Part Four

            "If I may ask, did you love my son?" Norman inquired taking a sip of the coffee Mary Jane had brewed for him. "I know you were both involved for some time, he often spoke fondly of you."

            MJ frowned, "I cared for him, deeply." She sighed prepared to tackle the subject that she had dreaded Osborn would bring up, "I really wanted the best for him and always hoped he could find somebody he truly cared about. I-it just wasn't me."

            Norman nodded in a planned manner, "Thank you for those kind words. So, how are things going with Peter?"

            "Well." She said instinctively and then laughed sadly, "I guess, it's just that he gets caught up sometimes in things, it can be worrying."

            "Loving somebody is hard." Norman said with a sly smirk across his face that unsettled MJ, "It is very hard." He remarked no longer even addressing her, "If you're not careful it can become a weakness. Something your enemies can exploit. Never worry about that." Norman told MJ gently, "Thankfully, Parker is not foolish and doesn't do anything that would risk his life or the lives of those he cares about, does he?"

            MJ was silent for a minute, unable to answer, "I-I wouldn't know." She finally said weakly.

            Norman shrugged, "Love requires a certain amount of faith. When that faith is warranted the world seems perfect, but if your trust is betrayed, well I only hope your innocent heart must never be exposed to such a thing." He checked his watch, "Oh my, I must really be going. Thank you, I needed this. Until we run into one another again and I do intend on seeing you soon."

            "You must think me a monster, Spider-Man." Otto said as he led the wall-crawler into a laboratory situated at the top of an apartment building in a seedy section of the city. "Your silence says that plainly enough."

            "The thought crossed my mind more than a few times, Ock." Peter replied, keeping his eyes on Otto's hostage as he slipped in through the window.

            Otto sighed, "I promise you, I am not. My actions are necessary if extreme." He held onto his hostage wary of a reprisal from Spider-Man. "You know me well enough, we've talked about philosophy before, you know I'd never kill another person without justification."

            The lab was worn down and dirty. Equipment lay on shelves while the light barely seeped in through the blinds on the windows. A police siren was wailing in the distance but it wasn't calling out to them.

            "What's your justification for the priest back in the cathedral? You did that to make a point." Peter retorted.

            "You would not have done as I wished if I had not shown you I was serious. Do you think I found pleasure in doing that? No, it sickened my stomach." One of Otto's tentacles reached out and flipped a switch turning the lights on, "If you'll excuse me I shall return in one moment." He slipped into a room with the hostage though he kept her eyes away from him.

            Peter would've pulled his mask away if not for her; Otto had already seen his face.

            She whimpered for help to which Peter could only bow his head. Ock would have snapped her neck before he could even reach her. Suddenly, she was dragged into the room and for a moment Peter didn't know what to do.

            Otto returned from the room with his hostage safely in tentacle. He wore a black trench-coat over the simple white muscle-shirt underneath that wasn't particularly flattering to Otto's physique. His tentacles popped out through several holes he had made through the coat.

            "Who are you supposed to be, Neo from the Matrix?" Peter asked sarcastically staring at the black coat.

            Otto frowned, "Huh?"

            "Forget it." Peter replied, "So, what are we doing here?"

            "Spencer!" Otto called out loudly, "Wake up you old man, wake up!"

            "Who's that?" Peter asked trying to ignore the woman's pleas for help; it'd only shake him up more than he was already.

            Out of another room came an old man, dressed in dirty old clothes, who rubbed his eyes wearily, "What is it, Octvaius?" He looked at Spider-Man somewhat surprised, "You captured him? I'm amazed you're even alive."

            "I did not capture him." Otto stated, "He's my guest. Spider-Man, may I allow you to meet Spencer Smyth, one of the most brilliant minds in nearly every field of science, even if he hasn't contributed to its advancement for some time."

            Spencer frowned, "Do not take that tone with me, doctor. I've contributed milestones to science, just simply not in the way the law would approve." He laughed, "Did you know that I was responsible for the creation of the Sandman, the person you knew as Flint Marko?"

            Peter stared at the old man for a minute angrily, "I ought to give you a fat lip for that one, buddy."

            "You're guest needs to learn proper respect to his elders. No matter, now you can begin the work."

            Peter sighed, he knew something like this was coming, "Work? What kind of work is Otto doing for you exactly?"

            Spencer raised an eye, "Oh? You haven't told him. I've observed Otto's problem and I believe I can help him, however I do not work for free."

            "What he means is he is a mercenary." Otto interrupted angrily. "To procure his services I have been forced to give up my life's work." He reached into his pocket and raised a small metal sphere, "The central piece to the power source I was working on. Everything else can be recreated but this is the vital element. However, I've been having trouble getting it to interface with the equipment Spencer has lent me. With your help I know I can accomplish this difficult task."

            Peter rocked his head back, "What does Spencer want with it?"

            "I know several gentlemen in the Middle East that would pay handsomely for such technology."

            Peter grimaced, "You've reached as low as you can go, Ock. This is your messiah?" He sighed, "I'd have pity for you if you weren't so far beneath that."

            "Do not presume to pass judgment on me, Spider-Man." Otto grabbed one of his tentacles with his palm and sighed heavily, "I've lost much in recent days; a man pushed so far will finally push back when he reaches the breaking point. I've reached that point and been pushed even farther."

            "All you're doing is making excuses, Ock." Peter replied.

            Otto sighed, "You mean to tell me that you've never done anything you were disgusted with. You have never left a situation ready to cry because you've gone too far?"

            The images of Max Dillion, Electro, dying on the floor passed through his mind. The sensation of slaughtering Kraven with the Symbiote has a safety net chilled his spine. The body of Aunt May was engraved into the recesses of his mind.

            "No." Peter admitted.

            "Then do not speak as if you're Superman, because you're not, you're a human being full of emotions and able to kill as easily as I." Otto replied. "Now will you help me?"

            Peter lowered his shoulders, "You're only going to give yourself guilt for the rest of your life if you follow through with this. Believe me, Otto."

            "Will you help me?" Otto asked again tightening his hold on his hostage. Her eyes were full of tears; she believed in her heart that she was already dead.

            "Fine, we'll have it your way." Peter caved in, "You win."