Spider-Man: Friends and Enemies #3
Stolen Lives
After being forced to let the Metahumes go free, Spider-Man becomes furious that they had to do so. When Nova and Speedball try to get him to calm down, leading to the group coming to blows.[1] They eventually get Spider-Man to calm down, explaining that while his spider-tracer failed, Darkhawk has been tailing them since they got away. Not far away, Darkhawk follows the Metahumes getaway vehicle using his stealth mode. He follows them to an abandoned building, Paradeen Manor, and doubles back to get the others. Elias Flynn is the last member of the Metahumes out of the vehicle. Before he can join his thralls, he is blasted with a disintegrator weapon that reduces him to ash. This blast came from the Hostiles. They recover the crystals that gave the Metahumes their powers from Flynn's remains as they believe this is the key to controlling the superpowered youths.
Inside the building, the other Metahumes suddenly feel the loss of Flynn's mind control. Realizing they're free they then attack Crystal Hammer, the only member of their group who sided with Flynn. Before a full-on battle can start, they are interrupted by the Hostiles. They inform the youths that they are the Metahumans, new masters. In order to ensure their compliance, the Hostiles reveal that they have the Metahume's family and loved ones hostage. Learning that Flynn is dead, the Metahumes have no choice but to do what they are told. They are led up to the roof where they are loaded up on the Hostile's ship. As they are being transported to the group's headquarters, they try to figure out what to do next. Diamond Hammer tries to do something that will put lives at risk, the other Metahumes almost get into a brawl with him. However, the ship begins to land and Honch starts taking control of the situation. Trying to figure out a way to get word out Assault begins sending out an SOS with he telepathic powers. By this time, Spider-Man and his allies have arrived at Paradeen Manor where they are brought up to date by the eyewitnesses. That's when Darkhawk sense one of the Hostile's ships observing them as his visor can see through its cloaking device. As Darkhawk flies off to attack the ship, Spider-Man is suddenly bombarded by Assault's mental distress call. He tells Spider-Man that they have been taken to a building near a Soho bar called the Spruce. Figuring that Darkhawk can take care of himself, Spider-Man, Nova and Speedball head there.
There, Spider-Man and his two allies find the hostages and take down the members of the Hostiles keeping the hostages. Meanwhile, Darkhawk has followed the other members of the Hostiles to a lab on the West Side of Manhattan. There he observes as the Metahumes are put in large vats where their powers are going to be siphoned from their bodies. Darkhawk blasts the control panel, but feedback from the machines knocks him out in the process. Before the Hostiles can deal with him, Spider-Man, Nova, and Speedball come crashing in through one of the windows. Unfortunately, Honcho holds the Metahumes at gunpoint, forcing the three heroes to stand down. With no other choice, Spider-Man and his comrades are forced into holding tanks and are subject to the same process that will siphon the Metahumes of their powers.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, New Warriors (Speedball, Nova, Darkhawk), Metahumes (Elias Flynn, Hardnose, Assault, Blazeye, Hyperia, Makina, Diamond Hammer, Honcho)
Continuity Notes
Everyone thinks that Speedball is Robbie Baldwin, however, this is an impostor taking his place as revealed in New Warriors #68-69. He took Speedball's place in New Warriors #50.
