The sound of the explosion echoed through the lab as Max's co-workers rushed to the source of the noise. As they arrived at the eel tank, they saw Max's body floating lifelessly in the water, surrounded by a cloud of blue electricity.
"Oh my God, Max!" Dr. Connors exclaimed as he and his wife, Martha, frantically searched for a way to rescue him.
Eddie, quickly jumping into action, grabbed a crowbar and started swinging it at the tank's glass walls, trying to break them open. "Hurry up, we need to get him out of there!" he shouted as he smashed at the glass.
Peter and Gwen, quickly joined in, using whatever tools they could find to try and break through the tank.
As the glass finally shattered, the water rushed out, and the eels that had been attacking Max scattered. Dr. Connors and Martha pulled Max out of the water, laying him on the ground. His body was still, and his clothes were tattered and torn, with several bite marks covering his skin.
Max lay there, motionless and barely breathing as the others pulled him out of the tank. Dr Connors and Martha frantically checked his pulse and breathing while Peter and Gwen looked on in shock. Eddie, still in a state of panic, couldn't believe what had just happened.
"Is he going to be okay?" Gwen asked, her voice shaking.
Dr Connors didn't answer, instead, he focused on trying to revive Max. He administered CPR and used a defibrillator, but it seemed to have no effect. Just as they were about to give up hope, Max's body suddenly jolted and he took a deep breath.
"He's alive!" Dr Connors exclaimed as Max's eyes fluttered open.
Max sat up, coughing and gasping for air. He looked around at the others, confused and disoriented.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice weak and raspy.
"You were electrocuted," Dr Connors explained, "The eels must have bitten through some of the electrical cables and shocked you."
Max shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He remembered the explosion and being thrown into the eel tank, but everything else was a blur.
"I'm fine," he said, trying to stand up, "I just need to rest."
Dr Connors and Martha helped him to his feet and led him out of the lab. As they walked, Max began to feel strange sensations in his body. He felt a tingling in his fingers and toes, and his vision started to blur.
"Something's wrong," he muttered, "I don't feel right."
Dr Connors and Martha looked at each other with concern. They knew that the electrocution had done more damage than they had initially thought.
"We need to get you to a hospital," Dr Connors said, "You're going to need some medical attention."
Max nodded, but as they were leaving the lab, he stopped and looked back at the eel tank. He could feel a strange power coursing through his body, and he knew that something had changed. Though he didn't get a chance to think much of it before he collapsed on the laboratory stairs.
Friday, Three Days Later
Peter and Gwen were walking down the staircase in the lab, discussing plans for the Oscorp event happening in Times Square later that night. "I can't believe we got dismissed early today," Peter said, looking at his phone to check the time.
"Yeah, I know," Gwen replied. "But I'm just glad we have some extra time to get ready for the event."
Just as they were about to go their separate ways, they heard someone calling Peter's name. They turned around and saw Eddie Brock running down the stairs, out of breath. "Pete, do you have a minute to hang out before I have to go to class?" Eddie asked, panting.
Peter glanced at his phone and saw that Eddie's class started an hour before the expo. "Sure, man," Peter said, smiling. "I have some time to catch up with you."
Gwen said her goodbyes and headed to the dorms, while Peter and Eddie walked to an nearby arcade. They found a quiet corner and sat down, picking up where they left off years ago.
"So what's up with you these days, Eddie?" Peter asked as they walked towards the arcade.
"Oh, not much. Just studying hard, trying to keep my grades up," Eddie replied with a shrug. "What about you? How's college life treating you?"
Peter sighed heavily. "Honestly, it's been a bit of a struggle. My relationship with Liz has been failing and I haven't been able to attend classes much lately. It feels like I never have time for anything," he said, deliberately leaving out his activities as Spider-Man.
Eddie put a comforting arm around his friend's shoulders. "I know how you feel, man. College life can be stressful. But it gets better, trust me. I had a rough start too, but now things are good. Just hang in there, okay?"
Peter nodded, appreciating his friend's words of encouragement. They finally arrived at the arcade and made their way inside, where they started playing games and catching up on each other's lives.
"So what do you do these days?" Eddie asked as they took a break from playing.
"I still work at the Daily Bugle," Peter replied, taking a sip of his soda.
Eddie's eyes widened in surprise. "You still work there, bro? I got you that tech job ages ago."
Peter chuckled. "Yeah, I know. But I needed the cash. Aunt May can't handle the bills on her own, especially since Ben passed away."
Eddie winced, realizing his mistake. "Sorry, man. I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject."
Peter waved it off. "It's okay. Water under the bridge."
Eddie nodded, glad that Peter wasn't upset with him. "So what else have you been up to?"
"Well, I've been trying to start a new venture. I want to take pictures of Spider-Man and sell them for extra cash," Peter explained.
Eddie looked at him skeptically. "How do you plan on doing that?"
Peter shrugged. "I haven't figured that out yet. But I'll figure something out."
Eddie nodded, still not understanding but supportive nonetheless. "Well, if there's anything I can do to help, let me know. In the meantime, I have something for you." He reached into his backpack and pulled out an old camera. "Here, this is for you. It's a little old, but it should get the job done."
Peter's eyes lit up as he took the camera from his friend. "Thank you so much, Eddie. This means a lot to me."
Eddie grinned, happy to have helped his friend. "No problem. That's what friends are for."
Peter looked at the clock on the wall and gasped. "Oh no, it's getting late. We better get going."
Eddie nodded, following Peter out of the arcade. "Yeah. It was great catching up with you, man."
"Same here," Peter said as they walked back to the campus. "Thanks again for the camera. I really appreciate it."
"Anytime, bro. Take care," Eddie said, waving as he made his way to class.
Peter watched him go, feeling grateful for the support of his old friend. He made his way back to his dorm, excited to start his new venture as a photographer.
