Norman Osborn sat in his office, looking at Mac Gargan. He slammed a newspaper on the front that said "MONSTROUS VENOM ATTEMPTS TO EAT ESTEEMED DAILY BUGLE EDITOR!"

Norman frowned at his employee and asked "Mac…what the fuck is this?"

Mac looked at the paper dumbfounded. "So? You hate Jameson I hate Jameson so I figured I'd do us a favor and try to kill him!"

"Mac…Mac…I'm getting back at Jameson by buying out the Bugle." Norman began as he sighed in disappointment. "I've built up my empire despite Peter Parker trying to take that away. I've had this all planned out since I 'died.' I don't want you or anybody else ruining that, got it? I didn't kill a boy's aunt, frame my son, run for mayor and…just now buy out a newspaper company just to have it all fall! I can't have that, I won't have that…I gave you your new lease on life, I can very well take it away and seal you up into the Scorpion suit…got it?"

Gargan nodded his head slowly in fear. Despite having a monstrous black alien suit, his boss was something even he feared. Everyone at Oscorp feared Norman…he was quite well known for making his less liked employees…disappear.

Norman smiled and patted Gargan's back. "That's a good boy, Mac. Now be a dear and send in …me and her need to discuss some things."

When Mac Gargan walked out, a woman with brunette hair in a rather modest shirt and skirt walked in. " said you want to see me, ?"

Norman nodded and pointed to an empty seat in front of his desk. "Take a seat, please."

sat in the chair and placed her hands on the desk as she looked around. "So…what's this about, ?"

Norman slammed his fist on the desk and grimaced at her. "You know damn well what this is about, Felicia Hardy…or should I say infamous cat burglar Black Cat? I caught you."

gulped and tried making her way to the door, but then standing outside was Mac Gargan in his Venom form. She backed up into Norman who grinned as he lit up his cigar.

"Going somewhere?" he asked as he stuffed the lit cigar in his mouth and blew a puff of smoke.

Felicia leapt up above Mac and continued running. Mac tried going after her, but Norman told him to heel. "There's no need to chase her, Mac. We have bigger bugs to squash…now go wrangle me a Spider-Man."

Mac nodded and vanished into the shadows. Norman sat in his chair and smiled. "It's good to be the king" he thought to himself.

Night had fallen and Spidey swung around the city, only to once again be ambushed by Gargan.

"This is the second time in the past week, Gargan!" Peter sarcastically said as he tried to remove Gargan from him.

Gargan growled and replied "I ain't here to hurt you, bug! But I know who killed yer aunt if yer interested."

Peter then threw Gargan off and demanded "WHO?!"

"Norman Osborn…" Gargan said with a monstrous grin that'd make a shark blush. "He wishes to challenge you."

Spidey then swung off for Oscorp and smashed into Osborn's office. "OSBORN!" he yelled now in absolute rage "WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Osborn's chair turned to Spidey and in it was the man himself. "Spider-Man? Well this is just…uncalled for…what do you want with me?"

Spidey picked up Osborn and punched him in the face. "You killed my aunt you…you son of a bitch. YOU TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME!" he screamed at the top of his lungs as he threw Norman into the wall.

Norman got back up and screamed for help. "I-I don't know what you're talking about! Spider-Man I didn't do anything!"

Peter grabbed Norman again, but before he could do or say anything Oscorp guards were all around him. "PUT DOWN, YOU MENACE!" one commanded as he pointed his gun at Spidey.

Spidey put his hands up and looked at the guards. Then he turned back to Norman and said "You…set me up you bastard."

Norman backed away from Spidey on all fours looked at all of his guards with a smile. "Thank goodness you're here, guards. I thought he was gonna kill me!"

A guard said "Don't worry, . We have the target secured and we will dutifully protect you until the end."

Spidey leapt onto the ceiling and his sighed with frustration. "You might have the rest of them fooled…but I'll make sure you're ousted! Ousted for the monster you really are!"

Norman smiled and said smugly "I have no idea what you're talking about. By the way, this is going in tomorrow's paper…smoke 'em, boys!"

The guards fired at Spidey but he crawled into an air vent before any of the bullets hit him.

Elsewhere, Felicia Hardy removed her brunette wig to unveil her flowing white hair as she looked at the Goblin gear she hoisted from the Goblin. "What a nice collection…I wonder if somebody would want this? Could make a pretty penny if so, we've got a flamesword…some wings…the serum itself…nice stuff."

A man then knocked at her door. She opened it and standing in the doorway was a black haired young man, only slightly older looking than Peter Parker.

"May I help you?" she asked, just about ready to slam the door in his face.

"Uhhh yes" the man began "I have it under good fortune that you have some Goblin gear for sale?"

Felicia looked at the man and said "Sure do, what's your name, sport?"

"Phil" the man introduced himself as "Phil Urich, I'm seeking to become the Hobgoblin."

"How much you willing to pay, Philly?" Felicia asked as she showed him the gear.

"Pay?" Phil said as he laughed "Pay nothin', I'm here to take it."

Felicia smiled and giggled. "No deal then." She replied as she slammed the door on him.

Phil smashed through the window with an evil grin. "I wasn't ASKING politely!"

Felicia delivered a kick to Phil's face and asked "Whaddaya need it for anyway?"

Phil got back up and began to explain. "I want to become the Hobgoblin! It'll be easy! People will think I'm the original…and because of that, I'll have everything he did! Sure…it isn't the moral thing to do, but I don't need those morals! Not after I was fired from the Daily Bugle under the conglomeration of it and Oscorp!"

Felicia turned to him with a look of sympathy. "I have a beef to pick with Oscorp too…and it's not like people will pay for this junk. Just take it, and shoo. I'm tired tonight."

Phil beamed and removed his clothes, revealing a homemade Hobgoblin outfit. He put on the mask he brought with him and put up the hood. Then he attached the Goblin gear and he walked out the door, soaring into the night.

Back with Doctor Octopus and the Jackal, Ock lied back in a device, with a clone of Spider-Man lying next to him. Jackal finished pressing things into the computer and asked "Are you ready, Doctor?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, Jackal…" he replied as he took a deep breath.

Jackal pressed a switch and Ock screamed as his body turned into a lifeless husk. But then the Parker clone twitched his finger. He broke free of his restraints and he laughed.

Jackal looked upon the now moving Spider-Clone with horror, but then excitement. It had worked! It worked! Against all of the odds it worked! Octavius' genius paid off once more!

Jackal asked the clone "How do you feel? Is that…you Otto?"

The clone laughed further and said "YES! YES IT IS! AND I HAVE NEVER FELT BETTER!"

Jackal sighed with relief and then clapped with joy. "Then you are reborn, Doctor! All of the hard work didn't fail!"

Otto nodded in agreement as he reached his hand into the air. "LET IT BE KNOWN…THAT THE SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN HAS BEEN BORN!"