-Chapter 13-
Code Green
In the dead of night, Peter was suiting up. After double-checking the pillow dummy he planed in bed, he swung out toward Oscorp, putting an ear to the Bluetooth headpiece he had under his mask. After a few minutes of ringing, a sleepy Peni answered.
"This is not Peni Watanabe's residence," she grumbled, clearly unhappy to be woken up this late, "because she's gone to bed. And why the hell haven't you?"
"Going into Oscorp," Spider-Man reported. "Could use your eyes and ears."
A moment passed as Peni woke up completely.
"Seriously?" she asked. "Pete... you are aware this is breaking and entering. If the cops don't get you, Norman will. And frankly, I'm pretty sure he's worse."
"Norman's already trying to 'get me'," Spider-Man replied. "I don't have much of a choice right now."
"Pete, Norman Osborn is a very powerful man. You and I both know he basically owns Manhattan. He could have you arrested... or killed!"
"Only if I get caught. I'm done waiting around, Pen. Tonight, we find out once and for all why he wants me so bad."
He made it to Oscorp, prying open a vent and slipping into the building. "I'm in."
"Alright…" Peni sighed. "Still can't believe this is happening."
"Believe it."
"Anyways, keep going straight, then you should come out in the elevator shaft. After that, just go down."
"Simple enough. Just let me know when the hard part comes up."
"You have a screw loose. No, scratch that. You have several screws loose."
"I'll pick up a screwdriver on my way home."
He came out in the elevator shaft as Peni predicted, slowly rappelling down on his web before coming out and looking around. He found himself in an area filled with cubicles, several workers on the night shift, with a reinforced door at the end.
"Remember what Harry once told us about Oscorp security measures?"
"Yeah. Their 'Special Projects' division can only be accessed by a special code, and no one person has the whole code."
"Meaning I'll have to check the computers around here for it, without getting caught."
"Not too late to get out of there and go to bed."
"Sorry. Come too far to back out now."
He carefully crept around, checking out active computers and downloading the code fragments into a flash drive he had in his utility belt. It was tense, and more than once, he came within a hair's breadth of being discovered.
Eventually, however, he retrieved the code and made it to the door, getting it open. He hugged the shadows and stuck to the ceilings as he made it through the labs, eventually squeezing into another air vent. This led him to one lab in particular, where Norman was talking to another scientist, the two working with containers of green fluid.
"Mr. Osborn, please," the other scientist pleaded. "The OZ serum isn't ready. The lab mice have shown signs of violence, aggression and insanity, and we still don't have Spider-Man's blood to add to the mix."
Spider-Man's eyes narrowed at that
"Don't be a coward, Dr. Stromm," Norman replied. "Risks are part of laboratory science."
'If you just give me two weeks, I can get a proper medical staff and a volunteer. Just let me-"
"We don't have two weeks," Norman cut in sharply. "If we don't deliver to SHIELD soon, we'll lose the contract and Oscorp will be dead. Sometimes, you gotta do things yourself. Now, either prepare the chamber or your resignation. We're testing the serum now."
Seeing no other options, Stromm decided to prepare the chamber.
"This is not gonna end well…" Peter muttered.
As he watched, Peter spoke quietly to Peni, looking over the tubes and deducing what was going on.
"So that's what's been going on," he realized. "Apparently, Oscorp's been working on recreating the Super-Soldier Serum for SHIELD."
"Has Norman lost his mind?" Peni demanded. "Nobody's been able to remake that serum since Captain America went missing at the end of World War II! Everyone who's tried has failed!
For God's sake, it's because of one of those failures that the Hulk is running around!"
"Yeah, I can only imagine what's gonna happen with Osborn. But that's why he's been after me.
He thought my blood would stabilize it. And since he kept failing to get me…"
"He basically decided 'screw it.'"
"Yeah."
"Pete, you've gotta get outta there," Peni insisted. "Especially if this turns into another Gamma Project."
"Right. I found out what I needed to know, anyway."
Peter was fully prepared to go, but something was keeping him there. Out of curiosity or some other reason, he wasn't sure, but something kept him watching as Norman was strapped into a chair in a specially designed gas chamber, drinking a bottle of something before it filled with green gas.
"Peter, what the flip are you doing?!" Peni demanded. "Get the hell outta there!"
He didn't answer, just watching as the monitors showed different screens before one of them began rapidly beeping. Suddenly, they heard rapid grunts of pain, and the gas cleared just enough to show Norman violently convulsing in the chair, his eyes rolled back in his head. Peter gaped in open-mouthed shock before shaking his head.
