Chapter IX: Progeny

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

One thought ran through Peter's mind over and over again when he arrived at the Osborn mansion: I'm too late! The police cars and the ambulance attested to that. Then Peter saw Harry standing on the curbside, watching a coroner load a body-bag into the back of a truck. He looked awful. "Harry!" shouted Peter, running up to him. "What happened?"

"Peter…" Harry's voice was distant and broken. "My father… he's been murdered."

Osborn's dead? Peter didn't know quite how to react to that. "I'm sorry."

"Wasn't your fault," said Harry. "You didn't kill him. Spider-Woman killed him."

Peter's jaw dropped. "Where's Mary Jane?!"

"M.J.? I dunno… haven't seen her since… it happened. Gwen and Aunt May are inside with the police, giving their statements… M.J.'s probably somewhere upstairs."

Peter noticed a stern-faced detective coming his way. "How… how did it happen?" he asked.

Harry looked Peter right in the eye and said, "That monster, whatever it is, tore my father's throat out with its teeth. I saw it, Peter." Harry slumped down on the curbside, and his head sank into his hands. "I saw it."

The blood drained from Peter's face. He didn't want to ask the question that he already knew the answer to: Venom had lost it and killed Norman Osborn. Just Peter's luck, though, the detective arrived and said to Harry, "Let me get this straight: did you just say that Spider-Woman killed your father with her teeth?"

"Yeah."

"So her mask was off?"

"No," said Harry grimly. "It was more like—like the mask had teeth. Or… or it wasn't a mask at all."

With Peter's worst fears confirmed, he nervously asked, "Harry… did you see where Spider-Woman went?"

"And you are?" asked the detective.

"P-Peter Parker. I just got here."

"Lieutenant Terri Lee," said the detective, showing her badge. Then a look of recognition passed across her face. "Parker… I've heard of you. You take the photographs of those spider-nutcases for the Daily Bugle. Am I right?"

"Yeah," Peter admitted. Then he frowned and said, "What do you mean by that?"

"How do you track them down?"

"Hey, lay off him," said Harry. "Peter didn't have anything to do with this. He couldn't. He wasn't even here."

"Just the same, I'd like you answer some questions, Mr. Parker. If I could get your address and phone number—"

"Harry said that you've already talked to my Aunt May. I live with her," said Peter curtly.

Lieutenant Lee made a note and said, "Thank you. Expect us to call you down to the station in the next few days."

Peter turned to leave, but Harry looked up and asked, "Where are you going, Pete?"

"I've got to go find M.J."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Peter went inside the building and up to the Osborn penthouse. A number of officers were dusting for prints (A whole lot of good that'll do, Peter thought) and bagging evidence.

"Get a load of this, Lou," said one of the policemen near Osborn's chalk outline. "Looks like some kinda freaky hand-grenade."

Peter saw that he was holding a plastic bag with a pumpkin-bomb inside it.

The other officer came up behind him and said, "Yeah, there was a whole bunch of weird stuff like that on the deceased. Grenades made up to look like pumpkins, bat-shaped throwing knives, some sort of pitchfork stun-gun… this guy must've been a real whacko."

"Almost sounds like the stuff that Hobgoblin guy used. Do you think…?"

"A rich stiff like this? You're crazy. Besides, why would a businessman become a thief?"

"Maybe he was just a nut."

"Okay, if he was the Hobgoblin, where's his glider?"

"The Osborn kid said he saw Spider-Woman take off on a glider." He pointed to the broken window. "Says she busted through there and flew away."

"Sounds like the kid's nuts too."

"You would be too, if you saw what he says he saw."

Peter couldn't take much more of it. Sooner or later, they'd figure out the truth… They'll probably tear the whole place apart and find wherever it is that Osborn stashed all of his goblin-goodies. Norman had it coming… but I just feel sorry for Harry. And Mary Jane, wherever she is.

"Peter! Oh, Peter, thank heavens!" May came into the room and hugged Peter. Gwen, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, followed behind May.

"Thank God, you're both okay," said Peter. He turned to Gwen. "How're you holding up?"

"It happened again," was all she said. "My dad, Harry's dad… I don't get it."

