Chapter 5: I: The Vulture
It was October 13th at 10:12 AM, and Adrian Toombs was busy in his lab at Oscorp, working to get his project up and running.
Toombs was roughly 60 years old, completely bald, and had an unusually long nose, but he was very well fit for a man of his age. He had been working at Oscorp ever since it started. However, his boss, Norman Osborn, had been cracking down on funding and expected results, making Adrian irritable, so he began taking it out on his interns.
"Not like that!" Toombs snapped at his intern. "The wiring is very delicate and must be treated carefully!"
"I'm doing my best, sir," said the intern nervously.
"Well, your best is not good enough!" he snapped. "I have half a mind to complain to Mr Osborn about your ineptitude."
"Why don't you tell me about it now?" said a voice.
Toombs felt a tingling at the back of his spine as he turned to find Norman Osborn standing there, calm and emotionless.
"Mr Osborn, I was not expecting you until about lunchtime," said Toombs.
"Clearly, but my schedule is quite busy today, and I wanted this inspection out of the way," he said coldly. "However, I did not expect you to be yelling at our interns."
"I merely lost my temper, and for that, I apologise," said Toombs.
"Don't apologise, I never apologise," said Osborn as he stood there with his hands behind his back and turned to the intern. "Why don't you go for a coffee break while I discuss things with your project manager?"
The intern nodded and immediately dashed off without saying a single word.
Osborn then looked at Toombs sternly and critically. "I'll be frank, Toombs, I do not appreciate you traumatising our interns. They are here to learn, not to be yelled at."
"Surely you have lost your temper with your colleagues every now and then, Mr Osborn," said Toombs.
"True, and if it were that issue alone, I would not be considering whether to terminate your employment here at Oscorp," said Osborn.
"Terminate my contract?" Toombs yelled, outraged. "For what reason would you even consider something like that?"
"Well, there is your age to consider. You are getting close to your retirement date, are you not?" Osborn asked.
"I still have a few years left," said Toombs.
"Then there is also your project that is of concern."
Osborn then turned to Toombs's project, which resembled a bright-green jet pack with wings.
"But Mr Osborn, this project could help our forces in so many ways I can't even count," said Toombs.
"And I found the project intriguing, but my patience with the project is wearing thin. You have yet to make headway regarding testing; you're still in the development stage."
"All I require is more funding, and I would have been able to complete this project in half the time, and I'm so close to finishing it."
"You said that months ago, but that is not my only problem with this project. I've recently been informed that the army has already developed something similar."
Toombs' eyes widened; he did not know of this. "This is the first I've heard of it."
"Be that as it may, we cannot present something to the army which is already in development. It would be embarrassing at best and criminal at worst."
"You're not suggesting that I stole the plans from the army, are you?" Toombs asked.
"Adrian, I'm sure that you can see that I need to investigate this; I have the integrity of my company to think about," said Osborn calmly.
"What about my integrity!" Toombs roared.
"I do not have any choice in this matter, Toombs. I do appreciate all the work that you have done for Oscorp, but I think it is time for you to move on."
Toombs was completely outraged. "I have been working for your company since it first started, and now you're tossing me onto the sidewalk?"
"You are already nearing retirement age as is; just think of this as an early retirement, and your pension will still stand."
"I do not care about your money, Osborn! I will not stand here and let my name be slandered!"
"Adrian, you have 24 hours to leave before I call security to throw you out."
"What about my work?"
"Your work is property of Oscorp; therefore, it belongs to me. Do not make this any harder on you, Toombs and quit acting like some sort of vulture."
"You have not heard the last of this Osborn, mark my words."
It was noon, and Peter was hanging out with Harry, Gwen and MJ in the Coffee Bean. However, he could sense tension between Gwen and Harry.
"Gotta say, this is a nice change of pace since that party at Harry's," said MJ.
"Let's try not to jinx it, shall we?" said Gwen. "I mean, for all we know, a supervillain might crash right through the window at this very moment now that you said that."
"Come on, Gwen, what are the chances of that happening?" Harry joked.
Peter suddenly felt a familiar tingle vibrating his skull, realising that his spider-sense was going off.
"Get down!" Peter yelled, practically tackling MJ to the floor.
A second later, something huge smashed right through the window. Peter looked up and saw a man in bright red and yellow armour who had just smashed into their table. Peter knew who he was right away—he was Tony Stark's bodyguard, Iron Man.
"Sorry for crashing in," he apologised.
They heard a monstrous roar and saw an 8-foot-tall, green-skinned man outside wearing only ripped purple shorts. Peter knew instantly that it was the Hulk.
"Iron Man!" Hulk roared.
"Oh, and that's my cue," said Iron Man and shot out of the Coffee Bean. "Be sure to tell the manager that Mr Stark will reimburse him for the damages!"
"Well, that just happened," Peter blinked.
"You can get off me now, Tiger," said MJ's voice beneath him.
"Oh, right," said Peter as he awkwardly helped MJ to her feet.
"Thanks for the save," she said with a smile. "But how did you know that Iron Man was going to crash through the window?"
"Uh, I've got sharp ears," said Peter.
MJ looked at him suspiciously, clearly not buying his explanation, but decided not to push it.
"Who are the Avengers fighting with?" Gwen asked.
"I think it's the Crimson Dynamo," said Harry.
They looked through the broken window and could plainly see Hulk wrestling with a man in bright red armour who spoke Russian. Iron Man then flew behind him and blasted him with his repulsive attack right at his back.
Peter considered sneaking off to change into his costume, but there were so many people gathered around that it was impossible to sneak out. Plus, MJ's grasp on his arm did not make things any easier.
"I've only been in New York for just a few weeks and have already seen many superheroes," said MJ excitedly as she watched the battle.
"I would hardly call Spider-Man a superhero," Harry huffed.
"Why would you say that?" Gwen frowned disapprovingly. "He did save our lives when Jameson decided to crash our party."
"Only because he was after Spider-Man; if he weren't swinging around, my dad would be furious with me," said Harry.
Peter remembered Harry saying his father, Norman, was not too happy to see their home completely wrecked. At first, he thought it was because of the party, but only through many explanations did they convince him that a fight between Spider-Man and Jonah caused it. Though the mention of Spider-Man seemed to put a frown on his face, he prohibited Harry from holding any party from then on.
"Most of that was Flash's fault, though," MJ pointed out. "He was the one who tried to intimidate Peter by wearing that Spider-Man costume."
"Precisely my point," said Harry. "If Spider-Man hadn't been around, they wouldn't have been a costume for Flash to wear."
There wasn't much point in arguing with Harry, so they focused on watching the battle. Soon, the other Avengers arrived, including Thor, Ant-Man and Wasp. Believe it or not, Crimson Dynamo couldn't handle five superheroes, and he was eventually taken down.
They watched as the authorities arrived to take Dynamo into custody, though they weren't the police. They were a group of men and women wearing very tight blue uniforms with a logo resembling an eagle and a shield.
"You certainly know how to show a girl a good time, Tiger," said MJ as they left the Coffee Bean. "None of my other dates ever showed me a battle between superheroes and villains."
