Chapter 23: A NEW FACE FOR NEW YORK
As Harvey Bullock is standing in a dark alley, smoking a cigar while looking at his watch, Spider-Bat drops down behind him.
"Hello, Harvey." He says, scaring the detective.
"Jesus. Would it kill ya to stop doing that? Whatever, come on let's go look at some art."
Soon they walk into an apartment and sees a dead body pinned to against the wall with thousands of knives.
"The landlord found him earlier today on a routine rent run. Went by the name Dante Martin, but when we ran it, turned out to be a phony. No I.D. in the apartment, nothing on his prints. Paid everything in cash. A true blue John Doe." Harvey says.
"Time of death?" Peter asks.
"Evidence points to five, maybe six days ago. When someone decided to use him as a human dart board. Thing is, whoever did it missed every one of Doe's major arteries- on purpose. Meaning they wanted to hurt him very badly, for a long, long time."
The vigilante looks closer at the knives.
"Antique throwing knives, professional grade. The grooves are filled with mercury for steadier flight. I'd like to take one." Peter says.
"Hell, it's not like we're gonna run out." Harvey replies.
Peter takes one of the knives out of the body and sees an owl symbol on it. He then looks under his fingernails.
"Looks like skin beneath the victims fingernails, possibly the killer's." He says, taking a DNA sample.
Peter then catches a whiff of something in the air. He walks over to a painting on the wall, staring at it for a moment then moving it off the wall, confusing Bullock.
"What? What is it?" He asks.
"Give me your cigar." Peter replies.
"My cigar?"
Harvey begrudgingly gives Peter his cigar.
"That smell is linseed oil. A common paint thinner. But the intensity is too strong."
"So what? Our guy spilled a can of paint thinner?"
"Maybe..."
Peter presses the cigar against the wall, lighting the paint thinner on fire to reveal the message "Harry Osborne will die tomorrow"
"Or maybe he was using it to leave a last message, a warning, before he was murdered."
"I guess it's safe to say he was a lousy fortune teller. If our time of death for him was a week ago, the "tomorrow" he thought would be Osborne's last day already came and went. So Osborne's in the clear."Harvey says.
"Unless John Doe knew when he'd be found. You said the landlord was making routine run. The victim knew he was going to die, knew he was going to be found today. So he left a warning that whoever killed him would be coming after Harry Osborne tomorrow."
"Damn. So the only question is- when?" Harvey asks.
Peter quickly thinks of the answer.
"The debate." Peter says.
"What?" Bullock says, but when he turns around, Spider-Bat is gone.
The next day, Peter runs multiple tests on the DNA sample he found, finding no matches anywhere.
"Master Parker, you need rest." Ben says.
"I can't allow anything to happen to Harry. Gotta find the court of owls before they find him."
"If I may sir, the Court of Owls have remained hidden for decades. Maybe not even you will be able to find them, not with the limited information you have."
Peter thinks to himself for a moment.
"Then we protect Harry at the debate, from whoever comes for him."
"We?"
"Me and the NYPD. And... maybe someone else." Peter says.
Later, Peter(wearing a hoodie and a hat, covering his face) walks into a bar on the bad side of the city. He sits at the bar, looking around for Felicia.
"What can I do for ya, stranger?" The bartender asks.
"I'm looking for Felicia Kyle. Is she around?" He asks.
At that moment, one of Peter's spider trackers are dropped on the bar.
"Closer than you think." Felicia says with a smile.
"We need to talk." Peter replies.
"Better be about how you took care of our mutual problem." Felicia says, asking for a drink.
"I'm still working on it. But I'll need your help. The people who hired you are the Court of Owls."
Felicia chuckles.
"You have got to be kidding. You really believe that old wives' tale?"
"After being thrown out of a window by someone dressed as an owl- I'm starting to come around to it." Peter replies.
Felicia thinks to herself for a moment.
"Alright. Come on, let's talk."
The two walk over to a private booth in the back.
"So what happened last night when you met my employer."
"I didn't actually meet him. It was a trap. The whole place was rigged to explode, they weren't planning on letting you walk away alive."
Felicia smirks, taking a sip from her drink.
"Dodged a bullet there. I guess I have you to thank for that, Spider." She says with a flirtatious smile.
Peter ignores the smile.
"The court is going after Harry tonight, at the debate. We need to be there to protect him."
"Uh, there is no "we" here. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not the hero type. I'm planning on leaving this city as soon as possible. You wanna stay? That's your choice."
"And what about Harry?"
"What about him? I mean he's a nice guy and all, but not nice enough to put my neck on the line."
Peter stares at Felicia for a moment.
"I need you, Felicia."
A grin appears on Felicia's face.
"That right?"
"The Court of Owls are dangerous. If I'm going to stop them, I'll need all the help I can get." Peter replies.
