"Brian, no!"
"You were gone again, woman!"
SLAP!
"She's my daughter. I can do whatever I want."
"Hush, dear, you'll wake Mary Jane!"
"It wasn't my fault she was born."
"Then let her tell me. Or is she too drunk?"
"Filthy wench. I knew she would turn out just like that bitch I made the mistake of marrying."
"Mary Jane, get here RIGHT NOW!"
"I don't care. If she hears, maybe that bitch will understand how to be a good woman."
"You were gone again, woman!"
"Filthy wench."
SLAP!
"Girl! Why aren't you in bed?"
"I could ask the same of you."
"Mary Jane! Look what you've done!"
"She's your daughter, not some street urchin!"
"Filthy wench."
"It wasn't my fault she was born."
"Brian, no!"
SLAP!
"Girl! Why aren't you in bed?"
"Brian, no!"
"Mary Jane! MJ!"
"Back off!" Mary Jane screamed through the tears of her past. The memories not only of her childhood were returning, but they were also being mixed with the recent emotional wounds. "I don't need you, daddy!"
"Daddy? No, MJ, it's me. It's Peter."
Peter was sitting on the edge of Mary Jane's bed. He had come over to check on her, finding her curled up, with her head burying in the sheets.
"Oh, Peter," MJ said, crying again. She wrapped her arms around Peter.
"I'm here, babe. Whatever you need."
MJ slid to the side of her bed. "Hold me," she said, laying down.
Peter pushed his shoes off and laid down on the bed beside her, wrapping her in his arms. She cuddled up to him, feeling the warmth of his chest.
"It's been a nightmare ever since he showed up, Peter," she finally said.
"He wasn't really here, MJ. It was just an illusion."
"I know. But that just raises the question. Where is he now? Will he really try to find me again? And what happens when he does show up for real?"
"Not to mention why someone would put you through this torture."
MJ was silent for a moment. Peter did have a point. Why would a supervillain go through the trouble of messing with a random civilian unless they had a larger plan? But Mary Jane Watson was not a random civilian in the world of superheroes and supervillains. She was Peter Parker's girlfriend, and thus that meant she was also dating Spider-Man.
And the main reason that Peter kept his identity secret was to protect those around him. Because if someone found out who he was, they would instantly target those closest to him. It was the oldest trick in the book. Play with the hero's heart, and that's how you beat him.
Someone knew.
That had to be it. There was no reason to get a big time guy like Mysterio to create an illusion so painful unless the ultimate goal was to get to Spider-Man. This was Spider-Man's fault.
"Peter?" MJ asked.
"Yeah?"
"I'll be okay. You can go home now."
"Are you sure?"
MJ reached up and kissed Peter. "I'll be fine. You have bigger things to worry about."
"I don't think so."
MJ managed a small smile. "There's bad guys out there for you to get, tiger. Go get ‘em."
Peter sat up. "If you insist." He quickly slid his shoes back on and walked over to the door. "I'll come by tomorrow."
"Thanks."
"I love you."
"I know," MJ said, turning back over.
Peter quietly left, and seconds later, Mary Jane saw Spider-Man swinging by her window. She started tearing up again.
Spider-Man swung around the campus a few times. He needed to clear his head. Unfortunately, nothing seemed to be amiss down below.
Mary Jane's trying to act okay, but she's not. And there's nothing I can do. It's all trauma. Repressed. Dammit!
With this, Spidey landed on the side of a building, and with the frustration building up inside of him, released his rage to a punch. The stone facade cracked a little. Spider-Man paused for a moment, making sure his outburst wouldn't result in the building falling down.
Although that would be just my luck. Electro at the party. MJ's dad is really Mysterio's illusion. Victor's arch nemesis is back. What the hell is up?
Spider-Man leapt off the building and starting webslinging again, this time, venturing out more into the city.
Victor was tossing in his sleep. His brain was processing all of the information he had received recently.
Or so he thought it was just his brain processing information.
I will get my revenge on you Shadow! On you and all your heirs!
The voice rang out through Victor's head. It clearly had some sort of an Asian accent. Victor wanted to say Chinese. There was no actual image to go with this voice, but a vague outline.
And then, he saw it. A black cloaked figure. With a big black hat.
The Shadow! Victor thought. He'll save me! But . . . that's me . . . No! Not me. And I don't think it's dad . . .
"You're done, Khan," a deep voice commanded.
I will get my revenge on you Shadow! On you and all your heirs!
Victor started feeling the familiar buzz in his head, and then everything faded to black.
I'm sorry you have to find out this way, son.
Victor turned around and saw his father standing behind him.
But at least you will know.
"Wait!" Victor pleaded.
I have to go, son, Monty said, walking past Victor in full Shadow garb.
"Cranston!"
Victor saw it was a man running up to his father, who was now laying on the ground. It appeared to be the roof of a large building in a metropolitan area. Most likely, it was also a helicopter pad. Perhaps a hospital?
But what really amazed Victor was the man running to his father. The man looked strangely like . . . Peter?
Flashback. Is this real? Is this how it happened?
Monty tried to prop himself up on his left arm, but it was in no condition to support his weight. He collapsed back down. The other man came up, and ripped the sleeve off of Monty's coat and shirt, exposing the arm.
