Oscorp Building
Spencer Smythe stands at his workbench, welding together a limb of his near complete Spider Slayers. He concentrates intently; making sure everything is exact and perfect. As he does a young man, in his early 20s, Rolls up in a wheelchair next to him.
"Father, I've finished with the motor processor, it's ready for testing."
"Very good Alistair, just leave it there" he answers pointing to the only empty space on the bench. Alistair places the motor processor on the table and sits watching his father. After a few moments Spencer stops what he's working on and looks down at his son.
"Was there something else?" he asks with contempt.
"I was just wondering, how is building attack drones going to help me to walk?"
Spencer's mood lightens, "Son, Oscorp allowed us to advance robotic and prosthetic technology by decades. Once we complete this project we can get back to our work in the cybertech division, and finally get you walking."
Alistair smiles nodding, "I can't wait."
Suddenly the door bursts open and the Goblin charges in, "Glider, I need a Glider," he yells frantically.
Spencer and Alistair back away from the Goblin as he paces the hallway, speaking allowed to himself and cursing Spider-man. Mendell enters the room and speaks to the Goblin, calming him down.
"You destroyed another glider? That was the last one" Spencer tells the Goblin who is now sitting down.
"Build a new one" the Goblin yells back.
"A new prototype will take at least two weeks to build, including the time it takes to finish the spider slayers."
The Goblin roars at Mendell, "Make the glider now."
Mendell again calms the Goblin down who storms out of the room. Mendell then approaches Spencer asking him to finish the spider slayers, then concentrate on the prototype glider, "In order to catch a Spider we're going to need everything we've got."
Spencer agrees begrudgingly, then asks "When will we return to our work on prosthetic robotic limbs, my son has been waiting a long time for this."
Mendell replies "Mr Smythe, I think you've misunderstood the situation here, you do what we tell you, if you don't your son not walking, well that will be the least of his problems."
Mendell leaves the room with a smirk as Spencer and Alistair stare at each other in horror, the realization of their situation has dawned on them. "Let's get back to work" Spencer announces with a whimper and the two return to their work stations.
Forest Hill Cemetery
Peter, M.J. and Gwen attend Liz's funeral, Peter stands with Gwen and M.J. Flash doesn't attend. Afterwards Peter and the girls visit his house to check if he's all right. When they arrive, Flash is in his room, slouched up against his bed surrounded by empty beer bottles. M.J. and Peter help him up onto his bed, Flash stirs and pushes them away mumbling "She's gone, she's gone, Spider-man let her die."
Flash lays on his bed, curled up in a ball then yells at them, "Leave me alone." The three exchange looks of concern then reluctantly leave him.
On the way home the two girls discuss Flash's behavior and how they might help him. Peter however does not join in. He is deep in contemplation of his actions and Flash's words. This is my fault it's because I'm Spiderman that these people get hurt.
Oscorp Tower
That evening Peter meets with Harry and they attend their Science Academy class. At the beginning of the class Dr Connors reiterates how important the Stark expo is for them and they should ensure their presentations and experiments are ready for next week.
After class Harry and Peter meet with Connors and ask if he's going to present his experiments with the rats and the breakthrough in trans-genetics. Connors explains that it's too dangerous, that it would expose Peter, that Norman Osborn and others would use it for purposes other than helping humanity. Peter is shocked by Connors description of Harry's father, he looks across at his friend for a reaction.
"Yeah, your pretty much on the money there" Harry replies with a straight face. After a brief pause he then looks deep into Connors eyes, "Dr Connors, this is your chance to show the world your work, to revolutionise humanity, to be whole again."
Connors loses himself in thought for a moment, looks down at the stub that has taken the place of his right arm, "I can't present anything at the show, but soon I will."
The boys leave and pass Norman Osborn in the corridor, "Hey dad" Harry calls out with a smile and a wave, "Hello son" he replies taking little notice and walking straight past him.
Norman Osborn enters Connors office and startles him, "Norman, what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Have you cracked the trans-genetic code yet?" He asks with urgency. Connors face fills with fear, he looks around, trying to ascertain whether this a real question or is he testing Connors as he already knows the answer.
"Not yet, but we are making progress."
"Damn, it seems you're not the scientist I was led to believe" Norman replies.
"Um sorry?" Connors questions him.
"There's already a super soldier out there, apparently with spider powers, and he's not ours."
Connors sits silently listening to Orborn, "We need to crack the code soon, our time is running out." Connors begins to ask a question when he's cut off, "Connors, if you don't have something for me by the end of the month, your finished, your science school is finished and all your pupils are finished."
Norman storms toward the door then stops suddenly and turns around, "You know this Spider-man is just a boy, around the same age as the others…. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"
Connors glares at Norman, "I don't know anything about that, you made sure of that." Norman leaves the room without further comment.
Dr Connors sits slumped in his chair, thinking back to that fateful night.
Connors argues with Osborn in the main Oscorp laboratory surrounded by Oscorps leading scientists. "We can't experiment on them, it's not humane" Connors protests. Norman disagrees, the two argue until Connors throws his security pass on the ground and charges out. Norman takes his phone and instructs someone to follow him and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid.
Connors wakes from his daydream and looks at his stub. He then looks across the many awards and phd's on his wall then down at the rat. Lastly he looks down at his desk and the reports from his science students, the next generation. Connors stands up and walks over to his specimen fridge, he searches through the vials until he finds one labeled Homo sapiens. Connors picks it up, rolls it in his fingers and examines the contents. He then takes the vial, places it in a syringe and injects himself.
"Now I'll be a full man again" he speaks allowed to himself. Connors sits down and stares at his arm for a minute, then ten minutes, he waits, and waits but nothing happens. After half an hour Connors begrudgingly heads home disappointed.
Midtown High
Peter, M.J. and Gwen go out in the courtyard for lunch when they notice Flash stumbling through the courtyard abusing a younger student, pushing him in the chest.
Flash threatens the boy, angry with him for showing affection to his girlfriend, the boy pushes Flash back and his girlfriend abuses Flash. Flash's anger boils over; he throws the girl to the ground and throws a punch at the boy. Peter quickly grabs Flash from behind, pinning his arms, and dragging him to the ground. Flash struggles in attempt to break free, but Peter's strength and Flash's intoxication makes it impossible.
Peter whispers into flashing ear, "Calm down Flash, it's ok, Calm down."
Flash begins sobbing to himself, "It's not okay, she's gone I loved her and she's gone."
M.J. and Gwen help Flash back to his feet and take him home.
Dr Connors house
Dr Connors wakes up, lethargic and in a daze. He looks at his bedside clock and realises he's slept an entire day away. As he pulls himself out of bed he notices something strange, the bed sheet is stuck, stuck on something he hasn't needed to worry about for so long, his right arm. Connors looks down and sees a nearly fully formed arm, his fingers are nearly developed though he doesn't have fingernails. Connors begins crying out loud with joy, "It worked, I'm whole again."
Apartment in Queens New York
Octavius sits in an apartment finalizing his work on the nullifier, he assembles the gun with its new power source. As he completes the final adjustment a smile covers his face. Octavius places his weapon down and looks up at newspaper article on the table reading aloud the headline "Hammer to headline Stark expo."
Octavius smiles to himself "First I will humiliate you, then I will destroy you."