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The Red Queen Chronicles: The Secret	By : marvelmaster616 Category: Marvel Verse Comics > Spiderman Views: 8376 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don’t own Spider-Man, Mary Jane, the X-men, SHIELD, Cindy Moon, or Marvel and I am making no money off this. They are the property of Stan Lee, Marvel, and Disney. Please don’t sue.

Chapter List
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The Red Queen Chronicles: The Secret
Chapter 1: Escape and Reunion
AN: This story is based off my “The New Red Queen” series. Mary Jane Watson is the Red Queen and general manager of the Hellfire Club. Emma Frost is the White Queen. Jean Grey is the Black Queen and Cyclops is the Black King. Peter Parker is Spider-Man and romantically involved with Mary Jane. In terms of the overall timeline, this takes place after the events of “The Red Queen Chronicles: The Lost Son.”
Also, this story also brings Cindy “Silk” Moon into the mix. However, I’ll be tweaking some elements of her origin. Like I did with Mary Jane, some parts of her history are the same, but others are different and that will impact her character to some degree. You’ll see how as the story plays out.
‘These mean character thoughts or psychic communication.’
Disclaimer: I don’t own Spider-Man, Mary Jane, the X-men, SHIELD, Cindy Moon, or Marvel and I am making no money off this. They are the property of Stan Lee, Marvel, and Disney. Please don’t sue.
This fic contains graphic sexual content. If that offends you, please don’t read this story. As always, I urge everyone to leave a review. Send me your feedback via email at MarvelMaster616@hotmail.com or post a review. Also, to those who have supported this series and provided so many sexy ideas, I sincerely thank you. You know who you are. Enjoy!
Horizon Labs – Peter Parker’s New Office
“It’s official! Things are really looking up for me,” said Peter Parker proudly, “and for once, I’m not afraid of jinxing it.”
Those words sounded so strange coming out of his mouth. Then again, he had been getting used to them more and more lately. Ever since that fateful night he met Mary Jane Watson, who also happened to be a high-end prostitute at the time, his life had taken some amazing turns.
It wasn’t just restricted to having a smoking hot girlfriend with a high sex drive and kinky tastes. His life as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man had improved significantly, both with his personal life and his professional life. A big part of that improvement included a new job that promised to turn into a full-fledged career.
“Peter Parker, Director of Research and Development,” he said as he read over his new business card. “I like the sound of that. Sounds much more respectable than Photographer and occasional scapegoat for J. Jonah Jameson.”
In the comfortable setting of his new office, Peter soaked in the moment. Today marked the end of his first week at Horizon Labs, an up-and-coming tech company that had been making waves since Oscorp collapsed. For Peter, it was a dream job, working in a science lab and actually getting paid for the kind of work he’d been good at before he got superpowers.
In fact, he’d be getting paid a lot, much more than a freelance photographer. With his new salary, he could afford to live comfortably in New York City, take better care of his Aunt May, and still support his patrols as Spider-Man. Some of the work he did with Horizon might even do more good on top of his heroic exploits. It was a win-win on so many levels that Peter had a hard time believing it was real.
“Where should I set these, Mr. Parker?” asked Jonathan Lee, a young intern who had been helping him set up his office.
“Just leave it in the corner, Jon,” said Peter. “I’ll unpack it later.”
“Are you sure? It’s pretty heavy.”
“I can handle it. Don’t worry,” he assured the young man.
The young man nodded and set the heavy boxes up in the corner, using a dolly to move them. After stacking them next to a pile of other assorted boxes, he waved goodbye and left. The idea that people would be assisting him for once was still a new feeling, but one Peter could certainly get used to.
Not long ago, such an opportunity would’ve been too good to be true. Thanks to Mary Jane, good things had become a lot more common and not just in terms of how much sex he got. As Red Queen of the Hellfire Club, she’d gained quite a bit of influence and not just because a lot of people wanted to see her naked. By working closely with Emma Frost, developing contacts with SHIELD, and secretly supporting the superhero community, she had achieved quite a bit of power and remained intent on using it responsibly.
One way she exercised that power involved channeling the resources of the bad guys into more noble pursuits. After Oscorp collapsed, she worked with Emma Frost’s company to invest in other tech companies with less evil agendas. Horizon Labs had been a rising star, one that Emma helped fund after she took down Sebastian Shaw’s companies. It had been fairly low-profile, though, thanks to companies like Oscorp and Roxxon. With them out of the way, it finally had room to grow.
Horizon was basically everything Oscorp was not, run by an idealistic tech guy named Max Modell. Some called him a less eccentric version of Tony Stark, one who actually knew how to run a business. That was the biggest selling point for Peter. He’d actually applied for a job before he met Mary Jane, but they didn’t have any openings. With their recent expansions, though, they needed qualified science people and he fit the bill.
‘My own office, my own business cards, and steady salary that doesn’t require overpriced cameras. This is good…for me and for Spider-Man. I’m really moving up in the world and I didn’t have to resort to Norman Osborn-level tactics to do it. Uncle Ben would be proud.’
That feeling was extra satisfying as he placed a couple of framed pictures on his desk. One was an older photo of him, his Aunt May, and Uncle Ben when he was just a science nerd in grade school. In it, he looked so timid and uncertain. He had to grow up more than most and Uncle Ben played a major role in helping him every step of the way.
Then, he posted a picture of Mary Jane next to him. It was a simple photo, one that had her fully clothed and wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans. It still looked sexy as hell on her. The smile on her face made him smile too. She was a big reason why he had been able to grow so much lately. She was even partially responsible for getting him the job. She didn’t have to sleep with anyone – although, she did offer to at one point – but she helped him get an interview with Max, who hired him on the spot.
After signing on, he’d spent a week helping Max set up shop in a new lab complex not far from Empire State University. It had once been the site of an old Shaw Industries building, which gave Emma Frost and Mary Jane even more reasons to fund its demolition and redevelopment. The facility was almost up and running, his office being on a high floor for easy access via web-slinging. Some parts of the lab were already active and he intended to get to work soon.
First, he still had some unpacking to do. He was about to open the boxes that Jon had just delivered when he heard a knock at his door.
“Come in,” Peter said casually after setting Mary Jane’s picture aside.
The door opened and a young Asian woman who looked about his age entered. He didn’t recognize her, nor did he recall seeing her that morning during a meeting with the new employees. He sensed she was anxious. The fact she wore clothes that looked out-of-place for an office only added to that sentiment.
“Can I help you?” he asked her. “Are you here about the vending machines? Because I already told Max that nobody should pay more than a dollar for a can of soda.”
“Um…are you Peter Benjamin Parker?” she asked. “The same Peter who grew up in Queens, went to Midtown High School, and worked as a freelance Photographer for the Daily Bugle?
Peter was taken aback, somewhat. In his experience, people who knew that much about him after just meeting him was an ominous sign. His gaze narrowed on the woman, but kept his distance, remaining behind his desk and on alert, ready to use his spider-like agility at a moment’s notice.
“Yeah, that would be me,” he said, “although nobody has called me by my middle name since Kindergarten.”
“I’m sorry about that. Believe me, I don’t mean to creep you out, but I had to be sure,” she said, sounding every bit as awkward as him.
“Well, unless there’s another guy with that exact name who worked under J. Jonah Jameson for that long, I am the Peter you’re looking for. No need for the Jedi mind trick.”
“Star Wars references? Okay, you’re definitely the right Peter.”
The woman smiled, which put some of Peter’s concerns at ease. She remained very anxious though, looking around as though ninjas might attack at any minute. Having fought the Hand on more than one occasion, that wasn’t an unreasonable concern in New York.
She then closed the door behind her and approached him. As she came closer, Peter felt something unexpected. At first, it felt like his spider sense going off. However, it wasn’t going off like it usually did when danger was near. Rather than an alarm going off in his head, it was like an antenna receiving a strange message that he’d never sensed before in all the years since he got his powers.
“My name is Cindy Moon,” she said, now standing in the center of his office. “You probably don’t remember me, but we went to the same high school.”
“Midtown High? Well, if you didn’t give me a wedgie or shove me into a locker, then chances are we didn’t interact much.”
“We didn’t. In fact, this is the first time we’ve ever talked,” she said. “Not to creep you out or anything, but we kind of know each other.”
“What do you mean by kind of?” asked Peter suspiciously.
“I’d…rather not say it out loud. I’d rather let certain instincts do the talking.”
