15430/The Scorpion Always Stings Twice

The Scorpion Always Stings Twice
Date of Scene:	05 August 2023
Location:	Central Park, Manhattan
Synopsis:	Seeking some sign of Dr. Curt Conners, Spider-Man and a host of others soon find themselves with a whole lot more to handle then was probably expected...
Cast of Characters:	Spider-Man, Daredevil, Kit Killovarras, Spider-Woman (Drew), Guile, Ghost Spider, Hawkeye (Bishop)

---

Spider-Man has posed:
Night has descended upon New York City like the settling of a dark blanket.

A dark, hot blanket.

The heat that had recently lifted, giving a respite to the citizens of the city is back in full force and little relief is offered by the setting of the sun. The sky is cloudless, for all that means in a city this size where the constant light pollution all but drowns out the stars in the sky but the coming of dark does at least mean that the crowds that flock to Central Park on warm summer days like this one have mostly cleared out, leaving only a smattering of people on the well lit paths that wind through the open lawns and forested sections of the park.

Even stories of the huge alligator haunting the Park's ponds hasn't been enough to keep everyone away. But then there are always stories like that in the city, fed by the popular tabloids that churn out sensational headlines on a daily basis.

Of course, occasionally they do get it right. At least partially.

Those in the know are of course aware that it is no giant alligator escaped from the city's sewers that is lurking in the far reaches of Central Park but instead Dr. Curt Conners, who has once more succumbed to his not entirely successful attempt to regenerate human limbs, becoming the Lizard once more. And while thus far his appearances have been few and far between, it seems like it is only a matter of time before there is an attack. One that can't just be brushed aside. One that can only end in tragedy.

Which is why Spider-Man has donned that mask of his and currently leaps from tree to tree in one of the more heavily wooded sections of the park, keeping as near to the great pond as he can, looking for any signs of the Lizard. Though admittedly, in the dark he is trusting more to his Spider-Sense then he is to his eyesight.

Being out and about like this poses it's own risks to Spidey these days of course. He is still wanted by the authorities for his apparent involvement in the attempted murder of the city's mayor. But that is one of the main reasons he is out after dark, roaming the more secluded sections of the park instead of trying this during the daylight hours.

Spider-Woman might have saved him from being arrested last time. But he won't always be able to count on her presence -- and that Avengers badge -- to ward off the NYPD. And while he might have asked some of his friends and allies to keep an eye on things, well, it is tough not feeling like this is still his responsibility.

He at least has the sense to make sure he has someone to watch his back in all of this, having roped in Ghost Spider as well and the pair of them flit through the shadows, stirring leafy boughs with their passing.

Of course, they are not the only one out tonight, not even the only one on the hunt. And not all of those eyes are friendly ones...

Daredevil has posed:
Matt Murdock had heard some of the rumors about the Park alligator. Seemed like normal urban legend stuff, but it kept persisting. With the rise of metahumans and mutants and every other species of super, the idea that it might be something more than a mere animal lingered.

And so, tonight, Daredevil goes to investigate, wearing his red gear tonight, the supple material flexible but protective at the same time. The padding was less than he needed, but he needed freedom of movement, not bulk. As he got deeper into the park, though, it became more difficult to approach from above. While his baton cable worked well enough in the city, treees weren't an idle or reliable structure to use it on. Spiders might have a different experience, given their superhuman physiques. Daredevil, unfortunately for him many times, is mostly just a human. He has extras, but those extras don't make anybody's punches hurt less.

His nostrils flare for a moment and the familiar scent of Spider-Man catches on the wind. Well. AT least there was someone he could trust out here.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Curiosity killed the cat, right? Well thankfully it doesn't seem to have the same effect on hyenas. Kit walks casually around the pond and while he wears his typical hoodie and jeans, he isn't hiding himself. He may seem monstrous to some, but in all honesty? He's just another guy with something slightly different about him.. Well, maybe a little more than slightly.

Having heard some vague rumors, the teenage creature has decided to take a look around and unlike most, his eyes are adjusted to the darkness more than the light. The heat doesn't seem to bother him in the slightest either. Every now and then he'll give a glance around, taking in the sights and sounds, his ears perked and on a swivel to catch anything he can as he wanders off the paths and through the darkness he's become so well acquainted. He's also not oblivious to the movements of the spiders, or rather the faintest sound those leafy boughs might make when disturbed, but he doesn't seem to pay much mind to it for the time being.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Unlike other caped crusaders, Jessica hasn't been patrolling the park. But she's here a lot, because it's literally on the doorstep of the Mansion and she has to pass through here to get to any other point in Manhattan for the most part.

Especially the really good burger joints.

"This is like, the burger royale. The burger that some royal to-do would have made, flown on a jet in under fifteen minutes and delivered to his plate with knife and fork. Of course, we all know eating a burger with a knife and fork is wrong on many levels, but... royals, what are you going to do."

Jessica Drew is talking up these burgers, wrapped up and waiting to be eaten, as she waves with animation and walks along side Kate Bishop. Park benches -- ones unoccupied by people trying to sleep or late night wanderers -- are difficult to find. She spots a park bench, being vacated by a young couple, and reaches out to squeeze Kate's arm. "There! Stat!"

And then she begins running for it. Having a sit down place to eat a burger is necessary for the experience.

Focused on her whole, the woman remains oblivious to those prowling around in the night. Some things you just don't want to hear, so she tries hard not to listen.

Guile has posed:
It was hot times, summer in the city, and Major William Guile's preferred attire was well suited to it. Eschewing a coat or even a shirt with sleeves, he wore a green tank top, which provided ample freedom of movement, and exposing more of his body, while still being decent, to any breezes that might take place.

The camouflaged pants, well, they weren't nearly as free, but there was no way that the Major was going to wander about New York City at night, or day for that matter, in shorts. Each leg was neatly tucked into brown combat boots, and the pants were cinched at the waist by a black belt, with a silver buckle.

The only other item of note was the two dog tags that hung around his neck, occasionally glinting in the light.

Well, that and his hair. It was no wonder that some had nicknamed him, usually behind his back, brushhead. His thick blond hair had been gelled up, and cut in such a way that it was flat on top, but giving him extra height. Was that because in ancient times the Romans, Britons, and others wore hats to accentuate their height? Who knew.

He had come to Central Park, strictly off duty, as even with his somewhat unique status, he wasn't actually law enforcement. He was a private citizen. He just happened to have an Interpol agent on speed dial, and other contacts, should he actually apprehend anyone who needed apprehension.

He was moving through the park, cross country, ignoring the paved roads. He was quick, but surprisingly quiet. No doubt a testament to his special forces training. He was also making use of the rocks, hills, banks, and anything else, keeping to himself, operating as if this were hostile territory. Of particular note, he managed to remain down wind.

And his target, well, that was some kind of giant lizard he had heard about. There were conflicting reports. Some talked about them as if they were six foot turtles. Others mentioned a crocodile like creature. Yet still others mentioned frogs. Could there really be that many large green men in Central Park?

Ghost Spider has posed:
It's times like these when Ghost-Spider really lives up to her name. The white chest, arms, and hood of her costume occasionally catching what little ambient light exists like a wraith moving from tree to tree not all that far from her red-and-blue cohort.

