Start at the Beginning Pt 5

"Another?"

Walt looked at his glass. "I'd love another one thanks." He held out his glass.

The humanoid duck took the glass and his own going back to his mini bar. "So let me get this straight... you're... Mister Starks?"

Walt smilled and pulled out a cigar. "Distant cousin." He held up the cigar and looked at Howard. Howard smiled and nodded. He loved a good cigar. Walt pulled out a second one as Howard refilled their glasses.

"Right... distant cousin but sometimes business partner on projects from "out of town"?" Howard asked handing Walt his glass.

Walt nodded. "Thank you. That's right. From "far out of town". He held out the cigars and Howard took one.

Howard smiled as Walt struck a match for them. "Thanks." He lit his cigar and then Walt lit his. "How far out of town? Interplanetary, Universal, Dimensional..."

Walt blew out the match. "Theoretical Realities... but I had been here before and we used to work together on a few projects. I needed to pick his brain and I find out he's dead... again. Imagine my disappointment."

Howard whistled which for a creature without "lips" Walt thought was impressive. "Heck of a commute. And you want to hire my services?"

Walt nodded. "I have other leads to run down and I'm not a terrible detective myself. But I'm at least a couple steps behind in my own case. I need alm the help I can get in catching up. I'm willing to pay you your retainer and triple your normal rate... and the drinks and smokes can go on "business expenses" if that helps sweeten the deal. I'm no fool. You're perhaps the best detective around but few folks put the right stock in you. I do." He took a draw on the cigar.

Howard did too as he thought. He'd been used by less than scrupulous clients befire and- "No offense but that's a generous offer... and likely to good to be true. Why?"

Walt nodded smiling. "Because you're that good and this maybe dangerous. Consider it hazard pay." Walt frowned. "The bad guys I told you about... they threatened me and mine... and then they came here. Messed with this world. I'm responsible for that. I'm sorry to drag you into my troubles and if you say no, I understand. But I could really use your help Mr Duck."

Howard puffed on the cigar. He looked at his empty calendar and the circled "Rent Due" date in red ink. He looked at the human infront of him and nodded. He had a good feeling about this client. "Mr Stark. You got yourself a deal. Where would you like me to start?"

Walt grinned as they shook on ot and he counted out a wad of bills. "This universe and the **** of Tony Stark as well as any missing proprietary AI technology as well as important missing persons or equipment."

Howard whistled again. "You're not asking for much."

Walt nodded. "You work for me now Mr Duck, so I'm going to work you harder than a rented mule... but I'll shoot straight with you as much as I possibly can and you're my responsibility so I'll do my damnest to protect you and yours. Meanwhile I will be checking your other universes."

Hiward grinned. "You can call me Howard, Boss."

Walt nodded and chuckled moving towards the window. "Alright, Howard. You can call me Walter or Walt or Boss just like you just did." He put the mask on and started to climb out the window. "It's what everyone calls me. "

Walt takes off, zipping away. "Interesting client... Well let's go drop of rent and get to work!" Howard said to himself.

"That was quick."

Walt shook his head and looked at Dave. "Ran into a complication. They definitely fucked around in there. Things aren't how they're supposed to be. Tonys dead... again. Avengers mansion destroyed... again. The Space stone isn't where it's supposed to be so-"

Dave blinked that's not so bad. "They don't work outside their instances."

Walt nodded. "I know. People were pissy about it when that was first discovered but now they're not unusual "trophy gems". I'm pretty sure the "Award of Awfulness" I got a few years backs got a set from somewhere as well as a chaos emerald, Arkenstone, and others. But it would have been handy to have inside. So rather than hunt it down and go through the pain of collecting I'll go with the next best thing."

Dave tilted his head. "Which is?"

Walt nodded. "I'm going to need a Spider-Gwen Stacy, but I also don't have time to convince one to trust me and go through the usual rigamarole of building it..." they start going through the instances multiverse of Gwens. "I need a Gwen that's easily brought over to my side, handy in a fight, perhaps a bit moraly challenged and not one of the deathflagged ones... hmmmm... Yes! That one!" Walts eyes light up reading about her and her multiverse in that instance.

Dave swallowed. "That one?! Look... Walt... I know you've got a thing for Gwen... because of..."