"Peter, sweetie. The gallant knight thing is adorable and all. But what would Harry think?"
"That we're saving his life."
"True. But the two of us... together. I mean- I'm not an all work, and no play kind of girl." Felicia says, rubbing Peter's hand.
Peter quickly moves his hand away.
"You and Harry- it's pretty clear you aren't just friends. Which is why you should be jumping at an opportunity to save his life." Peter says.
"Please. I'm only toying with him. I only take my claws out for someone special. You and I..."
At that moment, a street gang, holding steal pipes, walk into the bar and goes straight towards Felicia and Peter.
"Did you really think we wouldn't find you?"
"Friends of yours?" Peter asks.
"Something like that." Felicia replies.
The gang leader turns his attention to Peter.
"Beat it. We're here for her, not you." He says.
Peter looks at the men, then at Felicia, as a smile appears on his face. He slowly gets up and punches the leader in his face, knocking him out, making Felicia smile too. She quickly gets up, dodges a punch from one of the men and slams his head on the table.
One of the gang members tries to hit Peter in the head with a bottle, but he quickly catches his arm and punches him in the face. He then takes the bottle out of his hand and hits a guy running up behind him in the head with it. Another runs at Peter, but Felicia hits him with a roundhouse kick, knocking him out. As the two share a smile, three of the men get back to there feet, and they run at them.
Peter dodges a punch and slams a man through a table. Another guy throws a kick at him, but the he easily sidesteps and slams his head against the pool table. Peter then looks behind him and sees Felicia fight off two men, being impressed. Felicia looks over and sees more guys coming at them.
"We aren't done yet." Felicia says.
As one of the men runs up to throw a punch, Felicia grabs a pool stick and jabs him in the throat, then Peter lands a spinning back elbow. After she hits another one in the face, Peter lands a leg sweep, dropping him as well. Felicia then breaks the pool stick over the last guys face, then Peter jumps into the air and kicks him over the bar.
"You fight pretty good- for such a pretty boy."
The two share a smile, then hear police sirens nearby.
"Come on. This way." Felicia says.
The two run out of the bar and into an alley. As the cops sworm the place, they hide together behind a car. As Peter looks around to see if the cops have left yet, Felicia smiles at how close they are to each other.
"Are we alone?" Felicia asks.
"Yeah, we're alone."
When Peter turns around, she puts a hand on Peter's face. As she leans in for a kiss, he starts to get flashes of Gwen and quickly pulls away.
"We should get out of here." Peter says.
Felicia, enjoying the hard to get act, smirks.
"I'll take the rooftops- you take the alley."
Before Felicia climbs up the fire escape, Peter stops her.
"Are we in this together?" Peter asks.
Felicia thinks for a moment.
"I guess since you hand my back in the bar and almost got blown up for me, I kinda owe you. Just let me know where to be."
Peter smiles at Felicia as she walks away.
"You shouldn't trust me, you know? It's bad for your health."
She quickly and easily climbs up the fire escape, leaving Peter amazed.
Later on when Harry goes to leave his house, he was met by two cops.
"Mr. Osborne, we're here to escort you to the debate."
Harry is confused.
"May I ask why?"
"There's been a threat on your life, we are here to make sure you and Mayor Hill are safe and protected."
Harry nods and enters the car.
At the debate, before he takes the stage, Harry calls Peter to tell him what's going on, while Peter is in the Spider-Bat suit, standing on a roof.
"It's probably just an empty threat. No big deal." Harry says.
"Well just stay close to a police officer just in case it's not so empty. I'm gonna be a little bit late, but I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Alright Pete, see you then." Harry says.
When the phone hangs up, Peter pulls on his mask then looks down to see Catwoman standing in the alley below him. As her back is turned, Peter slides down on a web, upside-down behind her.
"You actually came." Peter says, surprising Felicia.
"Jesus... Yeah well, Debt is its own kind of cage- I can't stand being in it. You had my back at the bar- I thought I'd repay the favor."
Peter smirks.
"Doing the right thing? Maybe there's hope for you yet."
Felicia chuckles.
"Don't read too much into it- I'm just allergic to owing people anything. And do you have to do the voice? I know it's you."
Peter chuckles.
"Sorry, force of habit."
Seconds later, Peter and Felicia land on a rooftop infront of Commissioner Stacy.
"There you are. And you brought friend, that's surprising for you."
"It's only temporary." They both say at the same time.
"Ok. Well it's all quiet so far." Stacy says.
"I've got a feeling that's about to change." Peter replies.
At that moment gun shots can be heard from the building.
"You just had to say it, didn't you?" Felicia says.
Peter grabs onto her and web swings them both to the building.
Inside, the Court of Owls Assassins are shrugging off bullets and cutting through multiple cops as Harry hides. He then looks over sees Hill standing in awe.
"I knew it...I knew they were real." He whispers to himself.