They weren't together. Not within easy speaking distance. But they were well within the range of each other's Spider-Senses... not to mention shouting range. Spreading out gave them an opportunity to move faster, to cover more ground, to widen their search radius, but it came with risks. If they didn't sense the danger, if they didn't hear a noise, it would be hard for them to know the other was in trouble before it was too late.

After all, alligators might not be able to climb trees, but the Lizard could.

So, caution was the word of the day. Caution for the potential of summoning the NYPD. Caution for stumbling across Dr. Connors and being caught off guard. And caution for a million other things that can go wrong in the lives of the Spiders in New York City.

*Crack*

Like the limb under Ghost Spider's feet suddenly snapping without warning and starting to fall, taking the white-and-black clad Spider on top with it.

*Thwip*

Half-way to the ground, Gwen spins a web that carries her back up into the safety of the tree, clinging to another branch with hands and feet while hanging upside down, her hood sagging backwards. And then...

*CRASH-BOOM*

The big, heavy limb hits the ground beneath her with a heavy percussive thud. A ninja she was not. But... maybe anyone that heard it would just think it was a natural thing. Limbs fall out of trees even when no one is around, right? Or were those the ones that didn't make a sound?

Hawkeye (Bishop) has posed:
There had been another outdoor archery event held in the Park, One Ms Kate Bishop had made another appearance helping coach and judge some of the competitions going on. And show off a few trick shots hear and there. But as the day got hotter the event wound down and most folks and their kids had headed home or somewhere shadier and or cooler.

This also gave Kate the chance to catch up and grab a burger with Jessica Drew. It also explains why she's ordering while a quiver and a two hundred and fifty pound draw compound bow is strapped to her back.

The archer dressed in her usual purple, though it's just her padded leather jacket left open for her tee in white with a purple bullseye printed on it and black jeans, some expensive looking work boots in purple leather on her feet help sell the look.

Being dragged to a table had Kate chuckling and thoroughly amused as they found themselves a place to sit and actually eat that delicious ball of grease, meat, dough, and salads.

"To quote Sir Sam Jackson; Mmmhmm, this is a tasty burger!" she actually agrees while trying to not get a mess made. The sight of other Spiders leaping about in the distance isn't lost on her. It's not quite a super power but more possibly an hint of weaponised ADD. "They ever find the Lizard? Or Scorpion?" she ponders with a shrug.

Spider-Man has posed:
These searches have become an almost nightly tradition for the webslinging wall-crawler and though they haven't borne any fruit yet, they are unlikely to stop, not so long as Dr. Conners remains missing. There isn't a lot of quit in Spider-Man -- in any of the Spiders -- especially when lives are on the line.

Even moreso when that life is that of a friend.

Down by the pond there are at least some hints that tonight's search might not be entirely in vain. Nearby lights cast a glow out over those dark waters and that reflection increasingly becomes rippled, little waves rolling across the surface as something moves beneath that formerly still surface, getting closer and closer to the edge of that pond, the reeds there also stirred into motion as if something is passing through them.

The Lizard, or something else entirely?

It is an age old question to be sure. If a Ghost Spider falls in the woods and no one else is around, does it make a sound?

Well, perhaps no one has asked that specific question, and certainly there are plenty of people out and about tonight that might be a little more observant then the average citizen of the city. Might have special senses that might alert them to such a thing. So while Gwen is likely to be fine, that snapping of the tree limb does echo across the forest and the nearby park.

It is that snapping sound in the near distance that draws Spider-Man's Tarzan routine to a stop and he comes to rest on a very similar tree branch a short ways away from the pond, from the coveted park bench. Just at the edge of the forest. To go any further would more or less mean taking to the ground -- or swinging between the light staunchions that populate the park, but beneath that mask Peter's brow furrows and he peers in the direction that Ghost Spider had been sweeping. Hesitating a moment, he lingers longer when that tingling starts in the back of his head.

Uh oh.

That's the only warning he gets. Out of the darkness a viscious metal tail suddenly sweeps out, slamming into the tree where Spidey rests.

And simply bowls it over.

Even as it plummets to the ground, Spider-Man leaps free with a flip, spotting the figure of the Scorpion starting to loom out of the trees of that forest. "You! I'm almost sure you don't have a lumberjack permit. You are in sooooooo much trouble," he says, landing on the ground in a crouch.

Only a short distance away Jessica and Kate near that park bench, the first unoccupied one that they have seen since picking up those hamburgers. A perfect place to eat, and relax and maybe admire the lights on that nearby pond.

To bad it blows up, right?

One of the lights embedded in the edge of the path begins to spark, the light flickering rapidly. Then it simply blows out entirely beneath that park bench and a great gout of electricity shots into the air around it, blowing the entire thing to smithereens. Lightning crackles, the air alive with electric energy. Energy that begins to coalesce into a rather human looking figure.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt's senses stretch beyond the limits of the ordinary, all but, of course, the one he lost so long ago. The sharp sound of Gwen's fall is a sudden shock and he finds himself moving towards it with a vigorous stride. A little parkour over a bench here, a little swinging from a sturdier branch there, he's almost to her when...

Scorpion emerges, looking for spider blood. Daredevil is probably a little overmatched by Scorpion, at least on the surface, although he's won such fights many a time before. He's a pretty good David, especially when Goliath is stupid. Guess he'll find out if this one is.

"Hey! You! The jerk-off with the tail," he says and then flings his baton, aiming it to rebound off of Scorpion's face when he turns around to look.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The sound of a snapping branch instantly makes Kit's ears perk and focus, his eyes instantly locking on the falling spider at a distance as she regains herself. He says nothing, but then the tail comes and he stops moving entirely. "Allaenatu?" he murmurs to himself as he observes the back and fourth between Scorpion and the masked spiders..

There's a little sigh as he rolls his shoulders, pulling his hoodie off to toss it onto a nearby bench before starting over towards the scene, his upper body visibly covered in tightly-wrapped bandages, though they look pristine, so likely not due to current injuries.

It's about the time that he starts over when a nearby trash can suddenly lifts, seemingly of it's own accord and goes hurtling towards the man with the metal tail. Those who are gifted with magic might be able to pinpoint what threw it, since there would be a connection there, but beyond that it'd be nearly impossible to track for normal people.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Jess walks quickly towards the park bench and gives a /look/ to some poor old couple that thought they scored a good spot by the pond, trying to warn them away through sheer force of will. "I don't know how you can stand all that leather in this heat. Though I suppose it beats being shot by a stray arrow. Some of those people in that competition... should very much have not been there."

Jessica Drew looks /exceptionally/ casual. It's freaking hot. She's wearing slippers, blue jean shorts, and a baby blue t-shirt that says 'Me? Sarcastic? NEVER.' There's even a cheap pair of sunglasses perched on her head. Cheap, but favorite, the best kind of sunglasses.

"Um," her brow crinkles at Kate's question. "I don't think so? We need someone who can do some underwater battle royal foo. The lizard keeps escaping into the water, and the scorpion... that was the one that tried to acid me, or the other one?" Her brow crinkles. "I don't think so. Spidey would've said. Probably."

