Midtown High Massacre

For a second nothing happened.

My sight went upwards to see the old man standing, raising one of his hands. He still had the hat on. He tightened his fist and as he did, my sight went back to the cameraman.

"Peter. What are you talking-" Theo began speaking but he couldn’t finish the sentence.

The giant TV camera that the cameraman was holding exploded, killing him instantly.

Time froze. I could see the glass and other plastic components of the giant camera exploding. Making its way into the cameraman’s face. Shards of Camera lens piercing him. My sight went to the man with his hand raised.

It was the longest second I had ever experienced in my life, my brain couldn’t process what was happening.

The succeeding second though, was the fastest.

If everything was Slow Mo before now it was 4X speed.

The crowd erupted in chaos.

People were screaming and trying to get outside. The cameraman was dead, there was no doubt about it. His body didn’t move or struggle, slowly a pool of blood formed where he stood.

The news reporter screamed at a high pitch.

In a second, everything went to hell. People started to rush the exit door behind the bleacher seats.

The people started banging the exit but it didn’t budge. Someone locked the fire exit.

‘Who would do something like that?’

My mind ran through a slew of scenarios. The one that made most sense was that this was some kind of a terrorist attack or a hijacking.

I started running towards the old man but stopped when I felt the room temperature increase, ‘Is that a fire?’

That explains why people were rushing out in large numbers. I don’t know how it was possible but there was a fire now and it was growing by the second.

I turned back to see the old man throw his hat away and replace it with some kind of a bald metallic helmet.

‘Is that who I think it is?’

My heart began pounding at the prospect of facing one of the most powerful mutants to ever grace Marvel.

“Holy shit is that Magneto?” I heard Theo say,

‘Wait a minute...that’s right I’m not alone, I have Theo!’

“Theo! Listen here quick!”

He turned to me, he looked terrified. “Look, This is what we’re gonna do-”

My Spidey senses tingle before I could finish. I quickly acted by jumping away, grabbing Theo and getting out of the way. One of the stair guardrails headed our way. It was bent in U shape.

It landed where we had stood before. I was still in disbelief, it’s not everyday that inanimate objects come to life and attack you.

“Okay that’s it…I’m sick of this!” I heard Theo say.

‘Theo what are you doing-”

Theo vanished.

I looked for him everywhere but the growing fire made it impossible to single him out.

It took me a second to realize he was holding Magneto’s helmet. The guardrail stopped its chase and dropped back to the ground.

Magneto looked confused and then for a second…scared.

Before he could even raise his finger, Theo punched him with a right hook.

The speed of the punch almost took Magneto’s head from his shoulders. Magneto fell to the ground, unconscious.

And just like that Theo took out the biggest threat. He gave me a huge grin and a thumbs up!

I let out a sigh of relief. I really, really, really didn’t want to fight someone like Magneto. He was a bad matchup for me.

“Theo!!!” A small girl called out to him, she was standing near the crowd.

“Janey! What are you doing there? David?”

Most of the people were still trying to get out but the fire had spread to the gym separating the basketball court from the crowd.

Theo tried running to them but the fire was too strong. His body backed away from the intense heat.

‘If only I had my blasted web shooters!’ I had them at home.

Theo teleported to my side in a second, “Peter it’s getting too hot here!”

“Can’t you get out! I mean stop time and save everyone?”

“No…It’ll still burn me! If that weren’t the case I would have prioritized saving my brother and sister first!” He said with panic.

My gaze went to the small silver haired girl who was crying and the man carrying her on his hips.

‘That must be his siblings!’

The intensity of the flames grew, I could feel the temperature rise again.

“Shit It’s getting worse!”

I hear people coughing harder.

“Peter? What are we gonna do?” He asked me with agitation.

“Fuck it!”

“Peter, what are you going to do?”

‘I absolutely hate any kind of fire but…’

I moved back and started running towards the flames.

‘If I don’t save them, who will?’

I jumped through the flames, my jersey caught fire.

‘Shit…kid you okay?” one of the people in the crowd asked me with concern. I removed my jersey and threw it into the flames. I didn’t have time to douse it, besides it’s a sports jersey. It's not going to protect me from burns.

“Yeah I’m fine.” I said to him quickly.

“You sure you aren’t hurt?” he asked me again.

I wanted to smile and tell him to reassure him but right now I had more important things to do.

I pushed aside the people, standing near the exit door. It was mayhem, everyone pushing each other and everyone trying to be the first one out. They didn’t care that the door was locked. They didn’t care about all the other people behind them. All they cared about was saving their own skin.

“MOVE!” I pushed them all aside one by one and made my way to the door.

Some of the girls were squeezed against the crowd and the door barely able to move. I pushed the idiots aside and helped free them.

“You okay?” I asked one.

“Please help us get out of here!!!” one of them started crying.

I felt another wave of people rushing to the exit, I did not yield and stood firm. Leading to some people to fall, “Jesus kid what are you a brick wall?” I could hear a man say.

After pushing some more shoving and pushing people away, I finally reached the fire exit door.

