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| Punisher 2099UG Issue #9 Written by Joey Guerra |
| The 2099 Underground is a project whereby a group of fans are putting together a series of stories continuing from Marvel's fantastic futuristic 2099! Ignoring the ignoble and inaccurate "2099: World of Tomorrow", we're exploring what we feel is the true spirit of 2099 as envisioned by then Editor-in-Chief Joey Cavalieri. Participation is open to all. Comments about this issue should be sent to the author. Or you can visit our message board and post your thoughts on the issue. Anyone wishing to join the mailing list should do so by signing up at Yahoo! Groups. It's free and easy! Simply type in the keyword "Ghostworks" and you're good to go. |
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| "Haven't we done this before?" "What the shock are you talking about?" The scene playing out is familiar to only one of its participants, Miguel O'Hara, or as he is more comenly known, the amazing Spider-Man of 2099! He stares down the barrel of a huge gun being held by none other than the Punisher. Of course, Spider-Man doesn't know this Punisher, he is a man very diffrent from Jake Gallows in many ways, and Spidey just hopes he lives long enough to discover those differences! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jake Gallows holds Mary close. She is his opportunity to leave his past behind for good. It is a past filled with nothing but an overwhelming urge for vengeance, a past he no longer sees a need to become part of again. After all, the city is falling apart. Matt Axel, that traitorous bastard, is probably dead, although Jake doesn't really care anymore. Mary, though she may be in love with "Jim Craig", is now with Jake. In more ways than one Jake Gallows is Jim Craig, and now he wants this false man's life more than anything. To be happy, possibly married, is all Jake ever really wanted from life, and at long last it's coming true, even though it is nothing more than a lie... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I said don't move!" Spider-Man has gotten a second wind and after looking at the face of the Punisher has realized this is not Jake Gallows! Spidey jumps up to a nearby wall, as the Punisher's gun aims right at him. "Who the shock are you?" "I'm the Punisher and you, my friend, are dead." John fires right at the former "harbinger of Thor", but using his incredible abilities the wall-crawler manages to jump away from the blast. More shots follow as Spider-Man is caught in a barrage of gunfire. Shots rain down on him fast and furious now as he leaps and bounds with all he's got to keep from being hit. Suddenly he jumps right at the Punisher using his talons to slice his hand and knock away the gun. Breathless, Spider-Man stands poised over the Punisher. "Now listen buddy, I don't have time for this! We should be working together not..." BOOM! An explosion fills the air. The Punisher knows that sound all too well. "Combustion!" The masked man turns as John runs off toward the chaos. "What are you talk...." SMACK! Spider-Man is knocked to the ground by the Goblin's glider as insane laughter fills his ears. HAHAHAHAHAAHA! The Punisher turns to see what's going on and he is struck down by the Vulture! Stunned he gets up screaming at the two hovering figures. "Nothing keeps me from him, do you understand?! NOTHING!" He reaches for his power bat setting it on the highest level possible and strikes out at the Vulture with all he's worth, but to no avail. The Vulture swoops away from his savage attack and begins to taunt the Punisher. "Ohhh you'd make a nice tasty meal wouldn't you? I always like my meat tough." Spider-Man regains his balance to see the Punisher and Vulture battling it out, and the Goblin right in front of him! "Spider-Man, your time has come...all these people will see you are no harbinger, you're nothing but a false prophet and a corporate fraud!" The Goblin lets go with his finger blasts and hits Spidey with them before he has a chance to gain his strength to duck! Spider-Man starts to feel its affects almost immediately. He watches as the two battling figures before him turn to Goblins. "Oh Spider-Man! Over here!" The Goblin is taunting him, and it's working. This day has drained Spider-Man so much that he now just lashes out at everything. He jumps into the fray at first knocking away the Vulture then starting for the Punisher. "What the shock are you doing?" "I'm getting rid of you for good, jammit! No more games! If I can't tell which one is really you, Goblin, I'll take you all out!" Spidey swings at the Punisher, knocking him to the ground. John gets back to his feet and he is again immediately attacked by the still-dazed Vulture. Spidey wants to lash out again, but he tries to focus himself until he slowly realizes what has happened. As the affects begin to wear off...BOOM! A figure steps out of the smoke, glowing in an orange energy he is the cause of the recent exploson, he is Combustion! "Well, well! A party and no one invited me! You should have told me, Punisher! I mean, come on, we go way back, don't we?" "You soulless son of a glitch! I'll kill you!" The Punisher goes insane at this moment, even as the Vulture starts to attack again! Spider-Man is once again grabbed by the Goblin who holds him tight as his glider pulls them both off the ground. "Hey, Punisher, could you forget your personal little vendetta for a moment? A little hellp would be nice!" "Nothing, I told you nothing keeps me from Combustion! I have my own villains to worry about! You're on your own!" The Punisher begins to pummel the Vulture with his fist, and even when blood starts to drip from with weary villian's face it's still not enough for him. He reaches for his dropped power bat and starts to swing. He connects again and again until the Vulture lay still in a puddle of his own blood. "Face me, you murderer!" Combustion answers with a focused blast of his energy, knocking the Punisher back twenty feet into a wall. "You see, Punny, I'm getting a better grip on these powers of mine." Another blast and another until the Punisher lays in a tatterd costume, dripping blood from all over. Combustion walks closer and John sees his fist begins to glow bright orange, then red and he knows the final blow is coming. "I...it...can't en...end, not like thi...this..." "Oh but I'm afraid it does! Bye now!" Combustion raises his fist and as he is about to strike he hears a frantic scream-- "You fool! Stop!" The glider of the Goblin strikes Combustion in the back as it flies wildly out of control. It digs into Combustion who now screams in pain as he is raised high into the air. The glider continues up higher and higher and then begins to dive. "It can't hold this weight, Spider-Man! Do you know what you've done!" The glider dives lower and lower. The Punisher sees it about to hit near him and he runs for cover. Combustion is still screaming and losing blood quickly. The Goblin begins to laugh more out of fear than just insanity... "Are you insane?" As the trio of glider riders gets closer to the ground, Spider-Man realizes that this Combustion person is not suited for a crash with his explosicve capabilities. The Goblin jumps to safety and flies away. "Bye bye, Spider-Man!" Combustion continues to scream as Spidey leaps. He misses a wall and instinctively he tries to shoot a webline. His wrists have not yet healed from his earlier web usage (see SM2099UG #3), and he manages to aggrevate his injury even more. Just wishing this horrible day would end, Spider-Man sees the street rushing up. CRASH! The glider impacts and Combustion screams die abruptly to a faint wheeze. The Punisher makes his way over to him and gives him his final vengenace. "For Vendetta, you pusbag." One bullet ends the life of this villain. The Punisher manages to look up to see the Goblin laughing as Spider-Man comes closer to the street, hes about to hit until something jumps out of nowhere and grabs him. John daSilva stares in disbelief, rubbing his eyes. "What the Hel...?" Spider-Man thinks he's dreaming when he opens his eyes and sees...himself? "Hey Spidey, pal, thought you could use some help! After all, if you die now, I won't get another chance at you, will I?" ........ TO BE CONTINUED in SPIDER-MAN 2099 UG #4B |