Spider-Man: Heroes, Beasts and Madmen
Synopsis: A demented genius terrorizes the City. Peter struggles to unearth the truth about the Oscorp Experiments not realizing that the truth could
change how he sees his alter ego. But it's an innocent who will pay the ultimate price
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters appearing here; Marvel Comics does
Author's Notes: this is a sequel to Goblins, Kings and Pretty Things. I will be honest; you will have to read the first to understand much of the action in the second.
Dedications: To the people who read the first one, thank you for encouraging me. To the person who put me on their favorites list recently, I was feeling icky that day and to come home and see that cheered me up no end. To Eric Gillette who's excellent Spider man Info Site was an indispensable tool in researching the characters. Last, but not least, the people at Shrine of Heroes who are never far from my thoughts.
***
Spider-man arched high over the city putting some extra distance into his swing. He shot out another line feeling it go taut as it snagged a building. MJ wanted to Stay in New York to be with him and Spider-man was more popular then ever. "Life is good" Spider-man thought, "even if you have the proportionate strength and powers of a genetically enhanced super spider." The news had reported that a lunatic was threatening Ravencroft Institute. Spider-man might have been tempted to leave it the cops but the news also reported that the crook was a mad man with weird mechanical arms. The curiosity factor alone would guarantee that JJ Jameson his publisher would pay big money for the photos. He decided to hitch a ride on an emergency vehicle headed in the direction of the hospital. He made a perfect three point landing on the roof of the swiftly moving van. He watched the city fly by and occasionally waved to startled motorists and pedestrians. The vehicle pulled up to the Ravencroft and Spider-Man leapt off the roof and swung over to an adjoining building.
The scene was chaos below him. On a roof across the way stood a man, garbed as though he had left a hospital behind recently and forgotten to change. It was Dr Otto Octavius. Peter remembered watching him lecture when he was younger. When he had last seen Octavius, he had been working for Oscorp. His hair was cut in a pudding bowl fashion that sat on top of fleshy features. From his back and sides erupted a set of metal tentacles that moved independently of each other. At his feet, lay an unconscious EMT worker who had strayed too close. As Spider-man watched, another police officer moved in quickly. The Doctor caught sight of him. The metal arms reached out for the officer hauling him off his feet and wrapping him in a tight embrace. The man cried out and the maniac ranted.
"Do you think me some pathetic street thug. I deserve respect, and if you will not grant it to me. I have the power to take It." the arms raised the man above the ground and throw him toward a squad car. Spider-man thrust out his hands and fired a web line that grabbed the man in mid air and slowed his fall to the ground.
A single leap allowed him to cover the space between the buildings. The maniac caught sight of him and reached for him with the tentacles. Spiderman leapt to one side and waggled his finger at the man "Ah, ah, aaa didn't your mother tell you it's not polite to grab. Ask first."
Dr. Octavius stared at him. "What foolishness is this, what kind of freak are you." he screamed at the new comer.
"Calm down Doctor you're freaking out the nice men with badges how about we talk this out."
"I want Osborne, give him to me or suffer…"
Spider-man took advantage of the man's ranting to bounce close to him n and punch him sending him flying backwards across the roof. Spider-man realized his spider sense was tingling a half second before the metal arms grabbed him and threw him away from the Doctor. Spider-man rolled to his feet.
His foe had also regained his feet and tested his lip where Spider-man had drawn first blood. "I have heard of your theatrics Spider-man I assure you I am no purse snatcher." As He stood, his tentacles lashed the air menacingly. "You will give me Norman Osborne or I will destroy this facility until I find and crush the life from him. "
"You're not sounding a lot like the guy who ran against Stephen Hawking for the Nobel Prize."
"Wincing little gimp. Simple extrapolation on Einstein's theories whereas I broke new ground. That award should have been mine." Spider-man watched in fascination as the Doctor's arms smacked a nearby wall in frustration as a human fist would. Except that, a human could not have cracked the masonry sending chunks flying.
Spider-man rushed him again. The metal arms were on him in a heartbeat. They curled around his arms and snagged his legs. The arms began pulling in opposite directions. A groan was forced from Spider-man's lips as Doctor Octavius looked at him a like a specimen on a slide.
"I am something of a history buff Spider-man. Did you know that when men died on the rack they were frequently almost a foot taller then their height in life. I wonder how you will fair under that kind of stress. Now I will ask you again. Where is Osborne?" Spider-man's spinal column protested as he was pulled in two directions.
***
Jean DeWolf was having a bad day. She had been the officer on duty when the call came in that Ravencroft was under siege. She had seen Spider-man's leap into the fray. As much as she admired his public spirit, she couldn't help wishing he stuck to petty crooks. She had watched as the Wall Crawler had scored a few punches, lasting longer against the many-armed freak then others who had tried thus far.