"Okay, Pen, I've seen enough," he decided. "Whatever's going on, if there was ever a time to run for the hills, this is it!"
Spider-Man made his way back through the vents, hoping to get out of there fast. Dr. Stromm watched in horror before shutting down the gas, but Norman's seizure continued. Before long, it stopped as quickly as it began. Norman slumped, completely limp, before he flatlined.
"Oh my God…" Stromm whispered. "Norman!"
He ran into the chamber, looking him over before frantically beginning chest compressions. All of a sudden, his heart rate resumed, and Norman's eyes snapped wide open. He lunged forward, grabbing Stromm by the throat. Stromm gagged, gaping at the utterly psychotic expression on Norman's face.
"Back to formula?" Norman let out casually.
With a simple shove, he sent Stromm flying out of the chamber, shattering the glass. Battered, bruised, and bleeding in a dozen places, Stromm scrambled to his feet as Norman stepped out, grinning evilly.
"Norman?! What are you doing?!" Stromm demanded.
"Norman isn't home right now, Mendel." Norman remarked casually, advancing on him.
Staggering away, Stromm hurried out of the lab, slamming his fist on the alarm button as he did.
-X-
Just as Spider-Man made it outside, he could hear the alarms flashing.
"What the heck?" he let out.
He looked between the building and the street, debating what to do.
"Do not even think about it, Peter Parker!" Peni snapped. "Just once, put your saving people thing aside and get the hell away from Oscorp!"
"Why wish for the impossible, right?"
Before he could make up his mind, he heard glass shattering, and looked up to see Stromm flying out a window above.
"Crap!"
He jumped out the window himself, rushing to catch the guy. He managed to snag him, shooting a webline to halt their fall.
"Are you alright?" Spider-Man demanded. "What happened?"
But Stromm was out cold, most likely having fainted on the fall down. As sirens approached, Peter decided not to push his luck. He set Stromm down before swinging off into the night.
The next day, Peter and Peni met up in the lab. Both of them bore small bags under their eyes, Peni sipping on a thermos of black coffee as Peter updated her on what happened at Oscorp.
"And then before I could make a move, this guy went crashing through a window," he concluded. "I caught him, but he passed out before I could ask him anything."
"I asked around the building today," Peni said. "Nobody knows what exactly happened or who attacked Dr. Stromm."
"And I called Harry first thing in the morning," Peter remarked. "According to him, Norman's been completely normal. But that makes no sense. I know what I saw last night… He was convulsing, and I'm almost certain he flatlined."
"Maybe we were worried over nothing," Peni mused. "Maybe the formula was inert."
"Maybe... but I have a bad feeling about this, and it's not just my spider-sense."
A few days later, Norman stormed into his office in a rage. In the wake of losing the SHIELD contract to Alchemax, the board of directors had forced him to step down as CEO, and he was anything but happy
"The board can't fire me! I built this company! HOW DARE THEY?!"
Norman looked out the window, seething with rage
"I'll teach them a lesson they won't forget."
He stormed into the weapons lab, looking over a suit of prototype armor and a hi-tech glider, his variation of Adrian Toomes' tech flight. With a maniacal grin, he took the armor and helmet, getting to work redesigning them to suit his ends.
At the Alchemax building, Agent Coulson was meeting with several scientists and their CEO, Tiberius Stone, as they demonstrated a new exoskeleton
"Our exoskeleton's got some real firepower, Agent Coulson," Stone promised. "It could give Tony Stark a run for his money."
"If it does what you say it can, the contract's all yours." Coulson replied.
They stood back and watched as the exoskeleton began flying around.
"I assume you're confident about this test?" Coulson asked.
"Absolutely," Stone assured. "Captain Curtis is the top pilot of our aeronautics division. But what about your commitment to Oscorp?"
Coulson shrugged. "Norman Osborn had his chance and blew it."
"Right," Stone agreed.
"Director Fury and I never had much faith in his OZ formula anyway. Nobody's ever been able to replicate Dr. Erskine's work."
"Indeed. There was only ever one super-soldier, God rest his soul."
"Couldn't have said it better my-"
Suddenly, there was a loud explosion. They looked up in time to see a missile blow up the exoskeleton, followed by the sound of maniacal laughter. From above flew a figure in a green costume atop a glider device, headed right for them.
"Son of a…" Coulson let out. "MOVE!"
Coulson got Stone out of the way just as an explosive device was thrown down, destroying the bunker. The man on the glider let out another laugh.
"You want to make a deal?!" he ranted. "Here's one! Entertain me, and I'll make your deaths swift!"
