Part Three

"Some sort of advanced healing factor exists." Mendel Stromm informed Norman Osborn as they both stood in the busy lab.

Norman raised an eye, "What do you mean?" He gazed into the holding cell for one of the test chimps. The primate ran around its cell as if trying to showboat to the scientist that now peered into his small world.

"Well, in accordance with our normal testing procedures we were testing chimpanzees in different age groups." Mendel took down several more notes as he gazed at the chimp's movements. "This particular test subject was near the end of the natural lifespan for chimpanzees."
"Oh?" Norman replied voicing his lack of knowledge on the subject, "So what does that mean?"

Mendel took a deep breath and laughed nervously, "Well, we were going to suspend his testing because he had developed severe arthritis."
Norman frowned and turned his eyes back to the chimp as it playfully moved across the holding cell. "How can that be?"

"The Green formula seems to have…cured him of his ailment." Mendel responded eagerly, "Once it entered his system it redesigned the genetic code to remove the weakness."

"Are you telling me, we've found some sort of all-purpose cure?" Norman asked his eye's lighting up suddenly.

"Indeed." Mendel responded with a smirk across his face, "I think we really have something here."

Norman nodded with the realization of what this could for him, "How long before we could begin human testing?"

"Three months." Mendel responded, "We still have no idea of how the formula would react with human subjects, we need to make sure there's no risk before proceeding."

Norman frowned. Three months was one month too long for the tycoon, he'd be long dead by then. "There's no way around it?"

"None." Stromm replied.

"Good job, doctor." Norman replied and patted Stromm on the shoulder, "I want everybody sent home early today, get a nice long rest for tomorrow."

Mendel sighed, "Sir, I'd like to stay late and monitor the subject for the day."

"No." Norman responded demandingly, "Get rest. I don't want anyone here after normal business hours. Do I make myself clear?"

Mendel slowly nodded, "Yes sir."

Norman grinned, "Good, now I'm going to lab seven to check on the flight glider progress. Keep up the fine work, everybody!" Norman called out to the entire staff as he exited the lab, unable to hide the wide smile on his face. Osborn had just found his salvation.

Peter stepped in through the front door of his home to be greeted by his Aunt and Uncle. "Hey guys." He said lifelessly.

Uncle Ben grinned, "Did you enjoy the trip."
"Not really." Peter responded just as he placed his back-pack on the floor and removed his jacket.

"Oh?" Ben frowned just as rose from his seat with a newspaper in his hands, "What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it right now." Peter responded dryly as made for the staircase, "I'm going to my room."

"Wait." Ben stepped in Peter's way gently, "You said you were going to come with me to the hardware store."

Peter shrugged and brushed his messy brown hair away from his eyes, "Well, I'm not really feeling well."
"Oh come on." Ben waved to the doorway leading back out, "You can tell me on the way there."

Aunt May interjected, "Go on Peter. By the time you two get back, dinner should be ready."

Ben pulled the car into a parking spot outside the large hardware store. He turned the engine off and gazed at Peter silently sitting in his seat beside him. "So, you want to tell me what happened?"

"No." Peter responded harshly. He wiped the sweat off his head, "Is it hot in this car?"

Ben shrugged, "I don't think so. You're not feeling good?"

He took a deep breath and shook his head, "I'm sorry for being so rude, uncle Ben. I just really don't feel good."

The older man grinned and rubbed the top of Peter's head lovingly, "Come on, kiddo."

An hour later they returned home. Peter barely managed to convince Aunt May to let him return to his room without dinner. The old woman really loved her nephew but sometimes seemed a little too much overbearing.

Peter slipped in through the door and back into his room. He closed the door behind him and immediately collapsed to his knees, "What's wrong with me?" He demanded.

He clenched his teeth and gazed at his hand realizing something was happening. His veins were pumping as if full of blood. He suddenly remembered the spider bite at the school. "What did it do to me?"

Peter tried to rise to his feet but found himself too weak, "I…I got to get up!" He told himself frantically. "I feel strange." He turned around and reached for the door. His arms felt as if they weighed tons and he found he had collapsed to the floor and that's when he realized it. His arms were muscular, that's why they felt and looked different. He looked down at his shirt that he soon ripped in half with ease and saw the veins beginning to pump across his chest making the muscles larger, more solid. His muscles felt as if they were on fire, as if they were about to explode.

"H-help." Peter called out so weakly that he himself had barely heard it. His eyes slowly closed in an exquisite sort of pain.

Harry Osborn stepped through the front door to be greeted by his father. His face immediately became nervous upon seeing him and he nervously laughed, "Oh, hey dad."

Norman responded with a cold look and silently turned away from his son and moved into the large kitchen were a cook was at work. "Please, Janet. Make sure it's cooked properly this time." He asked.

"Yes, Mr. Osborn." She responded nervously.

Harry quietly entered the kitchen and braved to speak to his father, "So, how was work."

"Dull." Norman harshly responded, "School?"

"The same." Harry answered.

A silence settled in with neither one willing or able to say more. "I'm going to be going out to the lab, later tonight."

"Oh?" Harry asked, "What for?"

"Work." Norman responded, "I just wanted you to know."

"Okay." Harry moved out of the kitchen.

Norman did the same a few moments later but entered the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and immediately began taking deep breaths. The counselor that Harry had talked him into seeing for a month had taught him some breathing exercises for whenever he felt like he was drowning.

He managed to regain his breath, splashed some water across his face and decided to go back out and possibly face his son again.