She hears the crack of a falling branch just as they reach the park bench, and then the sound of leaves being hit at speed. "Nope," she mumbles as she bites a mouthful of the burger. Her second, "Nope!" is far more muffled because she's busy eating.

That's about when the lightning strikes, not only destroying the park bench, but also making Jessica jump. It's one of those slow motion moments, where she loses grip on the burger, and it tumbles and tumbles as she reaches -- before it splatters and falls apart on the ground.

"NOOOO! You /ASS/!" She spins around, looking for the source of the lightning. "Whatever that is, we're killing it," she declares to Kate. He has committed the greatest atrocity -- burger-suicide.

Guile has posed:
Spiders were fast; no, make that freakishly fast. Common house spiders could move 1.7 feet per second, and when you factor their size, well, if they were human, they'd top out at around 140 miles per hour. That sounded about right for Spider-Man and his friends. Though rough terrain did put a damper on it, like the heavily wooded area of this section of Central Park.

Guile had been making good time, covering the park. There were other people about, some pedestrians, others, probably something else. Most were out of sight for him right now. He couldn't make out Spider-Man, just seeing the ruffle of movement in the trees. Another one was coming, and he stopped, ready for whatever would come.

He didn't account on it being a woman in black, white, and pink spandex. He had read about Spider-Man, but was a little hazy on the others. There were so many it seemed.

With the branch breaking nearby, he, being the hero, regular hero that is, a man who puts foot to behind for his country, rushed towards the woman, ready to catch, except a well, some kind of fluid emanated from her wrist, and she managed to right herself before he could catch the woman. Standing with his hands on his hips as he watched her cling to another tree, "You all right, uh, Spider-Girl?" He took a guess on the name.

As loud as the tree hitting the ground was, it was soon to be dwarfed by the noise coming from the nearby pond up ahead. The Major took his eyes off the woman hanging upside down, looking towards the danger, and said, "ma'am," with a mimed tip of his nonexistent cap, and he started rushing through the foliage on his way to whatever was going on by the water.

Emerging at the tree line, booted foot disappearing between some kind of flower bed, he caught sight of the Scorpion, "not a reptile, but you'll do."

Hawkeye (Bishop) has posed:
Kate had been about to take that delightful bite. Then the bench is gone and with it the burger as Kate is throw back. She doesn't have the same reflexes as her Spider-Friends. She's bird themed if anything.

The woman's hands hold air now as if she had a burger, strewn to the winds to be picked at by actual bird. Or probably local critters since birds likely won't be landing here for a while.

Looking over to check on Jessica she can only agree. And pout. "I know right. Looks like we're working through. This is ad bad as trying to get a pizza from the place near mine." less supervillains and more tracksuits but still. The struggle is real.

Lucky shouldn't be eating cheese anyway.

"Good thing I brought something a little more ordnance than just tranqs this time." she says as she picks herself up and starts tooling up and stringing her bow.

Ghost Spider has posed:
"Nobody saw that, right?" Gwen was muttering to herself, hanging upside down.

Then, from Guile, /You all right, uh, Spider-Girl?/

Of course, someone was standing right there.

"I'm fine! I mean, it's Ghost-Spider, but Spider-Girl is probably better Spider-Woman. That one's already taken and... also not me." Wait, why was she correcting him when she could just pass this embarrassing moment off on some Spider that didn't even exist? "One sec. Just gotta flip up aaaaaannd..."

Ghost-Spider drops her feet, still hanging by her hands, and then flips herself up on top of that limb.

"...stick the land--"

There's an even LOUDER *crack* than the limb falling when Scorpion decides to partake in some dendrological destruction, and Ghost-Spider's head whips in that direction, her big, white eyes going wide.

"Sorry. Can't chat. You might wanna... evacuate."

A moment later, she's running along the length of that limb, jumping, and then lashing out with a web to pull herself closer to the action, heedless to the limbs and branches she swings through as they go (though careful to avoid the ones large enough to bring that advance to a sudden and unenviable halt).

That path carries her rather quickly to a limb right above Daredevil. Thinner than the one she was on before, she perches on it in a crouch just as he throws his baton.

"Hey, nice throw!... And cool costume!"

If nothing else, at least, she's perky. And pleasant. And optimistic. Her eyes squint into a little smile and then she's off again, swinging closer to get a better angle on the scorpion.

Spider-Man has posed:
"You're a real funny guy."

Mac Gargan says the words, but somehow Peter just doesn't believe him. They don't have that sincerity behind them. It might also have something to do with the fact that heavy tail lashes out, right over the Scorpion's shoulder, thumping heavily into the ground where Spidey was standing just an instant before as he spring-boards away acrobatically.

"Your eyes and your tail say otherwise, Mac-ey," the webhead counters, his spider senses still tingling and glancing back to spot Daredevil's approach. "Ho ho. Looks like I'm about to get all the high ground. MIght as well give up now," he suggests to his old adversary.

Of course Spidey isn't the only one that spots Matt's approach and the Scorpion growls as the Devil of Hell's Kitchen starts towards him to join the fray. "Do you hero types breed like roaches now? What the actual hell! Does this one have claws too?" he asks, advancing slowly towards Spider-Man though that tail twists and starts to point at the other costumed adversity moving into the fight. "Well screw that. No one's helping you this time," Gargan screams, actual spittle flying from his mouth oh so pleasantly.

Then that weaving tail starts to spit great gobs of acid -- directly at Daredevil.

While Matt could no doubt dodge the assault, it is that moment when a trash can flies out of the darkness, directly into the side of Scorpion's head. It hits at just about the same time as Matt's hurled projectile. There is an audible grunt and both his head and entire body snaps back, that acid-spewing tail jerking with it, away from Matt to be sure. But raining down great green gobs of the corrosive all over the nearby forest and path.

Nearby, that burst of electricy slowly solidifies into the unmistakable presence of a man, though even as he appears there, hovering in mid air little ripples of blue energy seem to wash over him. A disdainful look lights in those eyes and for a moment electricity plays through them as well, making them glow blue as he focuses that gaze on Jessica and Kate. "Keep your crudities to yourself and be glad that I have bigger fish to fry. Or spiders at least," he says coldly to the pair, completely turning his back on them both as he starts to float towards the nearby woods, little tendrils of arcing blue energy trace across the ground beneath him, leaving scorched trails on the pavement and little lines of fire in the grass that quickly burn out.

Still, Max Dillon -- Electro -- probably won't be a hit with the grounds crew tomorrow.

In the darkness by the suddenly abandonned pond a large, humanoid shape slips out of the reeds, sniffing at the air. Then it begins to creep towards the path -- and the tempting aroma of seared meat in the air.

Daredevil has posed:
Acid flying through the air. He could tell it was acid. The air around it almost sizzled, he could hear the sound as the water droplets in the air boiled over the surface of it. It spattered, too. Up or down wouldnt help much. So there's only one way to go.

Back.

