Peter was now out as Spider-Man early the next night managing to keep avoiding the Task Force and haven't yet encounter Gargan in his new capacity as the Scorpion. However he ended up getting spotted by a police helicopter and was now swinging and running across a building as the helicopter and police snipers started firing at him. One of them threw an electrified net which ended up catching Peter causing him to fall.
He landed on the ground with a thud and used his strength to rip the net off him as he found himself surroundered by officers. "We finally have got you now you freak; move and we will shoot..." warned O'Reily as she was leading the Task Force officers with their firearms aimed right at him as she got out handcuffs.
However jumping down from a helicopter and running down a building with all four limbs was Gargan; "I will take it from here O'Reily!" Gargan exclaimed looking all cocky and arrogant much to the annoyance off the officers.
"Gargan; we have it all under control..." O'Reily protested only to be shoved aside by Gargan quite literally not bothering to be gentle.
"That is Commander Gargan to you O'Reily and if you ever had it under control then I would not have needed to be brought in the first place! It's clear that all you in the Task Force are a bunch of hack job incompetents so step aside since I have authority over this whole Task Force!" Gargan retorted smirking at the power that he wielded and O'Reily and the officers grunted as they relucantly complied; Yuri wasn't quite pleased to inform them all this but Mayor Jameson did grant Gargan authority over the whole Task Force.
Peter then began running away but Gargan from his tail sent blasts towards Peter with him barely able to dodge but tiring him out but one knocked him to the side and Gargan tied his tail around him and punched Peter hard in the face. Then Peter was threw aside by the tail and Gargan picked him up by the neck with his hand and had the blade off his tail close to his chest.
"Rematch time and last time you came to me looking for a fight; funny how the tables have turned? I just know that if I was still on the force then I would have caught you in no time! I have beaten you and I will show New York a true superhero!" Gargan taunted in his face and Peter was seriously being freaked out as he tried to gather his strength again.
"So... Tell me; do you actually have a symbol to go by because besides the tail, the suit doesn't exactly scream 'scorpion' to me!" Peter taunted and Gargan glared at him and Peter got a glimpse off his face. "You look kind of green in the face; did you forget to put on make up before you were put in that suit?" Peter asked as Gargan went angry but Peter took the chance to get ouf of Gargan's grip and jump back.
Gargan grew more furious as he jumped to lunge at Peter and he had to move fast to dodge. Gargan startled snarling out but got a glimpse off his reflection in a store window; he looked and saw that his skin had turned a bit dark green causing him to roar out yelling out "what happened to my skin..."
Peter got away to find his backpack so that he could change back; the Task Force officers tried to calm Gargan down when they realised that Peter had escaped. "Oh great Spider-Man escaped; looks like you're still a joke even with that fancy suit..." taunted one of the officers only to be picked up by the neck by Gargan and tossed aside.
"I was much closer than any of you clowns ever were!" Gargan snapped and then began shouting at the officers to find him again.
Peter felt better after a night's sleep and made his way to Midtown; ever since the Scorpion was revealed to the public the school body definitely went into the Spider-Man V Scorpion hype that was generated. The students that bought into the smear campaign headed by Mayor Jameson adopted custom Scorpion shirts and were talking about how Gargan was finally going to put an end to the Spider menace.
"Can you believe it Liz? All this talk of the two circus clowns and now it will be a miracle if we can get people to care about the rescheduled game!" Sally complain to Liz looking all disgusted; after the incident with Clash and Spider-Man during half time at the football game it was cancelled and to be rescheduled for another date.
"Come on Sally; aren't you the least bit interested in seeing Spider-Man de-tail that overgrown action figure? I put fifty bucks on Spidey in the pool!" Flash told Sally excitedly with her sighing at Flash's recent enthusiasm about Spider-Man but Peter was amused by it. There was an underground betting pool going on at the school about which one of them was going to make it on top.
