A Rider Kick in Marvel ch 144

Ace, Lorna, Spider-Man, and Spider-Woman returned to the Nascita headquarters, their costumes still bearing the marks of their recent battle. As they stepped through the doorway, Lorna turned to Ace, her brow furrowed with curiosity.

"Ace, do Spider-Man and Spider-Woman know who you are?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of concern.

Ace nodded, his armored form shifting slightly. "Yes, they do," he replied, his tone measured. "We've known each other's identities for a long time now."

Lorna's eyes widened, and she glanced between the two costumed heroes. "Then, who are they?" she pressed, her eagerness palpable.

Ace raised a hand, halting her line of questioning. "I'm afraid I can't reveal their identities," he said, his voice firm. "That's not my place to do so."

Spider-Man and Spider-Woman exchanged a silent look, their bodies language indicating a shared understanding of Ace's position.

Izu, Ace's AI companion, approached the group, her holographic form flickering to life. "Welcome back, everyone," she greeted, her voice calm and composed. "I trust the battle went well?"

Ace turned to Izu, nodding. "As well as can be expected," he replied, his gaze sweeping over the group. "But the lava monster's sudden disappearance has me concerned."

Spider-Woman stepped forward, her web-patterned suit rustling softly. "We're just as puzzled by that," she admitted, her brow furrowed beneath her mask. "One moment it was there, the next it was gone."

Lorna crossed her arms, her green cloak swaying with the movement. "Do we have any leads on where it might have gone?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of frustration.

Ace shook his head, his armored form shifting slightly. "Unfortunately, no," he replied, his tone thoughtful. "Ark is still analyzing the data from the battle, but so far, there's no clear indication of where the creature disappeared to."

Spider-Man moved closer, his web-shooters at the ready. "Whatever happened, it's clear this wasn't a normal attack," he said, his voice tinged with concern. "There's something bigger going on here."

Ace nodded, his gaze meeting Spider-Man's. "I agree," he said, his voice firm. "We need to get to the bottom of this, and quickly."

Ace turned to Spider-Man, his expression thoughtful beneath his armored mask. "Did you notice anything peculiar about the lava monster, aside from its rampage?" he asked, his voice tinged with a hint of concern.

Spider-Man shook his head, his web-shooters still at the ready. "Not really," he admitted, his brow furrowing. "It just seemed like a typical rampaging monster, you know? Smashing everything in sight."

"I see," Ace murmured, his gaze shifting to the others. "We actually encountered something strange before you called us in."

Lorna, standing beside Ace, nodded, her green cloak swaying with the movement. "We were investigating an attack on a research compound," she explained, her voice steady. "Aliens were swarming the place, trying to steal some kind of advanced technology."

Spider-Woman's eyes widened behind her mask. "Aliens?" she echoed, her voice laced with surprise. "I thought we were done with that after the Chitauri invasion a couple of years ago."

Ace nodded, his armored form shifting slightly. "That's what we thought as well," he admitted. "But it seems there's more going on than we realized."

"Is that why the lava monster disappeared so suddenly?" Spider-Man asked, his tone tinged with concern. "Is it somehow connected to these alien activities?"

Ace's gaze hardened, his body language conveying a sense of determination. "That's what we're trying to figure out," he replied, his voice firm. "The technology stolen from the research compound was leftover from the Chitauri invasion. We believe the aliens or someone may be trying to acquire it for their own purposes."

Ace continued to explain that when they defeated the aliens, they also vanished without a trace, similar to the disappearance of the lava monster.

Spider-Woman asked, "Do you think the two incidents are related?"

Ace shook his head, his armored form shifting slightly. "I'm not sure," he admitted, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "The similarities are certainly concerning, but I can't say for certain if they're connected."

Lorna, standing beside Ace, chimed in, her green cloak swaying with the movement. "Could it be the same group behind both attacks?" she suggested, her brow furrowed in thought.

Ace turned to Lorna, his expression thoughtful beneath his armored mask. "That's a possibility," he conceded, his voice measured. "But we need more information to make that determination."

Izu, Ace's AI companion, stepped forward, her holographic form flickering to life. "Perhaps Ark can help us find a connection," she offered, her tone calm and composed.

Ace nodded, his gaze shifting to the supercomputer. "Ark, can you check if there are any other recent incidents that might be related to these attacks?" he requested, his voice firm.