All the way across town Dr. Connors could be seen quickly attaching his clip on bowtie as he rushed through the hospital, looking for Dr. Fischbach. He knew that Max Dillon was in stable condition, but he wanted to take a look at Max's chart for himself to ease his nerves. As he turned the corner, he saw Dr. Fischbach at the front desk, distracted while she scribbled away at something on a clipboard.
Wasting no time, Curt approached her and greeted her with a quiet "Hey Avery". Avery started looking around to check their surroundings before quickly pulling Connors into her office and locking the door behind her. Curtis gulped as he watched his friend pinch her nose before exhaling heavily, taking a moment to recompose herself.
"Look I'm here to check on Max's condition, I know you told me he was stable yesterday but I can't race until I see his char-"
"Never mind all that, it's a good thing that you came when you did, because I've never seen anything like this before," Dr. Fischbach interrupted as she pulled out some files containing the notes of Max's examination.
Curt could sense the urgency in Avery's voice and he knew that something was wrong. He approached her desk and took a seat, waiting for her to explain.
"Maxwell's condition is strange," Avery began. "I've been studying his chart and all the test results, and I can't seem to find a cause for his symptoms. The x-rays, blood tests, and MRI scans are all normal."
"What symptoms are we talking about?" Curt asked, intrigued.
"Well, for starters, he's experiencing extreme electrical surges in his body. It's like he's generating electricity from within. And it's not just limited to his hands, it's throughout his entire body."
"That's odd," Curt said, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Has he been in contact with any electrical equipment?"
"No, he hasn't. And that's what makes this even more strange. We've ruled out any external causes for the electrical surges, and yet it's still happening. It's like his body is producing it on its own."
Curt sat back in his chair, pondering the information. He knew that this was no ordinary case, and he needed to approach it with caution. "Has he experienced any other symptoms?"
"Yes, he has. He's also been having intense headaches, and his body temperature keeps fluctuating. He's gone from extremely hot to extremely cold within a matter of minutes. And on top of that, he's also experiencing intense mood swings, ranging from anger to sadness to joy."
"That's a lot to handle," Curt said, feeling a wave of concern wash over him. "What do you think is causing all of this?"
"I don't know," Avery admitted. "I've never seen anything like this before. It's like his body is malfunctioning in some way, and I can't seem to find a cause for it."
Curt nodded, understanding the frustration in Avery's voice. He knew that it was his job as a doctor to help find a solution, and he was determined to do just that. "Okay, let's go over everything from the beginning. When did he first start experiencing these symptoms?"
"It all started about two days ago. He was in the process of flatlining, in fact he did flatline, his heart stopped. But the strange thing is, we didn't defib him, or should I say we didn't get a chance to. His heart restarted on its own, the staff were only able to get the machine near him, before his heart started beating again."
Curt's eyes widened in shock. "Are you saying that his body somehow defibrillated itself?"
"It seems that way," Avery said with a nod. "And ever since that day, he's been experiencing these strange symptoms. And they seem to be getting worse by the day."
Curt knew that they needed to act fast. He couldn't imagine what Max was going through, and he felt a sense of urgency to find a cure. "Okay, let's start with the electrical surges. Can we isolate the source of the electrical energy in his body?"
"I've tried, but I can't seem to find it. It's like it's coming from within his cells. And when I try to get a closer look, the electrical energy increases and I can't get a clear reading."
Curt rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Okay, what about the mood swings? Has he been experiencing any hallucinations?"
"No, not that we're aware of. But his mood swings are so intense, they're beyond his control. It's like he's a completely different person at times, and he can't control his emotions."
Curt nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Okay, let's go see him. Maybe we can get some answers by talking to him directly."
The two doctors made their way to Max's room, with Curt carrying a small bag of equipment. They quietly knocked on the door, but there was no answer. They knocked again, but still nothing. Concerned, they slowly opened the door and stepped inside.
But what they saw shocked them. Max's bed was empty, with no sign of him anywhere in the room. The monitors and machines were still beeping, but there was no one to attach them to.
"Where could he have gone?" Avery asked, her voice filled with worry.
"I don't know," Curt said, scanning the room for any clues. "But we need to find him. This is not good."
They quickly gathered what information they could, checking the cameras and reviewing the recordings. But there was no sign of Max leaving the room on his own. It was as if he just disappeared into thin air.
Curt and Avery searched the hospital, asking everyone they came across if they had seen Max, but no one had any information. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.
OoO~OoO
Max's mind was in a daze as he stumbled through the streets, unsure of what was happening to him. He felt like his body was pulling itself apart with each step he took, and his skin was glowing a bright yellow under the bandages. He knew he needed to hide, so he quickly found a black hoodie and some jeans in an attempt to conceal himself. But, no matter what he did, he couldn't stop drawing attention to himself.
As he walked down the street, he found himself nearly blinded by the bright blue lines that seemed to be everywhere. He couldn't understand what they were or why they were there. Every electronic device he walked by would flicker, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He didn't know what was happening to him, but he knew he needed to find answers.
Max made his way to a nearby alley, hoping to get away from the prying eyes of the people on the street. It wasn't until he saw the lines leading to a fuse box that he realized what they were. These weren't just lines, they were electrical currents. He could feel the energy coursing through his body, and it was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.
"What's happening to me?" he thought to himself. "Am I some kind of electrical being now? How is this even possible?"
As he stood there, lost in his thoughts, he couldn't help but feel a sense of hunger. It wasn't for food, but for the energy that was surrounding him. He could feel his body craving it, and he didn't know how to control it. He needed to find a way to satiate this hunger, but he didn't know where to start.
Max decided to test his powers and reached out to touch the fuse box, as soon as his fingers touched the metal, he felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. It was like nothing he had ever felt before, and it was both exhilarating and satisfying. He couldn't believe it, he had found his energy source.
As he stood there, feeling the energy flowing through him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. Max quickly pulled his hand away from the fuse box, his mind racing with the possibilities of his new abilities. He couldn't believe that he could absorb electricity directly from a source like this. He had never felt anything like it before. The pain in his body had vanished, and the voices in his head had gone silent. He felt powerful and in control.
