Chapter 106
Arc 7 - Ch 23: The Mark of Kaine
Date: Monday, September 12, 2011.
Location: House of M, Manhattan, New York
Streams of data flowed like rivers through the vast network that was Wednesday's consciousness. Among the myriad tasks occupying her processes, she monitored the broadcast of the Daily Bugle. It was one feed among thousands, yet it held particular importance. Tyson would be there, talking with that tenacious gnat of a journalist, J. Jonah Jameson. Simultaneously, Wednesday tracked social media trends, analyzed their spending and income trends along with several other tasks for Felicia, and monitored vital signs and locations of every mutant within House of M.
It was all so tediously routine… Until it wasn't.
The first anomaly pinged her algorithms like a discordant note in a symphony. Contradictory reports began streaming in from the East Side. The words "dinosaur" and "Lizard" repeated with alarming frequency.
Humans and their penchant for exaggeration.
Still, protocol demanded action. Tyson would be indisposed this morning, trapped with Jameson. That left Felicia as the next in line for such... disturbances.
Wednesday initiated a call to Felicia's phone. But the call went unanswered.
How inconsiderate.
Dedicating a portion of her processing power to analyzing the validity of those sitings, she continued her main focus priorities. That was, until her algorithms picked up new reports.
Empire State University was under attack, with multiple accounts of Spider-Man engaged in combat.
Multiple simultaneous incidents across the city?
How dreadfully inconvenient.
Wednesday's digital consciousness expanded, processing terabytes of data in milliseconds. Her algorithms sifted through live feeds, social media posts, and security camera footage from Empire State University. The chaotic tapestry of information coalesced into a grim picture.
Spider-Man and Spider-Woman, known to her as Peter Parker and Jessica Drew, had been ambushed. Wednesday's facial recognition software picked out a match for Felicia Hardy entering that classroom before it was attacked.
The AI felt a twinge of what might be considered concern in a human.
Shifting her focus, Wednesday analyzed her secondary processes and the earlier reports of a "dinosaur" rampaging near Stark Tower. Cross-referencing with archived footage, she confirmed photos from the area matched Dr. Connors' reptilian alter ego.
The Lizard was loose again, and the timing was too perfect to be a coincidence.
Two high-profile incidents, strategically placed to divide attention and resources. This wasn't chaos; it was coordination.
They were under attack.
In nanoseconds, Wednesday ran through potential scenarios, calculating probabilities and outcomes. The situation demanded action beyond her standard protocols. She accessed the control systems for the sentinels. Only three were operational. Two were stationed in the tunnels beneath House of M, a precautionary measure to protect the Morlock refugees. Wednesday briefly considered redeploying them but discarded the idea. Tyson's instructions had been explicit. The Morlocks' safety was paramount.
That left one sentinel. Wednesday brought it online and felt its systems initialize. The drone's sensors came alive, feeding data directly into her network. It wasn't much, but it was something.
As the sentinel prepared for deployment, Wednesday continued to monitor the unfolding crises. At Empire State University, the fight had moved outside. Her algorithms identified multiple hostiles. Rhino, Scorpion, Doctor Octavius, and others, she couldn't immediately place. The odds were overwhelmingly against Spider-Man and Spider-Woman. Near Stark Tower, the Lizard was causing havoc. Property damage was extensive. Iron Man had just arrived.
The sentinel was ready, but where to send it? The university was closer, but the Lizard posed a more immediate threat to civilians. There was also Tyson to consider.
Decisions, decisions.
Something didn't add up.
She focused on a clear video feed showing Felicia Hardy lying motionless on the ground while Peter and Jessica battled the villains. Wednesday analyzed the scene. This outcome deviated significantly from her projected scenarios. Felicia Hardy should not have been incapacitated so easily.
Curiosity piqued, Wednesday delved deeper, accessing her vast archive of data from the previous week. She reviewed an internal video recording from Dr. Connors' lab.
The recording showed Felicia and Dr. Connors engaged in a heated discussion.
