A New Beginning
Chapter Eight: Exposed
7:03 am, the residence of Norman Osborn...
"Mr. Osborn, surely you must know more about what happened that night!" Captain Stacy said, sitting in Osborn's study at his home. "I mean, you witnessed the explosion!"
Osborn shook his head.
"On the contrary, I ran out of that building as fast as I could. I didn't feel like dying, you know."
Captain Stacy said, "I understand that. But you were there, you must know the chain of events leading up to all this! I mean, it was reported that you had gotten into a fight with Octavius only mere seconds before it happened-"
Osborn cut him off and said, "See, now there's the problem. The only other witness to the explosion is dead."
Captain Stacy shook his head and said, "Actually, Mr. Osborn... he's not."
Osborn nearly choked on the martini he had been drinking when he heard this.
"Say what? Can you repeat that?"
Capt. Stacy sighed and said, "Mr. Osborn, I don't know where you heard this, but Otto Octavius survived the explosion. He escaped us last night, and we haven't been able to find him since."
Osborn sat in his chair shaking, trying to hide his shock.
H-How is that even possible!? Osborn thought. No one could survive something like that!! What's he going to do now!?
Captain Stacy said, "Mr. Osborn, is something wrong?"
Osborn shook his head and said, "N-Nothing's wrong! I have no more to say on this matter. If you'll excuse me..." He stood up out of his chair and stumbled into his room, leaving Captain Stacy alone in his study.
My God... what am I going to do now!? He's the only one who knows that I'm the one who bombed Quest! I thought he was dead!!
He leaned against his dresser to avoid blacking out, as he found himself, for the first time in his life, truly afraid. He knew that Octavius could expose him at any time. But why hadn't he?
The answer to that is simple... Osborn thought, looking at his face in the mirror. He wants to kill me, then expose me... and with those arms of his, it's very possible...
A knock came at the door. "Mr. Osborn? Are you alright?" It was Capt. Stacy.
Osborn put on what he hoped was a calm face and walked out of the room.
"Is there any chance of my being able to hire a few of your fine officers to act as bodyguards? It would appear as though I may have a situation on my hands..."
Capt. Stacy looked at him oddly and said, "What kind of situation?"
Osborn leaned against a doorframe and said, "Well, I'd like to keep it to myself, but I pay well..."
At that, Capt. Stacy shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, but I'd need to know the exact circumstances in order to make that kind of call..."
Osborn shrugged and said, "Never mind... now if you don't mind, I have business to attend to..."
Capt. Stacy nodded and said, "I understand. Just call if you remember anything..." and left the building.
Osborn stood there until he was sure Capt. Stacy was long gone, before slamming his fist into a wall and screaming. He knew what Octavius was planning to do. He knew that if the mad Doctor managed to get ahold of him, he was as good as dead...
Osborn walked over to his desk, unlocked the top drawer, and pulled out the 9mm pistol he had kept concealed there. Slipping it into his suit jacket, he left his study, walking towards the front door. He gave instructions to the doorman not to let anyone in, then left for parts unknown...
--
Meanwhile, Octavius had been watching Osborn from the building across the street. He had seen Osborn leave the building, and had not attacked him, as he knew there was a few things he needed to do before he could enact his revenge.
He waited until Osborn was out of sight, and then he used two of his tentacles to leap from the rooftop he was on, landing on the much shorter roof of Osborn's home with a dull 'thud'. He silently descended the building until he reached the window of Osborn's study. Sliding it open, he crawled into the window and took a look around.
Now where would a fool like Osborn keep any potential evidence linking him to the explosions? Octavius thought, searching the room. I know he has something here that I could use...
He tore through Osborn's filing cabinets, finding nothing. He walked over to the desk and, using one of the tentacles, picked the lock, opening the drawer and finding a file folder on top of a stack of documents. He picked up the folder and opened it, and found schematics for different types of bombs and assorted weaponry. He also found a copy of the very schematics for the device that Octavius himself had built... the one Osborn had used for the bomb.
