to the sky, scanning the landscape.
That's when he saw it—a helicopter flying over the city. But something was wrong. A thick black cloud was pouring from one of the engines, quickly swallowed by the storm.
Peter didn't hesitate. His body was already moving before his mind could fully process the situation. He pulled up the hood of his jacket, turned toward the nearest alley, and shot toward the building's wall.
Within seconds, he was no longer Peter Parker.
***
"Mayday, Mayday, Mayday!" the pilot shouted into the radio, his hands trembling as he struggled to regain control of the helicopter. The instrument panel flashed with warnings, and alarms blared incessantly, mixing with the deafening noise of the rain and the wind pounding against the aircraft. "We're losing altitude! I repeat, we're losing altitude!"
In the back seat, a man in a black suit, his face pale and sweaty, clutched his head with both hands, his fingers interlocked as if trying to hold onto something solid amidst the chaos. His eyes were wide, fixed on the ground, and he murmured incessantly "I shouldn't have messed with him, I shouldn't have messed with him, I shouldn't have messed with him-"
Below, Spider-Man swung between the buildings at high speed, his eyes locked onto the helicopter. 'It's now or never.'
Shooting a web at the edge of a skyscraper, he yanked himself forward, accelerating. But instead of letting go and firing another web, he spun completely on his axis, using the momentum to explode upward, cutting through the storm like a red-and-blue lightning bolt.
As soon as he reached the helicopter, Peter grabbed the landing gear—only to feel the metal snap instantly in his hands. 'Okay, this thing definitely hasn't had maintenance in a while! ' He shot another web at the last second, sticking to the fuselage before he could fall completely.
Inside, the pilot was still desperately trying to control the helicopter when he saw a red-and-blue silhouette clinging to the window. His eyes widened. "What the—?!" He didn't get to finish before Spider-Man pulled the door window open.
"Try to keep this thing in the air as long as possible!" Spider-Man shouted, his voice muffled by the chaos around them. Even so, the pilot understood enough to nod back.
Spider-Man didn't waste any more time and looked down, quickly assessing the situation. The buildings were getting dangerously close, and he knew he had to act now before it was too late.
'Okay, Peter, think fast' he told himself, the gears in his mind turning at full speed. 'First, I need to slow this thing down... hmm, okay, I'll use the buildings to—'
!!!
Spider-Man's eyes widened. A sharp, metallic sound echoed through the air, followed by a blinding flash.
BOOOOOMMM!!!!!
***
In the distance, a man watched the explosion unfold in the sky. With a calm, calculated motion, he pulled a phone from his pocket and dialed a number.
The phone rang once. Twice. Then, a deep, firm voice answered on the other end.
[And?]
The man kept his eyes fixed on the scene before him as he responded, "It happened exactly as you predicted, boss. Spider-Man got involved."
[Hmm, I hope the plan went exactly as intended.]
"Affirmative. The explosion didn't damage the buildings."
[Good. Send someone to check the wreckage. I want Spider-Man's body on my desk in an hour.]
"Yes, sir." The man ended the call and turned to the group of men behind him. "Let's go. The boss wants Spider-Man's body."
***
The siren of the police car cut through the air as the vehicle sped forward, weaving through panicked pedestrians and cars. Yuriko Watanabe held tightly to the dashboard, her fingers white from the pressure. Thick black smoke spiraled into the sky, and the smell of burning already seeped into the car, even with the windows closed.
"Faster, Johnson!" Yuri said, her tone urgent, leaving no room for argument. The driver, a veteran officer, nodded and pressed hard on the accelerator.
When they arrived at the scene, it was pure chaos. Flames danced high, with twisted pieces of metal and shattered glass covering the asphalt. People ran in every direction, desperate screams echoing between the buildings.
Yuri jumped out of the car before it even came to a complete stop, her eyes scanning the scene of destruction. "Yuri, wait! We need to wait for the firefighters!" Johnson shouted, but she was already in motion, her mind focused on one thing: finding survivors.
She moved through the wreckage of the helicopter and cars that had been on the street when the debris fell. The heat of the flames was almost unbearable, even with the heavy rain pouring down, and the air was thick with the smell of smoke and gasoline. "Is anyone here? Police! Can anyone hear me?"
Then she saw something that made her stop abruptly. On the ground, partially covered by a twisted piece of metal, was a charred body. The figure was unrecognizable, the skin burned and blackened. Yuri felt a chill run down her spine and her stomach churn. 'I-I need to keep going, there might be survivors.'
She hurried on, passing more debris, until something red and blue caught her attention, making Yuri's eyes widen in recognition. "Spider-Man...?"
She ran to him, kneeling by his side. He was unconscious, his suit torn in several places, and blood streamed from deep cuts and burns on his torso and arms. His face was only half-covered by his mask, marked with bruises and scratches. Yuri placed two fingers on his neck, checking for a pulse.
"He's alive..." she murmured, relieved.
"Spider-Man, can you hear me?" she asked, shaking him slightly. When there was no response, Yuri looked around, assessing the situation. The fire was still burning strong, and she couldn't deny the possibility of new explosions due to the cars. 'I need to get him out of here.'
With effort, she placed one of his arms over her shoulders and began dragging him away from the explosion site. "You're going to be okay," she said, her voice heavy with exertion. "You're not dying today. Not while I'm here."
***
Meanwhile, outside, a black car pulled up next to the patrol vehicle Yuri had arrived in. The doors opened almost simultaneously, and a group of men in black suits stepped out.
The leader of the group took a step forward, sweeping the street with a sharp gaze before settling it on Johnson, who was securing the area. For a brief moment, the two locked eyes. Then, the man in the suit gave a slight nod.
Johnson hesitated. His jaw tightened. But in the end, he lowered his head and looked away. 'I'm sorry, Yuri.'
***
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.