People were trying to claw at me, trying to push me behind. Some of them tried pulling me away but it didn’t matter; I was much stronger than them.

I turned my focus to the door, it was locked from the outside.

I took a single deep breath and calmed down.

Disassociating myself from everything and everyone. I narrowed my focus on the door and only the door.

“Okay!” I jumped up and down, readying myself, looking at the area right below the knob of the door. The part where it’s the weakest.

I kicked down the door with a single spinning back kick. The fire exit door was decimated and now people were free to exit the gym. Before people began rushing towards the exit, I screamed at the top of my lungs out “GO IN A SINGLE FILE!”

My expectation was that people wouldn’t care and rush toward the exit anyway but this time they actually listened. They began moving in a single file. Maybe my display strength must have reassured them. As people started leaving, I scanned the premises for a fire extinguisher.

‘There has to be one...this is an indoor facility…I’m pretty sure there has to be one around here somewhere!’

The flames had gotten big enough to the point where I couldn’t see the court clearly anymore. It was just the flames and the smoke from the burning plastic chairs.

There was only person I could truly rely right now,

“THEO…can you hear me?”

“YEAH?”

“LOOK FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER!!!”

“ON IT.”

I was about to look for it in the upper decks when I heard Theo again in a second,

“FOUND IT!!! I GOT TWO OF THEM HERE!”

‘Holy shit. Time control is really useful.’ I thought.

Then I went back to business, “DO YOU KNOW HOW TO USE IT.”

“YEAH!!”

I could hear the sounds of the extinguisher releasing the CO2. Of course you can’t stop a fire of this size with just two cans but you can open up a way for those trapped inside the court.

In 30 seconds no less he cleared out a small area where people could move safely to the now opened exit. Both our teams made sure to leave as soon as the path was opened.

“Where’s my sister and brother?”

“I saw them leave from the back. Don’t worry about them, they're safe!”

He almost fell down to his knees when he heard that, “You have no idea Pete...Thank god you were here!” He hugged me in relief.

“No…I really should be thanking you...if you weren’t here, I’m sure magneto would have flattened me like a pancake.”

“Yeah...I guess I’m cool like that!” he laughed. He started coughing in the middle, maybe some of the smoke got in his lungs.

“You okay? Let's get the hell out of here!” I said to him,

The path was only temporarily opened, the longer we waited the longer we tempted fate. The fire was only getting bigger, it would engulf the entire gym soon.

As I turned to leave, Theo grabbed my hand and said,

“Shit…where’s magneto? I don’t see him.” He panicked.

‘What?” I looked for the man in the suit but I couldn’t find him. A feeling of terror passed through me.

“We have to look for him Pete-”

“No!” I cut in,

“But if we don’t-”

“We’re not fucking superhero's! More importantly I don’t want to save that piece of shit. He killed that cameraman. I’m not going to risk mine or your life to save him. Fuck that!”

He was quiet for a few seconds but then nodded, “Yeah you’re right! He put Janey and David in danger and he also killed that poor cameraman guy! Fuck him!”

We exited the gym, we were in the open hallway, the stairs to outside were just ahead of us.

We walked forward, we could see that thankfully the entirety of the crowd had gotten out safely.

There was nobody left in the building other than us and hopefully that magnetic prick.

“Looks like everyone made it!-”

“Theodore, help me! Our sister is missing!” Theo's brother David came out of nowhere. He was carrying a fire extinguisher.

“What do you mean she’s missing?” Theo yelled out helplessly.

‘Oh shit the flames would have engulfed the entire gym by now. I don’t know if we could save her ?’

“What happened David? Tell me where you last saw her?” He grabbed his brother’s shoulders.

“She was with me until I exited the door but I lost her as the crowd rushed. I don’t know where she was? Help me find her please!”

“Of course David, just point to me the last place you saw her.” His brother pointed to where we just came from.

Just as Theo and I turned away to see where his brother had pointed, my senses went haywire.

‘Huh wait a minute, what, why?’

I turned my head back and I saw just a glimpse of David swinging the fire extinguisher at Theo's head. It knocked him out cold.

“What the fuck!” I screamed.

David transformed into a naked blue alien thing, ‘What on god's green earth is that thing?’

She took a fighting pose. Wait….isn’t she….what was her name again? Mystic…musical…Missy……..Mystique! That’s right, she's Magneto's side chick.

She threw the fire extinguisher towards me. I avoided the can.

She seemed to be relatively strong. To throw the extinguisher with that much force...was impressive.

Her fighting style was also quite good.

I ducked one of her punches and said,

“Oh you want to throw hands bitch!” she hissed at my insults.

What proceeded to happen was the best hand to hand combat I’ve had in this life. She had a good technique, really good but unfortunately for her I was just better, leagues better.

We exchanged a few hits, she tried going for an armbar but she was too obvious about it. I kicked her shins and wore her down. The ground got hotter and hotter.

The building is going to collapse if the heat keeps increasing, I better finish this as soon as possible.

I ducked her uppercut and caught her with an overhand right. I could feel her jaw shattering on impact. I would have been more gentle had she not just assaulted my friend right now. Mystique went down holding her jaw with a muffled scream.