Well... this is a good find... but even this is not enough... I need something that will put the nail in his coffin... some direct evidence linking him to everything that's transpired...
He looked through the rest of the documents in Osborn's desk, finding nothing. He slid the desk drawers closed, picked up a pencil and paper from the desktop, and wrote a note:
I'm coming after you, Osborn. Nothing you can possibly do will stop it. When death comes to claim you, you won't know until you see the white light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Except that tunnel won't lead to your heaven... it'll take you to hell.
But first... I think I'll let you live just a little longer... if only to torment you with the knowledge of your inevitable death... and besides, I'd hate to let you leave this life looking completely innocent about the events that have occurred... you're going to die the way you lived: a disgrace to humanity. Think about that in the few days before you die... who knows, maybe it'll do that feeble mind of yours some good.
-Doctor Octopus
He left the note on Osborn's desk and walked over to the window, sliding it open and slipping out, leaving it open as he made his way back into the city just as Osborn walked back into the building.
When Osborn walked into his office, nothing seemed amiss... except that window that had not been open when he had left...
"Now how did that get opened?" Osborn said to himself, although he knew how it had... he just didn't want to accept it.
He walked over to the window and closed it, then turned around and noticed the note on his desk. Picking it up, he read it, and with every word, the bad feeling that was burning in Osborn's mind only intensified. He knew Octavius was coming after him for certain now...
Without warning, Osborn clutched his chest and fell to the floor, just as his manservant, Bernard, had entered the room.
"Mr. Osborn!" Bernard cried out, rushing over to him. He kneeled down and checked Osborn's pulse... finding none.
"Oh, dear God!!" He ran over to the window and shouted, "WE NEED A DOCTOR IN HERE!! SOMEONE HELP!!"
A few moments later, a man ran through the front door, and up to Osborn's study. Seeing Osborn keeled over on the floor, he ran up and said, "What happened to him?"
Bernard said, "I-I think he's had a heart attack... I don't know why!"
The man kneeled over Osborn and began CPR, and after a few moments, Osborn came to. The man said, "We need to get him to a hospital. I don't know what's wrong with him, but they can find out." He picked up Osborn in a fireman's carry and hauled him out to the street, hailing a taxi, loading Osborn into it when one stopped, and taking off down the street.
--
Several hours later...
Octavius was hiding out in that building in the East Village, having claimed it as his hideout for the time being. He was listening to the broadcast on the radio that he had 'acquired' only a few hours earlier. It was set to a news channel, and he wasn't paying much attention to it...
...until a bulletin came across that started, "In other news, business mogul Norman Osborn is in the hospital tonight, following an incident in his home..."
At this, Octavius looked up from the schematics he had been going over for the last few hours. "Hmm? What's this, now?"
"...has been reported he keeled over from a heart attack, after reading a note on his desk left by former scientist Otto Octavius..."
Octavius listened closer, extremely interested now in what was being said.
"...it has been rumored that Octavius was responsible for two explosions in the last week. He is currently at large, and should be considered armed and dangerous."
Armed and dangerous... more so than you know. Octavius thought, a wicked grin on his face.
"Osborn has not released any details as to why Octavius is after him, and is currently in stable condition..."
Octavius switched off the radio and leaned back in his chair, looking back down at the schematics.
"Well, well... I knew Osborn was weak, but I never suspected he was that much of a coward..."
--
3 days later...
Osborn returned to his home, having been released that morning. He had been told to take it easy for a few days.
He walked into his study, made sure to lock that window, and sat down at his desk.
O.K, I've got to figure out what to do about this current situation... he thought. I'm currently being hunted down by a sociopathic scientist with 4 mechanical arms... who is intent on murdering me. I know this pistol would not be enough to stop him when he attacks... and I can't hire bodyguards without telling them why I need them in the first place. So what is there to do?
Then, a thought came to him...
Perhaps... perhaps I could make use of the human performance enhancers that Stromm was developing... that would give me a definite edge... but wait, those haven't even been thoroughly tested yet...
He thought about it some more. He could use the performance enhancers, and gain the edge needed to stop Octavius if... no, when, he attacks. Or the enhancers could kill him.
