Michael vanished right before my eyes. One moment he was there, swinging beside me, and the next, he was gone. It felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me. My mind raced, trying to make sense of his last, cryptic words.

"Don't freak out if I disappear. Don't worry, I'll be back."

But how could I not freak out? Michael had been my mentor, my guide through this crazy double life as Spider-Man. I felt a knot of anxiety tighten in my chest as I perched on a nearby rooftop, trying to catch my breath and collect my thoughts.

I stared at the spot where he had been, the city buzzing with life below. A wave of panic threatened to overtake me, but I forced it down. Michael wouldn't want me to lose it. He'd want me to stay focused, to keep doing what we always did—protect the city.

But could I do it without him?

Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself that I wasn't completely helpless. Michael had taught me well. I just needed to trust in my training and abilities. The city needed Spider-Man, and right now, that meant it needed me. I had faced down the Green Goblin on my own before. I had fought off mobs of criminals without Michael's help. I could do this.

I swung back into action, the familiar rush of web-slinging helping to steady my nerves. The city was still bustling with the usual day

As I was swinging through the city, still trying to come to terms with Michael's sudden disappearance, a new sound caught my attention—a loud crash followed by screams. My Spidey senses tingled, alerting me to danger. I changed direction, heading towards the commotion.

When I got closer, I saw the source of the chaos: Rhino. The hulking figure was rampaging through the streets, cars overturned in his wake, and terrified civilians scrambling to get out of his way.

"Rhino? But he's supposed to be in jail!" I muttered to myself. "Did he escape?"

There was no time to wonder about that now. The priority was to protect the civilians and stop Rhino before he caused more damage.

I swung down, landing between Rhino and a group of frightened people. "Hey, big guy! Shouldn't you be enjoying a nice, quiet cell somewhere?"

Rhino turned towards me, his eyes narrowing with rage. "Spider-Man! I was hoping to run into you. This city ain't big enough for the both of us!"

"Come on, Rhino! Are you a turtle? You're as slow as my grandma!" I taunted, hoping to keep his attention. I shot another web, this time aiming for his legs to trip him up. The webbing held for a moment before he tore through it, but it gave me enough time to help some of the nearby people to safety.

As Rhino charged again, I used my agility to dodge his attacks, leading him away from the crowded streets. I needed to find a way to subdue him without causing more destruction. My mind raced, remembering the lessons Michael had taught me about using my environment to my advantage.

Rhino bellowed in frustration as he missed me by inches. "I hate you, Red Spider-Man!!!"

I swung around a streetlamp, narrowly avoiding his massive fists. "Hate is such a strong word, Rhino. Have you ever considered therapy?"

I spotted a construction site nearby and swung towards it, Rhino hot on my heels. "How about this: come here and I'll give you a chance to hit me. Am I a good friend, right?" I called out, hoping to lure him into a trap.

Rhino barreled into the construction site, his massive form crashing through scaffolding and equipment. I quickly webbed up a few support beams, causing a pile of debris to collapse on top of him. It wouldn't hold him for long, but it might slow him down.

"I am not your friend!!!" Rhino roared, struggling against the debris.

I landed on a high beam, looking down at the struggling Rhino. "Oh you jest, Do you want to be my Wife or something?" I quipped, smirking beneath my mask.

With a roar, Rhino burst out from the debris, but I was ready. I shot webbing at his eyes, temporarily blinding him. He swung wildly, trying to hit me, but I kept my distance, using his confusion to my advantage.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"I'm not your wife, you fucker!" Rhino bellowed, enraged and disoriented.

"Good to know, Rhino. I'm not ready for that level of commitment," I shot back, staying agile and focused.

I spotted a crane with a heavy load suspended above Rhino. If I could just maneuver him under it... I swung around, taunting him again. "Over here, Darling! Bet you can't catch me!"

Rhino followed, his rage blinding him to the trap. As soon as he was in position, I shot a web at the crane's release mechanism, dropping the heavy load onto him. The impact knocked him to the ground, and I quickly webbed him up, securing him as best as I could.

I dropped down, panting from the exertion. The sirens of approaching police cars filled the air, and I knew they'd take it from here.

"Nice work, Spider-Man," one of the officers said as they arrived.

"Thanks," I replied, still catching my breath. "Make sure he doesn't escape again."

The police officer nodded. "Yes, Spider-Man Red, we will ensure he stays behind bars this time."

With that assurance, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. Rhino was contained, and the city was safe, at least for now. As the officers took charge of the situation, I knew it was time for me to disappear here.

As I swung through the city once more, my senses on high alert, I spotted another villain causing trouble. And when I saw him, recognition sparked within me. It was Lightning Conductor, the same villain Michael and I had caught before. This guy was trouble; with his lightning-emitting ring and teleportation abilities within that ring, he was a force to be reckoned with.

As I approached the scene, it was clear that Lightning Conductor was up to his old tricks, trying to impress a girl with his villainous charm.

"Hello, girl. I want you to know that you are so pretty," he said, pretending to be cool.

