The first thing Ghost Spider did after freeing her hands was to try getting a call out to the police. While they might not be able to do much about the Supervillain holding the charity event hostage and they definitely wouldn't be able to do much against the assassin that threw her off the building, getting the word out would put more pressure on the henchmen. Hopefully that would give Barbara and Dick an opening to slip away and suit up or get the civilians out of the way.

But it was no good.

She could rip the imitation web fluid off her hands easily enough, but it wasn't coming off her phone unless she was willing to snap it in half in the process.

"On my own then." She decided. "Just little ol' me against a bunch of goons, a man in desperate need of some facial cream, and a rip-off, third party assassin. No sweat."

Now she just needed to figure out the best way to approach a hostage situation.

Ironically her preferred method of going in through a window or upper floor was probably more expected in this city considering who the super villains were used to going up against so Ghost Spider was going to need to use the normal entrances to keep the element of surprise.

"Too bad they probably shut down the music system, because this calls for a ballroom blitz."

-o-

Whenever one of Gotham's supervillains went looking for the bodies they needed to pull off whatever scheme went through their mind, there was a certain type that seemed to gather around each one.

Sadists or those with a fascination for watching people lose themselves in fear often worked with Scarecrow. Crooks that liked elaborate plots or schemes often tried to get hired by the Riddler. The more mercenary ones only out for a paycheck were usually picked up by Mr. Freeze. And only the really crazy or desperate regularly worked with the Joker.

But for the criminals that preferred the mafia style of henchwork, they usually gravitated around either the Penguin, Black Mask, or Two Face in order of how likely they were to be killed by their own boss if they botched a job.

What this meant for men like Terry was that when they lost contact with a few groups that missed their radio check in, he didn't bother asking where they were or sending someone to check on them. He told everyone else to be on the lookout for whichever hero had poked their head into this mess and went to check the security cameras they had taken over.

He could only grumble at the fact that the cameras were more for keeping an eye on normal people getting into areas they weren't supposed to be and not on the places one of those costumed freaks would sneak around but it was better than nothing.

As he cycled through the various screens he was shocked to see that whichever hero this was had already cleared out several more groups since he raised the alarm. Whoever this was…they were fast. And they weren't nearly as concerned about being stealthy as the Bats tended to be going by the hopefully not dead bodies covered in something he couldn't make out on the screen just laying out in the open.

"Group G, our unexpected guest just cleared out the floor below you. Keep an eye out." He said into a walkie-talkie.

"Will do, Ter. Got eyes on – hold on, what the fuck was that? Shit! Shoot it! Shoot the – AAAAHG!"

Terry could only watch in disbelief as some black and white…thing!...burst through the doors to the floor below fast enough the camera couldn't get it in focus. Its arms shot some kind of white stuff that disappeared off screen before anyone in Group G could move and then it blurred forward right towards them.

Some of the more alert guys tried to get their guns up, but were swallowed by more of that white stuff and thrown aside like they were nothing.

They weren't even safe once the blur went past them. More of those white tendril things appeared and swallowed the few henchmen that escaped the first round.

Terry stared open-mouthed at what he just saw.

In less than five seconds something had torn through a group of guys before they could get off a shot and left them covered and wriggling in whatever that white stuff was, completely helpless.

Shit, for all he knew they were being digested alive by that white stuff and that thing was hunting for more food. He swallowed heavily, stuffing the images of the horror movie he watched last night out of his mind, and reached for the walkie-talkie again. Whatever that thing was, he had to let the boss know he was going to have company soon.

And then he was going to think long and hard about his career choices if it meant dealing with not only the Bat, but aliens or demons or whatever emissary of hell that was as well.

-o-

Despite the seriousness of the situation Ghost Spider was enjoying the adrenaline rushing through her veins as she did some pretty aggressive parkour through the building.