She didn’t get up, probably because her body was unable to take the pain. She held her broken jaw and had tears in her eyes.

“Why the fuck are you here?” I asked her while checking on theo, thankfully he wasn’t bleeding and it looked like he was going to be okay.

She was still busy holding her broken jaw.

“If you don’t start talking now I’ll start breaking your bones one by one.” I threatened again. I didn’t have much time to interrogate her, the fire from the gym was catching up to us and we had to escape soon. I cracked my knuckles and said once more, “This is the last warning you get!”

I couldn’t hear her properly since I broke her face in two but I think she said, “gow tow hel yu fucer”

“The hard way it is then!”

I walked up to her and held her arm tightly and applied pressure to it, she began screaming.

“WHY ARE YOU HERE!”

I was prepared to snap her arm if she wasn’t willing to answer my questions.

“JON!!! PLEAS!!”

‘Wait...what?’

The fire was spreading faster and growing stronger. I applied even more force, enough to break a normal human’s bone twice over!

‘Damn she’s stronger than I had given her credit for.’

“JWAN PLEAS HELP!”

“John?”

My Spidey senses went crazy and I turned back to see the source.

DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!

It was a boy, he entered out of the flames from the exit door. He was holding a lighter.

‘What the fuck!’ I let go of mystique’s arm and stared at the boy. He had blonde hair and was dressed in a jet black jacket.

‘He can’t be older than 19.’

“So you must be John.” I say as my eyes settle on the lighter he was holding. I think I remember him from the X-men movies, he could produce flames or something like that. I’m pretty sure he needed that zippo lighter to be really effective.

‘If only I had my Webshooter. I could steal that thing or web him up pretty easily!’ My jaw tightened as we kept staring at each other. ‘So this guy is responsible for the fire!’

Mystique crawled to the other side.

“And you must…be burned meat!” He said with fiery malice.

A condensed ball of flames hovered over his palm. I moved to where mystique had dropped the fire extinguisher.

When he said, “Time to burn punk!” He aimed his palm in my direction.

Anticipating his obvious move. I grabbed the Fire extinguisher and threw it to his face before he could release the fire. I didn’t hold back while throwing it.

Before the extinguisher exploded it hit his face.

“You’re gonna have to see a dentist...if you live through the building collapsing on you!”

“Nooee! Jun!” Mystique cried out, still holding her mouth from pain.

The guy’s face must have been seriously burnt from the explosion, I didn’t bother to check. ‘Oh the irony,’

I grabbed Theo and put him over my shoulder.

“Come on, let's get out of here buddy!”

I looked at Mystique and that John dude again, Mystique backed up against the wall when our eyes met. I would have loved to interrogate her more thoroughly but this building was about to collapse any second now.

I jumped out of the open window. Landing on the grass quietly.

The entire crowd who had been inside the gymnasium had been evacuated safely. I could see the crowd standing in one spot, probably waiting for the fire department to arrive. Theo was still unconscious, I put him down on the ground and sat my ass on the grass.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

The smoke was still coming from the building and I could still feel the heat on my skin.

‘Damn that was intense!’

Breathe in

Breathe out

Breathe in

Breathe out

I heard the building rumbling and crashing down on itself. It was a scary sight, if we were a little bit late then a lot of people would have died today.

I looked at the half burning monstrosity that was Midtown High’s basketball gym.

‘Sometimes it feels like this world is conspiring against me! Trouble just has an uncanny way of finding me.’

“THEOO!” A young girl came running over to where we were.

“Wait up Jane- Oh thank god!” David, the real David, came running when he saw Theo laying down. They both froze when they saw him lying there motionless.

His sister was the first one to speak up, “is...is...he..”

“He’s alright sweetie…he’s gonna be just fine.” I say with a small smile.

“What happened?” David asked me with bated breath.

I took a second to breathe and came up with my story,

'So obviously getting hit in the head with a Fire extinguisher by your doppelganger is out!’

“He slipped while running, fell on his head and passed out. I carried him outside!”

“WHAT!” He shouted,

It took him a few moments to register what I said,

“Oh my god, thank you so much. How can we repay you?” He hugged me tightly, unable to contain his excitement.

“Theo’s my friend, of course I would save him.” I patted his back repeatedly.

“Thank you...thank you so much!” He wouldn’t let me go. Even his little sister joined in the group hug, “Thank you for saving my brother, mishter!”

She was too short to hug my torso so she made do with my leg. After expressing their gratitude they went to check on Theo. I sat back on the ground again.

“PETER!” I heard a girl call for me from the crowd and ran towards where I was, it was Valeria Alan.

She was accompanied by another girl and that guy from the hospital, Adrian Toomes. I still didn’t know the connection.

“Are you alright?” She asked me,

“I’m fine..”

“You don’t look fine…you look more charcoal than human!”

“Huh?”

She handed me a tiny mirror, my naked body was covered with ash. It also didn’t help that I didn't have a shirt on. ‘Oh yeah that’s right I threw it away!’

“You look like shit kid!” Adrian Toomes started his irritating routine.