"You make it sound like I planned the entire thing," Peter joked.
MJ giggled, kissing him on the cheek, and they went their separate ways.
"You really should tell her, you know," said a voice, making him jump.
He spun around and saw Gwen. "Don't do that, Gwen."
Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Really? You can sense a superhero about to crash through a window into you, but you can't sense your ex-girlfriend sneaking up behind you?"
"My spider sense only senses danger, and you're not dangerous," said Peter.
"Yet we both know I can be a dangerous girl, but back to my main point. You really should tell her."
"We've only been dating for a few weeks," Peter pointed out.
"And yet the two of you are practically joined at the hip," Gwen noted. "Don't you think she has a right to know?"
"I'll tell her when the time is right," said Peter.
Gwen sighed. "All right, but I hope you tell her soon, for both your sakes."
It was now October 15th at around 11:38 PM, and Toombs was outside the Oscorp building. He refused to let Osborn keep his work and was determined to reclaim it.
He knew his security credentials had been revoked, but he had helped Doctor Octavius design the security system. Even then, he didn't trust Osborn and left a back door in the system. He was delighted that his hard work was paying off.
"A savvy businessman you may be, but your third-rate scientist, Osborn," Toombs smirked.
Naturally, he couldn't just step through the front door, so he chose to go through the side entrance for the maintenance staff. He also decided to go at this time of night as fewer people were around; he just had to avoid security.
Making his way to his former lab was surprisingly easy, especially since he had all the cameras replay the last few seconds of footage. Once he reached his lab, he was delighted to find his equipment still there. He immediately began to grab it.
"You will rue the day you humiliated me, Osborn," he smiled.
The next morning, Norman was informed by his head of security, Arthur Stacy, younger brother of George Stacy, that there had been a break-in at Toombs' lab.
"How did this happen?" Norman asked.
"We're still trying to figure that out, Mr Osborn," said Arthur. "We have gone through everything, and the only things that were stolen were those parts for disposal. We still don't know who could be behind this."
"Really, Captain?" said Norman, rolling his eyes. "We are currently in the lab that once belonged to Adrian Toombs, and those disposable parts were part of his project. I think it's safe to assume who stole the equipment."
"Do you wish us to inform the police?" Arthur asked.
Norman immediately turned on him. "And let everyone know that filthy vulture managed to sneak into my company building and walk out without my security noticing? I want you to handle this yourself!"
"As you wish, sir," said Arthur.
Arthur immediately left the lab, and Norman stood there looking at the empty lab table.
"It would seem as if I underestimated you, Toombs. I didn't think you had the nerve to steal from me," said Norman, standing there with his hands behind his back. "Still, it was foolish, and you will pay the price for such foolishness."
It was just after 14:00 PM, and Adrian was in his apartment assembling the parts for his project.
As he put his suit back together, Adrian's thoughts centred around Osborn and his treatment of him. He was absolutely furious at Osborn for tossing him out on the streets with nothing but the clothes on his back. He was especially fierce, accusing him of stealing government secrets and determined to get revenge.
As luck would have it, he had already taken some of his work back home while working at Oscorp without anyone noticing. He was forced to do it when Osborn shortened the deadline, so he had to work through the night on his project.
However, he only knew it was a matter of time before Osborn realised that some of his work was at his apartment, and he had to work fast. Fortunately for him, his project was near completion, and without Osborn breathing down his neck, he could complete it within three days.
Toombs stepped back and smiled at his handiwork. "You were foolish to make an enemy, Osborn and now it's time for you to pay the piper."
His handiwork was a jet pack with wings, which he painted green. He also created a flight suit that would allow him to withstand high velocity. He also made the oxygen tank, and the mask was oddly beaked.
He then heard a bang at his front door.
"Adrian Toombs, open up!" a loud voice yelled.
Currently, outside the apartment, Oscorp security, armed with Tasers and stun batons, were getting ready to break in.
"Make it easy on yourself and hand over all Osborn's stolen property in your apartment," said the security officer. "No harm will come to you if you cooperate with us willingly."
When there was no answer, he immediately turned to his men.
"Break down the door," he ordered.
His officers nodded, drew a battering ram, and struck it against the door. It only took them two hits with it to break it down, and we quickly swarmed into the apartment.
"Toombs, we know you're in here!" a security officer called out, beginning to search all the rooms. "Make it easy on yourself."
The security officers searched every single group, including Toombs and the workshop. While they did find some spare components, there was no sign of Toombs or any of his equipment.
"There appears to be no one here, sir."
"That's impossible; surveillance footage showed that he hasn't left his apartment," said the security officer.
"Maybe he climbed out the window?"
"We're on the 50th floor, and there's no fire escape!" the security officer reminded him harshly. "So unless he's able to fly, he has no means to escape."
The security officer suddenly had a terrible thought as he remembered exactly what project Toombs was working on.
"Get me, Mr Osborn, now!" he ordered frantically.
"But we haven't been able to locate him yet, sir?"
"Just do what you're told!"
Peter was hanging out with Harry at his place. He was still grounded and prohibited from having anyone around, but he made an exception for Peter, and the two of them worked on their coursework.
"Didn't think your dad would let me in," said Peter.
"He wouldn't have if it had been anyone but you, and that I ask you here solely to help me with my coursework," said Harry.
"I know this may seem a harsh punishment, but all things considered, I think you got off lightly," said Peter positively.
Harry looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Peter, you like to see the best in people, but you don't know my Dad. He was pretty hard on me after the whole Spider-Slayer incident, even though it was all Spider-Man's fault."
Peter shifted uneasily. "So what did he say?"
"He said I should put my blame on others," Harry grumbled. "He said that it was my fault for inviting Flash over, like I knew he was going to pull that stunt on you."
"And it's hardly your fault that my boss has this vendetta against Spider-Man," Peter added.
"How could I have predicted that J Jonah Jameson would have hired some nut job scientist to build him a robot just to hunt down Spider-Man?
Harry then turned back to his coursework.
"So, can you make heads or tails of this maths because it's like I'm speaking a whole different language?" Harry asked.
"Technically, it is another language, but once you know it, it's easy to understand," said Peter.
"For you, maybe, but not all of us have that big, massive brain of yours," Harry pointed out.
They then heard a knock on the door, and moments later, Norman Osborn stepped in.
"How's the study session going on, boys?" he asked.
"It's been a big help, Dad," said Harry.
"I do hope he's not doing all the work for you," said Norman, narrowing his eyes. "I do not wish you to bring shame to the Osborn Legacy, Harry."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, Dad, it's all my own work; Peter is just helping me understand the language, as he calls it."
Norman nodded. "That's good to hear, but do not try to rely on Peter too much, son."
He then turned around and walked away.
Harry groaned. "First, he told me to make friends with you, and now he told me to do my work by myself."
"I wouldn't complain so much; I mean, I would kill to have my Dad even if he is hard on me," said Peter.
"Oh, sorry, Pete," said Harry apologetically. "Here I'm complaining about my Dad, and you don't have. It's not like I don't appreciate him being around; it's just that some days…"
"I know," Peter nodded.