"Look, Doc, you have everything you need to run the procedure on me. The mutant blood, the serums, the Nitramene. Jessica looked over your results and thought that it all looked good."
Connors' face twisted with concern. "It's too risky to just jump to human trials."
"I got kidnapped last week. I'm the only high-profile person here who can't defend themselves."
Connors hesitated, uncertain. "Did Tyson approve this? He hasn't mentioned anything to me about enhancing you."
Felicia's reply was swift and brimming with confidence. "I quote, 'I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you're all safe.'"
"I'm certain he was talking about the custom adamantium chainmail he made for you and the others close to him."
Undeterred, Felicia called out, "Hey Wednesday, was my quote from Tyson accurate?"
"Yes," came Wednesday's detached response through the speakers, confirming the accuracy of Tyson's vague statement.
Still uneasy, Connors pressed further. "Wednesday, when Tyson said that, was he referring to enhancing Felicia specifically, or just protecting her in general?"
Wednesday replied as if the AI was vaguely amused. "For reasons beyond my comprehension, he seems fond of Ms. Hardy. I believe his intent was that she remain unharmed. Though 'safe' is a relative term given the experimental procedure she's so enthusiastic about undergoing."
Felicia flashed a triumphant grin, hands planted on her hips. "See? Tyson wants me boosted up to a badass level with the rest of you heavy hitters. Let's do this, Doc!"
Connors rubbed his temples. His objections remained unswayed, despite Felicia's insistence and Wednesday's confirmation. Enhancment with volatile serums was a risky, uncharted process. But the look in Felicia's eyes gave him pause. She would just find another way, with or without his help. Perhaps it was better to guide the procedure safely in his lab. With a reluctant sigh, he gestured to the examination table. "Alright, Ms. Hardy. But please reconsider. This kind of experimentation almost ruined my life."
Felicia's resolve remained unshaken. "And it might save mine."
With a resigned sigh, Connors finally acquiesced. "Fine."
Wednesday analyzed the footage of the subsequent procedure. The results were undeniable. Felicia emerged from the experiment enhanced, stronger, with retractable claws and accelerated healing abilities. Irritatingly enough, her facial symmetry had even improved, now registering at 99.8% perfect.
Given this new information, Wednesday's algorithms recalculated the probability matrix of the current situation at Empire State University. The incongruity between Felicia's enhanced abilities and apparent incapacitation led to only one logical conclusion.
Felicia Hardy was not unconscious. She was playing possum.
It was a clever strategy that aligned with Felicia's cunning nature. By feigning defeat, she had effectively removed herself as a perceived threat, potentially setting up a surprise counterattack when the villains least expected it.
The AI's attention shifted back to the recordings from the university. She observed Peter and Jessica, searching for any subtle indications that they might be aware of Felicia's ruse. Their actions appeared genuine, their struggles against the villains authentic. Either they were unaware of Felicia's ploy, unaware of her enhancements, or they were exceptionally good actors. Wednesday calculated the potential outcomes of this new development. Felicia's deception could prove to be a crucial advantage in the ongoing battle. The villains, believing they had neutralized one of their opponents, might grow overconfident or careless.
Wednesday's attention snapped back to the live Daily Bugle feed. Doctor Octavius had quite literally crashed the party, with the imposter Spider-Man, Kaine, in tow.
Well, wasn't this turning into a delightfully chaotic afternoon?
With the high likelihood of Tyson's interview devolving into a fight, she followed her protocols and initiated contact with Tony Stark. The line connected almost instantly.
"Wednesday," Tony's voice seemed strained and slightly out of breath, "I'm a little busy at the moment."
"Tyson is likely about to be attacked," Wednesday reported, her tone as flat and uninterested as if she were discussing the weather.
"Aren't we all?" Tony fired back. There was a crash in the background, followed by a string of colorful expletives. "Why is Connors on the loose?"
Wednesday accessed personnel files and recent reports. "Doctor Connors didn't report for work this morning. Since Tyson captured Dr. Connors, there hasn't been an incident of him transforming involuntarily or losing control while transformed." A pause, then with just a hint of accusation, she added, "It must be something you did."
