#67889 Nick Fury

[the-tangle-web]

Loud ass beeping in his ears.

Being stuck restrained in some sort of metal tube isn’t a fun experience. And certainly not one Gabe wants to experience again.

His whole body under his neck was numb for the first few days. There were needles in his arms and some sort of mask over his face. After awhile, he started to gain more feeling in his body. But something wasn’t right. It wasn’t all him.

Everything else felt like flesh. But one side was off balance. He could feel it, but it wasn’t the same. It was hard to explain, but it just felt…. Different.

Carnage wasn’t far away from him. Stuck in a different clear tube. Even when separated, he could have sworn he felt how Carnage felt. Both of them were trapped and didn’t know how long it had been. He started to forget as days passed what exactly happened.

It was a muffled alarm that tore him from his thoughts. Shouts and a roar. He flinched as something cracked just outside his holding. Like something shattering. Then, he felt a familiar sensation, tendrils gripping at his legs and sneaking through his confinements. He didn’t need to look to know who it was. He couldn’t even move his head anyways. His fingers stretched downwards at his sides, and he felt Carnage grip at his hand.

. . .

Karma swallowed the scientist whole, her tongue licking her teeth as their screams muffled and the room was clear. Red lights flashing and a promise of backup.

The symbiote flinched and whipped her head around as a side of the room shattered. Emerging a red symbiote with bared teeth.

“Carnage,”

“Karma,”

Karma growled, “Go get the others,” and she gestured over her shoulder to the opening of debris that led to another room, “we are finding Teddy and Ravage,”

“Our memories are jumbled- but your brother is not far. They are separate but in the same room. Just beyond here.”

. . .

Ravage bonded to a weak body that disoriented him. But slowly, he was able to repair what he could not after all this time. Slowly, he stepped outward from the glass cell Teddy was in. Across the room, he saw the box he used to be stuck in, now torn. Glass littered the ground.

“Ravage,”

“Karma-“

The other symbiote shook her head, “No time, we are leaving. You both can move?”

“We are dizzy, but we will be fine,”

. . .

His head hurt like shit… he went from being restrained upright to almost face planting the cold ground. Anthony gritted his teeth, slowly lifting himself up with his arms. A large claw gently but firmly lifted him to his feet.

“Gareth is feeding. Backup is coming. We need to leave, now.”

He blinked rapidly, his gaze falling across the room. Several dead and drained bodies of scientists and Gareth still hunched over one. When the vampire lifted his head, his mouth was bloodied, but he no longer looked so crazed. His eyes dilated and his eyes shut tightly before opening again.

“What- where the fuck-“

“No time. We have to go!”

A loud crash and Anthony whipped his head over his shoulder. Heavy footsteps and shouts were getting louder.

He looked back ahead and he saw a large opening in the wall to the outside of the building. The rooms trashed and broken, research destroyed and littered with bodies.

Anthony ran on autopilot. He wasn’t sure who gave him a zip up jacket, but it was most likely Gabe. He didn’t remember when Ravage and Karma came around the corner and they all reassembled. And he didn’t remember forcing his body to sprint and jump through his opening to freedom.

. . .

Jen stood in front of the TV, her body frozen and eyes wide. An Oscorp lab destroyed and escaping it, three symbiotes and two humanoid beings. One shooting a web and swinging across to hide in an alleyway. Their faces unable to be recognized.

But she knew.

And she was relieved and horrified.

. . .

Castle was already searching the city, top to bottom, and tearing it apart.

Nick Fury and the Avengers have been failing to find the lost teen.

And Carnage led them, for the time being, the only place he knew they would be safe until the coast was clear. And safe to say, the turtle mutants had lots of questions.

“HOW THE FU-“

[ask-spidersisters]

Hey goblin, I'm stopping by to check on you and Athena, and I got Bryce with me. Something pissed off the boss's, well, dad radar. So I'm checking in to be safe and curb that.

