Ryker's Island Penitentiary. Spider-Man really wished he was elsewhere, especially in his current state. Saving Vin Gonzales, however, is his priority. Despite the odds stacked against him, in the form of several large inmates, Spidey is forced to engage into battle. He fairs pretty well against the dozens upon dozens of prisoners coming at him all at once, but he might not be able to keep that up for much longer. Seizing an opportunity, he unloads large amounts of webbing on the floor, trapping attacking inmates. He then grabs hold of Vin and leaps upward to the second level where he kicks one of the access doors down. After going through, he turns around and webs the hole shut, preventing the inmates from following him.
At the Hollister Campaign Headquarters, Bill Hollister and daughter Lily Hollister are watching news reports of the New York City mayoral race results. Lily is confident that her father will win the election in a landslide but he's not so sure. Just then, Carlie Cooper storms into Bill's office. When asked why she looks and sounds so upset, Carlie reveals that she is being framed by the NYPD for a crime she did not commit.
Miles away on an unstipulated rooftop, Harry Osborn is deep in contemplation. Convincing himself that stopping his fiancée, Lily Hollister – revealed to him as being the alter ego of the psychopath Menace – is the only way to make things right, he dons his Green Goblin costume.
Back at Ryker's, Spidey is accosted by the officer that was assigned to guard him (see previous issue for additional details); gun in hand, the officer orders Spidey to freeze. Spidey feels bad for what he’s about to do because this guard was the only guy in prison who was decent to him. But Spidey must get himself and Vin out of there so he proceeds to slap the gun out of his hands and knocks him out with a tap in the forehead. He then turns his attention to their only way out: a nearby window. Spidey first rips the window out of the frame and then the steel bars covering the window. He then hoists Vin on his back and jumps out the window. The twosome lands safely atop a security van, which Spidey hot-wires to get them out of there. Seconds later, after crashing through a gate, they are free men.
At the Hollister headquarters, Carlie Cooper finishes explaining to Bill and Lily Hollister how she was framed by the NYPD for being involved in the spider-tracer killings, though she evidently is not. The Hollister's vow to help her out and Bill indicates that he's going to contact the Chief of Detectives to have a word with him. As he opens the door to leave his office, he comes face-to-face with Officer Alan O'Neil and a fellow policeman – they have come to take Carlie into custody. Defiantly, Carlie tells O'Neil that she's already told the Hollister’s about the whole spider-tracer cover-up.
Inside the stolen prison security van, Spidey asks Vin to explain what is going on. Vin is resilient to discuss it at first but Spidey convinces him to share his story. Vin tells Spidey he was in prison because of him. Confused, Spidey has no idea what Vin is talking about. Vin goes on saying that it is because of the spider-tracer killings.
Back the Hollister headquarters, the elder Hollister tells O'Neil that he will not allow him to take Carlie with him, after what she's told them. O'Neil responds that Hollister is not mayor yet so he has no authority over him. Having said that, he takes Carlie away, while goading the Hollister's to file a complaint against him by openly giving them his badge number.
Having told Spidey the story about he and other police officers framing him for the spider-tracer killings, Vin proceeds to apologize, telling Spidey that he has every right to be angry. Vin maintains, however, that what Spidey does – that is, the whole vigilante act – he is effectively breaking the law. Spidey argues that he's helping people, which is something Vin and his fellow officers should try out sometime instead of wasting their energies into framing innocent people. Just then, a call comes through the radio in the van: Menace is attacking officers in Gramercy Park and backup is requested. Spidey tells Vin that he has to go. Vin replies that he has to get to Carlie to make sure she's okay. Crawling away, Spidey tells Vin that the van’s motor is still running so he’s welcome to go check up on her.