Harry who was besides Peter scoffed and said "looks like you just wasted fifty dollars Flash; Spider-Man is just a showboat in a cheap suit while Scorpion has the Mayor and the police on his side along with a state of the art Oscorp suit!" Peter felt uneasy about Harry saying that but he did have a point about the resources that Gargan had on his side.
"Well Osborn; I read that the Gargan guy was a loser and a lousy cop and the biggest best weapon ever will mean nothing if it's being used by a loser! Spider-Man took care of that Cole kid as well as the Shocker! I think your daddy's company is the one that wasted money by using a failure!" Flash retorted and Peter was surprised both by Flash being able to read apparently and because it seemed that outside of Flash's popularity and Harry's wealth; they weren't exactly close friends despite hanging out.
Harry looked to Peter's way and he quickly realised that he was looking for his view on the subject. "Well... I don't know if I know enough about what they both can do to have a real opinion about it..." Peter said trying to think of an answer that wouldn't lead to suspicion. "Well... What about you Liz?" Peter asked trying to steer it away from having to do any more answers about this subject.
"Well I don't really like the idea of that mechanical scorpion man being about our streets deputised by the police and Spider-Man has been helping people since he first arrived." Liz answered and Peter gave a smile about the fact that Liz was on his alter ego's side.
"You are saying that because you think the masked spider is hot! We were playing FMK during gym the other day..." Sally scoffed with her arms folded and Liz was embarassed with the teachers calling them inside to start heading to class. Liz was thankful for this interruption and Peter was as well since he was starting to become red in the face.
"Liz likes my masked self? If I pursue her while in the suit; no that would be stalking and a bit of a misuse of my powers... Besides if I led her to an alleyway alone it would seem romantic but actually kind of creepy; like that romantic comedy where that guy plays music outside that girls' house..." Peter thought in his head.
In his personal lab Octavius was working on the more advanced next stage mark of the harness that was used on Gargan; experimenting with four longer limbs with four claws on each limb. Since his desire was to improve the human body with the prosthetics then why not make it so that a human could multitask and get so much more work done. It also involved making modifications to the neural interface used to control the limbs; especially since he got copies off the reports from the helmet on Gargan's new armor and it showed increase aggression.
Entered his lab was Stillwell looking concerned; "Stillwell; I trust that you received your own copy off the report of Gargan's increased aggression?" Octavius asked and Stillwell nodded. "I had suspected that that the prototype neutral interface that Gargan is in posession off maybe cause but I also remember the inconsistent reports about the mental state of human OZ test subjects. I believe you are here to tell me that they may also be a factor?" Octavius asked and Stillwell looked grim.
"More than that... I have also been studying a piece of the serum given to Gargan and the Promethium-X ooze that was mixed with the OZ and scorpion DNA... The ooz seems to be overwhelming aggression as well..." Stillwell explained and Octavius had a smirk as he turned to face him.
"Are you saying that it was an idiotic idea to just mix random untested compounds together just to see what it does?" Octavius asked gloatingly as Stillwell looked furious.
"Mind yourself Octavius and tell me; what do you suggest that we do..." Stillwell asked as Norman entered.
"The answer is that you both continue to observe and otherwise do nothing and keep your mouths shut. Any word off this gets back to the Mayor's office and this project may be forced to be shut down; I won't have the millions of dollars used to create his suit have gone to waste!" Norman ordered sternly as Stillwell looked worried.
"But Mr Osborn sir... The dangers of him put on the street serving on the police force..." Stillwell protested but Norman stood firm.
"If a product on the market has a few bugs; the thing to do is to patch it when we can. Find a way to fix any issues with Gargan's mental state and keep your mouths shut; remember Stillwell I can always use you as a scapegoat for anything that goes wrong with Gargan. Especially since I have video proof from the security feed of you admitting to putting an unknown element into Gargan which may have caused this!" Norman warned and any protest died as Stillwell gave a forced nod.
Norman then smirked as he then left with Octavius shaking his head; a difficult boss to deal with and Octavius has had to deal with Norman's 'my first decision is final' attitude since he joined with Oscorp as it was started by Norman. Projects shelved and funding cut; makes him almost want to leave when his contract expires in a short time.