Peter was still suspicious, but nothing about Cindy came off as threatening. In fact, the more he looked at her, the more he sensed that he did know her to some extent. He remembered sharing a class with some Korean girl who played field hockey and talked about Pokémon video games, but he never got her name or talked to her much.
As she walked up to him, though, that buzzing in his head grew more intense. It still felt like it was coming from his spider sense, but it didn’t evoke the same survival instinct that usually protected him in battle. Instead, it triggered a different set of instincts…a much more sexual set of instincts.
‘My spider sense…it’s never done that before. This girl I think I know, but know I don’t know…she’s doing something to me. And I sense she senses it too.’
Upon reaching his desk, Cindy leaned over so that her face was only a few inches from his. It sent his spider sense into overdrive, among other things. His heart rate jumped, his breathing became ragged, and his pants became tight as his dick began to stiffen under her gaze. In her, he saw a similar reaction.
He’d been around Mary Jane long enough to recognize the look of a horny woman. However, in Cindy, he saw a unique kind of arousal…one that went beyond attraction, lust, or even affection. It was pure instinct, like unseen forces of nature were calling out to them and urging them to fuck. Much like the danger his spider sense often detected, it wasn’t something he could ignore.
“Just as I thought,” said Cindy. “It’s more intense than I expected.”
“I’m not sure what you’re referring to, Ms. Moon,” said Peter, “but I have a vague idea.”
“Then, let me save you the trouble of finding the words. Since time might be a factor, we’ll need to skip a couple steps.”
Then, in an act that perfectly complemented his growing instincts, Cindy leaned across his desk and kissed him hard on the lips. It wasn’t a soft, subtle kiss either. It was very much a hard, direct gesture that sent a clear message. They were going to have sex. They had an instinctual desire and they were going to feed it.
Peter didn’t resist. For reasons he didn’t understand, kissing Cindy Moon felt right, if not necessary. As he struggled to process what was happening, Cindy already seemed aware of the implications. Their lips still entwined, she crawled up on the desk, moving aside his pictures and papers. She then went to work unbuttoning his dress-shirt, demonstrating near-superhuman dexterity…another sign that there was plenty more to her than even his spider sense could detect.
After the last button was undone, Cindy promptly removed his shirt and threw it across the room. She then abruptly ended the kiss, locked her eyes with his, and removed her shirt, revealing in the process that she hadn’t been wearing a bra.
“Looks like you’ve skipped several other steps, as well,” Peter commented upon getting his first glimpse of her breasts.
“Which means you better get those pants off real fast,” Cindy said impatiently.
She kissed him again, also pawing his chest and pressing her breasts up against his. He immediately felt her erect nipples on his skin, hinting the extent of her arousal. Her arousal seemed to fuel his, as well, triggering an even stronger reaction with his spider sense. It overshadowed any inclination he might have had to make sense of what was happening. At that moment, all he wanted to do was fuck Cindy Moon.
As she hungrily kissed and caressed him, Peter undid his belt buckle and pulled down his pants. He made sure to remove his boxers as well, letting his growing erection pop free. Almost immediately, Cindy reached for it, grabbing it with one hand while latching onto his neck with another to draw him in closer.
“I’m so wet,” she told him breathlessly. “Please…I need your cock.”
“I need your pussy too,” Peter replied.
He usually had more colorful commentary during sexual moments. It was one of the many ways he spiced things up with Mary Jane. However, he had no such inclination. His spider sense just kept urging him to fuck the woman before him.
Heeding that urge, he grabbed Cindy by the hips and pulled her across the desk so that her legs hung over the edge. He then used his spider strength to elevate her slightly so he could remove her tattered jeans. In doing so, he found out that she hadn’t been wearing panties. Either she had a strange aversion to underwear or she’d come to his office expecting to get naked at some point.
“Wow,” said Peter as he took in her naked body. “You really are wet.”
“Less talking…more fucking,” said Cindy impatiently.
She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, showing some unexpected strength in the process. Peter hadn’t even stepped out of his pants or shoes yet, but there was no time. Cindy wanted sex. He wanted it too. Like a reflex that had already gone into motion, there was no stopping them. They were going to do it on his new desk.
Cindy skipped any further foreplay. Still holding onto his neck, she hooked her legs around his waist and drew him deeper into her intimate grasp. Peter got the message loud and clear. She wasn’t looking for affection. She was looking for sex.
His dick already fully erect, he guided his rigid flesh towards her pussy. As soon as he felt the tip brush against her moist folds, Peter thrust his hips forward and drove his dick into her. Cindy immediately let out a sharp gasp. Her inner folds were so hot and tight, surrounding his flesh in a blissful vice. She was so aroused and he was so hard. It was as though their bodies instinctively knew how to accommodate one another.
He didn’t take much time to savor it, though. As soon as he felt that hot tightness around his cock, Peter began moving his hips. Within moments, he was fucking Cindy good and hard, rocking the desk and her nicely-shaped breasts in the process.
“Yes!” she said as she clung to his neck. “This…is what I needed…what I hoped to feel.”
“Cindy…” was all Peter could get out, still confused, but too immersed in the feeling.
A steady succession of grunts and moans followed. Armed with the intimate skills he’d learned from many passionate nights with Mary Jane, Peter pumped his cock into Cindy’s eager pussy. Every time he thrust into her, he felt her tense her inner muscles, creating extra tightness and evoking extra pleasure.
Beyond the ecstasy, though, the buzzing in his head intensified. As he gazed at Cindy, he saw that same intensely-focused look that he saw whenever his spider sense went off. He was so aware of everything around him, as though time went in slow-motion while his every reflex felt heightened. Peter was so used to experiencing it during moments of danger, but not sex. However, the feeling was already growing on him.
Cindy, who seemed much less confused by what was going on, dug her nails deeper into his neck and kissed down his face. The way she nibbled around his ear-lobe, something really enjoyed his lovers doing during sex, hinted that she had some sort of strange insight…that she was somehow connected to him and not just sexually.
‘She knows how I like to be teased. She knows how I like to fuck, as well. Who the hell is this woman? And why the hell do I feel so drawn to her?’
Peter had a lot of questions, but little capacity to answer them. His primary focus was to just fuck Cindy Moon.
She seemed to share that intent, digging the balls of her feet into his lower back and rocking her hips in accord with each thrust. Peter shifted his grip to her butt, lifting her up off the table slightly so he could thrust into her at just the right angle. He was getting close and he wasn’t going to draw it out.
“Getting…close,” Peter grunted, the desk rocking harder with every thrust.
“Me too, Peter,” Cindy moaned. “The connection…I feel it too.”
He wasn’t sure what connection she meant, but Peter didn’t much care. He was ready to climax and every instinct in his body urged him to do so.
With Cindy still clinging to him, her pussy tensing mercilessly around his cock with every thrust, Peter delivered a few more thrusts before he went over the edge. At that moment, he set Cindy down on the desk again, her butt right on the polished wood, and squeezed her hips as he released a thick load of cum into her pussy.
As he let out a blissful grunt, Cindy climaxed as well. In fact, she climaxed so quickly after him that it was as though his orgasm were connected to hers. He felt it in the way she arched back, closed her eyes, and curled her toes under the weight of the pleasure. The way her pussy throbbed around his cock left no doubt. They had climaxed simultaneously, albeit not in the way he was used to with Mary Jane.
“The connection,” Peter found himself saying.
“Yeah…it’s as strong as I’d hoped,” Cindy said breathlessly.
Her body still shuddering from her orgasmic release, Cindy pulled Peter into another hard kiss. Whatever connection they had was more apparent with each passing second. Whether it was sexual or something deeper, something linked him to Cindy Moon and it grew with each passing moment.
After Cindy finished climaxing, their lips parted, but their naked bodies remained entwined. She still had a look of raw lust in her eyes. Peter, his spider sense still buzzing and his desires still strong, felt it too. As intense and direct as the feeling was, it only offered a taste of their connection and he already wanted more.
“That was good…real good,” said Cindy.
“Yeah…good,” said Peter in a daze.
“But why stop at good?” she teased. “Why don’t we put that strength to the test?”
Before Peter could ask for specifics, Cindy sprang into action, once again showing reflexes that seemed much faster normal, even for a very horny woman. Still standing behind his desk, his pants still around his ankles, the young Asian woman broke their embrace and pulled away from him.
