Chapter 99: Is This a Show or a Real Battle Royale?
"Do you know him?"
Gwen followed Peter's gaze, noticing Tony Stark.
"No, I don't know him."
Peter shook his head. "But playboys like him are always in the newspapers and on TV. It's easy to recognize them."
Tony Stark, unaware that someone was talking about him, was still annoyed about attending the funeral of his rival.
"Spider-Man? A girl in pajamas fighting criminals, and a green 'Skyman Keaton' flying through the sky. My God, if aliens invade my city tomorrow, I wouldn't even be surprised."
He grumbled to the female secretary beside him.
"Sorry, we'll talk about the signature later."
As he spoke, he declined offers from people who tried to approach him for a chat.
Since Gwen became Spider-Woman, her hearing had become incredibly sharp. She overheard Tony Stark's complaints, and her face grew tense with frustration.
"What a jerk," Gwen muttered, meeting Stark for the first time.
---
The Next Day
Presbyterian Hospital
Peter and Gwen walked through the corridor, entering the building.
"So, since you developed a tumor in your body, you gained superpowers?" Gwen asked, still struggling to comprehend the situation.
Although she'd heard Peter explain it before, it still seemed too unbelievable.
"Yeah, just like it's unbelievable that you got bitten by a spider," Peter replied calmly.
He had told Gwen that his powers came from a "tumor" in his body, but he had left out the deeper details about the alien presence.
"Well, while both sound crazy, yours is definitely more advanced," Gwen said after thinking it over. "But I still don't get it. It has nothing to do with spiders."
Peter casually responded, "Why not? Maybe the tumor grew after I got bitten by a spider."
Despite Peter's teasing, Gwen took it seriously. She recalled that night when Peter held her and she could hear two heartbeats in his chest.
Maybe it was the spider's heart that made me fall in love with Peter. After all, he does have the heart of a spider.
Lost in her thoughts, Gwen followed Peter to Dr. Lane's office. She was deeply concerned about Peter's condition but respected his privacy, so she stayed outside while Peter entered alone.
---
Inside Dr. Lane's Office
Peter greeted Dr. Lane.
"Good morning, Dr. Lane."
"Good morning, Peter," Dr. Lane responded. Lane had a more complicated view of Peter now, knowing about his incredible powers. A force so great that it couldn't be contained. He wondered if taking Peter on as a patient was a mistake made out of greed.
After a brief pause, Dr. Lane began examining Peter. A few minutes later, they looked over a CT scan of Peter's chest.
"It doesn't seem like anything has changed since the last time," Dr. Lane said. "It appears to still be in a dormant state, though the top lobe seems to have grown."
He pointed to the folds at the top of the embryo. "These folds are more complex now."
Peter nodded, contemplating whether the evolution was caused by absorbing genes from vampire-like creatures.
"Right," Peter murmured.
Suddenly, Dr. Lane remembered something. "Have you heard of the 'Bear Mountain Monster'?"
Peter put away the CT scan and shook his head. "No, what's that?"
"Well, there's a story about monsters near Bear Mountain," Dr. Lane said. "A corpse was found, and the cause of death was strange—either the chest was crushed, or the neck was torn open. The way the chest was broken reminded me of the symbiotic creature in your body."
He pulled out a photo and handed it to Peter. The image showed a gruesome body—ribs twisted outward, blood spilling, and a large cavity in the chest.
Peter studied the photo, his mind racing. Could this be the work of aliens?
But if it were, why hadn't he felt anything? After Helen's infection, he could sense the alien presence within her, yet nothing here seemed to register.
"Anything else?" Peter asked, his mind still processing the implications. "Can I see the body?"
"There's only this photo," Dr. Lane said. "The body isn't at this hospital. I heard the government took care of it quickly. They don't want news of wild beasts killing people spreading."
Despite this, he gave Peter the location of the body.
"Thanks for the information," Peter said, taking the photo with him.
---
Outside Dr. Lane's Office
Peter saw Christine talking to Gwen.
"Hey, Peter," Christine greeted him.
"Hello, Dr. Palmer," Peter replied, puzzled at how Gwen and Christine, the rumored girlfriend of Doctor Strange, knew each other.
Sensing Peter's confusion, Gwen explained, "I met Dr. Palmer when I was accompanying my dad to the hospital. She said she met you earlier."
"Right, because I'm familiar with Dr. Lane," Christine added, eyeing Peter with a mix of curiosity and concern. She had many questions, especially about the "tumor" Peter mentioned, but she refrained from asking.
"Is there anything I can help with, Peter?" Christine asked with a polite smile.
"No, thank you, Dr. Palmer," Peter replied, politely declining her offer.
---
Later That Night
Peter was in his study, reading up on the Bear Mountain incident. The media claimed wild animals were behind the attacks, but Peter wasn't convinced. The pattern of injuries didn't match.
Turning his chair to face the night, Peter felt a pair of eyes on him. He glanced toward the dark sky. In the mist, something felt off.
He took out the photo of the corpse again. The image of the broken ribs and torn chest was eerily familiar, like something he'd seen before—when an alien broke free from a host.
As he stared at the photo, his body began to shift. A black exoskeleton slowly formed over him, giving his slender frame a more imposing look.
"Mount Sinai Hospital?" he muttered to himself, his expression serious.
The next second, he disappeared from his study, vanishing into the night.
---
Meanwhile, On the Road
A woman drove at night, applying makeup in the rearview mirror. Speaking to the phone mounted on the stand, she said, "I might be late getting home. You should be careful going to the airport by yourself. The crew should wrap up by lunch, but I'll try to dress up and go visit your mom. Tell her I'm in a blockbuster film with lines in it."
As she finished applying her makeup, she sighed. "Our love will pass this test."
While driving past the Brooklyn Bridge, she complained, "This stupid crew wanted me to put on makeup and run through the woods at dawn. What torture."
Suddenly, the car was forced to take a detour due to a bridge closure. She muttered, "They closed the bridge after Spider-Man and the Green Monster had a showdown a few days ago. The government's repairing it now."
Continuing to drive, she finished, "I'm almost there, I'll call you later."
As she parked in a secluded area, she stepped out of the car and heard a voice.
"Extras?"
Startled, she turned around to see a blonde woman in a white dress.
"Sorry, I have a bad habit of sneaking up on people," the woman apologized. "I'm the casting director. You're here for the show, right?"
"Yes, I'm an extra," the woman replied. "The phone said I should be here by 12."
The casting director nodded and asked for her phone, explaining that they were filming in a closed environment. Nancy agreed and handed it over.
---
Deeper Into the Forest
Nancy felt increasingly uneasy as she ventured deeper into the woods. The surroundings felt strange and dangerous, but she tried to ignore her growing suspicion. Soon, she found herself among other extras and crew members.
However, the eerie atmosphere made her feel more and more like something was wrong. She was about to ask her colleagues when suddenly, someone shouted.
"Exon!"
Before she could react, she was shoved forward by the crowd, who fled in panic.
"What's going on?" Nancy wondered aloud as she ran along with the others.
She soon realized something was chasing them, and it was getting closer.
A cold, unnatural aura surrounded her, leaving her unable to breathe. Something was after her.
Panic set in, and she fled with all her strength.
---
End of Chapter
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