Chapter 11

Last Time on Infinite Crisis in the Noir Universe (in Chapter 7)

Upon returning from the alternate dimension, Noir discovered two new crime gangs have opened up in his absence, one ran by the Ultimate R.H.I.N.O and the other by the Amazing Electro. Later Noir met back up with his old ally Felicia Hardy. It was here Noir discovered that R.H.I.N.O took over the Goblin's gang. Forming an unlikely alliance between Hammerhead, Lizard 2099, and Noir, the three managed to separate R.H.I.N.O from his goons and take out the giant machine. Afterwards Noir managed to retrieve the tablet and pilot of the rhino armour, a pudgy little man named Alex O'Hirn. Together Noir and Ms. Hardy begin their interrogation.

Noir Universe: Unlikely Alliance

It's been a week since the interrogation began for Alex O'Hirn, pilot of the R.H.I.N.O. armour. And that interrogation lasted all but 10 minutes for Spider-Man Noir and Felicia Hardy. Turns out O'Hirn can't take torture at all…not that the Spider or Cat even tortured him. Just mentioning it was enough to set the pudgy little man into a panic. Noir better understood O'Hirn's history and how futuristic his universe is. When asked about the Lizard, Alex knew nothing other then it trying to grab his tablet and attacking his gang. When it came to Electro, it was much the same they already knew with O'Hirn only knowing mayor Max Dillon stays mostly at the city hall running New York as their savior by day and he controls the majority of the gangs and mobs in the city by night as Electro.

Though his information wasn't very useful, Noir and The Cat found O'Hirn useful when it came to technology. Keeping a close eye on him, the duo watched as O'Hirn created devices that would protect Noir from Electrical attacks and possibly track the other tablet pieces. O'Hirn did all this for the low, low price of not hurting him…again just the thought of torture and interrogation scared the pudgy man…who once ran one of the baddest gangs in town while wearing a gigantic rhino suit.

"Seriously this other dimensions are just weird Felicia," Noir states as they walk around the warehouse where they are keeping O'Hirn captive.

Felicia looks over agreeing, "Indeed they are. Men made of lightning, lizard men, and giant rhinos. They're our problem now so we should get used to it. If only we could get something more to go on."

"Well for now we have to wait Felicia. Not like we will get a clue written in the sky."

"Well your wish has been granted Spider."

Felicia spins Noir around and shows him a weird spotlight shining on the dark clouds. A light but with a shape of a spider in the middle of it. A Spider-Signal if you will.

"Well that's just tacky, but I'll take it."

Immediately Noir goes swinging out in search of where the light is coming from.

…

Within the hour, Noir finds a giant spotlight on the top of a building with none other than Hammer Head Noir standing by it. Former goon for both the Goblin and most recently R.H.I.N.O.

"Okay Hammer, what's the deal? Couldn't find a less obvious way to get my attention? You're going to have Electro on his way over here to fry both of us!"

Hammer takes a sip from a bottle of scotch on hand and calmly responds, "Max Dillon won't be a problem for the time being Spider. Electro is out of down down south doing mayoral work so he won't be around for the next few days."

"Okay…so why the signal? Why me?"

"Because I needed to talk to you Spider about a common enemy."

"The Lizard?"

"That's what you're calling him, huh?"

"Get to the point."

"That Reptile's been attacking my men. And not just my men. All the gangs I've heard about have gusy disappearin' left, right, and centre."

"Hmmm…"

"Look I know you're more about stopping the thieves, crooks, and gangs, but are you goin' to stand there and watch who knows how many men killed? Plus what happens when it's done with attacking the criminals and goes after the normies?"

"Either way, no one deserves to go out that way Hammer. Plus I have business with the Lizard."

"You mean those tablet pieces?"

"Yeah…Lookin' for another fight over it?"

"No Spider. I just want my men safe. We may not agree with how we live our lives Spider, but we agree every man should be able to return back home to his family at the end of the night."