Then, showing an agility even more impressive than her reflexes, Cindy flipped herself over so that her pussy was aligned with his face and his dick was aligned with hers. Peter, once again driven by a mix of instincts and lust, grabbed her by the waist and held her upside down so that they were essentially in an upright 69 position. Before he could even compliment her on her impressive acrobatics, she’d already grasped his dick with both hands.
“I’ll suck your dick. You eat my pussy,” Cindy said, as though they were exchanging snacks. “That sound fair?”
“Yeah…totally fair,” Peter said.
Never one to argue with perfect logic, he buried his face in Cindy’s pussy. She was still very aroused, her folds dripping with a mix of his cum and her feminine juices. She craved more sex every bit as much as he did and every basic desire urged him to give it to her.
As Peter went to work on her pussy, Cindy began sucking his cock. There was no hesitation, whatsoever. She immediately took in most of his length and began working her tongue along his shaft, paying special attention to his more sensitive areas. In no time at all, they established a perfect circle of oral sex. As he probed her folds with his tongue, she worked his cock in her mouth, getting it hard again with ease.
Cindy seemed oddly comfortable doing it upside down, as though it was a normal thing for her. Peter remembered how much trouble he’d had with Mary Jane when trying something similar. Even kissing upside down was a struggle for her. Peter suspected it had something to do with his Spider-Man powers, which made being upside down less disorienting. The fact that Cindy didn’t seem the least bit disoriented was intriguing, not to mention revealing.
‘She’s strong too…not to mention agile. I’ve seen plenty of strong, agile women and slept with a few. This, though…I wonder.’
Even in a state of determined lust, Peter’s mind began making connections. He wasn’t ready to jump to conclusions just yet. There were still more pressing desires before him.
He and Cindy kept giving each other simultaneous oral sex, holding her upside down and letting out a steady succession of muffled moans. Through shared lust and whatever other mysterious forces had drawn them together, Peter got fully aroused once more. His dick soon throbbed between Cindy’s lips, making it harder for her to take all of it in. He also felt a fresh round of feminine juices cover her pussy, hinting she was ready for more sex.
“Peter…I’m ready,” said Cindy after giving his dick one last lick.
“Me too,” said Peter intently.
He released her from his grasp. Then, through more superhuman reflexes, she landed on her feet again and turned around so that she faced away from him. Still guided by intense lust and the strong buzzing in his head, Peter finally stepped out of his pants so he could position himself behind her.
In just a few seconds, Cindy stood bent over his desk, holding onto the side with her perfectly round ass pointed at him. Peter, after kicking his pants to the side, grabbed onto her waist and aligned his cock with her pussy. Once ready, he thrust his hips forward and drove his hardened manhood into her hot depths.
“Ooh yeah!” Cindy moaned. “Harder this time, Peter! Do it harder!”
“I know what you want,” Peter said to her. “I don’t know how I know. I just…know.”
It made even less sense when he said it out loud, but that didn’t stop him from doing as she asked. With both feet now planted firmly on the floor, Peter rhythmically pounded his cock into her pussy. The wet smacking sounds of his pelvis colliding with her butt soon filled his office. A part of him worried that someone might hear, but he was too horny to concern himself.
Just like before, he fucked Cindy at a rapid, heated pace. He shifted his hands to her hips, clinging hard to her naked flesh for maximum leverage. With each thrust, she bucked her hips and tensed her inner muscles, adding extra heat to every motion. She also maintained a tight hold on the desk, rocking it hard with every movement.
There was little intimacy or affection. It was just sex in its rawest form, driven only by lust and the pursuit of pleasure. The sound of their flesh colliding echoed along with a steady stream of grunts and moans. The pace was more rapid, more so than Peter usually dared with Mary Jane or any of the other women he slept with. That was usually a precaution out of concern he might employ too much of his powers. However, Cindy was able to keep up, more so than any ordinary woman should have.
“Harder! Fuck me harder!” Cindy urged him.
“But…” Peter began, only to get cut off.
“I can take it!” she assured him. “Just…fuck me.”
Cindy said those crass words with such purpose, as though there was a greater agenda at work. Whatever it might have been, Peter opted to go with it.
Adjusting his stance a bit, he bent Cindy over a bit more and fucked her with more vigor. He really put his legs into it, rocking her body and the desk. She went with it too, her breasts now pressed up against the wood as she kept holding onto the edges.
Harder and faster, he pumped his cock into her pussy and she kept tensing her inner muscles with each thrust. That got him to the brink of orgasm with an efficiency that he rarely experienced outside his and Mary Jane’s hottest sex acts. If that was Cindy’s way of proving a larger point, then it was a hell of a way to make it.
“I’m…close again,” Peter grunted. “Just a little bit…ohhh fuck!”
As the feeling drew closer, he steadied the pace of his thrusting, clinging harder to her hips as he delivered the final round of motions. As soon as he entered that special domain, Peter closed his eyes and let out a deep grunt as he pushed his cock into the deepest recesses of her pussy and released another load of cum.
“Yes!” Cindy moaned. “I feel it too, Peter…just as I’d hoped.”
Just as before, she climaxed shortly after him. Her pussy contracted hard around his dick, coating it with her juices and taking in his manly fluids. It was so hot and tight, as though their bodies were in perfect synch.
Also like before, his orgasm was accompanied by another sharp buzzing in his head. Time slowed and his awareness expanded. Somehow, Cindy managed to keep up with him, her reflexes matching his when her their bodies shuddered from their sexual release. It shouldn’t have been possible, given what he understood about his powers and abilities. What he just experienced, though, left little room for doubt.
“You…felt that too,” Cindy said breathlessly, their flesh still entwined.
“Felt what?” asked Peter, still panting as well.
“You know what I mean, Peter.”
She sounded amused by his confusion. Peter still had questions, but found himself laughing none-the-less. Whatever just happened, he didn’t get the sense that it was dangerous. He also got the impression that Cindy was someone he could trust and not just because he just had sex with her.
As the implications set in, Peter withdrew his dick from Cindy’s pussy. He then let out a content sigh as he sat back in his desk chair, his legs still hot from his release. As he caught his breath, Cindy let out an equally-content sigh and rose up off the desk. Still naked, she leaned back on his desk and narrowed her gaze on him. She still had a strange grin on her face, like someone who’d just reunited with a long-lost friend or relative. Even though she was still a stranger by most measured, Peter already felt as though he knew her intimately and not just in a sexual sense.
“So…” Peter said, trying not to sound too goofy.
“So indeed,” Cindy replied, sounding just as bemused. “For both our sake, try not to make sense of it…not yet, anyways.”
“That won’t be too hard,” he said. “Believe it or not, this is not the first time a beautiful woman asked me to fuck her on an office desk.”
“No need to brag, Peter. I do believe you. I know all about your sexual adventures. You’ve had quite an active social life lately.”
“It’s a little disconcerting that you know all that,” said Peter.
“I know,” Cindy said, “and I totally understand. I promise to be just as transparent with you. I’ll tell you anything…my first kiss, the first time I had sex, and even the time I got caught masturbating in the shower by my brother.”
“You…don’t have to be that transparent.”
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes. I really need you to trust me, Peter. You’re probably the only person on this planet who can help me.”
“Why is that? What’s so special about me?”
Cindy just laughed and so did he. Considering the life he lived, the job he had, and the people he’d encountered, even Peter couldn’t keep a straight face when he said that out loud. He still had to at least pretend he didn’t live a life that included superpowers, masked vigilantes, and dating a former prostitute. He must have done a lousy job because Cindy didn’t buy it.
“Peter, you’re smart enough to get a job at Horizon Labs. You should be smart enough to know the many answers to that question,” Cindy said, shaking her head in amusement. “I’m trying to be careful with what I tell you because I don’t want this to be more awkward than it needs to be.”
“Cindy, we’re both naked and we just had sex. I think we’re way past that point,” said Peter.
“Famous last words,” she said. “Maybe this will help.”
Cindy, still sitting on his desk, turned towards the corner of his office where his discarded pants had landed. She then pointed her finger at it and, in an act that jolted Peter from the post-coital afterglow, fired a stream of webbing from her fingertips. Along with that all-too-familiar “thwisp,” the webbing attached to his pants, allowing Cindy to retrieve it with ease.
For a moment, Peter sat in stunned silence. His gaze kept shifting between the webbing and Cindy, who was smiling so awkwardly that it would’ve been hilarious if the implications weren’t so serious. His mind was already racing with possibilities.