He swallowed as Walt gave him a hard look but went back to work. "She just looks like her... and some of them act a bit like her, especially the wilder ones, but they ain't her. I know that."

Dave sighed. "Still... that ones... uhh... "different"?"

Walt nodded. "She's perfect for my needs though... it breaks my heart but I'm going to "use" her and give her what she wants to do it... I'll try to help her after if I can too... but I need a morally grey Gwen that doesn't have a deathflag and there's not a lot of those to choose from. You'd rather I go for the Goblin?"

Dave shook his head. "No you made your point... I just... I know you Walt. This'll be hard on you."

Walt nodded and shrugged. "Can't make an omelet without breaking eggs... and this whole instance I tried to carefully examine and protect... somebody already went and broke the egg. It's fucked. Tainted. A place I practically lived. A place that was like home. They trooped in with their muddy boots, pissed in the sink and much, much more... I'm possibly a little angry about that. But there's no time. If I can be mad, I can channel it into my work. Now, y'all going to send me to... this spot and time, or what?"

Dave nodded and the technicians began calibrating the portal precisely to that multiverse, space and time. Walt pulled out his gun and double checked. When the portal opened he went in saying, "I try but I ain't a good man... just a man."

Matt Murdock smiled. It had been close but he'd gotten away! The Punisher was down and out of the fight and he'd even managed to just barely get away from that crazy... thing, that wanted him dead.

But he got away! He could always rebuild his criminal empire! He'd keep getting away with it too! This was his town and he'd won! He was the Kingpin!

Climbing down the fire escape ladder he sensed the danger too late and the blast took off his right leg at the knee. He colspsed to the ground. An explosive?! That damn Punisher must have set this up before hand! No wait! He heard foot steps... and music?!

"Who the hell is that?" He growled. "Do you know who I am? I'm the Kingpin! I run this... town..."

He wondered if he'd gone crazy as some masked man in a cowboy hat stepped out of the steam and gloom. Ennio Morricone's The Ecstasy of Gold was playing. "Howdy. I know who you are. I know you think you run this town. I know you cause pain, strife, misery and ****... and tonight that ends." He looked up and his lips twitched. "One way or another..."

The symbiote clad femine form lands on top of a dumpster, eyes glowing unsettlingly. "And Who are You?"

The Masked Man nodded. "Howdy Spider-Woman, Ghost-Spider, or Gwenom or whatever you are choosing to call yourself... I'm just here to help."

The eyes narrowed. "Help? Like the others by getting in my way?" She growled hissing. "Keeping me from killing him? Getting my vengeance?"

Matt Murdock swallowed. The... thing had that crazy look in it's eyes again.

The Masked Man shook his head. "No." They both stared at him. "No, he's going to die. Either you kill him, here and now, get your vengeance... or I will."

His tone sent shivers down both their spines. He said it like Matt was already dead. A judgement already passed.

"Do iT!" The voice in her head said. "kIlL HiM!" She leaned closer eagerly. She wanted this... wanted him dead!

Matt Murdock actually trembled. Then started laughing! The blood loss... the insanity of the night, he snapped and went all in. "Do it! I killed your loved ones! Put your father in that coma! I kill and hurt hundreds of people everyday! Me! And I'll keep on killing! You rejected my offer to join me... so become like me instead! Kill me and become a true monster! A killer! Just... like... me!"

Gwen was shook out of her bloodlust. He was right. She wanted him dead... and if she didn't he'd keep killing... but if she did she'd be just as bad! Peter... her father... they wouldn't want that! But... she couldn't let him live to keep killing and hurting people. He was above the law... she... felt a hand touch her. The Masked Man nodded. She understood and she looked back down on Matt Murdock... then walked away out if the alley. Had she made the right choice? What if he got away-

The gun shot was deafening. Like the finality of a door closing. A coffin lid slamming shut.

The Masked Man came out of the alley the Kingpin's cane over his shoulder. She wanted to ask but... he put his arm around her instead. It was oddly comforting. "You ain't weak Gwen... you're strong. Stronger than me. Stronger than him. Stronger than that thing. Stronger than this place. I respect you. You should respect yourself too."

