A New Beginning

Chapter Six: The Man and the Machine

10:17 pm...

Octavius was deep in work on the creation of his reactor late that night. He had told Osborn not to disturb him.

But Osborn had an irritating tendency of never listening...

"Hey. Doctor Octopus..." Osborn started as he entered the lab. "Stop what you're working on. I have another project for you to start on."

Octavius turned around, annoyed, his tentacles writhing behind him.

"Can't you see I'm busy, Osborn!? I have my own project to finish!! And what did I say about calling me that!?"

Osborn sighed and said, "Forget about it for now. Here's what I need you to work on..." He handed Octavius a small blueprint.

Octavius rolled his eyes and took the blueprint, unrolling it and looking it over. His eyes widened and his face turned white as he saw just what he was expected to work on...

"Norman, I can't possibly build this!! I-It could kill hundreds of people!! What do you even need this for!?"

Osborn smirked. "That, Doctor, is my own business."

The blueprint fell out of Octavius' hand as he said, "Wait a second... you were responsible for the explosion at Quest Research! That was YOUR doing!"

Osborn only nodded and said, "You're quite intelligent, Doctor. I didn't expect you to figure it out."

Octavius could only stare at Osborn, horrified. "H-How could you DO this!? You caused the deaths of many innocent people!"

Osborn stated, "No one is innocent. Remember that device I had you build a few months ago?"

Octavius thought for a moment before he said, "You mean the one that would increase the energy of any machine? That one?"

Osborn nodded and said, "Do you know what device was found in the aftermath of the explosion?"

Octavius could only stare at Osborn, completely horrified.

"N-No... not my device! Y-You used it for the bomb!?"

Osborn smirked and said, "Yes. I did."

At this, Octavius fell to his knees, his hand to his head. "Y-You used my invention to kill people! How could you DO THIS TO ME!? I could be implicated for this!! I could lose everything! I could lose my life if they think I did it!"

Osborn laughed outright at this.

"Well, I couldn't possibly have them think I did it. I have a multi-million dollar company to run."

At this, Octavius glared at Osborn, got to his feet, and walked up to him, a feral look in his eyes. He was noticeably shorter than Osborn, but that didn't make him any less threatening.

"So... you used me. I'm to be the one who takes the fall, is that it?"

Osborn nodded, that same hateful smirk on his face.

"That's it in a nutshell. Now, about that project..."

Octavius cut him off.

"I refuse to help you kill any more people! I'm already in enough trouble as it is, thanks to you!!"

Osborn frowned, and stated, "Alright, I'll give you a choice. Either you work on this project for me-"

"I REFUSE!" Octavius shouted.

"-Or I release your identity to the public. How would your lady friend, the entire public, in fact, react to the news that none other than Doctor Otto Octavius himself was responsible for that explosion?"

"THEY'LL NEVER BELIEVE YOU!" Octavius shouted, his hands shaking from what Osborn was insinuating.

"Or... I could just go after your lady friend. Rosie, I believe her name is? How would she like to know, in her final moments of life, that you were ultimately responsible for her death?"

In that moment, something inside Octavius snapped, and he grabbed Osborn with one of the tentacles, slamming him into the wall.

"I WON'T LET YOU HURT HER!!"

Osborn got up, noticing a tear in his suit.

"What a pity... this was my best suit." Osborn pulled out a small handgun from inside his jacket, leveling it at Octavius, pointing it at his chest.

"Well, I gave you a chance... I suppose I'll just have to go with Plan B."

Octavius snatched the gun before Osborn had a chance to fire. He threw it across the room and attacked Osborn again, grabbing him by the neck and slamming him in the wall.

Unfortunately, the wall Osborn had been thrown against was lined with many bottles of chemicals, many of which fell to the floor and shattered. As the chemicals mixed, a fire had started.

Osborn scrambled for the gun, but Octavius grabbed him by the leg and threw him across the room, not noticing the fire that had started, and which was now heading for the reactor...

Octavius picked up Osborn by the collar of his dress shirt and screamed, "IF YOU EVER THREATEN HER AGAIN, I SWEAR TO GOD, I'LL KILL YOU!!"

Osborn, surprisingly enough, started laughing. He pointed towards the reactor, which was now consumed in flames.

"Before or after the reactor does the same to you?"

Octavius looked over to see what Osborn meant. In that instant, he dropped Osborn and stepped back, terrified.

"Oh.. my... God... we need to GET OUT OF-"

But it was too late. In that instant, the reactor, which was still experimental, and which was loaded with radioactive material, succumbed to the flames and exploded in a ball of fire. Osborn had already ran from the building.

But Octavius had not been as fortunate. The force of the explosion sent him flying across the room. He slammed into a wall, which, already weakened by the fire, had collapsed under the force of his body hitting it. He was trapped under the rubble of the wall, only semi-conscious. He quickly realized that the entire building had begun to collapse, and he thought for sure he would be killed by the falling debris. Fortunately, the worst of the damage had missed him.

When the smoke and flames had cleared, he could hear the approach of a fire and rescue crew.

He began screaming for help, hoping someone would be able to reach him before it was too late. He was trapped under several hundred pounds of debris. But the smoke and the radiation he had been exposed to had overtaken him, and he slipped into unconsciousness...

--

"Hey, Captain, we've got one!" screamed one of the men in charge of the search and rescue mission, John Jameson. He had been searching through the debris, hoping he'd find any survivors.

Then he came across a man who had been trapped by falling debris. He had been lying facedown when Jameson had found him, and the first thing he had noticed were the 4 tentacle-like arms attached to his back.

Jameson pulled him from the wreckage and checked the man for a pulse. He found one, steady but weak. Satisfied to find that the man was still alive, Jameson turned him over to see who he was.