Daredevil starts to somersault backwards in a repeated motion, like in a gymnastics exhibition, getting out of the range of the arc of the stuff, so that it barely fell just short of the tip of his shoe as he finally stumbled for a moment, taking a knee to catch his breath.

"Oh, this guy's a real asshole, I can tell."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
There's a little chuckle from the hyena as he muses, "Is that really all you've got?" as some of the acid flies towards him, more to himself than anyone else. Then the yeen gives a toothy grin as some of it flies at him and he just sort of shakes his head as it halts in it's flight and starts to spiral around him in thick globs.

The trash can might have been less obvious but now? With rings of spiraling acid flying around him, it'd become more than apparent that he is manipulating it somehow.

There's a moment where he lets his eyes close and when they open, they're practically burning with that signature violet energy of his and the acid spiraling around him darts off, held by some unknown force in bands as it careens towards Scorpion. The aardwolf is not a subtle fighter, nor is he kind to those who would hurt others.

The sound of something leaving the water doesn't escape him either, but for now he has his target. Regardless of whether the acid does anything when he sends it back towards scorpion, he'll also swing a hand, slicing thin lines of pure energy through the air that fly out towards him as well, threatening to cut deep into any part of their target that they can and flying as if being guided by something.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Here's the other thing that's happening right now: lighting creates static electricity and Jessica's hair is going kind of... wild. Added to that her ranting about burgers and she could be forgiven for being mistaken for one of those unhinged people that feeds the pigeons and yells at people in the park.

Kate may be armed for bear, but Jessica has nothing but her wits and pithy attitude. Fortunately the latter goes a /long/ way. "Good! I hope you brought one of those explody things Second-Best Hawkeye has. I want to watch the world burn right now," Jessica declares.

And then all that lightning coalesces into a man... who says entirely the wrong thing at the right time.

Jess splutters even as he's already dismissing them. "RUDE!" she finally gets out. "That's asshole number one," Jessica declares to Kate, as she takes off running to keep pace with Electro, staying just out of that lightning that hits the ground. It's doing terrible things to her hair, though. "See if you can bring him down? I very much want to punch him in the face." She gives a last, mournful look over her shoulder at the fallen burger... completely missing the arrival of the lizard-man. She's got a new target!

Guile has posed:
Spider-Girl, Ghost Spider, Spider-Woman, whatever she was called, was both adorable, and a menace. J. Jonah Jameson should start writing more about her, as she was a danger to herself and those around with the falling tree branches. Which wasn't at all a reflection on her weight. Just, some branches were more brittle than others in this heat wave.

While the three Spider-People, Airman, Devil of Hell's Kitchen, Hyena Man, and Pretty Bird were all converging on the model-boat pond near Avengers Mansion, only a couple of blocks away, an alarm was triggered at the Tilton Gallery on East 76th Street. Did any of them have police scanners? Crime in New York was pretty common.

Taking in the situation from his current vantage point, Guile slips one fist inside his free hang, and cracks his knuckles, all at once. He then repeats the move with his other hand. His neck goes to the left and the right, cracking that, and that seems to be all the warm up he does. He had already been fairly loose from the cross country running.

Where Daredevil starts to somersault backwards, in an effort to avoid the acid being sprayed about, Guile moves forward. Not in the same path, of course. But he forms a defensive stands, hands up, eyes locked on the guy in the green suit with the prehensile tail, trying to close the distance. It would be tough with that tail though. Thankfully, the guy seemed to be attacking others right now...

... except there was the crackle of lighting. It was enough to make someone's hair stand on... oh... yeah... right...

Hawkeye (Bishop) has posed:
Somewhere between burned meat and burning ozone. Kate starts doublechecking her current load out when Electro tries to warn them off. "I suppose it figures even bad guys can have brodowns." she mutters to Jess while she considers an arrowhead with a bit more boom to it. Acid and electricity are just horrid for net arrows. Or any other bindings.

She could blow up a car with some of those explosives. "Figure best I can hope is to herd." she agrees with the suggested tactics. It takes some timing and leading of her shot to get it blasting away just close enough to hopefully knock him down in a favorable direction. Like in that pond.

"You don't mess with burger time!" she yells as the arrow flies.

Ghost Spider has posed:
*THWIP*

Ghost-Spider emerges from the edge of the tree line in fast-swing that carries her high into the air, gracefully flipping at the peak of her ascent and then...

*thwip* *thwip* *thwip* *thwip*

Rapid-fire from her wrists, Ghost-Spider's webs all aim directly for Scorpion's body. They might not hold once they hit. Those sorts of shots were great for muggers and would-be car thieves, but they never lasted more than a few seconds against the villains that were the most fun to fight. But they'd keep him 'tied up' long enough to hopefully let someone else get a shot in, and it seemed like they had WAY more backup than she expected.

Of course.. she was hurtling right towards Electro until she reached back behind her and *THWIPPED* a web back into a tree, immediately arresting her forward flight and yanking her backwards a little to give herself some distance.

Unfortunately, it also left her grounded. She landed lightly in the grass in a familiar couch, one blue ballet slipper extended, ready to move, as she looked up at the electric-man, taking a second to figure out the best way to attack... that.

"Uh, Spidey?" Was she /trying/ to draw attention to herself? Maybe she thought intimidation by overwhelming numbers was a good strategy. "I take back what I said before... trouble actually /does/ follow you around. We really need to find a way to fix that."

Spider-Man has posed:
To put it mildly the Scorpion is not having a very good night.

What was intended to be an ambush on Spider-Man has rapidly turned into pretty much the opposite and clearly Mac Gargan isn't very happy about that fact. "I'm going to fuc-- ow! Quit it" he bellows as he tries to recover his balance, to try and regain a certain amount of momentum. But even as his footing solidifies, he is only just barely in time to raise up that tail in front of him as great gobs of his own acid come flying back towards him.

The tail, it would seem, is resistant to that acid and it drips off with a soft hiss. That other purplish power that hurls towards him though is a different matter entirely and the Scorpion continues to stumble backward in amongst the trees, using them for cover as much as possible.

It's hard to make out what he's saying as he backpeddles. But chances are it isn't very nice anyway.

Of course that might have something to do with Ghost Spider's webbing that flies out of the darkness and before he ducks behind another tree it most definitely looks that Mac Gargan's arms are tied tight to his sides.

Unfortunately none of that webbing finds its way to his mouth.

While Scorpion might have been driven back, that's not quite the same thing as actually capturing him and trussing him up for the police. Especially since he isn't the only threat. And once again it is only his Spider-sense that saves Peter as an arc of blue electricity leaps from the hands of the approaching Electro, right towards his back. Again Spidey leaps, just in time, actually feeling the hair on his arms standing up as that energy passes beneath him to smash into one of those trees, leaving it blackened and smoking. Though fortunately, given the weather, not on fire.

"Oh yeah, him. Hi Max," Pete says as he whirls in that crouch, stealing a quick glance towards Ghost Spider. "Right? See, I told you. I'm open to any suggestions that you might have. Do you think voodoo is an option?" he asks as Electro begins to form a large glowing blue orb of electricity above his head, tendrils of that unstable energy starting to lash out in all directions.