Gargan was now at the Daily Bugle Communication building for an interview with one of the reporters as set up by the Mayor himself due to still being the owner; the Task Force and the police department snickered at him when they learned that his first attempt to take down Spider-Man failed and he let him get away and almost snapped at them. Complains from the officers that were there would be sent to the Mayor's office and probably put at the bottom of some pile due to Jameson seeing Gargan as the best chance to take down Spider-Man much to their irritation.
"...I had him right on the ropes but due to a lucky break he managed to get by but his luck can't last forever. I think he is scared since he knows that it's a matter of time when his luck runs out and I take him into custody as the dangerous masked menace that he is!" Gargan told the reporter with the personally written for him answers sent to the holographic display off his helmet for him to read out as there was someone from the station listening to the interview and coming up with answers.
Soon the interview was done and Gargan exited the room and smiled at the employees who scoffed and looked away to hide how unimpressed that they found him; knowing all too well about their owner's methods and that Scorpion moniker was a publicity stunt; they knew about Gargan's past and were able to not be fooled by the smoke and mirrors by how Jameson presented him. They had to present Jameson's sensationalist BS when it was sent to them but they were self-aware enough to realise that it was BS.
Gargan glared at them as he thought "All the disrespect here... Just like on the force; even as New York's newest superhero, I don't get any more respect than when I was on the force... They are only tolerating me because they have to... All my life I have been disrespected and called a loser... M folks, the kids at school, the cops on the force, Sarah..."
He looked on this screen mounted to the wall of an interview his ex-wife Sarah had done for DBC. She put on a sad look and said:
"Things used to be so well but the difficulties when he was in the NYPD and the stress... Things didn't work out and we had to seperate with full regret that it didn't work out but I am quite proud of how Macdonald managed to put his life around and more than happy for him!" Sarah said and Gargan grew furious as he watched her lie through her teeth; thinking about how it really went down:
Sarah angrily threw the divorce papers at Gargan saying "here; the papers that will finally get you out of my house and my life forever! Thank god I signed that pre-nup; my didn't I listen to my mother about you being no good! Maybe when I find a real man; I can convince him to take a picture to send to you to show you everything that you are not! I can't wait to get a night's sleep where I don't have to share a bed with the phsyical embodiment of failure!"
Luckily enough he spotted her going up to him with a smirk as she said "Long time no see Mac; I dig the new suit! Looks like this is the best thing that could ever happen to us! I hear that you could be getting a comic book and movie deal and I myself am getting appearence offers on various shows plus I am making negotiations with a publisher for a book deal! You think that we could schedule an interview together with the both of us..."
Sarah yelled as she was picked up by the scruffle off her jacket and was terrified to see his mutated face behind the helmet; "So now I'm not the physical embodiment of failure anymore? Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame while you can bitch!" he snarled into her face as he tossed her aside thinking of the nerve of her.
Peter was slinging about Brooklyn and found a jewellery store that was being robbed so he jumped down and began dodging the gun fire from the masked robbers. With the lessons from Daredevil he was able to take them down more efficently as he then webbed them up. "No thanks necessary..." Peter said as the store owner ran out looking angry.
"wasn't gonna give it to you freak; I hope the Scorpion buries you!" the owner retorted and Peter groaned about the guy's gratitude. Peter then felt his Spider-Sense go off as jumping down from a helicopter was Gargan and Peter began dodging as Gargan sent blasts from his tail at him.
Peter then began shooting web at Gargan which tied him up but he got out of it saying "you think that your puny webs can do anything to me?" Peter then began dodging more blasts and Gargan grew frustrated and jumped at Peter who began running away. Gargan was getting frustrated as he picked up a cat and threw it right at Peter who dodged while taken aback by that.
Gargan yelled getting more frustrated as the store owner told Gargan "what are you waiting for? Hurry up and catch him already..." The man's rant stopped as Gargan picked him up by the neck and snarled furiously into his face.