But, as much as he enjoyed the feeling, he couldn't shake the hunger he felt for more energy. He needed to find more sources to feed his new craving. He knew he couldn't stay in this alley forever, he needed to find a way to control this hunger and not hurt anyone in the process.
Max decided to head back out into the streets, searching for more sources of electricity. He felt like he was on a mission, and he couldn't let anyone stand in his way.
As Peter and Gwen walked through the crowded expo floor, they couldn't help but feel a sense of tension in the air. The expo was packed with people, all of them eager to see the latest developments from Oscorp Industries. Peter and Gwen had once again been sent home early because of Max's accident, and they had decided to come to the expo to take their minds off of what had happened.
"I can't believe how packed this place is," Gwen said, looking around at the throngs of people. "It's like everyone in the city is here."
"Yeah, I know," Peter replied. "I guess everyone wants to see what Oscorp has in store for us."
The pair made their way through the crowd, talking about the other happenings of each other's lives. Gwen started complaining about her father, who had been mentioning the lack of appearances from Spider-Man in the past month.
As the duo walked around the Oscorp Expo, Gwen couldn't help but bring up the topic of Spider-Man's lack of appearances. "I don't understand why Spider-Man has been so scarce lately. My dad's been talking about it nonstop. It's like he's disappeared off the face of the earth."
Peter tried to change the subject, "Hey, have I told you about my new gig with the Daily Bugle?"
Gwen raised an eyebrow, "No, you haven't. And I have a feeling it's going to be something I won't like."
Peter laughed nervously, "It's nothing bad, I promise. I'm just going to be taking pictures of Spider-Man for them."
Gwen stopped in her tracks, "How are you going to do that? You can't just go around taking pictures of Spider-Man. He's a wanted criminal, remember?"
Peter shrugged, "I have my ways. And besides, it's not like I'm going to be putting him in danger or anything. I just want to capture the heroism and bravery that he brings to the city."
Gwen rolled her eyes, "I don't know, Peter. It just seems a little risky to me." Gwen looked at him with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, but didn't press the matter. They continued to walk through the expo, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling event. But as they neared the main stage, they could feel the tension in the air growing stronger.
As they continued to walk around the expo, their conversation somehow landed on Peter's date with Liz Allan. "Oh, speaking of risking things, how did your date with Liz go?" Gwen asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
Peter's face turned red with embarrassment, "It didn't go well. I kind of had to leave in the middle of it to take care of something."
Gwen crossed her arms, "You mean you ditched her. That's not cool, Peter. She's been really upset about it and by extension, that makes me upset with you too."
Peter knew he deserved the lecture and hung his head in shame, "I know, I know. I'm sorry, Gwen. I just had something important to take care of."
Gwen let out a sigh, "I know you have a lot going on and all, but you can't just use that as an excuse to hurt people's feelings. You have to think about the consequences of your actions."
Peter nodded, "I know. I'll make it up to her, I promise."
As they continued to walk around the expo, the tension between them slowly dissipated. They were too busy admiring the new technology and inventions that Oscorp had to offer. However, as Gwen and Peter were walking through the crowded aisle of the Oscorp Expo, when they noticed a large gathering of people at the stage. The buzz of excitement and anticipation in the air was palpable, and they quickly joined the crowd, guessing that the main event of the expo was about to start.
As they made their way through the crowd, they saw that everyone's attention was fixed on the stage, where a large, imposing figure was making his way to the microphone. The figure was none other than Norman Osborn, the CEO of Oscorp Industries, and one of the most influential figures in the world.
Osborn took to the mic with a grandiose flourish, and the entire crowd fell silent, waiting for his next words. He scanned the crowd with a devilish smirk on his face, as if he was enjoying the power he held over all of these people as he started speaking about the Oscorp Expo.
"Welcome everyone to the Oscorp Expo!" Norman exclaimed, his voice echoing throughout Times Square. "Tonight, we celebrate the future of technology and the boundless potential of what our company can achieve."
As Norman spoke, Peter and Gwen heard a familiar voice calling out to them. They turned to see Martha Connors, with a young boy standing next to her. She smiled and introduced them to her son, Billy.
"Hello, Peter and Gwen. This is my son, Billy," Martha said with a warm smile.
"Hi, Dr. Connors," Peter said, greeting her. "It's good to see you again."
"Yes, it's great to see you too, Peter," Martha replied.
Gwen, however, was curious about something else. She impulsively asked, "Why isn't the other Dr. Connors here?"
Martha's smile faded as she looked to the stage and said, "You're about to find out."
Peter and Gwen turned their attention back to Norman, who was now speaking about Oscorp as a company.
"Oscorp is a company built on the importance of family," Norman said. "I have always hoped that one day my son will take over and continue the legacy of our company. Our children are going to inherit the Earth, but for that to happen, there needs to be an Earth for them to inherit."
Norman clicked a button and every screen in Times Square displayed a fancy looking grid. "I'd like to introduce you to the Oscorp patented Power Grid. A device that can produce high amounts of power for a very long time, using very little resources, which has already been installed at the city's electrical plant thanks to our talented engineers over at Oscorp."
"But the grid was missing one crucial piece," Norman continued. "Thanks to the help of a special friend, we were able to find what the grid was missing. Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the savior of the grid, Dr. Alistair Smythe!"
Peter and Gwen were shocked as they saw Norman pull the smug man to the stage. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.
Wednesday, Two Days Earlier
Dr. Curt Connors sat at his desk, staring at the green-filled vial in his hand. It was cold to the touch, like holding an ice cube between his fingers. The vial contained a reptilian regenerative formula, specially designed for humans, but it had never been tested. Connors had been working on the formula for years, but after the spider bite incident, he couldn't get the green light to continue his research. To be honest, he was lucky they didn't cut his funding and fire him on the spot. But his luck could only get him so far.
