Chapter 69: Chapter 55 Slums (9)
As I instructed Conrad and Chris Hilton to get away safely, I quickly assessed the situation, preparing myself mentally and physically for the confrontation with Sephiro Lukins.
"Stay close and stay safe," I urged Conrad and Chris, my voice firm yet reassuring. "I'll handle this."
With a nod of understanding, Conrad and Chris hurried away, seeking refuge in the safety of the nearby corridors as I turned my attention back to Sephiro Lukins, who stood before me, his presence radiating power and menace.
"Sephiro Lukins," I called out, my voice steady despite the tension in the air. "I know what you're planning, and I won't let you get away with it."
"Who are you, how did you know my name?" Sephiro Lukins demanded, his voice filled with disbelief and suspicion as he confronted me.
"Holy shit, why did I say his name?" I thought to myself, cursing my slip-up. Collecting myself, I addressed Sephiro Lukins with a confident tone.
"Sephiro Lukins, I am known as Spider-Man. I've encountered individuals like you before, individuals who pose a threat to innocent people," I declared, my voice steady despite this predicament. "As for knowing your name, let's just say I have my ways of gathering information." I said bullshitting my way out
Then Pausing for a moment, I continued with a serious demeanor, locking eyes with Sephiro Lukins. "But rest assured, my priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone in this city, including you, if you choose to turn away from your path of villainy."
Sephiro Lukins' anger flared, his voice filled with resentment as he retorted, "Villainy? What do you know about being a villain, huh?" His tone was sharp, filled with defiance and frustration. "You don't know what I've been through, so don't act like you know me."
I stayed calm, looking him straight in the eye. "You're right, I don't know everything about your past," I admitted, my voice steady despite the tense situation. "But I do know that there's always a choice. You can choose to continue down a path of destruction, or you can change your path. It's up to you.
"Stop talking," Sephiro growled, his voice full of anger and impatience as he charged towards me. But before he could get close, I shot my organic web towards his eyes, aiming to blind him for a moment.
"Argh! What did you do?" Sephiro exclaimed, his hands instinctively reaching for his face as the webbing temporarily blinded him.
"It's called a distraction," I replied calmly, my voice filled with confidence as I prepared for the next move.
Sephiro charged towards me, clearly frustrated. "Enough is Enough!" he shouted angrily as he approached.
As Sephiro charged towards me, I quickly punched him with a strong hit, targeting a weak spot. He stumbled back for a moment, but then he got back on his feet, even more determined. His anger was making him fight harder.
"You think you can beat me, Spider-Man?" Sephiro's voice was full of scorn as he came at me, his eyes burning with fury.
Unfazed by his glare, I smoothly switched to using a mix of web moves. I shot out a bunch of my sticky webs at him. They stuck to him like glue, slowing him down for a moment and giving me some time to plan my next move.
Sephiro growled in frustration, his body tense as he struggled against the webbing. "Spider-Man!" he roared, his voice echoing through the air.
Then he blasted a powerful wave of energy, knocking me off balance. The force of the blast caught me off guard, sending me sprawling backward with a grunt of pain.
"Urgh!" I groaned as I fought to stand upright, the force of the blast sending shockwaves through my body. But I couldn't stay down. Despite the pain, I needed to get back in the fight.
Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself up, my focus unwavering as I assessed the situation. Sephiro stood before me, his expression twisted with rage and power. He makes it clear that he wasn't backing down. His sheer presence exuded power, leaving me under no illusions about the challenge ahead.
"I told you, Spider-Man, you can't beat me," Sephiro sneered triumphantly.
"Well, I didn't say I would beat you, so technically, you're wrong, Russian with an anger issue," I retorted, trying to inject some humor into the tense situation as I struggled to regain my footing after the shockwaves knocked me down.
"Is that so?" Sephiro growled, his patience wearing thin. Before I could fully stand, he delivered a powerful punch, knocking me back down to the ground.
"Why ... always..." Sephiro's voice trailed off as he landed another blow to my abdomen, the impact knocking the wind out of me. "Ruining our plans," he spat out, punctuating each word with another brutal punch. "Time to end this, Spider-Man."
Then, with a surge of energy, Sephiro's Vibranium artificial heart began to channel electricity, crackling with power. Before I could react, he unleashed it against me with a menacing shout. "Take this, Spider-Man!" he roared, the electricity coursing through me, enveloping me in a searing inferno of pain. Each bolt felt like a thousand needles piercing my skin, sending shockwaves of agony coursing through every fiber of my being.
The shock surged through me, and I screamed in pain. "Aargh!!!!!!" I exclaimed, my muscles jerked uncontrollably, and it felt like my whole body was on fire. I couldn't think straight; the agony was too much to bear. It was as if every part of me was shouting in protest against the unbearable torment, like I was being consumed by a blazing inferno.
Meanwhile (Chris side)
"Dad," Chris spoke, his voice trembling with worry, "Do you think Spider-Man can defeat that Russian guy?" He glanced at his father, seeking reassurance in his eyes. "I mean, look, he's sending some electricity towards Spider-Man." Chris gestured towards the ongoing battle, his concern evident in every word he uttered.
"I don't know, son," Conrad replied, his voice calm but his eyes betraying his fear and worry. "If Spider-Man loses..." He paused, unable to finish the sentence, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on him. "We might not make it out of here." His words hung in the air, filled with uncertainty and dread.
Meanwhile (Edward Wilson)
In the police station, tensions were running high as Captain Edward Wilson voiced his frustrations to Deputy Matt. "If I can't go then we need more backup to infiltrate the slums!" he exclaimed, his frustration evident as he slammed his fist onto the deputy's desk. "They have wealthy individuals there, captives!"