“I see you’ve healed your leg nicely!”

“Heh,” He let out a small evil laugh.

“Great job busting that door open. You saved a lot of people today kid!’ I didn’t know if he was mocking or sincerely appreciating me.

‘Even through all this chaos and all this commotion he still retains that smug persona. Something just isn’t right with this guy!’

“Oh yeah, this is my dad Pete.” Valeria explained.

‘Oh…that makes sense’

At this point you could tell me that the sky is black and I would believe you.

“Well I can understand why you’re so surprised, she gets all her good looks from her late mother. So you better take care of her, Peter.”

“Dad, stop…It’s not like that.”

“Yeah it’s not!” I confirmed with a blank face. In response Adrian raised his eyebrow in surprise, “Oh really?”

“Yes Really!” This man was getting on my nerves.

Valeria’s friend tried to tease me, “Oh so you have a girlfriend?”

“Why are you asking him that fo-” I interrupted Valeria before she could defend me.

“I do.” I answered, technically it’s not the truth but I liked Jessica and she liked me. I was definitely not on the market anymore.

For some reason this surprised both the girls, “huh really?’

‘Wait Peter you actually have..?”

I shrugged and casually said, “Yeah.”

I didn’t reveal her name to them though and besides I have better things to worry about than that.

My attention turned to my friend lying on the ground. The wellspring siblings were trying to wake up Theo. His eyes opened for a bit and he even talked to them, “Janey...David…is that you guys? Are you guys alright? I’m feeling sleepy-”

But he closed his eyes and went back to sleep again.

“Let him sleep for some time...I'm sure help is on the way!” I tell his brother, who reluctantly stopped any more attempts in waking him up.

“Oh yeah kid, here, have my jacket! You must be freezing your butt off.” Adrian removed his jacket and handed it to me.

“You sure? I’m dirty.” I ask with apprehension,

“Yeah…Yeah...take it. You saved our lives, it’s the least I could do–” he handed me the jacket and I wore it. It was actually really cozy.

A couple of black SUV cars rolled beside the crowd. “Oh that must be the help!” Valeria’s friend said,

“Help doesn’t come in expensive SUVs,” Adrian voiced his reservations.

‘No...but then again Magneto is involved so I guess it must be a higher branch of government!’ I thought.

William saw me and yelled out, “There's Peter!”

Pierre started aggressively pointing at me and started loudly yelling my name. “There he is...there he is!” His french accent made it unmistakable.

The entire team started walking towards me with Coach Sharpe leaving the way. Just as they were twenty feet away from me. Some of the men inside the SUV got out of the car. They were armed men wearing masks, with the type of military gear that I used to wear for missions in my previous life.

‘Wait what is happening! Shouldn't it be the fire department that gets here first-’

Wait why are they here before the fire department. It’s not even three minutes since the fire started and it’s highly unlikely that any fire department in the world could reach here that fast. Let alone…ten SUVs. Something about them radiated coldness…like how unconcerned they were about us.

I had that awful feeling in my gut again.

Something isn’t adding up, how can they be here so fast it’s almost like they have other independent objectives. One of the men was radioing someone through his earpiece. He was probably asking for some kind permission.

‘Wait permission….for what?’

My teammates were about 15 feet away now. Pierre started shouting, “We thought you were a goner!” He still had that playful smile on his face.

The man finished speaking to his superior, he picked up his gun from his sling. I could see his eyes and I recognized that look immediately.

Kendrick said, “Wait up Pierre!”

They were armed with automatic weapons and had their faces covered. That could mean only one single thing.

“GUYS RUN!!!!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

My teammates were shocked.

“Jesus Peter, you don’t have to screa-'' Valeria couldn’t finish the sentence as her father pushed her down to the ground.

The armed men pointed their guns at the crowd , I could see their fingers on the trigger.

‘Please God…this can’t be happening!’

Pierre was ten paces ahead of me, “Oh peter...you don’t have to be so melodramatic! It’s gonna be alright, we're safe now! The military is here. You saved us! I can’t wait to tell mom about today-”

A bullet went through his skull. He stood for a second, not realizing what had just happened, he still had an innocent smile on his face. He touched the hole in his head and then looked scared for a second. Then his body limped and fell face forward. Pierre August, a boy who was barely 17, my teammate and friend was murdered.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I let out a feral scream.

The armed men didn’t care for me as they were unloading bullets into the crowd. People started screaming and running away from the gunfire but it was futile. They couldn’t outrun the bullets. In seconds, a good portion of the crowd got mowed down.

I ran towards the gunfire like a madman. Making as much noise as possible, trying to divert their attention to me, instead of sniping off the civilians who were running away.

Bullets grazed me but I narrowly avoided them by some stroke of luck.

I charged the gunmen who killed my friend, I didn’t hold anything back. I picked a rock from the ground and threw it disarming him.

“Hey what the fuck-”

He picked the rifle by the time I got to him but It was more than enough time for me to deal with him.

I bent the rifle's barrel, when he aimed it at me and discharged the firearm it blew apart his hands. I knocked out the one near to him with a karate chop. I should have killed them all there and then.

