Spider-Man: Issue 5 “Detour" - Vigilante 1/6

=====Aunt May’s Apartment=====

It was an early Saturday morning when Peter stirred. He was in a blissful state of peace and harmony. The stresses washed away as he rolled back over and laid there momentarily. He shivered with hard reality setting in. He hadn’t been on patrol since he had dinner with Aunt May during his crisis some time ago.

 

He thrust his covers off and quickly hopped out of bed. The frigid New York air crashed into him like a freight truck as he raced out of his room and into the shower.

 

Wet and exasperated, he hopped back into his room with one foot, his suit partially on and the spandex of it fighting him intensely. Though, he had it all “sorted out” by the time he reached his nightstand and hit pause on the timer he set

 

Peter Parker, whispering to himself: Seventeen minutes and twelve seconds… we really got to work on that Peter.

 

With one last bite of his toast, he grabbed his earpiece, and his mask from his computer and jumped out the window all within 30 seconds (give or take a few).

 

He sat perched on the fire escape outside of his room and stared at the city below him.

 

Spider-Man: Same ol’ New York

 

Peter jumped off the railing, taking in the cold breeze.

 

Spider-Man: What’s it today New York? Shocky? Pasty? Walking identity crisis? Bank robbery? Ooo! What about a good old fashioned bank robbery? I don’t want crime to happen, but- I mean- *sigh* never mind.

 

As Peter felt a buzz in his pocket, he quickly mobilized himself to a tactile position to check his phone. Also known as the corner of an apartment building.

 

Spider-Man: Oh no… Six missed messages from Gwen? I’m in deep trouble.

 

Peter pressed call and slid his phone back into his pocket

 

Spider-Man: Excuses Peter, excu-

Gwen Stacy: Peter! Where are you?

Spider-Man: Gwen! Ummm...

 

Peter Parker spun the Wheel of Excuses in his head

 

Spider-Man: My...bus broke down...I had to walk.

Gwen Stacy: I’m just going to ignore that you lied to me. You’re going to be late, aren’t you?

Spider-Man: Prrrrrrobably...

 

Gwen Stacy sighs and takes a long deep breath.

 

Gwen Stacy: Of course… of course, you are.

Spider-Man: I’m really sor-

Gwen Stacy: Don’t you even say it, Peter. You’re sorry I know.

 

Gwen mutters something under her breath

 

Spider-Man: Gwen?

Gwen Stacy: Just get here.

 

Peter hears a slight buzz in his ear as Gwen hangs up the phone

 

Spider-Man: The amazing and romantically active Peter Parker does it again… *sigh* At least I can get there in time.

 

The familiar voice of a dispatcher crackled in his ear and he changed his course.

 

Spider-Man: Of course there has to a homicide victim right now. It's not like I’m busy or anything...Eh cut it out, we’ve already had our yearly existential crisis. That’s a terrible thing to say, bad Spidey!

 

Spider-Man smacks his wrist mid-air

 

=====”The Crime Scene” / New York=====

 

It would be horrendous by most standards.

 

Most murders nowadays were clean and quick. Even a stabbing would have been merciful compared to this atrocity.

 

When Spider-Man landed at the scene, he nearly vomited in his mask and any thought of his planned date was gone. He had seen a lot, but this was different. He was staring at a man pinned to a wall by four arrows with a large set of eyes cut into his back.

 

Spider-Man: What happened here?

 

As he was approaching, he heard a car door slam behind him and he turned around to see a police vehicle with a gun trained on him.

 

Captain Stacy: I could ask you the same question.

Spider-Man: Evenin’ officers. I’m sorry, but could you please put the gun down?

 

Captain Stacy waves his hand at a female officer and with a look of shock on her face, she puts the gun in her holster.

 

Captain Stacy: Apologies Spider-Man, this is a new officer to our department, Yuriko Watanabe.

 

Yuriko offers a two-fingered salute to Spider-Man

 

Spider-Man: Captain, I think this is Tim Smith, a petty thief I’ve stopped a couple of times.

Captain Stacy: Yes, I recognize him. I was there to arrest him during your third encounter.

Spider-Man: Er, right…

Yuriko Watanabe: What do you make of this Captain?

Captain Stacy: The eyes…

Spider-Man: What about them?

Captain Stacy: In your absence, two more victims have been found within the last week.

Yuriko Watanabe: It's a calling card.

Captain Stacy: Hm?

Yuriko Watanabe: Think about it, it’s appeared three...

 

Yuri’s voice begins to fade as Peter begins to focus on the eyes, his lenses alternating as he analyzes it.

 

Blood. There were faint red lines of dried blood running down his body to the ground.

 

Spider-Man: He bled out.

 

Yuriko Watanabe: Thank you Captain Obvious... You know I could have-

 

Spider-Man: With all due respect, this man isn’t getting any more unanimated. We need to hurry up.

 

Yuriko Watanabe turns her attention back to the appalling scene, baffled: Right. This...this was some form of torture. The killer wanted to punish him. Whoever did this wanted him to feel pain… You don’t think-

Captain Stacy: Castle has been retired for a couple years now Watanabe, I’m quite certain it wasn’t him. Besides, eyes and arrows were never his things.

Yuri Watanabe: Then what other leads do we have?

 

Peter pulls out his phone after feeling yet another buzz in his pocket and reads “PETER” in all caps

 

Spider-Man, backing away slowly: I- I gotta go.

Captain Stacy: Excuse me?

Spider-Man: I have some business to attend to.

Yuriko Watanabe: *This* isn’t business that you should be attending to?

Spider-Man: I’m really sorry.

Captain Stacy: It's fine Spider-Man… just go, we’ll sort this out.

 

Captain Stacy disappointedly watches and massages his temples as Spider-Man lowers his head and swings off into the city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Done