Chapter 68: Kill Them All - Part 7

What do I do?

What the hell am I supposed to do?

Somebody… somebody tell me.

I beat the crap out of Cletus Kasady while he was bonded with the symbiote… and burned Carnage to death. That part went fine.

But then Redcap and Venom… they tried to kill Kasady, and everything went to hell.

That girl who was bonded to the symbiote—she was just a kid… and Harry Osborn’s trying to protect her.

And then, and then…

Black Widow?
Winter Soldier?

They’re Avengers.

I can’t just laugh it off and say, “Hey, fancy seeing you again.” Not this time.

The only reason I beat Widow before was because Redcap had already hurt her. I’ve got no shot against her in one piece.

Because me? I’m… just a bank robber.

A weak, two-bit bank robber.
A small-time crook.

I’ve got no business going up against world-saving heroes.

I know that.

There’s nothing I can do.

Knives clash in front of me—sparks flying.

It’s too fast for me to see. All I can register is the sound and the light.
Winter Soldier and Redcap are going at it.

But… Redcap’s getting pushed back. He’s not at his best.

His arm… it’s gone.

Over by the wall, that severed arm’s lying there. Blood pooling into a deep, dark red puddle. It’s the kind of sight that makes you want to look away.

He might actually lose.

But that guy with the metal arm, and that spy-movie-looking woman… they said they were going to restrain Redcap. They’re heroes. They’re not gonna treat him too badly.

So… I should run.

While they’re fighting like that, I could slip away without anyone noticing. That’s how I’ve stayed alive this long.

…Fisk already sprung me from prison once.
But a second time?

What then?

Fisk doesn’t cut slack for dead weight. I’ve seen plenty of people get “dealt with” by him.

Am I… gonna get killed too?

I don’t know. But there’s no point walking into danger on purpose.

This whole mess started because they decided to fight over killing Kasady.

Killing a helpless guy just because you feel like it—that’s not the job.

That’s crossing the line.

We’re scum who live outside the law, but even we have lines you don’t cross.

Letting your emotions run wild and killing someone… that’s just murder. Lower than scum. No different from Kasady himself.

So, there’s no reason to help Redcap anymore.

…No reason at all.

I’m looking for one.

Some part of me knows it’s stupid—wanting to help him.

He’s stronger than me.
But he’s a minor… a kid.

He crossed a line I can’t forgive. But he didn’t do it out of malice. He’s just been stuck in places that twisted him until he broke.

Helping him won’t get me anything.
But still…

Still…

He needed me.

Me—the weaker one.
Me—the pathetic, cowardly one.

From the moment we first met, he’s been like that.

Back then.
When we fought Captain America.
When we fought Cletus Kasady.

He needed me.

Even though he’s way stronger.

Even though he’s way younger.

…Like a flower that’s wilted with time.

That flower I took home from the vase when I got out of the hospital.

Couldn’t bring myself to toss it. So, out of character as it was, I looked up how to press it.

Now it’s sealed under a label full of air bubbles—an ugly little flower bookmark.

I don’t even read books…

But that clumsy bookmark… somehow wedged itself into my heart.

“…Heh… heh-heh…”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

I used to think I was the most important thing in my life.

Because… the most important thing I ever had… is already gone.

I used to believe the only things I could trust were myself… and money.

That’s how it was supposed to be.

…So why the hell am I like this?

“This is… this is just pathetic.”

I wrap my hand around the grip on my gauntlet.

It was just a tool once.
An invention to punch holes in a bank vault.

But right now… it’s my weapon.

“Damn it… when the hell did I get this stupid?”

…What do I do?

I can’t beat the Winter Soldier.

Somehow… I need to throw him off.
Find something to distract him.

Think, damn it.

Think, think, think.

I’m Herman Schultz—the genius.
I’ve always found a way out.
I’ve made inventions that no one else could make.
I’ve done things no one else could pull off.
I’m strong, I’m smart.

So come on… give me something.
Some kind of brilliant idea.
Come on, me.

…I glance to the side.

The teenage girl’s on the ground, gasping for breath.
Harry Osborn’s right there with her.

…Redcap cared about that kid too, didn’t he?

That’s why this idea’s guaranteed to make him hate me.
To disappoint him.

But I can’t think of anything else.

Knives clash again.

“Tch!”

In the burst of sparks, the Winter Soldier—Bucky Barnes—lashes out with his cybernetic arm.

I block his punch with my knee guard—

“Ghh—!?”

—but I can’t stop it.

The guard shatters, and I hit the ground hard.
The underlayer beneath it is exposed—black, bullet- and blade-resistant fabric—already soaking through with blood.

“Hah… hah…!”

My breathing’s ragged.
Too much strain on my healing factor.
Too much damage to my body.
Too much blood loss.

Everything’s piling up, and now my body’s screaming at me.

“It’s over.”

Bucky’s voice hits my ears.

Calm. Not bragging about his win.
Just stating the fact.

This fight… is my loss.

Why did it come to this?

What was the cause?

Is it because I don’t have the vibranium suit?
Because I lost my arm?

No.

It’s because I got greedy.

Because I tried to kill Cletus Kasady here and now.

He’ll escape prison again.
He’ll kill someone again.