"Hill, get down!" Harry yells.
Meanwhile as detective Bullock is on the ground with a knife in his leg, Montoya shoots an Owl in the head and rushes over to him.
"Hang in there, partner." She says, slowly pulling out the knife and wrapping up the injury.
"Ah! I'm getting too old for this." Harvey says.
At that moment two owl assassins come up from behind the two detectives, but both Spider-Bat and Catwoman drop down, knocking them out.
"We'll take it from here. You two get out of here." Peter says.
Renee Montoya helps Bullock to his feet and the two quickly leave the building. The young hero then looks around and sees the innocent people dead on the ground with a somber expression, catching Felicia's attention.
"No one else dies tonight." Peter declares.
"If you say so. But these guys are playing for keeps."
Peter scowls.
"So am I."
The assassins throws knives at them, but Peter blocks them with multiple Batarangs. Catwoman then cartwheel kicks one of the Owls and punches the other one. Peter dodges a knife thrust from an Owl, then grabs his wrist and kicks him to the ground. Another one swings at him but he quickly catches his arm, lands a headbutt and throws him into a wall.
After Felicia takes down an assassin, another one punches her in the face and grabs her by the hair, then pulls out a knife to stab her. Felicia quickly kicks the knife out of his hand, breaks his arm and slams his face into the ground.
Peter flips over an assassin trying to stab him and throws him into a pile of chairs. Two more charges at him, but he quickly webs their faces and lands three sixty roundhouse kick on both of them. At that moment he sees one of the assassins making his way on stage. Peter tries to stop him but is stopped by many other Owls.
Hill turns to the Assassin, still in awe at what he is seeing.
"You... you are the Talon of the court of owls."
The Talon raises his blade to kill Mayor Hill as Peter is still struggling to get to him.
"No!" Peter yells.
Before the blade can come down, Harry shoulder blocks the Talon in the back.
"I won't let you kill anyone else!" Harry yells.
The Talon slowly turns around to Harry and punches him in the face, knocking him to the ground.
"Wait... your... turn." The Talon says.
He then throws the knife into Mayor Hills head.
This angers Peter who bursts through the many Talons, fighting them all off. Harry gets to his feet, prepared to face the assassin.
"Where's Peter Parker now, in your time of neef?" The Talon asks.
Harry doesn't say anything and throws a punch at him. The Talon easily dodges and hits him across the face. Finally, both Peter and Felicia finally makes it on stage, making the Talon grab Harry and putting a knife to his throat.
"Let Osborne go!" Peter demands.
After a long stand off, the Talon throws multiple knives at them. Peter is able to dodge but Felicia gets hit in the back of her leg, dropping her to the ground. Peter looks down at her with worry in his eyes.
Talon then throws Harry face first into one of the stage lights, burning one half of his face. As Harry is on the ground, screaming in pain, The Talon rips of the stage light and prepares to smash Harry's head with it. Peter prepares to go help Harry, but sees that multiple Talons are about to pounce on Felicia. The hero has to think fast or one of them will die. Peter quickly throws multiple Batarangs at the Talons, saving Catwoman while at the same time shooting out a web and pulling the light out of Talons hands, saving Harry.
At that moment, Commissioner Stacy comes in with a lot more cops, opening fire on the Talon. The assassin quickly makes his escape as Peter runs over to his friends side. He rolls Harry over, in shock by the sight of the burned side of his face.
"Harry..." Peter says.
Commissioner Stacy quickly runs over to them.
"Where's the pycho in the mask?"
Stacy looks down and sees Harry's face in stunned silence.
"My God... We need paramedics, now!" Stacy yells.
Later that night, Peter( dressed in regular clothes) comes racing through the hospital until he sees Commissioner Stacy, detective Bullock and detective Montoya standing in the waiting room.
"Mr. Stacy. How is he?"
No one answers, just silently mourns for the now Mayor of New York City.
"It's... going to be a hard road to recovery, but he'll make it. He hasn't woken up yet, but since you're pretty much the closest thing he has to family, you can go in to see him." Stacy says.
Peter nods, walking into the room and seeing his friends face being wrapped by multiple bandages. He stands beside Harry's bed, feeling guilty that he didn't do more for his friend. He then sets down his lucky coin on the table beside him.
"I'm sorry, Harry." Peter says, as he sits by his friends side all night.
The next morning, Felicia slowly wakes up on a couch, infront of a fire. When she tries to sit up she feels a sharp pain in her leg, looking down and seeing it bandaged up. She then looks around, soon being surprised by a picture of Peter with his parents. At that moment, Peter himself appears infront of her with a kind smile. He kneels down and gently takes her hand.
"It's ok. You're in a safe place."Peter says.
The two share a smile as Ben watches from a distance, feeling comfort by the idea of Peter letting someone else in.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone