Batman Beyond is property of DC Comics and of AOL Time Warner. Spider-man and its related characters are property of Marvel Entertainment. This fic is not for profit.





Author' Notes: First I would like to say that this is a sequel to "Excelsior". Therefore the events before "Excelsior" are in continuity. But with these crossovers. The existing events of other Cameron Bullock fics do not affect this story in any way. So sit back and enjoy....









True Believers







"I would like to thank you for coming today. I'm sure you've got much better things to do than to listen to some CEO about what they're doing for the future of the company." Norman Osborn said over the loud speakers. "I'm proud to announce that Oscorp will have a significant presence here in Gotham City. As one knows Gotham is the hub of our nations premier enterprises. Such as Wayne-Powers, Lexcorp, Star Labs, and Foxteca."

"Uh, Lexcorp and Star Labs are in Metropolis, Mr. Osborn." Someone shouted from the crowd. A few reporters chuckled.

"I know that but they still have significant presence do they not?" Osborn said to the crowd as he tried to find the one who uttered that remark. The same person didn't reply and kept quiet.

"I would also like to state that our company will be making some significant announcements in the near future." Osborn continued to say. This time the reporters began to shout questions as the cameras flashed and role.

"Uh, yes" Osborn pointed to one reporter near the front row.

"Ben Urich: Gotham News Wire Service. Is it true that this announcement involves a new contract with the miliary to produce the next line of battle suit technology?"

"Unfortunately as you know I can neither confirm nor deny that statement. Although such rumor has driven the price of our stock up. I cannot go into detail. But I can say we are a candidate as are Wayne-Powers and Lexcorp."

Urich shouted out another question. "What about the rumor that Oscorp is staking its future of the company on this contract and that if it does not get it. It could mean the company is on the block?"

Osborn glared at the reporter revealing that the question had hit a nerve. The company was on the line. He knew if the military didn't award the contract to Oscorp that the stock price would plummet and the board would have him removed. The company he spent a significant portion of his life to would become another division of either Lexcorp or Wayne-Powers. He had invested too much to be destroyed by a military bureaucrat who at retirement looked at a plum consultancy job at his competitors. He knew what he had was sound and nothing was going to stop him.

"I'd like to state that any other questions will be handled by my spokes people. Thank You."

Osborn walked off the stage and back into bowels of the newly developed research/business center. While Oscorp was headquartered in New York, it was necessary to stay in the game by having offices in other major cities such as Gotham or Metropolis. Osborn admired what had been done with the place but he couldn't admire the architecture now. There was too much at stake.

He raced past his assistants and headed to one of the large research laboratories in the tower. When he got there he found his scientists scrambling to make the deadline.

"How are doing?" He asked project chief Dr. Oswald Owens. Owns was doing some calculations when Osborn walked in on him.

"We're almost done." Owens said to him. "The prototype suit is perfect as are the weapons."

"But there is one small problem." Osborn said

"That would be the enhancers, sir."

"What's wrong?"

"We did some simulations and tests-"

"Get to the point."

"Apparently a small portion of the subjects tested have basically gone insane."

"Insane?"

"While there was increased strength and agility in all subjects. The small, very small minority became overly aggressive and developed what can only be seen as a psychosis."

"What happened?"

"When we did it with mice, sir. The ones who developed the psychosis killed all the mice that they were with."

Osborn scratched his head. He knew there was risk with any investment. But he couldn't afford one now. He needed that contract.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to delay the project. Allow us to refine the formula."

Osborn slammed his fist down on a nearby desk. "I CAN'T! Because the military will be here in five days! I want round the clock on this. No one sleeps til they get this right."

"Yes, sir"

"Don't worry about overtime. No expense is too much. You understand me, Oswald?"

Owens was imitated by Osborn. He quivered his head. "Yesss, sir" He said meekly.

"Good, keep me updated on the progress."

Osborn stormed out of the lab and went back to make sure nothing was going to give him any trouble on this project.







"The first place prize for our annual Science Fair goes to . . . Peter Parker!" Science teacher Kate Sclaw read out in the auditorium. Applause was given as Parker walked up the stage steps to receive his award. Picturers were taken and congratulations were shouted out from the crowd. That included Terry McGinnis, Dana Tran and Mary Jane Watson.

"You must be proud." Dana said to Mary Jane

"I'm not the one you should be thanking. What can I say? Peter really follows science. I'm glad he's getting recognition."

"Is science something you want to do?" McGinnis asked

"No, please. I want to be an actress."

"Sounds like quite a dream."

"I know but I just can't see myself trapped behind a desk or running errands for some high-up business exec." She looked at McGinnis. "Sorry."

"No problem. So what's the prize with this thing?"

" A college scholarship"

"Really, I could use one of those."

"Don't we all?" Dana asked

"Well I don't think he does." Mary Jane pointed to a tall guy near the rear of the auditorium. He was young as was everyone else in the room. But he gave off an air of what either could be seen as sophistication or superiority. Depending on your economic and social status.

"Who is he?" McGinnis asked

"Harry Osborn" Mary Jane said

"Any relation to the-?"

"No" Mary Jane cut her off. "Not the musician. He's dad is head of a major corporation. Oscorp. In fact I think I heard about his dad giving some kind of press conference earlier today."

"If he's so wealthy why is he here?" Dana asked

"That depends who you ask and how you ask it." Mary Jane replied

"How do you know all this?" McGinnis asked

"We used to date. But things fell apart."

"Really I would think with all that money and what not. The girls would be going nuts for him."

