Chapter 37: Spider-Man — Flash Thompson?
To be honest, if Lance Ryder hadn't personally witnessed Peter Parker fighting those drones the other night—if he hadn't been a powerful mage capable of sensing an opponent's true strength—he might have been fooled by the Spider-Man who had just appeared.
Because that Spider-Man was fake.
The costume looked convincing, and the entrance had been dramatic. But a fake was still a fake. His strength wasn't even close to Parker's.
And compared to Lance, he was even less impressive.
Still, just because Lance could tell the difference didn't mean everyone else could.
Except for Lance and Peter Parker, everyone in the room believed the Spider-Man standing before them was real. Gasps spread throughout the crowd as they reacted to his sudden appearance.
Even J. Jonah Jameson, who had dedicated much of his life to exposing Spider-Man, froze when the masked hero suddenly appeared inside his own home.
He was furious—but even he didn't rush forward to confront him immediately.
What happened next shocked everyone even more.
The fake Spider-Man walked straight up to Peter Parker, grabbed his collar, and said bluntly,
"Hey, Parker. We need to talk about those photos you've been taking of me. I'm not happy about them."
Peter Parker had entered Empire State University thanks to his intelligence and academic talent. He had even received several scholarships.
But the tuition was still overwhelming.
Four years at the university cost more than $100,000, far beyond what his family could easily afford.
And after starting college, Parker's expenses only increased.
Dates with Mary Jane, social gatherings, and even certain science experiments all required money.
The only way Parker could cover those costs was through Spider-Man.
He took photos of Spider-Man and sold them to the Daily Bugle.
Of course, almost nobody knew he was Spider-Man.
So to outsiders, Peter Parker was simply the Bugle's exclusive Spider-Man photographer.
Which made the current situation look strange.
Spider-Man himself had come to confront Parker publicly.
Had the two of them fallen out?
Whispers immediately spread through the crowd.
But Parker himself looked perfectly calm.
Because the fake Spider-Man clearly didn't realize something important.
Every time Parker delivered Spider-Man photos to Jameson, the editor paid him—even while insulting him.
The more dramatic the pictures were, the more money Parker earned.
"Alright," Parker said cooperatively. "I apologize."
The fake Spider-Man nodded.
"Fine. I accept your apology."
"But that's not enough. I—ah! AHH!"
Suddenly, Spider-Man froze.
He stared past Parker as if he had seen something terrifying.
He began backing away in panic.
Everyone turned instinctively to look out the window behind Parker.
But there was nothing there.
Just as confusion began spreading through the room—
A loud cracking sound echoed above them.
CRACK!
The ceiling shattered.
Chunks of concrete and debris rained down.
Through the hole in the ceiling, a massive black-and-red mechanical spider crashed into the room.
It was enormous.
Its body was armored in dark metal plates with crimson markings. Its legs were long and razor-sharp. Its mandibles gleamed like blades.
Just looking at it made it clear—
This machine was built for combat.
And there were probably even more weapons hidden inside it.
Lance immediately wrapped an arm around Gwen Stacy and pulled her away from the danger zone.
At the same time, he saw George Stacy shielding his wife while searching for Gwen.
When George noticed Lance guiding his daughter to safety, he nodded and pointed toward the exit, signaling them to regroup there.
Lance ignored the battle beginning in the living room.
One fighter was a fake Spider-Man.
The other was a mysterious mechanical monster.
As long as innocent people weren't harmed, there was no reason for him to intervene.
And besides—
The real Spider-Man was still somewhere in this building.
There was no need for Lance to reveal himself.
Especially not in front of the Captain of the NYPD.
But when Lance glanced back toward the living room—
Peter Parker had disappeared.
Moments later, Lance spotted him again.
Parker had quickly escorted Aunt May into a guest room.
Then he slipped away, climbed onto the roof, and changed into his Spider-Man suit.
By the time Lance reunited with the Stacy family, two Spider-Men were already fighting the mechanical spider in the living room.
Some sharp-eyed guests began noticing something strange.
But with the massive mechanical spider dominating the scene, most people assumed there was only one Spider-Man.
Even the person controlling the mechanical spider seemed unaware of the truth.
"Take care of them," George Stacy said, handing his wife over to Gwen.
He loosened his bow tie as he turned to Lance.
Even off duty, he was still a police officer.
He couldn't ignore innocent people trapped in the building.
"Evacuate first," Lance said urgently, grabbing George's arm.
"We don't know what will happen next."