Coulson pulled out a gun and opened fire on him. The green-clad maniac flies around, continuing to laugh like a lunatic while dodging the bullets.
"You call yourself a SHIELD agent?!" he taunted. "I've seen toddlers with better aim!"
He flew down, grabbing Coulson by the neck with a sadistic smile.
"Who… what the hell are you?" Coulson demanded.
"I'm the new face on the block. New York's latest criminal mastermind. You can call me... the Goblin!"
He throws Coulson into the wall, knocking him out cold before flying off into the night.
"Now all that's left is to take care of that board who thought they could dispose of me so easily…"
The next day found Peter with his friends in Times Square, attending a Christmas celebration with most of the city.
"It's funny," Peter remarked. "With all that's been going on, I almost forgot it was even Christmastime."
"I know how you feel," Harry remarked.
Peter looked around, smiling before letting out a sigh.
"Peter, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Peter assured. "It's just... this is my first Christmas without Uncle Ben."
Gwen placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I know this has been hard for you," she said softly. "But please, don't let it get you down. Your uncle wouldn't want you to spend the rest of your life moping and mourning, would he?"
Peter shook his head. "No, of course not."
"Besides, I'm sure he'd want you to enjoy the holiday," Peni added. "And be with those you still have. Like us."
At that, Peter managed to smile, his sad mood seeming to evaporate.
"Yeah... you're right."
He got into the festivities before long, spending time with his friends. Eventually, however, he felt the familiar tingle at the back of his neck. Peni turned to him, recognizing the expression on his face.
"Spider-sense?" she asked under his breath, getting a nod. She sighed in exasperation. "Of course. I suppose it's too much to ask for scumbags and villains to take the holidays off."
Peter looked around, seeing something flying off in the distance.
"What is that?" he asked. "The Vulture?"
Peni squinted as the figure flew overhead. Several people began cheering, assuming it to be all part of the show... before the glider doubled back and flew at an upper balcony where some of Oscorp's directors were. This allowed them to get a good look at the figure; rather than the Vulture, it was a man in a green costume with an overlapping purple tunic, matching gloves and boots, and a long green hat, making him resemble a goblin.
"I… don't think so," Peni said.
Suddenly, the figure cackled before throwing a small grenade. It detonated beneath the balcony, destabilizing it and blowing out several windows.
"Looks like Oscorp will need a new board of directors!" he declared.
A chunk of the balcony broke off, falling right for two people beneath it. On instinct, Peni rushed forward as Peter ran off, already unbuttoning his shirt to suit up.
"LOOK OUT!" she screamed as she jumped forward, tackling the man and woman out of the way a split second before they would have been crushed. As this went on, the Goblin flew at the directors, whipping out another grenade.
"Out, am I?!" he demanded as he threw it, the bomb beeping before unleashing a burst of green light that vaporized the directors, reducing them to skeletons that rapidly crumbled to dust. The Goblin burst into laughter at the scene.
"Now those were some dusty old coots!"
As he was about to pull out another bomb, Peni acted without thinking. She grabbed a rock, throwing it at him and hitting him in the back. The Goblin immediately turned to face her, and Peni had just enough time to realize she just made a fatal mistake as he jetted toward her, grabbing her by the collar.
"Hello, my dear," he greeted casually.
Peni gasped in shock before seeing movement out the corner of her eye and smirking.
"And goodbye."
At that very moment, Spider-Man came swinging in with both feet outstretched, kicking the Goblin with all his might and knocking him off of Peni and his glider. He quickly caught Peni as the Goblin fell into one of the tents below, while his glider flew around out of control. It jetted through one of the massive balloons that was holding up a stage structure, causing it to fall.
"Oh shit…" Spider-Man let out.
He dropped Peni on a roof, then swung down towards the falling structure. He shot several web lines to try and sustain it. Several people ran out of the way as Peter strained to hold it up, but one kid just stood there like a deer in the headlights.
"C'mon, move, kid!" he shouted. "I can't hold this up for long!"
The kid's mother grabbed him and pulled him away, allowing Spider-Man to drop the structure just as the Goblin rose to his feet. At that very moment, several police officers, Yuri and Captain George Stacy among them.
"Freeze!" Yuri shouted, drawing her gun as the Goblin mockingly raised his hands.
"I surrender!" he declared.
"Oh, boy…" Spider-Man sighed.
The Goblin then aimed his fingers at the cops, firing electric blasts from them. They narrowly got out of the way, but this allowed the Goblin the opportunity to get up close and beat them down with his bare hands. Spider-Man sprang toward them before throwing a punch, only for the Goblin to casually catch his fist.