Carnage isn’t dead.
It’s bound deep into his blood, and it’ll come back.
I know that.

…But Spider-Man wouldn’t allow it.

I know him.

He understands the value of life.
The weight of the sin of taking it.

He doesn’t want anyone to die.
He doesn’t want anyone to kill.

He fights because he’s lost someone precious, made an irreversible mistake… and he doesn’t want anyone else to suffer like that.

He’s always fought for that.

I know that.
I know it well.

That’s why… I like him.

…I knew this choice would mean fighting.

And this is what it got me.

Coughing up blood, one hand pressed to the ground.

“Don’t worry. ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’ isn’t a bad place. Your crimes will—”

“Not happening.”

I lift my head and meet Bucky’s gaze.

He doesn’t understand.

…The difference between a man who was brainwashed into killing without awareness—
and someone like me, who’s sacrificed others just to survive.

We are nothing alike.

“I… can’t be on your side…”

A hero is someone who can save others.
A villain is someone who sacrifices others.

That’s why I’m a villain.
What face could I possibly show to become a hero now?
I can’t.

“…Someday, you’ll change your mind. For now, I’ll have to restrain—”

…Out of the corner of my hazy vision.

I see Gwen’s face.

And Harry’s…

A loud crash—Harry’s body is sent flying.

What the hell?
Was that… a shockwave?

Herman?

Bucky’s eyes dart toward Herman.

Even Spider-Man and Black Widow… stop fighting.
Even Venom pauses to watch.

Herman’s got a grip on Gwen’s shoulder—
and he’s pressing the gauntlet’s muzzle to her head.

…What is he doing?

What the hell is he doing?

The blood in my head surges, boiling.

“Winter Soldier—don’t you move a damn inch. One step and I blow her head clean off… Harry Osborn! Same goes for you—stay right where you are!”

Harry starts to stand… and freezes.
Bucky’s glaring at Herman.

…Gwen’s limp in his grasp.

“…Herman, what… are you doing?”

I glare at him too.
If looks could kill… Herman would already be dead.
That’s how hard I’m staring.

“…Just get over here, Redcap.”

“I never… asked you to save me…”

“That’s not the point! Just get over here—now!”

…I glance at Bucky.

That guarded expression—he’s already working out how to rescue her.

I force my battered body to move, stepping toward Gwen and Herman.

“Let her go… now.”

“…You think I wanna do this? I don’t. But it’s the only way we get out.”

“…”

This guy…

No—
It’s not Herman’s fault.

Right. Herman’s not the type to take hostages.

If he’d been alone, he could’ve ditched me and gotten away clean.

…So this is my doing.

My mistake.

I can’t put this on Herman.

“Move out.”

“…Got it.”

Herman turns the gauntlet toward Bucky—

The shockwave hits before Bucky can react, blasting him backward.

“Bucky!?”

Black Widow’s eyes go to him as he crashes.

“One more shot.”

Herman fires again—
this time over Black Widow’s head.

The roof collapses, stones raining down toward her.

“Look out!”

Spider-Man dives forward without hesitation, wrapping his arms around Black Widow and rolling with her—
just as the collapsing roof crashes down where they stood.

…Well, they’ll be fine.

Neither of them is the sort of fragile human who’d die under a bit of rubble.

Venom glances at us for a moment… then runs off, eyes full of pure contempt.

Probably because beating Spider-Man through someone else’s interference wouldn’t satisfy him.

And—he’s not the type to stomach something as cowardly as taking a hostage.

Cassidy… must’ve been hit in the head by falling stone; he’s bleeding and unconscious.

Still, he’s probably not dead.

…Right now, I could kill him.

No one’s here to get in my way.

“Forget him.”

I’m staring at Cassidy when Herman cuts in from the side.

…Right. I’m the one being helped here.

I should listen.

Still holding Gwen, Herman turns on his heel and heads for the church exit.

I follow.

…And there, lying in the road, is my severed arm.

Regrowing a limb with my healing factor takes far too long—

long enough that Peter, Gwen, or Ned might notice.

If that happened… I couldn’t stay with them anymore.

But reattaching a cut-off arm… that can heal in less than half a day.

So I need this arm.

If I’m going to keep being Michelle Jane… I have to have it.

Luckily, Carnage’s claws were sharp; the cut is clean.

It’ll reattach easily.

…Yes, maybe Tinkerer’s place will have medical equipment.

At least enough for stitching, binding—whatever it takes to keep it in place.

“…You know any good places to lay low?”

“Yeah, in that case—”

My words are cut short—

by the sound of flesh being pierced.

“…Ah?”

Blood seeps from Herman’s mouth.

He looks like he doesn’t understand what just happened.

“H… Herman?”

Herman drops to his knees, releasing Gwen.

He slumps to the ground.

“Hey—hey, Herman!”

“Ghh… gff…”

He coughs up blood—far too much for him to breathe.

I turn my head—

“Hah… hah…”

Harry stands there, breathing hard.

He’s staring at us in a daze.

His hands are empty.

I look at Herman’s back—

A black, bat-like blade is buried deep—

piercing right through his suit.

Blood flows freely.

“Herman…?”

With a dull thud, Herman collapses.