Panicked screams filled the apartment.
George Stacy immediately understood.
Saving individuals meant nothing if the battle endangered everyone.
"Dad!" Gwen said anxiously.
George nodded.
"Alright. Evacuate everyone!"
He raised his voice and began directing the crowd.
"Use the stairs, not the elevators!"
Many women in the room wore high heels.
But elevators were far more dangerous.
If the power failed—or the machinery was damaged during the fight—they could become death traps.
Within two minutes, Lance had guided Mrs. Stacy and Gwen down from the twelfth floor.
They had removed their high heels and hurried down the stairs.
Outside, Lance quickly helped them into a taxi and sent them home.
As the car drove away, Lance looked up.
At that exact moment, the mechanical spider grabbed a Spider-Man and launched into the sky.
Its speed was incredible.
Within seconds, it vanished into the distance.
Lance narrowed his eyes.
He couldn't tell whether the captured Spider-Man was real or fake.
But the odds favored the fake one.
Soon afterward, the police arrived and secured the building.
When Lance quietly returned to the rooftop, everything had calmed down.
Most guests were gone.
Only Jameson remained in the living room, shouting angrily.
"A million dollars! I lost a million dollars! Damn it!"
Nearby, Felicia Hardy and her mother were speaking with George Stacy.
Lance approached Felicia and asked quietly,
"You're not hurt, are you?"
"We're fine," she replied.
"But why are you still here?"
"And where's Parker? Where did that coward run off to?"
Her tone carried obvious frustration.
Earlier, she had almost been injured by the mechanical spider.
It had been Spider-Man who saved her.
Meanwhile, Peter Parker had vanished.
The good impression she once had of him had completely disappeared.
"He probably went to check on his aunt," Lance replied.
Before he could finish speaking, a voice suddenly echoed from a television in the next room.
"…Spider-Man appears to have lost consciousness. He's completely unconscious now. This might be our best chance…"
Jameson rushed into the room instantly.
On the television screen, a captured Spider-Man lay unconscious.
For some reason, the footage was being broadcast live.
And it came from a TV station owned by the Daily Bugle.
The Bugle wasn't just a newspaper company.
It also ran television, publishing, and several other businesses.
That was how Jameson could afford a multi-million-dollar Manhattan penthouse.
Earlier that day, one of the Bugle's reporters had told Jameson he planned to deliver a major exclusive story.
The station itself wasn't very popular.
Its ratings were far below networks like CNN or FOX.
But it still had enough viewers to remain operational.
Which meant it could spare a few minutes of airtime for a reporter's special segment.
Of course, live broadcasts always included a slight delay.
The images on television were actually from thirty seconds earlier.
The reporter on screen was Eddie Brock.
Lance recognized the name immediately.
Eddie Brock… Venom.
Apparently, he had recently joined the Daily Bugle as a reporter—just like Peter Parker.
Jameson stared at the screen.
"So this is his scoop…"
He nodded slowly.
"Looks like the damage tonight was worth it."
To him, exposing Spider-Man's identity was far more valuable than the million-dollar loss.
On the television, Eddie Brock grinned at the camera.
"This is the moment America has been waiting for!"
"The moment Spider-Man finally removes his mask!"
"I'm Eddie Brock, reporting live. And now—take a look at the man beneath the mask!"
He reached down and pulled off Spider-Man's hood.
The face revealed beneath it stunned everyone watching.
Not just Jameson.
Lance recognized him immediately as well.
Because he had seen the man earlier that night.
Flash Thompson.
Felicia Hardy's dance partner.
Jameson stared in disbelief.
"Incredible…"
"The Spider-Man I've been chasing all this time…"
"Is just a kid!"
"A college brat who isn't even twenty!"
Guests who had remained in the apartment began whispering loudly.
But by that time—
Lance Ryder had already disappeared quietly.
Because he had just seen the real Spider-Man leave the building.
Flash Thompson obviously wasn't Spider-Man.
Lance had known that from the beginning.
But for whatever reason, Flash had impersonated Spider-Man tonight—and successfully drew attention away from Peter Parker.
The mechanical spider had already flown far away with the fake Spider-Man.
Tracking it directly would be difficult.
Its speed was incredible, and it had escaped into the night sky.
But following Peter Parker was easy.
And since Lance had nothing better to do—
He decided to follow him.
With Parker leading the way, Lance could move safely without attracting attention.
And sooner or later—
He would discover who was truly behind this attack on Spider-Man
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