RED
—————
- A few days later -
Thursday
With one final swing, the swift motion carrying me upward, I landed lightly with my feet on top of the Empire State Building's observation deck. The wind whipped around me, sharp and cool, tugging at the fabric of my suit as walked toward the railing. The city stretched out below, a sprawling maze of lights and movement, alive and humming with energy even at this late hour.
Reaching the edge, I lowered myself down, sitting with my legs dangling over the ledge. My gaze swept across the skyline, the towering buildings and busy streets forming a picture that never failed to amaze me. As I reached up to pull off my mask, the cool air rushed against my face, refreshing and grounding all at once. I inhaled deeply, feeling the icy breeze fill my lungs.
It had been five days since my date with Chloe, and honestly, I couldn't imagine things being any better. My chest felt lighter every time I thought about her—her smile, her laugh, the way she had said yes, Red. I had an amazing girlfriend who made me feel like I could take on anything, hadn't received any new mysterious notes to stress over, and had been absolutely crushing it as The Red Spider. The city felt safe under my watch, and for once, everything seemed to be going perfectly.
The thought brought a quiet smile to my face as I leaned back slightly, savoring the rare stillness of the night. But just as I was starting to relax, my thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the distant sound of sirens. The sharp, wailing noise cut through the night air, growing louder as it echoed across the city.
My instincts immediately kicked in. I pulled my mask back over my face, and without a moment of hesitation, I leapt into the air, letting gravity carry me downward before I fired off a web to the next building. The familiar rush of movement surged through me as I swung away, the noise of the sirens guiding me toward the trouble ahead.
The sound of sirens grew louder as I swung closer to the source of the commotion. The streets below were a blur of flashing red and blue lights, joined by the screeching tires of a black SUV speeding recklessly down the avenue. Police cars trailed close behind, weaving through traffic, their drivers shouting orders into radios as pedestrians scrambled to safety.
From my vantage point above, I could see the SUV barreling through intersections without hesitation, narrowly avoiding collisions and leaving chaos in its path. It wasn't just reckless—it was dangerous, and it was clear the chase needed to end before someone got seriously hurt.
I took a deep breath, firing off a web to the next building and angling my trajectory to intercept.
The SUV hurtled down the street, the engine roaring as it sped toward the upcoming intersection. With a swift movement, I shot out a web, aiming for the rear axle. The thin line of silk connected perfectly, and with a sharp tug, I pulled the back end of the vehicle sideways. Tires squealed as the SUV spun out of control, sliding into the curb and narrowly missing a lamppost before coming to a grinding halt.
For a split second, I was pretty satisfied with my job—until the consequences of my actions hit me.
The force of the stop had knocked over several parked cars, their bumpers dented and windows shattered. A fire hydrant erupted nearby, sending a geyser of water into the air. Trash cans lay scattered across the sidewalk, their contents spilled into the street, and one of the pursuing police cars skidded into a mailbox in its attempt to brake. The street was a total mess.
I jumped down from the building and landed near the now-disabled SUV, ready to assess the situation. The vehicle's occupants—a pair of masked men—were climbing out, clearly dazed from the crash. I quickly webbed them both to the side of the car before they could make a run for it.
