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CH16: decision.
As Peter sat in the corner of Jennifer's apartment, he was tending to the deep wound in his chest caused by the sword of the M.J. version.
The pain was sharp, but he tried to focus more on the task than the pain he felt.
His hand trembled slightly as he tied the bandage around the wound, and with every movement, the pain intensified, but his mind was preoccupied with bigger matters than just the wound.
"I have to be ready..." Peter whispered to himself in a low voice as he tightened the bandage.
While treating the wound, his thoughts rapidly shifted between what had happened, and in his mind, the image of Morlun appeared - that old enemy who sought to drain his totemic power.
"Is what happened here the same as what Morlun did?" Peter wondered quietly as he continued wrapping the bandage.
He recalled those dark moments when Morlun hunted his totemic power, and Peter was always his target. "Is this version of M.J. just another tool in the hands of a new enemy?" he wondered as he finished tying the bandage.
He paused for a moment, then sighed deeply. The city around him remained calm, but inside, a storm raged within him. "No time to delay. I need to move now."
As Peter finished his bandage, he felt a shift in the air. Jennifer had awoken, her eyes slowly scanning the room, trying to understand her surroundings.
"Where... am I?" Jennifer murmured softly, her eyes moving slowly around the room.
"In your apartment," Peter responded calmly without looking up. "I took you out of there after you lost consciousness."
Jennifer rubbed her eyes, trying to regain her ability to think. Pain racked her body, but her mind was even more troubled. "The M.J. version... I felt like she was draining something from me. I don't think she was just hitting me."
At that moment, Peter stopped breathing for a few seconds, as if a lightning bolt had struck his mind. He suddenly turned, his eyes filled with confusion and concern. He remembered a face from the past - Morlun.
That creature was not just an enemy, but a walking famine, a strange being who hunted totemic powers, draining them from every being connected to animalistic forces. And Peter wasn't just a target; Morlun had always sought to drain his totemic power.
"No..." Peter whispered to himself, but his voice was faint as though speaking to his shadow. "What she was doing... this isn't new to me."
"What do you mean?" Jennifer asked, beginning to regain her awareness, though her face was still pale, and the pain in her body indicated an uneven battle she had just fought.
Peter looked down, trying to make sense of his thoughts. Then he raised his head and said, "There was someone who did the same thing. Morlun. He drained the totemic power from creatures connected to animals. And I was his favorite target. I almost lost my life because of him."
A moment of silence followed. The only sound was the rapid beating of Peter's heart and Jennifer's thoughts as she tried to piece together what had happened.
Then Peter added in a deep voice, more asking himself than answering: "If this M.J. version is draining gamma rays, and maybe even totemic power... that means she was created specifically for this purpose."
"But how did Norman know about your totemic power?" Jennifer wondered, trying to fully understand the picture.
"That's what I don't understand. I didn't tell anyone. Maybe... someone revealed this secret to him," Peter said, feeling doubts creeping into his mind. There must be something in the past or present that exposed this mysterious secret.
"Do you think Paul is involved?" Jennifer asked, but Peter wasn't sure about the answer.
"Maybe. Or maybe there's someone else, someone who knows me better than anyone else," Peter replied, running his hand through his hair, feeling the weight of the responsibility and pressure surrounding him.
Then Peter added, placing his hand on his forehead as though thinking aloud: "Everything has become complicated. If this version knows how to drain totemic power... that means there's a bigger conspiracy behind all of this. But the real question is... why?"
"What's the next step?" Jennifer asked, regaining some strength, though she still appeared tired.
"I need to go back to the lab. I must find the real M.J. before it's too late," Peter said firmly, standing up, ready to move.
"Be careful, Peter. This time, the enemy knows you more than you think," Jennifer warned, her eyes filled with concern.
Peter nodded, then slowly put on his black mask. He didn't have time for more conversation. The situation had become too dangerous. Every moment of delay could mean it's too late. In the blink of an eye, he had exited through the window, swinging between buildings at an extraordinary speed.
As Peter swung between skyscrapers, he felt a longing for the days when he was someone else, someone who knew when to retreat and when to advance. But now, there was no turning back. Everything depended on his decision this time. And M.J... was in danger.
This wasn't the first time Peter had faced a threat that required him to give it his all. But this time, things were different. The enemy knew everything about his totemic power, maybe even more than Peter himself. Who was behind this plan? And what did they want from M.J.? All these questions swirled in his mind as he swung across the city.
Eventually, Peter reached his destination. Ryo Morales' house. He landed lightly on the upper floor window, then entered through it. The wind was howling outside, and the atmosphere was calm despite the storm brewing in Peter's heart.
Inside the apartment, Ryo was sitting on the couch, silently watching the television screen. When she heard the sound, she quickly turned, surprised to see Peter in front of her.
"Peter?" Ryo said, her eyes wide with surprise. "You told me you retired."
Peter didn't hesitate to reply, looking directly at her and saying, "Where's Lia?"
"She's sleeping," Ryo said cautiously, then added, "But Peter, what happened? Why are you back now?"
Peter looked at her with eyes full of tension. "Things have become more complicated than you imagine. But there's no time to explain now. I need you to keep Lia with you for a while while I finish this rivalry with Green Goblin once and for all."
.
.
END OF CHAPTER