Deputy Matt nodded seriously, realizing how serious the situation was. "You know, Edward," he began, "Many police officers also need backup. Remember when you sent Kevin Bridget, to investigate the blood-sucking incident in Queens, you made sure to gather some backups for him. Now you need backup again, Wake up we don't have that many people here, Edward."
Before Captain Edward could respond, Deputy Matt cut him off sharply. "No excuses," he declared firmly. "Tell your Vice-Captain, Eddie Thompson, to send him to the slums along with your other police officers." His tone left no room for debate as he laid out the plan for addressing the urgent situation at hand.
"That's why I need to go too. What if something happens there?" Captain Edward Wilson insisted, his concern evident in his voice.
Deputy Matt shook his head. "You still have cases you need to handle here," he pointed out logically. "That's why you should let Vice-Captain handle this." His tone softened slightly as he continued, "Besides, trust them. They are competent officers." Then, his tone shifted, a hint of suspicion creeping in. "Or do you not trust them? Is that why you insist on going?"
Edward sighed, realizing the futility of further argument. "Roger, sir," he conceded reluctantly, acknowledging Deputy Matt's point.
Meanwhile (Thomas halloway side)
After Thomas Halloway and Loe learned the full story, Thomas's expression darkened with anger and disgust as he surveyed the scene before him. "This bastard deserves to die," he muttered under his breath, his gaze fixed on the dead man with a hole in his head. He was furious, thinking about all the terrible things the man had done.
Turning his attention to the African man lying unconscious on the ground, Thomas's expression softened slightly as he acknowledged a surprising revelation. "And to think this guy didn't want children to witness bloodshed," he said, sounding surprised. He couldn't help but feel a sense of astonishment at the unexpected display of conscience from someone he had initially perceived as a villain.
Thomas looked at Elizabeth and Luke with sympathy. "I'm really sorry for what happened to your husband," he said sincerely, his voice filled with empathy. He could only imagine the pain they must be experiencing after losing Elizabeth's husband in such a brutal manner.
Elizabeth nodded quietly, tears welling in her eyes as she fought to regain her composure. Luke stayed close to her, his face showing a blend of sadness and anger as he attempted to hold his insanity after remembering what happened to his father again.
As Thomas looked at Amon Gallagher, he could see the deep sorrow etched on the man's face. Feeling a surge of sympathy, Thomas spoke softly to him. "I'm really sorry for what happened to your family, Amon," he said, his voice gentle and full of understanding. Amon nodded silently, his eyes reflecting the pain he was going through. Despite the tragedy, there was a sense of gratitude in his expression for Thomas's words of comfort.
As the tension in the room reached its peak, the unconscious African man suddenly began to stir. His eyes fluttered open, and he slowly pushed himself up, groaning in pain. Loe, still holding his gun, kept his gaze fixed on the man, his expression a mix of anger and resolve.
"What's happening?" the African man asked, looking around the room in confusion. He recognized some of the faces and seemed to realize he was in a tense situation.
Loe's grip on his gun tightened as he stepped forward, his voice dripping with venom. "You know exactly what's going on," he spat, his tone filled with accusation. "You killed my boss, and now you're going to pay for it."
The African man's brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about," he protested, his voice tinged with frustration. "I've never seen you before in my life."
Loe's finger tightened on the trigger as he prepared to exact his revenge, his eyes blazing with fury. "Fuck you! You killed my boss, Albert!" he spat, his voice laced with uncontrollable rage.
But before Loe could pull the trigger, Mark intervened, his voice urgent and commanding. "Loe, stop!" he shouted, stepping between Loe and the African man. "Violence won't solve anything. We need to find out the truth."
Loe glared at Mark, his anger boiling over. "Why are you always getting in my way?!" he demanded, his voice filled with frustration.
Meanwhile, the African man spoke up, his voice calm but firm. "Boss Albert? You mean Albert Capone?" he questioned, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Loe's gaze snapped to the African man, his fury reignited by the mention of his boss's name. "You!" he growled, pointing his gun accusingly. "I saw you smirk when you killed him!"
The African man's expression remained stoic as he responded, "I just did what my boss ordered."
Loe scoffed sarcastically, his finger inching towards the trigger once more. "Huh, then I just did what my boss ordered too," he retorted, his tone dripping with disdain.
But Mark stepped forward, his expression pleading. "Please, Loe, don't do this," he urged, his voice filled with desperation. "Violence will only make things worse."
"You twig," Loe spat at Mark, his frustration boiling over as he glared at him with seething resentment.
Mark's eyes grew firm with resolve as he stood his ground, showing he wouldn't yield to Loe's aggression. His determined gaze locked onto Loe's, signaling his unwavering dedication to stopping any more violence. His face mirrored his strong commitment to keeping the peace, a message clear and easy to understand for all watching.
As the African man observed Mark and Loe, he felt a sense of familiarity. Seeing Mark's determined expression reminded him of a friend from his past with a similar first name, (Jamal Afari). This recognition stirred up memories and emotions he hadn't felt in a long time.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of the African man's lips as he regarded Mark, a sense of familiarity washing over him. "Kid, what's your name?" he inquired, his tone surprisingly gentle despite the tense situation.
Mark paused briefly, surprised by the unexpected question. Despite the tense atmosphere, he detected a sincere curiosity in the man's tone. "I'm Mark Fletcher," he responded carefully, keeping a watchful eye on Loe, prepared to step in if needed.
The African man's smile widened slightly, a glint of recognition shining in his eyes. "Mark Fletcher, huh?" he murmured, as if testing the name on his tongue. Then, with a nod of acknowledgment, he turned his attention back to Loe, his expression thoughtful yet guarded. "I will tell you everything about me," said African man, his voice carrying a weight of significance.
"Oh, and by the way," he added, his tone casual yet revealing, "my name is Jamal Tesfaye."
To be continued
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