- Jace

Thalia: Heyyyy Jace… uh… yeah something did happen over here.

Stark called Athena to the Compound, and apparently he and Fury wanted to ‘introduce’ her to Tangle Web (I think he’s like living under the guardianship of Fury… yikes).

It did… not go well. Tangle Web attacked her. They fought, and Fury pulled them apart using like these magnetic restraints. This caused Athena to have a panic attack where she dislocated her own shoulder trying to break free.

We’re home now, but Athena hasn’t said a thing…

[ask-spidersisters]

Two Of A Kind (1)

Scarlet Spider sat cross legged on the ceiling of the Avenger’s Compound. It’s been a while since she’s been there, with the last two times being Christmas Eve and the aftermath of the Red Room incident. Needless to say, she’s gotten to know the medical wing quite well. Though that couldn’t be said about the rest of the compound.

This place is a fucking labyrinth.

Which led her to here, sitting alone on the ceiling, completely giving up on trying to find the reason why she had been called there in the first place.

“There you are Rosie! You get lost?”

Scarlet sighed as she tilted her head to look down at the ground where Tony Stark stood, dressed in a sleek black suit with a casual blue shirt underneath and wearing his blue tinted sunglasses. She unstuck herself from the ceiling, flipping mid fall to land on her feet in front of the billionaire.

“Whatever the fuck you want me to do, let’s just get it over with.”

“Ever the ray of sunshine huh?”

Stark’s smirk widened, completely unfazed by the annoyed spider vigilante’s frustrated tone.

“Come on kid, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

Stark turned on his heel and started heading down a hallway, Scarlet lingered behind for a while before slowly walking forward to follow.

(+)

Anthony was sitting in the conference room, his feet crossed over each other and on top of the table with Arachne, the weird black spider cat he found in the dumpster, curled up in his lap getting pets behind her ear whilst purring. He leaned back in the uncomfortable chair as he looked up at Nick Fury, who was standing in front of him a few paces away with his hands behind his back.

Fury stared at the teen for a moment, analyzing him with his one working eye. Anthony raised a brow and waved a hand,

“I’m here again- why?” He asked, baring his teeth, his fangs slowly pushing out from his gums.

He was impatient, and frankly aggravated for no real reason. Teenage hormones, he guesses.

Fury exhaled slowly through his mouth, then looked at the teen in the eyes,

“Me and Stark-“

Anthony whipped his head back and let out a loud groan in annoyance at the mention of the peppy billionaire.

Fury stood there and blinked. He continued,

“Me and… Stark…” once he was sure Anthony wasn’t going to interrupt him again, he kept going,

“Want you to meet someone,”

They both perked up and Anthony turned his head to the door, brows furrowed, his fangs pushing outward from his gums instinctively on high alert. Fury slowly turned his head as the door opener.

“Anthony,” he announced, walking closer to Anthony and setting a hand on the chair he sat on, “meet Scarlet Spider,”

Arachne’s ears perked up from Anthony’s lap, her paws up on the table as she peered over at Stark and Scarlet, her eyes wide.

Anthony lifted his hand away from the spider cat and onto the table’s edge, where he gripped until it dented and then some, his lips peeling back and barely able to suppress a hiss as his eyes narrowed onto the all too familiar figure before him.

That bitch.

——————————————————————————

Collab w/ @the-tangle-web

[the-tangle-web]

Prisoner

[Aftermath of ‘Two of A Kind’]

When Anthony was first given his nanotech suit from Stark, it scared the shit out of him. It make him think Stark knew his identity as Tangle Web. To his surprise, no one here has linked him to legit the only other known spider related hero in the city as he was the only one to revive the super serum.

No, Stark gave it to him so he could be matching with Scarlet Spider, assuming the two would have gotten along just fine.

That was a mistake.