"Doesn't sound like you much there."

"People change Spider. Watching what you the last few years does that for a guy. Now let's get back to the reptile. I am leading 5 of my best remaining men down the sewers where we've heard this thing is hiding."

"Leave your men behind, I'll deal with the Lizard myself."

"Don't think so Spider. My men are down there too, either we go in together or I don't tell you where top even start lookin."

Noir looks at Hammerhead and knows he has no choice. "Alright Hammer, we'll go in together."

"Meet me back where you took out horn head and we'll go from there. Be there tomorrow at sun down."

"See you then."

…

Taking the day to prepare a battle with the Lizard, Noir informed Cat of Hammerhead's plan and go O'Hirn to prepare something for Noir. Swinging through the city back to the carnival grounds where R.H.I.N.O. was defeated last week, Noir lands beside Hammerhead and 5 of his men.

"Nice gear Spider," Hammerhead informs.

Noir steps out of the shadows not wearing his usual uniform, but an armoured version of it. Knowing he needed to be prepared for a battle with Lizard and Electro, Noir has had O'Hirn working on this for the past week. As Noir lands, Felicia pipes in over the radio in the helmet portion of the radio.

"Spider is everything alright?" Felicia asks, "Was it a trap like I said?"

"Everything is on the level Cat," Noir states.

"You have a radio in there or something?" Hammerhead asks.

"Yeah. Technology has become pretty advanced."

"What a magical world we live in." Hammerhead states sarcastically.

"Pays to be prepared Hammer," Noir states, "Let's do this."

Hours pass as the seven of them begin traveling the sewers looking for the Lizard. Soon they find evidence of hissing and scratching sounds…but not from one creature. Slowly Noir and his crew turn around a corner and see Mr. Locke-Connors, The Lizard 2099, standing in front of an army of reptilian men.

"I have had enough!" The Lizard roars getting the attention of his reptilian army.

"I've spent too long trying to save my family's business and here I am haunted my family's past, literally in the past no less. I have tried to bring honour to the Connors family name but I could never leave it behind. This tablet I hold in my hands…" The Lizard raises the tablet piece above his head, "This was to save my family from ruin and embarrassment. I've tried leaving my family history behind but as of today I shall embrace it! I shall embrace my new family I have created. You all have joined my cluster of reptiles and now we shall claim this city for ourselves. Either Electro or Spider will take away what I…no what we deserve. Tonight the city is ours!"

In a panic, one of Hammerhead's men panics and opens fire onto the den of reptilian men. Two of the reptiles take shots in the arm but soon all the reptiles and even The Lizard begin their onslaught onto Noir and the crew. Noir screams for the men to run but it is a disaster, Noir tries to save Hammerhead and his men but they are taken easily with Noir fighting against a sea of reptiles. His new armour is torn apart but he manages to escape out of a man hole. Reptiles begin to pour out of the sewer giving chase to Noir who is now hiding on the side of a building. The Lizard comes crawling out last with Hammerhead being dragged behind.

"Spider…you had your chance to work with me. When you took R.H.I.N.O.'s tablet from me, you made yourself my enemy…especially when you allied with this piece of scum!"

Lizard tosses Hammerhead into the middle of the street. With the reptiles standing back watching, Lizard takes the tablet piece and holds it to his chest.

"I shall make you a deal Spider," The Lizard announces. "A one on one battle between you and I. Winner takes all the tablet pieces and why not, I shall throw in this piece of scums life."

As the Lizard points down to the barely breathing Hammerhead, the gangster coughs up blood stating, "Don't waste your time dinosaur! Like Spider would risk himself for me. Just run Spider, you don't stand a chance!"

"SILENCE!" Lizard's tail comes thundering down across Hammerhead's spine with enough force to break it…or it would have if Noir didn't web the tail in time to save Hammerhead.

"I'll speak for myself Hammer. You have a deal Lizard. One on one," Noir states now flipping down into the middle of the street as the reptiles surround them making a ring.

