Somewhere, something had gone terribly wrong. She didn’t know whether it was when she’d left Yu tied up on the roof, when she’d agreed to let him join her, or when she’d first seen come across him saving people from that fire. It didn’t matter. Right now he was dying in her arms.

It felt surreal. Like some kind of twisted nightmare. She couldn’t make sense of it. She didn’t know why she felt this way, why she felt more than just responsible. She’d only met him yesterday. It didn’t make sense. Or maybe it did. Maybe it was as simple as the fact that if you ignored all the memories, all the random strangers, he was the first person she’d actually spoken to. The first person that had looked at her like an actual person. Now that she thought about it, Peter had a good point. She’d told Yu way too much given the circumstances. She'd shared Peter's identity, and even told him about friends and family. It hadn't been rational, but it had felt good. All because he’d been willing to talk to her. He’d asked to help her with finding Spider-Man and she’d used it as an excuse to talk to someone because she’d been lonely. He’d treated her so normally even given the situation.

It was stupid. She doubted he’d even call her a friend. She shouldn’t have been so connected to him. But she was. It was her fault he was here, dying. She'd dragged him along instead of doing what the real Spider-Man would've done and kept him out of it. And she couldn’t even do anything about it. She could only hold him as she ran from the monster.

Her eyes scanned the darkness frantically. She couldn’t escape it. She was fast, faster than the beast, but not by enough. She could get away, try and break the walls, but they were more than just tough. There was something special about them that stopped her through just blasting through, even when she kicked them with all her might. And when she did, the monster heard her. She couldn't stay in one place long enough to break out, and get Yu to safety.

She cursed. She’d been afraid before, but only through memory. Now in this hell hole, with only whispers of faint red light between her and darkness, with nothing but the echoes of laughter between her and the demon, for the first time she felt real, true fear. She’d seen this monster once before, and it had been one of the worst days of her life.

The ground shook beneath her feet as it roared, shaking the entire room. Metal screeched as something skidded across the ground, sparks flying through the darkness. She watched and waited, silent as her heart beat harder than ever. Then her spider sense roared. Something flew through the room, and she dived out of the way, avoiding it and the spray of debris. The monster only laughed, it's voice simultaneously low and high, grating against her ears. A shiver ran down her spine.

She couldn’t understand it. Otto was supposed to be a good person. Everyone knew he was a good person. All his colleagues had trusted him. Gwen had trusted him. Even if they were only fake memories, she had trusted him. He’d only ever been kind to her before she’d messed up and gotten him fired, but even then he’d still been cordial. And Peter had seemed so happy when he’d talked about him, about working with him again. He’d still trusted him enough to believe that stupid report had been fake.

What would drive him to do this? The experimentation? Shooting Yu? The lies and secrecy? Becoming a monster just to kill her? It didn’t make sense. Had he gone insane, or had he just been lying from the start? Faking it all? Had any of it ever been real?

Suddenly the earpiece Peter had given her sparked to life.

“Jess? Jess? What’s happening?” he said concerned.

“He’s here” she whispered, her voice shaky.

“Who’s where? Where are you?”

A joyful screech echoed through the lab. Her spider sense blared and she vaulted upwards as a spray of glass and metal rained across the floor, followed by a wet thud. She turned and sprinted as the monster clawed at her, running along the wall as she clutched Yu tightly. She pulled herself across the room with a web and threw herself behind a set of upturned desks, careful not to make any noise.

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She looked down at Yu. He wasn’t moving now, unconscious. He was still breathing, though barely. He’d bled so much, she could feel it soaking her arms. How long had it been? A minute? Two? How long did he have left? Even if she got out of here, could she save him? She closed her eyes, holding back tears, then shook her head dispelling the negative thoughts. She could get him out of here. She would. Suddenly the crackling static in her ear picked up again.

“-ess? Jess?! What was that? What’s happening?”

“It’s Otto. He shot Yu” she whispered.