Now, Anthony has to be yelled at and lectured on his behavior by Fury. He demanded an explanation to no avail with the teen that stood across from him, not even bothering to look at the adult.

“You’re childish and you’re selfish! This could have been good for you!” You could always tell when Fury was mad because of the subtle but firm raise in his voice and knitted brows.

“I pulled you out of that rut you were in and this is what you give me-“ He exhaled sharply through his teeth and pinching the bridge of his nose, titling his head down.

Anthony continued to stare at his phone. He tried to tune the other’s voice out but to no avail. He found himself listening anyways, but barley so. His abdomen still stung from the metal band and his chest and back was still aching from the kicks and being thrown into a wall. There’s only so much his super healing could do.

Fury continued his rant, but after awhile, he gave up, seething, and stormed out of the room at some point. This left Anthony alone sitting by a tall table with one of those tall chairs, staring blankly at his phone, not even looking at anything on it anymore as his mind wandered.

Of course, after hearing about the dilemma this morning from Stark, Steve had to show up and see what’s going on. After seeing a seething Fury, he knew that visiting the boss was a no go at the moment. Besides, Anthony could use someone right now, no? Maybe he was just a bit fed up or had a bad day and he lashed out, it happened a lot, he just needs to cool down without the restraints. Easy as pie, Steve isn’t sure why no one else attempted to talk to the kid after an ordeal like this.

Walking over to the table and setting his shield onto it, he took a seat across from Anthony, who still didn’t look up from his phone as he held his head up with his hand, elbow on the table.

A few moments of silence ticked by.

Steve cleared his throat and straightened his posture, “So, how was school today?”

Anthony shrugged with a dismissive hum.

A few more moments of silence.

Steve exhaled through his nose slowly, then looked back up at the teen and was surprised when Anthony was glaring back at him with unfriendly intention.

Steve raised a brow, titling his head, “Cmon, Anthony, I’m not trying to get anything out of you. I just wanna talk-“

“I don’t wanna talk,” Anthony snapped before the other could finish, turning his gaze back to his phone.

The other man shook his head with a sigh, “Look, we all have those days and that’s ok. I’m sure you must have been intimidated when we started shoving all of this Avengers business into your face, especially with Scarlet Spider, I get it, you’re afraid of these abilities,”

There was a subtle creaking noise coming from Anthony’s side of the table. The teen was gripping at it the edge of the table with his free hand that wasn’t holding up his head anymore.

Steve inhaled sharply through his teeth, but kept going, “We’re just helping you, that’s all, but we need you to tell us what we can do to provide for you-“

“How about providing me some privacy and minding your own fucking business, Steve?”

The man exhaled slowly and clicked his tongue against his teeth, “Alright- it’s a start…”

Now he knew why no one talked to Anthony as much as he wished. Steve wasn’t willing to give up yet.

He’ll be honest, he doesn’t know much about Anthony… anything at all, really. All he knows is that he showed up one day with powers he didn’t want and was stuck here under Fury’s care. Once things cool down, what’s the harm in taking the kid out to burn off some energy? He was positive the kid would excel at combat. Steve grabbed his shield left the table to leave Anthony alone, the teen loosening his grip on the now dented table.

The kid was angry and confused, of course he would be. But he’ll make a great hero one day. Steve hoped Anthony knew he would always have a home with the Avengers, that he was one of them and they were his family.

What Steve doesn’t know is that Anthony has been doing anything but calling the Avengers his family. The tower is his prison and Fury is the warden.

[ask-spidersisters]

Two Of A Kind (2)

Holy shit. Tangle Web is that angry kid from school? Anthony?

Scarlet’s hands immediately balled into fists at her sides, her anger and slight confusion mixing in her chest.

Why are all the super powered teens from my school? Am I just a magnet for murderous weirdos?

She was faintly aware of Stark saying something next to her as he gestured toward the other spider enhanced teenager. She held eye contact, watching the other carefully as if he were a rabid animal. Her muscles tensed as he slowly released the edge of the table he crushed, tracing his movement as her spider sense buzzed lightly in the base of her skull.