"Fool…" Is all The Lizard can state as he takes his tablet piece and literally swallows it. Granting his untold power, the Lizard begins to grow in size until he is just bigger than the R.H.I.N.O.

"You made a mistake Connors," Noir states, "Now I have to go through you to get that tablet piece."

Noir leaps into the air using his spider sense to dodge the claws, teeth, and tail soaring at him. Everytime Noir does get hit in midair, more and more of his armour comes flying off of his person until only his original suit remains. Web swinging into the sky, Noir tries to give himself more space from the giant Lizard. Soon cars come flying at Noir as he dodges them all in midair. Slipping between two cars, Noir lands on another car in midair, launches himself off towards the Lizard. Lizard roars in anger as Noir webs the Lizards mouth open and Noir spears straight down Lizard's gullet. Breaking the webs, Lizard makes a swallowing sound devouring our hero but soon he begins to gag. As the Lizard begins to shrink, he soon hurriedly throws up Noir…holding onto the Lizard's tablet piece he swallowed.

As the Lizard returns to normal size, he roars for the reptiles to retrieve the tablet immediately from Noir. Dodging and weaving, Noir soon takes to the sky again and begins running up a building with an army of reptiles behind him. Soon Noir notices that the scalkes of the reptiles begin to fall of as they revert back to being human. As each reptile returns to being human they pass out soon leaving an exhausted Noir in a battered and destroyed costume standing toe to toe with a reasonably still fresh Lizard.

"That's fine…I will just turn them back once I get that tablet back from you." Lizard states as he charges at Noir. As Noir begins to climb a building, Lizard easily catches up and tosses Noir back down to the street. Leaping back down, Lizard comes landing down on Noir's gut making Noir spit up blood. Grabbing Noir's legs, Lizard tosses Noir throw a window of a coffee shop. As the police sirens ring through the air, Lizard begins to panic knowing he must get the tablet piece back fast. Lizard pounces onto Noir and opens his jaws to rip out Noir's throat. Noir grabs onto the Lizard's jaws trying to keep it open but ultimately the Lizard's jaws are stronger. As the teeth come closer and closer to Noir's throat, gun shots ring out against the hide of the Lizard. Lizard leaps out of danger though none of the bullets penetrated its hide.

Hammerhead stands there with his tommy gun smoking hot from just saving Noir. Noir gets back to his feet and as Lizard pounces to kill Noir again, Hammerhead's tommy gun fires off keeping the Lizard at bay. As the police arrive, Lizard leaps out now trying to kill Hammerhead. Hammerhead pulls the trigger of his gun but nothing happens as he realizes he is out of ammo. Before Lizard can make the kill though Noir webs Lizard and pulls the creature back to crash into a street lamp. Lizard tries to get back to his feet, but Hammerhead charges using his strong head to knock the Lizard back down.

"Ahhh…Arghh…my face!" Hammerhead screams as blood streams down his face after Lizard clawed away at it. Leaping up, Lizard again tries to rip out Hammerhead's throat but Noir makes the save again webbing up Lizard's mouth. The police arrive and open fire on everything that is moving. Hammerhead falls to the ground as Noir and Lizard take the fight to the top of the nearest building.

"Give me back my tablet," The Lizard hisses.

"Eat me," Noir states…then realizes the Lizard did actually eat him earlier. "Uhh…nevermind. Listen Connors we can work together to put you back to normal."

"I'm done with normal. Look at me stronger, faster, I'm the perfect being!"

Noir webs up Lizard's mouth again.

"Just shut it creep."

Lizard leaps at Noir once again, but this time Noir is ready. Noir runs and slides under the Lizard webbing its shoulders as it flies over head. Noir pulls the webs sending the Lizard landing on the back of its head. Quickly, Noir leaps high into the air and pulls the webs still attached to the Lizard. As Noir flies off of the building flipping, he takes Lizard into the air as well. With the momentum of the flip, Noir throws Lizard into the side of the building. Before Lizard could fall 10 stories to the street below, Noir webs the side of the building and sends himself forward hard with both feet being driven into its stomach. The force sends them both flying through the window.