Now, with Max Dillon's accident that put him in the hospital only a day before, Connors wasn't even sure if he could get a job anywhere after the ESU board most certainly fired him for this. But sometimes in the dark, there is light. If he were to prove that the regenerative formula works, using himself as a test subject, then the board would have no choice but to keep him around. This formula could save his career, or even take it further beyond. All he had to do was inject the contents of the vial into the stump where his arm used to be.
Curt took a deep breath as he loaded the vial into the injector and lined the device up with his shoulder. Right as he was about to inject the formula, Martha, his wife, walked in, surprising Curt. He quickly hid the injector, not wanting her to see, but it was too late. Martha had initially walked in the office to tell Curt that the board had been trying to get in contact with him ever since Max's accident, but he was clear to her that the present situation was more important.
"Curt, what are you doing?" Martha asked, her voice filled with concern.
"It's nothing, Martha. Just some work I need to finish," Curt replied, trying to hide the truth from her.
"That's not nothing, Curt. What's in that vial?" Martha pressed.
Curt hesitated for a moment before finally admitting, "It's a regenerative formula. I'm going to use it on myself."
Martha's eyes widened in shock. "Curt, are you insane? You don't even know if that formula is safe! You could be putting yourself in danger!"
Curt knew she was right, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that this was his only chance. "I have to do this, Martha. My career is on the line. This formula could change everything. It could save lives, including Max's."
Martha shook her head. "I understand that you want to help Max, but you can't put your own life at risk. You need to think about our family, Curt."
Curt sighed, feeling torn between his desire to prove himself and his love for his family. He knew Martha was right, but he couldn't give up on his dream so easily. "I'll think about it, Martha. But I can't just throw away everything I've worked for."
Martha looked at him with a mixture of sadness and understanding. "I'll support you, Curt. But please, be careful. This is a dangerous path you're going down."
With that, Martha left the room, leaving Curt alone with his thoughts. He stared at the vial, feeling the weight of his decision heavy on his shoulders. He knew that this could be the turning point in his career, but at what cost? He couldn't bear the thought of losing everything he's worked for, and even worse, losing his life. But he also couldn't bear the thought of not being able to hold Martha or consol Billy whenever he had a nightmare.
Curt set the injector on his desk, looking at it in disgust as he thought about what he was just about to do. He felt immense guilt as he thought about it more. "'What if something had gone wrong? I couldn't put Martha and Billy through that.'" It was then that his decision was made. Dr. Connors exhaled as he removed the vial from the injector and tucked it into his lab coat.
Just as he was about to tell Martha his decision, she walked back into the office. "Curt, we have a surprise visitor," Martha said, stepping aside to reveal Norman Osborn.
"Hello Doctor. I believe there's a very fruitful conversation to be had here." Osborn said, his voice filled with his usual insufferable businessman smarm.
"No... this can't be," Peter muttered under his breath.
Martha put her arm around her son and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Billy. This is not how it was supposed to be."
Billy looked up at his mother, tears streaming down his face. "What's happening, Mom? Why is that man on stage with Mr. Osborn instead of Max?"
Martha didn't know what to say. She couldn't believe that her husband had been forced to sell Max's grid blueprints idea to Norman Osborn and Oscorp. She hugged her son, tears in her eyes as she watched the scene unfold on the stage.
Peter and Gwen looked at each other, both feeling a sense of worry wash over them.
Believing things couldn't get any worse, Peter quickly proved wrong as he felt a heavy buzzing in the back of his head, looking behind himself to see a commotion going on in the back of the crowd.
Figuring that there could be trouble, Pete decided to come up with an excuse to slip away to get his costume. "Sorry Gwen, I need to use the bathroom and go… process some things." He lied through his teeth.
"It's fine Pete, go ahead. Just be sure to be back quickly."
"Thanks, and I'll be back in a flash." He said, once again lying as he snuck off into the crowd.
OoO~OoO
Max Dillon was surrounded by the bustling crowds of Times Square, his anger building with every passing moment as he watched Norman Osborn receive accolades for work that should have been his. As he looked around, he could see the smiling faces of the onlookers, blissfully unaware of the simmering rage boiling inside of him.
"How could they do this to me?" Max muttered under his breath. "My designs, my hard work, and they just give it all away to that monster?"
Max's anger only grew as he watched Dr. Smythe, a man he had once looked up to, take credit for his blueprints, HIS designs. He could feel the frustration and betrayal building inside of him, threatening to boil over at any moment.
Just then, he felt a sudden jolt of pain and the voices began to return. Max clutched at his head, trying to push back the relentless whispers that filled his mind. He was barely able to keep himself upright as he stumbled through the crowds, his thoughts only focused on one thing: he needed more power.
As he frantically searched for a source of electricity, his prayers were answered as he spotted a large electrical current running under a nearby grate. Without hesitation, Max made his way to the grate, his eyes fixed on the cable of power that lay beneath.
He fell to his knees, his body growing weaker by the second as he pried open the grate. He reached out, his hands shaking as he grasped the cable, feeling the electricity coursing through him. The power was intense, and Max let out a roar of triumph as the electricity crackled around his hands and body.
It didn't take long for Max's actions to draw attention from the crowds. People backed away in fear as stray bolts of electricity shot towards them, and a nearby police officer working security for the event noticed the commotion.
"Stop what you're doing!" the officer yelled, running towards Max. Despite his instincts telling him to be cautious, the officer pushed forward, calling for backup as he approached Max.
"Stop what you're doing!" the officer repeated, this time getting Max's attention. Max slowly removed his hands from the power cable, apologizing as he looked up at the officer.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause any trouble," Max stammered.
But the officer was horrified by what he saw. Max's face was now glowing a sickly yellow, and the officer quickly drew his weapon, aiming it directly at Max.
"Put your hands in the air!" the officer yelled, his voice shaking with fear.
Max quickly complied, backing away as he too was startled by the officer drawing his gun.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Max said, his hands raised above his head.
"Please, I just need help," Max pleaded with the officer as he backed away, trying to diffuse the situation.
But the officer was having none of it. "Be quiet and stay where you are," he said firmly.