(+)

Anthony released his grip on the now dented table. Fury glanced at the damage with a distasteful look as Stark kept talking. Neither of the adults were really paying attention to the two teenagers who were giving each other death stares.

Anthony reached for Arachne in his lap with both of his hands and took his feet off the table, leaning down and setting Arachne gently onto the floor. The spider cat let out a small mrrp, as she was set down and the teen patted her head a few times before locking eyes with the masked vigilante.

For a good five seconds, he stared at her, his fangs poking out from his lips, unable to retract them as he was too on edge to tell himself to. Then, as fast as his superhuman body would let him, he hopped onto the table in a crouch and launched himself with his legs at the Scarlet Spider with hands outstretched with a shout like an animal trying to pounce on something.

(+)

Scarlet’s spider sense warned her of the incoming tackle. She sidestepped last second and grabbed one of Anthony’s arms, sticking her feet to the ground,then swinging him back into the conference room table where he had sprung from. Anthony and the table were thrown against the opposite wall as the room exploded into chaos. Stark and Fury were shouting, Scarlet Spider chose to ignore them as she advanced forward, hissing as she snapped her leg forward, hitting the other spider in the chest.

(+)

Before Anthony could register how bad of an idea this was, he was launched against the opposite wall with the conference room table and slouched against the wall with a grunt. Arachne hissed and scurried away to the door, but didn’t leave as she didn’t want the human she got to take her out of that wretched dumpster to get badly hurt. Instead, she resorted to cowering in the corner by the door and hissing.

Before Anthony could regain his balance or even attempt to get off of the floor, Scarlet Spider kicked him square in the chest. Because he was undergoing so much adrenaline, it didn’t hurt as much, but damn, it would hurt like a bitch later on, even with his healing powers. It doesn’t leave bruises, but it still stings. The air was knocked out of him and he let out a short gasp. Acting on reflex, before Scarlet could pull her leg away, he snatched her ankle and lifted her up, tossing her to the right wall, just barely hitting Nick Fury, who, by that point, had his eyes tightly shut with his nostrils flaring with brows furrowed, Stark was still shouting.

Anthony stood in a crouched position, snapping his jaws and baring his fangs in a hiss at the other.

(+)

Scarlet Spider’s back collided with the wall as she landed on her knees. She winced as she managed to shift into a low crouch. Unintentionally she mirrored Anthony, baring her fangs under her mask and hissing louder. Fury’s voice picked up, neither of the teenagers seemed to hear him as they both sprung at each other again, rolling on the ground as they grappled with one another.

Behind!

Too engaged in the fight, Scarlet couldn’t react in time as a steel ring enclosed around her waist, pinning one of her arms to her sides and violently jerking her backwards, her vision blurred, until the ring magnetically attached itself to the wall. Vaguely she could see Anthony getting the same treatment as he was pinned against the opposite wall.

Her head shifted from anger to panic. She pulled against the ring, grasping at it with her free hand as her breathing quickened. The cold steel seeped through her suit and into her skin. She couldn’t stop the influx of memories that followed.

——————————————————————————

Collab w/ @the-tangle-web

[ask-spidersisters]

Two Of A Kind (3)

Anthony let out a scream that sounded more of like a roar as he was restrained by a familiar, cold, steel ring that wrapped around his waist and tied back his arms. Despite getting this treatment often if his outbreaks were too violent, it seemed he was even less cooperative every single time. He shouted and thrashed, kicking and hissing as Fury shouted at him to get a hold of himself and stop acting like a child.

The more he thrashed, the tighter the ring got, but he didn’t seem to care as he even attempted to bite the man with the eye patch multiple times,

“Enough-“ Fury snapped at Anthony, who, in response, hissed and spit on his boots.

Fury exhaled sharply and raised his voice, “I said, ENOUGH!”

