Araña: Heart of the Spider

#13 - Empire State Part 2

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK

Avispa's night wasn't going all too well. He had set out with Araña and Estrella to do a nightly patrol knowing that crime was escalating at an alarming rate. After arriving on scene outside a club where the Goblin was fighting the Enforcers, they learned the true identity of the Goblin. He was none other than their classmate and friend Rome Sierra, something Estrella was already aware of. She tried to defend his case but ended up getting into an argument with Avispa that would upset him.

Avispa went off on his own with the belief that he was nothing but a burden to his sister. While he thought about what had happened he heard a call for help. Despite how he was currently feeling he couldn't help but heed the call. There he would realize he was setup by the Crime-Master, a masked criminal who had been attacking teen superheroes upon request of the Jackal. He was now surrounded down an alleyway, the Crime-Master in front of him and twenty or so gangsters standing behind him.

"All the power in the world couldn't save you now," said the Crime-Master.

The gangsters were all smiling, knowing there was nowhere for him to go. It was then when an orange sphere fell from the sky and rolled between them. They were all confused on what it was and had no time to figure it out before it exploded sending them all flying about. Avispa took this opportunity to get out of the alleyway but just as he turned the Crime-Master shot him in his left arm just barely missing his heart.

"Ahh!" yelled Avispa as he leapt out of the alleyway holding his left arm. "Damn it."

Blood ran through his fingers while he tried to hold the wound closed. The gang recollected themselves. The Crime-Master himself stepped out in front of his men. He looked at Avispa and questioned where that explosive came from. He would get an answer from above. The Goblin glided down beside Avispa.

"I knew if I followed him I'd find you," explained Goblin. "It's time I deal with you Crime-Master. I can't let this go on anymore."

"Fool, do you understand what will happen if you dare cross me?" questioned the Crime-Master. "Don't forget what you have to lose. One false move and it's over for them."

Avispa looked over at Goblin, suspicious of his motives for coming to his aide. The first time Avispa encountered Goblin was during the warped wasp controlled earth when he was with the yet to be known as Bastards of Evil. The next time he saw him was on live television when he was fighting Jolt of the Young Allies in an aerial battle. He took Jolt as a prisoner as part of a plot developed by the World Party and Bastards to capture all of the Young Allies, including Araña.

"What the hell are you doing here?" asked Avispa.

"You needed help," answered Goblin. "There was no way you were gonna take them all down. Plus you were injured."

"Because of you!" growled Avispa angrily swinging his right arm with his fist clenched. "I could have handled these punks all on my own. No one asked for your assistance."

"How cute," laughed Crime-Master. "I don't want to get in the way of your little quarrel but I have business to attend to."

"Let's go asshole, just bring it!" Avispa was becoming more and more enraged which was even more apparent with eyes glowing through his goggles.

The gang spread out around both Avispa and Goblin. Goblin did a head count to put a plan together but the sound of Avispa charging forward threw him off. Even though he had a bullet in his arm he was still able to freely move it. From the pouches on his belt he pulled out some shuriken. Guns were pulled on him, which he quickly took care of by throwing the shuriken into their barrels. He punched out the first man he came up to with his good arm while two others attacked him by the side. Still in motion Avispa twisted his body touching the ground with his hand then planted his legs into one of the other men. His feet then connected with a wall allowing him to tackle the other individual after him.