Norman reached his office and sat down at his desk when his phone rang.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Mr Osborn, it's Captain Stacy!" said the voice on the other line.
"Ah, Arthur, are you here to report on the situation with Adrian?" Norman asked.
"I am, sir, but you should know he got away from us!" said Arthur.
"Gone away?" Norman roared. "How is that even possible? He had no means of escape."
"I know, sir, but it's true, and his equipment isn't here. It might sound ludicrous, but given what he was working on, it's possible that he flew out the window."
A horrible feeling crept into the back of Norman's mind, and he slowly turned towards the window. From there, he could see something flying straight towards him, and it was far too big to be a bird, and as it got closer, it got bigger.
A split moment later, something smashed right through the window and landed on his desk, breaking through it in the process. Norman's eyes widened as he stared at the face of Adrian Toombs, who was now wearing his flight suit.
He wore a green flight suit, and on his feet, razor-sharp talons. Strapped to his back was a green coloured backpack, and attached to it were a pair of wings with razor-sharp blades. Toombs was also wearing a mask that made his nose even longer, and a hair mask resembling a beak.
"Hello, Osborn," said Toombs.
Both Peter and Harry heard the crash from Norman's office, and they immediately jumped to their feet and rushed towards the door.
"Dad!" Harry yelled as he slammed open the door.
Then they saw Toombs towering over Norman, who looked at them at the corner of his eye.
"Ah, I see we have an audience," said Toombs.
"What do you want, Toombs?" Norman asked calmly.
"Payback," said Toombs. "You tossed me into the streets with nothing but the clothes on my back, and now I wish to return the favour."
Norman did not look intimidated in the slightest as he looked up at him. "Do you expect that to frighten me, Toombs? You do not have the guts."
"Don't I?" Toombs growled. "Let's go for a ride, and perhaps I can change your mind."
He suddenly took off, then grabbed Norman by the talons on his feet. Before anyone could stop him, he flew out the window with Norman.
"Dad!" Harry yelled, rushing towards the window.
"I'm going to call the police," said Peter.
"You do that, I'm going after my father," said Harry as he rushed past him.
Once he was gone, Peter went to the bathroom to get changed. As he did, he wondered what Norman had done to make him so angry.
Toombs was still flying across the sky with Osborn firming his talons, and he grudgingly had to respect him for not screaming his head off. On the contrary, he looked perfectly relaxed, given the circumstances that infuriated him.
"Nothing to say, Osborn?" Toombs roared.
"What do you want me to say? Because this display is pointless," said Osborn. "You're gaining nothing from this tantrum, Toombs. You're behaving just like an angry child."
"You really should be more polite when talking to the man who holds your life in his talons," Toombs advised.
"And why should I?" Osborn scoffed. "As I said in my office, you do not have the guts to kill me."
"Don't I?!" Toombs roared.
He then released Osborn and watched him tumble from the sky, plummeting towards the ground. However, his joy was short-lived when, suddenly, Spider-Man swung out of nowhere and caught him.
"Spider-Man!" Toombs roared. "This has nothing to do with you!"
"Saving lives has everything to do with me," he said as he dropped Osborn onto the nearest roof.
"You okay, Mr Osborn?" Spider-Man asked.
"Yes, thanks to you," said Norman as he adjusted his tie. "I must say your timing is impeccable, Spider-Man."
"You're welcome, but what's with the deal with the guy in the chicken suit?" Spider-Man asked, pointing his finger at Toombs.
"He was one of my former employees, Adrian Toombs. I just fired him a few days ago," Norman explained.
"So he tries to kill you because you fired him?" Spider-Man frowned. "Overreact much?"
"Adrian did always have an anger management problem, but I had no idea it was this severe," said Norman.
Toombs then dived in towards them. "How dare you interfere with my revenge!"
Spider-Man immediately somersaulted out of the way and fired a web line at the nearest building.
"Look, I know you're bummed about being fired, but there are better ways to vent one's anger," said Spider-Man.
"He stole my life's work from me and accused me of stealing!" Toombs roared. "And then he has the gall to call me a vulture!"
"Wonder where he got that impression?" said Spider-Man sarcastically.
Admittedly, Toombs really did look like a vulture in that suit. However, that, and apparently, really riled Toombs up, and he flew straight towards him and cut right through his web line with his wings.
Spider-Man quickly fired another web line, but Toombs cut through that one. Apparently, that flight suit not only let him fly but also let him make sharp turns. Spider-Man then fired a web line that attached itself to the back of Toombs' flight suit.
"You wish to go for a ride, fine by me," said Toombs.
He began to fly even faster than before, dragging Spider-Man along with him, who was holding onto the web line for dear life.
"How long do you think you can hold on?" said Toombs, and then suddenly took a steep incline.
They had to be moving at about Mach 2. Admittedly, Spider-Man was finding it difficult to cling to the web line. Using all his strength, he began to pull himself up across the web line, a fact which did not go unnoticed by Toombs.
Toombs suddenly dove toward the ground at incredible speed.
"Are you trying to get us both killed?" Spider-Man yelled.
"I have every confidence I can pull up before hitting the ground, but can the same be said for you?" Toombs asked.
"Probably not, but I think you forgot one crucial thing."
"And that would be?"
Smiling behind his mask, Spider-Man fired a web line straight at the nearest building and grabbed it tightly. Toombs suddenly found himself stopped right in his tracks as Spider-Man held on to him tightly. Ordinarily, such a manoeuvre would have ripped an average person in two, but thankfully, Spider-Man's body had become a lot more durable ever since that spider bit him.
"You honestly think that will stop me?" Toombs laughed as he increased the power in his jet pack.
"Looks like someone forgot Isaac Newton's law of motion," said Spider-Man. "A moving object will constantly move until hit by an outside force."
Spider-Man then released his grip on the web line, which was tied to Toombs' jet pack, which suddenly forced him to skyrocket straight forward. Panicking, Toombs immediately began pulling up, but he went too quickly. Fortunately, he just had enough time to pull out of his dive. However, his relief was short-lived as he suddenly saw Spider-Man swinging towards him.
He said there was no time to make any other movements, so Spider-Man punched him across the face, sending him back down to the ground. He then quickly fired some webbing, which wrapped around him and tied him up, leaving him dangling on a lamppost.
"You know, Toombs, you seem to be more like a turkey than a vulture," said Spider-Man.
The police soon arrived to apprehend Toombs, and Harry began pushing through the crowd.
"Where's my dad?" he yelled as he pushed through.
Once he was at the scene, he immediately glared up at Spider-Man, who was currently resting on a lamppost.
"What have you done with my dad?!" he demanded.
"Easy, son," said Captain Stacy. "Your father is perfectly safe, Spider-Man rescued him from the Vulture."
"If he's safe, where is he?" Harry demanded.
"Harry, do not make a spectacle," said Norman as he stepped through the crowd. "As you can see, I am perfectly safe, all thanks to Spider-Man."
"All in a day's work," said Spider-Man.
"Guess you're not so bad after all," said Harry grudgingly.
"I'll take that as a compliment," said Spider-Man.
