MARVEL KNIGHTS

Chapter 6: Back In Black

By the time Mr. Knight stopped talking, Peter was stunned. He wanted to say something, but couldn't decide, where to begin. Taskmaster?! Back to NY?! And Warren and the Massacre are free? Parker's luck sucker punched him big time. And what was he supposed to do with all of this? His reputation as Spider-Man was crumbling because of Fisk and this Prowler-guy who somehow always managed to wind up exactly where the Hand was about to strike. He basically lost his job, his friends were either dead or dying or arrested. And now who of his foes came back swinging?! Damn it!
— I don't see how the escape of my two enemies is supposed to "make my day", – Peter didn't even yell anymore, he was too tired for that.
— Because you find about it none and from us instead of a police scanner or breaking news. Consider it a gift of goodwill, — said Felicia in her smooth, glamorous voice.
— Oh, sorry, Black Cat, if I'm not too jazzed about you bringing me another misfortune, — wearily replied Peter. — Anyway, if you don't have any more bad news to bear, I want to sleep, so you can go now kids, daddy needs a nap.
Black Cat stared at Peter.
— So what, you're just gonna go and sleep while Taskmaster hunts me down?! How polite of you to leave a lady in such a delicate position, Spider!
Peter turned back to face Felicia.
— Oh, he's hunting you, huh? That's why you came? Want me to get him off your tail so you can go and steal something without having to look over your shoulder?! I recall doing something similar a while ago. It didn't end well.
— Okay, fine, go! I didn't even want to come here, it was his idea! — Felicia waved at Mr. Knight, who was sitting at the table sipping tea.
— You made her come here? — asked Peter. — I don't get it. Why? How did the two of you even meet?
— I'll explain everything, Spider-Man, that's why I came. But first, please, sit down and have some tea. Both of you, — he gave Black Cat a long look, — it will be more efficient if you are both calm and concentrated. Come on, the tea's getting cold.
Peter and Felicia sat down. Peter took a warm cup. Spider Sense is silent – Spector didn't put anything in the cup, neither did the Black Cat. He took a sip. Damn, who knew Spector was so good at tea making? Felicia, however, didn't touch her cup, just sat there with an offended expression, staring at the window.
— So, Spider-Man, as we told you, Taskmaster is back. Moreover, he has been back for some time, more than a month now. I've been investigating his shenanigans for a while without knowing it. I don't know what he's after and why does he need those two psychos from Ravencroft, but Massacre already killed several dozen homeless people and drove an entire bus of civilians into East River, and he needs to be taken down. I think you agree, that he needs to be taken down, right?
Peter nodded with a concerned expression.
— Okay, good to know we're on the same page. Black Cat here, — he gestured at Felicia in a bathrobe, — didn't want to involve you, she believes we can deal with these guys on our own. I disagree with her, first, because I believe that you deserve to know and to take part in taking down your old foes, and secondly, because you have the most experience with them. You know what to expect from them, unlike me, who never faced them. As for Taskmaster, last time we met, I had to drive my Mooncopter into the building he was in to deal with the bastard. He is now scared shitless of me, but still, it's simpler to take him down together, don't you think?
Peter bit his lip. Mr. Knight. He was right, of course, and he was an exceptional fighter, he'd be a great ally, but working with Black Cat again? After what happened at the H.E.A.R.T. Clinic? He wasn't sure if he could handle it. And the Hand wasn't defeated either, what was he supposed to do with them? Let Prowler take all the credit? The papers painted him as a hero, but he was a greenie in the superhero business, it was as clear as day: he made mistakes that's cost him his life if he or Matt or Danny weren't there. Moreover, he obviously wouldn't be able to take a full squad of ninjas by himself, and with Matt wounded and Iron Fist arrested he couldn't just leave this dumbass in green and purple to die under a ninja sword.
— Sorry, Mr. Knight, but I can't. I still have an entire ninja clan to deal with, I can't get distracted.
— Don't be so hasty, Spider-Man, — replied Mr. Knight, — Black Cat still has to tell her part of the story.
Peter looked at Felicia who was still staring out of the window with a whimsical face.
— Well, go on, say whatever you have to say, — threw Peter absentmindedly.
Felicia sighed.
— Around a month and a half ago Taskmaster tracked me down. He made me an ultimatum: either I do some work for him and get a lot of money, or he kills me and gets a lot of money for my head. The choice was obvious – I did the job, stole some old tech the police kept as evidence. It was easy, the hardest part was getting some giant tank out of the warehouse, — Felicia chuckled, — but I knew that he won't leave me alive after I get the tech, so before getting to do the job, I nicked a little something from him as leverage.
— What was it? — asked Peter?
— A thumb drive. I don't even know what is on it, I just gave it to a friend of mine and told her to leak the data from there to all the newspapers in New York in case he kills me. So, after I finished the job and he, obviously wanted to eliminate me, I made him an ultimatum: either he pays me and lets me go unharmed, or my friend releases the data from the drive. He subdued then, but he has been stalking and hunting me ever since. After a while of this torture, I finally went to the Midnight Mission and asked Mr. Knight here to solve my little problem, but turns out he was already working Tasky on his own. He also insisted to bring you along, — she almost spat out these last words.
— Wow, now, without me, you bring misfortunes on yourself, it seems, — Peter chuckled.
— Yeah, go on, laugh, if me being chased by a killer is so funny for you, — Felicia turned away in rage.
— Let's not start a senseless argument here, — Mr. Knight tried to reason, — we need to work together on this one.
— Like hell I'm working with her again! — screamed Peter. — You wanna know what happened last time?! Go on, Felicia, tell him what happened at the H.E.A.R.T. Clinic!
— Or maybe you will tell him since you're obviously dying to! — Felicia yelled back.
— Fine, I will! Listen carefully, Spector — Peter was now looking at Mr. Knight — and think if you want to help a person who's responsible for a thing like that.