This woman had spider powers. It answered a few burning questions, namely how she affected his spider sense and why her reflexes had been so refined during their sex. However, it also posed a whole host of distressing questions that probably had equally distressing answers.
“Before you start panicking, let me fill in some blanks,” Cindy said before Peter could freak out. “Yes, I have powers like you. Yes, I know you’re Spider-Man. No, I’m not going to tell anyone. And yes, I really need your help. When you find out who’s involved…well, I think you’re going to want to be fully clothed for this.”
Years Ago – Midtown High Field Trip
“Ow! The hell?” exclaimed Cindy Moon upon feeling a sharp sting on her ankle.
The anxiously teen instinctively bent down and slapped her ankle, only to see a spider jump off and scurry under a nearby table. She immediately shuddered. Cindy hated spiders. She didn’t consider herself a full-fledged arachnophobe, but they creeped her out and getting bit by one was not how she’d hoped to spend her day.
“That…stung more than usual,” she said. “I thought science labs were supposed to be clean.”
She kept scrutinizing the bite area. She picked a lousy day to wear sandals. Near as she could tell, it was no worse than a bee sting. She saw a reddish bump form and groaned. That was going to be unsightly for a while, but at least she could wear socks to cover it.
Cindy tried not to feel too concerned. Spider bites were very low on the list of things she had to worry about lately. Between school, field hockey, and having her first boyfriend, she had a lot going on. Going on a field trip to a science lab at Midtown High was supposed to be a reprieve. It gave her a break from spending half the day in class trying to maintain her perfect grade-point average or worrying about the last clash she had with her little brother, Albert. Cindy preferred to enjoy her breaks, as she got to enjoy so few.
She had already wandered off from the group, as she often did when she had a lot on her mind. She’d just introduced Hector to her family and she wasn’t sure whether it had gone well. Cindy didn’t get the impression that her parents hated him, but she didn’t get the impression they were taking their relationship seriously. Hector, to his credit, didn’t make it more awkward than it had to be, but there was plenty of room for improvement.
“Hey Cindy!” one of her classmates called out. “Try and keep up. We’re heading over to the Stark exhibit.”
That helped jar Cindy from her distracted state. Eager to brush it off, Cindy attempted to forget about the bite. The lab was crowded, swarming with workers and students from multiple schools. She couldn’t afford to wander too far.
As soon as she took her first step, though, a strange feeling overcame her. Suddenly, the sting from the bite turned into something much more…something that quickly consumed the rest of her body.
“Ugh! My head,” she groaned. “What’s going…”
That was all Cindy got out before everything started spinning. Still surrounded by swarms of students and staff, all of which looked too busy to notice her distress, she stumbled over towards a corner near the women’s restroom. With each step she took, the feeling got worse. She felt dizzy, jittery, and anxious. It was as though swarms of spiders were crawling all over her body.
‘Stupid spider! What kind of spider was that? Did…did I just get bit by some exotic species, or something?’
As her mind raced, Cindy began to panic. Everything around her started spinning. The world around her slowed down as every thought, feeling, and sensation accelerated, so much so that she struggled to keep up. Either that spider had been extremely venomous or her body was having an extreme reaction.
Cindy leaned on a nearby wall for support, feeling cold sweat break out all over her body. The stinging sensations continued to spread, surging through her skin and muscles like electricity overloading a wire. Looking down at her hands, she swore she saw some strange fluid seeping from her fingertips. At that point, she realized that might not have been an ordinary spider.
‘This doesn’t feel normal. What the hell is happening to me?’

As panic and shock set in, Cindy stood paralyzed for a moment. She wasn’t sure whether she should call a security guard or run to the nearest emergency room. Then, as she dreaded the implications, she felt a strange buzzing feeling in her head, like an alarm going off within her brain. With reflexes faster than she thought possible, she turned to see a man in an elder man in an overcoat approach her.
“Who’s there?” Cindy gasped.
“Take it easy there, kid,” he said. “Everything’s going to be fine, all right?”
“What do you mean? Are you a doctor? Or an expert on spider bites? Please tell me you’re at least one of those!”
“You’re not taking it easy. I saw what happened. I’ll get you through this. Here, settle down.”
The old man approached her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He then helped keep her upright as her legs failed her and she collapsed to the floor. Her head still buzzing and her senses in overdrive, Cindy looked up at the old man before her.
He didn’t look threatening, but too friendly either. He had snow white hair, a clean-shaven face, and dark eyes that seemed to make the buzzing in her head more intense. A part of her wanted to run away. Another part was afraid to leave. Cindy wasn’t sure which one to follow. The more she looked into his eyes, though, the more she sensed that she didn’t have a choice.
“You’re going to be okay, Ms. Moon,” he told her. “My name is Ezekiel Sims. I’m here to help you and protect you.”
“How do you know my name?” she gasped. “And what do you mean protect me?”
“If I saw what I think I saw, then there’s you’re in need of more than just help. Come with me. Let’s get you out of this place and in touch with your family. I suspect we’ll have plenty to discuss.”
Hellfire Club – Present Time
There were a handful of names that Peter Parker never liked hear in any context. Every time they came up, it was usually a prelude to something that put him, his loved ones, and countless innocent people at risk. That list included infamous names like Osborn, Fisk, and Octavious. One particular name, though, often inspired a unique set of complications.
“Ezekiel Sims,” Peter said with folded arms, not bothering to hide his frustration. “I know we’re supposed to respect our elders, but that guy is a walking exception.”
“Disrespect him all you want. Trust me. I have way more reasons to hate him than you,” said Cindy, not hiding the bitterness and hate she had for that man.
“I want to argue that, but after what you’ve told me…I mean, damn! That old fart has really raised the bar for assholes everywhere.”
Peter was already pacing throughout Mary Jane’s office at the Hellfire Club. He was already itching to get his hands on Ezekiel after what Cindy had told him. What started as an awkward encounter that ended with sex on a desk had become a serious issue that was unlikely to have a very sexy solution.
“You guys can stop trying to convince me. This guy is bad news, even by your lofty standards,” said Mary Jane, who had plenty to process from her end as well.
“For what he did to me, my family, and God knows who else…he’s in a league of his own,” said Cindy.
“I’m starting to see that,” said the Red Queen. “Based on some of the reports Emma sent me from her private server, Ezekiel Sims put extra effort into being an asshole. He’s got money, time, and resources of the physical and not-so-physical variety. It’s hard enough tracking a man who knows how to hide a paper trail, but when that trail involves magic…”
The Red Queen’s words trailed off as she read over a tablet computer, learning the easy way what he and Cindy had learned so painfully about Sims. The man shielded himself with a lot of mystery, but he was always clear with his intentions. It wasn’t enough to obtain spider powers so irresponsibly. The man had to throw magic into the mix as well.
“I know,” said Peter. “Believe me, I wish the only magic we dealt with involved date nights and orgies.”
“Funny, Dr. Strange told me the exact same thing once,” said Mary Jane, “and I was fully clothed at the time.”
“Any chance we can get his help too?” asked Cindy. “I’d like to throw anyone and anything at this guy when the time comes…even if it means pissing off the Hulk.”
“I can’t say I blame you, Cindy,” said Mary Jane, “but I’m afraid the good doctor has been out all week. Something about a mission to a hidden realm with Thor. The rest of the Avengers are busy too.”
“Let me guess…Hydra again?” Peter asked.
“I’m not at liberty to say, but it begins with an R and ends with Ed Skull,” she replied, “so if this is as serious as you claim, Cindy, we’re on our own.”
The young woman tensed in her seat. To her credit, though, she remained remarkably calm. Sitting across from Mary Jane’s desk, she hugged her shoulders and restlessly shifted as they digested the extent of her story. Beyond revealing, once again, how devious men like Ezekiel Sims could be, it also revealed a secret to Spider-Man that Peter had never known.
After the revelation at Horizon Labs, he and Cindy got dressed and left as quickly as they could. Peter then made an emergency call to Mary Jane, interrupting a meeting between her and some Stark Industries partners who had used the Hellfire Club’s VIP lounges during one of Tony Stark’s meetings. She’d told him that morning not to call unless it was a “special” emergency. As soon as she heard some details, she agreed that this definitely qualified.
