The Amazing Spider-Man 4

Chapter 20

Peter rotated his body again, continuing the same pacing routine he'd been at ever since the police showed up at M.J. and Liz's store. He felt a hand press against his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. He turned to see that it was Eddie, who was giving him a look that appeared to tell him that he should stop. He then gestured with his head to his left, and Peter followed it to see Liz turn away from looking at them.

"We have to be strong for her man," Eddie said, "and maybe for ourselves as well."

"I'm sorry," Peter apologized. "I didn't mean to make her nervous. It's just that they've been in there forever."

"They're just doing their job," Eddie assured him. Peter knew that his friend was right, but it still pained him. He wanted to leave right now, to disappear somewhere where he could change into Spider-Man. He wanted to swing off and pick up her trail somehow, as he was becoming more and more confident that either Kraven or Alistair Smythe was behind this kidnapping. However, he knew that he would be going from scratch if he did so; therefore, anything the police found would prove helpful. It was just hard to be patient enough to remember that.

Plus, there was still the fact that Anne was also missing to consider. Maybe Peter was wrong, and she was the original target, with M.J. simply being dragged along just because she'd been there too, instead of the other way around. Really, none of them had any real idea about what happened, which only served to drive Peter's anxiety even more through the roof. Whatever the cause, his worst fear, the thing in almost all his nightmares was now threatening to repeat itself, and he was determined to make sure that didn't happen as it had once before.

Finally, the officers cleared the building, with one of them approaching the trio, who gathered around him.

"Well?" Liz asked.

"I'll be completely honest with you," the officer said after a sigh, "we didn't find anything. There were no fingerprints, no specific signs of a struggle, and with the backdoor unlocked, there was no need even to break in."

"So, what?" Peter spoke up, "you don't have anything at all?"

"We're not giving up, if that's what you mean," the officer replied somewhat defensively. "We're going to keep looking, and we won't stop until we find your friends."

"Thank you, officer," Eddie said after a moment of collective silence. "Please, whenever you have any updates, call us."

The man nodded in agreement before exiting the group, leaving the original three to gather around again.

"What do we do now?" Liz asked. "M.J. and Anne are out there somewhere in who knows what kind of condition. There must be something we're not seeing, not thinking about that could point us in the right direction."

"I'm going to go to Anne's office at the courthouse," Eddie suggested. "Maybe see if I can dig up anything that will help us figure out who might be behind this at least. You two are welcome to come if you want."

"Actually, I think I'll try a different angle," Peter replied, already backing up, his body just itching to suit up. "Maybe dividing and conquering will he..."

Suddenly, Peter's phone rang. He reached into his pocket, pulling it out to see M.J.'s picture coming up.

"It's M.J!" Liz shouted, having gotten close enough to observe it. Peter exchanged glances with her and Eddie before finally hitting answer, putting the device to his ear.

"M.J?" he asked.

"So, that is her name to you," came the familiar Russian voice. "I like it: short, simple and to the point. That is exactly what I will be with you right now."