After all that, the Lizard still gets to its feet first with Noir still struggling. Web swinging out of the window, Noir struggles between each building to swing back and forth with bruised ribs and whatever else is broken. The Lizard leaps and crawls the buildings being able to keep up with the struggling Noir.

Panting and moaning in pain, Noir uses the remaining pieces of the armour with the radio in it to contact Felicia. "Cat! Cat! CAT!"

"What is it Spider?" Felicia pipes in over the radio.

"Get the tablet pieces together on the roof of the warehouse!"

"Why Spider? Whats going on?"

"I'm bringing a guest and I have a hunch."

"A hunch about what?"

"If we put the pieces together maybe the Lizard will turn back."

"Are you sure?"

What a moment of silence all Felicia can do is ask, "What happens if that doesn't work?"

"Either way I'm dead."

As Noir finally lands on the roof of their warehouse, he falls to the ground in pain. The Lizard lands not too far behind Noir and prepares to end the Spider. Felicia comes to the roof just in time with the two pieces of the tablet and Noir tosses the piece to her…but Lizard catches the tablet piece and slowly stalks towards Felicia. As Lizard gets ready to slash at Felicia, Noir finds some amount of strength to web line Lizard's back and pull himself forward to knee Lizard in the back of the head. The tablet piece goes flying into the air and Noir jumps off of the Lizard's back. Noir grabs hold of the tablet piece and once again tosses it to Felicia. Felicia catches the tablet piece and goes to assemble the 3 of the 4 pieces they have.

An unfortunate tail whip sends Felicia flying backwards and all 3 pieces of the tablet into the air. At that moment time freezes. Noir sees his closest friend, ally, and compatriot out cold. Lizard now has the 3 tablet pieces and prepares to swallow all 3 of them. With one last final attempt to end this, Noir throws an elbow into Lizard's gut followed by an uppercut. The pieces again go flying into the air. A leg sweep sends Lizard falling backwards and 6 strands of webs fall across the Lizard to keep him down. As Lizard tries to pull the webs off, Noir lands both his knees into Lizard's gut. Catching all 3 pieces, Noir assembles the three quarters of the tablet. A flash of light and electricity swirls around Noir and Lizard as magic fills the air. When the night sky returns and the light resends, Noir finds himself kneeling over Dr. Locke-Connors…the human and former Lizard. Struggling to his feet, Noir looks to Felicia to make sure she is a pulse, Noir sighs confident knowing his friend is alive and puts his hand against the roof's door and he realizes something. Putting his hand onto the door over and over again, Noir realizes he isn't sticking to the wall. Punching the door leaves no dent but only pain in Noir's hand…putting the tablet pieces not turned the Lizard into Dr. Locke-Conners but it also turned Spider-Man Noir into a powerless Peter Parker.

Realizing his powers are gone, Noir looks off into the night sky and sees a large yellow light in the distance followed by the roar of a single man. Mayor Max Dillon, aka Amazing Electro, is back in town and is pissed. Now what does Noir do when he has to fight the most powerful foe he has ever fought without his powers.

Next Time on Infinite Crisis

Ultimate Spider-Man has defeated Vulture 2099 and now finds himself chasing over a mind controlled Iron Man who has Nick Fury. The true danger though comes when he must face the Amazing Hobgoblin!

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Characters from Chapter 11: Unlikely Alliance (spoilers if you haven't read yet)

Spider-Man Noir (Has lost his powers by assembling 3 of 4 tablet pieces)

The Cat/Felicia Hardy

Ultimate Alex O'Hirn (held captive and building technology for the group)

Lizard 2099 (turned back into Dr. Locke-Connors)

Hammerhead Noir (last seen with his face clawed and surrounded by the police)