On the flipside, he could decide not to take that risk, and let Octavius tear him apart.
Not a hard question, really...
I'll have to do it... Osborn thought. Despite the risks. I can't let him murder me. I have to fight back...
He walked over the door, locked it, then walked over to a painting on the wall, taking it down to reveal a hidden safe. He unlocked the safe and opened it, revealing several stacks of bills... and a vial of a strange green liquid.
Hesitating a moment, he removed the vial from the safe and walked back to his desk, taking a seat and removing the cap from the vial.
I must be out of my mind... he thought. But it's this, or let him murder me...
With that thought in mind, he quickly drank the contents of the vial, then leaned back in his chair, waiting for it to take effect.
Suddenly, he felt like his brain had exploded, and he fell out of his chair, writhing on the floor as the serum made its way through his body. He repeatedly pounded on the floor with his fist, screaming incoherently. He could feel his body growing stronger, but the pain was threatening to overtake him.
Then, just as quickly as it came, the pain was gone, leaving Osborn feeling more powerful than ever before.
He stood up and walked over to a full length mirror, looking himself over. He could feel this new energy radiating within, and he liked it...
To test this newfound power, he walked over to the desk, and was astonished as he lifted it, over his head, with one hand. He put it back down with a loud 'thunk' and, feeling like he was buzzed on something, started hopping from one foot to another, throwing punches at empty air.
Let Octavius come after me! he thought, a cocky smirk on his face. With this power, I could wipe out an army!! NOTHING CAN STOP ME NOW!!
He started pacing the floor, thinking about this current situation.
I'm not going to let him attack first... I'm going to get him before he can get me. I'll need a few weapons...
He then remembered the flying machine he had developed, the one Mendel had said looked like a glider.
I could use that... he'd never suspect an aerial assault... and those small bombs I've designed... those could be perfect... but I'll need something to disguise myself... can't let the general public recognize me...
He walked back over to his desk and unlocked the top drawer, only to find that the folder with the schematics for the bombs was gone. There was only one explanation for it...
"NOO!! How did he find it!?" Osborn shrieked, slamming his fist onto the desk, splintering the wood. He began pacing again, thinking on what to do about this... unexpected development.
He must have stolen the file the day he left that note on my desk... but what would he want with it? There's no way that folder contains everything he'd need to expose me... well, there's no telling where he's at by now... I'll have to build my weaponry from what I remember of the schematics...
He left the building, this time having left the pistol in his desk.
He had gotten only half a block away, before an enraged scream split the foggy silence of the early morning. The voice behind the scream was familiar to Osborn; a rather low-pitched voice with a heavy German accent behind it.
It was a voice Osborn knew all too well... and he wasn't happy to hear it.
"OSBORN!!"
Osborn looked up at the rooftops, and damned if he didn't see Doctor Octopus himself standing there, glaring down at him...
So... he finally decides to make his presence known to me... why would that be?
"Yes, Doctor?" Osborn called back, an arrogant tone to his voice.
Without warning, Octavius jumped from the rooftop, landing on only 2 tentacles in front of Osborn. He stood stock still, the other 2 tentacles writing behind him, just glaring down at Osborn, who didn't move an inch.
"Where are they, Osborn?" he snarled, grabbing his former employer by the leg, flipping him upside down, bringing him up to eye level.
Osborn didn't even flinch as he said, "Well, you're looking well... mind telling me how you survived that explosion?"
"I don't have time for your childish games, Osborn!!" Octavius shouted, shaking him roughly. "Where are the schematics for my reactor!? I know you have them!!"
Osborn, surprisingly enough, started laughing, only making Octavius even more enraged then he already was.
"I don't have them, Doctor! They probably got destroyed in the explosion."
"DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME!!" Octavius shouted, slamming Osborn into a nearby building face first. "Must I ask again!?"
Osborn shook his head and said, "I'm serious. I really don't have them. And even if I did, I'd never give them-"
He was broken off in mid-sentence when Octavius slammed him into the ground once, twice, three times. When he finally brought Osborn back up to his level, he said, "WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THEM!?"
