Chapter 320: Kraven’s War (2)

[Third Person's PoV] 

"Alright, Aria, what can you tell us?" Peter asked, raising a brow as he leaned slightly forward.

Aria exhaled in frustration, brushing a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. "Not much, unfortunately. It looks like one of the weapons he's managed to acquire is allowing him to interfere with different waves of frequency. The spider-bots have started glitching out—malfunctioning completely. It's like he's jamming their systems and messing with their transmission."

She didn't need to do much with just a single thought a holographic map of New York flickered into view, expanding across the table in a soft blue glow. "Still, I was able to gather at least one thing—he's planning to spread his forces across all of New York. And I mean everywhere. All five boroughs are going to be hit."

Peter's expression turned into a grimace as he studied the holographic city. "Then we're going to need to take them down fast—efficiently," he muttered. "He's trying to keep all of us busy while he zeroes in on a specific target. But the real question is… who?"

"Wouldn't it be you?" Lizzy asked, turning her head toward him with a puzzled expression. "I mean, didn't he come to New York for you specifically? Pretty sure he's been obsessing over you the entire time."

Harry nodded thoughtfully, arms folded. "We did confront him with Felix, and if I remember right, you were the one who practically challenged him. It'd make sense that you're his main target. Maybe he wants to prove something—to make a statement and doesn't want anyone else to interfere."

Aria chimed in again, her expression grim. "Honestly, it could be any of you. Thinking about it—strategically, going after someone like MJ could've been a major power play. If he found a way to manipulate her abilities and use them against us? That would've been devastating. And if he managed to do the same with your father…" She trailed off, eyes scanning the team. "Let's be real—we wouldn't stand much of a chance."

Peter sighed and leaned back in his chair, arms crossing as his eyes shut in thought. He stayed quiet for a few seconds, letting the weight of the situation settle in. Then he opened his eyes again and straightened up.

"Alright, here's the plan," he said with new focus in his tone. "By now, Kraven's got a decent understanding of our usual patrol patterns—who goes where, who responds to what. So we're going to switch things up. Change routes. Rotate teams. Keep him guessing. If we do this right, it should throw his entire strategy off balance."

He pointed to several hotspots on the hologram. "His men are going to try and draw our attention away from wherever the real hit is. But we can't let them get that far. We'll intercept and neutralize them before they make their move. Fast, no hesitation."

He glanced toward Gwen. "Gwen and I are the quickest on the team. Once either of us is freed up, we immediately move to wherever Kraven decides to strike first. No delay."

"They're going to be packing serious hardware," Aria added, zooming in on a few projected enemy points. "Heavy weaponry, advanced tech. Nothing low-grade."

"That's why the anti-metal devices are going to be our best friends for this mission," Peter said, nodding. "They'll dissolve their gear in seconds—turn their biggest advantage into nothing more than deadweight. Everyone, make sure you're stocked and prepped."

Lizzy's fist ignited in a soft blaze as she raised it and slammed it into her opposite palm. "My fire could also be considered anti-metal," she said with a confident smirk.

Harry chuckled at her enthusiasm, casting a glance her way. "Just try not to set the entire block on fire."

Peter shot them both a firm look. "Seriously—keep collateral damage to a minimum. That's why we trained to access the Mirror Dimension. Use it if the situation gets out of control. Don't be reckless. This city's still our home after all"

Peter looked around the room, his eyes landing on each of his teammates one by one. "Also, to whoever encounters Kraven first—be careful. He's no ordinary brute. By now, he's probably come up with a plan to take us down. Do not underestimate him."

"You're worrying too much," Felicia said lazily, leaning back in her chair with her legs kicked up and crossed over the armrest. She gave a playful grin. "We've got this~"

"Felicia," Peter said sharply, giving her a warning glare.

"I know, I know," she replied quickly, raising both hands in mock surrender. "Look, I'm just saying—it's important to be cautious and safe, sure, but a little confidence goes a long way too."

Before anyone could respond, Aria's expression grew serious. She tapped on her console and the holographic map zoomed out and shifted. "Kraven's forces have started moving," she announced. "They'll be entering New York in just a few minutes."

Red markers began swarming across the map, spreading rapidly toward all five boroughs like fire ants on the march.

Peter straightened. "Alright. Everyone, suit up, grab your gear, and swap locations with someone else. Stay unpredictable. Call in immediately if you spot Kraven."

As soon as he finished speaking, Peter began to vibrate in place. Blue sparks flickered across his body before engulfing him in a flash of energy. In the blink of an eye, his stealth suit materialized over him—black with glowing electric blue lines pulsing along the seams. His hood pulled over his head, and his lenses lit up as his face was fully masked.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, Peter vanished.

The others followed in equally dramatic fashion, each of them having embraced a bit of showmanship since working with Peter.

Lizzy erupted into a pillar of flame, her body disappearing inside the roaring inferno.

Felicia casually flipped herself backward off her chair, twisting mid-air into a blur. Her suit snapped into place around her body like a second skin by the time she landed with catlike grace.

In mere seconds, everyone disappeared to gather their equipment. Magical portals opened throughout the room, swirling with colorful energy as the team leapt through them one by one, scattering to their assigned positions throughout the city.

Soon, the meeting room was empty—except for Aria.

She hovered in mid-air, legs crossed, her fingers dancing over her console as she floated above the table. The map of New York remained glowing in front of her. Small icons representing the team members began popping up across the hologram, each marked with a logo and callsign.

Peter was stationed in Brooklyn.

MJ had landed in Manhattan.

Gwen was positioned in the Bronx.

Felicia touched down in Queens.

And both Harry and Lizzy landed on Long Island.

Aria's eyes narrowed as several red indicators converged on Long Island's edge. "Nightwing, Firestar—you two are up first," she called through the comms. "Enemy forces incoming. They're moving through the water, due north—twelve o'clock."

---

Out on the Long Island harbor, Harry crouched on the edge of a warehouse rooftop. His sharp gaze scanned the glimmering water stretching toward the horizon. From a distance, several high-speed boats were cutting through the waves, leaving white trails of foam in their wake as they charged full-speed toward the coast.

Lizzy stood beside him, her long hair dancing in the wind, her expression focused and fierce.

"Ready to go airborne?" she asked, her fist glowing faintly with building heat.

"You know it, babes," Harry replied with a grin, bumping her fist with his.

The two took several quick strides backward before sprinting toward the edge of the rooftop. Without hesitation, they leapt into the open sky.

Midair, a sleek black and green glider expanded beneath Harry's boots, locking into place with a satisfying click as he leaned forward and shot off like a missile.

Meanwhile, Lizzy ignited in a burst of red and orange flame. Her entire body became engulfed in fire, transforming her into a streak of living heat as she tore through the sky.

Together, they soared above the water. The force of their flight left the ocean rippling beneath them as they sped toward the incoming boats like twin comets.

Energy began to crackle in their palms—Harry's emerald green, Lizzy's molten gold. Their powers pulsed with raw, concentrated force, flickering and growing as the enemy drew closer.

They shared a glance mid-flight, wide grins plastered across their faces—battle-hungry, and burning with anticipation.

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