"He missed the bone."
"But that wasn't a normal bullet," Monty replied back. "There's . . . *-cough-* something on it."
An Asian man came into view. "You can't get rid of me that easily, Shadow."
Victor's eyes widened as he saw the weapon this Asian man was holding.
"You think I'm that stupid, Khan?" Monty asked, standing up. "This isn't the first time we've done this dance."
Khan!
"But it will be the last," Khan replied, looking through the scope on the side of the weapon, his finger tensing on the trigger.
"Parker! Get out of here! Go see your baby!" Monty shouted, pushing the man away, running towards Khan.
Things seemed to switch to slow motion as Monty approached closer to Khan. As the energy started spurting out of the weapon, Monty leaped. The energy started to hit him square in the chest, spreading around his entire torso.
"What is this?!" Khan exclaimed as Monty slammed into the weapon, knocking both the weapon and him backwards.
"Don't stand near a forty story ledge with a big massive weapon, dumbass," Monty hissed.
"NO!" Victor shouted as he watched both men tumble over the edge. It took him a second to realize that he was also hearing Peter's dad yelling the same thing.
Victor saw a blinding flash that emanated from where his father had just pushed Khan off. Parker ran over to the edge, and Victor arrived beside him within a second. Together, even though they were separated by nearly twenty years and subconsciousness, they watched as the two men fell to what appeared to be certain death.
Victor heard a crash, a crunching of glass and metal, as things once again faded.
I will get my revenge on you Shadow! On you and all your heirs!
But that time is not now . . .
Victor woke up with a start, at the exact moment that Spider-Man came swinging through the window. Instinctively, he threw a pillow.
Spidey put his hands in the air. "White flag! White flag!" He deactivated his Spidey suit, returning to just plain old Peter Parker.
Victor shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. "Sorry, Peter. I just . . . it's been a rough night."
"More like a rough week. For all of us."
"Yeah, I – "
Victor was interrupted by the phone ringing.
"Who can that be?" he asked as Peter answered.
"Hello?" Peter asked.
"Peter Parker?" a gruff voice asked.
"Speaking."
"Come to Oscorp. Now. It's about your parents."
"My parents?"
>-*CLICK*-<
Peter stared at the reciever.
"Your parents?" Victor asked.
In a swift motion, Peter hung up the phone and reactivated his outfit. "I gotta run, Vic. Important," he said, jumping out the window.
"Huh," Victor said, laying back down in his bed and pulling the covers over him. Maybe this time, he really would get some sleep.
Spider-Man landed a block away from the wreckage of Oscorp and covertly switched back to Peter Parker. He wasn't sure who had called him, and if they knew they were talking to Spider-Man as well.
As he walked closer to the charred ruins formerly known as Oscorp, Peter remembered the last time he had been there. It was there that he had begun his quest for the truth about his parents. It did not take Peter long to determine that whatever led to their disappearance was also connected to Norman Osborn, and his latest drug experiment, Oz.
Peter toured the remains. Plenty of debris had been cleared away since his last visit. He doubted he would be able to find any further clues.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
Peter turned around, not prepared for who was addressing him.
"Harry? Um, well, I got a phone call."
Harry's expression went from confrontational to surprised. "Phone call? Hmm. Me too. But I can understand why someone would want me here. But not you."
"They said something about my parents."
"Haven't they been dead for years?"
"Or so I've been told."
"So, I wonder who called," Harry mused.
Almost immediately, he was answered by an eerie laugh, almost a cackle. It seemed to echo around the entire complex.
"What's that?" Harry asked.
"Oh, no," Peter said, recognizing the sound. "Not him."
"Yes, me!" the mysterious stranger said, suddenly appearing behind both boys. "You're old pal, the Green Goblin!" The Goblin lowered his glider, so it was hovering only inches above the ground.
"You! You made my father disappear!" Harry shouted, lunging at the green figure.
In a simple motion, the Goblin grabbed Harry in mid-air and flipped him over. The impact with the ground rendered him unconscious. "Next?" he asked.
Peter gritted his teeth. "No thanks, I'll stay standing."
"The pain you're going to be experiencing soon, boy, you're going to wish you had been knocked out too."
"What's that mean?"
"Why don't you go run home to your aunt and find out?"
"You didn't."
"No. I didn't do anything, Spider-Man."
"WHAT?!"
The Goblin laughed, as his glider started lifting him upwards. "That's right. I know who you are!"
His laugh echoed as he flew away.
Peter knew he would never be able to catch the Goblin in time. He activated his Spidey suit and raced towards Aunt May's house as fast as he could.
Peter knocked on the door to Aunt May's house. Nothing appeared to be wrong from the outside. He would wait a moment to make sure she was okay before barging in.
As Peter was getting ready to knock again, the door opened. Peter was about to step inside when he realized it wasn't his aunt standing in front of him. It was a man, who looked oddly familiar.
"Hello, Peter. I've been wanting to see you for a long time."
"Dad?" Peter asked, trying to fight back tears.
"Yes, Peter. I am your father."
To be concluded! Finally learn the story about what happened to Monty Cranston and how the Parkers were involved! The answers start next issue! Plus, another startling surprise!