I could still see the bullet going through Pierre. I wanted to avenge him but…..but I don’t know if I could ever look Uncle Ben in the eyes ever again after killing a human.

The armed team then focused solely on me.

I hid behind one of the SUVs taking cover. They did a standard sweeping procedure looking for me.

‘They’re not your run of the mill thugs that’s for sure! They’re definitely trained.’

When two of them approached the SUV, I pushed the car with my brute strength, they fired shots and exhausted their bullet supply. They must have thought I was inside the car, because they didn’t spare any bullets.

The car was completely destroyed, “I think we got him.” One of them said,

“Yeah me too.”

Before they could finish, I jumped on the top of the car.

“What the fuck!”

I leapt from the car and rushed to where they were standing. I used the momentum to kick him straight in the chest, knocking one out unconscious. The other one hastily tried to reload his magazine but I grabbed his hand and bent it in directions it should not. He screamed like a banshee.

It brought the attention of the remaining killers to me.

“Who are you and why are you here?-”

DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!

My Spidey senses alerted me to danger and I promptly moved out of the way, a rain of bullets stormed on the merc. It was a gruesome sight,

‘These are no soldiers! No true soldier can kill his squad mate like that!’

I moved for cover beside another SUV. There were approximately ten cars here, assuming that each car contained four mercenaries. I’m looking at about forty mercs in total. I took down three and one was killed by friendly fire. So that means I have my work cut out for me. I walked slowly while crouching. The mercenaries had begun to spread out, quite possibly to find all witnesses and to put a bullet in their heads.

‘Not on my watch!’

I crept behind two soldiers, facing the other direction. I took the opportunity to grab both of their heads and bash them against each other. Six down, thirty six more to go. I grabbed the AR 15 and the Glock.

‘No more kiddie gloves…I’m sorry Uncle but I might have to kill someone today!’

The thought of these murderers killing another innocent person put the resolve back in me. If I have to become a monster again to stop them, then so be it! Consequences be damned.

The mercs were spread out, if I wanted to save anyone then now was the time to go on the offensive now!

I put the sling over my shoulder and put the gun over my back.

“What a mess..” I heard one of the mercs say,

“Yeah…”

“Shit I’m getting no signal over here…where the fuck is it!” He smacked a radar detecting thing.

“Stupid shit...doesn’t fucking work...That’s what you get for using Hammer Tech!”

‘Signal?...Hammer Tech?’

I wanted to hear more of this conversation but when I heard the screams of some more people, I knew I couldn’t forget about the civilians.

As much as I wanted to know about these mercenaries and their motivations, saving people was my first priority.

‘But rest assured when all of this is done, I will find the person responsible for this and they will have to answer. To Pierre. To Pierre’s mother. To the people they killed so thoughtlessly. To me!’

I made a break to the opposite building. It was tall enough for me to get a good vantage point to shoot down these monsters.

I climbed the building with ease and got up on the rooftop in five seconds flat. I took up the sniper position. While the automatic rifle was not best suited for sniping, it can be effective in the right hands and my hands were the best.

Breathe in

Breathe out

‘Here we go again!’

I put my eye over the scope and the sight I saw broke my heart! More than thirty people lay on the ground, in the pool of their own blood, dead.

My finger twitched at the sight, ‘ ‘Why? Why is this happening? Why did Magneto and his mutants attack today? Why did these armed mercenaries kill all these innocent people?’

I was too emotional now, I had to calm down.

Breathe in

Breathe out

Breathe in

Breathe out

‘Okay let's first check for any survivors!’

I did a thorough scan. I seemed to scare the mercs pretty badly because they joined up instead of spreading out. That was good, all of them in one place, made things easier for me.

They were still shooting randomly to fish out any survivors.

I used the scope to see where I was before, I held my breath. I didn’t want to see young Janey’s or David's body. Thankfully there wasn’t anyone there.

‘They must have hopefully fled to safety!’

I looked at Pierre's motionless body and a lump formed in my throat. He was just a boy, a young boy with a bright future! I can’t let these fuckers get away, I have to find the person responsible for all of this! Pierre and all these people need to get justice!

The crosshairs of my rifle landed on a mercenary’s head.

‘It would be so easy! All I have to do is pull this trigger!’

My teeth clenched. I don’t want to return to that life but it somehow always finds me! Fuck it all, I’m gonna kill all of them-

The burned down gymnasium started shaking.

‘An earthquake…are you for real?’

It was actually much worse than a simple earthquake. I realized this when no other building moved. ‘So that means-’

The building reconstructed itself, all the metallic parts vibrated and lifted itself in the air. The metallic objects cleared the debris one by one and opened the way to the outside. A lone man floated in the air, carrying mystique in his arms. She looked unconscious, the flame guy followed his lead limping behind. His face was fine, it seems like explosions don’t work on him.

“No…why now?” I couldn’t help but say out loud. The mercs were completely awe at the sight. They didn’t know what they were seeing...I doubt they could even comprehend it.

“St-Stop!” One of the mercenaries lifted his gun and shouted.

“Point that toy at me at your own risk!” Magneto warned.

