Spider-Man 2099 #24
Assault and Batteries
Thanks to Stark-Fujikawa, Kasey Nash has been outfitted with a suit of cybernetic armor. Calling herself Payback, she decides to use her newly acquired armor to strike back against Alchemax.[1] Meanwhile, at Babylon Towers, Xina Kwan works to repair Miguel's virtual personal assistant, Layla.[2] Her work is interrupted by the arrival of Miguel's brother Gabriel.[3] Although Xina is catty with Gabriel, he really needs Miguel's help, so the pair go outside to talk.
While at Alchemax, Tyler Stone is happy to see his assistant Winston is up and running again.[4] That's when he is alerted by the Public Eye that Payback is heading toward their office. At that moment, Gabriel tells Miguel about how Kasey went missing and asks his brother for help. Knowing that Alchemax doesn't have her, he isn't sure what he can do to find her. That's when Payback flies by Babylon Towers, drawing the attention to everyone. Thinking that she is going to get into trouble, Gabriel asks Miguel to convince her to come back as Spider-Man. Miguel wonders why Gabriel still cares since Kasey broke up with him, and wonders why she would listen to Spider-Man.[5] Gabriel tells his brother that she is in love with Spider-Man and that he doesn't want to lose another girl to him. By this time, Payback has made it to the Alchemax building where he makes short work of the Public Eye officers who try to stop her. When she snares their hoverbikes, the officer’s bailout. Carrying too much weight, she is pulled down toward the street. As she struggles to break free she is rescued by Spider-Man who cuts the cables loose.
With Kasey safe, the pair go up to a nearby rooftop where Spider-Man asks what she is doing. She explains that she was taking the fight with Alchemax, saying that with great power comes great responsibility. Spider-Man's dislike of this phrase and the fact that he knows Kasey by her real name makes Payback wonder if Spider-Man is somebody knows.[6] When she thinks that Spider-Man is actually Gabriel O'Hara, the hero denies it. Still, Payback insists that this must be true as she has never seen Spider-Man and Gabriel together. Before she can question any further, Kasey is ambushed by Risque, who knocks the novice off the edge of the building with a finger blast. However, Risque is not here for Payback, she is hoping to eliminate Spider-Man for defeating her brother. As Spider-Man struggles to keep Kasey from falling to the street below, he is an open target for Risque. Unfortunately, the bullets strike Spider-Man forcing him to drop Payback.
When she strikes the ground, Gabriel is quickly by her side. When Public Eye officers try to apprehend her, Gabriele pulls a gun on them. He orders them to stay away, but he is joined by Tyler Stone. Stone convinces Gabriel that he is the only one who can save her and restore her to normal. As he takes Kasey away, he has the Public Eye beat Gabriel for his trouble. Meanwhile, Spider-Man checks his wounded leg when Risque ambushed him again. This time, Spider-Man manages to rip off her coat, revealing that she is more machine than human. She overpowers the hero, and pins him to the ground. Before she finished Spider-Man off, she decides to steal a kiss. Spider-Man uses this to his advantage, biting her with his venomous fangs. He then knocks her out with a single punch. Finding his brother lying in the street, Spider-Man tries to get Gabriel's help. However, Gabri gets up and refuses his brother's help and walks away. If things couldn't get any worse, Spider-Man is then confronted by Venture who has come to avenge his sister's defeat.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Payback, Xina Kwan, Gabriel O’Hara, Tyler Stone, Winsten, Venture, Risque
Continuity Notes
Kasey has an ax to grind against Alchemax since they attempted to apprehend her in Spider-Man 2099 #4-5.
Layla has been malfunctioning since a shutdown in Spider-Man 2099 #12. When she attacked Miguel in Spider-Man 2099 #18-19, he was forced to shut her down.
Xina remarks how Gabriel bored his girlfriend Dana so she dumped him and started dating Miguel. This is explored in more detail in Spider-Man 2099 #37.
Winston began to malfunction when Discord threw New York into chaos in Spider-Man 2099 #18.
Kasey broke up with Gabriel because of he was too needy. That happened in Spider-Man 2099 #15.
Kasey said this phrase to Gabriel, who later told it to Miguel in Spider-Man 2099 #4.