I can't deal with this right now. Not with M.J. still missing. "I don't get it either," said Peter. "Listen, I'm going to go find M.J. I'll see you later." Before either of them could say another word, he dashed into the nearest hallway. She's out there somewhere, and she needs help. I've got to find her. He ducked into a room, opened the window, and scaled the wall to the roof. He hurriedly changed out of his clothes and placed them in a bag of webbing. Then Peter dove off the roof and slung himself in a direction that looked as good as any other.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Still no sign of Peter or Mary, thought Gwen, creeping down the stairs of the Parker home and heading to the kitchen. It was dark out and probably nearing midnight. Gwen wasn't sure of the exact time; she just knew that she was confused. She was still stunned by everything that had happened today. May had tried to cheer her up, of course. She was good at that. The stories that May told of the wild things that she and Ben Parker had done in the sixties… May's so cool, thought Gwen, and she took me in when my dad died, just like with Peter. Nobody else would've done that. May and Peter are the best friends I have in the world. And Harry… Oh God. The same thing that happened to my dad happened to Mr. Osborn. Me, Harry, Peter… are we all just cursed?

Whether she noticed or not, Gwen walked straight past the kitchen and ended up standing in front of the basement door. She realized that while her mind had been wandering, she had been wandering too. She had really just come downstairs for a glass of water, but her thoughts had carried her elsewhere. Gwen was about to turn around and head back the way she came, when she heard a distinct thump from down in the basement. Must be Peter, she thought. He usually came inside through the basement.

Gwen opened the door and crept quietly down the stairs, hoping to take Peter by surprise. Instead, she saw something that made her freeze in shock and horror.

She saw Spider-Woman, covered in what looked like blood, collapsed on the basement floor.

Gwen's thoughts spiraled out of control. She didn't wonder why Spider-Woman was here. She didn't think to call the police. She didn't even think to warn Aunt May. She just turned and ran, up the basement stairs, upstairs to her bedroom, and went straight for the locked box underneath her bed. The box contained several objects that had been her father's, objects that she had kept without telling anybody about. Things like his badge – and his .38 revolver.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Mary Jane and Venom really had no idea where they were. All Mary Jane remembered was taking off on the Goblin's glider… then she blacked out. Her memories were blurry and jumbled together, and she could sense that her symbiote's thoughts were just as disoriented.

Then, a familiar tingling at the base of her skill brought Mary Jane back to the world of the living. Spider-sense… Where am I? She tried to stand, but her body refused to move. Venom, where are we?

«Peter's… lab.»

You're not doing too well, are you?

«Feel sick… trying… to heal self.»

Why can't I move?

«Can't… heal you… until self is healed. Venom… sorry»

Sorry? Sorry for what, kiddo?

«I hurt someone. Made you hurt someone.»

Then, Mary Jane remembered what happened earlier. Osborn. He attacked us.

«We killed him. Venom is sorry.»

It wasn't your fault. I lost control. I wanted him dead.

«Not your fault either.»

Mary Jane didn't know if she could believe the suit. She didn't even know if she could believe herself. All she knew was that she was tired… very, very tired. Mary Jane closed her eyes again… and then her head started buzzing. Spider-sense again? What could— Mary Jane looked up, and saw Gwen Stacy standing at the foot of the stairs, tears welling in her eyes, pointing a revolver at her.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Gwen debated whether she should shoot Spider-Woman now while it was probably still safe, or to wait for her to wake up so she could get some answers. Her mind was filled with questions now; there was too much that didn't make any sense. Topping the list was, "What the f&%# is Spider-Woman doing in Peter's basement?"

Gwen started when Spider-Woman stirred, rolling onto her side and groaning. She observed in surprise that Spider-Woman's costume wasn't any sort of fabric – it looked more like some kind of black sludge – and it was running off of her. The red stuff, she realized, wasn't blood either – it was more of the ooze that made up the costume.

"Uhh… Gwen?"

Gwen felt her blood turn to ice. She knows my name? She can't know my name!

Then, the last of the black stuff dribbled off of her face… and Gwen saw Mary Jane Watson lying on the floor. "No… you can't be…"

There was another noise, this one coming from cellar doors. They opened, and in stumbled Peter, dead-tired after searching all night with no success, still wearing his Spider-Man costume. He peeled off his mask… and saw Gwen standing over M.J., holding a gun.

Gwen could've died of a heart-attack right then and there. "Peter," she said, ignoring the tears that were now flowing freely, "you killed my father?"

Peter didn't even hear her. He only saw Mary Jane lying on the floor, motionless. "Oh, God… no… Mary Jane!" He knelt down and crawled over to her. Cradling her head in his arms, Peter said, "Come on, M.J.! Wake up!"

