Miles Morales: New Spider Chapter 14.

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I lay strapped to the cold, padded lab bed, my arms restrained by reinforced bands that held me firmly in place. A gum shield was clamped tightly between my teeth, its pressure digging into my gums. Above me, injectors hovered ominously, poised over the designated points on my body, waiting for the signal to begin. The sterile scent of antiseptics permeated the air, a reminder that every inch of this room had been meticulously scrubbed and sanitized. I glanced at the laptop on the far desk, its screen displaying my vitals in real-time, recording every heartbeat, every breath.

The countdown began on the screen, a digital clock ticking down the final seconds.

"5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Commencing."

I caught a glimpse of the injector out of the corner of my eye as it descended, piercing the skin on my neck with a cold, precise motion. A sharp sting shot through me, but it faded almost as quickly as it came. For a brief moment, there was nothing—no pain, no discomfort, just a strange, suspended calm.

Then, the agony hit.

If hell had a physical sensation, this would be it. My body convulsed violently against the restraints, muscles seizing as waves of pain surged through me. My screams were muffled by the gum shield, my teeth biting down hard enough to draw blood. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face, my vision blurring from the sheer intensity of it all. My nerves felt like they were being flayed, every inch of my body ablaze with unbearable heat. I thrashed against the bed, trying in vain to escape the relentless torment, my mind teetering on the brink of consciousness.

And then, everything went dark.

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How did it come to this? Let’s rewind a bit.

It had been a few weeks since my encounter with the monster. School had just closed for summer break, and I was waist-deep in enemy territory, going on patrols more frequently than ever. My parents were out of town, enjoying a vacation at a five-star resort—a trip they "won" in an online contest. Of course, that contest had been nothing more than a little hacking magic on my part. I made sure it was a two-person trip, so they wouldn’t insist on me coming along. I told them I’d be busy attending a science and tech camp, even setting up a convincing website with fake contact details and information.

It didn’t take much to get my dad to buy it; a quick call and a voice modulator took care of that. They were off, and I was free to focus on my real mission.

After weeks of research and sneaking around, I’d finally gathered enough intel on the crime boss, Hammerhead. He’d been the right-hand man of the previous boss, but after disappearing for a while, he’d come back and seized power, killing his former boss in the process. From what I’d uncovered, he’d made a deal with Oscorp, offering them human guinea pigs in exchange for enhancements that made him nearly invincible. The guy could take a bullet without flinching, thanks to whatever experiments they’d conducted on him.

That’s how I found myself clinging to the ceiling in camo mode, watching as Hammerhead and his goons planned their next move. They were discussing which territory to attack next and the logistics of delivering the latest "shipment" of people to Oscorp—innocent lives doomed to become lab rats. The clock was ticking; the transfer was scheduled for five days from now.

I waited for the perfect moment. When they switched shifts and the entire crew was gathered in one place, I made my move. Dropping a handful of smoke bombs into the room, I watched as the cloud of thick smoke began to spread, choking the air and obscuring their vision.

"What the hell is this?" one of them shouted, coughing as the smoke enveloped them.

With a flick of my wrist, I hurled my shurikens, taking out the lights and plunging the room into total darkness.

"They're here! Someone’s here!" another one shouted, panic edging into his voice. They huddled together, guns drawn, forming a defensive circle with Hammerhead at the center. At least they were somewhat organized.

I silently extended my arm and fired a web, yanking one of the men off his feet and up to the ceiling, where I knocked him out cold. The others began firing blindly in the direction of the noise, their bullets ricocheting off the walls.

"Come out and fight like a man, you bastard!" Hammerhead growled, his voice booming over the chaos.

I went invisible again, positioning myself in a far corner of the room. With a quick double shot, I webbed two more thugs, slamming them into the wall and knocking them unconscious.

"Bam! Bam! Bam!" The sound of gunfire echoed through the room, but I was already on the move.

'Maximum effort.'

I grabbed a nearby couch with my webs and used it as a makeshift battering ram, swinging it into the remaining goons and scattering them like bowling pins. I swiftly webbed up the ones who were still conscious, delivering precise kicks and punches to incapacitate them. One by one, they fell, until only Hammerhead was left standing.

He was different, though. My punches barely fazed him, and he took my blows like they were nothing. I had saved him for last on purpose.

Hammerhead shrugged off his coat and rolled up his sleeves, revealing thick, corded muscles beneath his white tank top.

"Really? You think this is some kind of standoff?" I taunted, trying to size him up.

He grinned wickedly, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of a challenge. I picked up a fallen rifle and pointed it at him.

"Let’s make this easy," I said, pulling the trigger. Bullets pelted him, but they barely penetrated his skin, embedding halfway before stopping. His bones had to be reinforced with something—maybe metal, maybe something worse.

"Smart move, kid," he said, wiping blood from his lip, seemingly unfazed by the gunfire.

Before I could react, Hammerhead flipped a switch, and suddenly the room was bathed in a harsh red light, illuminating me completely. He squinted at me, then broke into a grin.

"You're just a punk! I'm gonna enjoy hurting you, kid," he sneered, cracking his knuckles. "And after I’m done with you, I’ll find your family. I’ll make you watch while I—"

I didn’t let him finish. He charged at me, head down like a bull, moving faster than I expected.