He then swung off and quickly went to the nearest alley to change back into his regular clothes.
"Harry is your Dad, all right?" said Peter as he ran up to them.
"I'm perfectly fine, Peter, though it is not an experience I want to relive," said Norman. He then turned his eyes to Toombs. "I knew that Adrian had a problem with his temper, but I never dreamed that he would go so far."
"He deserved everything he got with everything he tried to do to you," said Harry bitterly.
"Still, that suit of his was impressive," said Peter.
"That it was," said Norman, looking generally intrigued. "It does have slightly different variations from what the military produced, but I do not think they will see it that way. Such a shame."
"I'll get even with you, Osborn!" Toombs yelled as he was pushed into the car. "Mark my words, you haven't heard the last of me!"
"Just getting there, you vulture," said a police officer, pushing him inside the car.
"I am not a vulture!" Toombs roared.
Knowing Jameson, Peter was very positive that would be Toombs's new handle, and he really wanted to see Toombs' phrase when he got a handle on the next issue of the Daily Bugle.
Captain Stacy then walked up to them.
"I'm going to need your testimony, Mr Osborn," he said.
"Of course, Captain," Norman nodded.
Captain Stacy then looked at Harry and Peter. "Yours is well."
"Anything to lock that madman up," said Harry.
"Honestly, I don't think he's much of a madman, Harry," said Peter calmly.
"He tried to kill my dad for firing him," Harry pointed out.
Peter wasn't quite sure how to respond to that.
"Regardless, he was still endangering lives," said Captain Stacy.
"What about Spider-Man? Doesn't he endanger lives, too?" Harry questioned.
"Vigilantism is a crime, I can't deny that," Captain Stacy admitted. "However, I do not believe that he's as big a menace as the Daily Bugle paints him to be."
"You can't deny these costume cronies didn't exist until he appeared on the scene," Harry pointed out.
"Son, that's enough," said Norman sternly. "I'm sure that Captain Stacy has more important things to do than argue with a child all day."
"I'm not a child," Harry grumbled.
"Then quit acting like one."
Harry was about to retort, but one look from his father kept him quiet, and Peter stood there silently. He wondered if Harry had a point: Was he only causing more trouble for everyone?
The next day, Toombs was at Rykers in a prison uniform, and he had just been given the next issue of the Daily Bugle. It showed him being taken down by Spider-Man, but the headline infuriated him the most.
"'Vulture and Spider fight over streets of Manhattan, endangering lives,'" said Toombs as he gripped the paper firmly in his hand, infuriated.
He screamed in frustration.
Norman was in his office, reading the Daily Bugle article himself, and found it rather amusing. Then, his phone rang.
"Yes," said Norman, not taking his eyes off the newspaper.
"It's me," said Fisk.
"Ah, Wilson, what can I do for you?" Norman asked.
"I just want to make sure that you're still committed, given recent events," said Fisk.
"You really think that I would go back on my word because of this little incident?" Norman asked, sounding somewhat amused.
"Spider-Man did save your life; I admit I was concerned whether you would feel guilty about creating supervillains to eliminate him."
"I am grateful that he saved my life, but I'm a businessman, pure and simple," Norman assured him. Rest assured that I am committed to your requests, and I will present you with some new ideas in the near future."
"Very well," said Fisk, sounding satisfied. "Then I look forward to continuing our business together."
"Likewise, Wilson."
Chapter 6: I: Doctor Octopus
In a laboratory, a man in his 40s, wearing a green suit and short brown hair, watched the Daily Bugle news report on the recent attack on Norman Osborn.
"So, do you have any comments about the recent attack on your person, Mr Osborn?" Betty Brant asked.
"Only that my former employee perpetrated it," said Norman.
"But why would Adrian Toombs, or as he is now known, the Vulture, want to attack you after working with you for so long?"
"Adrian was rather short-tempered, but he was a skilled scientist and engineer, so I was willing to look past that. However, I do have limits, and he was close to retirement anyway, so I decided that giving him an early retirement was the best solution."
"It was certainly an overreaction, but how did he get his hands on such a high-tech suit? Was it in development in Oscorp?"
"The equipment he used, he had developed himself with my funding, as was how he managed to acquire it. I'm afraid that he stole it. Because of this, we will be going through a hard review of the current security system to make sure that something like this does not happen again."
"Thank you for sharing this, Mr Osborn," said Betty Brant, then turned towards the camera. "There you have it, folks, right from the words of Norman Osborn, the founder and CEO of Oscorp—"
The man watching the TV then smashed it with a tentacle-like arm.
"You most certainly love to cast the blame on everyone but yourself, Osborn," he said as he rose to his feet.
As he did, it became apparent that attached to his back were metal tentacles with razor-sharp claws.
"Adrian may have failed to get his revenge, but the same cannot be said for Doctor Otto Octavius," he said gleefully.
It was October 31st at 18:34, and Spider-Man had planned to make his way to Coney Island to date with MJ, but he got slightly distracted while trying to save people from a burning apartment building.
The firefighters were there in force, trying to put out the flames, but they couldn't reach the people on the top floors. Spider-Man was now fighting through the blaze, trying to put it out with his weapons while searching for anyone still trapped.
"Is anyone here?" he called.
"Help!" a voice cried.
Spider-Man instantly followed the source of the voice to a door that was being barred by a burning piece of wreckage. He fired some webbing at it, not the flames that could grab it and heaved it to one side. He then had to shoulder the door to get into the apartment.
"Spider-Man over here!" a woman waved.
She was black-skinned and in her 40s. She was holding a boy who couldn't be over 10 years old.
"It will be all right," Spider-Man assured her.
Unfortunately, the roof caved in, blocking the door.
"We're trapped!" the woman coughed.
The room was getting steadily filled with smoke; it wouldn't be a long time until they suffocated if he didn't get them out quickly.
"The window," said Peter.
"We're on the 20th floor, and the fire escape broke apart," the woman reminded him.
Spider-Man was not even going to comment on the irony, but he had a plan to get them out. He quickly made his way to the window and opened it, then fired some webbing, forming a slide.
"Is it safe?" the woman asked cautiously.
"Trust me, it's stronger than it looks," said Spider-Man.
The woman nodded, picked up her little boy, and made her way to the window. She then slid down the makeshift slide until she reached the bottom, where a bunch of firemen greeted her. Spider-Man then jumped down just moments before an explosion, clearly the result of the flames igniting a gas canister.
His landing was less than dignified, but he managed to avoid making any bones, though he did have a good number of bruises.
"You all right?" the fire chief asked, helping him up.
"I'm good?" said Spider-Man, rubbing his head. "What about the woman and her boy?"
"They're perfectly safe, thanks to you."
The woman and boy then walked up to him, wrapped in blankets, and the woman smiled at him.
"Thank you for saving our lives," she said gratefully.
"It was my pleasure, Miss…" said Spider-Man.
"Morales… Rio Morales," she said, placing her hand on her son's shoulders. "And this is my son Miles."
Spider-Man bent down and smiled at Miles, his mask. "It's very nice to meet you, Miles."