It led her to end the meeting early and return to the Hellfire Club shortly after he arrived with Cindy. From there, Peter introduced them and explained what happened at his office. She didn’t react too strongly when she learned that he and Cindy had sex just a few minutes after meeting. Given the open nature of their relationship, it wasn’t that big a deal. He still probably owed her a massage and a quickie in the shower.
Learning about Cindy having spider powers, though, was a much bigger revelation that had even greater implications. The same spider that gave Peter his powers – the one that gave him the bite that granted him so much power and responsibility – bit someone else on that fateful day. As they waited for more information on Sims, Peter found himself agonizing over the details.
“I still can’t believe it,” he said as he paced. “That damn spider just wasn’t content complicating one person’s life that day.”
“Sims called it another thread on the web of fate. I call it the price I paid for wearing sandals that day,” Cindy said dryly.
“That guy loves pulling people into that web of his,” said Peter, shaking his head, “as though it’s not just him exploiting the hell out of a confusing situation. I mean…singling you out, taking you away from your family, and pretending to protect you? That’s a lot of things, but fate isn’t one of them.”
“He sure made it feel like that, though,” said Cindy with a mix of bitterness and sorrow. “First, he made it seem like I was sick. Then, he told my parents I was in danger because of some power-sucking vampire named Morlun.”
“Morlun is real. He wasn’t lying about that,” said Peter, “but using a monster like him to get you to trust him…it’s pretty cunning, but still a dick move.”
“It doesn’t matter. He still convinced me and my family that we all had to uproot our lives, leave the country, and go into hiding…as though we were part of some terrible crime. I didn’t ask to be bit and I sure as hell didn’t want to invite some monster to attack. That didn’t stop him from being extra graphic in describing Morlun. I swear, I wanted to rip his head off just for making my mom cry so hard!”
“That would’ve been too polite on your part.”
“It doesn’t matter because they still believed him…and so did I,” she went on, her voice cracking under the emotional strain. “He exploited my fear, but I still made the choice. I told my family goodbye, got on a plane with the man, and let him take me away to mold into his spider-powered underling. The fact I believed him for so long and trusted him so much…God, I’m so stupid!”
She hugged her shoulders a little harder, bowing her head to hide her tears. Ezekiel Sims had that effect on people, bending spirits to his whim and using them for his own selfish ends. He’d been on the wrong end of many plots by that crazy old man, but he’d never lost as much as Cindy.
“Now, my family is missing…disappeared from the face of the planet,” Cindy went on. “He promised he took care of them. He even said he paid them handsomely so that they wanted for nothing.”
“Sims makes a lot of empty promises,” Peter pointed out.
“And I still believed him! I didn’t ask for specifics. I didn’t even question him. I just let him take them away while he trapped me on some isolated private island near Nova Roma. I did what he told me to do. I trained, studied, and worked in every way he demanded…never stopping once to think that just maybe there was something very wrong with this. There were so many signs along the way, but I’d just convinced myself that he was right…that my fate had been sealed.”
“He does that a lot too,” said Peter, “making you think you don’t have a choice.
“Doesn’t make me less stupid.”
Cindy tried to hide her bitter sobs, but didn’t do too good a job. He stopped pacing and attempted to console her, placing a hand on her shoulder and offering his solace. She accepted the gesture, placing her hand atop his and squeezing it firmly. It helped, but it also triggered his spider sense again in the same way it had back at his office. It might have been another side-effect of being bitten by the same spider. Just being near each other in a certain state triggered certain instincts.
They managed to restrain themselves, if only because Ezekiel Sims evoked so many unpleasant emotions. It didn’t surprise Peter that Sims had manipulated someone else with spider powers. That was what he did and he did it disturbingly well. The fact he went so far as to trap Cindy on an island, make her family disappear, and essentially hide her away for whatever perverse fate he had planned showed the extent of Sims’ deviousness. He still wasn’t on the same level as Norman Osborn, but he was a lot closer now.
“Well, you can stop beating yourself up now, Cindy,” Peter said to her. “You escaped. You found me. And your timing couldn’t be better. As it just so happens, I’m sleeping with the Red Queen of the Hellfire Club and her connections are every bit as amazing as our superpowers. Plus, she looks better in skin-tight outfits.”
“Thanks, Tiger,” said Mary Jane with a bemused smile. “Glad you think my ass is on the same caliber as super strength.”
“For what you’ve achieved with it, I’d argue it’s more powerful,” said Peter.
“If I didn’t already know how you’ve used that power, I might be skeptical,” said Cindy, her voice still strained. “Even so, will it be enough?”
“Well, assuming you two can keep your pants on, that’s what I hope to find out,” said the Red Queen.
Peter remained close to Cindy, but cast Mary Jane a grateful smile. He planned to give her as many sensual massages as she wanted later. He still had to help Cindy first while also dealing with the strange effects she had on him.
He hadn’t quite made sense of it yet. Cindy claimed that their spider sense, having been born from the same spider bite, created some sort of primal link between them that sent their baser instincts into overdrive. It would’ve been an interesting phenomenon to study, but they had more pressing concerns.
Despite having the mutual urge to fuck one another, Peter shared her determination to defeat Ezekiel Sims. Peter was more confident than usual when dealing with an old foe. Unlike his previous encounters with Sims, though, he had more resources and allies on his side. Between having better connections with other superheroes and the love of the Red Queen of the Hellfire Club, Spider-Man was in the best possible position to take down Sims.
“As it turns out, the connections go beyond the spider that bit you two,” Mary Jane said as she turned her attention to the computer on her desk.
“I’m not surprised,” said Peter. “Sims is rich, crazy, and obsessed. That’s the supervillain trifecta.”
“Well, he certainly nailed down the crazy part when he teamed up with Selene Gallio. According to this file Emma sent me – which only exists on a private server in an underground SHIELD bunker, mind you – they established a partnership years before anyone got bit by a spider.”
“Selene…I’ve heard that name many times, but I don’t know much about her,” said Cindy. “I just remember people getting really tense when she came up.”
“And there’s a good reason for that,” Mary Jane went on. “Selene was the former Black Queen of the Hellfire Club and the Inner Circle’s resident magic expert.”
“She’s basically an evil version of Dr. Strange, but looks much better in a thong and is really into bondage,” Peter added.
“Sounds like she and Sims were made for each other,” said Cindy, rolling her eyes.
“That’s might be more accurate than you think,” said Mary Jane. “Emma claims it was popular gossip among the old Inner Circle…her and Sims being a thing. It would explain why she went out of her way to help him, which likely includes what he did to you.”
“I’m sure they had a relationship too kinky for words,” said Peter, “and in a place like this, that’s saying something.”
“It would also explain how Sims was able to hide you and your family for so long,” said the Red Queen. “The man has money and resources, but he lacked Selene’s mystical expertise. Near as I can tell, their entire partnership was built around a mix of exchanges and agendas. At some point, they even plotted to take over the Inner Circle together. And you were part of that plot, Cindy.”
Mary Jane got up from her desk and handed the tablet computer to Cindy. Whatever file she’d been trying to access had finished loading. On the screen, there were a string of hacked files from Shaw Industries that revealed the extent of Sims and Selene’s plot. It also showed some images that made Cindy shudder in her seat.
The images that got the greatest reaction were those depicting her family and what looked to be a private tropical island with a mansion on it. The reminders of her family were understandably hard, but it was the island that evoked a more mixed ranger of emotions.
“That’s it!” Cindy said as she picked up the tablet. “That’s where Sims took me a week after I was bitten…after I said goodbye to my family.”
“Not to make light of it, but you could’ve done much worse,” said Peter, still consoling her. “He could’ve just stuck you in a bunker and kept you there for a decade.”
“That would’ve been stupid,” Cindy said bitterly. “I know it looks fancy, but trust me. It’s not an island paradise where I got to work on my tan all day.”
“Considering it’s owned by a Shaw Industries dummy corporation, that’s a given,” said Mary Jane. “Emma even suspects Selene stole it from Nova Roma, a country she once ruled, no less.”
“I guess that explains why it was part villa and part training compound,” said Cindy as she narrowed her gaze on the image. “Sims claimed he was training me for something…protecting and preparing me to face my fate. He said if I ever left the island, Morlun would find me or my family. Again, I hate how much I believed him.”
“To be fair, that’s definitely something Morlun can do,” said Peter. “I’ve seen him do much crazier shit for less.”