(+)

Fury’s enraged voice rang out in her ears, only making her panic worse. She trashed harder, kicking the air, clawing the ring with her free hand, and pulling her pinned arm as a strangled shout slipped out of her throat.

“Scarlet?”

Stark took a few cautious steps forward, startling the trapped vigilante. She tugged at her pinned arm again, harder.

Pop!

She screamed. Half in pain and half in the overwhelming fear that was rushing through her body. She had dislocated her shoulder.

“Jesus! Fury let her go!”

The ring opened, dumping Scarlet onto the ground where she lay still on her side, clutching her dislocated shoulder, her eyes wide under her mask.

(+)

Scarlet Spider screaming in agony wasn’t pleasant. It made Anthony flinch at the noise as she was plopped on the floor with a dislocated shoulder, clearly in distress. Well, a different kind of distress then he was in. Stark was already slowly trying to approach Scarlet, trying to tell her that they’ll get her shoulder fixed,

“Want me to call your uncle? Your sister?” Stark shrugged, brows furrowed, “Kid, don’t strain yourself like that-“

Fury was staring blankly at the teen on the floor. Though his face may seem the same to everyone, Anthony knows that this face was his deep in thought face. He was either thinking about the situation or deep in thought about something else, maybe about the collateral damage to his conference room.

It came out of nowhere, Nick Fury’s expression changed to pure fury (pun intended). His head whipped to Anthony and he pointed an accusing finger at the teen that was helplessly restrained on the wall with his teeth bared and still breathing heavily, almost hyperventilating, with his brows arched.

“You will stay here until you’ve fixed that fucking attitude!” He shouted.

Anthony shouted and spat at the floor, then hissed, still blinded by anger and adrenaline from the tussle.

Stark lifted his head,

“Are you sure you’re gonna leave him here?” He asked, uneasily, as he continued to try and aid Scarlet the best he could, which was awkward.

Fury scoffed, “He’s been in worse places. Cmon, get the kid up and let’s fix that shoulder,” he was already strutting out of the room, leaving the door open behind him, clearly having to rethink every choice he made before this moment.

(+)

“Come on kid, Dr. Cho’s here, let’s go to her, ok?”

Scarlet’s attention was brought back to the present by the mention of a familiar name. She winced as she was raised onto her feet, jousting her injured shoulder in the process as Stark supported her weight and started leading her out the door. Through the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of Anthony, still pinned to the wall by a metal ring, face scrunched and eyes downcast. The back spider cat from before sprang forward and darted back into the room, bounding over to its owner. Her stomach churned. Her view of them cut off as Stark half dragged her into the hallway.

(+)

Anthony was breathing heavily, hair in his face as he watched Stark and Scarlet leave the room. Arachne bounded over to him, standing by his feet and letting out a small mrow.

The teen attempted to slow his breathing but to no avail. He wasn’t hyperventilating, just running on loads of adrenaline. He knew that his body would be aching after this, from the metal ring to the bruises he received.

It wasn’t uncommon around here to find Anthony restrained by a metal ring on a wall somewhere when he got too aggressive. He has yet to figure out how to break out of the steel rings, but he is positive he could if he can already break metal in half with his bare hands.

For now? It was the same old, same old. Fury made him stay there until he “cooled down.” Anthony had to wait… and after he was free, faced a stern scolding from Fury himself. Might as well get a head start and start scolding himself,

“Goddamnit, Anthony. Motherfucker-“ he swore to himself, clenching his fists.

Arachne tilted her head, then curled up by his feet and nestled her head into her front paws to wait along with her human.

——————————————————————————

Collab w/ @the-tangle-web

[the-tangle-web]

Nick told me I need to socialize more and not beat people up so much.

I don’t think he meant like this but he should have been more specific.

[the-tangle-web]

If you're looking for another violent spider, maybe chat with Fog-Weaver, aka the one that made the hunter into a Christmas decoration.