The man didn’t listen, “FIRE!” He and his fellow murderers shot at the levitating man. For a second I was scared that those bullets would rip him apart, just for a single second.

The bullets stopped midair. It was exactly like how it was in The Matrix. Hundreds of tiny metal shaped balls stuck in space, like a glitch in a video game.

“Foolish humans!” Magneto said with disgust.

the bullets retreated into the skulls of every mercenary there, even the ones I knocked out earlier were treated to hot lead.

Just like that, Magneto killed all the mercenaries within seconds. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy watching him.

Magento floated to the ground, he was still holding Mystique.

“What do we do boss?” John the flame guy asked him.

Magneto handed him Mystique and said, “Retreat to the rendezvous point. I will find the boy and meet you there!”

John said, “But I can still help you-”

“I said RETREAT. I am not in the mood to baby you today! You will do as I say!”

The fire guy nodded reluctantly and retreated. I was tempted to follow him but Magneto said he was looking for a boy. It could be anyone but the person that first came to my mind was Theo. He did humiliate him before by knocking him out, maybe he wanted revenge!

‘Why can’t things ever be simple…why can’t he just kill all the mercs and leave.’

The fire guy carried Mystique and ran away. It was just me and Magneto now.

“Come out…I know you’re out there!” Magneto announced loudly. A chill ran through my spine, ‘How can he know I’m watching him?’

“Mr. Parker, I am talking to you!”

I started breathing heavily. ‘No way…no way!’

“You’re a talented young man, aren’t you? Join forces with me and help our kind take its rightful place!”

He was walking in circles, trying to get a feel for where I was maybe?

“I heard from my subordinates about how skilled you are! Our cause might have some use for you!”

I didn’t make a single sound. My scope was still aimed directly at his face but I knew I could have a missile launcher and the result would be the same.

“Fine, stay silent!” He turned around and started walking.

I let out a sigh of relief.

He stopped and raised his hand,

“Of course, that is if you don’t mind seeing your friend die!”

“FUCK that hurts!” Theo had been captured, he was floating in air, a metal rail around his ribcage, he was bleeding from the nose.

“If you don’t come out now from your hiding then I’ll kill your friend.” he said with deathly seriousness.

He tortured Theo a little bit more, “SHIT...Please...please stop!”

I got up from the building immediately and dropped my gun, a pointless gesture to a man who can stop bullets.

“Hey…I’m here, don’t hurt him. I’m gonna come down now okay?”

He had a wicked grin on his face, he nodded enthusiastically.

‘Fuck….I guess this is it. It was good while it lasted.’

I jumped from the building and landed on the concrete. I held both of my hands up in surrender, “You got me! Let my friend go, he didn’t mean to hit you. He did it just as a reflex!”

“Oh..so you know each other's gifts?” He asked me as he rubbed his bruised chin.

“Peter...Fuck him, don’t tell him AGHHH FUCK YOU YOU BALD HEADED PRICK!” Theo screamed towards the end.

“Don’t hurt him please…” I begged.

“Oh look at that you have manners, unlike your undesirable friend over here!”

‘I have to bide my time, someone has to come for help. All I had to do was just make sure that Theo's alright.’

I had to keep the conversation going and keep him interested somehow!

“What do you want?” I ask him, eyeing him carefully.

“You answer me first, do you two know each other's gifts?”

“Peter don’t-”

“Shut up Theo, he’s gonna squeeze your innards out if I don’t answer him.”

‘Come on think. Think of something Peter. Come on!’

“Quickly time’s running out!” Magneto smiled while looking at Theo. I guess that means he knows about Theo’s powers.

“Yes, We know each other's powers!”

“How?”

“We’re acquaintances, being basketball players and we're in the same circles.”

“Hmm plausible..” He thought to himself,

‘Who are you? Are you some kind of a terrorist? Is this some kind of message to the government?” I ask him.

Of course I knew who Magneto was and what his goal was but I have no clue why he attacked Midtown High of all places.

“Hmm…” he squinted his eyes and looked over me again,

“What is your gift again?” Completely ignoring my question.

“...”

“Hmm…I guess I have to hurt him a bit-”

“I have super strength and I can crawl on walls.”

“That’s not all is it? You were the first person to predict my move. Out of everyone inside that gym and even when those men arrived, you were the first one to warn the humans. Some kind of prescience perhaps?”

I was reluctant to answer, I didn’t want anyone knowing the full extent of my powers.

“You don’t want to share...I understand….so what do you think I do, Peter?”

“You?”

“Yes, me!” He answered with a small smile.

“You’re some kind of a terrorist…you're sending a message to all humans...but—why a basketball game? Why not attack the pentagon or wall street? Why a high school?”

I have to keep him occupied somehow. If I let him think that I’ll join his little band of rogue mutants then he might keep talking, maybe the X-Men will rescue us?

“You're an imaginative one aren’t you Peter? You even had one of those human rifles…have you killed any humans?”

“No…I disarmed them...I’m not a killer.”

He looked disgusted,, “They!” He pointed at nobody in particular.