"They do when they first see him. But there's something about is personality. Like his dad. Sometimes he just comes off." Mary Jane struggled for correct word. "What is it?"

"Intimating?" McGinnis shot out

"Smothering?" Dana said

"A bit of both." Mary Jane said. She looked around to get off the subject. When she saw Parker coming back down to where they were sitting.

"Hey there goes the big winner." McGinnis said to Parker.

"Congratulations" Dana said in a happy tone

"Thank you. You don't know how that feels. Aunt May is going to be real happy about this." Parker said to them joyfully.

"I say we go out and celebrate tonight." Dana said with excitement. "As long as we don't have any trouble from your employer." She directed her voice to McGinnis.

"Hey I don't think it'll happen. But ya never know. You know how old Mr. Wayne is. I mean, at any moment something could fall off, stop working, not drain properly. You get the idea."

"Wait, you're his nurse?" Parker asked

"No, I just do things for him."

"What kind of things?"

"Well errands, a gopher. Go for this and go for that."

"I see."

"Anyway I guess we should get going." Mary Jane said to the both of them. "Come on Peter."

"Yeah, I guess we'll meet you after class or something." Dana said

"Good idea." Parker said to Dana

The four of them went their separate ways and went back into the pressure cooker system known as high school.







Later that day, Detective First Grade Adena Grover and her partner Detective Second Second Grade Sam Cronin sat inside of a beat-up and dusty Lex-Burst. They were currently on a sting where they were going to bust one of the dealers an informant had stated they were going to sell "Maxers". A kind of drug that basically was seen as a combination of LSD and Speed. However the latest batch of the drug had been improperly "cooked" which meant many users of the drug were going to end up dead or clogging the Emergency Rooms of Gotham. Grover and Cronin sat and watched as dealer stood and waited for his customers.

"You know what I noticed last night?" Cronin said

"What?" Grover asked

"Well I was reading one of those Marcus Hammel books. Ya know with the serial Killers running around Detroit and what not."

"Yeah"

"So I was reading the book and suddenly I noticed that one of the cops is named Paige Upland. It didn't seem like much and then I realized it. The guy who writes the stuff just looked at his computer keyboard and found the 'Page-Up' button and said. 'Ah what the hell who is going to notice.'."

"That's a very keen observation, Sam." Grover said

"Well ya have to keep practicing in order to sharpen ones skills."

Just as Grover was going to say something. Both detectives noticed someone approach the dealer.

"Be advised, 34." Grover said into her radio. "We've got a-" She looked over to Cronin. "How old you think that buyer is?"

"Seventeen."

"How do you figure?"

"Look at his clothes, who the hell buys that unless they try to act cool or p^&* off their parents."

"Good point." Grover went back to the radio "34, we've got subject in range. Be advised."

"10-4" The another unit crackled. In addition to Cronin and Grover. There were also two other detectives and a couple of uniforms nearby in case anything went wrong.

The cops watched as the teen appeared to be arguing with the dealer. As if he were having trouble with something. Then the arguing stopped at the dealer reached into his jacket and dropped the plastic bag into the teen's hand.

"The drop has been made, 34. Drop has been made." Grover said into the radio

"Think we should go now?" Cronin asked

"Wait"

The kid looked around to make sure no one was around. He then casually walked away from the dealer. He then looked around once again before jaywalking across the street.

"Go!" Grover yelled

Cronin put the car in drive and sped towards the scene. The area erupted into police sirens and lights as the cops moved in.

When he heard the sirens and lights, the kid broke into a sprint. His mind running on pure instinct. He didn't even realize he still had the drugs on him.

"We've got a runner, repeat runner!" Grover yelled as they chased after the youth. "Male, Caucasian, approx 17-19 years old. Wearing a gray hooded jacket and green pants."

They watched as the kid ran down in an alley.

"I've got him" Grover yelled.

Cronin slammed on the brakes and allowed her to exit the car. She then chased after the youth down the alley.

For the teen his mind was racing as he saw someone come after him. He didn't know what to do. He never had this kind of trouble. All he could think of was to keep going.

The sirens grew louder and an aerial vehicle shined its light down on him.

"You cannot keep running. Stop now!" The voiced boomed from above. But he wasn't listening and went deeper into the alley.

Grover stayed behind him. She had done this before. Not to mention being a track star out of Gotham High helped. She kept running and was catching up to he kid.

He saw someone chasing him and he noticed a fence at the end of the alley. He just ran with all of his strength and climbed onto the fence. He then jumped and then suddenly stopped.

There was Cronin with his gun out. "Get on the ground and put your hands behind your head! NOW!" Other cops joined him in shouting commands at him.

The teen couldn't believe this could have happened to him. How was it possible. He tried to think of something as he paid himself upon the ground.

"I want a lawyer." He said as Cronin slapped the cuffs on him.

"Don't we all kid, Don't we all." Cronin shot back.

Grover quickly joined up on scene while she was breathing heavily. She wasn't sweating as much as some of the more leisurely-inclined officers would be.,

"Now I'm going to check your pockets. You got anything that's going to stick or pinch me?" Cronin asked

"No, no man." The teen said

Cronin put on some gloves and then carefully went into the teen's pockets. He felt and noticed a wallet. He pulled it out and checked what was inside.

"Well looky looky." Cronin said as held the open wallet up to Grover's eyes. "Take a look at this."

Grover looked at the ID and was a little surprised and wondered how Captain Bullock was going to deal with this.

"Harry Osborn, you're under arrest for narcotics possession." Cronin said as he pulled Osborn up from the ground and went on to reading his rights before putting him in the back of a police cruiser.