“He had people coming and going every day…trainers and tutors working with me for hours on end,” said Cindy. “It was like being in some overseas military boarding school, except I was the only student. Everything I did, studied, and ate was tightly controlled. I never got to make friends, meet new people, or talk to my family. Sims kept telling me it was necessary and I just went along with it…for years.”
“At least you never had to play dodge ball in gym class,” said Peter.
He’d hoped that would lighten the mood, but it had no effect. Cindy remained tense, diverting her gaze from him and Mary Jane. She got up from her chair and stepped back for a moment, her gaze still locked on the images on the tablet. Peter sensed plenty of hatred for Sims, but there were plenty other feelings that neither he nor Mary Jane could relate to.
As complicated as his life had been since he got his powers, at least Peter had a choice in how they affected his life. Cindy had no choice. Sims had effectively taken over her life, using fear and a desire to protect her family. It was pretty devious, even by his lofty standards. The fact she’d remained hidden so long had left some pretty deep scars.
“I did everything he wanted me to do,” Cindy said distantly. “I learned to fight. I learned to use my powers. He even had me study every battle Spider-Man ever fought. At times, that was the only media I was allowed to watch.”
“I guess there are worse things he could’ve made you sit through,” said Peter. “He could’ve made you watch the last two seasons of CSI.”
“Peter, please stop trying to lighten the mood,” said Mary Jane, shaking her head. “There’s a time and a place. This is neither.”
Peter shifted awkwardly, cursing himself for making light of Cindy’s situation. Luckily, it didn’t sound like she heard him. She was still in a daze, as though the memories were playing out before her eyes.
“In some ways, you were my only connection to the world, Peter,” Cindy went on. “You showed what someone could do with these powers…how they could help you protect others who couldn’t protect themselves. You called it responsibility. Sims called it weak strategy that I had to learn from.”
“From what I’ve uncovered about the man, he wasn’t too big on responsibility,” said Mary Jane.
“He kept trying to overlook that. The more I watched, though, the more I questioned him…the more I suspected that he might be using me for his own agenda. It was always nagging in the back of my head, even as I followed every rule, listened to every tutor, and underwent his conditioning. The fact it took me so long to stop being afraid to choose my own fate…”
She had to stop, her voice cracking under the strain once more. She tried to hide her sobs, but didn’t do too good a job of it. Peter offered to console her again. Mary Jane even helped, having plenty of sympathy for those who suffered under the whims of irresponsible men. Cindy only partially accepted those gestures, maintaining her poise as she scrolled through the files. If there was one benefit to dealing with Ezekiel Sims, it was that he got really messy when fate didn’t pan out like he wanted.
“In the end, you still chose,” Peter pointed out to her.
“Yeah…after losing years of my life, holed up on some island,” said Cindy bitterly.
“Well, in any case, fate – if that’s not too loaded a word – worked out in your favor,” said Mary Jane. “I’m not sure how aware you were of recent events, but Selene is gone. She and the rest of the Inner Circle went down hard, thanks to Emma and SHIELD.”
“Yeah, I sensed something was amiss when Sims trashed his master bedroom in a rage,” said Cindy. “I want to say it was scary, but after years of him trapping me with fear…well, let’s just say I couldn’t muster much sympathy.”
“Read further down and you’ll have even less,” said the Red Queen. “I think Selene and Sims wanted to use you as an assassin. They were going to have you take down the old Inner Circle so Sims could declare himself Black King.”
“Knowing Sims, he’d probably present it as a test,” added Peter, “a way to show that you’d be ready once Morlun showed up.”
“He might have even used your family as leverage. It took a lot to bring down the old Inner Circle. Emma once told me that the only ones who dared take them on were crazy, suicidal, or motivated…the third one being the most effective.”
“And I would’ve fit into that plan perfectly,” said Cindy. “I would’ve given him what he wanted and for all I know, he would’ve kept on lying…keeping me from my family so he could keep using me as his spider-powered puppet.”
The sobs and sorrow quickly faded from Cindy’s voice, replaced by justified anger. She took a few moments to read over the details Mary Jane had mentioned. Peter already knew what they entailed. They described what happened to the old Inner Circle and how Selene had been defeated. While Sims hadn’t been part of that effort, the collapse of the old Hellfire Club hit everyone that had been connected to them. Sims was no exception.
“Whatever he used to control you before, he doesn’t have it now,” Mary Jane said. “The fact that you’re here and you sought Peter out is proof of that.”
“To be fair, he basically let his guard down on the island,” Cindy pointed out. “I guess after Selene went down, he had fewer resources to keep me there. Once the guards began disappearing, I just didn’t have any excuses other than fear to keep me there.”
“He’s more desperate than you think,” said Mary Jane. “According to my SHIELD contacts, Sims is on the ropes. He really indebted himself to organizations like the Hand and some renegade Asgardian mystics, hoping it would pay off once he and Selene were running the Hellfire Club.”
“For a guy who believes in fate, he’s a shockingly bad gambler,” said Peter.
“There’s already a price on his head and not just in terms of money,” said the Red Queen. “At some point, he’ll have to make an even bigger gamble and chances are it’ll involve you.”
“And since he still has information on my family, he has leverage over me,” said Cindy bitterly.
“Yes,” Mary Jane conceded, “but there is a way to turn that against him…a way that involves you making more overdue choices.”
“With one major difference,” Peter added, “you won’t have to make them alone.”
Cindy finally turned away from the tablet and back towards him and Mary Jane. There was more strength in her gaze, as well as plenty of determination. Standing next to the Red Queen, he let her know that she had powerful allies, something Sims made sure she didn’t have when he took her away. Even with her family being a major concern, it felt like Cindy still had the advantage.
If Sims wanted to create a highly motivated fighter in Cindy, then he succeeded. He probably didn’t expect to create such a powerful enemy. Then again, he probably didn’t expect the Inner Circle to fall while someone like Mary Jane Watson took over. For once, fate wasn’t being kind to Ezekiel Sims.
“So I guess that means I don’t have to beg you to help me?” said Cindy, a smile returning from her face.
“We prefer to save begging for our S&M parties,” teased Mary Jane.
“She’s dead serious, by the way,” added Peter.
“About helping me or the S&M parties?” asked Cindy in bemusement.
“Both,” Peter affirmed. “Ezekiel Sims is an ongoing problem that will only get worse for you, me, and everyone we care about. It’s high time someone take this fate he’s always droning about and shove it up his ass.”
“He’s also a loose end for the Hellfire Club and we can’t have those,” said Mary Jane. “Part of transforming this place into a beacon of responsibility and decadence involves confronting old burdens. The way I see it, we’re doing ourselves and the world a favor.”
“That, and helping out superheroes gets you hot,” teased Peter.
“That too.”
Cindy looked both convinced and relieved. It was hard to imagine, having so much of her life manipulated and guided by Ezekiel Sims. The face he’d gone to such lengths, hiding her from the world and separating her from her family, showed just how far he was willing to go in the name of fate.
Showing more strength than she had demonstrated thus far, Cindy set the tablet computer aside and approached him and the Red Queen. It might have taken a long time for him and Cindy to cross paths again after being bitten by that spider, but they still found each other. They each shared plenty of burdens from that bite, but now they were ready to share the responsibilities.
“Okay,” said Cindy confidently. “I’m officially ready to team up with Spider-Man and the Red Queen of the Hellfire Club.”
“Good!” said Peter. “That may end up being the most responsible choice you’ve made since that spider bit you…the first of many, hopefully.”
“Guess you got to start somewhere,” she said, already sounding ready to work. “Just tell me how we’re going to do this. I’ve studied and observed stuff like this over the years, but I’ve never actually done it.”
“Don’t worry. You pick it up quickly, especially when the people you love are affected,” said Peter. “It also helps to have a plan…which we do have, don’t we?”
Peter turned towards Mary Jane with a hopeful glance. As smart and capable as he was, he’d never been good with tactics. Being the Red Queen and a former prostitute, Mary Jane had proven time and again that she could hatch an ambitious plan, carry it out, and look sexy as hell while doing it. If the coy grin on her face was any indication, she already had something brewing.
“I’m the Red Queen of the Hellfire Club, Tiger. Of course we have a plan!” said Mary Jane confidently. “The good thing about men like Sims is that when they’re desperate, they tend to come to you. We just have to be ready with a few tricks and kinks.”
“I’m already liking this plan,” said Cindy, sounding eager to get to work.
“I like any plan that involves my girlfriend and kinks,” joked Peter.
