Spider-Man: Duty and Loss Chapter 35: A Gut Feeling

Peter swung lazily through the air, careful that no one could see where he was going. Knowing that he was going into one of the shadier parts of town, it was better that he wasn't spotted. One of the many reasons he usually only went to the district at night.

Holding the 2 hotdogs he just picked up, close to his chest, so that they didn't cool down too fast, or lose their toppings, he quickly made his way to his street clothes. On the way to them he started to pray to god that they hadn't been stolen, or ripped.

Clothes like that just lying around would sometimes be taken, especially if his webbing let up and they dropped to ground level. Finally making it to the spot he left the clothes, he said a short thanks before getting changed.

Deciding that he was still taking too much time, as the food was getting cold; he sprinted off towards the Warehouse. Finally reaching the door, a slight tinge in his spider sense made his hand stop. A short ping of danger spiked through Peter's head as he didn't open the door.

He had been Spider-Man for 5 years now, and at the start his spider sense had saved him numerous times, it still was essential today. He had relied on it for such a long time, before he lost it at some point. Of course he regained it later, but that was a story for another time.

What was important was how it had changed after he got it back. It still warned him of danger, imminent and malicious intentions included, but what had changed was that it told him of past danger. It was a weird feeling and Peter thought he was going crazy when he first felt it.

It wasn't like his usual spider sense that warned him of danger; it instead told him of danger that had passed through the area, like an echo of danger. Usually this meant that someone dangerous, someone that could give him a run for his money, had come through the area in the last few hours.

It was a very specific type of spider sense and one that wholly he didn't use much. It was useful when he was trying to track a person down, but the proximity to the danger was hard to locate and the person had to stay in the same area for a while, before it would set this spider sense off.

Feeling the cold prick of the spider sense go off, Peter instantly tensed. He knew that Laura lived here and she also didn't set his spider sense off anymore. This meant someone very dangerous had come here recently.

Staying calm, but preparing for anything, Peter slowly opened the door. *CreaK* The loud sound of the door opening, made Peter want to curse the old door. His eyes sharpened though as he took in the warehouse interior.

Rubble was littered about the place, as well as some steel beams that seemed to have been knocked over. One of the walls was blasted apart letting a cold chill fill the area. Peter knew right away that there was no chance that Laura would still be here.

What truly worried him was if she was alright. He couldn't tell if she had made it out. Walking into the room and letting the dogs fall to the floor. Peter started to look about the area. It took him all of 10 seconds before he stopped dead. His eyes trained over to a certain part of the warehouse. His body stilled as a little sense of dread started to take over his body. 'No'. The cracked newer cement told him all he needed to know, but he had to check.

Rushing over with his all, he almost slid to the ground as he started to pull the gravel away at supersonic speeds. It wasn't long before he got to the small pocket of ground holding a glass jar. A glass jar that was cracked right open!

Peter almost flinched as he saw the jar. As he looked in he could see the black substance still sitting there! Venom was still here! Scrambling back, his mind worked fast as he rolled and jumped up. He had no sonic equipment, no fire, nothing that could contain Venom right now. He couldn't get closer without it taking over his body.

Numerous options flashed through his mind as he stared intently at the spot. Ever so slowly the black substance that was Venom crawled to the surface and did nothing. Peter continued to stare at Venom, and Venom seemingly stared back.

Peter blinked his eyes slowly as he watched for any other movement, but nothing happened. Moving to the right, he could feel the eyes trained on him also move. Venom was watching him, but wasn't doing anything else.

While it may be really slow in its substance form, it could still catch regular people if it tried. His spider sense didn't go off as he continued to watch it. But then again Venom had been a part of him for a short amount of time. It had been so much a part of him that his spider sense never went off when they were fighting.

It was one of the reasons that forced him to evolve his fighting style. Not that he had much use for it these days, most of his villains gallery was dead, gone straight, or in prison.

It was more of a gut feeling that made him do what he did next. Peter was a person that trusted his gut, as much as he trusted his spider sense. Many a time it had helped him in dangerous scenarios, even though it was usually his luck that got him into them, which was such a contradiction that even Crystal might not want to figure it out.

Ever so slowly Peter started to edge his way closer to Venom. If Venom moved so much as a muscle Peter would bolt, maybe go to the fantastic four. Reed, Sue, Ben and Johnny were all smart people. Pulling in a favor they might be able to whip up something to track the Alien parasite, and maybe something better than a Jar to keep it contained.

As if knowing what Peter was thinking Venom didn't move as Peter stepped closer and closer. Finally when there was 1 meter left between the two Peter started to slowly reach out towards the symbiote. The possibilities of what might and could happen raced through his mind, but he was going to trust his gut on this one. Maybe, just maybe something had changed.

Finally his hand reached the black substance and it crawled up his hand. 'Well' peter thought to himself, 'At least I should be able to make it to the Baxter building before anything bad happens'.

Chapter end