Web of Deception: The Webbed Avenger

Chapter Fifty-four: Who am I?

The flames soared around Times Square like something out of a disaster flick as Stiles went back-flipping over a street-light, shooting a web onto a skyscraper to keep his momentum as his feet skidded onto the glass.  He ran like he was on air as he moved across the wall, keeping his eyes on the burning mutant on the street and thought about what he was going to do.  There was already the closed fire hydrant, and if he opened it again he wasn't sure if he'd be able to close it without causing more damage than could be repaired.  He jumped off of the glass and was in the middle between two buildings as a flame shot up above him, hitting his web, and just like that Stiles went falling towards the street.

He knew this was a likely possibility, so he did a roll in the air, and as he came down to the street his feet pushed against the cement and he shot back into the air like a bouncy ball.  All that training with S.H.I.E.L.D. had made his ability to use his powers on the fly and with efficiency had paid off as he figured his game plan out.

"Stop moving, bug!" the mutant exclaimed as he continued to shoot fireballs at him, to which Stiles shook his head with annoyance.

"Spiders aren't bugs, they're arachnids!" Stiles hissed out, with a hint of offense in his voice, using his right arm to shoot a web onto a street sign, and pulled it right out of the ground and slung it at the mutant.

The mutant was hit directly in the face, a sickening metal thud echoing as he fell backwards, and the Cross Species felt his Spider Sense buzz in the back of his head.  All at once the wind shifted and he was thrown against a car, denting the side of it and he grunted as he felt his side get pierced by a piece of metal protruding from the door.

Looking up he watched someone float down to the street, using a mini tornado to keep him moving.  The person landed gracefully, and Stiles could see the horrendous green helmet concealing his face and recognized this guy immediately.  This was Whirlwind... and Stiles knew this guy was gonna be trouble.  Has an ability to create a spinning stream at subsonic levels.  Doesn't need to be spinning to do it, so it means he can make himself a tornado to fly on.  Can run really fast, and his punches are like drills.  Can't let him get too close.

Stiles pulled the metal out of his side without even flinching as his eyes turned pitch black and his stingers came out of his arms.  

Whirlwind stepped forward and a large gust of wind flew behind him, sending vehicles flying through the air, and before Stiles could react the villain was upon him, and the punch sent him flying off of the ground and through the air like he was nothing.  Stiles landed on his face, and felt his Spider Sense go off once more, as he rolled out of the way.

He might be fast, but I don't know how fast he can process his environment.

"Come on, Pyro.  We need to finish this before someone above our pay level shows up and ruins the fun." Whirlwind told his partner as the mutant on the ground groaned, holding his head.

"That was a cheap shot..." Pyro muttered as Stiles climbed to his feet and shook off the pain.  Whirlwind didn't notice that Stiles had shot a couple of pellets onto the street in front of him, which Stiles had created just for stealth situations, but this could work too if he could get Whirlwind into the correct position.

"That the best you got?  Come and get me, big guy!" Stiles laughed, hoping it would invoke action in the super-powered criminal.  It worked too, as Whirlwind ran towards him faster than Stiles had ever seen in a fight, and from the diner Lydia watched with a held breath.  Whirlwind shot a wind gust at him, and the teenager was sent off the ground, but didn't move.  His stingers were lodged in the cement, keeping him from being blown away.  Stiles got his feet on the ground as he focused on strengthening his adhesive properties, and stood up.  The gusts of winds weren't able to blow him away now as Whirlwind growled and ran towards him.

"It's a bit windy, today, don't you think?" Stiles joked as he watched Whirlwind's path and smiled knowingly under his mask.

Whirlwind stepped over the pellets on the ground and was met with an electric web, shocking him and causing him to convulse uncontrollably as Stiles stepped in front of him, to which he lightly punched him, knocking him to the ground.  The lightly bit consisted of enough force to knock him out, and Pyro watched this with only a minor gasp.  Stiles looked over at the fire hydrant and pointed at it.

"Want me to cool you off?" Stiles asked, to which Pyro shook his head.  "Good... let's talk shall we?"

Stiles grabbed Pyro and tied him up to the fire hydrant next to the cop cars, and listened to what the mutant had to say.

"Now, where can I find Brad and Cassandra Michaels?"

"Probably the bar in Hell's Kitchen.  Uh... Josie's.  Brad's a regular there."

"Good.  Thanks for the info.  Now, what did Mesmero want?"

"He wanted you to join him... said we needed to weaken you so he could get control."

"Sorry, but I'm not joining anyone..." Stiles said.  "You two, however..." he saw the SWAT running towards them.  "you'll be joining a few people in prison."

Stiles stepped away from Pyro as the mutant lowered his head.  "He'll get what he wants in the end, Web-head.  Everyone and everything you love is just a way for him to hurt you..."

"We'll see about that."

People starting clamoring out of the nearby buildings, as Stiles walked into the center of the square and webbed his side shut.  He could see Scott and Lydia stepping out with the other hostages, and he sighed a breath of relief.

In the commotion Stiles didn't think about leaving... he just stood there for a second before he could clearly hear someone talking to him.

"Who are you?" asked one of the people stepping out of the buildings, as Stiles held his side tightly as SWAT surrounded the two mutants.  He happened to look at Scott who was smiling brightly at him with a bit of smoke on his face, and for some reason it kind of clicked.  There was a nickname Scott, Lydia, and especially his Dad called him whenever he was at a pet store, looking at spiders.

They called him Spider-boy, but he didn't want to be called that.  He stood up straight and smiled beneath his mask knowing his best friends were safe.  "Who am I?  I'm just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man."