Spider-Man: The New Age- Book 1 in The Vindicators Series

Chapter 20

Connor walked into The Webs gym and saw Riv sparring with a wooden dummy. He raised an eyebrow as he saw that she was only wearing a training bra and shorts, showing off her abs and muscles.

As he walked over to her, Connor reflected on what Peter had said to him as The League had left for their own base.

"Talk to them. This might be the last time you all get to spend time together."

As Connor stopped a short distance away from Riv he tilted his head to one side. He thought just how far his best friend had come in just a few short months.

"Shouldn't you be using a softer dummy?" Connor asked.

Riv pulled her arm back and slammed her fist into the dummy's head, smirking as it exploded into hundreds of splinters.

"If you use a soft one, then you don't get to destroy it," Riv reasoned.

Connor nodded in understanding and quietly studied the splinters that littered the ground around them.

"What's wrong?" Riv asked softly.

"Something has to be wrong for me to want to talk to my best friend?" Connor asked looking up at Riv with a dramatic offended expression on his face.

"I know that look on your face. That's the same look you get when you feel guilty about something," Riv said, crossing her arms.

Connor opened his mouth but quickly shut it, his gaze once again dropping to the splinters.

"You can tell me," Riv coaxed.

"I had a plan," Connor said.

Seeing Rivs confused expression Connor quickly elaborated.

"A plan to fight Carnage and his team by myself," Connor explained.

Riv widened her eyes in shock.

"Connor that would be suicide!" Riv exclaimed.

"I know, but the reason I wanted to do it is because, if someone has to die tomorrow. I want it to be me," Connor said, tears brimming in his eyes.

"You've already lost so much in your life. You don't want to lose anything or anyone else," Riv finished.

Connor nodded, fighting to keep the tears at bay.

"Connor," Riv said, wrapping his arms around him.

"We can't promise that none of us will die," Logan said.

"But we can promise that we won't make it easy on them," Jean said.

Connor let go of Riv and turned to see his team standing behind him, tears brimming in their eyes.

Connor let out a small laugh and walked over to his friends.

"I love you guys," Connor said.

Without a word they all rushed forward clinging to each other in a group hug.

Once they broke apart they all looked around at each other.

"Let's have some fun," Riv said, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

****

"Would you guys hurry up!?" Jean shouted telepathically, causing the boys to jump.

"You're the one with the superspeed. You should be doing this not me," Connor muttered.

Dylan, Dick, and Logan all muttered in agreement.