She usually preferred to be more personal in her crime fighting. Bantering at the bad guys, sneaking around and taking them by surprise, going hand to hand with a group of goons, and all things like that. But there was just something thrilling about relying on only her reflexes, her webs, and just pure speed to take down group after group of baddies.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Another webline shot out and snagged a fancy looking banister. A swift tug later and Ghost Spider could feel herself speed up just a little more. Something she needed to correct for when she almost missed a turn and nearly slammed into a wall. Instead she quickly shot out another line and used it to almost drift over the marble floors in a tight arc that had her speeding down the last halfway before the ballroom the hostages were at.

It might not be the most noble thing to feel when so many people were in danger, but Ghost Spider couldn't help but feel giddy at going all out for once.

-o-

Two Face caught the coin he just flipped and checked the result, completely ignoring the terrified pleas of the man in front of him.

"...shake him down for everything he's got and throw him with the others. And bring the next."

Barbara glared as another guest was dragged forward and clenched her fist but ultimately held off from doing anything. There was still no way to slip out without one of the henchmen noticing. At the rate things were going, either she or Dick was going to have to cause a scene and hope something gave them an opening. Preferably without getting someone hurt.

It wasn't anywhere close to optimal but it might be the only chance they got - she glanced towards the balcony - especially since Gwen either somehow hadn't noticed the commotion going on inside or had actually left after they had driven her off.

"...you see a way out yet?" Dick leaned forward a bit and whispered in her ear. "Cause the only ideas I have are…kinda risky."

Barbara sighed. "No, same for me. We might not have a choice though."

"Yeah. In that case I'll cause a distraction and you slip away? You can deal with the bomb faster than I could anyway."

The benefit of working together for years was that neither one of them needed to ask about details to the plan once they had decided on the roles. They had practiced this kind of thing enough that they practically knew what the other was about to do just by the way they were moving.

So when Dick began to move to a place to cause his distraction, Barbara was already tensing in preparation to slip away before anyone could notice.

But right before they could make a move the doors to the ballroom were kicked open.

Barbara's hopes rose that Gwen had finally noticed the situation and was about to intervene only to come crashing down when the man walking in was very obviously not her friend. It also didn't take her longer than an instant to recognize the costumed man as Black Spider, the very assassin Dick had been hoping to stop Gwen from running into.

"Still not done? You guys sure are slow. I already finished my business and saved your butts in the process. Your goons managed to miss a girl on the balcony outside. Don't worry though, I took care of her for you." The assassin said as he swaggered into the room.

The redhead's heart nearly stopped. Took care of her? Did he mean Gwen?! Barbara knew the blonde was much stronger than she appeared, but despite that she didn't seem to be much more durable than a normal human. Sure she seemed insanely hard to actually hit, but the times with Killer Croc and especially Metallo proved she wasn't nearly as durable. A single bad hit would be just as fatal for Gwen as it would be on her. Had he managed to surprise Gwen before she even knew he was there? What did he use? Poison? A gun?

The questions just kept spiraling out of control.

While Barbara was trying to get her thoughts back in order, Two Face had moved to confront the Black Spider. And considering Dent's massive frame, he had no problem towering over the much smaller assassin. "I hired you for your skills, not your opinion, Bug. Do your job or I'll snap you in half, hear me?"

"Sure thing, bossman." Black Spider agreed lightly, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "But considering I gave the girl you missed an express elevator to the ground floor, cops are probably on their way. Just saying."

Ironically, after hearing that a professional assassin had thrown her friend off a thirteen story building Barbara calmed down a bit. Of all the ways to try killing Gwen, that was probably one of the worst ways to go about it in a city. Which meant Gwen was likely fine and working on how to help them. Which meant she and Dick needed to be on the lookout for Ghost Spider making an entrance, but since she probably knew both Black Spider and Two Face were here Barbara was expecting her friend to take a more subtle, stealthy approach–

The ballroom doors slammed open again as a black and white tornado sped into the room flinging webs all over the place. In less than five seconds every single gun in sight had been covered in the stuff or ripped out of the gangsters' hands. And Barbara had to admire the amount of skill and precision it had taken.

