Log: Billy, Miles/Peter & Matt: Echoes in the night

[x-asgardian.livejournal.com]

A new vigilante joins the fray. He doesn't completely screw things up.


No one could accuse New York City of being boring. How many other cities had gunmen with access to military weaponry who broke into and stole from banks in the middle of the night and then tried to get away in armored vehicles? And of those cities, how many were home to two genetically enhanced masked superheroes swinging from building to building on artificial spiderwebs to catch the robbers?

"This is going to be big," the red-and-blue-clad Spider-Man said to his black-and-red-clad partner. "You ready for this?"

"Sure, how hard can it be?" Miles replied. "Don't answer that. We gotta stop them before they get much farther. I can't keep swinging like this."

Peter grunted in assent and shot a webline at the truck so he could reel himself in and on the roof. He crawled forward on his hands and knees, electrostatically clinging to the vehicle, and popped his head down to glance inside. Miles couldn't hear what he said to the gunmen, but Peter followed it by spraying a thick coating of webbing onto the windshield and deftly jumping to safety as it swerved and crashed into the side of the nearby building. Miles landed next to Peter a few seconds later and raised a hand for a fistbump, but it was a premature gesture. The truck's rear doors swung open, revealing four heavily armed and armored gunmen. Only lightning-fast reflexes aided by their spider senses saved them from becoming Swiss cheese.

"And that's what I get for opening my big dumb mouth," Miles sighed, hiding behind an abandoned SUV.

"Not your usual side of town, Spiders!" Matt called, using his billy club to help slow his decent from the top of the nearby building. He had heard the commotion from a few blocks away and diverted himself to go help or watch, depending on how things went. Apparently, help. "They're about to fire!" he added, taking refuge behind a dumpster as bullets began to fly.

"Yeah, you know, broadening our horizons," Miles shouted over the sound of gunfire. He relaxed a tad when he saw the familiar black-suited man join the fray, and he could tell that Peter felt the same way. This would go much better with three of them.

"Picked a good time to join us, buddy," Peter said, saluting Matt. "If they keep this up, someone's gonna get hurt. Mi . . .Spidey, can you sneak behind them? DD and I can distract 'em."

"Aye aye." Miles disappeared from sight and climbed up the nearby wall so he could skitter across it like his namesake. He reappeared behind enemy lines and gave a thumbs up to the other two. Showtime.

It had been a quiet night elsewhere in the city. Not so much boring, as frustrating. Many nights, the new self-proclaimed vigilante known as Asgardian simply roamed, looking for places to intercede. Not tonight, though. Tonight, he had a mission. A recent crime stoppers post had caught his eye. He didn't know if it was an isolated event, or the start of some new gay-bashing trend. If the latter, he'd make sure it was short-lived. Tonight, though, there was no sign of anything, and he was about to turn in, when the sound of gunshots reached him. "Well, maybe the night won't be futile after all," he thought, before vanishing and reappearing atop a nearby buildings in a flash of blue light.

Matt had learned early on to always carry a spare billy club, one in a holster on each thigh. Taking one now, he locked it as one solid piece and threw it, hitting one of the gunmen in the head hard enough to knock him down. That was one down, though not out. With the distraction from the Little Bug, that would hopefully be enough.

It gave Peter enough of a reprieve to shoot webs at two of the other gunmen and free them of their weapons. Miles snuck up behind them and lightly clonked their heads together. Lightly for a kid with super strength, at least. They crumpled unconscious to the ground. That left one active gunman, the one Matt targeted, and the driver, who, though dazed from the crash, stumbled out of the vehicle with his automatic in hand, aimed straight for Miles's head.

Asgardian watched from atop the building. Three on five? Six? The smaller group seemed to be making short work of the larger, but if the the vehicle was still operable, the driver might shoot and run easily enough. He waited until the driver was clear before a giant bolt of lightning arched from his hands toward the truck, hitting the front with loud crack and enough force to pop the hood. The boom was enough to catch the driver off guard, and he leaped to the side, swiveling to see the engine billowing a thick, black smoke. It wouldn't be going anywhere soon.

"Fucking hell!" Matt yelled, instinctively grabbing his ears as the sound drove him first to his knees and then the ground, not that he could hear himself. His head reverberated as he clutched at it, trying to breathe and will the pain down.

The Spider-Men's spider senses alerted the two just in time of the incoming attack. Miles dove away from the truck, taking down the fallen gunman who was trying to get back to his feet. Peter took cover behind the SUV until he saw Matt clutching his head as if it threatened to split open. The lightning strike had at least distracted the active gunman long enough that Peter could safely cross the street to Matt's side and get him safely to cover.

"It'll be fine, Double D, you're okay," Peter reassured him. "What the hell was that?"

