It's been a hectic few weeks between vacations and computer troubles. I know this chapter isn't very good but the next one will be better I promise. The next chapter: Norman takes to the skies on his glider and takes a friend with him. Also, two new characters are introduced. One you know, one you don't.

Edited on: October 18, 2004

Italics in "" marks is Norman's split personality talking.
Italics in ' ' are regular thoughts.

Chapter 5: Meeting the Enemy

Spider-Man found himself once again patrolling the streets of the city. He landed on a rooftop when he heard his stomach growl. He was missing dinner as usual and he kept thinking about Mary Jane.

'It seems to be quiet tonight. Maybe a can call it quits a little early tonight,' he thought. 'I really need to get some rest. These late nights are a strain.' He stood to fire off another web line with his spider-sense started going crazy. He looked all around him but saw nothing. He started to shrug it off when he heard a strange sound. It sounded like something mechanical. Then he heard something smashing into the side of the building.

"What the…" he started but was interrupted by his spider-sense. He turned around and caught a glimpse of something shinny speeding towards him. He started to jump to the left but wasn't fast enough. It hit him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He stumbled backwards a few steps and the object, which re realized was some sort of strong metal, wrapped itself around his waist and hoisted him up into the air like he was a small child.

"Ah…you must be Spider-Man. I'm so happy to finally meet you," said a deep arrogant voice. The metal object moved back toward the voice and Spider-Man was able to get a good look at it.

'This looks like a steel tentacle or something,' he thought. He looked up to see a man emerging from the shadows. He could see three more tentacles waving about behind his large frame. He had a soup bowl hair cut, coke-bottle glasses, and was wearing a suit.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Octopus," the man said. Spidey recognized the man's face immediately as that of Otto Octavius.

"Nice original name," Spidey said dryly. Octavius frowned at him and squeezed him a little. 'Oh great! Not another genius scientist gone villain. Wasn't Osborne enough?' he thought.

"I would keep your comments to yourself. As you can already see, my adamentium arms are quite powerful. If I wanted to, I could crush you in a matter of seconds," Octavius said in a gloating manner.

"Then what's keeping you?"

"The time is not right. Tonight, I only wish to meet you." Octavius chuckled to himself and tossed Spidey across the roof like a rag doll. He landed with a loud thud and staggered back to his feet but was meet by all four arms, which he saw had two pronged pinchers at the ends. They snapped at him and he kept his distance. "I must bid you goodnight for I have somewhere I must be," he said and quickly propelled himself down the building. Spidey watched him with a bewildered look on his face (under the mask of course). He waited a minute before following after him.

'What's up with this guy? Who ever heard of a villain wanting to meet the hero? He must have gotten some major brain damage from that explosion,' he thought as he silently crawled down the side of the building. If Octavius knew he was being followed, he gave no sign. He moved into an alley and went down an open manhole. 'Hmm. I wonder where his is going? Wait…his former lab assistant was that Detrick woman that Harry just hired. I better keep an eye on her.' Spidey shot out a strand of webbing and swung off into the night, heading in the direction of Oscorp.


Alandra shoved some papers into her laptop bag and zipped it up. She fought the urge to go into the lab to see what Norman was doing. She was still infuriated with him. What made her madder was that she kind of liked the kiss. Just thinking about it made her cheeks turn a faint pink.

'Why am I feeling like this? Sure he's good looking…and intelligent...Oh God, what am I thinking? I only need him for the formula then I don't care what he does,' she thought as she moved away from her desk. Before she realized it, she was at the door to the lab. She sighed and opened the door. She was meet by a cloud of gray smoke, the smell of burning flesh, and the sound of cursing. She waved the smoke out of her face as she made her way toward the sound of Norman's voice.

"Damn it!" he yelled as Alandra approached him. She could see him now and he was holding his left hand.

"What are you doing?" she asked and stopped next to him. He cried out a little, startled by her sudden appearance. He glared at her and moved away from her a bit.

"Nothing that concerns you," he said in a cold voice. Alandra shrugged her shoulders and glared back at him for a second before her gaze fell on his hand. It was bleeding from a long cut on his palm.

"You're bleeding," she said mater-of-fact way.

"Yeah, so?"

"I'll help you clean it out," she said. Norman looked at her like she had lost her mind. 'She was about ready to kill me earlier. Now she's being nice. Women!' he thought. After a few moments, he reluctantly let her look at his hand. "It's not very deep so you won't need stitches or anything," she said quietly.

"Tell me something I don't know," he snapped. Alandra let go of his hand, looking a little hurt, and walked away. Norman watched her for a second, his mind racing. 'Oh great! Why did I even open my mouth?' he thought as he returned to work on the glider.

Alandra walked back into her office. She could hear Norman moving something in the lab but she didn't care. She just wanted to get as far away from him as possible. She walked behind her desk and started to pick up her laptop bag.

'I try to be nice. I try to be helpful. That's it! I'm through with it!' she thought. She grabbed her things and headed out the door. She was walking down the hallway toward the elevator when her cell phone rang. She stopped in front of one of the many windows looking out over the street and the city. She fished the phone out of her pocket and answered it.

"Look out of the window," a voice said. Alandra almost dropped the phone. 'It can't be him. I killed him!' she thought.

"Who is this?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"I'm surprised you've forgotten me already, my dear Miss. Detrick."

"But…the explosion…"

"Only a minor setback. I can assure you I'm very much alive."

"Dr. Octavius…" she started but her cut her off.

"Look out the window now. I'm standing next to your car," he said in a commanding voice. She looked out and saw him. He was wearing a white suit and she saw something moving around behind him. "Now I want you to see what the explosion did to me." From behind him, four objects came into view. Alandra recognized them immediately. They were the arms from the lab used to handle the radioactive materials.

"What do you want?" she asked, not taking her eyes off of him. She was three floors up and wasn't sure if those things could reach her.

"I am in need of an assistant to help me with my greatest achievement: world domination," he replied. "And don't bother refusing. I won't except no for an answer." He hung up the phone and quickly disappeared. Alandra continued to stare out the window while she slipped her phone back into her pocket. She turned around and headed back toward her office. She had never feared anything in her life at all until now, and she was going to make sure she was prepared to face him when he came.