Max didn't listen and continued to back away, not noticing that he was now in the middle of the street. He tried to tell the police officer that he needed help, but his words were cut off when he saw a truck driving towards him.
On instinct, Max stuck his hands out in front of him for protection, not knowing what was about to happen. Suddenly, electricity shot out of his hands and he accidentally flipped the truck over.
Everyone in the crowd was stunned and panic had set in as almost everyone in the area ran away or at least tried to, some even trying to escape up the red stairs. Max was shocked as well, unable to believe what he had just done.
"Oh my god," Max said, staring at his hands in disbelief. "What's happening to me?"
The police officer was momentarily stunned, but quickly regained his composure. "Everyone get back!" he yelled, waving his arms at the crowd. "This man is dangerous!" Max tried to run, but he was quickly surrounded by police officers and squad cars, all with their weapons drawn and aimed at him.
Captain Stacy quickly got out of his squad car and did the same as his men. "Everyone keep your firearms trained on him!" He commanded before addressing Max himself. "Sir, put your hands behind your head and get down on the ground now!"
"It's not my fault! Stop, please! I need hel–" he froze mid sentence, his eyes widened as he looked up and saw his face on every single jumbotron within Times Square. "Th-They see me… They all see me!" He mumbled to himself.
Seeing that he was distracted, George quickly took advantage of the situation as he threw a signal to his men while they all nodded, getting something at the ready. Right as Max laid his eyes on the mega screen, Captain Stacy wasted no time. "Gas him, now!" He yelled as four cans of tear gas were thrown at Max, releasing their contents right at his feet.
"Wait --No! Stop!" Max's distorted voice pleaded and begged while his body became engulfed in tear gas as the canisters began spinning faster than they were supposed to, electricity sparking from them as they slowly rose into the air. "It's not my fault! Please stop!"
" I SAID STOP!!! " Maxwell roared in reverb as his body overloaded and released an electrical surge that repelled everything surrounding him, sending everything and everyone within a short distance flying. At the same time officers who were at a safe distance opened fire on Max.
Captain Stacy tried to run as an airborne squad car came flying at him, he tripped as his shoe got caught on a grate, seeing the car coming, George simply closed his eyes and braced himself for the impact, but it never came. He opened his eyes to see the vehicle stopped in its tracks and suspended in the air with a familiar red and blue cladded vigilante right under it.
"Oh man, I've never been more thankful that cops don't ride horses anymore!" Spider-Man joked while he effortlessly held the car up in his hands, chuckling a bit as he carefully put it down. "But never mind that, how has your day been, Capitan?"
"Spider-Man. Where have you been?" The Captain deadpanned, ignoring the hand Spidey offered to help him up as Stacy stood up on his own, quickly grabbing his walkie and speaking. "Everyone, hold your fire! Wait for my call."
"Oh you know the usual. Up, around, and my personal favorite: avoiding arrest!" Spidey jokes. Still unable to get a laugh out of Captain Stacy, only earning a stern " Hrn" out of him before the vigilante focused on the situation at hand. "So Cappy, what's going on with Edison's light bulb over there?"
"None of your business Spider-Man, the police can handle this." He said, refusing to answer Spidey's question. "Now leave before I decide to remember to arrest you again."
"No can do, Captain Meanie. If I hadn't shown up that car would have made you into advanced roadkill." Spider-Man said in a serious tone. "So whether you like it or not, you need me, Georgio. Now if you don't mind." Spidey said as backflipped onto the roof of the car.
"Hey! What the heck do you've got going on here, Spark Plug!" He yelled, immediately getting Max's attention, with the latter's eyes widening as he laid eyes on Spidey.
"It's… it's you…" he said in shock as his idol was standing a few feet away from him.
"It's me? Of course it's me, Electro-Butt. There's only one genuine article." Spidey quipped. Sitting down casually on the squad car. "The real question is, who are you?"
"You don't remember me?" Max spoke, taking a step forward as he said it, which sent an electrical current through the grates.
"No… should I?" Spider-Man responded with concern as he watched the current travel under him and all the way to the red stairs, stopping just short of them. "'Gotta keep him in one spot.'" Peter thought to himself
"I walked into the street, the truck almost hit me and you grabbed me in the nick of time. You saved me!" He exclaimed. "You told me the world needs people like me."
Spidey stopped in realization. "Wait! You're the guy with the blueprints."
"Yes! Blueprints!"
"Yes, I remember you! Of course, I remember you, Max." He said, moving closer to Max so that he wouldn't try to move. "You're my eyes and ears."
"You… you even remember my name." Maxwell said with genuine gratitude.
"I'm sorry I didn't recognize you with the– well, let's just say you look different." He said, putting a pin in the quips. "How are you, Max?"
"I've been better, Spidey." Max confessed fear in his voice. "I don't know what's going on with me."
"I think I do!" Said a familiar voice. Causing them both to look to the side to see Dr. Connors trying to fight his way through the barricade.
"Doc?" They both said in unison.
The officers that were holding Connors back continued to hold firm until they heard a voice through their walkies, which Spidey assumed was Captain Stacy, telling them to let the doctor through, nodding to each other as they followed their orders.
"Max! I've been worried sick about you!" Connors exclaimed, "I thought the worst when I discovered you weren't at the hospital anymore."
"I don't know what's happening to me, Doc." Max said, repeating his words to Connors, holding his hands out to showcase the electricity crackling around them.
"We can see that, Max." Spidey reassured him. "We can see that you're scared and confused. Most importantly, we can see that you don't want to hurt anybody."
"I don't, I didn't mean to hurt anybody." Max tried to take a step towards them.
"Woah woah woah! Stay right there, Max. Those grates are highly conductive and there are civilians around and I know you don't want to hurt anybody."
"Okay." Max said as he stood where he was. "I jus-- I just don't want them shootin' at me anymore."
"Okay done." Spidey said before yelling. "You guys hear that! This is my friend, Max, and he would appreciate it if none of you would shoot at him anymore! I repeat for clarification, NO ONE SHOOTS AT MAX!!"
