Seven Years Earlier

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The smaller room–or entrance room–was filled with only four people, under warehouse-like lights. One of which was Professor Marlo.

Marlo stood below the man he was staring at. Otto Octavious.

There were only two other's with questions tonight, which told Marlo he wasn't the only one who didn't quiet trust their group.

Marlo spoke with a precise voice, as he commented on Octavious's answer:

"It makes perfect sense not to release these technologies into warfare, but what is the purpose of creating them?"

"To create a safer-world." Said Octavious, "This is only the beginning of a way to learn more about the capabilities. It could soon lead us to finding more renewable energies, and an overall safer lifestyle, next question."

"Who is King Kobra?" Asked another.

Otto paused for a moment. He, himself, had been wondering the very same question. Hearing it several-times referring to one person in the organization.

Otto tried not to even ask questions in his head, as he wanted the funding for his own project, and there were many here who had the money to give him that boost.

"What are you talking about?" Otto asked, normally.

The younger member didn't answer.

"Next question."

Unsatisfied, and doubting any of this was the whole truth, Marlo entered the far larger room in an attempt to learn what exactly was the whole truth.

This room was not the garage color like the first. But instead like a true-building, which was unlike the Skeleton Key.

The Skeleton Key had good reason for such secrecy. Just not good-enough ones.

Their name, in general, suggested something strange. Though they meant it simply to mean 'to unlock several doors' it still had a dodgy sound to it.

The room was darkly-lit, with various yellow lights providing most of the light in the shadows.

There, giving his own speech, was James Price. The one who seemed to be the true runner of the group, though no one was exactly sure how authority worked here.

"I would like to thank Oscorp, and the many other people who have contributed to our group." Said Price, "Everyone here has contributed something. Be it money, their minds, their ideas. All of you have been apart of this growing group. A group that can combine many countries and companies ideas without allowing them to fall into governmental hands. Nor to compete with each-other for pointless needs. ... "

Marlo wanted to trust the man standing up there, but found he couldn't.

Perhaps it was all because of how he had been summoned to this gathering.

He had simply been told they liked his teachings, and would like him to join 'for the cause'.

Marlo taught war strategies, but was antiwar. Which was perhaps why he was taken here.

He then noticed a strange figure among the crowd:

A mandressed completely in black, covering every inch of him. With a motorcycle helmet over his head.

A very strange figure, indeed.

He was now truly distrusting the group, and was regretting he had joined.

The feeling that there was something only a few members were being told grew all the more every meeting.

Price then got off the sort of short 'stage' they had. The speech was over.

Price strolled to a door opposite the door which lead to the smaller room.

He opened the door, and closed it quickly, shutting out the noise of the crowd.

This room looked more like a kitchen, and was lit more like one, too. And had a table.

Price took a seat, opposite a man already waiting for him.

"Hello, Norman." Price said normally.

"James, Otto's been asking questions." Said Norman Osborn.

"He'll continue to be our pet if we give him what he wants." Said Price, "Money and mathematics."

"What if he doesn't?" Asked Norman, "He's done a good job at keeping the others from getting jumpy, but he could soon do the opposite if he figures it all out."

Price looked at the man who had been his second in command in the real plans. Though even Norman didn't know everything.

And others knew more than Norman, who still didn't know all of Prices's plans.

"I gave Otto a false calculation." Price said, "He'll be happy with us for a long time, since he's been unable to do it himself."

"Did he buy it?" Asked Norman, now no longer worried.

"I gave it to him in the fullest certainty. Saying the brightest among us were part of it."

"Where's Conners at?"

"Busy finding other technologies for us. You know Conners, his mind's only on physics most of the time."

"I don't trust Hollow."

"The man in black? He's only in it for the kill. Give him a job he likes, and we don't have to worry. So how are the gliders turning out?"

"Their complete. The government's just not ready, yet."

"I don't know how are group would survive without you, Norman."

"It wouldn't."

James smiled, and got up.

He had many more things still to tend to.

Norman was all about what man should claim, and threw violence. But even he didn't know what Price truly intended.

He want to the other side of this room. And walked out another door.

This one opened to the industrial night of Chicago.

James Price's hometown.