GENERATION X SPIDER-MAN (Issue #26)

TAKING THE HITS

NOVEMBER 1991

     Located about fifteen miles southwest of Manhattan, Newark International Airport was the largest airport in the Garden State. It was owned by the city of Newark and run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. On average, over two hundred flights left per day which made it one of the busiest airports on the east coast. During the Thanksgiving travel season, the number of people passing through the airport could be as much as double. It was late on Wednesday night before the actual holiday and much of the activity had died down. However, deep in the basement section of Terminal A there was a secret get together taking place.

"Why are we here?" Aleksei Sytsevich asked. "This thing does not happen for another week."

"Don't ask me," Mac Gargan answered.

"This thing we are doing," the mammoth seven foot tall Russian man began. "It is going to be as risky as hell, you know? What we are facing. Police, private security and you know. That guy."

"That guy?" Gargan asked.

"Spider-Man," Sytsevich announced.

"Do you think he's real?" Mac Gargan wondered. "Some people still think it's just a hoax."

"What does that word mean?" the Russian asked. "Hoax? My English is not perfect."

"It means that something is fake," Mac Gargan explained. "Some people think that Spider-Man can't really do these amazing things. There has been a little video footage, but it could have been staged."

"He is not hoax," Sytsevich spoke in broken English. "I saw Spider-Man months ago. I was working for Sergei Kravinoff. Believe me, he is real. He can do things normal people cannot do."

"Who is that?" Mac Gargan asked. "Who is Sergei Kravinoff?"

"He was Russian hunter and businessman," the towering man answered. "Kravinoff was killed in New York earlier this year. His people think that Spider-Man was responsible for his death."

"Well, he's going to be your problem." Gargan noted. "Toomes said that I'm just a backup."

"Speaking of our employer," Aleksei began. "Where is Mr. Adrian Toomes?"

"He told me that he'd be here soon," Mac Gargan told him.

"I am tired and I am hungry," the huge Russian declared. "Let us go out for drinks once this meeting is over, comrade. Perhaps some vodka. There is a place where Kravinoff brought us to in the city."

"What kind of place?" Gargan asked.

"He called it gentleman's club," the towering man replied. "Beautiful women. There were many beautiful women there. I love your country, comrade. I love the beautiful American women."

"The thing is, we need to try and keep a low..." Mac Gargan started, but was cut off by a noise.

Suddenly, the service elevator doors opened and a figure emerged from the darkness. The man was wearing a green exo-suit that was insulated with body armor. A pair of large metallic wings jutted out from the back of the suit and he wore a helmet with a tinted visor. Soon, the wings retracted into a harness. After exiting the service elevator, the man pulled off the helmet. It was Adrian Toomes.

"Sorry to keep you guys waiting," Toomes spoke first. "I was held up. We've got alot to do tonight, so let's get started. Why don't you both follow me, alright?"

"You're going to have to explain all of this to me again, Toomes." Gargan called out to his employer as the three men walked down a dimly lit basement hallway. "Because, it sounds dangerous."