My spider-sense was tingling, a low hum that usually meant trouble. Just another Tuesday in New York, I guess, with all the weirdness lately. People walking into traffic, trying to pay for coffee with a shoe… you get the idea.
I was swinging past a particularly messy street corner when my comms crackled.
[STATIC]
"Units, we have a 10-31! Repeat, 10-31 in progress! Female… Caucasian… pink hair… appears to be Jewel! She's attacking officers!"
A 10-31? That's a violent assault on an officer. And Jewel?
My spider-sense immediately screamed, a frantic buzzing that confirmed the gravity of the situation. Jewel? Attacking cops?
It made no sense. She's a hero, a good one, too. I mean, pink hair and a bright white costume… totally screams "good guy," right?
My mind raced, trying to rationalize the impossible.
[DISPATCH: ALL UNITS, EXERCISE CAUTION! SHE'S SUPERHUMAN! DO NOT ENGAGE SOLO!]
Maybe it was a misunderstanding. A trick? Another one of those mind-control Digimon things Ethan keeps telling us about, like with that Gyuukimon.
Or worse, maybe she's been compromised. That thought… that one hurt a little.
[OFFICER DOWN! I REPEAT, OFFICER DOWN!]
I had to get there. Now. This wasn't just some random bad guy. This was Jewel.
I was really moving, a red-and-blue blur against the darkening New York sky. Each web-sling shot me forward, faster, the wind practically ripping my mask off, but it wasn't fast enough.
My spider-sense was still screaming, a frantic, high-pitched buzz that promised something truly awful was happening. I could hear the sirens, too, getting louder, all heading for the same spot.
Please don't be what it sounds like. I really hoped it was just some mix-up, you know?
I landed silently on a rooftop, just a few buildings away, and risked a peek over the edge. Below, it was a total mess. Police cars were everywhere, some of them even flipped over.
And there she was. Jewel.
Pink hair, that bright white suit. She was definitely hitting them. No doubt about it. One officer went flying into a streetlight, just like he was a ragdoll.
This wasn't just a little argument or a misunderstanding. She was going all out. My stomach clenched up something fierce.
This is bad. Really bad. I mean, what the heck?
I can't just stand here and watch this. They're cops, even if they usually try to arrest me for saving people. And she's Jewel. What is actually going on?
I need to get down there, stop this, and figure out why she's doing this. This isn't her. It can't be.
I dropped into the street, a webline catching me just before I slammed into the pavement. I landed between Jewel and a cowering officer, trying to make my entrance… you know, dramatic and helpful.
"Whoa there, Jewel! Easy on the boys in blue, okay? What's the problem here? Did someone forget to pay for parking?"
She turned towards me. Her eyes, those bright, usually kind eyes, were just… vacant. Empty. Lifeless. No recognition, no spark of the Jessica I knew. She just stared through me, like I was a ghost or something. My spider-sense didn't scream "villain" at her, which was a relief, but it definitely screamed "danger." It was a weird, confusing feeling.
She didn't answer. Didn't even blink, actually. Just wound up and threw a punch, a really fast one. I barely ducked under it, the wind of her fist ruffling my mask. Wow.
She wasn't holding back. Not even a little. This isn't a hero in a bad mood, or just having a rough day, you know? This is something else entirely. My gut twisted. This is much worse.
I tried again, leaping back to create a bit of distance between us.
"Okay, okay! Point taken! But seriously, Jewel, talk to me! What's wrong? Are you... being controlled? Is someone making you do this?"
She launched herself at me, faster than I expected, a blur of white and pink. Her foot connected with my chest, a solid, painful blow that sent me skidding back a good ten feet. Oof. She's not even hearing me. This isn't just mind control; it's a complete override. It's like talking to a brick wall that can bench press a truck.
Her strength is… wow. Just incredible. Every punch, every kick she throws, it's like being hit by a wrecking ball, but one that's also super-fast and surprisingly agile. I'm weaving and dodging, spinning out of the way, trying to find some kind of opening, anything to just… stop her.
But I can't hit her back. Not really. How am I supposed to fight a hero? A hero who's clearly not herself? My spider-sense is screaming, but it's not just danger, it's… confusion, almost. It's like it doesn't know what to do with this.
This is a total nightmare scenario, right out of a bad comic book. A hero, a real good one, gone rogue with all her power, and I'm just… stuck. I have to detain her, but I can't injure her. I can't. That's the rule. That's my rule. But she's not giving me any other option.
Every blocked punch sends a jolt up my arm. Every near miss feels like a warning shot. I'm thinking, Peter, think! What would Ethan do? He'd have a plan, a weird Digimon card, something. But I just have webs, and they're not doing much good right now.
I mean, what if I accidentally hurt her? What if I break something? She's super-strong, yeah, but still… it's Jessica. My friend. Or at least, I thought she was. Is this a new villain? Is this what Ethan meant by "digital mind control"? It has to be.
I can't believe this is happening. This is… this is really bad.
I blocked a high kick, the impact sending a jolt right through my arm, rattling my teeth. She spun, coming back with an elbow. I barely got my web-shooter up in time. Thwip! The web wrapped around her arm, a thick, sticky bundle.
She just… ripped it free. Like it was tissue paper. I mean, seriously? That's my super-strong web fluid, the stuff that holds up cars. She didn't even pause. She's fast too, not just strong.
Okay, new plan. Old plan wasn't great. This is going to be harder than I thought. I need to find a way to subdue her without actually hurting her, you know? Like, a really big web net? Or maybe some kind of incapacitating web-foam? But she's too quick for that. She's moving like… well, like Jewel. Just with evil intent.
I dodged another punch, rolling under her arm. My spider-sense gave me a warning, a dull thrumming. Not enough time.
She faked left, I leaned right, trying to anticipate. But it was a feint, a really good one. Her true attack was a sweeping roundhouse kick. It caught me squarely in the side.
CRACK!
A loud crack echoed, and I sailed through the air. My vision blurred, a splash of red and black. Pain flared, hot and sharp, spreading across my ribs. I hit the brick wall of a building with a sickening thud, impacting hard enough to leave a perfectly Spider-Man-shaped dent. My breath left me in a rush, a gasp I couldn't control. My body slumped to the ground, every muscle screaming in protest.
Oof. That's going to leave a mark. Probably a permanent one on this wall, too.
I heard a voice, muffled, coming from somewhere above me. It sounded calm, almost amused.
"Excellent, Jewel. That's enough for now. We should make our exit."
Then, silence. Just the ringing in my ears and the distant wail of sirens. I pushed myself up, slowly, my head throbbing, every single muscle protesting. I looked around, my vision still a bit blurry.
Jewel was gone. The mysterious voice was gone. Just a few dazed officers slowly stirring, groaning, and the remnants of the chaos. She just… vanished. And I let her get away. I couldn't stop her. This whole mess was a trap, wasn't it? That voice… that was the one controlling her. And I was so busy trying not to hurt Jessica that I just… lost. Ugh. This is so frustrating.
***
Donate Power Stones to support this novel
Advance chapters in patreon.com/Najicablitz