"Thank you, Mr Spider-Man," said Miles, looking at him in awe.
"Just Spider-Man, please."
"Okay."
"I have to say Mr Jameson has you all wrong," said Rio. "I'll be sure to set the record straight with my friends."
"I appreciate the support," said Spider-Man, and fired a web line, "now I've got to get going."
"Do you have more superhero stuff to do?" Miles asked eagerly.
"Uh, not quite," said Spider-Man and swung off.
Peter was now more desperate to reach Coney Island as quickly as he could; he just hoped MJ wouldn't be too upset that he was late.
MJ was currently at the Coney Island entrance dressed as a vampire, tapping her foot on the ground impatiently as she waited for Peter.
"Come on, Tiger, you're over an hour late," she muttered.
She had been waiting patiently for Peter to arrive, and it wasn't warm out, either. She did phone him, but apparently, he had left his phone at his place, as his aunt had answered. She was somewhat confused, saying Peter had left quite a while ago.
She was just about to give up hope when suddenly she saw someone running towards her in a Spider-Man costume.
"MJ?" Spider-Man panted.
"Spider-Man?" she blinked.
"What?" said Spider-Man, confused. "Oh, the mask…" He then quickly removed his mask, and standing before her was Peter. "…sorry, I completely forgot."
"Peter," she said, relieved. "I was wondering if you had forgotten."
"Sorry if I kept you waiting, but the bus I was on got delayed. An entire apartment block was on fire, and then Spider-Man showed up, so I had to take some photos to keep Jonah happy. The bus had already left by the time I got back."
"That's some bad luck," MJ blinked.
"I call it Parker luck because I don't think anyone has my kind of luck."
"Well, you were cutting it pretty close, Tiger," she said sternly. "But I'm glad you're here, and nice costume. For a moment, I thought you were the real Spider-Man."
"Just something I put together," said Peter.
"Well, you fill that costume very nicely, and I wouldn't mind tangling myself in your webs," she said seductively.
"Alas, we don't have a moment to lose, so what do you say that we go and enjoy the evening while we still can?" said Peter.
"Lead the way," said MJ as she wrapped her arms around his.
They then began to make their way to Coney Island, where they had as much fun as possible. They had a few goes at the gaming stores, and while Peter was eager to win a prize, he didn't really want to show off his incredible strength and accuracy.
"You're not really good at these games, are you, Tiger?" MJ commented as Peter failed to hit bottles with a baseball.
"Sports were never really my strong point," he admitted.
"So is timekeeping," MJ noted.
Peter sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. How many more times I say it."
"Look, Peter, I like you, but it feels as if you're putting your work ahead of me."
"It's not like that, MJ."
"Then what is it like?"
Peter had the sinking feeling that their date wasn't going smoothly, and it became apparent he was on a slippery slope.
"Look, MJ, I don't want to hurt you. Can you at least trust me on that?"
MJ sighed. "Sorry, Peter, it's just that when it comes to boyfriends, they always seem to let me down."
"Boyfriends and in more than one?" Peter noted.
MJ raised an eyebrow in a rather cute way. "And how many girlfriends have you had before me?"
"Touché," Peter smiled.
"Anyway, it's not like you're the worst boyfriend I've ever had."
Peter had a feeling there was a story in there somewhere, but he decided not to push it; he was already on thin ice.
"What, you say we just enjoy each other's company and the rest of the night together?" Peter suggested.
MJ sighed. "Yeah, I suppose."
They continue to enjoy their time at Coney Island, but they suspect MJ was not enjoying it as much as she would have if he had been on time. Part of him wanted to tell her about his other job, but he was also afraid of losing, as he had with Gwen.
It was now November 2nd, 19:43 PM. Peter was currently having a study session with Harry, who was still grounded by his father, sadly.
"I know your Dad is strict, but it's been weeks since the party," said Peter.
"Tell me about it," Harry grumbled. "But enough about me. How are things going between you and MJ?"
"Uh, things are getting a bit rocky," Peter admitted.
"That's surprising," said Harry, somewhat surprised. "When I first saw MJ, she was practically tied to your hip."
"Yeah, things were going great, but I ended up missing some of our dates, and I arrive late on the ones I do make."
"How can you leave a girl like that hanging?" said Harry, puzzled.
"Not on purpose, it's just that my job at the Daily Bugle is rather demanding," said Peter.
"Your freelance photographer, Pete, is not a professional one."
"Yeah, but I'm the only photographer in the Daily Bugle who's able to snap good pics of Spider-Man, who's basically their poster boy."
"Can we please not talk about him?" said Harry darkly.
Peter knew that Harry wasn't precisely a Spider-Man fan, as he considered him to be to blame for his being currently grounded. He had hoped that Harry would go easy on his alter ego after saving his father, but no such luck.
"Jameson's podcast should be starting now," said Harry, pulling out his phone.
"Welcome to Just the Facts," said Jonah's voice on Harry's phone. "It has just been announced that Adrian Toombs has been tried for theft and attempted murder, so you'll be serving what remains of his short life in Rykers. While this is all well and good, the fact of the matter is that it should not have happened in the first place, and the root of the problem is none other than Spider-Man."
Peter groaned; of course, Jameson would blame him for the Vulture's rampage.
"Once again, Spider-Man proves himself to be a menace by fighting against this maniac over the very streets of our beloved New York City. Now, I understand a few viewers seem to think he's a hero, but he's nothing more than a vigilante who takes the law into his own hands. In so doing, he attracts some dangerous individuals to follow his example and dress up in costumes and terrorise the good people of this fair city."
"It seems like a one-sided argument," said Peter.
"He does have a strong case, you have to admit."
Peter really wanted to argue, but given the number of costume villains he faced recently, he couldn't think of a good argument. It's not as if he asked them to put on the costumes and attack random people.
"So, where is your Dad now?" Peter asked, wanting to change the subject.
"Going over security updates. The Vulture practically walked in and out without getting caught after stealing priceless equipment."
Peter decided not to point out that the stuff originally belonged to Toombs or that he hated being called the Vulture. However, he had to admit that Toombs had gone over the edge trying to kill Norman.
Harry then rose to his feet. "Well, I've got to make a quick trip to the bathroom."
Peter nodded as he left the room and continued to go through his studies. He really enjoyed being taught by Doctor Connors; he was already learning a great deal. Doctor Connors was already sharing his theories on ways to regenerate lost limbs by using lizard DNA. However, he acknowledged that it was only a theory yet to be proven.
He then heard the sound of smashing glass and could hear Harry yelling.
"Harry?!" Peter yelled, jumping to his feet.
He quickly rushed into the corridor and just entered the living room when he came face-to-face with a chubby man with a metal tentacle sticking out of his back. They were keeping him perfectly aloft, and one of them was wrapped around Harry's waist.
"Let go of me!" Harry demanded as he tried to free himself.
Peter quickly rushed in, though there wasn't much he could do, considering he had to keep his identity a secret. Whoever the man was, he promptly swiped Peter with his tentacles, striking him, and he crashed into the wall. Then he hit the ceiling above him, causing rubble to fall on top of him.