“-are evil...don’t be fooled by their nice civil act. Once they figure out you’re different, what do you think is going to happen to you huh….BOY!”

I had to change the topic to something else, “What do you want?”

“WHAT do I want? I want our species to stop hiding! I want our race to fight against the tyranny of humanity! I want us to destroy these vermin who want to destroy us!” His shout reverberated throughout the open courtyard.

I stood silent, looking at the ground.

“So…boy, which is it? Do you side with me or do you side with them.” He gestured to the dead mercenaries he had killed.

“If I join you, will you let Theo…will you let him go.”

“I cannot do that, once I release him, he could easily kill me.” He coldly stated.

“We won’t kill you…don’t you understand we just…want to go back living our normal lives!” I appealed to reason,

‘Come on where are the police? Why isn’t anyone here yet?’

He looked sympathetic to me for a second but then his eyes hardened,

“And what about your fellow mutants…those not lucky to be born with gifts that could be easily disguised as yours…what about them? Will you abandon them?”

“THEOOO!” A small girl's voice came from behind magneto.

“JANEY Stay there…please!”

“Fine, I’ll join your cause, just let them go.”

“As I said before,” He levitated above ground,

“I cannot let this one go and if you truly want to join the brotherhood then you must display your loyalty.” Ten metallic spears levitated.

‘Ah shit…he’s going to ask me to do it, isn’t he?’

“I want you to dispose of her.” He pointed to Janey.

‘Yup! Cold Heartless motherfucker!’

“PETER take her away and run! FORGET ABOUT ME! What they really want...ARGHHH” he couldn’t finish as he howled in pain.

“That’s enough from you!” Magneto said to Theo.

He turned to look at me, “Well which is it?”

“What….she’s a small girl! I can’t kill her.’ I acted like a scared teenage boy.

“You need not worry about that. Simply say the word and these spears will do the job. I am not a monster...I will give her a quick painless death. It’s your resolve I want to test, not your cruelty.”

If he wasn't a monster then why was he even threatening a little girl who posed no threat to him. I walked towards Theo and said, “Sorry Theo…this guy is gonna kill me if I don’t I hope you understand!”

“YOU FUCKER, SHES A CHILD, SHES MY BABY SISTER…GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM YOU MOSTERS! JANEY RUN! RUUUN!!!!”

“Wise decision, Mr. Parker!”

Theo tried teleporting but the steel around him thoroughly contained him. His head and legs moved at incredible speeds but he couldn’t move an inch.

“JANEY RUN! PLEASE RUN AWAY FROM HERE!” Theo’s throat was dry and raspy.

His sister froze, she didn't move an inch as the metallic spears kept circling around Magneto.

As I kept walking near Magneto, I tripped.

I couldn’t handle the stress the situation put me in, or at least I pretended to look like I couldn’t. I slipped a small pebble into the jacket that Adrian gave me.

“I don’t have all day Mr. Parker, say the word and display your resolve to our cause!” Magneto said from high up the air.

‘If only he was on the ground, a single distraction and I would snap his neck in two!’

At this point I had resigned to the prospect of any help coming. I walked towards Magneto and faced Janey, “Janey…I’m sorry!” I started apologizing.

“PLEASE LET HER GO- ARGHHHH” Theo screamed in pain as Magneto tightened the grip

She started crying seeing her brother cry in agony.

I look up to magneto and say to him, “I didn’t quite catch your name?”

He seemed pleased with me for once, he turned at the sky for a moment, “It is Magneto, It is the name that will give hope for our-”

At that single moment where he looked away from me, I removed the pebble from my jacket and focused on Magneto’s head.

I threw the pebble with all my might, with all the strength I had, with all the conviction in my heart. My entire body contorted to give the pebble enough force rip that fuckers head off.

The pebble went faster than anything I’ve seen. Magneto had barely any time to react, just as he realized my ruse, the pebble was centimeters away from him.

One of the spears near him tried to intercept it but was only able to graze it. This was enough to change its trajectory. The pebble instead of entering into Magneto’s skull, redirected it’s way towards his throat. He tried intercepting it with his spear again but it was too late. The rock hit his vocal chords, he let out a blood curdling scream. All the floating metals fell down to the ground, including Theo and the spears aimed at his sister. His throat was completely fucked up. He was still floating in the air, if not I would have prioritized strangling him my first priority.

“JANE GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HERE!” I screamed as I went back to free Theo. I don’t know if it was my crass language or what happened to Magneto but it shook her and made her run away.

‘Thank god!’

I reached Theo and I started bending the metal with my bare arms. If Theo is freed then we win. With his abilities he could easily save us and help us hide and If I could get one more shot at Magneto, then he’s a dead man.

The metal began bending, almost breaking. I decided to twist it once clockwise and again counter-clockwise. This would help tear the steel much sooner.

“I knew that I could count on you Peter!’ Theo said with a smile, he had red on his Jersey. He had been coughing blood because of Magneto’s trap.

“Just wait, I'll free you in a second.”

I turned to see Magneto, he was still swearing in German.

“FUCK! Peter hurry up! He’s looking at us!”