A car pulled up and two dark men in trench coats sprang out of a car. Jean automatically named them Tweedledum and Tweedledee. They were accompanied by a cool blond in expensive business attire and shades that screamed Fed. Jean relaxed, considering her taste in vintage twenties clothing; what she lacked in money she made up for in style. The woman quickly flashed a badge at her which then vanished inside her jacket in one smooth motion Jean was so impressed she got her to repeat the move by claiming not to have seen the National Security Agency ID
Grumbling in her throat at losing the initial pissing contest Sharon Carter showed the detective her badge again. "Detective, how are you handling this situation."
"I have SWAT in place and air support. Obviously I'd like to take him down without killing him but this menace is a little beyond the norm."
"And the spandex in red, what is he or she doing here?"
"He is a local do-gooder."
"Do you normally let civilians into an emergency area."
"No but then most civilians can't leap thirty feet and bench press a bus I've seen Spider-man survive situations that most cops would be reluctant to go into. Why is the NSA sending agents to my crime scene."
"It's a National security matter, Need to know. Procedure…you understand."
A Sargent who had been watching the confrontation chose that moment to signal the lieutenant. Things were going badly for Spider-man. Jean looked through the binoculars that the Sargent handed her and swore.
Carter looked around and finally asked. What is Doctor Octavius asking for."
Jean paused as she watched Spiderman being grabbed and stretched. "He's been screaming for Norman Osborne."
"Why?"
"I don't know the last time I check otti…Octopus? What did you call him."
Carter snickered cruelly "Ironically that's what his colleagues called him back in the day."
"Cute" DeWolf muttered. "He hit the facility and started screaming to be shown to Norman Osborne. Osborne is being kept there under observation. When news of the attack reached the guards they moved Osborne to a more secure part of the facility."
"So Osborne is in there right now?"
"He is safer where he is now, actually we're in more danger from this guy then Osborne is."
"Why is the Doctor so anxious for a meet and greet with Norman Osborne."
Jean looked at Carter and then picked up a megaphone. "That would force me to comment on an on going investigation. Procedure…you understand."
***
Spider-man was just toying with the idea of passing out when a loud screech signaled the police had decided to talk some more. "Doctor, this is Detective DeWolf. We would be happy to discuss this on the ground in reasonable fashion."
"I am not a child." The Doctor turned and ranted loudly "Do not patronize me. I will have the respect I deserve."
Spider-man looked at the distracted Doctor and then around the roof looking for some means of escape his eyes traveled upward to a flagpole that twitched in the breeze flowing across the roof. Spider-man looked at the Doctor and saw his attention was still on the police below. Spider-man fired a web line at the top of the pole and began dragging it downwards. It silently bent, the angle growing sharper and sharper until the pole was bent double.
The Doctor turned back to his captive and saw him struggling with the pole. "What are you doing?"
Spider-man secured two of the doctor's metal arms to the pole with Webbing. "The technical tern Doc would be, crack the whip"
Releasing his hold on the pole, He braced his back against a wall and prayed his ability to cling to objects extended to more then his hands and feet. The pole whipped back into place dragging the doctor and his arms with it. In a panic, the doctor released Spider-Man who dropped to the roof. The pole over shot and Octavius was dragged over to the other side of the roof to crash on the surface. Then the pole shot back into its original position. Octavius was pulled from where he had hit the roof into the air crashing into the pole and knocking it down. He struggled to quiet the spinning in his dazed head.
"Now that's entertainment." Spider-man could barely conceal his amusement. He moved toward the man on the ground. When one of the metal arms lashed at him. His spider-sense flared a warning and Spider-man jumped aside. Doctor Octopus rose from the rooftop and looking around saw a helicopter hovering over head.
"A strategic withdrawal is in order. We will meet again Spider-man." One of the Doctor's arms reached into the sky snagging the landing strut of the passing helicopter. Pulling himself into the air, he used his other metal arms to tear open the cockpit door and throw the pilot aside like so much trash. Spider-man jumped into the air catching the man and lowering him safely to the ground.
Turning from the man, Spider-man ran across the rooftop jumping to the next building following the helicopter that was moving off. He landed on the adjoining building and sprinted to the end. Now underneath the slowly moving chopper he launched himself into the air, firing a web line. He curled the end of the line in his fist and relaxed his body as the line caught on the back of the air vehicle and he was pulled along behind it over the city that flashed by below.
. One of the annoying things about having a spider sense was that it kept screaming warnings to you long after you realized there wasn't a thing you could do to prevent the danger from occurring. The helicopter dipped low and Spider-man felt the billboard coming before he saw it. He smashed through the billboard shoulder first. Fragments exploded around him and the shrapnel from his passage through the sign pelted him as the helicopter gained real height. Spider-Man thrust out his arm and fired webbing into the rotor assembly of the chopper. The engine started to seize and labour. The helicopter dipped sharply and headed toward the ground Spider-man clutched the web-line in his hands, and braced himself for when he was dragged across a rooftop.