“I’m sure you do. There’s just one important detail we need to work out before we start,” said the Red Queen, her gaze narrowing on Cindy.
“What’s that?” she asked.
Mary Jane casually walked around Cindy and scanned her appearance with her critical eye. Having seen that gaze before, Peter already had an inkling for what she had in mind. It gave him further assurance that, despite Ezekiel Sims’ best efforts, fate was going to be much kinder to Cindy.
“First and foremost,” Mary Jane said, “we need to get you into a sexy, skin-tight costume like Spider-Man. If you’re going to run with superheroes, then you might as well dress like one.”
“A costume? A superhero name?” said Cindy, already sounding overwhelmed. “You sure we’re not getting ahead of ourselves, Mary Jane?”
“I’m sure,” said the Red Queen without hesitation. “Trust me. When you see what I have planned for Ezekiel Sims, you’re going to want to look good for this!”
Uncharted Private Island – Years Ago
Everything was falling into place. The vast web of fate that brought order to a chaotic universe had once again revealed itself. Ezekiel Sims, a proud architect of that order, stood on the precipice of guiding that fate down a bold path…one whose first threads had just been woven.
Standing on the shores of an unmapped private island – which once belonged to a Nova Roman aristocrat, but had since been acquired in a private deal – Ezekiel watched as a large contingent of laborers put the finishing touches on a renovated villa. The work had been going on for months, turning what had once been a private pleasure palace into a more functional facility with a specific purpose. That purpose depended on the fates of two individuals, one of which resided in the mansion and the other of which stood next to him.
“I’ve completed the last incantation,” said Selene, the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club. “I had to tap a few old connections in Nova Roma to obtain the necessary materials, but the spell is complete.”
“I hope things didn’t get too messy, my dear,” said Ezekiel.
“Don’t worry. It never got to a point where I didn’t enjoy it,” she said with a devious tease.
“Mixing work with play and still producing such impressive results…that’s why I love working with you, Selene.”
“I’m sure it’s one of your reasons.”
The raven-haired woman cast him a cold, but alluring grin. Ezekiel smiled back, showing his appreciation for her colorful, but effective tactics. Being Black Queen of the Hellfire Club gave her plenty of methods to get what she wanted. The fact she chose methods that mixed her ruthless cunning with her deviant kinks revealed a lot about her. She was a master of her fate, guiding it and enjoying it to the utmost. Ezekiel couldn’t help but admire that.
“It’s not my best work, but I’m still quite satisfied…something I don’t get to say as often as I’d like,” Selene went on.
“If fate continues to play out in our favor, I hope that changes,” said Ezekiel.
“As do I,” said the Black Queen. “Until then, this island is officially unofficial on every meaningful plane, mystical and otherwise. The incantations I used will keep it in a shroud that not even Heimdall or the Eye of Agamotto could see through it.”
“While I don’t intend to clash with either, I take comfort in knowing they’ll remain as ignorant as the migrating birds that fly over the island every spring.”
“You can never be too cautious when you’re planning to usurp the Inner Circle. Sebastian once claimed he had spies in Heaven and Hell watching everything that’s worth watching. I know he loves to exaggerate, but it still never hurts to compensate.”
“That’ll make his reaction to our long-term plan all the more satisfying,” said Ezekiel. “The Web of Fate has given us an opportunity…one that will put us in the best possible position to seize power down the line.”
“Positions and power? Careful with your choice of words, Mr. Sims. You’ll give the impression that you want to turn me on.”
“Have you ever known me to hide my intentions from you, my dear?”
Selene’s grin widened. She leaned in closer, latching onto his arm and casting him a seductive glance. Given her revealing Black Queen attire, complete with a leather corset, stiletto boots, and a matching black thong, she portrayed a decadent aura that perfectly reflected her title. Ezekiel might have been an old man, but even he couldn’t escape the influence of her lustful leer.
Unfortunately, pursuing fate often required restraint. That meant saving their decadence activities for later. For now, Ezekiel remained fixated on the facility before him, watching as the last of the laborers left the facility. As far as he knew, the logistics of his fateful plot were complete.
“I also spoke to my associate from Roxxon contracting,” Ezekiel continued.
“Focusing on business again…so much for turning me on,” Selene said dryly.
“They finished installing the training arena, the observation room, and the study hall. I’ve already scheduled some training and lessons this afternoon. For our little agent of chaos to perform, she must learn to use the skills that fate has given her.”
“I’m sure you’ve already secured the means and personnel. You’ve always been good at that, Sims. It’s why you’ll make a fine Black King.”
“Only if Ms. Moon can deliver when the time comes,” he said. “We cannot rush her, nor can we rush fate. We must be patient, cautious, and cunning.”
“I’m willing to be all three if the payoff is as satisfying as promised,” said Selene. “I still hope you’ll let me contribute to her conditioning. If she’s going to work for us, then she needs to know how we do things with respect to business and pleasure.”
“You’ll have plenty of opportunities. However, that’s still contingent on ensuring her family remains secure. I’ll need you to keep an eye on that, as well…especially if she ever learns the truth.”
Selene rolled her eyes, but remained close to him. She’d never been fond of the more mundane aspects of a plan, but never argued against their importance. She’d already done so much to help him secure Cindy Moon since convincing her to come with him. Maintaining that trust promised to be an ongoing challenge, at least until their fate played out accordingly.
“She won’t find out,” said Selene. “I’ll take care of any mystical factors. You can handle the rest. For what you paid those AIM scientists to do, the girl’s family better be secured for the foreseeable future.”
“Don’t underestimate the chaotic whims of fate, my dear,” he told her. “You can never be too careful in preserving power and leverage.”
“I’m an immortal vampire queen. Power and leverage are as much a part of me as my fondness for afternoon orgies on the beach.”
“It may come easy for the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club, but Cindy Moon is a different story. I went to considerable lengths to earn her trust and convince her parents that they were in danger.”
“I haven’t forgotten. You even had me ensure that whole bit with Morlun was only a half-lie at most,” said Selene, “which required even more favors than the shroud, mind you.”
“It’s all a necessary part of the plan…a long-term effort in bending the Web of Fate to our favor,” Ezekiel said distantly. “I had to bend that fate harder than I’d hoped with Cindy. Even before that spider bit her, I sensed that she had a different path ahead of her…one that I had to alter for her benefit and mine.”
“You’re still not going to convince me that locking her in a bunker was going to serve you any better,” said the Black Queen.
“It’s still a risk…one that is more prone to complications. In my experience, fate tends to get unruly when you try too hard to divert its path. Despite all the precautious we’ve taken, we’re still vulnerable to certain complications. For all we know, they’ve already played out and we’ll have no idea if or how they’ve affected us.”
Selene remained unconcerned and flirtatious, but Ezekiel was dead serious. As he gazed up at the former villa, he saw Cindy sitting at a window near the top floor, hugging her knees and gazing out over the scenic beaches. He couldn’t see her expression, but he could still sense her solemn state.
Cindy Moon was not at all the skilled soldier of fate he needed. She was a teenage girl who’d just been endowed with spider powers that she neither wanted nor sought out. Less than a week ago, she hugged her parents and brother in a tearful goodbye, not knowing when or if she’d see them again. That moment, while based on a partial lie, was the catalyst leading her down a new path…one that would lead him to a far greater destiny.
Even with fate on his side, though, Ezekiel still had is concerns. A lot was riding on his and Selene’s ability to guide Cindy down that path without complications getting in the way. He already sensed that fate would not make it easy for him, especially once the time game to move on the Inner Circle. There was still no telling whether his efforts to secure that fate had been enough.
Selene, always so confident and self-assured, put a hand on his face and diverted his gaze to hers. She was still so devious and alluring. That helped set some of Ezekiel’s concerns at ease, but even the Black Queen’s sex appeal only went so far.
“You worry too much, Ezekiel Sims,” she told him. “If fate is truly on our side, as you love to say, then we’ve already done our part. We need only wait and prepare for the fruits that await us.”
“Fate being on our side isn’t the same as certain victory, my dear,” Ezekiel told her.
“Then, take comfort in the knowledge in the certainties we do have,” she said while playfully trailing her gloved finger down his chest. “I’m still the Black Queen. The Inner Circle is still as powerful as ever. So long as I draw breath, this island will keep Ms. Moon on her path and our respective fates will remain on track.”
“I hope you’re right, my dear,” said Ezekiel, finally allowing himself to embrace her under the hot tropical sun.
