In the Midst of Wolves Part One

In the Greenspoint neighborhood in Houston, Texas, a pair of gangsters retrieve some guns out of the trunk of their car. They head into their hideout to deal with reports of intruders and are shocked to see all of their men are dead. This was done at the hands of Carlos and Esme Lobo, the heads of the Mexican Lobo Cartel. Realizing who they are dealing with the two gangsters drops their guns. Esme and Carlos tell them that the Lobo Cartel will be enlisting their gang in helping them locate a girl.

In Houston, the Scarlet Spider watches as a teenaged girl who has just arrived in town after being smuggled into the country by a coyote. She is unaware of the fact that she has been brought here to be forced into a life of prostitution. However, before she can be grabbed from the bus station from her would be captor, Kaine makes his presence known. When the man pulls a gun, the Spider snaps his arm. He hopes this harsh display of violence will take away the young girl’s naivety which would have gotten her to kill. He then, in Spanish, tells the girl to run and gives her money and the address of a church where she can take sanctuary. As he swings away, Kaine hates having to do this but it is necessary to prevent these girls from becoming victims. Kaine has been spending most of his time shutting down human trafficking operations all over Houston but realizes that he has no workable solution but doesn’t know what to do. Even though he knows that for every operation he shuts down another opens up the next day. Despte this, he continues working ever night at this seemingly endless task.

As Kaine works, Aracely — a Mexican girl he saved from human traffickers — dreams of being in the legendary place called Aztlan. She is approached by a coyote that tells her that the fifth creation is coming to an end. Suddenly this wolf takes on human form and the field of flowers turns into a killing field. The wolf then warns her that Mictlan is about to rise. She is then surrounded by other strangers who tell her that she should not be here and that she is the left handed humming bird and she will be consumed. When they try to attack her, Aracely flees into a trench where she finds a woman with knives in her chest and a man being crushed by a large snake. The man tells her that she needs a champion. The woman tells her that she is already in Mictlan suffering and that Aracely will soon join her. Aracely recognizes the woman as her mother. Suddenly, she is attacked by the man who hunted her after she was saved by Kaine. Grabbing the girl by the throat, this new attacker tells her that Mictlan arises.[1]

Aracely wakes up screaming, prompting Annabelle Adams to come in and check on her. Annabelle is crying just like her due to some kind of psychic link between the two and suggests that they call Kaine. Meanwhile, Carlos and Esme Lobo are on the move in a limo. Eseme asks her brother what he plans to do ask for as a reward once they finish their job. She finds it amusing that he wants to bring their brother, Eduardo, back from the dead.[2] That’s when Eseme picks up their target’s scent and suggests they get moving.

By this time, Kaine has returned and takes Aracely on a walk in the park to talk about her dream. Although Kaine dismisses it as a nightmare, Aracely is certain that it means something even thought she doesn’t understand everything from it, particularly since she can’t remember her own past. Kaine promises her that he’ll figure it out since he already knows that the coyotes responsible for smuggling her into America were connected with the Roxxon corporation.[3] That’s when Aracely senses danger and tells Kaine to get into costume. That’s when they are confronted by the Lobo siblings who are note that Kaine has the same scent as Spider-Man, only slightly different.[4] Realizing that Aracely is in grave danger, Kaine grabs her and flees the scene, much to the delight of the Lobos.

Retreating to the rooftops, Kaine tries to get Aracely to tell him who they are facing but she doesn’t know. As he changes into his Scarlet Spider costume he tells her to go find Wally Layton, their friend in the Houston Police Department, when suddenly the girl starts howling like a wolf.[5] That’s when the Lobos, having transformed into werewolves ambush Kaine.

As Kaine fights for his life, he screams at Aracely to run and keeps the Lobos off her until she snaps out of her state of shock. This leaves the Scarlet Spider wide open for a series of lethal strikes which Aracely — who has now reached the street — can feel herself due to their mental connection. The battle is soon ended and Kaine lays dying on the ground, Eseme thanks him for the battle and licks his face. Kaine then realizes that the two werewolves are now feasting on his body. As the life slips out of him he begins thinking about the final rites said by a priest before everything goes black.

Recurring Characters

Scarlet Spider, Lobo Cartel (Carlos Lobo, Esme Lobo), Aracely Penalba, Annabelle Adams

Continuity Notes

1. This man, aka the Salamander, hunted down Aracely until he was stopped by the Scarlet Spider. See Scarlet Spider (vol. 2) #1-2.

2. Eduardo Lobo is Carlos’ twin brother. He was fatally shot by Glory Grant while fighting Spider-Man back in Web of Spider-Man #55.

3. Roxxon was using illegal immigrants to try and contained an energy creature that they dubbed Mammon. See Scarlet Spider (vol. 2) #7-9.

4. That’s because Kaine was a clone of Peter Parker created by the Jackal. For more on Kaine’s creation see Spider-Man #61.

5. Kaine recalls how his earlier battle with the Bruiser ended with the villain howling at him. This happened in Scarlet Spider (vol. 2) #12.1