The spire's holo-ash swirled outside, slums a fractured pulse in decay. Peter Parker, Mad Spider, sprawled on a crate, his crimson costume gashed, the black spider emblem splintered. His powers—strength, agility, regeneration—thrummed, but torture's scars burned, madness surging like a storm. His sardonic grin flashed, eyes glinting with chaos. "Viper's got a fuel depot begging for a spark, Gwen," he jabbed, voice sharp, humor a brittle mask. The stronghold's fall had fed his frenzy, each fight a plunge deeper into the abyss.
Gwen Stacy hunched over a holo-projector, her blonde hair knotted, her battered tablet mapping a Viper fuel depot in the underdistrict. Her blue eyes, etched with dread, fixed on Peter—his madness was a wildfire, scorching the boy she cherished. "You're not their executioner, Peter," she said, voice taut, love a fragile bulwark. Memories of him at 19, grinning through pain, haunted her. "We hit the depot tonight," she added, her touch grazing his, a plea for his soul.
Wilson Fisk entered, cane thudding, scars stark under the holo-ash's glow. His leg ached, but his heart bore a deeper wound: Vanessa. Flashback: At 25, Wilson met Vanessa, her fierce gaze piercing his armor in a Brooklyn dive. Her defiance—challenging his gang's extortion—ignited love, a beacon in his dark world. "You're more than blood," she said, her hand in his. That love softened him, but danger loomed. Now, Fisk saw Peter's spiral, Gwen's dread, and vowed to guide them. "You're our edge, Spider," he said, voice resonant. "But edges dull."
Peter's raid on the depot was a maelstrom—webs snaring mercs, fuel tanks ruptured, flames licking the holo-ash. His laughter was a blade, madness flaring as he shattered exosuits. "Light it up!" he snarled, guilt buried under rage. Gwen's EMPs crippled drones, her voice cracking through comms: "Peter, pull back!" Her despair surged, love straining. She anchored him with a ritual post-raid, hands on his scars, whispering, "You're my anchor." His eyes softened, guilt surfacing. "I'm trying, Gwen," he rasped, madness ebbing.
Fisk's guidance—stories of Vanessa's hope—steadied Peter, their loyalty a steel bond. Gwen's tablet caught a Viper signal: a traitor in the crew, leaking plans. Cliffhanger: A holo-file flashes—Vanessa's coded letter, hinting at a secret deal, as Iron Man's repulsors glow in the slums.