Well, that didn't go as planned, Asgardian frowned as one of what appeared to be the good guys went down. The driver seemed to be regaining his senses, and things could go bad in a moment. A quick bit of chanting, and he disappeared, popping up at the gunman's side. "I'll take that," he said, reaching for the automatic. In a flash of light, the gun and figure vanished, leaving the stunned driver weaponless.

"Fuck," Matt breathed through the word as the world slowly began to right itself in his head despite the pounding. "Go stop the gunmen before they get away. I'll be fine," that was said with more confidence than he felt as he checked to make sure his ears weren't bleeding.

"Looks like they've got it," Peter said, indicating his sidekick and the mysterious figure who seemed to blink in and out of existence.

Miles slipped out of sight again and followed Peter's lead, disarming the last gunman with a webline before clapping his shoulder to discharge a venom blast that left the gunman writhing on the ground. "Last man standing," his disembodied voice said to the confused and terrified driver. "Think you can get away before los puercos show up?" As if on cue, the wail of police sirens grew louder to herald their arrival. Miles didn't wait for a response. He reappeared right in front of the driver, slammed him up against the disabled truck, and webbed him in place. He wouldn't be going anywhere for a while.

"We should get out of here," Peter advised as he retrieved Matt's billy clubs for him.

Getting to his feet, Matt agreed about getting out before the police arrived. They were vigilantes and that was never popular with the law, as he more than well knew. A few minutes later, they all reconvened a couple buildings away, high above the police commotion.

"Much as I hate littering, the city is safer with that gun at the bottom of the Hudson," a voice sounded from behind them, and a figure stepped out from the fading light. "No lightning," he promised, hastily holding up his hands. "You guys looked like you could use a hand. I didn't even think electricity might bother you."

Matt was upright and functional, but he was not up for another fight. "Lightning comes with thunder," he stated, "Who are you?"

"They call me Asgardian," the man said, before correcting himself. "Well, actually, nobody calls me that, but that's what I'm calling myself."

Miles and Peter glanced at each other and chortled. They were superheroes but they were still just teenagers.

"Well, I'm Spider-Man," Peter introduced himself, then pointed to Miles. "And this is Spider-Man."

"'Sup?" Miles greeted the new guy.

"And he's not Spider-Man," Peter continued, nodding at Matt. "He's Daredevil. Nice moves, bro. You joining our little nocturnal collective? I've started a trend."

"You're both Spider-man? Doesn't that get...confusing?" Asgardian asked. "And thanks. Those web moves of yours were pretty handy too." He looked over toward Matt. "I take it you don't shoot webs. But the three of you do this often?"

"They're not very creative," Matt replied dryly. "I call that one 'Little Bug' to differentiate," he pointed at Miles. This explained what 'ass guardian' meant. "I've heard of you actually. Just the name."

"We go out pretty regularly," Miles to to answer Asgardian's question. "There's always lots of idiots in this city. And you never know when another Doctor Octopus is gonna show up." Miles held up his crossed fingers, as if silently praying for another super villain to show himself and get his butt firmly kicked by the Spider-Men.

"Some days, more idiots than not," Asgardian agreed, before shooting Matt a strange look. "Wait, you've heard of me? Where?"

"I overheard the name the other night," Matt wasn't going to mention that he'd misheard it or how, "It didn't make any sense though. No context," he probably would've forgotten about it if Clint hadn't asked him about overhearing things.

"You're going to need a better costume, though," Miles recommended, and Peter nodded in agreement. "Like, a mask or something. Shame to hide that face but it'll keep you safe."

Asgardian startled, not realizing his hood had slipped back. He tugged it forward quickly, as much to hide his identity as the slight flush at the compliment. "Good point. Any supertailors you can recommend?"

This guy left his face exposed? Really? He was new. "I made mine," and learning to do it had been ridiculous. His mask was on securely and kept his face covered, but it wasn't nearly as fancy as the Spiders. "So long as it's covered, that's the main thing. Or learn to sew."

"If there's one thing Home Ec taught me, it's that I can't sew," Asgardian snickered. "And since nothing screams 'bad guy' like a ski mask, maybe I'll try a scarf or something."

"You should go all Vincent Valentine," Miles suggested. "Big scarf to cover the face, cape billowing behind you. That's a good look. Wait, no, don't take that. Spidey, I want a cape."

Peter clapped Miles on the shoulder and shook his head. "And now you're babbling. It's time to go home. Nice meeting you, Asgardian. Be careful. Hopefully we'll see you 'round. You too, DD."

"Everyone stay out of trouble," Matt agreed, leaving. He had a hot date tonight with the advil, noise canceling headphones and maybe the bath. His head was killing him.

"Classic red and black, I'll keep it in mind," Asgardian nodded his approval, before vanishing into the night.