Surprisingly, Osborn still didn't look the least bit shaken by the situation, as he hung there, still upside down, and said, "I see by the look on your face that you're surprised as to why I haven't been injured by your slamming me around..."
Octavius shook his head and said, "Nothing surprises me about you anymore, Osborn... I've seen you for what you really are... mark my words, Osborn, I will see you dead!!"
Out of spite, Osborn raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his face as he said, "Oh, you don't intend on doing it now?"
Octavius snarled and threw Osborn to the ground.
"Oh, you're still going to die... but as I said in that note, I intend on destroying your image first. Let the people of this city see you for what you really are. Consider this incident merely a warning of the pain to come." With that, he whacked Osborn in the head with a tentacle, knocking him back to the ground, stunned. He turned around to leave, giving Osborn one final warning: "And if I find out you have the schematics for my reactor... I'll rip your spine from your still-writhing corpse! I will get them back, Osborn!" He then turned around and disappeared into the early morning fog, leaving Osborn on the ground.
Osborn sat there a moment, thinking on what had just happened. Octavius could have torn him apart right then and there... but why didn't he? Could it be he was truly serious about exposing Osborn's dark past to the city?
Well, I don't have all the time in the world to think about it... Osborn said as he got up, glad that no one was around to see this little... incident. I still have business to conduct...
--
10:21 am, back at Curt's apartment...
Rosie was asleep on the couch when she felt Curt gently shaking her awake.
She looked up at him sleepily and said, "Did you find out anything?"
Curt still couldn't shake the image of Octavius' escape from Midtown Hospital. He had told Rosie, who, as expected, had been horrified. Neither of them could figure out why he would have done such a thing.
Curt shook his head sadly and said, "No, I didn't... I don't know where on Earth he could be... I don't even know if he's alive anymore... the brief glimpses I got of him definitely confirmed my worst suspicions... he was affected by the radiation... I just wish I knew where he was..."
Just then, as if on cue, the police scanner that Curt had hooked up to try and get any information, came to life...
"...we have confirmed reports of an attack in the Financial District... victim identified as Norman Osborn..."
Curt motioned for Rosie to stay quiet a moment, and they both listened in horror as the report unfurled...
"...Osborn is not seriously injured... attacker has been identified as Otto Octavius..."
At that, Curt gasped and looked over at Rosie, who had tears in her eyes at what she was hearing.
"...Octavius' current whereabouts are unknown... should be considered armed and dangerous. If confronted, use any force necessary to take him..."
Curt and Rosie sat in stunned silence as the report wound down.
Any force neccessary? Curt thought, horrified. Does that mean lethal!? They wouldn't kill him, would they!?
"Rosie, I'm going down to the station. I have to let someone know that he's not responsible for this!" Curt grabbed his coat off the back of his chair and ran from the apartment...
--
20 minutes later...
Capt. Stacy was in his office at Precinct 92, relishing the few minutes of down time that usually never occurred in the course of a normal work day.
He heard the door to the station open and looked to see who it was. He saw a blond man with only one arm walk through the front door, towards the front desk. He heard the man talking to the officer in charge, but couldn't make out what he was saying. Then, the man was standing in his doorway.
"Are you Captain Stacy?" he asked.
Stacy nodded and motioned for the man to take a seat.
"And what can I help you with, Mr..."
"Connors." the blond man said. "My name is Curt Connors, and I need to talk to you about the Octavius case..."
Stacy looked confused at this.
"How do you know of this case?" he asked.
Curt looked downcast as he said, "Because Octavius is my best friend... I know he was not responsible for either of the explosions, and in the first case, I know I can prove it."
Stacy was silent a moment before saying, "Alright... how can you prove it?"
Curt started, "Because the night of the explosion at Quest Research, he was with a lady friend of his. They had gone out to dinner that night."
"Oh, really?" Stacy asked. "And who is this lady friend of his?"
Curt replied, "Her name is Rosalie Harris, and she'd be willing to tell you everything of what had happened that night."