Dr Octopus leaned out of the cockpit, realizing that his escape in the chopper was a bust. He leapt into the air. Metal tentacles reached out and grabbed the side of a building. Spider-man considered going after him but the helicopter was now careening through downtown with no driver.
He was dragged across another rooftop and this time bracing himself. His web line became an anchor and he watched the aircraft swing down into the street. Jumping after it, he fired webs in all directions creating a latticework of webbing that braced and held the vehicle as its fall was slowed and ultimately stopped. He landed on the street as crowds gathered. "Keanu Reeves is a pussy." He announced to a startled crowd of onlookers that gathered to see the street sculpture that used to be a helicopter.
In the distance, he could hear police sirens. He cursed at the thought that he had not only lost Dr Octopus, but his body was badly bruised from the bouncing around he had done and even worse, his camera was sitting webbed to a strut near Ravencroft. JJ would have pictures of the battle but nothing concerning his daring rescue of the chopper. "Life sucks." he muttered as he climbed a web-line into the shadows.
***
. It dawned clear and bright over New York. In the offices of the Daily Bugle its owner and publisher was glorying in the increased circulation caused by the morning's headline. There was a photograph of Spider-man and Dr Octopus fighting each other. The headline was one of J. Jonah Jameson's best Is the Spider-Menace Growing. -Eight armed Terrorist Threatens Ravencroft.
Peter had pointed out that octopus and spiders had no connection and that Spider-man had been trying to stop the Doctor.
"Stop him, ha; they're probably old college friends or something. Oh maybe they are illicit lovers."
"Spider-man is not gay." Peter said defensively
"How do you know?" Jameson shot back as he brandished the paper
Ben Urich spoke up from his desk "He's right Parker, Spiderman has big gay following in the city."
"Thank you Urich it's nice to see you earning your keep for once." Jameson smiled proudly
Ben continued as if he had not been interrupted. "He is also thought to be Latino, black, a mutant, or a woman…"
"Enough, since when do I pay you to argue with me." The sniped the annoyed publisher
"I thought we encouraged creative thinking at the Daily Bugle."
"Yes I want to find a new and creative connection between this tentacle guy and Spider-man."
"There is none." Peter protested
"So far, but I am counting on you to find me one. Where did this Dr Octopus Come from."
"He used to work for Oscorp. He was a researcher. Norman was paying big bucks, not sure for what though."
"How did you find that out." Jameson snapped. He was still a trustee on the Oscorp board the recent Green Goblin troubles and the replacement of Norman by his son Harry had made investors very nervous.
"Parker found a link between Osborne and the Goblin. Osborne either was behind the creation of The Green Goblin or was the Goblin's target. Pete saw a communication from Dr Octavius to Osborne where the Doc was giving Norman a progress report on tests he was running on a samples from a test subject, unnamed."
"Why was there no quote from Octavius in the story you turned in."
"Octavius was injured in a lab explosion caused, according to the police report, by the Green Goblin.
Jameson's newsman instincts were on full alert "Octavius either knew or suspected who the Green Goblin was and the Goblin silenced him."
"Bingo, and if Octavius thought Osborne either sanctioned the hit or knew who the trigger man was, I'm thinking he'd want a piece of Osborne's Ass."
Peter listened to this discussion. He alone knew the truth. Osborne had been The Goblin. He had been altered by a lab accident during a test of a chemical compound Oscorp had been developing, A performance enhancement drug. He had concealed this fact from everyone for Harry's sake spreading the fantasy that The Goblin had been mortally injured during the final battle but escaped. The only people who knew the truth were Mary Jane who had been there, he had been rescuing her from the Goblin at the time, and Jean DeWolf who's perceptiveness was a constant worry. She had guessed the truth about Norman and more important he sometimes got the impression She knew Peter's secret.
A throat was cleared and the three men turned to look at JJ's pretty secretary, Glory Grant. "If you boys are done, there is a Police officer here and she looks very anxious." She gestured to someone behind and Jean DeWolf stepped into the newsroom. She was in her standard vintage clothes pinstripe suit and snap brim fedora hat tilted rakishly, on her feet where two tone casual shoes.
"Hi Jean, what's going on?"
"Parker, tell your super hero that Officer Bendis, the helicopter pilot he saved, wants to thank him."
"Really that's great, he's ok then."
"Brian? Oh Yeah he's great, since he is not only a cop, but he was saved by Spider-man. His Kid thinks He is a god."