Outside the Hollister headquarters, Menace is attacking O'Neil and his colleague; he wants them to release his friend, Carlie Cooper. Carlie, who has no idea that Menace is in fact Lily Hollister, is grateful for the distraction, as it allows her to grad the handcuff keys off O'Neil's belt. Just then, Spider-Man arrives on the scene and interrupts the goblin-like villain by throwing a signpost through the glider's engine. Menace is thrown off the glider and lands on the roof of a car. Spidey drops on top of him and prepares to kick his butt, but Menace has other ideas. Menace uses one of his gas-bomb to incapacitate Spidey, thus giving him the upper hand. Spidey is subsequently thrown to the ground where Menace starts pummeling him senselessly. Menace is about to deliver the deathblow when he hears something coming at him. He intercepts said object, in mid-flight, and it is revealed to be a large syringe containing some kind of serum. It turns out that it's been shot by Harry Osborn, in partial Green Goblin regalia. Menace taunts Harry with the syringe h's caught, paying no attention to Spider-Man, who's gotten back to his feet. Spidey seizes the opportunity to grab hold of the syringe and stab it into Menace's neck, releasing its content. Menace falls to the ground and starts transforming back to Lily Hollister. A news camera crew is on the scene, recording the whole thing.
At the Hollister headquarters, Bill Hollister watches that exact scene unravel on the television. He tells his campaign aids to leave him alone, tears streaming down his face. As Menace is revealed to be Lily, one of Hollister’s aid comes in to inform him that he’s been projected as having won the New York City mayoral election.
Back at the scene of the Spider-Man/Menace battle, more cops have shown up and they want to arrest Spidey for breaking out of jail. Thankfully, Harry Osborn/Green Goblin swoops down and takes Spidey away before the cops can get to him. Minutes later, Harry, with Spidey in two, comes to rest on a rooftop. Spidey tries to talk to Harry but he passes out of exhaustion even before he can complete a sentence.
Carlie is running through the city streets like crazy. She is trying to make it to Bill Hollister's house back entrance, before anyone can catch up to her, when she runs into Vin Gonzales, also on the run. Vin drags her into an alley, out of view, and proceeds to apologize to her, telling her that he's going to make things right.
The next day, on the Two-in-One TV show, hosts Michael Levin and Samara Saffian discuss the election results and the shocking revelation that Lily Hollister is the super-villain known as Menace. They indicate that people have been calling for Bill Hollister's resignation and that, before he’s even been sworn in.
In Forest Hills, Queens, Sergeant Quentin Palone is in the process of destroying spider-tracers with a small mallet when Vin Gonzales shows up, gun in hand, to arrest him. Palone tries to persuade Vin not to do what he's about to do, but Vin stands his ground. He puts Palone under arrest.
Peter finds Harry sitting alone at the Coffee Bean; it is obvious that Harry is devastated by what happened. Harry tells Peter he was going to marry Liz and have children with her – a life in simpler words. Harry asks Peter if they are cursed. Peter responds that all of them are cursed by their fathers. For Peter, the burden has been not having a father and it's been losing the man who was like a father to him. Mary Jane's father abused her, Carlie's dad drinks and Lily has her own father issues. What Peter is trying to say is that they all have crosses to bear. It may seem like it's heavier for some than others, Peter continues explaining, but it's not; everybody has something and the question they ought to ask themselves is what can they do about it. As far as Peter is concerned, a curse only means something if they let it define them. Peter admits that if Harry would have ever completely given into the Osborn curse, he wouldn't be his friend, but that's not the case. Harry is glad to hear that. He asks Peter what happened to him. Peter explains that he got into a fight over a discussion about politics. Harry admits that he didn't get a chance to vote in the election. Peter responds that he didn't either.
While this conversation takes place, Norman Osborn is seen walking along a lengthy corridor. He finally arrives at his destination – Lily Hollister's cell. After offering words of evil wisdom, he shows her the ring they took from her when she was taken into police custody. He explains that it used to belong to his wife, which would therefore make her his daughter-in-law. Having said that, he wants to welcome her to the family.
The end.
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