"Impressive!" he declared before kicking Spidey in the chest, sending him flying about two dozen feet through multiple tables. The web-slinger's momentum was only halted when he slammed into a lamppost, which toppled over on impact.
The glider then returned to the Goblin, allowing him to leap onto it and fly towards Spider-Man. Spidey quickly got back to his feet and began running as the glider opened fire on him.
"So what's your story, gruesome?" he asked as he ran. "Party City employee upset that Halloween is over?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" the Goblin shot back.
He launched a missile at Spider-Man, forcing him to swing upward.
"Well, most people don't attack a holiday festival for no reason," Spidey pointed out. "Where's your Christmas spirit?"
"Right here!"
The Goblin threw a bomb right at Spidey's head. He dodged, causing it to collide with the side of the building. He heard a pained shout, and turned in shock to see Gwen was near the building and had been thrown off her feet by the blast. Not only that, but the building was beginning to crumble... and Gwen was right beneath it!
"Hold on!" he screamed.
Spider-Man rushed forward, determined to save her, only for the Goblin to ram into him on his Glider, tackling him into the wall. He slammed Peter's face into the brick.
"We're in the middle of something here, in case you've forgotten!" the Goblin shouted.
"Call it a time out to save lives!"
Spider-Man clocked him in the jaw, only for the Goblin to backhand him.
"There are no timeouts in this game!"
The Goblin shoved Peter off the Glider. Spidey quickly got up, turning to Gwen.
"Hold on!"
The Goblin turned, preparing to fire on him again, only to get a faceful of webbing. With that, Spider-Man punched through the Glider's bottom and ripped out multiple wires, sending it flying away out of control. As the Goblin tried in vain to stabilize his flight, he shouted one last threat:
"WE'LL MEET AGAIN, SPIDER-MAAAAAAAN!"
At the moment, Peter was devoting all his focus to Gwen. He ran forward, grabbing her and swinging away just as the building crumbled completely.
"Thanks…" Gwen let out as they got to solid ground.
"Well, it beats taking the subway," Spider-Man quipped.
He set her down before preparing to swing off, only for Gwen to grab his arm.
"Wait a sec," she said. "Who are you, really?"
"Simple," Spidey replied. "Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, here to stop crooks like that from ruining your holiday cheer!"
With that, he swung away, whooping all the while. Gwen watched him go, smiling slightly.
"Dad was right," she said to herself. "He's actually pretty cool."
The next day, in his study, Norman sat down with a sigh, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. He was in a daze, uncertain of what had happened over the past few days when he heard an evil laugh. He looked around, seeing nothing.
"Is somebody there?" he asked.
"Somebody?" the voice mocked.
"W-Who said that?" Norman demanded.
"Don't play the innocent with me. You've known all along."
"I- I don't know what you mean."
"Yes, you do. Don't lie, Norman. It's unbecoming."
"Where are you?"
"Follow the cold shiver running down your spine."
Norman looked around, seeing nothing but masks and the like.
"I'm right here!" the voice snapped.
He spun around to see the mirror, seeing his reflection bearing an evil smirk and talking of its own accord.
"I-I don't understand." Norman insisted.
"Did you think it was a coincidence?" his reflection mocked. "So many good things happening for you, all for you, Norman!"
He gulped down the whiskey in his hand before tossing the cup aside.
"What do you want?" Norman asked.
"To say what you won't," the reflection said. "To do what you can't. To remove those in your way."
"No…" Norman shook his head. "No, I don't want that. I'm not-"
"Oh, but you are."
He held up that day's edition of the Daily Bugle, the headlines detailing the deaths of the Oscorp board members. Norman looked it over, realization dawning.
"The board members…" he let out. "You killed them. Y-you're the Green Goblin."
"Is that what the press has coined us?" His reflection thought it over, nodding. "I'll give Jameson that. It's catchy."
"How?" Norman questioned.
"How do you think?" the Goblin asked. "Your little accident in the laboratory, remember?"
Norman perked at that. "The OZ... it did this."
"Bingo," the Goblin nodded. "Me! Your greatest creation. Bringing you what you've always wanted. Power, beyond your wildest dreams, and it's only the beginning. There's only one man who can stop us. Or... imagine if he joined us?"
Norman could only reel back in shock as his reflection gave an evil, toothy smirk, chuckling darkly...
Author's Note:
Well, this isn't good.
My apologies for the ungodly wait; this has been done for a while, but I kept forgetting to post. Thank you, Writing Avenger, for reminding me.
Please R&R. Merry Christmas!