Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

Chapter 97: The Clock Ticks

Peter swung through the city, the streets below him nothing more than a blur. His mind was a whirlwind, a mess of questions, doubts, and fears. Time manipulation? It was a concept he had only encountered in the most far-fetched comic book stories, and yet here he was, facing a villain who not only had the means to manipulate it but seemed to revel in it.

This can't be real, Peter thought as he dodged between buildings, narrowly avoiding a group of startled pedestrians below. Harry's got to be wrong, right? Time manipulation? That's crazy.

But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Mister Negative wasn't just some run-of-the-mill gangster or power-hungry criminal. His abilities had always been tied to the negative forces of the universe—darkness, decay, corruption. What better way to further his control than by manipulating something as fundamental as time?

Peter landed on a rooftop, looking out over the city. The dark clouds that had gathered earlier in the day now hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over everything. It was as if the city itself was holding its breath, waiting for something terrible to happen.

I can't do this alone, Peter thought again. If Mister Negative is really trying to mess with time itself, I need all the help I can get.

He pulled out his phone, tapping the screen quickly to send a message to Mary Jane.

"MJ, I need you to be careful. Something bigger's going on. Don't go out alone tonight. Trust me, please. I'll explain later."

He hesitated for a moment before adding a few more words.

"I love you."

A deep sigh left his lips as he pocketed the phone. She's going to be worried. She always is. But I don't have time for anything else right now. If I'm right about what Harry found—if Mister Negative is trying to manipulate time…

He felt a chill run down his spine. The consequences could be catastrophic. No, he couldn't let it happen.

Back at Harry's apartment, the young Osborn was working feverishly, flipping through pages of documents. The more he uncovered, the more he began to realize the full scale of Mister Negative's plans. There were references to ancient artifacts, ancient rituals, and symbols that made no sense at first glance. But Harry's years of experience with his father's business and his own dealings with dark forces over the years allowed him to piece together a troubling picture.

"Come on, come on," Harry muttered, tapping his fingers impatiently on the table as he sifted through a stack of old Oscorp files. "There has to be something here… something to explain this."

He picked up a piece of paper with an ancient-looking symbol sketched across it. It was the same symbol Peter had seen in Mister Negative's hideout. The same symbol that seemed to pulse with dark energy.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed. It was Peter.

"I've got to meet you. Soon. Can you come to the old warehouse by the docks? We need to talk."

Harry frowned, looking at the message for a long moment. Peter was always the one rushing into danger, always the one pushing for answers, no matter the cost. Harry knew that if Peter was asking him to meet at the docks, things were serious.

With a sigh, Harry grabbed his jacket and headed out.

Peter reached the warehouse just as the sun dipped below the horizon. It was an old, dilapidated building, long forgotten by most. The perfect place to meet without drawing attention.

He scanned the area, his eyes darting between the shadows, his spider-sense alert for any signs of danger. The sense of foreboding was stronger here than it had been earlier, like the darkness itself had a mind of its own.

Stay focused, Peter reminded himself. You need to find Mister Negative before this gets worse.

He swung into the warehouse, landing silently on the rafters. His eyes narrowed as he noticed a figure already standing in the middle of the room—someone cloaked in shadow. His heart skipped a beat.

"Peter," the voice came, smooth and dangerous. It was Mister Negative, his dark energy surrounding him like an impenetrable aura.

"I've been waiting for you," Mister Negative said with a smile, though it was more a sneer than anything. "I thought you'd come. You're not stupid, after all. You know what I'm after."

Peter didn't respond immediately. He had to think. This is bad. He's here, and he knows I'm coming. What does he want?

"I know what you're planning," Peter finally said, his voice steady but tinged with anger. "I don't know what you want with time, but I'm not going to let you do it. You won't get away with this."

Mister Negative's smile widened. "Oh, but I already have, Spider-Man. You just don't know it yet."

Peter's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"You think you're the only one who can manipulate the future? The only one who can change fate?" Mister Negative's voice was low, almost hypnotic. "No, Spider-Man. I've seen the threads of time, and I've been weaving them for years. Your time… it's running out."

The words hit Peter like a ton of bricks. He couldn't understand how Mister Negative could have such power over time—how he could even see it. But the cold certainty in Mister Negative's voice told him one thing: this wasn't just a mind game.

Mister Negative raised his hand, and the shadows around him seemed to deepen, stretching toward Peter, warping reality itself. The room spun as if the very fabric of time were being torn apart.

Peter stumbled backward, his spider-sense blaring, but the shadows closed in around him like a living thing. The energy that Mister Negative commanded was so overwhelming, so relentless, that Peter could barely focus enough to stay on his feet.

"You're too late, Spider-Man," Mister Negative said again, his voice now a distorted echo in the shifting space. "The clock has already begun to tick. I've set my plan in motion, and there's nothing you can do to stop it."

With a final wave of his hand, the shadows surged toward Peter, enveloping him entirely.

Outside, Harry arrived at the warehouse, his breath fogging in the chilly air. He stepped carefully inside, alert for any signs of trouble. It didn't take long for him to find Peter, surrounded by a dark energy that seemed to swallow the very light.

"Hurry up, Harry!" Peter's voice echoed from within the shadows, though he was barely visible. "You need to—"

Before Peter could finish, the shadows surged again, cutting off his words. Harry barely had time to react as he felt the ground beneath him shake. The reality around him seemed to warp and twist.

This was worse than he thought.

"Peter!" Harry shouted, stepping forward, trying to find his friend. "Where are you?"

But the darkness seemed to stretch, becoming endless, a nightmare that no one could escape from.

End of Chapter 97