The girl, unimpressed by his antics, glanced at his mask, so childish mask and then the girl retorted, "Ew, I don't date someone like you."

Lightning Conductor's ego took a hit. "Why, hey, wait!"

I swung in, cutting off his attempts at flirting. "Give it up. You can't impress a girl like that with your stupid costume. I mean, it was cool for me, but for them, it's not... it's making you look like a cartoon character, you know, the what is it again?"

As I closed in on Lightning Conductor, I remembered the dangerous capabilities of his lightning-emitting ring, including its ability to grant him teleportation. Dealing with him just got a whole lot trickier.

"Shut the fuck up, Bug!!!" he snapped, his frustration evident.

I remained calm, knowing I had to be strategic. "Looks like someone's a little shocked by the truth," I quipped, readying myself for whatever he had in store.

But before I could react, Lightning Conductor activated his ring, and in a flash of blinding light, he disappeared, leaving behind a crackle of electricity in his wake.

I cursed under my breath. With his teleportation ability, he could be anywhere in the city in an instant. I had to act fast if I wanted to apprehend him before he caused more chaos.

Using my heightened senses, I scanned the area, searching for any sign of his presence. Suddenly, a surge of electricity crackled nearby, and I swung towards it, hoping it was Lightning Conductor reappearing.

As I swung closer, my suspicions were confirmed – it really was Lightning Conductor.

As I observed Lightning Conductor interacting with yet another girl, frustration bubbled within me. This guy never seemed to learn. Destroying property and using his powers recklessly just to impress someone was not only irresponsible but also dangerous.

The girl, understandably terrified by the destruction caused by his lightning, screamed and fled the scene. "Ah!!! Get off me, you freak!" she cried out in fear, her words echoing in the chaos.

"Wait, baby, wait!!" Lightning Conductor called after her, his desperation palpable.

Seeing him distracted and despondent, I seized the opportunity. This was my chance to apprehend him before he caused any more harm.

Then As I closed in on Lightning Conductor, the air crackled with tension. His attempts at impressing the girl had not only failed but had left him vulnerable and emotionally raw. Yet, I knew better than to underestimate him. With his lightning powers and teleportation abilities, he was still a formidable opponent.

As I swung towards him, Lightning Conductor turned towards me, a mixture of desperation and rage flickering in his eyes. He raised his hand, ready to unleash a blast of lightning in my direction.

But I was ready. With quick reflexes, I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the electric charge. In one fluid motion, I shot my webbing towards him, aiming to ensnare him and disrupt his movements.

However, Lightning Conductor was quick to react. With a flick of his wrist, he teleported a few feet away, evading my webbing. He unleashed another burst of lightning, forcing me to somersault out of harm's way.

"You again, Spider-Man Red," he growled, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Yes, it looks like I'll be your blind date for today," I quipped, my tone laced with determination.

Lightning Conductor's eyes flashed with fury. "I'd rather die than date someone like you," he spat, his voice dripping with disdain against me.

I rolled my eyes, unimpressed by his theatrics. "Well, lucky for you, I'm not asking for your hand in marriage. I'm just here to stop you from wrecking the city."

The fight intensified with both of us exchanging punches and dodging each other's moves. Lightning sparked around us as we circled each other, neither of us backing down.

With every move, I could see the frustration mounting in Lightning Conductor's eyes. His powers were formidable, but his emotions were clouding his judgment, leaving him vulnerable to my counterattacks.

With every exchange, Lightning Conductor's frustration became more apparent. Despite his formidable powers, his emotions seemed to cloud his judgment, making him vulnerable to my counterattacks.

"Oh, look at this little lightning man. Are you crying? Don't worry, I'll help you with your romance," I taunted, trying to distract him further as I looked for an opening to subdue him.

"Fuck you, Spider-Man Red!" Lightning Conductor spat, his voice dripping with anger

"Temper, temper," I retorted with a smirk. "Language, Lightning Conductor. Let's keep it PG for the Readers, shall we?"

Finally, I saw my opening. As Lightning Conductor hesitated for a moment, his guard momentarily down, I seized the opportunity. With a powerful swing, I launched myself towards him, my webbing ready to ensnare him.

In a split second, my webbing connected, wrapping around Lightning Conductor and immobilizing him. With a resounding thud, he crashed to the ground, his powers temporarily neutralized.

As he lay there, defeated, I quickly moved in and webbed him up again, ensuring that he wouldn't be able to escape. With his powers neutralized, he was no longer a threat to the city.

"Let me give you some advice," I said firmly as I approached him. "If you want to impress a girl, you should take off your mask first. Being yourself is the best way to make a real connection."

Lightning Conductor groaned in defeat, his pride wounded but his spirit not completely broken. As I handed him over to the authorities, I hoped that he would learn from this experience and choose a different path.

As they hauled Lightning Conductor away, I took a moment to reflect. Michael was gone, but I had handled this. The city was safe for now, and I would keep it that way.

For Michael, and for the people who counted on Spider-Man.

"But seriously, where is Michael?"

The End oF Side Chapter