"Peter…" she said at last. "I'll… be all right. I'm just… tired."

Peter looked up at Gwen. "Did you shoot her?"

Gwen had never seen Peter look at anyone like that. She was terrified. "What? No… no, I—"

"Where did you get that gun?"

"It was my father's!" she cried, pointing the weapon at Peter.

"Gwen – I – did not – kill your father," said Peter slowly. He gently set Mary Jane's head down and stood up. "Think about it. I was in school with you, all day, the day your dad died."

"But… Spider-Man…"

Peter inched towards Gwen. "All right, yes, I'm Spider-Man. But I didn't kill your dad. That's, like, the total opposite of what I do!"

Gwen didn't know what to believe, but her grip on the gun started to waiver.

"Gwen, you know me! You know I'd never do anything to hurt anybody… you've got to believe me!"

"Peter…" Gwen sniffed and wiped her nose on the sleeve of her nightgown. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Quick as a flash, a web shot out and snatched the revolver from Gwen's hand. She let out a cry of surprise, but Peter threw another splatter of webbing, this one gluing her mouth shut. "Quiet!" he said. "You'll wake Aunt May. She… she wouldn't be able to handle this. Understand?"

Once Gwen got over the shock of having her mouth webbed shut, by Peter, she nodded carefully.

"Okay," said Peter. "I'm going to take the webs off. Do you promise not to wig out or scream or whatever?" Gwen nodded again, and so Peter yanked off the webbing off her mouth.

"Oww!"

Peter glared at her.

"Sorry," whispered Gwen.

Peter turned his attention to Mary Jane. "M.J.? Can you move?"

"Unh… don't think so," she said.

"Just hang on," said Peter. "Maybe I can get you up to my room."

"What's that stuff all over her?" asked Gwen.

"It's Venom," said Peter. "Remember those video tapes? My dad's research?"

"That's… that's that black stuff Eddie Brock had in his freezer!"

"Yeah." Peter easily lifted Mary Jane into his arms. The black ooze clung to her, but Peter saw that it was also moving, pushing the red ooze off of M.J.'s body, where it dripped to the floor and formed a puddle at his feet. "That, I don't recognize," said Peter.

"It's… the damaged parts of Venom," said Mary Jane softly. "The part that went insane. Venom's dark side."

"Then that… stuff… whatever it is," said Peter, "is what killed Mr. Osborn."

Gwen gasped and put her hand over her mouth. "It's true? You killed Harry's dad?"

Peter felt Mary Jane stiffen in his arms and saw tears in her eyes. "Way to go, Gwen," he said. "Just what M.J. needs right now."

"Hey! I just… cut me some slack, okay?" said Gwen. "I don't have super-powers. I still don't know what the hell is going on here!"

Then, Peter's spider-sense went haywire. Mary Jane, too, snapped awake. The blob of red ooze on the floor started moving, taking shape. Mary Jane's eyes bugged, and she leapt to the ceiling and clung there, which in turn made Gwen fall on her butt in surprise. "Keep that $#% away from me!" Mary Jane shouted, her voice quivering with fear.

Peter saw the red stuff start to creep towards them across the floor, so he picked Gwen up, leapt across the room, and perched on his worktable. "M.J., how do we kill it?"

"You're the science-geek!"

"Fair enough," said Peter. He put Gwen down and grabbed the nearest beaker on his workbench – it was unfinished impact fluid. That wouldn't do very much. He turned around and started rummaging in earnest. Hydrochloric acid… nope. Ammonia… no. Then Peter's hands fell upon a jar of ethyl alcohol. "Bingo!"

Peter opened the jar and tossed it at the red blob. Then he picked up his Bunsen lighter, jumped to the ceiling, and lowered himself down on a webline. Hanging directly over the ooze, he struck the lighter and rained sparks on the ooze until the ethanol caught fire. Soon the blob was burning freely, and in no time at all it was reduced to a carbonized crisp.

"That," said Peter, falling to the floor, "is what killed Harry's dad, Gwen. Not M.J."

Gwen didn't say anything. She just stayed where she was, sitting on Peter's workbench.

Mary Jane dropped to the floor too. She tried to cross the room to Gwen, but she stumbled and Peter caught her. "Whoa, there," said Peter. "Take it easy."

"I'll be fine," said M.J. "Gwen… are you okay?"