To be honest with you, I think I’m trying to tone down on the violence. I don’t know if they have a Nick Fury in their universe, but having Nick as your legal guardian when he’s literally the founder of the Avengers is difficult as it is. If he found out I was beating up and killing criminals on the streets at the ripe age of 18 without his knowledge, he’d go apeshit.

He wants me to be an Avenger someday, which I don’t plan on doing. He would not approve of my crime fighting methods.

[the-tangle-web]

Headshot

CONTENT WARNING: major violence, like MAJOR violence and graphic depictions of injuries. Read tags for further warnings.

—————

Anthony has had frequent visits with the dean at school. After the first few weeks, they stopped trying. Even the principal just gave up after a whole year’s worth of detention. Nothing changed in his behavior.

For the teachers, it was especially nerve racking when the infamous founder of the Avengers stalks into their classroom for a teacher conference about his behavior. Nick Fury wasn’t the most reactive to it, maybe a few stern glances his way, but no real punishment.

So, whenever Anthony did something outrageously violent and very abnormal for a kid his age and for his build, they would tell him to go to the office and stay there for a few hours to cool down. He would either go back to class, or be told to wait until the end of the school day and leave with everyone else.

Nick Fury enrolled him in the school with a note saying

‘Sorry in advance for the destruction. I’ll pay for it.’

And he was right to send it. It didn’t take long for the teachers to recognize that Anthony was some sort of superhuman. For his peers? They all passed it off and played it cool. They would say the walls were very thin, so any student could be thrown through them. After awhile, everyone learned to avoid eye contact with him at all costs and don’t go anywhere near him. They called him ‘Anthony Fury,’ for that reason. His infamous short temper with no relation to Nick Fury, as no one knew anything about Anthony and his legal guardian.

Look at him the wrong way, and he can lift you up without a second thought by the collar of your shirt and throw you back quite a distance. After awhile, everyone at the High School got used to it, but the teachers never did. They knew more than the students, but Fury commands they keep quiet about it. Besides, he’s a senior now, he’ll be gone before they know it.

After Anthony picked up and threw a kid through a wall during lunchtime, the supervisor immediately sent him to the office to cool his nerves as they rushed the nurses to the other student’s side. Any major injuries caused by Anthony had to be reported to the parents, but it was reported to them in a vague way. They would never reveal his name and would say he’s been expelled and is being dealt with by law enforcement and they will call if they are needed. None of that is ever true. It was by Nick Fury’s request that any damage Anthony caused be covered up for the time being.

Anthony, knowing how this goes by now, exhaled sharply and made his way down the hallway, heading to the office. Most, if not all the students lingering in the hallway looked to the floor and pressed themselves against the lockers as far away from the storming teen as they could.

When Anthony arrived, he sat down in his chair as usual, the staff at the front desk didn’t ask questions and let the teen sit down and pull out his phone.

—————

The teen lifted his head as the final bell ringed, signaling the end of the day. He threw the strap of his bag over his shoulder, holding his phone in his free hand, and pushed the door open, leaving the office and off outside.

Lord, save me.

A black truck was parked to the far side of the building. Inside the truck was none other than the man himself. Anthony immediately lowered his head, pulling up his hood, and stormed over to the truck, gritting his teeth.

Nick Fury rolled down the window, as slowly as he possibly could with a blank expression.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” The teen snapped, gripping the edge of the open window,

Nick had one hand on the steering wheel, he had his other arm resting on the back of his car seat, “I’ve decided I’m driving you home today,”

“Why?!”

“Because,” Nick began with a stiff head tilt, “it’s a Friday and we’re going to take a nice drive around the city together,”

Anthony groaned, shoving his head into his hands, “Is this about that kid today?”

“I didn’t check my emails today, but thank you for telling me. We can talk about that when you get in the car,”

“Nick!”

