Ultimate Spider-Woman: Change With the Light

Chapter 79: Extreme Measures

For a long time, the spectacular Spider-Woman had reason to curse her luck. Whether it was being fired from her waitressing job for constantly showing up late because of her superheroing, having her boyfriends' parents consider her a gold-digger or a tramp, being sexually harassed by a modeling employer, or nearly ending up on academic probation because she couldn't spare enough time for studying, Spider-Woman had dealt with all kinds of problems in her civilian and costumed lives.

She'd never had to deal with something quite like this before. Following a powerful, familiar burst of psychic energy that she'd recognized but couldn't quite place, and the cries of pain and distress, she'd had the distinct displeasure of running into three members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Spider-Woman had fought the mutant supremacist terrorists Avalanche and Spiral before, although she was unfamiliar with the third member of the group.

Not that Spider-Woman particularly cared-all she knew right now was that she was badly outnumbered and she couldn't imagine how she'd be able to protect all of the bystanders trapped by the large earth barriers Avalanche had raised to pen them in. Even if she went for one of the mutants, the other two would be able to go after the hostages...and if she tried to stop them, she'd leave herself wide open for an attack from the others.

Of course, if she did nothing, then the mutants would kill all the bystanders.

Nothing in life is ever easy, is it? Spider-Woman thought to herself as she charged forward.

SPIDER-WOMAN #79

"EXTREME MEASURES"

Spider-Woman fired her sting blasts at Spiral, but Avalanche easily raised an earthen barrier up between her and the six-armed Spiral and the blasts shattered harmlessly against it. Spiral sprung into the air, tossing a series of knives at Spider-Woman, but the agile arachnid easily dodged them all.

It was then that Spider-Woman learned what Super Sabre's mutant powers were, as he came racing up behind her and slashed her with a wickedly edged knife as she came down from her last dodge. Falling off balance, she sprayed her webbing all around her in a desperate attempt to keep Super Sabre at bay, even as she could feel blood sliding down her back from the gash that had been torn between her shoulder blades.

Most of Spider-Woman's webbing was snagged on the wave of earth Avalanche was raising around her, threatening to engulf her in a mess of pavement and web goo. Springing up into the air and running down the slope of the earth wave, Spider-Woman fired a series of strands of webbing all around her, intending to trip Super Sabre up before he could take another run at her. Avalanche fired another wave of earth at her, but she sprang into the air and easily landed on top of it, firing her sting blasts and forcing Avalanche to retreat.

It was then that Spider-Woman fell to her knees, her body wracked with pain, as Spiral's loud cackling filled the air. Looking to her right, Spider-Woman could see Spiral dancing madly, waving her arms as she manipulated the magical energies that her mutant powers enabled her to control. Some of those energies could disrupt a victim's nervous system, paralyzing them and leaving them unable to fight back.

Gritting her teeth, Spider-Woman tried to force herself to her feet and strike back. She'd defeated Spiral once before that way, overcoming the six-armed sorceress's magic with sheer determination and entangling Spiral's arms with her webbing. Unfortunately, this time Spider-Woman didn't have that luxury. Avalanche pulled the wave of earth Spider-Woman was standing on towards him, throwing her off balance and causing her to land on the ground in a heap. To make matters worse, she heard Super Sabre hopping towards her. Unfortunately, he'd seen her spraying her webbing around, and instead of continuing to run he'd simply jumped over her web strands.