章 401: C401 Help?

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As the group stepped into the dimly lit Undercroft, the portal snapping shut behind them, they found themselves surrounded by an eerie silence. Everyone's attention immediately turned to the assortment of cells imbedded into the cave wall, each holding a different villain from various universes.

Before anyone could say or do anything, Peter waved his hand, conjuring a portal beneath Sandman's feet. "Ugh!?" The villain grunted in shock as he dropped.

The trapped villains watched with curiosity as Sandman was deposited into a cell next to them, enjoying the bewildered look of betrayal that filled their neighbors face.

Sandman banged on the glass of his cell, his frustration evident as he thrashed and shouted. The other villains glanced at him, some chuckling sarcastically.

Eddie Brock, his maniacal grin widening, taunted, "Welcome to the party, Sandy! Looks like you're in good company now."

Doc Ock chimed in with a smirk, "Seems like our little gathering is growing by the minute. Quite the reunion, isn't it?"

The only one who wasn't saying anything was Norman Osborn, who seemed to be in some sort of brain fog, like an elderly man with dementia. "W-Where am I..." He kept muttering to himself in confusion.

As Sandman continued to protest and bang on the glass, Tom turned to Peter with a shocked expression. "What are you doing? Let him out! He surrendered!"

Peter's gaze shifted from the trapped villains to Tom, his expression filled with exasperation. He shook his head, rolling his eyes at Tom's request. "I understand that he surrendered, but we can't afford to take unnecessary risks. Sandman was obviously a villain in his universe, and neither of us can guarantee that he won't turn on us."

Tom's face contorted with conflicting emotions. He understood Peter's reasoning, but a pang of guilt washed over him. He had promised Sandman that they would work together to send him home.

"But we made a promise to him," Tom argued, his voice laced with uncertainty. "I can't just betray his trust like that..."

Peter sighed, his gaze shifting back to Sandman, who continued to rage inside the cell. "I'm not saying we won't help him. But it's best to keep him safely detained while we figure things out. He's not a scientist nor is he a Master of the Mystic Arts who can help us send everyone back. We need to prioritize everyone's safety."

Tom's conflicted expression remained, but he could see the logic in Peter's words. He glanced back at Sandman, whose shouts had turned into bitter insults. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted you... Let me out... I'll f*cking kill you!"

The guilt weighed heavy on Tom's shoulders, but he knew he had to make a difficult decision.

Reluctantly, Tom nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Okay. You're right. We'll keep him locked up for now."

Sandman's shouts of betrayal grew louder as Tom's words reached his ears. He called Tom every name in the book, his anger boiling over. Tom winced, his heart aching for the man he had just fought against. But he knew deep down that Peter's decision was the right one.

Peter stepped closer to Tom, placing a hand on his shoulder in a gesture of support. "I know it's hard. But we'll find a way to help him. We just need to keep everyone safe while we do it."

Of course, the underlying meaning behind that was clear. Peter wouldn't allow Tom to release the villains as his counterpart did in the movies, which subsequently lead to the death of his only living family member.

But that doesn't mean they can't help them...

Tom nodded again, a mixture of determination and sorrow in his eyes. "I won't let Sandman down. We'll find a way to make this right."

With a final glance at Sandman's raging form, Tom vowed to get him back to his daughter as he promised.

(A/N: My man wants to send a villain with obvious anger issues back to his young daughter. What could possibly go wrong?)

Peter watched the caged villains in curiosity. Each of them a product of either their own idiocy or just plain bad luck, though hopefully, they would be able to help. His attention, however, was soon drawn to Flash Thompson, the disguised Venom. Peter's suspicion lingered, and he knew he couldn't let his guard down.

After all, Flash never joined them in the movie, which means either something simply changed to spark his decision, or someone behind him was up to something.

'Is it Venom or another villain?' He wondered in interest.

Unbeknownst to Flash and everyone else in the room, Peter discreetly cast a reverse protection spell on him, a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of everyone around him.

The spell would prevent Flash from causing harm, freezing him in place should he attempt to attack anyone, while also keeping track of his movements. It was a delicate balance, as the spell had the potential to turn lethal if Flash's struggle surpassed a certain threshold of strength. Peter hoped it wouldn't come to that though.

