The Princess and the Spider-Man

Chapter 30

"I should've just taken her down right then and there!" Mera screamed as she paced back and forth on a roof. Spider-Man just sat on a little space to the side as Mera did her little tirade, still thinking about how to handle Li with the Devil's breath.

"Mera, we have more important things to worry about than Sable." Spider-Man getting up and putting a hand on her shoulder. He could feel Mera's tense muscles underneath his fingers. But they relaxed at his touch, and Mera turned to face him.

"You're right. I'll focus on payback with her later for kicking you." Mera said sternly. "So how are we going to find Li, let alone stop him?" she asked with a worried look on her face.

"I am not quite sure." Spider-Man said, rubbing the back of his head in thought. He then got a phone call from his mask a second later.

"Spider-Man? Hello? Is this thing working?" came Dr. Michaels' voice.

"Dr. Michaels?" Spider-Man asked, in shock. Spider-Man then set the call to go to speaker for Mera to hear, as she was very attentive when he said Michaels' name. "How are you calling?" he asked.

"Borrowed one of Sable's radios." Michaels answered. "Listen; transit hubs are the most likely release points for Devil's Breath. Airports, bus terminals, train stations. It'll spread like wildfire from there."

"Why would Oscorp be developing a weapon such as Devil's Breath in the middle of the city?" Mera asked.

"Yeah, they should have made it in an arctic bunker, or somewhere  else more secure and away from large amounts of people." Spider-Man claimed.

"Oh.....I see that your friend is listening as well." Michaels commented.

"Yes, now can you answer our question?" Mera asked, quickly growing impatient.

Dr. Michaels cleared his throat before speaking. "Devil's Breath is personal for Norman. It's been his obsession for decades. The project breaks every state and federal regulation on the books, but he doesn't care." he said.

Spider-Man then got a little flashback of what Dr. Octavius was saying about why he left Oscorp, and that something that Norman did was considered in Otto's mind..."unethical." This must have been what Otto was referring to.

"If the city finds out, he can kiss re-election good-bye." Spider-Man said.

"Never mind re-election. He'd be tried in the Hague for war crimes." Michaels said.

"Why are you telling us this?" Mera asked. "Aren't you just as culpable as Osborn?"

"Yes. Completely." Michaels said with his voice full of regret. "But Li's actions have been a wake up call. We've ignored the project's risks for too long. I trust you Spider-Man and uh.........." he trailed off.

"Mera." said Mera sternly, wishing everyone would know her name right about now. 'I guess that's a negative for being an Atlantean princess.' she thought to herself.

"Well, I trust you Spider-Man and Mera. You're the only ones trying to do the right thing. Please, protect the city from out mistakes." he said, before hanging up.

"Well what do we do now?" Mera asked once again.

"Well....the first thing I'm going to do is to warn MJ about the Devil's Breath." Spider-Man, whipping out his phone.

"Aren't you two still not speaking to each other?" Mera asked.

"This is an emergency Mera. I'm sure that she-" Spider-Man's sentence was cut when he got a text message from MJ.

Party at GCT. Bring your best suit. - MJ

"Oh no." Spider-Man said with realization kicking in.