Once Peter was covered head-to-toe, the man walked away with Harry in tow on his tentacles.
A few hours later, a combination of police and paramedics arrived. Once they pulled Peter out from the rubble intended for his wounds, he began to explain what had happened to Captain Stacy.
"Four metallic arms?" said Captain Stacy, sounding as though he didn't hear him correctly.
"Yes, that's what I saw," Peter nodded.
A few of the officers smirked, but Captain Stacy gave them a stern look.
"I know you're not one to exaggerate, Peter, but this does sound rather ludicrous, and the surveillance cameras were shut off, so we only have your word to go by. That said, this was not a normal kidnapping, considering we are a hundred feet in the air, and the damage done here is not something the average thief would be able to accomplish."
Peter was pleased that Captain Stacy was taking him somewhat seriously, but even he had to admit that what he had just witnessed was hard to believe.
"Where's my son?" Norman asked as he stormed into the apartment.
"We're trying to determine just that, Mr Osborn," said Captain Stacy.
"Sir, I found something," said a young woman with reddish-brown hair.
"Good work, Miss Cooper," said Captain Stacy.
Peter looked at the young woman and instantly recognised her from his class; he believed her name was Carlie Cooper. Obviously, she was interning with the NYPD's forensics department.
"It looks like a note," she said, handing it over to Captain Stacy. "It seems to have some ransom demands."
"Let me have a look," said Norman. Captain Stacy then handed him a note. "I recognise this signature; it belongs to Doctor Octavius."
"You know him?" Captain Stacy asked.
"He was my business partner and head of scientific research here in Oscorp."
Peter frowned as he recognised the name Doctor Octavius; he was sure that he had read a few scientific papers written by Otto Octavius.
"I think I've heard that name as well," said Peter. "I remember reading a paper or his theories of how cold fusion reaction can be channelled through a battery."
"I'm not surprised you know Peter," said Norman as he sat down. "Otto had a very brilliant mind; we were friends in college. People used to call us the Os, and when you put corp on the end of that, it sounds pretty impressive."
"You're saying that Otto Octavius is one of the founders of Oscorp?" said Peter, surprised.
"Not something everyone knows; everyone assumed that I'm its founder since it has my name. I can't tell you how often Otto found that infuriating; the man had quite the ego and pictured himself as the smartest man on the planet."
"I thought that was Reed Richards?" Peter frowned.
"Can we get back to the matter at hand?" Captain Stacy asked. "What would cause him to kidnap your son, Mr Osborn?"
"Revenge, I can think of nothing else," said Norman.
"But you said the two of you are friends?"
"I said we were friends. Otto was a brain scientist but not very skilled in business. He continued to demand more funds for his research. In the end, I just found his research to be far too dangerous, so when I tried to convince him to give up on it, he immediately quit."
"And what happened to him after that?"
"I don't know; I don't often keep tabs on my former employees. I did hear that he tried to get several grants, but all of them turned him down with the same viewpoint as me."
"And those mechanical arms of his?" Peter asked.
"Otto's own invention, they had as an extension of his body through a neural interface," said Norman.
"We'll find your son, I promise, Mr Osborn," said Captain Stacy.
Peter then soon left the apartment with Carlie.
"It's Carlie Cooper, right?" Peter asked as they entered the elevator.
Carlie nodded. "And you're Peter Parker? We have the same classes as Doctor Connors?"
"So you work with the NYPD?"
Carlie nodded. "As part of their forensic division, it may be only an internship, but I'm hoping for something permanent."
The elevator door opened, and they soon came face-to-face with Gwen, who immediately flung her arms around Peter.
"Peter, I just heard what happened?" he said. "Is it true what they're saying about Harry?"
"Yeah, he was kidnapped," Peter nodded.
"By an old employee of Norman Osborn, apparently," said Carile.
"You look familiar," said Gwen, looking up and down as if trying to place.
"We share the same classroom at Empire State? What are you doing here?"
"Relax, Gwen," said Peter. "She is working as an intern for the NYPD, and your dad seems faster."
Carlie's eyes widened. "Of course, your Captain Stacy's daughter?"
"That I am," Gwen nodded. "So what's this about Harry's Dad's former employee kidnapping his son?"
They then began to explain the entire situation to Gwen.
"Harry's Dad certainly seems to make quite a few enemies," said Gwen.
"Comes with the territory of being the CEO of a successful tech company," Peter shrugged.
"But not even Tony Stark gets these degrees of attacks," said Carlie.
"She's right, Pete, something else is going on."
Peter had to agree, but so far, it just seemed like both the Toombs and Octavius had anger management issues and were both fired, not without reason.
Harry had finally regained consciousness and found himself strapped to a chair in some laboratory.
"Where am I?" he said.
"Ah, finally awake, Mr Osborn," said a voice.
Harry looked down and saw his kidnapper standing there with his back towards him. He could tell that he was working on some sort of generator, though he had no idea what it was.
"Who are you?" Harry asked.
"I'm sure your father has mentioned a few tales of Otto Octavius," he said.
That name did ring a bell, but not a particularly pleasant one.
"You worked with Dad, didn't you? As one of his best scientists?"
"I did work alongside your father until he stabbed me in the back," said Otto bitterly.
"My father said that your experiment was far too dangerous and you were going too far with it."
"Bah, he just wanted to steal the credit for my invention," Otto scoffed. "When I refused to back down, he fired me. I then tried to appease too many people for a grant, but they all turned me down for their shortsightedness. In the end, I had to set up shop in a run-down basement with no safeguards."
He outstretched one of his tentacles, which stopped just inches away from Harry's face, much to his distress.
"It was inevitable what happened next, an explosion which demolished the entire house," he said as he raised his arm. "I designed these mechanical arms to assist me in my research, allowing me to construct dangerous items safely, but without proper safeguards, it meant nothing. When I was experimenting with my cold fusion reactor, it exploded and fused these arms with my spine, and now they are literally part of my body."
"Sounds like you have no one to blame but yourself," said Harry.
Otto glared up at him. "The reason I was unable to acquire the grants I needed was because of your father's influence with the board. Whenever I was close to achieving my goal, your father would swoop in and take everything from me! Well, now I've taken something from him."
"What do you plan to do with me?" Harry asked.
"You're nothing more than the honey needed to capture a fly."
"So you're after my father?"
"While I do want revenge upon your father, I am a scientist first and foremost. I am merely using you to acquire the money he denied so that I can push for my research."
"Even if my father pays the ransom, who do you think you can do business with? I very much doubt there's any tech firm that would do business with a criminal."
"Oh, I'm sure there are some unscrupulous people with me to do business with a scientist who can create a cold fusion battery. I am sure that my accomplishments will earn me the Nobel Peace Prize."
Harry was pretty sure that Octavius was a crazy scientist, but he chose not to say that out loud. It was clear the man had a short fuse, and contradicting him was a good way to make things worse. He can only hope that his father will get him out of this mess.
The next day, there was still no ransom demand, and Peter was at Norman's penthouse. He was on the phone with MJ, and he regretfully had to cancel their date.