“Anthony, you’re making this a bigger deal than it has to be,” Nick tapped the steering wheel with his finger, impatiently, using his free hand to adjust his eye-patch.

“I specifically tell you not to pick me up-“

“Well, today is special,”

Anthony pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled sharply through his teeth, “You look shady as fuck with these tinted windows pulling up at a High School!”

Nick raised a brow, his grip firm on the wheel.

Anthony didn’t fucking dare look behind himself, he could feel eyes on him. He had to pray to any god that would listen that no one payed any mind to the literal Avenger’s founder that’s picking him up from school. No doubt about it, some people from their angle probably saw Nick, but will play it off as a trick of their mind.

The teen exhaled slowly, staring at the ground blankly. Nick waited. There was a pause.

With a defeated sigh, Anthony opened the door to the passenger’s seat and climbed in, closing the door behind himself. He threw his backpack into the back seat and sat there, arms crossed.

Nick hummed, and turned forward, pulling away from the school and onto the road.

—————

It was a silent, awkward drive, as it always was when Anthony had to travel by car with Nick. He didn’t listen to music when he was driving, so it was just… silence.

Deafening silence.

Anthony tried mirroring Nick’s stern look as he stared ahead at the road. He still had his arms crossed and his brows furrowed, staring at the road ahead. However, it was impossible to match that stoic mask Nick always wore.

Silence…

“So, you’re growing up-“

Anthony groaned and leaned back in his seat, “Really?”

Nick clicked his tongue to his teeth, “We need to discuss this, this is a very important talk to have-“

“While we’re driving?!”

“Look,” he raised a hand, his eye still glued on the road, “I get that we already had ‘The Talk’ but this is a different talk. You’re superhuman, Anthony-“

The teen scoffed, “Never would have guessed-“

“Listen to me,” Nick said, sternly, “this is getting harder and harder to cover up. You wanted a normal teenage life, so I’m trying to give you options for one. I have you bank account and I’ve deposited a few loads of money. For anything you could possibly need if and only if you decide to leave for college,”

He turned his head to take a glance briefly at Anthony before turning his head forward again and continuing,

“Tony,” he shook his head, stiffly, his face still blank, not giving anything away,

“You need to control yourself,” that earned another annoyed groan from Anthony, but Nick continued regardless, “we need to work on these powers, alright? No getting out of it. This is important for you,”

“I know how to use my powers!” The teen raised his voice ever so slightly, gritting his teeth and gripping his biceps, his arms still wrapped tightly around himself,

“You know how to use them, you need to control them-“

“How the fuck do you control superhuman strength?! I would like to know!”

Nick narrowed his eye, not making eye contact, “Anthony Rossi, I don’t approve of your attitude-“

“You literally don’t even try to be my parent so I don’t even have to say it,” the teen snapped,

Nick exhaled slowly through his nose, his grip tightened on the wheel. His nose wrinkled as his lips lifted into a nasty scowl,

“I am trying to help you. This anger, you need to find a way to control it. I can’t constantly cover up for you, so I’m giving you options,” the man tried to keep his voice level, but it was getting harder and harder to do so,

“I’m trying to keep your powers undercover. We don’t want anymore scientists getting ideas on making more superhuman serums. It’s dangerous, and life changing. You understand more than me,” he sighed.

Anthony didn’t respond. He was turned away, staring out the tinted window and only looking at Nick through the reflection.

“Use your powers for something worthwhile,” Nick finally said after a short pause, turning the wheel, “not for backyard fighting.”

The teen stared out the window as they drove by building by building. He knew where they were going and he didn’t want to go, but Fury still had work to do and he wasn’t about to leave Anthony unattended someplace else. Yes, Anthony did have a room in the tower all for himself and it was technically his home, but even after a few years, he’s still not entirely used to it. He wasn’t sure how to describe it… it was something… uneasy. He just hated how loud it was sometimes, how bright it was because of the thousands of windows-

Well, as they always say, there’s no place like home.

