The Greatest Show on Earth
Part One
"Welcome to the greatest show on Earth!" Screamed the ringmaster at the start of the festivities that made up the Barnum and Bailey Circus to the elated crowd cheering happily.
The show began with its typical jovial attitude as acts were performed, elephants and tigers paraded around with an energy that was dangerously addictive. Everything had been going perfectly for the first hour, everyone hit their cues and it seemed as if this would be like any other show.
However, when it came time for the acrobats to perform their act everyone would soon see that this would be like no other show they had attended.
As the first acrobat went through their jumps and twirls mid-air their partner arrived just in time to catch them and swing them over to a nearby ledge. The ringmaster watched with approval at the reactions of the crowd. In between the performances he moved to a corner of the room for a smoke.
The ringmaster took a deep breath and exhaled in short order. It was not the sudden crashing that dragged his attention but the sounds of the crowds screaming. "Don't tell me somebody fell." He exclaimed turning back to the center of the ring.
Nobody had fallen; in fact all of the acrobats were still suspended in air, but that's what scared him. "What the hell?"
Otto Octavius stood in the center of the ring, each of his tentacles holding an acrobat in their grip. He approached the ring master safely dropping each of them on the ground. "Hand it over." Otto ordered gesturing towards the microphone in the ringmaster's hands who complied immediately.
"Greetings ladies and gentlemen, my name is of no importance though some of you may in fact know who I am." Otto used two of his tentacles as legs, "This meaningless show of fun and games is now at an end. I propose instead that I present to you a showcase challenging the very definition of the word hero." The crowd began to boo and scream at him, there were calls for him to go hide in whatever hole he had come from among more irate demands. "If I do not have your undivided attention then perhaps slaughtering your children will get it!" He barked stretching out two of his tentacles to which the crowd became silent, "Now that we have order again, I wish to inform the audience that I have sealed all the doors in and out of here. I'm sure that security cameras are rolling and I would like to take this moment inform the authorities that if any action is taken against me I will kill every hostage that I can get my arms around without hesitation."
Otto paced across the circus ring, "However, I wish to shed no unnecessary blood here so I have one simple demand. If Spider-Man does not arrive here in one hour I will execute ten adults, if he is not here in two hours I will execute twenty children. When the third hour comes I'll mix and match. After that…I'll have to see what tickles my fancy."
The police station was literally on fire. George Stacy walked into the center of the main room, "Okay, we need units down there on the double. The fifty-second is sending some SWAT. We also need some heavy-duty fire-power; that means all shotguns need to be rounded up."
"Sir, we've only got a few of those, about four or five." One officer reminded him surrounded by his peers.
"Well then get into the evidence locker and see what we've got in there, there's hundreds upon hundreds of people and if Spider-Man doesn't show up we'll have to move in hard."
"He'll really kill everyone?" Mary Jane asked while Peter dressed into his Spider-Man costume.
Peter nodded pulling his left boot on, "Without a moment's hesitation. Trust me; Ock is one bad guy you do not want to cross. I just hope I can make in time."
"Can you handle him, alone?" She inquired anxiously.
"I really don't know yet. The last time we crossed paths we didn't get a chance to finish what we started, I guess it depends." Peter answered, his hands shaking slightly.
MJ saw his trembling and placed her hand on his, "Take it easy, tiger. You can do this."
Peter sighed, "I hope so." They kissed for a moment, praying that this wasn't goodbye. He pulled on his mask with movements that seemed to signify the importance of his every action. "Keep Ben company for me, he's more terrified than I am. Listen, if anything happens to me, go to the police, F.B.I. anyone. Just hide, okay because even if I'm gone there are certain people who won't give up trying and it might be your only chance."
"What are you talking about?" MJ asked with a strengthened concern.
"Just do it."
She nodded, "Okay, Peter, if something happens I promise."
"I love you." He held her closely, "Be careful."
George Stacy and the officers under his command arrived outside Madison Square Garden; the location was already filled with NYPD trying to take control of the situation.
After getting out of his patrol car, George was immediately approached by a member of the F.B.I., "Greetings, captain."
"Hey, what's going down?" George inquired of the agent.
"We're setting up a perimeter. As of right now the order is to stand-by."
George frowned, "We're going in if Spider-Man misses the deadline, right?"
The agent shook his head coldly, "No, orders are to take Dr. Octavius alive, he's not to be hurt."
"What?" George complained, "He has God knows how many people in there and there are only fifteen minutes left before he starts killing the hostages. Do we even have snipers ready to take a shot?"
"They are not necessary. Orders are only to capture him if possible. Excuse me, captain." The agent made his way towards a new batch of officers that were arriving.
George looked at his men for a moment, "I don't care what he says, get those rifles and get on the roof that building, do it quietly, if you get the chance to take Octavius down do it. The Feds got something going on as usual but I'll be damned if I let their bureaucratic bull get in the way of the safety of those people."
"Hey, look." An officer yelled out pointing to the sky, "The creep actually showed up. Maybe if we're lucky they'll do each other and save us the trouble."
Spider-Man soared through the sky with a focus that seemed to even make its presence known on the officers. He landed against the side of the building took a moment to look at the police down in the streets and then smashed through the glass of a room leading into the building.
George gritted his teeth, "I hope he doesn't make things worse in there."