"I'm sorry, MJ, but I can't enjoy myself with Harry being in such danger," Peter apologised.
"No, I get it," said MJ, though she did sound slightly disappointed. "How are you taking it?"
"How am I taking the fact that one of the scientists I revere kidnapped my friend? I'm just peachy."
"And Harry's dad?"
Peter turned his eyes to Norman, who looked perfectly calm as he sat on the couch.
"Hard to tell; he's not one to show emotion," he said honestly.
"Well, I'm sure he's grateful that you're there. If you hear anything, you will tell me?"
"Promise, and again, I'm sorry for cancelling our date."
"Don't sweat it, Tiger, I hope you don't make a habit of it."
"It's not like I planned it."
"I know, just stay safe."
Peter then ended the call and sat down in the chair. There were several police officers, including Captain Stacy, and every single one of them had their eyes fixed on the phone.
"I'm truly grateful that you're here, Peter," said Norman gratefully.
"It's no problem."
Gwen then emerged from the kitchen with a tea tray.
"Cup of tea, Mr Osborn?" she asked.
"It would indeed be most welcome, Miss Stacy," Norman nodded.
Gwen set the tray on the table and poured a cup of tea.
"Is there still nothing from Octavius?" Norman asked as he sipped his tea.
"Nothing, but until he makes contact, we cannot do much," said Captain Stacy.
"You're positive he will call?" Gwen asked.
"The note did say 'wait until I call', but he never said when," said Captain Stacy.
"Otto is many things, but he is practical; I'm perfectly confident that he hasn't harmed Harry. At least unless he does not wish for me to pay a ransom."
Peter found Norman's coldness and practicality rather disturbing, but he had to agree. There was no way that Octavius would kill the golden goose, but he was more concerned about whether he would go through with any deal. There was a good chance that even if we got the money, he wouldn't let Harry go.
It was then that the phone rang, and everyone jumped up immediately.
Norman made his way casually to the phone and answered it, ensuring it was on speaker. "This is Norman Osborn."
"Norman, so lovely to hear your voice again," said Octavius's voice.
"Skip the pleasantries, Octavius. Is my son alive?" said Norman.
"He is perfectly safe," said Octavius.
"Dad, it's me!" Harry yelled into the phone.
"Harry, are you all right?" Norman asked.
"Just a little tied up," said Harry, sounding a little frantic.
"As you can hear, he is perfectly fine, Norman," said Octavius. "Now, shall we come to the terms of the safe return of your son?"
"I assume you want money," Norman assumed.
"$1 million to be precise."
"That is an absurd amount," said Norman, narrowing his eyes.
"I would have thought that no amount would be so absurd for the well-being of your son."
"If you think I'm going to walk up and hand you over $1 million to you, you have another thing coming."
"Then it would seem as if we had hit an impasse," said Octavius regretfully.
Captain Stacy immediately leaned over to Norman. "Mr Osborn, I would not antagonise him, not with your son's safety at risk."
"But if I present the money, there'll be nothing stopping him from capturing me, and then you have two Osborns to save, Captain."
"Can I try talking to him?" Peter offered.
"Peter, what do you think you can do?" Gwen asked.
"Just say that he may be more agreeable if he speaks to a fellow scientist, especially one who has read his works."
"Actually, that might not be a bad idea," said Captain Stacy.
Norman then reluctantly handed the phone to Peter.
"Doctor Octavius, but this is Peter Parker, I'm a friend of Harry," said Peter. "And I should add that I read every paper you published."
"Really?" said Octavius.
"Yes, 'Sustained Fusion Reactions', 'Neurochemical Fusion'…"
"What about 'Fusion Potential of the Supercollider'?"
"You never wrote that," Peter frowned. "You were testing me, weren't you?"
"And you passed. Tell me, Mr Parker, would you like to see my cold fusion reactor?"
"I wouldn't say no."
"Norman, are you still there?"
Norman then took the phone from Peter. "I'm still here, Otto."
"I would like young Mr Parker to be the one to hand over the ransom money if that is perfectly acceptable for you."
"It is," said Norman grudgingly.
"Then we have an agreement, I'll send the meeting point, but I must emphasise that I do not wish to see a single policeman anywhere near the handoff or anyone else for that matter."
Captain Stacy then took the phone from Norman. "This is Captain Stacy of NYPD, and I assure you that no policeman will be near the drop-off point, but be warned, Octavius, if any harm comes to Peter or Harry, I'll use every force at my disposal to bring you down."
"There will be no need for hostilities, Captain, so long as we follow the rules."
Octavius then ended the call.
Gwen looked at her father frantically. "Dad, surely you can't agree to this. Who knows what that psycho will do to Peter and Harry?"
"Gwen, I normally would not do such a thing, but we're completely in the dark," said Captain Stacy.
"Octavius is certainly not a man to be trifled with, and if he has rebuilt his cold fusion reactor, a firefight would be unadvised," Norman added. "I can't even imagine what kind of damage it'll do if it goes critical."
Captain Stacy nodded. "Besides, I have every confidence that Peter can look after himself."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but do me a favour and don't tell my aunt," said Peter.
"What about MJ?" Gwen asked.
"And definitely not MJ."
"You're a brave young man, Peter, but do be careful. I have a feeling that Octavius is not the same one you idolised."
Octavius soon sent instructions for Peter to meet at an alleyway at 4:00 a.m. He soon reached the alleyway, but there was no one there; it was just a dead end. He looked around, wondering if he was in the right place, when suddenly, the brick wall slid apart, revealing a staircase going up.
Peter didn't sense spider-sense going off, so he made his way down the stairs. The moment he completed the brick wall seal, the lights flickered on. He had to hand it to Octavius; he certainly knew how to build a secret hideout.
Once he had reached the top of the staircase, he found himself in the lab. There was an array of equipment, though it appeared hastily assembled. He noted the windows, but he saw a flicker of light switch, which suggested they were holograms designed to make people think it was just an abandoned building.
He was outstanding in front of the warehouse store, suitcase filled with $1 million. He had never held so much money in all his life; however, his immediate concern was Harry.
The warehouse doors opened, and Peter walked inside.
"Hello," Peter called. "Doctor Octavius?"
He then suddenly heard movement, and, being lowered from the rafters, Octavius himself appeared.
"Do you have the money?" he asked.
"It's right here," said Peter, holding up the suitcase.
Octavius then extended one of his tentacles and grabbed hold of the suitcase. He retracted the tentacle toward him and opened it to find it filled with $1 million.
"Excellent," he said. "I half expected Norman to give me forged money, but it appears to be real."
"And Harry?" Peter asked.
Octavius then extended one of his arms around the corner and pulled Harry into view. He looks perfectly fine, though he was strapped to a chair.
"Pete, I would say it's great to see you, but…" said Harry nervously.
"Don't worry, Harry, everything is perfectly fine," Peter assured him.
"I wish I could believe that."
Peter looked at Octavius. "Are you going to let him go now?"
"All in due time, but first, I wish to show you something," he said, gesturing for Peter to follow him.