It was almost done. I bent it one more time clockwise. “Pete…QUICK…Those nasty spears are heading our way.”

I didn’t have time to look back, I focused on my breathing once more and then twisted one more time.

“PETER!!! IT’S ALMOST HERE!!! FORGET ABOUT ME AND SAVE YOURSELF!”

DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!

I tore it apart just as he finished screaming. Theo slipped out from the metallic ring, he was free!

I turned back to see the projectile and as I did, I realized I was dead. The spear was five centimeters away from my left eye. My body screamed at me to get away but even with my superior reflexes I knew I couldn’t.

My last thought was, ‘At least Theo got away!’

I closed my eyes and received the sweet embrace of death.

Then nothing.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

‘Wait a minute I’m not dead!’

“YOU CRAZY PSYCHO! Do you have any idea how close you were to death!” Theo yelled at me.

I still couldn’t believe it. We were near the library now, it looked completely deserted. I guess the other students must have been evacuated.

“I had to drag your ass away! Don’t worry we’re safe. SHIT But still Magneto huh…”

“So you saved me?”

“You bet your sweet ass I did!” he said while rubbing his nose. He continued,

“That fucker has a batshit crazy plan. He wants to use my powers to erase humanity!”

“Wait...what?”

“Yeah it’s a bit complicated. All you need to know is he caught up with me and my family. His friend knocked my brother out but let my sister be. Used that coil thing to trap me first then woke me up and explained everything to me. Told me, how my life was going to light the way to the future! Look, all you need to know is that we need to get away from here! ”

“Agreed! But you’re the one who needs to get away the most! Look, use your powers and get your siblings away from here. It’s a goddamn battlefield here!”

“What about you?”

“I’ll try to help any survivors!”

“No way man I gotta help-”

“Theo, save your sister and your brother and get the fuck outta here. If you get caught again, the entire humanity suffers! SO please do me a favor and be the selfish person you’ve always been and get the fuck out of here! This isn’t a comic book, this is real life. A Lot of Good people died today!”

He looked stunned and at a loss for words but then nodded when he understood the gravity of the situation.

‘He’s a good kid!’

“Thanks Pete..for everything…you better be alive, okay!”

“You got it, Theo!” I said, almost whispering.

He turned away from me, ‘Cool I get to see him disappear again.’ I thought with an exhausted smile.

But before he could disappear, he screamed, holding his hands.

“ARGH SHIT IT HURTS!”

I went over to his side and inspected his palm. It was bloody. ‘Why the hell is it bleeding?’ Then I figured out why? It was metal. His palms had metal fillings, magneto probably inserted them as a precaution.

Theo floated in the air again, he let out a scream no human should.

DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!

I looked around but nothing. Magneto wasn’t here but my senses were telling me I was in great danger. I looked up at Theo again, he had stopped screaming. He hung in the air like Jesus nailed to an invisible cross. The pain probably knocked him out!

I caught a glimpse of a metal pipe heading towards me at inhuman speeds. If it weren’t for my super sight I would have mistaken it for a missile.

DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!

I dodged it. Barely, but the dust got in my eyes and mouth, I started coughing.

The pipe then twisted itself and directed towards my neck. The lack of visibility hindered my movement, as a result the pipe was successful in tying itself around my neck. The makeshift choker attempted to suffocate me. I tried bending it but another pipe came for me from the sky, I dodged it again. This time though because of limited oxygen my speed was severely compromised. The new pipe didn’t go for my neck, instead it bent and tied my feet together. I couldn’t run anymore. I tried my best to break it but again before I could do anything…another steel pipe headed towards me.

I timed the trajectory correctly and avoided it by the skin of my teeth. It almost pierced through my right kidney. But once again my superior jumping power aided by Spidey sense rescued me. As I fell back to the ground, I knew I was finished. I looked at the metal pipe dreading it. Like a prey did to its predator. It slowly came to my side and tied itself around my hands.

BOOM

‘An explosion?’

My vision slowly faded as the metal collar choked any air left in my lungs. Everything started looking whiter and whiter. My eyes started watering.

‘I thought it was supposed to get darker and darker!’ I thought a little morbidly.

Boy was I sure glad that Uncle Ben and Aunt May didn’t come here. That was the silver lining in all of this.

For some reason, I thought about Aunt May’s chocolate cakes. Thoughts of Uncle Ben reading his newspaper as he sipped on his coffee came to my mind as well. I thought about Moe and his shapeshifting café. I thought about the date I had with Jessica this Sunday. I could almost imagine her laughing at my corny jokes and giving me shy looks.

My vision became whiter and whiter. I could imagine the looks her brother gave me when we announced our relationship to everyone. ‘Heh’ I thought with a smile.

I could imagine her hitting my elbow when I made fun of her stupid brother.

I could imagine holding her hands tightly as this steel pipe did my throat.

I could imagine looking into her blue eyes deeply again.

I could almost taste her lips, but that was my blood. ‘Such a shame!’

My head felt like it was going to pop like a balloon.

My last thought this time was nowhere near as eloquent or noble as before,

‘Wait a minute, was that a laser beam?’

Then darkness.