—————

It started at a nearby plaza. A group of four people pulled guns out of the back of a van and opened fire.

Fifty were wounded, ten were already dead.

The people were scrambling for shelter in stores, the managers and clerks ushering people inside as they locked the stores to take cover.

They kept shooting, even with no people in sight. Shooting at the sky, at lamp posts, at store signs and steel doors to scare the civilians inside with loud cracks and booms.

One of the gunman was sitting in the back of the van, reloading their pistol as his companions laughed and joked, firing their guns with loud shots.

The van shakes.

The gunman inside froze.

The laughing outside stopped.

There were shots fired and a shout.

The sound of something hitting the ground with a loud thunk.

Another battle cry was heard, but cut off mid scream.

Another thunk. The sound of a body collapsing on concrete.

Faint incorrect whimpering and begging.

It turned to shouting for mercy.

Another thunk.

The man inside the truck didn’t dare move another muscle. He felt the blood pumping in his ears.

The truck rocked again.

Step… step… step…

Footsteps from on top of the vehicle.

The truck bounced up again.

Silence…

The gunman was frozen. He waited. After hearing nothing for a good few minutes, he loaded his pistol with a click.

He got up, crouching and slowly stalking towards the opening behind the van. He narrowed his eyes, it was dark out, only the bright light of the lamp posts bouncing off of faded grey concrete kept the plaza from pitch black darkness.

The man leaped out of the van, pointing his gun in all sorts of directions. He called out…

Nothing…

He looked around for his group…

No one,

No bodies,

Nothing.

He seemed to be alone.

He was walking backwards towards the front of the truck, pointing his gun this way and that. His breathing sped up. He used a free hand to feel for the van door. He grabbed the handle and yanked it open-

The man was pulled backwards by a pocket chain around his neck. The man thrashed and kicked, grabbing at his throat with his free hand, trying to find the chain around his neck to pull himself free. He was helpless.

He dark, looming figure tightened his hold on the chain and pulled back. However, the man wasn’t done fighting, he held his pistol with a shaky hand and fired it to the ground.

The bullet ricochet off of the concrete and fired back up on an angle into the man’s leg. The man let out a scream and toppled to the ground as the looming figure jumped back, the chain slipping off of his neck.

The man panted and clutched his leg, dropping his pistol. He fell to the floor, groaning.

The Tangle Web clipped his pocket chain back on his pocket and stepped forward, staring down at the wounded man. The blood from the bullet in his leg spewed everywhere and into the small crevasses of the concrete, creating a thick, dark red puddle where he lie.

The man was rocking back and fourth, staring up at the masked vigilante. He lifted a hand, his palm up, shaking violently. He was whimpering and muttering apologies, begging.

The Tangle Web stared at the man for a moment longer before yanking him up by his shirt collar, the man’s knees dragging on the concrete.

The man screamed and begged, eyes wide with fear. The masked vigilante opened the van door and tossed the man against the opening, their head falling into the cushion inside. The man tried crawling out before The Tangle Web slammed the van door onto his head,

Again,

Again,

Again,

Again,

And again,

Over,

And over,

And over.

The masked vigilante opened the door wide, the unconscious man falling to the ground, limp and unmoving.

The Tangle Web stared at the limp man, it was impossible to see what was going on behind that mask. His shoulders heaved up and down, chest expanding and falling heavily like he had just run five marathons in a row.

The masked vigilante grunted, taking a few steps back.

His open gloves palms clutched into fists.

—————

The next day, on the news, four criminals responsible for the shooting at the plaza were found tied up and hanging from a large web at the plaza. The web was hanging from a lamp post and a nearby building, covering almost the entirety of the plaza.

One man was dead and suffered from severe head trauma. A van door was found with his blood on it and a pool of blood was found at the tires.

Three of the men are being held in the hospital in critical condition.