Until Hawkeye's arrow takes him unaware. Striking him in the shoulder, the master of electricity gives a cry of pain, back arching and the tendrils of power keeping him afloat abruptly disappearing as he starts to sink back down to the ground.

Of course, while Jessica and Kate are very much focused on the threat behind them, that shape shuffles forward out of the darkness, lighting on the path where the dropped burgers lay. In a heartbeat it simply shovels the patties into it's mouth. Then it slowly straightens, rising up until it looms just behind the pair, it's shadow falling across them.

That is most definitely the Lizard. And it doesn't look like his stolen burgers have completely filled him up.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
There's a moment where it seems like the Aardwolf might let up, but when the fur that makes up his 'mane' raises into what can only be described as a Mohawk running the length of his spine, it becomes absolutely apparent that that's not the case.

Violet energy crackles around him, arcing like electricity across the tips of his fur as he slashes more blades into existence. Four, then eight, then sixteen! It's like a wall of swirling, sentient blades that seem to be able to seek our their target and avoid everything else, the bands zipping in between trees and obstacles as he presses Scorpion relentlessly.

Those who don't know the hyena might fear what he's going to do to the man with the metal tail, some might not care, but one thing is certain: Flashes of violet energy can be seen moving further and further into the distance in the direction that the villain went, leaving the hyena's hoodie abandoned on a random bench in central park and a faint feeling in his wake as if something entirely supernatural has happened here tonight.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt Murdock is about to charge forward to lay into Gargan only for him to get dogpiled like mad. He isn't tied up, but he's got webs in his mouth, that's just not a good sign. He might still fight, though. He's like the burglars in Home Alone. They should just give up , but they just keep on climbing those steps anyway.

He hears the cries from back towards the top and, with Scorpion apparently under control, turns and begins to run back towards the conflict with Electro. What will he do against Electro?

Hell if the Devil knows.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"YOU don't mess with BURGER TIME!" Jessica echoes Kate as she races after Electro.

Kate's arrow whizzes overhead, and she pumps a fist as she goes.

Jessica is running at full speed, so when Electro starts to sink back down she leaps up and tries to land on his back, seeking and squeezes like a cobra. This might be a mistake, but given her own body generates electricity, she's hopeful she can ingest whatever lingering electricity he has, otherwise this is going to hurt.

Guile has posed:
Driven back was good, but the mission was incomplete. Having the acid redirected back at him was good, in that it didn't hit other people, but as Guile tried to close the distance between them, it added another layer of intrigue. Thankfully, Ghost-Spider's webbing and the Aardwolf's electric blades were helping with that, and the airman managed to finally get close enough.

Bare knuckle came into contact with the Scorpion's suit, followed by bare knuckle, and another one. And then, after three punches, the man seemed to lower himself to a crouch, but only barely. It was all part of a move, creating maximum output.

It was if he had pushed off from that crouching position, using the spring in his hamstring, thighs, muscles, whatever it was, he did a somersault, feet going up, contacting from pelvis to forehead, and there was even a flash of energy along the kicking motion, before Guile landed back on his feet, and this time his foot went up, heel coming down towards the shoulder blade of the Scorpion.

It seemed that the boys and girls in blue would have to deal with the police siren from the art gallery going in the distance.

Hawkeye (Bishop) has posed:
Kate is not that fast, and a lot more squishy so sticking back and lobbing arrows or crowd control are likely the ideal tactic. No point putting herself in too much danger that time has to be spent webswinging to scoop her out of the way instead of tackling a badguy.

This however gets her being loomed on by a reptillian scientist with a serious hangry phase. The sound and smell way too close as she looks back and up over her shoulder. "Umm, ten second rule. You know if you're hungry, I can like buy you a whole stack of burgers. the place we got those is probably empty so like I don't think anyone is gonna complain if you raid it. I'll cover the costs too so it's not like crime for once?" she offers with an awkward goofy expression.

And maybe some tensing of leg muscles in case she really, really needs to try and run.

Maybe the burger bribe might help.

Ghost Spider has posed:
"Voodoo... exorcism... restraining orders. We're going to throw it all at the web and see what sticks. Maybe we can convince that clown girl to be your bodyguard. She was kind of terrifying in a sexy lunatic kinda-way."

Ghost-Spider glanced behind her where Scorpion had headed off into the trees... maybe never to be seen or heard from again, if those sounds were any indication, and she wasn't exactly running back to check on him.

When she looks back, though, there's a freaking DINOSAUR towering up behind Jessica and Kate.

"Hey! I found your friend! I'll go introduce myself!"

It's the last thing Ghost-Spider calls towards Spidey, turning away from the glowing form of Electro that was slowly lowering himself to the ground so that she can instead run at a flat-out-sprint across the ground, directly /past/ Jessica and towards Kate.

Arms come up, and out of her wrists fly two long strands of webbing, one aimed at each of the Lizard's shoulders. She uses the elasticity to draw back and then slingshot herself up into the air, spinning as she flips over Kate's (and the Lizard's) head to come up behind him and try to turn him around... or at least unbalance him, so he's not left just to focus on Kate.

And as she flies overhead, yanking on that webbing, it's a short quip this time, "What's up, Doc?!"

Spider-Man has posed:
In all likelihood the Scorpion will eventually find a way to burst free of that webbing. It is pretty potent stuff and against any normal person it is likely to be effective for the few hours until it dissolves. But the Scorpion suit gives Mac Gargan significan't more strength then any normal person and he is already straining at it as he backpeddles through those woods, pursuit hot on his tail.

Just where the walking hyena gets to is something of a mystery, one that Gargan doesn't have a whole lot of time to worry about as Guile is suddenly there in front of him, launching blows into his chest. The suit definitely helps to absorb the worst of them, but he still grunts and tries to swing that tail towards the soldier, just narrowly missing as it goes over his head and smashes into another tree, sending up a spray of splinters.

A webline is tossed up and a moment later Spidey is swinging through the air. "The ol' kitchen sink strategy, huh? Right now I'm willing to try just about anything. And everything," he admits. Then Gwen is zipping off, her words drawing Peter's attention towards the Lizard as he rears up on the path.

It's tempting to follow her. Getting Doc Conners back is his main focus right now -- aside from, you know, staying out of police custody. That's pretty high on the list too. And he can't exactly ignore Electro either, so he contents himself to land in a crouch only a short distance from Daredevil. Another friendly face. Hopefully. Unless he's been reading the Bugle.

"Exciting stuff huh? It's a wonder the tourist board doesn't use the possibility of being jumped in the park by random costumed goons in their advertisement. My webbing isn't conductive, so if you want to maybe toss your club at him, I'll web him up," he offers.

Though before he can execute any sort of plan a vaguely familiar dark haired woman suddenly hurls herself onto Electro's back, screaming at him. "Ooooo-kay. Maybe she's got him. Or she's about to be fried." It's not just the hair that's familiar mind, it's that voice. That accusing voice. The one that brought the crowd down on him at the zoo. "Hey! Hey you! Crazy lady! You're going to get yourself fried!" he yells, starting to sprint across the grass.