As Peter completed the spell, MJ, Aunt May, Lily, and the other Spider-Men came walking down the stairs. MJ walked up to Tom, her eyes filled with concern. "Is everything okay? I saw the news and... I had to come."

Tom gave her a reassuring smile, placing a hand on her arm. "Yeah, everything's under control. We just captured another one. That's all."

MJ's relaxed, a mixture of relief and guilt filling her gaze. "I just wish that I could be out there with you..." She muttered under her breath.

MJ has always wanted to help Tom however she could, but recently, she found out that another version of herself was an actual superhero. Now, she wants nothing more than to get out there and fight beside her boyfriend, but sadly, that was unlikely to happen anytime soon. If not ever.

Tom frowned, unsure how to comfort her. 'I need to find a way to do what Peter did...'

Tobey approached Tom, a genuine smile on his face. "You did great out there. I saw your fight with Sandman on the news. It reminded me of some of my own battles."

Tom's face lit up at Tobey's words, his admiration for the older Spider-Man evident. "Thank you. Coming from you, that means a lot."

Just as the group started to settle, Norman Osborn's voice broke through the tense atmosphere. "Tobey? Tobey, is that you? Please, I need your help!" (A/N: He would technically call him Peter, but we're trying to avoid confusion.)

Everyone turned their attention to Osborn, who appeared disoriented and lost. His voice trembled with confusion as he struggled to grasp his surroundings. "I don't... I don't know where I am. I keep forgetting things... Sometimes, I'm not myself, and whenever he's in control... I can't remember... I-I don't know what's going on with me..."

Tobey's brows furrowed, his skepticism surfacing. He knew firsthand the manipulative nature of the Green Goblin, and he couldn't trust Osborn's words. "Nice try, but I'm not falling for that again..."

The last time Norman tried that trick, Tobey almost ended up skewered by a very sharp glider. He wouldn't fall for the same trick twice.

As he was about to continue and warn everyone of the Green Goblins manipulation, Aunt May stepped forward, her voice firm but compassionate.

"Spider-Man helps people. No matter who they are or what they've done. If someone needs help, then we should help," she reminded him, her eyes filled with unwavering determination. "And he obviously needs help... Maybe they all do..."

Everyone looked around the room, eyeing the villains, wondering if she was right.

Tobey's gaze shifted between Aunt May and Osborn, torn between his better judgment and the need to help anyone that comes his way. After a moment of contemplation, he reluctantly turned to Osborn. "I don't know if I can trust you, but if there's a chance to help fix whatever you did to yourself, to bring back the man you were before, then I'll do it."

Osborn's face brightened with a glimmer of hope as Tobey's words reached him. "Please, you have to believe me. I'm not in control. Something's wrong with me... with my mind."

Andrew, who had remained quiet until now, stepped forward, his voice filled with certainty. "Gwen and I have cured the Green Goblin in my universe. If it's the same serum that's affecting Osborn here, then I might be able to help. We can try to reverse its effects, bring him back."

Tobey's gaze shifted to Andrew, his expression a mix of relief and gratitude. He nodded, placing his trust in Andrew's words. "If you think there's a chance, then let's do it. But we stay cautious, just in case."

As the group prepared to assist Osborn, Lily watched from a distance, her young eyes filled with curiosity. She tugged at her father's sleeve, drawing his attention. "Dad, why are they helping the bad guys?"

Peter looked down at Lily's, his voice gentle. "Sometimes, people make mistakes or get hurt, and they end up doing bad things. But it doesn't mean they can't change or that they don't deserve a chance to be helped. In fact, I've done this with a few people back home. For example, Abomination is currently an Avenger."

"What?!" Tom nearly jumper out of his suit, shocked to hear that the monster, who fought the hulk and nearly destroyed the entire city somehow became an Avenger. "How the hell did you manage that?"

As Peter gave him a brief explanation, Tobey turned to Andrew. "Do you have an Abomination in your universe?" He asked curiously.

"No..."

...

As everyone was talking, throwing out ideas on how to help Norman and the other villains, Doctor Strange paced down the stairs, an odd looking cube in hand.

A/N: 1653 words :)

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