Peter began to follow him, and he got the impression that Octavius was not going to pull through on his end of the bargain. In fact, it was as if Octavius was treating this as some job interview.
His eyes widened as they reached the generator, and Peter instantly knew what it was.
"Is that…?" he gasped.
"Yes, my cold fusion reactor," said Octavius proudly. "It would only take a generator twice the size of this to replace a dozen nuclear power plants. Clean, fresh energy for everyone- why this prototype alone could revolutionise the energy business?"
"It's impressive, but if you squeeze that amount of power into something this size, it will become unstable," Peter pointed out. "I mean the last time…"
"You're correct, Mr Parker, it blew up," Octavius admitted. "However, as a scientist yourself, you know that there is no such thing as failure when it comes to science. Last time, I lacked proper safety regulations, so it was an accident waiting to happen. This time, however, I have found beneficial benefactors who are more than willing to invest in such an enterprise."
"Then why did you need the money?" Peter asked.
"Revenge, for the most part, but my benefactors are cautious people, so unless I produce a working prototype, they will not fund my research. Alas, without proper funding, I could not perfect the prototype, so I had to resort to kidnapping."
"And now you have your money," said Peter. "Now, will you release Harry?"
"Release him?" Octavius scoffed. "Do not insult my intelligence. It's a good first instalment."
"You promised to release him."
"A broken promise?" Octavius sneered and turned his eyes to Harry. "Sound familiar? That is one of the perks of power. If you do everything that I say, I will share that power with you, my boy. I could do with an enabled assistant to assist me in my endeavours."
"Sorry, but I want no part of this," said Peter flatly.
Octavius narrowed his eyes. "How disappointing."
His tentacle suddenly grabbed Peter, which he could have avoided if he had not wanted to protect his secret identity. He was lifted into the air, and Octavius tossed him out the window.
Now that he was outside, Peter quickly grabbed hold of the wall. To be told he'd have expected something like this, he was just thankful that Octavius decided to toss him outside rather than keep him inside the lab. At least this way, he would be able to change into his costume without anyone knowing the wiser.
As he changed, he pulled out his phone and called Captain Stacy. "Captain Stacy, I think you'd better get to my location fast."
"Peter!" Harry yelled in the lab.
"Ah, he had such promise," said Octavius regrettably. "Alas, scientific advancement requires sacrifice."
"How can you be so heartless!" Harry yelled.
Octavius narrowed his eyes at Harry. "Ironic coming from an Osborn."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You may not be aware of this, Mr Osborn, but your father only cares about himself."
"That's not true!"
"Isn't it? He allowed that young boy to take his place instead of coming here himself. Now ask yourself, why is that?"
"Like I'm going to listen to anything you say!" Harry snapped.
"You're just as obstinate as your father. I had hoped you had plenty of your mother inside of you, but clearly, that was wishful thinking."
"I was wondering who was tossing people outside of windows," said a voice above them.
They quickly spun around and saw, hanging from the ceiling, Peter in his Spider-Man costume. Then, before any of them had time to react, he quickly swooped down, grabbed Harry's chair and pulled him as far away from Octavius as possible.
"Your friend Peter was quite concerned about you," said Spider-Man as he ripped the ropes apart.
"Peter? Is he all right?" Harry asked.
"A little shaken, but don't worry, he's safe, and he told me what was going on."
"How dare you interfere with me, arachnid!" Octavius roared and extended his tentacle to him.
"Find someplace to hide," Spider-Man instructed as he quickly jumped out of the way.
Harry quickly jumped in the way as well, just before Octavius's arms tore through the chair he had been sitting in just a few seconds before.
"Don't you tell me twice," said Harry, crawling along the floor to find a suitable hiding spot.
"I will not let you ruin all my hard work!" Octavius roared as he raised himself off the ground and began chasing after Spider-Man.
"Did anyone tell you just like an octopus with those arms?" Spider-Man asked as he skilfully dodged the tentacles.
"I am a doctor!"
"Doctor Octopus, perhaps that is what I should call you!"
This only aggravated Octavius, now Doctor Octopus, even more as he began chasing after Peter as he jumped all around the place. Spider-Man noticed those tentacle arms were not just for show. They were powerful as they began smashing through shelves and tables. The last thing he wanted was to be wrapped up by them.
"You can't keep jumping around forever!" Doctor Octopus roared.
It was then that Octavius was able to grab hold of Spider-Man's ankle.
"Uh-oh," said Spider-Man, and was suddenly pulled back.
"I have you now!" said Doctor Octopus gleefully.
He slammed Spider-Man into a nearby table before slamming him against the wall. Spider-Man groaned in pain as he fought the urge not to fall unconscious, but he knew he couldn't take any more of these beatings.
Doctor Octopus then pulled him towards his face. "Did you honestly think you were a match for Otto Octavius? Do you have any last words?"
"Yeah, here's web in your eyes," said Spider-Man, immediately firing some webbing straight into Octavius' face.
Doctor Octopus yelled in surprise, releasing Spider-Man, who landed on the ground rather staggeringly. However, he quickly fired some webbing, sticking Doctor Octopus' tentacles to the floor and ceiling.
"No! No!" Doctor Octopus yelled. "My genius cannot be stopped, not by a child!"
"Put a sock in it," said Spider-Man and fired some webbing, this time covering his mouth.
All they could hear was Doctor Octopus' mumbled voice, who kept on yelling repeatedly.
"Is it safe now?" Harry asked as he emerged from his hiding spot.
"Yeah, my webbing is pretty strong," Spider-Man assured him. "You all right?"
"Yeah, I'm good," said Harry, looking at him awkwardly. "Look, I know we're not exactly friends, but thanks for saving my life."
"It's what I'm here for," Spider-Man shrugged.
"Saving my life?"
"Well, yours and everyone else's."
They then heard police sirens outside.
"Looks like the police are here," Spider-Man noted.
"Guess Peter must have called them," Harry assumed.
"And that's my cue to get out of here," said Spider-Man as he fired a web line and flew out the window.
Changing back into his regular clothes was easy enough, and then the police found him. Peter watched as the police forced Doctor Octopus into a police van, having removed his tentacles and handcuffed him. Harry was handing Captain Stacy a witness statement, and Norman stood behind him.
"When Peter refused him, he tossed him out the window," said Harry.
"It would seem as if Octavius has become more unstable than I assumed," said Norman.
"And then Spider-Man appeared to save the day," said Captain Stacy.
"That's right," Harry nodded.
"It's a good thing he was passing on by, or I would have been a goner," said Peter.
"Indeed," Captain Stacy agreed.
Norman then placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Come on, Harry. Let's go home."
"With pleasure," said Harry.
When they got home, Norman insisted that Harry go straight to bed, and he didn't argue. He made his way into his office when he suddenly received a phone call.
"This is Norman Osborn," said Norman.
"It would seem as if the Spider has rescued your family once again," said Fisk's voice on the other side.
"And as I have made my position perfectly clear, I'm a businessman first and foremost. While I do appreciate Spider-Man resting both me and my son, that will not stop me from assisting you."
"Just wanted to make sure," said Fisk. "Then I look forward to continuing our business."