When he saw, his eyes widened.

"Otto Octavius!?" Jameson said, astounded.

It was then that Captain George Stacy had walked over to Jameson.

"Well, it seems we do." Capt. Stacy said, matter-of-factly. "Is he alive?" When Jameson nodded confirmation, Capt. Stacy asked, "What is that contraption he's wearing?"

Jameson said, "I have no idea whatsoever, Captain. But I do know his identity..."

Capt. Stacy said, "As do I. I think we'd better get him out of here..."

But at that moment, Octavius began to awaken. He started coughing, then looked up at the officers.

Jameson looked at Capt. Stacy, who knelt down and said, "Are you alright?"

Octavius did not respond.

Captain Stacy said, "Doctor Octavius, what happened here?"

Octavius looked up at him for a second, before responding, "I assume THAT much would be obvious..."

Then, another thought claimed him...

Did they trace that device back to me? They can't arrest me!! I'll never be able to continue my research!!

Capt. Stacy said, "Could you give us any details on what happened here tonight?"

Octavius shook his head and said, "You mean your ignorant minds can't figure it out for yourselves?"

Jameson said, "Doctor Octavius, we need to know. This is a very serious matter. We've gotten word from Norman Osborn that you were responsible for this incident, and the one at Quest Research. We'll have to bring you in for questioning."

At this, Octavius froze, staring up at the cops like a deer in the headlights.

"Wha-? NO!! I didn't do anything!! You can't arrest me!"

With that, he took off running on all 4 tentacles, away from the cops who started firing at him. He kept going until he was certain he was far away. He leaned against the wall, making sure no one was watching him. He then headed to the one place he could find refuge... but he wasn't sure how welcome he'd be...

--

Rosie was sitting back in her chair when Octavius stumbled into the apartment. He got just inside the door before he collapsed, landing with a 'thud' on the floor.

Rosie ran up to him, shocked.

"Otto, what's happened to you!? Answer me!!"

Octavius did not say anything as he looked up at her.

Rosie said, frantically, "Otto, please answer me!!"

Octavius finally managed to say, "An explosion... at the lab..."

Rosie said, "Oh my god... are you alright?"

Octavius shook his head.

"No, Rosie... I'm not.. I'm far from it..."

Rosie said, "Well, then we need to get you to a hospital, if-"

Octavius looked up at her and said, "N-No! I can't! Rosie... something's happened to me..."

That's when the 4 mechanical arms appeared from under the lab coat he was still wearing. Rosie stepped back and said, "My God..."

Octavius looked away and said, "The police believe I'm responsible for the explosion at Quest Research, and the one that occurred tonight... I... I have to hide, Rosie, until I can figure out a way to clear my name."

Rosie shook her head and said, "No, you don't have to-"

Octavius cut her off and continued, "No, Rosie, I can't put you in danger like this!" Suddenly, he got up and ran from the apartment, ignoring Rosie's cries for him to come back.

He ran outside into the developing snowstorm, hoping no one would see him. He began walking towards the home of Curt Connors, hoping he could help...

--

By this time, Curt was already asleep. He had to get up particularly early in the morning.

Hence, he was taken by surprise when Otto Octavius showed up at midnight, practically beating his door down.

Curt walked to the door and opened it and said, half-asleep, "Otto, what are you doing here? It's-" here, he yawned, "-past midnight."

Octavius said, "Curt, please... let me in. There's been an accident..."

Curt let him enter, then said, "What happened?" It was then, in the light of the room, that he was able to see for himself that something was not right with Octavius. He was scratched up all over, and there was a cut across his forehead, like he had hit his head on something...

"My God!! Did you get attacked or something!?"

"No..." Octavius replied, "But that seems like the better alternative... there was an explosion at the lab, Curt. Osborn is implicating me in the explosion and that at Quest. And the cops believe him..." he broke off, pointing to the spot on his arm where one of the bullets grazed his arm.

"And it only gets worse..."

Curt said, shocked, "What else is there?"

Octavius slowly unleashed the tentacles from underneath his coat, and Curt gaped at them.

"T-The actuators... what-"

Octavius looked down at the floor and said, "They're... fused to me, Curt. I cannot get them off. In the explosion... I... I was exposed to extremely high levels of radiation." He hesitated a second before saying, "I-I'm not even sure I'm going to survive to see another day."

Curt gasped and said, "I-It's that bad? What... how did it happen?"

Octavius hesitated before continuing, "Me and Osborn got into a fight. I... threw him against a wall. Several bottles of chemicals shattered and mixed, starting a fire, which consumed the reactor... it exploded, and Osborn escaped. I... I couldn't get out in time. I have to find Osborn and clear my name! I can't bring myself to tell Rosie about what really happened. Promise me you won't tell her!"

Curt said, "Otto, I think eventually-"

Octavius grabbed Curt by the shoulders, and Curt could see the desperation written in his face.

"Promise me, Curt! You must! I can't bear the thought of her knowing! If I am to die, I don't want her knowing exactly how!"

Curt turned away and said, "Alright... I promise."

Octavius said, "That's all I ask. I'll leave you alone for tonight."

Curt turned around to protest, but Octavius had disappeared into the night...

--

Several minutes later, Octavius was standing atop a building several blocks away, thinking on the situation.

Osborn had used him, implicated him in a crime he had not committed, and left him to die in the lab.

He knew something had to be done. Norman Osborn had to pay for his wrongdoings.

Osborn wants to pin this on me? Octavius thought, angry.

He dared to mock the genius of Otto Octavius... he thought as he slipped on his sunglasses and began his climb down the building face.

Now he'll face the fury of Doctor Octopus!!

-To be continued...