A Prank Gone Wrong
Chapter 6—Sand Castles
Author's Note: It's time for revenge on the Sandman—Doctor Octopus style! Guest appearance by Carolyn Trainer.
Doctor Otto Octavius had Herman Schultz pinned against the wall with two tentacles, while a flesh-and-blood hand had him by the throat. "I'll give you once last chance," he said in a deadly whisper, "to tell me where Marko Flint is before I kill you."
Herman Schultz, also known as the Shocker, nodded vehemently.
"You're going to tell me? Good," the other said, stepping back several feet as he took his hand off of the Shocker's throat. However, the two tentacles still held him firmly against the wall by his waist. "I would hate to have to kill you."
The Shocker gasped for breath before saying, "I think Marko is living at Max's house, Doc. Can't be too sure, though."
Having gotten the answer he wanted, Doctor Octopus released the Shocker, where he promptly slumped to the ground before getting up and brushing himself off.
"Thank you, Herman. Now, if you don't mind...?" Doc Ock said nonchalantly. He turned to leave.
"Hey, wait!" the Shocker yelled before he walked out the door.
Doc Ock turned around, annoyed. "What is it, Herman? I'm a busy man."
"Why are you looking for Marko?"
"Oh, surely you've heard of Max's stupidity?"
The Shocker wracked his brain. "Oh, yeah! He started some kinda prank war or something." He narrowed his eyes in concentration. "Max actually asked me to help me with it."
"And what did you do?" Ock asked, closing the open door. Obviously he was intrigued by this.
Herman frowned. "Told him no. It's stupidity, and if he wants to cross you, he can." Fear flickered in his eyes. "But I'm having nothing to do with it."
"Are you, now?" Doc Ock sat down at the decrepit kitchen table. "How about you help me prank Max and his cronies?"
The Shocker pointed to himself. "Me? You want me to work for you?"
He shrugged. "Why not? If you forget what I just did to you, I think it would work out perfectly."
Herman put a hand on his chin. "Tell ya what, Doc. I'll consider it."
"Good enough for me." The scientist fished in his pocket and took out a piece of paper. "Do you have a pen, Schultz?"
Herman took out a pen from his pocket. "Here ya go, Doc," he said, handing it to him.
Doctor Octavius scribbled something on the piece of the paper and handed both pen and paper back to Herman. "You can reach me at that number and that address. I'm sure I can trust you with it."
The Shocker glanced at the paper before saying nervously, "Yeah, I think you can trust me."
But Doc Ock was already gone.
Doctor Octavius decided to stop home before going to Electro's house again. Now that he knew where the Sandman was, he would have to think of some prank suitable for the likes of Doctor Octopus.
When he got through the door, he was startled to see Carolyn Trainer sitting at his kitchen table. "Hello, Otto," she said, smiling. "I was wondering when you'd get back from torturing everyone."
"Well, Carolyn," he said, trying not to show his shock. "What a pleasant surprise! What brings you here?"
"You asked for my help, Doctor. You're gonna get it," she said almost maliciously.
Now Otto remembered why he liked Carolyn so much. He sat down across from her. "I need to think of a suitable and embarrassing way to prank Marko Flint," he explained.
Carolyn smiled. "Getting right down to business, are we, Otto?"
"That's how I work. It isn't efficient any other way."
"Okay," she agreed. "Well, think about it, Otto. Marko Flint's the sand guy, right?"
"That's correct."
"Well, what happens when you put water on sand? It gets reeeallly muddy and malleable."
He shook his head. "Ingenious, Carolyn." He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it before. "Thank you." He stood up to leave.
"Can I come join you, Doctor?"
"No, sorry, Carolyn. This is a one-man job. Maybe next time."
She smiled. "I'll be waiting here, then."
"You do that." He flashed her a smile before going off to hunt down the Sandman...
It was fairly simple to find Electro's house; after all, Otto had broken into it twice already. In the back yard, he found a rather nice garden hose. Perfect. Now just to lure Marko out here... That shouldn't be too hard...
Rap rap rap rap rap rap...
Marko Flint looked up from the television. "Huh?" he said to himself. It seemed to be coming from the back door... He got up from the couch and went over to the back door. "Who's there?" he asked almost accusingly.
No answer. Confused, the Sandman made himself a living sand block before cautiously opening the door.
He got a rather nasty surprise as he saw Doctor Octopus in front of him, a rather malicious and cruel smile in his face. Sandman looked down at what he was holding in his hands.
A garden hose.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Max Dillon woke up with a start. Was that Sandman screaming like that? What was going on? He ran down the stairs. He didn't see Marko anywhere, but noted that the back door was open. He went out into the backyard...
Sandman wasn't there. But there was a rather large sandcastle sitting in the middle of the back yard. Doctor Octopus was behind it, adding sand to it with his tentacles.
"OCTAVIUS!" he roared. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
Doc Ock peeked out from behind the sand castle and smiled. "I'm building a sand castle, Max. Do you like it?"
"Help," the sand castle moaned. "The bastard's got my clothes!"
"Dammit, Octavius! Don't you think you've gone a little too far this time?"
"Not at all." Octavius walked out from behind the living sandcastle. He held up a digital camera, a nasty grin on his face. "I think I have some things you might want..."
Electro lunged at Doc Ock. "Give me that!"
A tentacle pulled the camera away from him. "I don't think so..." he said, still smiling. He began to walk away with the tentacles propelling him. "You know where to find me!" he shouted before he was just a shadow on the roofs.
Electro smacked his forehead. "Dammit."
The sandcastle groaned. "Ugh... I think he still has my clothes!"