Ark's response was immediate, its synthesized voice echoing through the room. "Analyzing data... I have detected a recent robbery at a nearby research center that occurred at the same time as the lava monster attack."

Spider-Man straightened, his web-shooters at the ready. "A robbery?" he echoed, his voice tinged with concern. "What was stolen?"

Ark's response was succinct. "Advanced technology, similar to the items taken from the previous research compound."

Spider-Woman chuckled, her masked face tilting to the side. "You know, the timing of these attacks is a little too convenient, don't you think?" she mused, her voice laced with a hint of humor.

Spider-Man nodded, his web-shooters still at the ready. "Yeah, it's almost like someone's trying to keep us distracted," he agreed, his brow furrowing beneath his mask.

Ace's gaze hardened, his armored form shifting slightly. "That's exactly what I'm concerned about," he admitted, his voice tinged with a sense of unease. "These attacks don't seem random. Someone is orchestrating them, and we need to figure out who."

Lorna, standing beside Ace, nodded in agreement. "The aliens at the research compound and now this lava monster... It's all too convenient," she said, her green cloak swaying with the movement.

Lorna turned to Ace, her brow furrowed with concern. "If someone is targeting these research facilities for Chitauri technology, what should we do now?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Ace considered her question, his armored form shifting slightly. "Ark, can you scan for any other similar research facilities in the area?" he requested, his tone firm.

Ark's response was immediate, its synthesized voice echoing through the room. "Scanning... I have detected two additional research centers in New York that may contain remnants of Chitauri technology."

Spider-Man straightened, his web-shooters at the ready. "Two more?" he echoed, his voice laced with concern. "How do we know which one will be attacked."

Ace turned to the group, his armored form standing tall. "We need to split up and stake out those two research facilities over the next few days," he said, his voice firm.

Lorna stepped forward, her green cloak swaying with the movement. "I'll go with you, Ace," she said, her tone resolute.

Ace nodded, his gaze shifting to Spider-Man and Spider-Woman. "And you two can partner up to cover the other facility," he said, his voice measured.

Spider-Man and Spider-Woman exchanged a quick glance, their body language indicating a shared understanding. "Sounds good to us," Spider-Man replied, his web-shooters at the ready.

Izu, Ace's AI companion, approached the group, her holographic form flickering to life. "I'll provide you with the locations and any relevant information about the research facilities," she said, her tone calm and composed.

Ark, the supercomputer, chimed in, its synthesized voice echoing through the room. "The first facility is located in the industrial district, while the second is in the heart of the financial district."

Ace nodded, his gaze sweeping over the group. "Alright, let's get moving," he said, his voice tinged with a sense of urgency. "We need to be there before any attacks happen."

Lorna stepped closer to Ace, her green cloak swaying with the movement. "I'm ready when you are," she said, her voice filled with determination.

Ace turned to Izu, his armored form shifting slightly. "Keep us updated on any developments," he instructed, his tone firm.

Izu nodded, her holographic form flickering. "Of course, Ace," she replied, her voice calm and reassuring.

Spider-Man and Spider-Woman moved closer to Ace and Lorna, their web-shooters at the ready. "We'll take the financial district," Spider-Man said, his voice laced with a hint of confidence.

Ace inclined his head, his armored form shifting slightly. "Sounds good," he replied, his tone measured. "Let's move out."

With a nod, the group split up, with Ace and Lorna heading towards the industrial district, while Spider-Man and Spider-Woman made their way to the financial district.

As Ace and Lorna approached the industrial facility, they took in their surroundings, their senses heightened and their bodies tense with anticipation. Ace glanced at Lorna, his armored form casting a shadow over her.

"Stay alert, Lorna," he said, his voice low and serious. "We don't know what we might be up against."

Lorna nodded, her green cloak swaying with the movement. "I'm ready," she replied, her voice filled with determination.

They moved closer to the facility, their footsteps echoing in the stillness of the night. Ace's gaze scanned the area, searching for any signs of activity or potential threats.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man and Spider-Woman arrived at the financial district, their web-shooters at the ready. They took position on a nearby rooftop, their eyes trained on the research facility below.

Spider-Woman turned to her partner, her masked face tilting to the side. "You ready for this, Spider-Man?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of excitement.

Spider-Man nodded, his web-shooters still poised. "As ready as I'll ever be," he replied, his tone filled with determination.

The two heroes settled in, their vigilance unwavering as they waited for any sign of trouble.