Spider-Man: Marvel Knight

Chapter 14-Be Greater

   "How long ago was this?" Peter asked. They all gathered around the living room table. For some reason, Otto broke into Oscorp. Why would he need to do that if he was just going to kill Kurt and be through with it? Was it part of his plan?
   "Judging by the isotopes left afterwards...early this morning," Felicia said. "Otto has access to the security system, which is why none of us received an alarm."
   MJ pushed her hair behind her shoulder. "What was he after?"
   "A lot apparently," Harry replied quickly. "I think he's trying to get Kurt to make something."
   "What would make you think that?" Peter asked. "Why would Otto want Kurt to make something?"
   "Well," Harry started, "he took the chemical mixer, formula books, the thumb drive with all of our projects..."
   Peter raised his hand to stop Harry for a second. "Wait," he said. "Did you say he took our thumb drive?"
   "Yeah, why?"
   Peter took a step back as the realization came crashing down on him. "Shit..." he said. "This is bad..."
   Gwen looked at Peter with concern. "Pete, what's wrong?"
   Peter banged his fist on the table in frustration. "'Make an example of him.' That's what Otto said to me; that he was going to make an example of Kurt. He didn't want to kill Kurt..."
   "Then why go through all the trouble by taking me?" MJ asked. "Why put me in danger?"
   Felicia looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "And why did he take him?"
   "Because he wants to kill the Lizard," he responded. Soon, everyone understood what was happening. "Kurt is just a normal person, but the Lizard is a monster and a criminal. Of course others would rise in its place. Taking MJ was supposed to lure me away and get me off their trail. She was never supposed to get hurt."
   Harry shook his head. "Wait, I'm confused. If Otto is so hellbent on killing the Lizard, why not just kill Kurt and get it over with? Why go through all of this trouble and turn him into that monster?"
   "It's not how their fight ended," Peter said. "Sure, Doc wants to kill Kurt, but it wasn't actually Connors that defeated him. It was the Lizard that did it. The city pardoned Kurt because it technically wasn't him that destroyed New York. Otto is gonna humiliate Kurt then kill him."
   Gwen rubbed her forehead. "Then, either way this isn't good." They all looked at her. "Yes, Otto is going to become Lizard again, but how do we know Otto isn't going to use him?"
   Peter nodded his head with a heavy heart. "Gwen's right," he said. "Lizard may hate Otto, but he hates Spider-Man and Black Cat way more. He'd join forces with anyone if it was to get rid of me."
   "Great," Felicia said. "Now we're fighting against seven instead of six?"
   "But we can beat them, right?" Gwen asked. "You've all beaten these guys before with the exception of Otto, so together I think we can do this."
   Peter looked at Gwen and then looked at the floor. "You're not going, Gwen."
   She looked at him with a smirk. "The hell I'm not. When are we going?"
   Peter looked at Harry, Felicia, Liz, and MJ. "Can you give us a little bit?" he asked.
   MJ grabbed Peter's hand. "If you can say it in front of her you can say it in front of all of us," she said.
   Harry looked at Peter with a disappointed expression. Felicia looked the same way. They thought Gwen could do it, but Peter would be Peter. There was no way he would he would let her go.
   Peter turned to Gwen while feeling the heaviness of the room upon him. She looked at him, confused. "You want to tell me what this is about?"
   "You're not going with us, Gwen," he said.
   She raised her eyebrow at him. "You said that once and I chose not to believe you. Why are you saying that?"
   Peter looked at the floor. "I can't let you get hurt."
   "I can take care of myself, Peter," she said. "I think we both know that."
   "Gwen," Peter said softly, "with a little more practice..."
   She couldn't believe what he just said. Gwen got close to him and shouted. "Screw practice!" she said sternly. "I thought we were getting away from the teacher-student thing." Tears began to well up in her eyes. Those words that Peter said broke her heart. "I thought you were beginning to like me again as a friend!"
   "I do!" Peter said back. "I trust you with all my heart, Gwen."
   "Then let me fight," she responded.
   He looked at MJ, and all the others. They all had smiles on their faces from Gwen's growth. She was no longer Gwen Stacy...she was Spider-Gwen.
  "I told you that she's gonna take over for you, bug-boy," Felicia said. She winked at Gwen and smiled. Gwen smiled back at her, although Felicia couldn't see it.
   "You know what..." Peter said, "...I've saved the day enough times. How about we save the day together?"
   Harry smirked. "Sounds like a hell of a plan to me."
   Peter put on his Spider-Man suit and Gwen put on her spider mask. It brought a smile to their faces that they were all going to work together.
   "I'm gonna take MJ back to the hospital," Liz said. "She need some more rest."
   MJ nodded and grabbed Peter. "You be safe out there, tiger." She kissed him. "Come back to me."
   "I will," he responded. "I promise."
   Peter looked at them all: Spiderman, Black Cat, HobGoblin, and... Spider-Gwen. "Four on six is an uneven match," Harry said with a smirk.
   "Yeah it is," Peter said. "For them, not for us..."
   "We've got one shot at this," Felicia said. "The question is: do we have a chance?"
   "Of course we do. We're strong enough," Gwen said. She looked at Peter. "In the words of Ben Parker: 'With great power, comes great responsibility.'"
   Peter grinned at her and put on his mask. "Yeah," he said. "Let's go be greater..."