Apparently Spider-Man isn't the only one with that same thought because certainly Electro himself is stunned when he feels Jessica land on his back, a wave of agony shooting through his shoulder where the arrow hit him. "What the --" he starts to protest, trying to look back over his shoulder. "Get off me you crazy bi --" he starts before spotting Spider-Man racing towards him. "I don't have time for this. I would have let you be, but instead you're going to fry," Max Dillon says, an angry note in his words.

And electricity starts to radiate from him in blue waves -- though possibly not having quite the reaction he expects.

Behind Kate, the Lizard does seem to pause for a moment as if considering her offer. Does it understand her? Does it too crave more burgers? Maybe.

But instead it just swipes a clawed talon at her. Just before it can rake down her body though that webline shoots out of the night, hitting it's wrist and jerking it back. Then Ghost Spider is there. Not that it seems to particularly daunt the transformed Doctor. Instead he hisses, that mouth gaping open to reveal rows of sharpened teeth.

In the skies above the park several hovering spheres seem to watch what is going on down below, cameras aimmed down towards that particular expanse of the park. In some distant control room across town, a voice gives an annoyed sigh. And then 'Send it in.'

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"THAT'S MISOGYNISTIC, YOU BURGER-KILLING ASS!"

Jessica is indeed, officially Central Park's resident crazy lady.

The biggest problem with being struck by lighting is that, unless you're properly grounded, there's just no where for that energy to go except your own body.

Jessica, fortunately, doesn't have that problem. Her own body naturally generates electricity and she can discharge it safely through her hands, which is fine, except... well. She isn't wearing a mask. That's a problem, especially because people are looking, and recording and... this is going to end badly.

Fortunately, at almost the same time as Electro spots Spider-Man, Jessica does also. Yup, Crazy Lady, representing here. She has a plan! She gives Spider-Man a meaningful look, but as we've established, neither of them have telepathy so it just looks like weirdly intense stare, before she's kicking away from Electro, shoving him /towards/ Spider-Man.

Looking at the crazy lady, helping! Hopefully he totally read her intentions and isn't just going to get an unexpected Eletro to the face at speed.

There's just one problem: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Yup, she's going into the pond water. Not only is this going to /hurt/, it's going to /suck./ But hey at least her secret identity is going to be intact.

Guile has posed:
Subduing the Scorpion would be no easy feat. The man was strong. The suit gave him increased strength. But he was still mortal. Everyone had a finite limit to how much energy they could exert, how much strength they could use before their muscles began to tire. The Scorpion had been fighting the webbing, the blades, the kicks, and the punches. It was a lot for anyone to take.

And Guile was not letting up. Even if other people had seemed to shift their attention elsewhere, Guile was trying his best to subdue the creature. He wasn't talking during the fight like the Spiders, he was just going to town on the green suited villain, putting booted foot to chest, head, thighs, and everything else. What's more, he had only used one flash kick.

Whereas Charlie Nash, Guile's seemingly dead teacher, could do it one handed, Guile had never quite managed it. What he could do was swing both his arms, together, in just such a way that it would harness his ki, the innate energy that he possessed, and create two crescent shaped waves of energy. They also came with a considerable sound, like a jet engine going supersonic.

It was late, he didn't want to wake people up, but it might alert the authorities too. And so, he made the motions to harness his energy, creating those sonic booms, and then, and only then, did he speak, "Sonic BOOM!"

Yeah, Electro wasn't the only one who could flash energy around here.

Hawkeye (Bishop) has posed:
Now if that claw had made contact, even glanding as it might have been even through that leather covering her back, it would have been a very bad time for Kate. Thankfully web lines and Ghost-Spiders prevent that.

"Oh thank futz!" she says aloud and very appreciatively for Gwen and her save.

It is paid forward as Kate pulls a few arrows ready to fire. These are the tranq arrows, four of them. The shot lined up and lead enough to track movements. And hopefully at high enough a dose each they should kick in faster than last time.

She had heard Spider-Man wanting to help him. And likely just exploding him might both hurt and annoy him enough to be a real hassle for Hawkeye's health insurance.

The arrows loose and a splash nearby gets a wince. At least Kate can offer Jess a towel after along with a different burger. It's amazing how much she can stash in that quiver besides arrows.

Ghost Spider has posed:
Kate gets a smile (at least, what amounts to a smile, which is really just a friendly little narrowing of those big white eyes of hers underneath her hood) when Gwen lands gracefully.

"All in a day's work for your Friendly Neighborhood Ghost-Spider... sorry Spidey." Sometimes, Gwen just couldn't help herself. She hadn't really been talking loud enough for him to hear her, anyway. Probably.

Hissssssssss! *thwip*

As soon as the Lizard's mouth opens to hiss, he gets a face full of webbing.

"Dude! Breath mint!"

Of course, it also serves as a temporary blinding agent, hopefully giving Kate enough time to get those arrows off on target while keeping the Doctor's attention (and resulting anger) focused on her.

"We're trying to help you, Doc," promises the girl that just shot his face full of webbing. "We're not trying to hurt you!"

Then there's one last *thwip* of webbing, still trying to keep the Lizard's attention squarely on her, and fully prepared (though also definitely not at all prepared) for what was probably WAY more power than she could easily deal with.

Spider-Man has posed:
It's not precisely that the threat of the Scorpion is forgotten. There's no out of sight, out of mind per se. Taking him down definitively would do a lot of good.

But he's retreating and Electro is very much a viable threat, intent on electrocuting some poor unfortuante woman who accuses innocent reporters of trying to fat shame her.

Okay, maybe she's not that innocent, but she still doesn't deserve to be fried. Either way, Spidey and Jessica lock gazes. They share that long, meaningful look.

I know what you're thinking Jessica. Meowmeowmeowmeowmeowmeowmeowmeow.

It's probably good that telepathy is not, in fact, one of the powers in the Spider-suite. There are some things that other people just should not be subjected to.

Still, while Peter might not know exactly what she has in mind, he has pretty quick reflexes. So when she suddenly launches herself off his back and kicks him towards the approaching Spidey, Electro careens off balance straight towards him. Straight towards him as Pete fills his hands with that non-conductive webbing. Layer after layer wraps around his hands until he has a pretty good semblance of boxing gloves covering his fists.

So when Electro stumbles towards him, radiating that blue lightning? Spider-Man steps up and delivers an uppercut, straight to his chin. The blow literally lifts Max from his feet and that electrical aura dying almost immediately.

TKO! See? Guile isn't the only with some hand to hand skills. Or web to face ones.

Out in the forest the Scorpion and Guile continue to battle. If that tail lands home, it will be a short fight indeed and again and again it lashes out as Mac Gargan tries to break free of that webbing. Again and again that slashing tail narrowly misses the other man, leaving splintered trees in it's wake. And then Guile pulls out the big guns and the nearby trees sway under that blast. The Scorpion doesn't sway. He flies back, crashing through a number of the surrounding trees, coming to rest slumped beneath a particularly large oak.

Guile will also probably not be getting a thank you card from New York's finest groundskeepers.

The Lizard's attempts to simply eat Gwen's face are put to an abrupt end when she webs up that snout, those angry hisses muffled for the moment. It bucks beneath her, trying to throw her off as she tenaciously clings to him.