However, right as Spider-Man said that. A sniper behind the jumbotron could be seen lining up his shot at Max, holding his fire as he spoke through his radio. "I've got a shot, I fire at your command."
"Open fire the second you see him surging up again." The sniper nodded as heard Captain Stacy's response and orders.
"I know you don't know what's happening to you, Max. I've got an idea, but I need you to come with me so we can know for certain." Curt tried to reason with Max. "Can you do that, Max?"
"Yeah I think I can do that, Doc." Max said as he looked up at the jumbotron again. "I just wanted everyone to see me."
"It's okay, Max. Just come with me and Dr. Connors, then we can figure everything out."
"Okay, Spidey." Maxwell agreed as he annoyingly took a step back onto a grate with a power cable underneath which his body started absorbing power from, the sudden power surge to his body surprised Max as his arms jerked out and the accidentally shot out random bolts of electricity from his body, one of them hitting Dr. Connors.
Watching the scene take place, this sniper quickly reacted as he fired, tagging Max in his shoulder.
"NO!" Spidey exclaimed.
The sniper bullet however, like the rest that were fired at him, disintegrated upon impact with his body, so all it really did was piss Max off as he charged up his hands and fired a surge of electricity in the direction from which the bullet came, directly hitting the jumbotron.
In an effort to stop him, Spider-Man quickly webbed his hands and pulled them away. Unfortunately this didn't work very well as he simply responded by blasting Spidey, sending him flying back into the squad car.
"Note to self, add rubber padding to the costume." The wall crawler groaned as he landed. Looking at his wrist to see his webshooter short fusing as web fluid excreted from inside. "'Dang it, I just fixed this thing too.'" he complained to himself. Though he didn't get a chance to relax for long as he heard something giveaway, quickly looking to his right to see the blasted jumbotron falling with a helpless officer in its landing zone.
Springing into action, Spidey used his good webshooter to shoot a webline at her, narrowly pulling her from underneath as the debris hit the ground.
The crowd in the surrounding area cheered and Max watched as the rest of the jumbotron switched the focus from him to Spider-Man. His body filled with anger as he looked at Spidey's red mask on the screen and heard the insults that the crowd were hurling at him.
He lied to me…
Max grabbed his head as the voices came back. Anxiety mixing with the anger as he looked from jumbotron to jumbotron and seeing the same mask over and over again.
Seeing the crowd about to set him off again, Spider-Man tried to calm him down. "Stay with me, Max. Don't worry about them, just focus on me."
"You s et me up!" He accused, his voice sounding more electronic.
"No. I didn't, Max." Spidey pleaded, trying to reason with him. "You know, I wouldn't."
He shot at me…
"They shot at me when you told me they wouldn't. You lied to me ."
"Max, you've got to believe me. I didn't know that sniper was there, let alone that he would fire."
"Liar!"
He hates on me…
"You set me up! You wanted me to calm down just so you could still spotlight yourself."
"Wait? No, Max. I'm here to help you, like you wanted." Still trying to reason with him. "Now let me help you." He said, extending his hand.
"NO!"
He lied to me!
"YOU LIED TO ME!"
He shot at me!
"YOU SHOT AT ME!"
He hates on me!
"YOU'RE SO JEALOUS OF ME!"
He's using me!
"YOU ONLY WANTED TO UP YOUR REP THIS ENTIRE TIME, YOU'RE USING ME!"
He's dead to me!
"You're a dead man."
That Spider-Man, he is MY ENEMY!
" NOW DIE YOU ARACHNID PEST !" Max exclaimed on his knees before slamming his charged up hands on the grates, sending a giant surge of electrical currents towards the red stairs. The squad car got sent back also as it was in the current's path.
As he flipped backwards towards the stairs, for Spidey it seemed as if time slowed down for him. Using his spider sense, Spider-Man was able to get a rough mental layout of his immediate surroundings, from there, great concern appeared upon his face as he sensed the electrical current traveling up the metal rods on both sides with people reaching for the railing on each side.
Thinking quickly, Spidey grabbed a spare cartridge of web fluid from his pouch under his costume, shoving it into his broken web shooter; slamming down on it, causing a massive amount of weblines and fluid to come flying out of the broken piece of equipment between the two poles at the bottom of the stairs.
As he backflipped up the stairs, Spidey sensed the makeshift webnet was fortunately strong enough to stop the squad car in its tracks. Still not slowing down for a second, Spidey quickly used his functional web shooter to make a lasso-like webline and tossed the other end at a pregnant woman's hand, at the same time he shot another webline at an elderly man's hand on the other side.
Once the webs made contact, Spider-Man yanked his hands together as fast as he could, stopping both people from touching the railing, just barely stopping them from getting electrocuted as he landed the backflip at the top of the stairs.
As the dust settled, the crowd couldn't help but cheer as they had just watched Spidey save everyone on those stairs, which only infuriated Max even more, while everyone on the stairs escaped, Spider-Man once again tried to reason with Max, to calm him down and diffuse the situation. Though Spidey's pleading was going in one ear in out the other as Maxwell gazed at his hands, staring at awe as he came to terms with what he was now.
"Max?" Spidey asked in confusion.
Still on his knees, Max looked at the power cable under the grate in hunger. "Stop calling me that! It doesn't matter what I am now, there's no cure for people like me. And without a cure, I'm not Max Dillon, I'm-" he interrupted himself, drawing blanks. "Wait what did you call me?"
"Spark Plug?" Spidey repeated his earlier insult.
"No, not that! Wait-…electro-bu-" Max said in realization as he grabbed the power cable, causing a blackout in Times Square. " Yeah…
…I'M ELECTRO!!! " Electro exclaimed, his entire body now crackling with electricity as the power in Times Square came back on, each jumbotron in the area displaying nothing but his distorted face.
As a newly reborn Electro brought the power back on in Times Square, his entire body crackling with yellow electricity, he yelled out in rage as he began throwing attack after attack at Spider-Man, with the wall crawler just barely dodging one after the other.