"No." Gwen pushed herself off the bench and circled around Peter and M.J., keeping her distance from both of them. "This is too much. I just… need to get away from all of this." She turned and dashed up the stairs, leaving the two super-heroes alone with their own problems.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

By the time Peter had changed out of his costume, Mary Jane seemed to have regained some control over Venom, and she was able to make it take the shape of normal clothes. Peter took Mary Jane into his arms and let her head rest on his shoulder. "Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

"I'll live," she said. "We heal faster than you do, remember?"

"That's not what I meant," said Peter. "You know this wasn't your fault, right? Osborn brought it down on himself."

"I don't think that's completely true," said Mary Jane in a low whisper. "I think the Green Goblin brought himself down… and he took Harry's dad with him."

"What are you talking about?"

"He had two personalities, Peter. One, the Goblin, was trying to kill me. He fought us; he zapped me with that tazer and damaged Venom. The other one… it was Osborn. He begged for his life, Peter… he begged me…" Mary Jane broke into tears and sobbed softly on Peter's shoulder.

"It's okay," he whispered. "It wasn't your fault."

"It doesn't matter anyway," said Mary Jane after a while. "I… I can't do this anymore."

"Do what?"

"Spider-Woman. We're too dangerous, Venom and me. We're no better than Osborn and the Goblin."

"Don't say that!" said Peter. "You're not a murderer. You didn't have a choice!"

"But what if I hurt somebody else? I can't take that risk."

Peter paused, and then said, "M.J., since you became my partner, I've seen you do so much good. You make a difference! Being Spider-Man… it could really suck sometimes. I wanted to quit so often… but I haven't felt that way once since we started fighting together. And now… I don't think I could go on without you."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that if Spider-Woman hangs up the webs, so does Spider-Man."

"Don't… don't you dare, Peter Parker—"

«Mary Jane,» imparted Venom, breaking into her thoughts, «We can't give up. With great power…»

"With great power," repeated Mary Jane aloud…

"Comes great responsibility," finished Peter.

"I don't know what my responsibility is anymore," said Mary Jane. She stood up and then planted a soft kiss on Peter's lips. "Good night, Tiger. Maybe things will look clearer tomorrow."

"I hope so," he replied.

Mary Jane turned and left through the cellar doors. Then Peter stood and headed upstairs to his room.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Norman Osborn's funeral was a somber affair even as funerals go. Most of the people in attendance were employees of OsCorp or half-hearted acquaintances of Norman. Harry didn't have much in the way of family there. The whole event was made even more uncomfortable by the recent rumors in the media that Osborn may have been involved in criminal activity and had alleged connections to the Hobgoblin, the Green Goblin, and the Scorpion. Harry had no idea what to believe; and since Peter, M.J., and Gwen couldn't tell him what they knew, that only made the lot of them all the more miserable.

When it was all over, the assembled crowd dispersed, leaving Harry alone at the grave with Peter and Gwen. "You guys are the only family I have left now," he said.

Peter placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "I know what you're going through," said Peter. "I know what it's like to lose a father."

"We all do," said Gwen. "Look at us. A bunch of sorry orphans."

"Even M.J. lost her dad… sort of," said Peter.

"Where is she, anyway?" asked Harry.

"She didn't want to come," said Peter. "She said that what happened to your dad… it still felt too close." That's mostly the truth, reasoned Peter, but Harry can't know the whole story.

Harry fell silent for a while before saying, "My dad… I didn't lose him. He was stolen from me. By Spider-Woman." Gwen cast a sorrowful look at Peter, who tried to keep his expression neutral. Harry went on, "One day, I swear… I'll make that monster pay." He looked up at Peter and Gwen and said, "Thank God for you… you're all I have left."

Peter and Gwen watched in silence as Harry walked away from the grave.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Long after Harry had gone, Peter had stood by the graves of his parents and his Uncle Ben. Gwen stayed with him, but they didn't speak. Peter and Mary Jane had told her their story; how they had gotten their powers, and what they did with them. She accepted that they were heroes, not killers. Now, though, she didn't know how to act around them. It was like they were different people. Gwen didn't know her friends.

After a while, Peter had sighed and silently left, and then Gwen was alone in the cemetery.

There was still one grave that hadn't been visited: her father's. Gwen stood before Captain Stacy's grave and said, "Well, dad… I guess I was wrong. Spider-Man didn't kill you. It was just some guy in a copy of Peter's costume.

"Peter caught the guy who did it, too. Got him good. Beat him up, and left him for the cops. But I bet you already knew that.