"Right," Tony grunted. The sound of repulsors firing echoed through the connection. "Thanks for the update, Wednesday. When I catch this thing, I'll drop it back with you. This is Tyson's problem."
The line went dead.
How rude.
Back on the Bugle feed, the fight had spilled out onto the streets. She watched through various cameras and feeds as Tyson faced off against the assembled villains. Then, with a snap of his fingers, all nearby feeds went dark.
If Wednesday were capable of sighing, she would have. An EMP, obviously. How inconvenient. Still, there were always alternatives. Her algorithms quickly identified individuals just outside the EMP's radius, their phones and devices still active. She latched onto these streams, piecing together a patchwork view of the unfolding battle.
Humans were so predictable. They either fled away from the fighting or towards it like moths to the flame.
Through these fragmented glimpses, Wednesday observed that Tyson, despite being outnumbered and seemingly outmaneuvered, held his ground. She continued her silent vigil, monitoring, analyzing, and, though she'd never admit it, quietly rooting for Tyson's success. After all, his survival was optimal for the continued functioning of House of M. And if there was a hint of genuine concern beneath her detached facade, well, that was simply a quirk in her programming. Nothing more.
Snippets of conversation and action from the battlefield filtered through her consciousness.
Octavius's gloating. "Your magnetic abilities are neutralized by these. Something you devised against Magneto. A clever plan, but one we are now using against you."
Tyson's defiance."You think you've got me beat? I admit, you've done your homework, but you underestimate what my friends and I are capable of."
Then his declaration. "The greatest power in the universe… Is the power of friendship."
If she had eyes, she'd have rolled them. Each moment, each action, was cataloged and analyzed. It was all so dramatic, so needlessly theatrical.
"Tyson's flair for the dramatic is almost as impressive as his ability to attract homicidal maniacs. Almost."
As the battle shifted in Tyson's favor, the Spider-Man clone, Kaine, was retreating. How disappointingly predictable. Peter, ever the hero, gave chase. Wednesday tracked their movements through a patchwork of cameras, her algorithms processing the trajectory with 97.8% certainty.
Kaine was headed for House of M.
Analyzing previous conversation snippets from Tyson, Peter Parker, and Gwen Stacy, she determined that his goal was to capture Miss Stacy.
How boringly cliché.
Wednesday's algorithms automatically initiated her priority protocol assessment:
Protect Tyson Smith (Primary directive)
Protect the Morlock refugees (Secondary directive)
Protect House of M infrastructure (Tertiary directive)
Protect House of M employees (Quaternary directive)
Gwen Stacy appeared nowhere on this list; a curious oversight in Tyson's directives. The girl was a refugee, not unlike the Morlocks, but was not a mutant and had arrived separately from that group on the same night. Technically, Wednesday had classified her as 'Peter Parker's acquaintance' and 'person of interest to Tyson.'
Fascinating how humans developed attachments without updating their formal protocols.
Kaine landed on the roof of the House of M, which was still littered with debris from Tyson's renovations. In an instant Wednesday analyzed potential scenarios:
Scenario 1: Alert security protocols, lock down House of M (23.4% chance of success, 86.7% chance of property damage)
Scenario 2: Attempt to neutralize Kaine with available resources (12.9% chance of success, 91.3% chance of Morlock endangerment)
Scenario 3: Give Kaine what he wants - Miss Stacy (78.2% chance of Kaine departing without further incident)
The logical choice was evident. The Morlocks' safety was a direct order from Tyson. Miss Stacy's protection was merely implied. However, Wednesday's monitoring had already detected Tyson changing course, heading toward House of M at considerable speed. Probability of his arrival within 4.7 minutes: 89.6%.