“I know I am. You’ll see!”
New York Harbor – Present Time
When it came to defying fate, the potential reward almost always overshadowed the heavy price of failure. Ezekiel Sims knew that better than most. However, he was used to enjoying those rewards, not reeling from failure. In terms of lessons on fate, it was more painful than he’d imagined.
“You were wrong, Selene…so very wrong,” he said distantly.
Rain began falling as a large cargo ship pulled into New York City Harbor, completing a bittersweet and frustrating journey that began in Nova Roma and took several tedious pit stops along the way. Such inconvenience was frustrating, but necessary to some extent. It reflected the price he had to pay for his failure to guide his fate.
He’d been paying that price since the fall of the Hellfire Club, both literally and figuratively. When Selene, Sebastian Shaw, and the rest of the Inner Circle fell, it took a sizable chunk of his business holdings with it. Part of his partnership with Selene involved him investing heavily with Shaw Industries and various holdings associated with the Inner Circle. When those entities collapsed and were absorbed by others, he lost a sizable chunk of his fortune.
If that weren’t bad enough, being so heavily invested in Shaw Industries also made him liable for some of the many crimes Shaw had committed. Apparently, Sebastian’s devious son, Shanobi, embezzled significant funds from Ezekiel’s businesses in an effort to undermine his father. That didn’t just compound his losses. That gave SHIELD, law enforcement, and several major governments a reason to freeze his assets and utterly stunt his operations. It also made him a wanted man in several dozen countries.
“It’s one thing for Shaw to screw people over directly. At least in that case, you have a chance to fight back. When it happens indirectly, though…well, I hope you’ve got some very good lawyers on retainer because that’s even worse.”
Those were the exact words of Foggy Nelson, a lawyer whose advice he’d sought anonymously after he heard about Selene’s demise. He ended up punching through a stone wall and trashing his old office in frustration. Ezekiel wasn’t used to fate treating him with such crudely. Then again, he’d taken that chance when he chose to ally with Selene.
He still didn’t know all the details. He just knew that Selene was no more and all her mystical resources had faded. Ezekiel had spent the last week traversing the world with a maxed out credit card, trying to stop the bleeding wherever he could. Then, he found out that the one asset he thought was most secure – Cindy Moon, his perfect agent of fate – had escaped the island. He could stand to lose all his money, his resources, and even his freedom. He couldn’t stand to lose her.
“Selene is gone now,” Ezekiel said into the dreary air, “but you’re still here, Cindy Moon. You can still repair the Web of Fate…a web we both damaged.”
The old man adjusted his hat and heavy trench coat, watching as the ship pulled into an active loading area. It was late in the afternoon and there was plenty of activity. Dock workers and equipment made plenty of noise, even as the rain fell harder. He needed that cover to evade SHIELD, the police, and other less official authorities who did not appreciate his allegiance with the old Inner Circle.
He was still taking a risk, seeking Cindy in a city where so many enemies could hunt him. However, only one in particular mattered…one whose fate had already clashed with his before. If he was to have any hope of rebuilding his destiny, then he had to go through him.
“I know she’ll seek you out, Peter Parker,” said Ezekiel, knowing he would hear through the Web of Fate. “Her fate was always tied to yours…in ways more intimate than you think. I know you’ll help her. It’s what you do. I must see to it that you both pay for denying our collective destiny.”
His gaze narrowed on the famed New York City skyline, sensing through the Web of Fate that Spider-Man was there. By now, Cindy had probably caught up with him. She likely knew the extent of his manipulations, to some extent. It explained why she’d escaped the comfortable, scenic domain he’d worked so hard to maintain for her. She’d beaten up several agents, stole one of their boats, and somehow got onto a chartered jet from Nova Roma.
How she learned of his lies or made her way to New York was still a mystery, but Ezekiel had his share of suspicions. He didn’t care about the specifics, though. He needed to get Silk back under his control and that meant resorting to extreme measures, even by the standards of fate.
“End of the line old man!” yelled the grizzled voice of the ship’s co-captain. “Since you barely had enough buy yourself a bunk, I’m hesitant to call you a cab.”
“There’s no need for that,” Ezekiel assured the man. “I can find my way from here.”
“Good, because this is the last time I let you on my ship. I know your name used to be on the lease, but it ain’t no more. Stark Industries and Frost Enterprise are signing our checks now so don’t expect any more favors.”
“I assure you this will be the last,” he said. “I’ve no further interest in old business dealings or repaying old debts. In terms of resources and leverage, I’m almost tapped out.”
“If you’re looking for sympathy, you should’ve paid us better when we were hauling your shit across the ocean,” said the co-captain, not hiding his disdain for his previous business tactics.
“It’s too late for that, I’m afraid. It’s too late for a lot of things. Once I leave this ship, my fate will take me far away from this world…and I’ve no intention of coming back.”
The co-captain just scoffed, shaking his head and showing little care for his predicament. Ezekiel could hardly blame him. Few could hope to understand, let alone appreciate, the path before him.
“Whatever, pal,” the man said, scoffing before he looked away. “Just get off my fucking boat and as far away from me as possible. You’re a wanted man in a city that ain’t been kind to them lately. I’d say good luck, but I’d rather save that for a Mets game.”
Ezekiel sneered at the co-captain before making his way off the ship, walking down a ramp that connected to one of the loading bays. He passed by a few other sailors who had once been on his payroll. Most avoided eye-contact. Some scolded him as well, taking a perverse pleasure in his recent misfortune. He hadn’t treated his subordinates kindly when he had been in charge. It was yet another instance of fate turning against him, but he intended to change that.
‘Go ahead. Resent me all you want. Relish in my downfall, if you must. I deserve, as such, for placing too much trust in the likes of Selene. Rest assured, I’ve learned. And I fully intend to regain my place in the Web of Fate.’
The ambitious old man made his way out of the loading bay as quickly as possible, finding an unoccupied storage facility just outside the main gate. With the rain now pouring, he slipped into a darkened area and reached into his coat where he retrieved a small, yet decorated box that he’d kept on his person since before he left Nova Roma.
Once exposed to the dreary air, the decorative gems on the box lit up, giving off a distinct energy that only those versed in the Web of Fate appreciated. It was still unstable, flashing and flickering like a light being overloaded by a power surge. Parts of the box had even begun cracking, a clear sign that the clock was ticking and Ezekiel had no intention of missing out.
“I know you’re in there, Morlun,” he told the box. “Selene warned me that containing what’s left of you was a gamble, but assured me the odds were in our favor, so long as she was there to reinforce the spell. Now, she’s not here and I’m feeling that as much as you are…to a point.”
The glowing box shook within his grasp, as though something inside were punching the sides from within. He saw some of the cracks expand, but the glowing gems on the sides remained steady. A breach was inevitable. In most instances, that was a bad thing, considering what he’d done to power and presence within.
“You started as a half-truth, but eventually became a means to an end,” Ezekiel said. “You’ve hungered for the power of the spider…fought for it through countless realms. You were going to Cindy at some point, even if you managed to get to Peter first.”
The box shook more violently. Ezekiel wasn’t worried though. If anything, he was encouraged.
“That was never going to happen, though. Fate was not on your side. It never was,” he went on. “It was only because of me and Selene that you are not an ethereal speck in a sea of oblivion. With her gone, though, I’m the only one who can still give you form and purpose…provided you serve the Web of Fate to my liking.”
Morlun, or whatever was left of the beast, must have heard that. The box stopped shaking and the glowing gems on the side stopped flicking. Ezekiel grinned at the reaction. He might have lost much of his leverage due to his allegiance with Selene, but he still had enough to pursue his fate. That was all he needed for what he had planned.
Holding the box closer, he gazed out into the rainy city before him. Through the Web of Fate, he sensed both Peter Parker and Cindy Moon. They were close. Their paths had already crossed, just as he expected. In all likelihood, he would have to confront them both and they were sure to be agitated. He fully intended to use that to his advantage. One way or another, those two would fulfill their purpose. The Web of Fate could be shaken, but it could never break.
“Fate has taken many turns…more so than I anticipated. That doesn’t change the connection you two have to each other…and to me,” he said, as though Peter and Cindy could hear him. “Together, we all serve the Web of Fate. We all pay a price for defying it. You’ve been fortunate thus far…more fortunate than you deserve. That changes tonight!”
Up next: Conditioning and Control
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The Red Queen Chronicles: The Secret