Spider-Man: Duty and Loss Chapter 81: Meeting New People

(2 Days earlier)

The sun dipped out of the sky as the area grew cold and dark, it wasn't anything new to Natasha, she had been in places a lot worse than a dark park. But there was something about the cold and darkness of the park tonight that set her on edge.

Natasha let out a sigh as she looks at the empty park once again. For the past few days Natasha had been going there at different times each day, hoping that Peter would turn up. But each time there was no sign of him that hope crumbled even lower.

Though she wanted to think she wasn't worried about his well being, she couldn't lie to herself, she was too pragmatic for that. It was close to 5:30 when the sun started to go down, she had already been on the same bullet ridden bench for the last hour and a half.

She hadn't brought any food with her this time; she stopped doing that after the first 2 days. *Sigh* Letting out another sigh Natasha finally pulled herself up and began to make her way out of the park, she wasn't likely to see him once again.

"Maybe I should ask Tony to look into it?" She spoke to herself quietly as she made her way out, in the past she would have just tapped into Shield resources for such a thing, but that wasn't an option anymore. Not that she would want to put Peter into their scopes. Having one of the best assassins in their ranks looking up a nobody raised flags, she would have to cover her tracks even better than the last time she looked him up. And this was an active search for his whereabouts not a history search.

Just as she was making her way out of the park something caught her attention, or better described her instincts, they started yelling at her of an approaching danger. Her body froze for a second as her eyes sharpened and her body tensed. Quickly zoning in on the threat she caught sight of the ragged figure making their way closer.

Natasha kept her eyes locked onto the target as they moved forward, taking all their features in. It was a girl, someone a few years younger than herself. With tight fitting black clothes that were ripped and ragged, she had her head down as she moved.

With her hands wrapped around her body, she didn't look like she was in good shape. Her body shook every few seconds as if they were a heavy drug addict, but it could have just been the cold wind. Having no sleeves on the black tank top she wore, it was the likely reason that she was shivering.

From where she stood Natasha could make out the mess that was her hair. With knots and strands all over the place it hadn't been combed or taken care of in a while she guessed. All up she looked a bit sickly from a distance; many wouldn't approach her if they passed on the streets. But that wasn't what grabbed her attention.

Her eye peeled as she just made out the small blotches on her skin and clothes, it was hard to tell with her clothes as it had dried, but for her skin it was a lot clearer. It was dried blood. Not just that, the sense of danger that Natasha felt as she first appeared was getting greater by the second.

Reaching behind her back to grab one of the guns tucked behind her back Natasha lowered it slowly hiding it behind her leg. As the girl got closer and closer Natasha moved to the side and gave enough distance that she had enough time to react to anything that could happen.

Watching her like a hawk, she started to hear the small words that came from the distraught girl. "Stop ... Trapped....Help....Safe...Home....Bench...Peter...Help....Protection." The warning bells in her head went into overdrive hearing the words, she almost froze when she heard Peters name.

'Was he in trouble? Did he need help? Had Hydra taken him and she had escaped?' By now the woman had passed her walking towards the bench she once occupied. Natasha could no longer ignore the woman as she made her way to the bench.

Her features turned frosty as she followed the girl back to the bench. She needed answers and if it had something to do with Peter, she would help him. Keeping the gun loosely by her side but ready for anything she started to close in on the girl that seemed to collapse onto the bench.

As she once again got closer to her, she could hear the small sobbing from the girl as she lay down on the bench. "Please Peter....I need your help...where are you." The shaking of her body got worse and worse as Natasha stopped her approach. Hearing the words she started to assess all the information she had before slowly placing her gun back.

Even though her instincts were warning her of how dangerous this 'girl' was they were both looking for the same person. Walking forwards so as not to aggravate the girl she raised her hands in a friendly manner and spoke before she got there.

"Hey!" Laura snapped her head upwards in her befuddled state. Her eyes were blurry and disorientated. She hadn't slept in the last 2 days and she kept hearing a voice in her head that was messing with her senses.

'Find him...Peter can help....Find the totem.' The voice whispered in her head again as she swayed to her feet. Natasha spoke once again to Laura. "Hey...I'm not trying to hurt you. I just want to talk. I'm a friend of Peter."

That got a reaction out of Laura as her face turned hopeful for a second. Even though she wanted to keep her guard up a bit with a total stranger she was too sapped of energy to put up a protest as she sunk back to the bench. Sitting next to her Natasha got a closer look at the girl. Her nose crinkled slightly at the smell that was coming off her, she hadn't showered in at least 2 days, she filed that information away for later. 'What happened to her?'

"Do you know where Peter is? Is he in trouble?" Natasha asked the first questions that came to mind and wasn't expecting the result. In her lucid state Laura only heard a bit of what Natasha was saying and that was. "Do you know... Peter is... in trouble?"

Laura felt a spike of power come to her weak body as she sprung to her feet facing the Red haired woman next to her. *Snikt* Releasing her claws on instinct Laura released a growl of anger and worry. "Where is he!"

Natasha dived to the side as she looked at the dangerous black claws that suddenly appeared from the girl's hands. Blood dripped to the ground as she rolled and grabbed both of her guns on the way up. Levelling them at the delirious girl, she stayed tense.

She felt the killing intent that was sent her way and didn't say a word. Not getting a response Laura blinked her eyes rapidly with the influx of adrenaline and growled even louder. "I won't ask again!" Entering an attack stance Laura prepared to pounce while Natasha fingered the trigger of her two weapons.

Just as things were about to explode it was as if all the energy was cut from Laura's body as she went limp and fell to the ground. Natasha stayed in her spot for a second her heart still pounding hard, it was like she was staring death right in the face for a second there, it was creepy how fast the feeling crawled up her skin.

She slowly edged a little closer and got a firsthand look at the claws retracting into the unconscious girls wrists. Natasha looked around the park one more time, making sure no one saw what happened before weighting her options. Giving the matter a few seconds of thought Natasha bent down and hoisted the girl over her shoulder.

She couldn't leave her in the park and she was looking for Peter! Whatever was happening with him, it wasn't good. It was time that Black widow got involved! 'Not just me, looks like it's time to get the avengers involved as well.'

She might have hesitated to call them in for something so little before, but remembering the blood lust from the girl and her claws, the matter had just got a whole lot bigger.

With Laura on her back Natasha made her way back to Stark tower.

Chapter end