🕷 The Scarlet Spider 🕷

«Chapter Eight» Bomb Findings

"Okay, I'll start at the principal's office," Spidey called from ahead of me, "I'll do my best to get everyone out. And you go try to find the bomb."
I gave a thumbs up, "You got it!"
He turned a corner, and just like that, I was alone again.
Where do you intend to look for it? Phantom asked impatiently.
"First place where I felt that pain," I replied, turning around, "The gym."
     I ran down the hall and back into the room where kids were listening to the Coach ramble on about fitness.
     "And that's why no one should eat moldy pancakes in the morning!" He shouted.
     "Guys, hey!" I ran into the room, "We need to evacuate the school. Uh, there's been a breach and we think there's a bomb in here."
     Kids whispered in hushed tones as the Coach turned to face me, "Oh? And how do I know you're not a kid who's dressed up playing a prank?"
     "This is serious!" I pleaded, "This whole place is gonna explode if I can't find the bomb soon."
     Coach laughed, the other kids chuckling nervously behind him, "Go back to your class, kid. You're doing a terrible impression of Spider-Man."
     I was losing patience, "Fine, you don't believe me?"
     Lifting my wrist up, I shot a web at the ceiling and did a double flip. Landing on the balls of my feet, I spread my arms, "See? No fake. Now get out of here!"
     The student gasped in shock, then screamed and ran out of the gym. The Coach, frozen for a moment, started blowing his whistle, "Orderly fashion, people! This is an orderly evacuation!"
     It didn't do much help since all the kids were pushing each other over to get out.
As they ran out, I sighed and looked around the gym, "Where would he put a bomb, Phantom?"
     Hold on, Phantom mussed, I'm hooking up the connection between you and Kaine . . . there. It's- RIGHT UNDER YOU.
I jumped about a foot, "What? How? The floor's solid!"
I don't know, but it's defiantly under us, Phantom said.
     I scanned the floor, just as the bell rang loudly, the principal's voice ringing through the school, "Please evacuate the area. I repeat, please evacuate the area. This is not a drill."
     Finally, in the corner of the gym, I caught a glimpse of a small trap door. I sprinted over to it, "Is this it?"
Yeah, Phantom announced, That's it.
     I kneeled down and used my enhanced strength to yank the board out of its place. Underneath was a corridor leading down into a dark oblivion of darkness. A little bit exaggerated.
     "Great. Deep, dark places with a killer alien lose." I grumbled, "Just perfect!"
     I wouldn't be so happy, Phantom said.
     "Do you know anything about sarcasm?" I asked under my breath.
     No, Phantom replied smugly.
     "And you don't know what a rhetorical question is, apparently." I said, carefully walking down the stairs.
As I stepped into the muggy air, I was starting to wish I had a light. Not seeing anything was bad enough, but a bomb? Double trouble.
     I can help, Phantom said quietly, Tap your symbol on your chest.
I looked down and tapped it expectantly. Nothing happened.
"I really don't have time for jokes right now, Phantom," I said.
Phantom grumbled, then a bright light suddenly flooded into the darkness. I looked down and saw that the spider symbol had indeed started glowing.
"Cool," I whispered, "Thanks bud."
     Around me were dusty boxes and equipment that the teachers had probably stashed for safe keeping. Other than a bunch of boxes piled high, nothing else.
     "Phantom, little help?"
     I can't sense it, he replied dully.
     That's when my spider senses went berserk.
     "Oh, it's down here all right," I said, looking behind a rather tall stack of boxes.
     A soft beeping noise suddenly caught my attention. I froze in my tracks, straining my ears.
I threw aside a box, my jaw dropping to the floor. A huge bomb was planted right against the slopped wall. Wired along the sleek surface of the bomb, a screen showed four red letters: 14:26.
"Oh, crap." I gulped.
***
     Sparrow! Do something. Phantom snapped.
I quickly unfroze, "This is bad. So bad, so bad. I don't know how to defuse a freaking bomb!"
     Well, figure out something. Or everyone will die. Phantom yelled.
"My little ray of sunshine," I growled, yanking a panel out of place.
     A pile of wires spilled out of the opening in a bundled heap.
     "I think we're gonna be here till morning," I groaned.
     Try the red wire, Phantom suggested, That always works.
     "That always explodes ten minutes earlier!" I said, untangling wires.
     12:02
     My hands shook as I worked my way through the knot. I didn't want the school to explode, and I really didn't want to explode with it.
Just as I got two wires untied, my spider sense went crazy.
     Kaine! Phantom shouted.
Before I could even turn around, a sharp kick landed me in a pile of boxes. As they tumbled down on me, I felt the dull pain aching in my chest, telling me Kaine was near.
"I knew this would lure you into this pathetic school," Kaine's voice snarled, "You are too much of a fool to consider anything sane."
I threw the boxes off of me, my light flickering from the blow, "Fool or not, I won't let anyone die."
     The shadowy figure hesitated, "You would risk your own life to save others?"
     I heaved myself up, "Yeah, I would!"
     As quickly as it appeared, the hesitation vanished, "Saver or not, you hold a symbiote. You both deserve death."
     "Look, I know you want to kill me. But at least let me stop this bomb! If it goes off, hundreds will die! Please, you can kill me afterwards." I knew it was kinda crazy to make that kind of a deal, but what else was I supposed to do?
The hesitation came back. Kaine's eyes glowed red again, "No."
I had no other choice, I had to fight him.
Throwing myself forward, I reached the bomb. 6:10. The clock was slowly counting down.
"Argh, no!" I yelled.
Kaine let out a roar of rage and smashed his fist against my jaw. I was half expecting it, so I dodged half of it. Although it still hurt.
I jumped backwards, the light slowly fading from my symbol. If I lost the light now, I would be in total darkness, and Kaine would have the upper hand.
Watch out! Phantom screeched.
I had time to dodge two flying shadow daggers, before I landed back on top of the bomb. I had to find a way to stop Kaine, and the bomb.
Where the heck was Spidey when you needed him?
Kaine seemed to understand something. Which wasn't a good thing. He flew forward and grabbed me by the neck, smashing me against the wall.
As his grip relaxed, I automatically knew why. The light faded completely, and I was blind.