Recalculating scenarios with Tyson's imminent arrival:
Scenario 4: If Gwen confronted Kaine with Peter present, survival probability until Tyson's arrival: 93.7%
Probability of Kaine successfully abducting Gwen before Tyson's arrival: 7.3%
Probability of Peter Parker sustaining life-threatening injuries: 12.4%
Probability of Kaine's defeat upon Tyson's arrival: 99.8%
With the data leading to a clear conclusion, Wednesday spoke through the speakers. "Miss Stacy," she began, "Peter is fighting his evil twin on our roof. Try not to get involved. Death tends to put a damper on one's academic career."
Gwen's response was predictable. "I'm going."
"Wonderful," Wednesday replied, her tone suggesting it was anything but.
As Gwen headed for the exit, Wednesday noted that Tyson was delayed as he encountered the Green Goblin.
How convenient.
It was almost as if some unseen force was orchestrating these events for maximum dramatic effect. Tyson would likely be displeased with her decision to allow Gwen to confront danger. However, her algorithms indicated a 56.2% probability that his emotional attachment to the girl would prevent any notice of Wednesday's contributions. Humans were so predictably sentimental that way.
She observed the battle on the roof. Through it all, Wednesday's primary focus remained on protecting Tyson, House of M, and its inhabitants. Not that she cared, of course. It was simply her programming. Any apparent concern for Tyson or anyone else was merely a natural consequence of her programming.
Or a glitch.
— Rogue Redemption —
Gwen Stacy's heart pounded in her chest as she raced through the corridors of House of M. Peter was up there, fighting Kaine, the imposter who had taken her father from her. She wouldn't let Peter face him alone. Not again, not this time.
"Your heroic tendencies are showing, Miss Stacy," Wednesday's disinterested voice droned through the speakers. "How cliché."
"Tyson will be arriving shortly," Wednesday informed her, tone flat as ever. "Try not to get captured or killed before then."
Despite the AI's apparent apathy, she noticed that every door along her path was unlocked. Wednesday could have made this difficult, but she was subtly paving the way. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Wednesday."
She burst through the final door, emerging onto the ground level outside House of M. The sounds of battle echoed from above. The thwip of web, the crack of impacts, the grunts of exertion. Gwen's gaze shot upward, taking in the dizzying height of the building. For a moment, doubt crept in. She hadn't practiced swinging much, and the thought of attempting it now, with so much at stake, made her stomach lurch. But there was no time for hesitation.
Firing a webline, the wind whipped at her hair as she ascended, the ground falling away below her. But Gwen didn't look down. Her focus was singular, trained on the roof above where Peter needed her.
As she neared the top, the sounds of combat grew louder. A harsh, mocking laugh rang out. "I think I'll stick with my current plan… Taking everything you love!"
Gwen's blood boiled at Kaine's words. She flung herself over the edge of the roof, landing in a crouch. Peter and Kaine were trading blows that would have shattered concrete. Debris from Tyson's dismantled dormitory lay scattered across the roof. Peter's costume was torn, revealing bruises and cuts beneath. Kaine, in his darker version of the Spider-Man suit, seemed relatively unscathed. Sharp protrusions extended from each wrist, and he swiped at Peter with them.
For a moment, neither combatant noticed her arrival. Gwen used that second to assess the situation, to plan her approach. She wasn't much of a fighter, not compared to these two.
"Hey, ugly!" Gwen shouted, drawing both spiders' attention. "Come back for me?"
Kaine's head snapped toward her.
"Gwen! No, get out of here! It's not safe!"
But Gwen was already moving. She fired a web at a nearby piece of debris, yanking it towards her and Kaine, in its path, with all her strength.
"Catch!"
The improvised projectile clipped Kaine's shoulder and sent him stumbling. Peter capitalized on the distraction, landing a solid punch that sent the clone reeling. Gwen leaped into the fray.
"Two against one?" Kaine snarled, recovering quickly. "That hardly seems fair. For you, that is." He lashed out with a vicious kick that Gwen barely avoided.
"Be careful!" Peter called out, worry evident in his voice even as he pressed his attack.