"Detective, to what do we owe the pleasure." Jameson's smile was forced. DeWolf was a newsman's best friend. Her tendency to shout very loudly when things didn't go her way made for great copy. Until recently, Peter was not too concerned about the detective and the lambasting she received from time to time in the pages of the Bugle. Since his last case however, his respect for DeWolf had grown.
"I want Parker's photos of Dr Octopus." She held up her hand to forestall the explosion on Jameson's face. "I have in my pocket a warrant signed by a judge who seemed practically orgasmic when I told him I was rousting you"
Ben Urich's snickered and Peter reached over to his desk to produce the negatives and the rest of the pictures. "Why do you need this stuff detective." Ben asked after he recovered.
"Ongoing investigation, I had an observer from the NSA dropped into my lap."
Urich 's eyes glittered and he reached for a pad and pen. "NSA, interested in Dr Octopus, any idea why?"
"Wipe your chin, Urich, if I even thought you planned on writing about what was coming out of my mouth I would have you charged with obstruction of an ongoing investigation."
"Congress shall make no law…" Peter started quietly remembering his social studies classes
"Enough, Parker. Ok off the record. This Sharon Carter is looking for information on the Doc. It seems that our new megalomaniac was on an Oscorp research team that was working on one of the many Government contracts that made Oscorp the pain in the ass it is today."
"So are they trying to find the truth or cover something up." Ben asked. His fingers were twitching as though eager to be jotting down notes.
"What truth, Octavius is clearly nuts but he is the second menace to come out of Oscorp recently. First the Green Goblin now Doctor Octopus. There is something going on behind those walls and I'd like to find out what it is. Much as I hate the thought of men in black creeping around my city, If it solves this crisis maybe that what we got to do."
***
A security guard fell to the ground, the sense crushed out of him by metal arms that retracted beneath a long coat. The figure in the slouch hat and coat stepped around the guard and pushed past the police tape. It blocked access to what had once been one of the most technically advanced research labs on the East Coast, before the Green Goblin. Dr Octopus descended deeper throwing aside debris as he ventured into the burned out lab. A pile of Rubble rose up to block a doorway. The Doctor began to pull the rocks and garbage from the pile first with just his own hands then his metal arms began pulling, worming their way beneath the wreckage. With a cry his arms forces the pile to one side and he pushed his way into what was left of his lab. He trailed his hands across surfaces covered in dust and debris. "It's all gone, you took everything from me you bastard, everything!" his arms lashed out smashing tables chairs, mirrors and wall plating. Everything he could reach. Then his arms smashed through a wall and he felt a tingle. He paused; he looked at the three pincers that surmounted each of the steel arms. He reached to the wall again and felt the tingle. "Of course the sensors inside the harness are geared to detect Electro-magnetic signatures. The information is being relayed to me via sensation, like touch."
Octavius quickly reassembled the lab. "If there is current going through the walls then the computer systems could be made to function." The doctor thought to himself. It took an hour but he managed to get the operating system functioning again. He even managed to reconnect the computer's voice box, now he could hear the computer and speak to it. He fed it all the data he could salvage including the facts about his own condition. He set the machine to figure out an answer. It was the better part of the night before that answer was forthcoming.
"Analysis of test sample confirms earlier hypothesis." The computer announced
"List physiological changes." Octavius demanded eagerly
"Increased strength, increased speed, increased reaction time. All changes in line with known test perimeters."
List all side effects based on known data."
"Mental abnormalities caused by modifications to neural pathways."
"Correlate all data and compare with latest test subject." Now came the moment he found out what damage he had suffered.
"Latest subject, physiological changes in line with known test perimeters. Neural pathways have been remapped to allow for organic control of harness control system."
"Compare test subject brain patterns and extrapolate."
The computer processed for a minute before answering. "Analysis complete, test subject shows signs of mental abnormalities."
How would these -abnormalities- manifest themselves."
"Subject would experience delusions of persecution, paranoia, and sociopath behavior."
Octavius smiled grimly. More then anyone else in the world he knew that facts did not lie. Still there had to be a solution. One he had not thought of. Then his mind provided the answers as it always would. "Computer are there any test subjects that have never shown side effects."
"Affirmative, early animal subjects showed physiological change but only limited decrease in mental stability."
"Early tests, who conducted these tests and where were they done."
"Early testing performed at Columbia University by Dr Curt Connors."
"Of course Connors. Computer list all data obtained by Connors."
"Unable to comply."
"Why " Octavius snarled "Why won't you give me what I want. Why."
"Recent system failure resulted in partial memory loss. Until complete memory re-initiation this unit will be unable to access external data."
"There must be a way to get at the information, there must be."
"Negative there is no way to access data until connection with Columbia University is reestablished."
"So Connors after all this time you once again stand between me and success. How ironic." Octavius grabbed files off what was left of the hard drive. It was time the pay his old colleague a visit."