"You never learn, do you, Max?" Spider-Man taunted as he dodged another blast.
"Shut up, Spider! You're the one who never learns!" Electro shot back, his eyes glowing with malice. "I'm not the same man I was before. I'm stronger, more powerful than ever!"
Making the best out of only having one working web shooter, Spidey realized that the time for talking was over, he had to take down Max now.
"All right, let's dance!" he quipped as he leaped into the air and shot a web line at Electro.
But Electro was too quick for him, and he dodged the web with ease. He retaliated by unleashing a barrage of lightning bolts at Spider-Man, forcing him to dodge and weave to avoid being hit.
Spider-Man was getting frustrated. He needed to get close to Electro if he wanted to take him down, but the villain was keeping him at bay with his electrical attacks.
"Come on, Max, show me what you've got!" he yelled, goading the villain.
Electro responded by shooting a bolt of lightning straight at Spider-Man's chest. But the wall crawler was ready for him this time, and he sidestepped the attack before leaping towards Electro and punching him in the face.
The blow sent Electro flying backwards, but he quickly regained his footing and shot another bolt of electricity at Spider-Man. The hero dodged it and swung behind Electro, webbing a nearby fire hydrant and yanking it right out of the ground before swinging it around and lobbing it at Electro.
The hydrant struck Electro in the chest, knocking him off balance. Spider-Man took advantage of the opening and rushed towards him, throwing punches and kicks at the villain.
Electro tried to fight back, but Spider-Man's superior agility and fighting skills gave him the upper hand. He landed blow after blow on the villain, slowly wearing him down.
But Electro wasn't done yet. With a roar of rage, he unleashed a massive bolt of lightning that sent Spider-Man flying backwards. The hero crashed into a nearby lamppost, groaning in pain.
Electro smirked as he approached his fallen foe. "You see, Spider? You can't defeat me. I'm too powerful for you!"
But Spider-Man wasn't ready to give up just yet. He sprang to his feet and shot a web line at Electro, pulling him towards him and delivering a powerful kick to his chest.
The blow sent Electro flying backwards again, this time crashing into a jumbotron. Which only seemed to power him up more as he began flying around try to talk Spider-Man out, randomly blasting electricity wherever he thought he saw the web slinger, not a single bone in his body concerned about the innocent people below.
As he hid behind a nearby jumbotron, Spidey tried to brainstorm ways to defeat Electro, noting to himself that he couldn't touch him without getting fried. He needed a plan, and fast.
But then, he noticed something. Every time Electro fired off one of his lightning blasts, he went out of his way to avoid the water spraying out of where the fire hydrant used to be. A plan began to form in Spider-Man's mind, and he couldn't help but grin at the thought of it.
Using Max's agitation to his advantage, Spidey snickered as he swung around his electrified opponent, taunting him each time one of his blasts missed him. "Come on, Max, is that the best you've got? You're not even trying!"
Electro growled in frustration, his eyes flashing with anger. "I'll show you, Spider! I'll fry you to a crisp!"
But Spider-Man was too quick for him. He ducked and weaved, dodging each of Electro's attacks with ease. Annoyed and agitated, Max began to lose his cool.
With his anger boiling over the top, Max finally blew his lid, exploding in anger as electricity shot out from his body from all angles, shorting out every piece of technology in his close vicinity as he rose higher into the air.
"I'll destroy you all!" he screamed, his voice echoing throughout Times Square.
Spider-Man watched in horror as Max began to gear up to start firing at innocent bystanders. He knew he had to act fast if he wanted to stop him.
Taking a deep breath, Spider-Man swung towards away, dodging his lightning bolts as he got farther and farther. Just as Max was about to fire at a group of people before Electro could let off his first attack, he was blasted out of the air with a water hose from a fire truck by Spider-Man wearing a fireman's hat. Chuckling a little, Spidey tried a bit more water out of the hose before deciding that he had enough.
Turning the hose off, Spider-Man spent a moment swinging around for a bit before putting it on his side as if he were holstering it. He mimicked a cowboy from an old '80s film as he turned around to thank the firemen for lending him their hose.
"Thanks, fellas," he said, giving them a thumbs up. "I couldn't have done it without you."
The firemen just chuckled and told Spider-Man it was no problem. One of them even showed off Spider-Man's signature on his hat, telling him that his kid was a big fan.
It was barely noticeable to the firefighters, but the statement managed to put a small smile on the wall-crawler's face. He felt horrible for what had happened to Max, but at least he had managed to stop him before anyone got hurt.
With one final nod to the firemen, Spider-Man swung off into the night, his mind racing with thoughts of what he could have done differently. But he knew that he had done the best he could, and that was all that mattered.
As he swung through the city, he couldn't help but think back to his encounter with Electro. He had always known that Max was troubled, but he never could have imagined just how powerful he had become.
But despite everything, Pete knew that he couldn't give up. He had to keep fighting, no matter how difficult the battle might be. Because at the end of the day, it was his responsibility to protect the people of New York City.
And he would do whatever it took to keep them safe.
Gwen tossed and turned in her bed, trying to shake off the memory of the terrifying incident in Times Square. But no matter how hard she tried, the images kept replaying in her mind like a broken record. The sound of her father's screams echoed in her ears, and the sight of the car flying towards him made her heart race.
But then, something clicked inside her. She couldn't just sit idly by and watch as innocent people got hurt. She had to do something. And that's when inspiration struck.
Gwen sat up in bed, determination in her eyes. She knew exactly how she could help Spider-Man. She grabbed the broken piece of his web shooter that she had taken from the red stairs and examined it closely.
As she studied the web shooter, her mind raced with ideas on how to make it electro-proof. She knew it wouldn't be an easy task, but she was up for the challenge. After all, if she could help Spider-Man in any way, it would be worth it.
Gwen grabbed a notebook and pen and began sketching out her ideas. She knew she had to work quickly and efficiently if she wanted to make a difference.
