The Spectacular Spider-Men: The Great Web

EPILOGUE: Cross-Species [DETECTED]

THIRD-PERSON POV:
September 1st, 2014

The sewers of New York are a labyrinth of darkness and decay, a world beneath the world. The faint, distant echoes of the city above are barely perceptible here, replaced by the constant drip of water and the scurrying of rats.

In a hidden chamber, Vermin, once Edward Whelan, crouches in the shadows. His body is a grotesque fusion of man and rat, muscles twitching beneath fur-covered skin. Around him, a group of sewer rats, now twisted into monstrous soldiers by his bite, wait for his command. Their red eyes gleam with a savage intelligence, their bodies hunched and ready to pounce.

Vermin's breath comes in ragged gasps as he surveys his domain. He has survived, against all odds, and now he has an army. His mind, once a brilliant scientist's, is now a chaotic swirl of rage and hunger. He clutches at remnants of his former self, plans forming in the darkness of his thoughts.

He gestures to his vermin soldiers, who chitter and move into the shadows, ready to follow his orders. Vermin's plan is simple: chaos and conquest. But before he can act, an intruder disturbs his thoughts.

A soft whirring noise fills the air, growing steadily louder. Vermin's ears twitch, and he looks up, his senses sharp. From a nearby tunnel, a small drone, an Oscorp S-bot, glides into view. Its metallic body reflects the dim light, and its sensors scan the area with methodical precision.

The vermin soldiers hiss and retreat slightly, unnerved by the unfamiliar machine. But Vermin stands his ground, baring his teeth. The S-bot hovers, its sensors locking onto him.

A series of electronic beeps fills the air, followed by a mechanical voice: [CROSS-SPECIES: DETECTED].

Vermin's eyes narrow as he listens to the message. The S-bot continues its analysis, oblivious to the danger it is in. With a swift motion, Vermin lunges at the drone, his claws striking with lethal precision. Sparks fly as he tears the machine apart, its components scattering across the floor.

Suddenly, more mechanical noises fill the air. Vermin's ears perk up as two larger, more imposing drones- The Hunter Bots, appear from the shadows. These are not mere scouts; they are hunters, designed to apprehend and neutralize cross-species threats.

The vermin soldiers scatter, squealing in fear as they retreat into the darkness. Vermin, however, stands his ground, his eyes wild with fury and confusion. The Hunter Bots move with lethal precision, their metallic limbs extending to subdue him.

Vermin snarls and leaps at the nearest S-Slayer, but his attacks are futile. The Hunter Bots are built to withstand far more than what he can muster in his frenzied state. One of the Hunter Bots strikes him with a powerful electric charge, sending pain coursing through his body. Vermin convulses and collapses to the ground, twitching violently.

The second Hunter Bot deploys a containment unit, and together they secure Vermin in a high-tech cage designed to suppress his abilities. The chamber falls silent once more, save for the whirring of the drones and the distant, fading scurries of the retreating vermin soldiers.

As Vermin thrashes weakly against his confinement, the Hunter Bots transmit a signal back to their command center, confirming the capture. Oscorp's vigilance has paid off; one more cross-species threat has been apprehended.

In the dim light of the sewers, the broken S-bot lies forgotten, its final message now redundant: [CROSS-SPECIES: DETECTED]

Above, the city sleeps, unaware of the terror that was narrowly averted. But in the depths, the remnants of Vermin's plot linger, and the threat of cross-species chaos is far from over.

TO BE CONTINUED...