They stayed like that a long while. Finally the Masked Man looked up. "We gotta go. Captain America will be here any minute. I don't want to get into it with Samantha. She'll find Castle and assume Frank did it... which he would have if you two hadn't gotten into it."

Gwen-Venom nodded. "Why did you...?"

The Masked Man nodded. "If I tell you... can we get out of here?"

She nodded. He did too. "I could lie... tell you I killed him because he needed killing. Put him down like a rabid dog which is the Punisher's MO... but that shit ain't the truth. The truth is... you wanted him dead and he deserved to die... and if possible, I didn't want you to have to do it... even if you had he was wrong. You'd never be like him... or Frank... or myself for that matter... so I did it for you. You killed him... through me."

She reached out a trembling hand and took his. "Where... do you want to go?"

He smiled and squeezed her hand. "Anywhere in the multiverse is fine by me... as long as we go together."

Walt smiled as they stood on top of the building looking at the hospital. He figured this was were she would want to be. "Which room?" He asked even though he knew.

She pointed at the window to her fathers room. Walt nodded and sat down next to her. *This worlds already screwed up so why not?* "Do you... want me to save him?"

She stared at him. "Can you do that?" She whispered.

Walt nodded hating to do this. "I hate to do this Gwen... but I need your help. So there's a bit of a price-"

"I'll pay it!" She said quickly. "Just... help him?... Please?"

Walt nodded but he really felt like a shit heel now. "You're certain?"

Gwen nodded saying,"I'll do anything," and so did Walt. "I'm afraid I'll hold you to that." He pulled out the collar and placed it in her lap. "Put that on and wait here... I promise."

She watched him go using that strange harness to climb down. She thpught he was crazy as he walked right past some policemen and into the building. They looked at him strangely but shrugged.

She looked at the collar. "Seriously? A collar? Like a dog-" (*A ****!*)

"Shut up," she whispered. (*MaKe Me! yOu WeRe To WeAk To KiLl! He KiLlEd FoR yOu!*)

Gwen fumbled to put music on. She started listening to her and her friends playing. The thing was easier to control when there was music... but it was right. The Kingpin was gone! He'd done that... for her! So she wouldn't have to do it... he'd been nice to her but he was a wierd guy! Could she really-

Her phone rang. She fumbled to pick it up. It was the hospital! "H-Hello?"

She listened to what the doctor was saying "complete recovery from injuries", "medically impossible", "more testing but out of danger and going to be moved out of the ICU".

She kept listening and looked at the collar in her lap. She'd made a deal with a devil. One who'd given her what she wanted... twice! He climbed up onto the roof and she looked at him and wiped her eyes. "I understand," She said to the phone and the Masked Man. "Thank you."

Walt took off his mask and he watched Gwen Stacy hang up her phone and put the collar on. "Friday?" He spoke softly.

(("Collaring successful. Congratulations on the successful aquisition of Gwen Stacy, Boss... and the creation of a new Marvel multiverse within this instance."))

Walt nodded and sat down next to her. He knew what he'd done.

"This... makes me a **** somehow, doesn't it? So weird..." She asked looking at him and watching him purse his lips and nod. He... didn't seem happy. He was older than she thought... not like "ancient" old, but like her father old! No... she decied that wasn't right. He was older than that. She couldn't be certain how she knew but something about his eyes... she saw it there. He needed her help... in more ways than one and he'd done so much for her already.

Walt felt her take his hand. He looked up and she gave him a little smile. It was like a punch to the gut. "You came here to help me... but you said you need my help didn't you?"

Walt nodded. "Yes," he said. He watched her nod too. "Alright, you got it... so what's bothering you? I'm Gwen by the way." She squeezed his hand.

Walt shook his head and squeezed back. "I know. I'm Walt. I'm just... trying to let the moment sink in properly. You're my responsibility now Gwen. I have to do my best to remember that."

She nodded and even smiled a bit. "Hey what was that you called me in the alley?"

Walt blinked trying to remember. He probably said something he shouldn't have. "Gwenom or Ghost-Spider?"

She smirked. "Gwenom, huh? That's kinda dumb... but it's kinda cute too. I like that."

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Raven Manami Aiba also with Tsuyu Asui Haruhime Sanjouno The Baroness Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O and Merida

Will Return In

Start at the beginning Pt 6

Coming Soon]