Forgotten Title

"So you're saying public safety has improved lately not because these colorful superheroes have been fighting crime, nor because the NYPD has been putting in the work, but because the gangs have vanished on their own? Ha! Even if I believed Spider-Man had suddenly become the world's only hope for salvation, I still wouldn't believe New York's gangs would turn over a new leaf by themselves!"

"I really have to thank you for your faith in me, Jonah. You actually believe Spider-Man might be able to save the world."

Perched atop the Empire State Building in his suit, Peter Parker leisurely listened in on J. Jonah and several Daily Bugle investigative reporters as he watched Midtown High beneath the sunset, where only students involved in clubs and sports teams remained. Reporters had their own methods and lines of thought for investigating such matters, and the conclusions reached by this group were startlingly consistent: many places investigative reporters had once been able to enter were now being flagged as dangerous by informants.

That was not beyond the scope of Peter's own investigation. Those places deemed dangerous had indeed seen numerous gang massacres believed to have been caused by The Hand. At present, The Hand did not seem to have done anything bad; most of what they had done was wipe out gangs.

And if Felicia's flash drive was included, then they had also wiped out New York's entire drug network, buying up all the merchandise and then refusing to distribute it. They could practically be called model citizens—better friendly neighbors than Spider-Man himself.

So the question was, were The Hand really such well-behaved little darlings?

"I'll ask whether the mayor's office has any news. You'd better have a good talk with the NYPD too. There are always cops who cut corners