As she worked, a sense of purpose filled her. For the first time since the incident, she felt empowered. She wasn't just a helpless bystander anymore. She was taking action, making a difference.
And as she looked down at her sketches, Gwen knew that this was just the beginning. She was going to do everything in her power to help Spider-Man and make the city a safer place.
OoO~OoO
Dr. Connors couldn't sit still. He paced back and forth in his office at the lab, his mind racing. The Electro incident in Times Square had been hours ago, but the biologist still couldn't shake the feeling of electricity coursing through his veins. He grabbed at the right side of his chest, where one of Electro's stray bolts had struck him. That's when he felt it - the green vial.
Curt Connors hesitated at first, wondering if he was insane to even consider it. But after seeing what had happened to Max, he couldn't help but think that maybe this was the cure that could save him. He knew the logical arguments against it - he'd turned Max into a monster with the same serum. But at that moment, all of those arguments disappeared from his head.
With trembling hands, he loaded the vial into the injector and shoved it into the stump where his right arm used to be. As the serum coursed through his veins, he felt a surge of electricity run through his body. It felt amazing, fantastic, almost like he was being reborn.
But his arm didn't come back. Not yet, anyway. Curt set the injector down and left his office, heading to face the worst part of his night - his family.
He had to face them after what he's done. After he'd turned their lives upside down with his experiments. After he'd turned his friend into a monster. But he couldn't help feeling a glimmer of hope. Maybe with this serum, just maybe, this was the first step towards making things right again.
OoO~OoO
Peter's body felt sore as he entered the dorm house, but that was a given since he was fighting living electricity just hours earlier, though the reasoning didn't make the pain lessen any, it did provide at least some comfort. As Peter made it to the floor that his dorm was on after changing into his civvies outside, he couldn't believe who he had found sitting right at his dorm room door.
"Hey, Liz," Peter said, his voice betraying his surprise.
"Peter!" Liz jumped up and ran towards him, enveloping him in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're okay."
Peter smiled, his arms wrapping around Liz's waist, pulling her closer. "Yeah, it was a close call, but I made it out alive."
Liz pulled back, her eyes searching Peter's face. "Are you hurt?"
Peter hesitated before answering. "Nah, I left before everything went down."
Liz's face fell slightly. "Oh, well, that's good at least."
Peter felt a pang of guilt, knowing he was lying to her. He had been there, as Spider-Man, fighting Electro. But he couldn't let Liz know the truth, not when he was still trying to figure out his feelings for her.
They stood there for a moment, just looking at each other, the silence between them heavy.
"Um, so, what brings you here?" Peter finally asked, breaking the tension.
Liz smiled, reaching into her bag and pulling out a book. "I wanted to return this book I borrowed from you."
Peter chuckled. "You could have just given it to me in class tomorrow."
Liz shrugged. "I wanted to see you."
Peter's heart skipped a beat. "Well, I'm glad you did." Peter couldn't help but notice how beautiful Liz looked, how her hair fell in loose waves around her face, and how her eyes sparkled as she spoke. He felt his heart racing in his chest, his palms sweating, and he knew he had to tell her how he felt.
"Liz, I have to tell you something," Peter said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Liz looked at him, curiosity etched on her face. "What is it, Peter?"
"I messed up," Peter said, his voice filled with regret. "I didn't handle things well before, and I'm sorry. I want to be better for you."
Before Liz could respond, Peter was interrupted by a sudden kiss. Liz's lips were soft against his, and he felt his body responding to her touch. They kissed for what seemed like an eternity, lost in their own world.
When they finally separated, Peter felt a surge of emotions coursing through him. He couldn't believe what had just happened, and he didn't want it to end.
"So I take it this means I'm forgiven?" Peter asked, trying to lighten the mood.
Liz's face turned to ponder before she responded, "Hmm maybe, I don't know. Kiss me some more so I can know for certain."
Peter grinned, his heart soaring. He took Liz's hand, and they started to walk down the hallway. They kissed again, slowly making their way towards Peter's dorm.
When they finally reached his room, Peter fumbled with the keys, his hands shaking with anticipation. He opened the door, and they stumbled inside, their lips still locked in a passionate kiss.
As they tumbled onto Peter's bed, they couldn't keep their hands off each other. Their bodies were intertwined, and they explored each other's skin with a newfound curiosity.
In that moment, nothing else mattered but the two of them. They were lost in their own little world, and there they would stay.
At least for tonight.
OoO~OoO
Max Dillon's eyes snapped open at the sound of the bump, and he immediately sat up. The truck was swerving violently from side to side, causing him and the guards to be thrown around in the back. The vehicle crashed into something, causing Max to hit his head against the wall of the truck. He felt a sharp pain, but he shook it off and tried to focus on what was happening outside.
One by one, the guards left the back of the truck to investigate the commotion. Max watched as they closed the doors behind them, leaving him alone in the back. He was about to lay his head back down when he heard rapid gunshots outside the truck. The noise was deafening, and Max closed his eyes tightly, trying to shut it out.
The gunshots suddenly stopped, and Max heard footsteps approaching the truck. His heart raced as he wondered who or what was coming for him. The doors in front of him creaked open, and Max saw a man with a massive forehead in a blue suit with a red tie step inside. The man smiled at him, revealing a mouth full of crooked teeth.
"How ya doin', kid? The name's Hammerhead," the man said, and Max felt a chill run down his spine. He had heard of Hammerhead before, and he knew that this man was bad news.
Max remained silent, not wanting to draw the man's attention to himself. But Hammerhead seemed to take his silence as an invitation to continue.
"A bit shocking, I know, but The Big Man sees potential in you," Hammerhead said, his voice dripping with malice. "So how would you like to help him kill a certain arachnid?"
Max's eyes widened in surprise. He had never considered working for a villain before, but he was also desperate to get out of this situation. He hesitated for a moment before finally nodding his head.
"Sure, where do we start?" Max asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
Hammerhead grinned, and Max knew that he had made a deal with the devil.
But at least he would get to kill Spider-Man