SHIELD'S Spider

Chapter 4: Hunt in Snow

Wind whistled through the air, trying in vain to enter into Peter's jacket. Snow crunched beneath their boots as they stalked quietly through the frozen land.

The only one without a jacket was Evie, who guided them through the snow with ease, clearing a path for them.

"Here." She stopped, staring at the frozen ground beneath her.

"Where?" Tony asked, spinning in a circle.

The girl's reply was a stomp. Billows of snow erupted around them, revealing the large metal hatch.

"Oh."

With the help of FRIDAY's hacking skills, they were soon able to open the doors and slip secretly into the base.

"Ok." Tony's static voice crinkled in their comms as he looked at the plan of the base. "Evie, Parker, you two go down the left corridor to the cells, down the corridor on your left. Cap and I will get to the main control room in about ten minutes, which gives us 25 minutes till the base explodes. Get as many prisoners as you can, if there are any. Don't waste any time. Go."

They split up, Peter abandoning his jacket. The duo snuck around the bend, following the holographic map sent via FRIDAY.

Their plan came to a halt as two guards walked around the corner into them.

Instincts kicked in and Peter kicked one in the chest, sending the man to the floor. He webbed him to the floor then whirled around to help Evie, finding her dusting her hands as she watched the guard trapped in an ice prison.

"What are you looking at? We don't have time to sightsee!" Evie grabbed his arm, dragging him down the corridor.

"They're in here." Peter flipped the hologram on his wrist to show her.

"Those are some big cells."

"Mm." Peter hacked the lock and slipped in,  Evie close behind.

"This isn't a cell."

Glass cases lined the wall, illuminating chemicals and bottles with a blur glow. Marble benchtops glistened, covered with more samples, plants and test insects.

"It's... a lab?"

"Guys, you have fifteen minutes."

"Uh, Mr Stark? We're in a lab."

Peter could almost hear Tony frown on the other end. "Get as much Intel as you can then."

Peter nodded and began inspecting the samples. " This is... radioactive?" He lent in to the leaf, inspecting the multi-coloured veins.

"Why would they have radioactive plants?" Evie bent down to a small glass tank, trying to find what was hidden in the foliage. "Oh that's a spider. Oh gosh."

Peter instinctively backed away, then stopped. "Is it radioactive?"

Evie shrugged. "I'm not going near it. You're the spider boy, you do-" she waved her hands in its general direction-stuff."

The human spider bent down and studied the captive arachnid, flinching as it moved. "That's radioactive."

"Why would they have radioactive spiders?"

"Because they're trying to create more mes."

Evie looked at him, confused. "Miis?"

"No, more Spider-men. This is how I got my skillset." He glared slightly at the spider. "Hurt for a week."

Evie nodded then glanced at the timer. "Crap we don't have much time." She glanced down the hallway. "Double-check that there aren't any prisoners in there."

Peter pricked his ears. "No, those aren't cells."

"Okay, then let's move!" She dragged him down the corridor, forgetting that he was incredibly light and nearly pulling him off the ground.

Trouble arose when a hoard of soldiers forced their way around the corner.

"Great, now we get to fight several thousand soldiers."

"Quit the hyperboles and get out of here!"

They flew into their fight, dancing around bullets, sending kicks and punches through the air.

"Three minutes!"

"Okay!" Peter webbed a guard to the wall and turned around to face three more.

"Peter!"

"Go Evie! Get out!" He blocked a blow from one of the soldiers and landed a blow to another. The third took the opening and sent the teen flying across the floor.

"Two minutes!"

"Come on Parker!" He growled to himself. He send a web grenade at one of them, trapping him then whirled to the other two. A kick to the jaw sent one unconscious and he soon webbed the other next to his companion.

"One minute!"

Peter turned and ran. His legs pounded against the floor, sending echoes bouncing off the metal walls. Breaths became shorter, but he didn't notice. All that mattered was the rhythm of his feet driving against the floor.

He didn't make it. The eruption reached his ears as he rounded a corner. He probably had about five to ten seconds before it reached him. He rounded another corner and nearly laughed with joy as he saw the open hatch. Joy gave way as the searing heat was felt against his back. He jumped, the world blacking out as he did so.

"PETER!"

               
"Will he make it?"

"He has too."

"What about the others?"

"They're fine. Just malnourished."

A pause.

"Please be okay."
       
   
"Come on."

          

"Peter."