"I don't need you yelling at me while I am doing the job; all this disrespect... For that I think I will be taken a payment for my services..." Gargan said as he then began collecting the bag of jewellery that the robbers had but the man protested but Gargan shouted at him "I'm a superhero so try and stop me!"
Peter glared at Gargan deciding to drop the pretence of being a hero altogether now and thought quick as he grabbed the tail and managed to jab it right at the back off Gargan's armor causing it to malfunction and he yelled before Peter managed to use a kick to the mouth and a slam to knock him out. "Uh... Thanks... I will take a red and blue freak over a green one now..." the man muttered as Peter thought that this was the best that he could get.
Then the police arrived surrounding them with Jefferson in front of them as he was aiming a gun at Peter; "For the record; I don't agree with this witch hunt that Jameson put on you despite not liking vigilantes... Plus I don't approve off this Scorpion more than I don't like you... I suggest leaving before I am forced to try and take you in... Please leave now; I am not in the mood to explain to my wife about coming home covered in web or having a shiner because I had to try and arrest Spider-Man..." Jefferson whispered and Peter smirked underneath his mask as he then jumped up and started web slinging away to get changed.
"So much for Oscorp's state of the art suit!" Flash laughed as class was let out for school the next day as the next morning there was the news hitting about the Spider-Man and Scorpion fight at the jewellry store but City Hall and Oscorp only recnetly gave the statement about Gargan being out of action after his suit was damaged and to repair bugs in the helmet that caused him to act irrationally. Basically a cover story and Peter was sure that the store owner was paid off to not make a big deal about how Gargan tried to rob him.
"Well; there is always kinks to work out..." Harry retorted as soon they were outside the doors.
"Anyone want to come with me to the comic store? I have plans to catch up with Debra and Grady there since it's been a while since we got to hang out?" Peter asked and they shook their heads.
Peter then found Liz coming up to him smiling saying "thanks to my tutor my biology grades are improving! To show my thanks do you want to come to Coney Island together some time?" Liz asked and Peter was surprised and gave a nod; "Great; I have to go and do some shopping with Sally but see you then... Petey!" Liz sai dbefore leaving to join with Liz.
"Petey?" Harry asked at the new nickname and Peter was embarassed but Flash grumbled.
Schultz ever since his arrest was furious about the end off his career with his blacklist from the NYWF; his parents paid him a visit telling him how disappointed in him they were and how this wrestling thing was a big mistake before he yelled at them leave him alone in his cell. Shiffman and that stupid Spider-Man; how embarassed he was. He should be celebrated as the NYWF Champion and the one to beat McGraw in his final match.
He hoped that the cops shoot him to death with that manhunt that the new Mayor put on him; he was distracted from his angry musings by his cell doors opening with the officers saying that his bail had been paid. He left with his stuff including his busted wrist devices and there were people in suits waiting to pick him up.
He was put inside a limo and they refused to say a word before he was taken to this building; he was stunned as there was a lab inside and on display was a protective suit with armored platings that looked like his Shocker costume. He was stunned but grew angry and said "let me guess; this is a offering for me to work for you..."
"Oh no; consider this a gift with no strings attached! You see that the manhunt on Spider-Man and the Scorpion kept Spider-Man distracted so he was less likely to stumble onto the crime that goes on in the city. Trying to deal with the Maggia crime families are bad enough so all this is your's provided that you keep Spider-Man distracted or better yet take care of him permanently!" said a voice and there was a smirking elderly man in a business suit with a longcoat over his suit and a bowler hat.
Schultz couldn't believe it and gave his thanks; "No need to thank me; just let me be your gentleman benefactor." the man said before leaving with his men.
Schultz smirked as he then began going to work on fixing and improving his gauntlets to make them more powerful; "Time for the Shocker to make his Heel turn!" Schultz said to himself.
Yes the man here is Gustav Fiers the Gentleman who was the Man in Shadows form the credits scene of Amazing Spider-Man and Harry's ally in establishing the Sinister Six in the sequel. So obscure that previously he had only appeared as the mastermind in a trilogy of Sinister Six novels.