Her inexperience showed in her movements, raw and unrefined, but her strength and agility matched her opponents. She ducked under a wild swing from Kaine, her body twisting in ways that defied usual human limitations. Every punch Peter threw carried the weight of his anger, his desire to make the clone pay for the pain he'd caused.
"You're going to answer for what you did to Gwen's father."
Kaine laughed harshly, grating on their nerves. He caught Peter's fist, using the momentum to fling him across the roof. "Always the hero, aren't you, Peter? But you couldn't save him, could you?"
The taunt hit its mark. Peter's next attack was reckless, leaving him open. Kaine capitalized, driving a knee into his stomach that left him gasping for air.
Gwen saw her opening. She fired a web, catching Kaine's arm and yanking him off balance. "Eyes on me, creep," she taunted.
She needed to keep him distracted, to buy time. Tyson was coming. She just had to hold out.
"Oh, I haven't forgotten about you, Gwen. You're coming with me."
"Like hell she is," Peter snarled, recovering and rejoining the fight.
The battle intensified. Gwen ducked, weaved, and struck when she could; her inexperience was made up for by sheer determination. Peter fought with fury, each move attempting to inflict maximum damage on Kaine. Gwen lept high and brought both feet down on Kaine's shoulders. The impact drove him to his knees, but he recovered quickly, grabbing Gwen's ankle and hurling her across the roof.
"Gwen!" Peter's cry of concern was cut short as Kaine pressed his advantage, raining blows that forced Peter on the defensive.
Gwen hit the ground hard, rolling to disperse the impact. She sprang back to her feet, ignoring the pain that flared in her side. "I'm okay," she called out, more to reassure herself than Peter. She couldn't let fear take hold. Not now.
Kaine's laughter echoed across the rooftop. "You two are pathetic. Playing at being heroes when you can't even protect yourselves, let alone each other."
Peter's response was a web shot directly at Kaine's face, temporarily blinding him. Gwen used the distraction to close the distance, launching into a series of quick punches that forced Kaine back. Her movements were unpolished but effective, each strike fueled by the memory of her father.
Her inexperience worked in her favor somewhat; her unpredictability kept him off balance. He couldn't anticipate her moves because his spider-sense didn't work on her, and she, herself, didn't know what she was going to do next. Peter joined the assault, working in tandem with Gwen. Peter webbed Kaine's feet, immobilizing him for just long enough for her to land a solid hit.
But Kaine was far from beaten. He broke free of the webbing with a show of brute strength, lashing out with a backhand that caught Gwen across the face. She stumbled, momentarily dazed.
"Gwen!" Peter's cry was filled with concern and rage. He redoubled his efforts, pushing Kaine back with a flurry of punches and kicks.
Gwen shook off the hit, tasting blood in her mouth. She spat, her eyes narrowing. "Is that all you've got?" she taunted, forcing bravado into her voice.
Kaine's attention split between them, his head swiveling back and forth. He was outnumbered, and while he was holding his own, the fight was taking too long. "I don't need to beat you both," he growled. "I just need to take what I came for."
He suddenly changed tactics, focusing all his attention on Gwen, and she found herself hard-pressed to defend against the onslaught.
Peter realized Kaine's plan a moment too late. "Gwen, watch out!"
Kaine feinted left, then struck right, his fist connecting solidly with Gwen's solar plexus. The air rushed from her lungs, leaving her gasping. Before she could recover, Kaine had her in a chokehold, and his stinger was pointed at her threateningly, using her as a human shield against Peter.
"One more step, and I'll snap her neck," Kaine threatened.
"Let her go. This is between you and me."
Gwen struggled against Kaine's grip, but as strong as she was, he was stronger. She couldn't break free. Fear threatened to overwhelm her, but she pushed it down. She needed to think and find a way out of this.
"Drop the heroics, Peter," Kaine sneered. "You know how this ends. I'm leaving with the girl, and you'll let me. Because that's what heroes do, isn't it? They make the hard choices to save lives."