“What?!”

“I don’t know he- I followed the tracker in Yu’s suit and he was here and Otto was here and- and- Yu’s dying. He’s dying” she whispered. “I can’t get out. He's dying and we’re trapped”

“I’m coming. Just ho-”

His voice cut out replaced by static again. Another joyous screech echoed through the lab and her spider sense blared. She tried to stand but slipped in Yu’s blood. Her eyes widened as she tried to regain her footing, the presence grow closer. She wouldn’t be able to get out of the way.

Instinct took over and in a singular smooth motion, she threw Yu over her shoulder then grabbed the bench she’d been hiding behind. She stood, twisting her body to gain momentum as she hefted the bench of the floor then swung it at the beast. The monster slammed into it and the bench exploded in a spray of metal, glass and plastic. They were all sent flying from the force of the blow. Jess flailed for a second before pulling Yu close to her chest, shielding him. It felt like an eternity as she flew backwards through the darkness, her mind racing, but she knew it was only and instant. Suddenly her spider sense blared and she slammed against something. She gasped, rolling on the floor as her back throbbed, pain lancing through her side. Her mind spun but she grit her teeth and forced herself to stand. As she did a harsh light flooded her eyes. She pulled away wincing, but as her eyes adjusted she turned back looking for the source. An exit?

No. She was looking at the control panel. The one Otto had used to bring the doors down. Parts of it were broken, but it was still working. Jess felt a burst of hope. She could get the doors up. Frantically she searched over the panel, looking for the red button Otto had pressed. There. She slammed it, as the monster screeched behind her and her spider sense blared.

As she tried to dive out the way, she was suddenly blinded. She cried out as the monster screeched as well, then she slipped and crashed to the floor. The lights were back on. And the metal walls were screeching as they began to rise. The monster screamed; roaring as the sound sent shockwaves through its body. It’s form shifted violently as flecks of black ooze began falling off of it, pooling onto the floor. She didn’t understand, but she didn't need to. It was her chance to escape. She stood quickly, but as she turned to run glass underfoot crunched. The beast, even in pain turned to her and screeched. It lunged and she flipped over it, landed, and stumbled as pain lanced through her back. The monster spun, still screeching in pain as it swung wildly with clawed hands.

She dodged the desperate blows with a grace, as flecks of black goo sprayed over her and the surroundings. The monster was practically falling apart, but so was she. The hit had taken more out of her than she’d expected. She could only pray that her already tired legs wouldn’t give out. She was close. She was so so close.

She dodged another blow, and stumbling, before finding her back pressed at the control panel. Her spider sense blared and she sidestepped another blow. But this time the monster’s hand stumbled, and carried by it’s moment it fell, spraying goo across the control panel as it plunged through it and into the machine behind. Instantly the doors came to a stop, the metal no longer screeching, and the monster’s form stilled.

Shit.

But as the beast regained its bearings it didn’t look to her, but instead to the broken machinery beneath it. It had begun to whir loudly as light began to filter outwards. The monster stumbled back, and then - for a second - it seemed to move towards the machine. But suddenly it screeched out, it’s forming shifting even more violently than before. Jess stumbled back, then turned for the exit.

“NO!” the monster screeched, it’s voice a mix of Otto’s and the roar she was familiar with. She glanced back the sound of the machine growing louder and the light brighter. The beast was no more, the mass of black goo splitting from the Dr as he rushed towards the machinery. The goo writhed across the floor, desperately trying to get away from the machine. Her eyes widened as she finally realised what was happening. She’d seen it once before. Back at the BRC.

With her heart in her mouth, she looked around and dived to the floor, finding a crater as she shielded Yu. But it was too late. The noise already shook her very bones, and the light was already too bright. Before she even hit the floor, she felt an indescribable pain rip through her. She cried out, her screams echoed by Yu as everything went white. The last fleeting sensation was of Yu, as the energy around them him ripped away from her.