"Huh… why I am always the last to know these things? Well, no, not the last… Harry still doesn't know. Poor guy. I like him, dad… I think you would too.

"I miss you, dad." Gwen laid her hand on the headstone, and then turned to leave. She froze in her tracks, only a few steps away from the grave, when she heard the sound of high-pitched laughter. "Who's there?" she called.

"Who's there, who's there, I do believe in spooks!" taunted the voice.

"This isn't funny!" shouted Gwen. The only response she got was more laughter. "I'm serious! I know how to fight, and I will kick your ass!" It was true enough. At Midtown High, Gwen had been known to pick fights and win, earning her a reputation as a "psycho chick" that nobody wanted to mess with.

From behind a gnarled, old tree stepped a man with spiky red hair and sunken eyes, wearing tattered jeans and a stained t-shirt. "Hiya, honey! Hehehe…"

"Who are you?!" The man looked vaguely familiar, but Gwen had no idea who he was.

"You mean you don't know?" He stepped forward, but Gwen backed up toward her father's grave. "Let me jog your memory, little Gwenny. I was the case that made your daddy's career!"

Gwen gasped when she recognized the face. Newspaper headlines drifted through her memory: 'Serial Killer Slays Twenty'; 'Cletus "Carnage" Kasaday Captured'; '"Carnage" Kasaday Pleads Insanity'… Gwen stumbled backward and tripped on a rock, falling down. "Get the f&% away from me!" she shouted.

Kasaday snickered and jumped forward – springing off the ground like no normal human being could, Gwen realized. He jumps just like Spider-Man! she thought. Then, the red suit appeared. Beaded strands of blood-red slime burst forth from behind Kasaday and covered him in a suit that looked like a twisted mockery of Mary Jane's costume. The mask had dull, white, triangle-shaped eyes and a jagged mouth that looked like something carved into a pumpkin. Gwen closed her eyes and screamed.

Carnage flicked the wrist of his right hand, and the suit formed foot-long, jagged claws. With his other hand, he shot out a red webline and hauled Gwen to her feet. "Come here, little girl!" he chortled. "I wanted to kill your daddy – I wanted my revenge – but somebody beat me to the punch!" Kasaday took Gwen by the throat, choking her, and lifted her off the ground. "One Stacy is as good as another," he said. "If I can't kill him, his daughter will have to do!" He raised the clawed hand back and prepared to strike.

Gwen was usually both brave and determined; she never backed down from a fight, and she never gave up once one was started. But right now, she was paralyzed with fear. She had nothing left. When Kasaday swiped his other hand down, all Gwen could do was close her eyes and wait for those claws to hit… claws that looked so sharp, they could probably take her head off in one blow…

She was surprised when she felt jagged claws splatter against her neck ineffectually, melting back to an insubstantial liquid. She opened one eye carefully. Am I dead?

"What?!?" shrieked Kasaday. He seemed surprised as well. He raised his hand and tried to form a set of claws again, but nothing happened. "What are you doing?!?"

«This one… knows Peter… loves Peter…»

"What are you talking about?" said Kasaday aloud.

«Knows where to find Peter… and Spider-Man… and Venom…» The suit's red tendrils were flowing from Kasaday's arm onto Gwen's head now, reading her thoughts.

"Stop that!" shouted Kasaday. "Get off of her – you're mine! My voices, my ghosts!"

The Carnage suit ignored him. Gwen didn't understand everything that was happening, but she did recognize that this bio-suit was just like the red blob that Peter had destroyed in his basement the day that Norman Osborn had been killed. The red stuff is a separate costume… but what's it doing to me? The suit was bubbling off of Kasaday and jumping onto her in force now, covering her in great globs, enveloping her completely.

"Mine… mine… where did you go?" Kasaday, powerless, fell to his knees, gibbering madly to himself. The ghosts are gone again. What do I do? Who am I? Then he looked up and saw Gwen Stacy – no, Carnage, he corrected – standing over him.

"Kasaday, you psychopath," she said in a voice that echoed with the words of the red symbiote. "Try to kill me?" Gwen splayed her fingers and released a cone of sanguine spider-webbing that wrapped Kasaday in a cocoon from head to toe. He screamed from inside the blanket of webs, but his voice was muffled. Gwen threw another red webline over a branch of the old tree and hung Kasaday's captured form from it. "I'll show you how to kill someone, Kasaday!" Gwen looked down at her hand and willed the red ooze to take the shape of a single, wicked blade.

The bio-suit obeyed her command, and Carnage smiled.