Not to mention with, with all the gangsters focused on the new addition it should have been the perfect time for her and Dick to slip away and change into costume…but now that Ghost Spider had stopped moving Barbara had frozen because her spider themed friend looked wrong…

For one, the previously predominantly white suit was now much more black and red with what looked like teeth rimming the hood over her friend's head. That combined with the much more pronounced musculature and clawed fingers would have been concerning to say the least, but it didn't do justice to the changes to Ghost Spider's face. The oversized, red-rimmed eyes were still there, narrowed in almost laser-like focus at both Two Face and Black Spider, but instead of the blank mask - a large toothy maw stretched nearly from ear to ear in a demonic smile that sent chills down Barbara's spine.

Gwen had mentioned her suit was based on an alien species that bonded with a host and Barbara had seen it change based on hunger before. Was she losing control of it?

Or worse, was it starting to take her over?

-o-

Ghost Spider could practically feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins like living lighting as she faced down the two responsible for tonight's incident. It felt incredible. In fact she wasn't sure that there had been a time in her life that she had felt this good. But reveling in this feeling could wait until after she dealt with a gangster with a dermatology problem and an assassin with inadequacy issues.

"So, I heard that there were some party-crashers in need of a beatdown. And I figured I could donate my time for a good cause. Doing charity work at a charity function sounds like a good way to spend an evening." Ghost Spider bantered, her voice rumbling oddly in her chest – something to think about later. She was probably just a little out of breath from rushing up here. "What do you say, boys? Up for a dance?"

"What the hell is that?! Hey, who called in the freakshow?!" Black Spider exclaimed pointing at her.

Well that was just rude.

"You're hurting my feelings, little spider. After you went and made such a public call for my attention too." Ghost Spider hissed. "But that's fine, I'll deal with you after I handle your friend. So how about it, Harvey, left or right? Which side am I going to have to break before you give up?" Unknown to the Spider-themed heroine, her toothy grin widened inhumanly and glistened with saliva. Even Two Face blanched at the sight.

For once both halves of Harvey Dent's ruined mind fully agreed on something. They needed to get away from whatever demon this was before it decided to eat them. The gangster dropped everything he was holding and turned to run, only to trip as white ropes tangled up his feet and began dragging him backwards.

Two Face began to desperately tear at the webs around his legs, but every time he managed to rip some of it away, Ghost Spider shot more webs at him until he was just a white cocoon wriggling on the ground.

Ghost Spider looked up from the helpless supervillain and scanned the room for the second, ignoring the scared and oddly silent hostages from the charity dinner – Barbara or Dick could take care of them, she needed to find the assassin.

But while Ghost Spider had been almost entirely focused on Two Face, Black Spider had decided running away was the better part of valor and vanished out the same balcony he had thrown her off minutes before

Well he wasn't getting away from her that easily!

She gave the charity guests one last eye-smile before tearing out of the room and going after the similarly themed assassin.

-o-

The very next day all the news stations could report about was the attack on the Wayne Foundation Charity Dinner and how the bomb threat was heroically thwarted by the combined efforts of Police Commissioner's daughter, Barbara Gordon and Police Academy trainee, Richard Grayson after Two Face and his henchmen had been incapacitated. That was immediately followed by several pictures of a monstrous looking Ghost Spider and pointed questions about the exact nature of Gotham's most recent vigilante.

Theories ranged from experimental bioweapon to shapeshifting alien to demon out of hell but every consulted expert agreed, Ghost Spider was clearly unstable and dangerous. Their recommendation was to demand assistance from the Justice League to contain the threat before innocents got hurt.

As of yet, no response from the League had been received but local politicians promised that they would focus on bringing in Ghost Spider and making sure she was harmless to the public.