“Norton G. Fester,” the judge states, “you are charged with grand theft and reckless endangerment. How do you plead?”
Spider-Man crouches high above, on the outside of a window, perched on the ledge.
If he says not guilty...Norton’s lawyer stands. “My client pleads not guilty your honor.”
What the...?!“Very well,” the judge says. “Opening statement?”
The lawyer continues, “The culprit wore a full body costume with no skin visible and did not remove his costume at all during the heist. Point two was he was apprehended by a vigilante who also wears a costume that shows no identifying marks. It is our belief that this vigilante... this Spider-Man fled the bank as the Looter, then changed costumes and found my client nearby, framing Mr. Fester.”
Spider-Man crouches there, shocked.
Gee, this lawyer could give Jonah a lesson in smearing my name. Suddenly, a strange tingling sensation comes over our hero.
Spider-sense!Spidey leaps from the ledge just in time to miss some kind of blast.
What the heck? Where’d that come from? wonders Spidey, clinging to the side of the courthouse.
Then, the green armored Scorpion crawls around from the other side of the courthouse, using his gauntlet claws to cling to the wall.
“And who are you?” questions Spider-Man. “Let me guess, armor-plated lizard-lord? Can I call you Lizzie for short?”
A roar screams from Scorpion’s throat as he fires another blast from his tail, Spidey barely avoiding it. “I’m the Scorpion! The man who killed Spider-Man!”
Spidey, swinging to another building says, “Killed? Am I dead and nobody told me?”
“Joke while you can!” screams Scorpion as he lunges at Spidey.
The amazing Spider-Man leaps out of the way a just in time, and sees the Scorpion smash straight through the brick wall.
Okay, this guy’s dangerous and it looks like he has a grudge against me. Hmmm, have I faught any scorpion’s in my short career? wonders the wall-crawler as he swings to a construction site across from the courthouse.
The Scorpion, following, says, “You’re mine, Spider! I was designed as the perfect weapon against you!”
“Awww, I never knew anyone cared enough to design a killing machine to get me1"
“ROOOAAARRRR!!!” screams Scorpion, slashing his tail at Spidey.
Spider-Man flips and somersaults out of the way, avoiding the tail. “Mind if I ask who my admire is?”
The Scorpion swings his tail at Spidey’s head, which Spidey barely ducks. “Sorry, mercenary/client privilege.”
“Oooo, so professional,” Spidey quips. “Gotta love a professional thug.”
Scorpion then claws at Spidey, slashing his chest.
“Hey, these costumes aren’t cheap!”
“Sue me,” Scorpion says, blasting at Spidey’s feet. When the hero leaps up, he’s met with the Scorps tail hitting him hard. “Any last words?” Scorpion asks, leaning close to Spidey’s face, his tail against Spidey’s neck.
“Yeah,” Spidey starts, “could you please brush your teeth?”
The fury in Scorpion is evident, but before he can strike, both hero and villain hear a loud whistling noise. A certain meteor rocketing for them.
The two both leap out of the way as the meteor hits. Dust and sand flies up in the air as the ground shakes.
When Spider-Man regains his bearings, minutes later, he notices Scorpion has fled and his costume is covered with grit and soot and torn all over.
“Wandaful,” Spidey says. “Guess I’ll have to get another costume,” and he swings off, his thoughts filled with questions about Scorpion’s benefactor.
Across the street, Norton Fester leaves the courthouse a free man. As he heads to hail a cab, he feels an odd pull to the construction site. He heeds the call.
*
