Ultimate Spider-Woman: Change With the Light

Chapter 73: Nightmares Can Come True

Isaiah and Louise Robertson looked as if every step was agony for them as they walked into the living room. Their complexions were pale and their expressions worn, but their eyes radiated determination as they walked in under their own power and sat down at the table. The rest of the Robertson family, including their son Randy and Isaiah's mother Martha, sat down with them. For the past few weeks, they had been in a coma after being seriously injured when they'd been caught in a bombing during a community rally in Harlem. There was genuine concern as to whether they would live or die, and while they still had a long way to go before they were fully recovered, they were not going to die.

For Gwen Stacy, who'd been invited by Randy and Martha to the family gathering, the news was welcome indeed. As the spectacular Spider-Woman, she'd tried to track down the mysterious parties responsible for the Harlem bombing, working with the Heroes For Hire. Neither she nor the Heroes had much luck so far, except to find that the bombings had been done by some new crime syndicate. So far as anyone could tell, the bombings were not a hate crime. Gwen was surprised to see how much that bit of news had lifted Randy's spirits, particularly after how angry he'd been at the thought of the bombings being racially motivated.

Even with everything else going on in her life-her junior year at Empire State University, her job at the Gloom Room A Go-Go, her ongoing feud with the psychotic supervillainess Scorpia and the art films she was now acting in-Gwen was determined more than ever to find out who was responsible for the bombings and bring them to justice.

That thought made her look at Randy, who looked as if he'd had the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders.

It's the least of what I owe you, she thought to herself.

You never let me down, and I promise you I won't let you down, either.

SPIDER-WOMAN #73

"NIGHTMARES CAN COME TRUE"

Completing her homework that afternoon and then reporting for the evening shift at the Gloom Room, Gwen was still somewhat surprised that she'd managed to keep on top of everything so far. She used to have a lot of problems juggling her schoolwork, her acting and modeling career, the needs of her family and friends and her superhero career, to the point that she'd once had a nervous breakdown when everything fell apart at once. That wasn't the case this year so far, although Gwen knew better than to become complacent about anything.

After she'd completed the first dance routine of the evening, Gwen was rotated to begin serving drinks. Her first drink order was to a pair of younger business-types, probably ten or twelve years older than Gwen herself, and a pair of older men in suits, probably investors or clients of the younger men's company.

"Hi there, and welcome to the Gloom Room!" Gwen said brightly as she nodded to them. "Can I get you anything to start?"

"Just some beers for us," one of the young men said, "and...what did you guys want?" he asked the older men they were sitting with.

"A 'Twist and Shout' for me," one of the older men replied, "and how about you, Sid?"

"A 'Light My Fire'," the man named Sid replied. "Somehow I doubt it'll be as good as your dancing was to that song, young lady," he continued with a grin.

"Thank you," Gwen smiled. "You're a fan of the Doors? That's a cool serpentine pendant you've got on there," she continued, referring to the pendant hanging around Sid's neck. "Mr. Morrison used to call himself the 'Lizard King'-is that a tribute to him?"

"Why, yes it is," Sid replied, brightening at Gwen's noticing it. "You're a Jim Morrison fan too?"

"I appreciate the impact he had on modern rock n' roll, and I really admire the way he made up poetry during concerts," Gwen replied brightly, smiling warmly at Sid. "So, was there anything else you wanted?"