Then Hawkeye's arrows strike home. This close there's really no way she can miss, even with Ghost Spider partially obscuring the target. Each of the tranq arrows releases that sedative and the wild motions of the Lizard start to slow almost immediately, each attempt to hurl Gwen into the pond after Jessica growing a little weaker and weaker.

With everything going on it is a little hard to pay attention to something like a distant hum. But the Spiders on the scene would have at least heard it before. The darkness shrouds its approach through the air but soon enough the swooping flight of the approaching glider is unmistakable.

As is the fact that Spider-Senses suddenly go crazy.

And with good cause. As the glider swoops low a compartment in the back opens up and almost at once small, spherical objects start to far. Spheres that look suspiciously like pumpkins.

The first explosion sounds, ripping up the ground and another soon falls, the path of devestation following closely in that glider's wake.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Jessica is, in fact, not thinking in meows. Burgers, maaaaybe. They are definitely failing Telepathy 101 here.

Picture this: a graceful freefall, a mid-air twist turning into a perfect downward dive with nary a splash. It's a great image, and that's how it happened in Jessica's head. Reality is much less kind. It's more a flailing of limbs than a twist -- Jessica's not wearing her uniform, so she can't get a glide going, though sheer habit means she tries away -- it just looks like someone trying to flap their arms wildly seconds before she belly-flops into the pond with a giant SPLASH.

Jessica surfaces, spluttering and spitting. "Ugh. I think I swallowed a mouthful of fish droppings. God, I hope it's fish droppings and not lizard droppings."

Insert full body shudder.

She swims towards the edge as quickly as she can, which isn't that quick. Her swim stroke leaves a lot to be desired. By the time she gets to the edge she looks like a bedraggled cat coughing up water. About as annoyed as one, too. She just looked over in time to see Spider-Man slug Electro. As satisfying as that is to see, she really, really wanted to do it herself.

Jessica draws herself up, reorients on the lizard v Hawkeye v Ghost-Spider battle going on. She takes two steps in that direction, then gets knocked back as one of those pumpkins lands and explodes right near her, sending her flying back into the dregs of the pond, spitting out more water.

An exhausted sigh. "Okay! You win! I quit for today, world. I'm going back to my cave." Aka a billionaire's mansion, but who's counting?

Guile has posed:
Guile came within fractions of an inch of getting hit by the tail, more than once. He was fortunate that the Scorpion either seemed to have depleted his supply of acid, or perhaps that connection was severed during the fight. Maybe it was Ghost-Spider's webbing, perhaps it was the Aardwolf's blades. Who could say? But Guile was thankful not to have that extra burden.

Truthfully, it came as no small relief when the big guy finally went down, slumping against a tree. Guile would approach, carefully, to try and check on the man's vitals, if he could. Finding a pulse with the costume proved somewhat difficult. But he could see the rise of the chest, and hear the breathing. So there was that.

Pulling out his retractable comb, he rotated it as he extended comb area, and ran it through his hair, to make sure it looked perfect. Then he said, "Great, now how am I to tie you up?" Another movement of the comb, rotating, almost like twirling a gun, and then that went back into his pocket.

"Any of you spiders got some spare webbing?" He called out, not yet ready to take his eyes off the Scorpion, in case he was playing dead.

Hawkeye (Bishop) has posed:
The more the lizard fight, the more likely the sedatives will kick in and Connors might want to find a nice hot rock to bask on. It's summer and hot out so that shouldn't be too difficult. Unlike trying to fight a Spider-Gwen while stoned to the bejeezus.

More explosions start tearing up the Park and Kate looks around trying to track the source of that hum and where the explosions are being lobbed from. "Those aren't mine!" she points out. Way to random seeming for her MO.

Again with the speed it moves it takes some fine aim since she wants the next explosive arrow heads to go off airborn. Or in the glider operator's face.

If anything it should make for a good obstacle for flight. "Honestly they should have just gone to Hooters or the Hellfire Club. Same numbers of fit chicks jumping and bouncing about, less trying to beat them up. Safer ways to bro down." she points out one of many ways this sinister group went wrong while she looses those arrows.

Ghost Spider has posed:
There was a *thwip* from Ghost-Spider's web-spinners as she hooked herself on, and she tried to keep herself attached to him as he clawed at the webbing on his face.

"This is like that dinosaur ride at the fair!"

It's much more hilarious than that. Gwen's slight frame is dwarfed by the Lizard, and his attempts to buck her off are only thwarted by his lack of ability to actually see her anymore and her /incredibly/ tenacious grip strength. The rest of her body, though, goes flying around much like any bull rider you've ever seen. They're not going to be writing any ballads to the graceful Spider-Gwen, Mother of Lizards.

*THWAP* *THWAP* *THWAP* *THWAP*

As each one of Kate's arrows landed solidly in the Lizard's hide, he starts to slow, and that bucking becomes less obnoxious, giving Gwen a chance to actually settle back into a perch...

"Hey, Big Guy. The sun's gettin' real low..."

Yeah. She went there.

But then that Spider-Sense was suddenly off the charts. With the Lizard headed towards unconsciousness, she it was time to move on to the /next/ big threat.

/Any of you spiders got some spare webbing?/

"TWO SHAKES!"

Ghost-Spider releases the web on the Doctor's back and leaps into the air, back flipping and spinning so that she's facing the falling pumpkins and glider... just upside down. They're going off in a trail right towards them, so, the logical course of action, web 'em up!

In what is sure to be a slow-motion action scene, Gwen's web-spinners shoot out line after line, trying to catch as many of the pumpkins as she can, as fast as she can, and sling them into each other with much the same thought Kate had.. in the face of that glider.

Spider-Man has posed:
The Scorpion's down. Electro is down. Even the Lizard is quickly looking like he would much rather be napping then continue to menace anyone, let alone Kate and Gwen. All in all, the situation seems to be resolving itself rather nicely.

Or at least it would be if it wasn't for that glider that seems to be trying to carpet bomb Central Park. Again and again those pumpkin-like spheres are ejected out from behind the glider that races ever nearer. For just a moment a mad, cackling laugh might be heard coming from speakers on the other side of that flyer before the explosions blot it out, but on it comes.

Hawkeye's arrow does have one clear effect when it explodes just above the glider as it nears. The bombs roped in by Ghost Spider and hurled upward help the effort as well, exploding brightly overhead as the glider darts and weaves in amongst all the big booms. It reveals the fact that there does not actually appear to be anyone atop it, flying it.

As it nears, more compartments open along the underside of the glider and those same metallic tendrils that reached out to scoop up Rhino and carry him away snag the Lizard's unconscious form before soaring on, still dropping those bombs.

Right towards Electro.

Seeing what Ghost Spider is doing, Spider-Man starts towards Electro as those bombs continue to fall all around them. Just how many of these stupid things is it carrying? His webshooters shot out line after line, snagging more of those bombs before they can detonate all around them, hurling them back skyward. As a second set of tendrils start to grab hold of the unconscious Electro, Spidey tries to fire a webline at the glider as it starts to speed away. That line grows longer and longer, almost catching the back of the glider before falling just short. But he sprints after it anyway as it makes a beeline for the forest.