Stacy thought on that for a moment, before saying, "Then you can take me to her."
Curt said, "Wait, take you to her? I thought you'd just have her come-"
Stacy shook his head and said, "No, it's easier this way. Look..." here, he sighed and said, "...I'd really like to believe he's innocent. The thought of an eminent scientist turning on people like this, I don't like it. If you can truly prove he's innocent, I'll do anything to prove it. If he's not, I'll have to charge him, but I don't want to send a man who could be a benefit to humanity to prison without knowing if he's truly innocent."
Curt could not respond.
"So..." Stacy finished, standing up and grabbing his coat, "Where is this lady friend of his?"
--
20 minutes later, again...
Rosie was pacing the room when Curt and Capt. Stacy walked in the apartment.
She stopped pacing and said, "Oh, hello... who's that, Curt?"
Capt. Stacy walked up to her and said, "I'm Capt. George Stacy of the 92nd Precinct, and I've been told you can prove something for me?" There was something familiar to Capt. Stacy about this woman, but he couldn't place his finger on it...
Rosie said, "Wait, this is about Otto, isn't it?"
Stacy nodded and said, "I heard you can prove his innocence in the explosion at Quest Research?"
"Yes, he was with me that night," Rosie said, a very slight smile on her face. "I had dragged him out to dinner that night. Everything was going fine until we heard the explosion. He ran over to see what it was and was knocked unconscious by a falling brick..."
"Wait a second..." Stacy said, realization dawning on his face. "You were there with him that night. I remember you now!"
Rosie looked at him a little closer and said, "Yes, I remember you as well... anyways, I remember him coming into the apartment angry about something, and I figured us going to dinner might cheer him up... apparently, him and Norman Osborn had not been getting along..."
--
2 hours later...
Capt. Stacy had returned to the stationhouse after listening to Rosie explain what had happened that night. He was about to enter the building, when he looked down and saw a bundle of papers that were held together by a rubber band, just sitting on the doorstep.
What in the world-?
He grabbed the papers and entered the building, heading to his office. Entering it, he locked the door and took a seat at his desk. Unfurling the roll of papers, he took a look at them and found various schematics for different types of bombs. Most of the papers had the words "Property of Norman Osborn" stamped on them.
Well, talk about being obvious... Stacy thought, rolling his eyes.
And in the back of all of the papers was a note. There was only one sentence written on it:
Get your facts straight next time.
Capt. Stacy was shocked at who had obviously written this note.
The note was signed by Otto Octavius.
Stacy looked at the note again in disbelief. He ran out of the office and said to the officer in charge, "Did you see anyone besides me approach the station at any point in the last 2 hours?"
The officer shook his head and said, "Not one person, sir. Why?"
Stacy slammed the note on the desk and said, "Someone must have been here! This note was in front of the door, along with a bundle of papers in a rubber band. You're sure you didn't see anyone approach the door!?"
The officer shook his head and said, "I'm positive! Nothing's been happening today!"
Stacy shook his head and walked into a small room behind the officer's desk. It was the surveillance room, where another officer was watching the screens that were linked to the video cameras around the city.
The officer, who was a female by the name of Jean DeWolff, looked up at Stacy and said, "What do you need, Captain?"
Stacy said, "Can you rewind the surveillance tape for the video camera overlooking the front entrance to the station? Rewind it about 2 hours, then fast-forward."
DeWolff complied, rewound the tape, then pressed the fast forward button, making sure it wasn't going too fast.
Then, they both saw it...
He was only on screen for a little more than a second, but Octavius himself had shown up, only a few minutes after Capt. Stacy had left, put the papers on the doorstep, and disappeared again.
Stacy was dumbstruck at what he saw.
"He was here..."
Stacy thanked DeWolff, went back to his office and took another look at the schematics. They looked like the type of bomb that would have been used in the Quest Explosion.
Wait, is he trying to tell me that Osborn was behind all this!?
He stood up, grabbed the schematics off of his desk, and left the station. There was someone he needed to talk to...
-To be continued...