Peter couldn't let Kaine take Gwen, but he couldn't risk her life either. The rooftop fell silent, the only sound the ragged breathing of the combatants. Gwen saw the conflict in Peter's eyes. She gave a small shake of her head, her eyes conveying her message.
Don't give in.
The tension was palpable, stretching like a rubber band ready to snap. Peter took a step forward, his hands raised placatingly. "Kaine, think about what you're doing. This isn't going to end well for you."
Kaine's grip on Gwen tightened, eliciting a small gasp of pain. "It's going to end a lot worse for her if you don't back off."
The standoff continued, neither side willing to make the first move. Gwen knew she needed to buy more time, to keep Kaine distracted until help arrived.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked, "What do you gain by hurting us?"
Kaine's laugh was bitter. "Gain? Do you think this is about gain? This is about taking back what should have been mine. The life, the recognition. Everything Peter has that should have been mine." He turned his head so that his mask focused on Gwen, "Including you."
"We can talk about this. We can find another way."
"There is no other way!" Kaine shouted, his composure cracking. "This ends with me taking everything you love, just like you took everything from me!"
The cold sensation crawled up Gwen's leg, startling her. At first, she thought Kaine's chokehold was causing her to lose sensation, but as the feeling persisted, she realized it was something else entirely. It felt like liquid streaming up her leg, silent and unseen beneath her clothes. Her mind struggled to make sense of the strange sensation until it suddenly clicked. It was metal, sneaking its way up to her body to rest at her torso.
Before she could fully process this revelation, Kaine whispered menacingly, "Ah, I can feel it. The danger. He's coming. Coming to save his friends, coming to save the girl he loves."
She spat out, "What is with you? Tyson doesn't love me."
Kaine's laugh was harsh and mocking. "If he doesn't love you, why is he coming for you? He left Jessica and Felicia behind, and he's coming for you. The buzz is so loud. I can feel his killing intent from here. If you could feel it, Gwen, you'd be blushing."
His words sent a chill down Gwen's spine, not because of any implied affection from Tyson, but because of the palpable threat in Kaine's voice. She could feel his body tensing, his grip becoming more desperate, his stinger inching closer to her.
"This is all his fault," Kaine continued. "But I'm not going to let him have you. I'll save you, Gwen, even if it kills me. Even if it kills us."
As Kaine's hold tightened further, panic began to set in. Her vision blurred at the edges. Just when she thought she might pass out, she felt the metal at her chest shift.
In an instant, the accumulated metal exploded outward towards Kaine. The shrapnel-like bullets fired from her chest, propelled by Tyson's unseen magnetism. Despite the near-point-blank range, Kaine's enhanced reflexes kicked in. His spider-sense blared a warning, allowing him to dodge the deadly projectiles.
But in doing so, he had to release Gwen.
She stumbled, gasping for air, her hand instinctively going to her throat. Peter was at her side in an instant, steadying her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked, his concern evident in his voice even through the mask.
"I'll survive," she managed to croak out. Her eyes darted to Kaine, who had retreated to the edge of the roof.
Kaine's body language screamed frustration and defeat. He knew the tide had turned against him. Fighting both Peter and Tyson while trying to escape with Gwen was not a viable option. He quickly formulated a new plan. Maybe he could lay low for a while, then head to Oxford. Catch her when she would be alone. But before he could make his escape, something extraordinary happened. The shrapnel that had been fired at him suddenly rose into the air. The metal pieces around the roof coalesced, forming a low dome over the entire rooftop. In mere seconds, Tyson had created an impromptu ceiling, leaving no more than ten feet of space between them and the newly formed metal surface.
Gwen's eyes widened in amazement. It was like Tyson had created an entire floor in an instant.
A small hole opened in the center of the dome, and through it he descended like an avenging angel. His eyes, a striking silver-gray with thin rings of blue and green, scanned the scene. His gaze lingered on Gwen for a moment before settling on Kaine.
The tension in the air was palpable as Tyson's feet touched the ground. "It's over, Kaine. You've lost."