The battle ebtween Guile and Scorpion has opened up a nice little clearing right in the middle of all those shattered trees and the glider appears overhead, still dropping bombs. Another set of tendrils reach for the Scorpion sinking downward and Spider-Man's voice calls out, "Take cover soldier!"

While the clearing errupts in explosions, another pair of weblines shoot out, striking the downed Scorpion and jerking him out of the way -- just before the tendrils can carry him off. Or before he can be all blown up.

"Ha! Missed one!" he calls out as that glider speeds into the night, starting to haul the downed criminal closer, more webbing beginning to truss him up.

At least the evening is not a complete loss.

Though Spider-Man has a sneaking suspicion of just what tomorrow's Bugle headline is going to read.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Wet, angry and spitting much like a cat, Jessica stomps in the other direction. Sorry, Kate! Burger night will have to be a raincheck.

The Avenger's Mansion isn't far, just on Fifth. By the time the last of the bombs are exploding, a dripping Jessica is stomping inside.

"JARVIS? Initiate emergency burger protocol. Stat."

Two beats.

"...and call the NYPD about the explosions, I guess. I'll be washing fish gunk out of my hair."

Guile has posed:
"Thanks, Ghost-Spider," Guile called out, hearing the woman shout out two shakes towards him, but before she could, well, things went to hell. Literally. It was like Halloween tonight, between the masks, costumes, and the goblin.

With the bombs coming down, Guile was genuinely hesitant about what to do. On the one hand, he needed to get to cover. On the other hand, he had an unconscious prisoner, and off duty or not, he felt responsible for the man's well being. As Guile made a move towards the Scorpion, planning to carry him, drag him, whatever was needed, right up until Spider-Man's webbing caught the man, and jerked him out of the way.

"Thanks... Spider-Man?" He had to say, confused that the criminal had helped. Though that too made sense, as it was a criminal helping another criminal. As he rushed forward, hands coming up to help avoid any blasts of twigs, rocks, or fire, everything from the pumpkin bombs, he heard an emergency burger protocol. What was going on tonight?

Hawkeye (Bishop) has posed:
Villains are flying away via drone bomber. "Wow that's got some power to haul that many bodies. Anyone tracking it?" she gets an arrow with a GPS device in the head and lines it up but for now the thing is moving too high and fast that even with her aim she'll likely just hit someone's dog.

Though a superhero raiding some Karen's home would be hilarious.

Catching back up with Jess. Kate looking pretty dirty herself if dry after being in a few close calls with explosions. "We'll grab all the shampoo. Whole shelves. Try our luck getting Chinese takeout?" she is still hungry.

"And we should probably clear out before we get swamped with reporters and not just phone cameras at minimum safe distance." she suggests. Some photographers can get really brave after all. Like that Parker guy helping to smear Spider-Man's rep.

Ghost Spider has posed:
"NO!" Gwen calls after the glider as it hauls the unconscious Lizard away. It's a viscerally angry sound, like she'd been personally slighted by the body-snatching glider.

They'd done /all/ the things! They beat the bad guys! They avoided getting blown up! She'd even done this really impressive pirouette back-flip thing and landed perfectly just far enough away from Doctor Connors that she wasn't in the way when he was picked up. This was NOT the way the movie was supposed to end!!

And yet, much like Spidey, despite her best efforts to run after and shoot a web up to the glider (and one after the Doctor), she couldn't keep up. The long line of webbing just sprays out and comes to rest uselessly against the ground.

She's forced to watch in horror as Spider-Man goes through the same process she had, flighting the explosives back up into the air to keep them all from being blown to bits... and then... it's all over.

Ghost-Spider's shoulders slump and her hooded head lowers slightly. Her eyes half-close. Soon, Kate was catching back up with Jess, and so Gwen made her way rather unenthusiastically towards Peter, a web-line *thwipped* out to swing her closer to him. She lands gracefully, taking a few trotting steps before she stops beside him.. and the trussed up form of the Scorpion.

"I'm sorry..."

Her voice is dejected. The whole point of their patrol -- the whole point of Peter's constant vigilance had been to find Doctor Connors, and they'd done it. Under the most impossible of circumstances, they'd even gotten him knocked unconscious! They HAD HIM.

And then she lost him.

"I tried..." Big, white eyes look up at him, almost pleading for forgiveness. "I /had/ him. But I couldn't..." Her voice trails off in a soft sigh.

Spider-Man has posed:
Life is just filled with shades of grey. Maybe the Spider-Menace isn't all that he's cracked up to be.

For a moment things are definitely a little hairy, dodging the explosions that tear into the ground and trees around him. It's possible that Peter screams. He's not exactly proud of it, but hey, chances are the explosions kept anyone from actually hearing it.

Hauling Scorpion across the broken lawn, the red and blue clad crimefighter does shoot a look back over his shoulder, just to check and make sure that Guile came through the chaos okay. He doesn't need something else to feel guilty about.

Then Gwen is there and he gives a heavy sigh though a grateful nod as she adds to the webbing on Scorpion -- insuring that even if the baddie comes to he's not likely going to be getting free of that. Not until he is in custody. That's one more stop they have to make tonight.

But first.

As of late, she has been the one to keep his spirits up. And while they might have Mac Gargan to show for their efforts, someone has taken Doctor Conners. And whomever it is, it seems unlikely that they have any good intentions towards either him -- or them for that matter.

So Spidey drapes an arm around Ghost Spider for just a moment, shoving aside his own disappointment, his own fears and concerns about this particular turn of events. "Hey, you actually took him down," Pete says quietly. "And I missed the shot too. Ugh, if I'd been thinking I could have at least tried tossing one of my trackers at it as it went past. But all those bombs.." he admits.

Spidey's voice firms. "So buck up. We'll track him down. We'll get him back. We'll find out who's behind all of this. And we'll cure him," he says firmly. Maybe he's taken her earlier words to heart. Maybe he's trying to be a little more positive.

Maybe he's just trying to return the favor and be there for her this time.

"So uhhhh... first things first. Maybe you could give me a hand hauling this guy to the closest precinct? Mac really needs to lose some weight. Like preferably that entire tail."

Small victories. That's what they have this time.

At least they didn't lose their burgers. Or get dumped in the pond. See? A bright side.

Ghost Spider has posed:
Spider-Gwen's big eyes blink a couple of times as she listens to Peter, looking at first like she was going to be hard to cheer up again. She wasn't used to having a flawless victory snatched out from underneath her nose like that.

Actually, she wasn't really used to having flawless victories. The fact that they'd gotten THAT CLOSE was enough to make her kick herself around for at least a couple of weeks.

She just leaned her shoulder against him, apparently fully prepared to sulk until...

"Did you just tell me to /buck up/?"

One large, white eye squints at him, and he can practically see the little grin underneath her mask.

"/Somebody/ found a second wind. What are you, like, a motivational speaker, now? I mean, I know Katz's is basically magic, but..."

Her voice trails off, eyes smiling.

"Alright. Let's get Scorps behind bars. He's giving arachnids a bad name."