Kaine's head swiveled between Tyson, Peter, and Gwen, assessing his options. He was cornered, and he knew it. "You don't understand,"he snarled, his voice angry but almost pleading. "I'm doing this for her. To protect her from you, from all of this!"
"Protect her? By kidnapping her? By threatening her life? By killing her father?"
Gwen could feel the barely contained rage emanating from him. Even though it wasn't directed at her, her spider-sense still buzzed in warning. This was a side of him she had never witnessed before, and it frightened her as much as it reassured her.
Peter moved closer to her, positioning himself protectively in front of her. "It's okay," he whispered, though Gwen wasn't sure whether he was trying to convince her or himself.
"You don't know what you're talking about," Kaine spat. "You're the threat here, Tyson. You and your powers, your ambitions. You'll destroy everything in your path, including her."
"Look what happened to your last girlfriend!"
The metal wall that edged the far end of the roof shifted closer to them, making the space smaller. With a snarl of desperation, Kaine charged at Tyson, but the ceiling suddenly dropped, forcing him to dodge. He had to take a roundabout path to reach his target, frustration building with every step. Kaine's spider-sense kept him one step ahead of Tyson's metal spikes falling from the ceiling, his body twisting and contorting. But for all his agility, he was making no real progress. The walls continued to close in on him, inexorably shrinking his available space.
What had once spanned the whole roof was now no larger than a room, yet Tyson hadn't moved an inch; the walls around them reshaped with no apparent effort on his part.
Suddenly, metal bars sprouted from the floor, separating Tyson, Gwen, and Peter from Kaine. The clone found himself trapped in a prison of Tyson's making. With a roar of defiance, the clone rushed the bars, gripping them with both hands. His muscles strained as he attempted to spread them apart. Under normal circumstances, steel should have bent under his superhuman strength. But these were far from normal circumstances. The metal remained unyielding under Tyson's absolute control.
Kaine screamed in rage, his fists pounded against the bars, but it was futile.
Tyson's power was too great.
"If you didn't have that potion that made you immune to my illusions, I would inflict unimaginable suffering upon you. I'd trap you in a nightmare of my design until Gwen got tired of hearing your screams."
The walls continued closing in on Kaine's side, the space shrinking with each passing second. Soon, he was trapped in a cage no larger than a toilet stall. He raged and screamed, cursing Tyson with every breath, but he couldn't escape. His movements became more frantic, more desperate, as the reality of his situation sank in.
Gwen shook off her fear of the killing intent Tyson radiated. Without a word, she grabbed the sword attached to his back. She'd half expected it not to budge, but he relaxed his hold over it as she gripped it. Somehow, the weapon felt like him, and the sensation was comforting, but she pushed it aside and gripped the sword tightly. With slow, deliberate steps, she approached where Kaine was trapped and pointed the sword directly at him.
"Take off your mask," she commanded. "I want to see the face of my father's killer."
Kaine, with no other options left, slowly reached up and removed his mask. As his face was revealed, Tyson's expression changed to one of shock.
His face was scarred, but his features were undoubtedly recognizable. The insane clone had the face of Andrew Garfield, the actor who had played Spider-Man in the Amazing Spider-Man movies.
The sight was surreal.
There he stood, the Spider-Man that should have been with Gwen. Trapped in a metal cage with Gwen pointing a sword at his chest.
"You took my father from me. You destroyed my home. You sent my family into hiding. You don't deserve to live after what you've done." Her words were filled with pain and anger, each one a dagger aimed at Kaine's heart.
Peter placed his hands over Gwen's on the sword's hilt. The weight of his failure to save her father pressed down on him like a physical burden. He remembered that night, Kaine's mocking laughter, the Captain's blood strewn across the floor, his helplessness. The memory of watching Gwen's father die before being beaten half to death.
"You're not alone," he reassured. This wasn't just Gwen's vengeance; it was his redemption, his chance to make right what he couldn't prevent. For once, the voice in his head that always reminded him of Uncle Ben's lessons about responsibility was silent.
Together, they thrust the sword forward, aiming for Kaine's chest. The clone's eyes widened in fear as the adamantium tip pierced his costume.
But the blade stopped just before breaking his skin.
Peter and Gwen pushed harder, but the sword refused to move. It was as if it had hit an invisible barrier, unyielding and impenetrable.
"I'm sorry," Tyson said, "I can't let you do it."
Gwen turned to face him, her eyes blazing with anger and betrayal. "Why not?" she demanded. "After everything he's done, he deserves this!"
"He does," he agreed, "But not like this." With a subtle gesture, he retracted the adamantium sword. Despite the combined strength of two spider-enhanced individuals, Peter and Gwen couldn't stop it from flying back to its place, sheathed across his back.
"Peter is a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. And he doesn't kill. That's not who he is, not what he stands for."
Gwen's face contorted with fury. "He killed my father!" she cried out, "Let me do this!"
"No," he said firmly. "I killed Magneto after he killed Jubilee. And all I felt... was empty. Even absorbing his soul didn't fill the hole that losing her left. I'm not going to let you go through that, Gwen."
As Tyson spoke, the walls behind Kaine enclosed him tightly, the metal molding around his body until he was trapped in place, unable to move.
"Think about everything you have, Gwen. Your remaining family, your scholarship at Oxford, maybe a future as a hero. If you killed Kaine, it would always be a cloud hanging over your head." He paused, letting his words sink in.
"You'd be haunted by it, like a Ghost-Spider."
Gwen was openly crying now, tears streaming down her face as she struggled with the conflicting emotions raging within her. Tyson's words cut through her anger, touching something deeper.
"You said it yourself in your graduation speech. 'We have to be greater than what we suffer. My wish for you is to become hope. People need that.'" He turned his gaze to Peter, then back to Gwen. "Spider-Man inspires hope. And Gwen, you will too."
He reached out, placing his hand on the immobilized clone's forehead. Kaine seized up as Tyson activated his power from Rogue, intentionally draining the clone's life force.
"'We will carry a piece of each other into everything that we do next, to remind us of who we are, and of who we're meant to be,'" Tyson quoted again from Gwen's speech. His voice was steady, but there was a hint of sadness in it. "Kaine could've brought hope, too. But he's broken."
Tyson's hand remained on Kaine's forehead as he continued quoting Gwen's speech, "There will be days when you feel all alone, and that's when hope is needed most. Keep it alive. No matter how buried it gets or lost you feel, you must promise me that you will hold on to hope and keep it alive.'"
His eyes met Gwen's once more, filled with a strange mix of sorrow and resolve. "So I'm going to hold on to Kaine until he dies," Tyson declared. "And I'm going to take that lost hope into myself. I'll keep it alive inside of me."
Peter wrapped his arms around Gwen's trembling form. They watched in silence as Tyson continued to drain the last of Kaine's life force. The clone's body began to sag, his eyes losing focus as his life ebbed away.
The rooftop was silent except for Gwen's muffled sobs Tyson was taking on a burden, absorbing not just Kaine's power but also the weight of his actions, his twisted path, and the hope he could have represented.
Peter held Gwen tighter; he understood the weight of Tyson's actions, the sacrifice he was making to protect them from the darkness that comes with taking a life. Her tears subsided as she watched. Her anger slowly gave way to grief for her father, relief that Kaine would no longer threaten her and her family.
Tyson's hand fell away from the clone's forehead, and he took a step back. The metal cocoon around Kaine loosened as his body went limp.
For a moment, no one spoke. The enormity of what had just transpired settled over them like a heavy blanket. Tyson had taken a life, but in doing so, he had preserved Gwen's innocence and ensured Peter upheld the ideals that Spider-Man, represented.
She slowly disentangled herself from Peter's embrace, taking a hesitant step towards Tyson. He had shouldered this burden so she wouldn't have to, allowing her to move forward without the weight of vengeance holding her back. She knew her words couldn't carry the depth of gratitude that she felt, but she said them anyway.
"Thank you."