SPIDER-MAN: ALL ALONE (CHAPTER 26)
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MANHATTAN CITYSCAPE…
John's vision started getting woozy with Norman clutching onto his throat tightly. Without any powers of his own to match, John was just a man with a lion's heart held together by a cowardly exterior helplessly listening to Norman's alter-ego announcement.
"I am the Green Goblin. The prophesised entity destined to reshape the world into a stronger one." Norman introduced whilst switching his name away, "I've got big plans for everyone. Including you."
The Green Goblin then lifted John higher up into the air and watched with glee behind his monstrous mask as John's legs dangled while his fearful expression says it all. With one movement of each finger, he let go and plummeted John down from the air.
As John fell with a death-defying scream, his luck was answered when Spider-Man came gliding and swinging in to catch him mid-air. Although lucky to be saved, it was a curse to be saved by the one he constantly rants about in both his editorials and podcasts.
"Argh! Spider-Man?!" John yelled as soon as he caught his breath from falling while his saviour clutched onto him.
"Jonah! This sure is going to make good content for your next talk right?" Spider-Man asked as he swung.
"You feckless… Put me down onto the ground now or this story will get much worse for you!" John yelled, "I'll have the world know of your devious deeds with the Goblin."
"The Goblin?" Spider-Man questioned as he looked behind to see Goblin himself flying after him.
"Yes. You and The Green Goblin! The new dynamic duo… Or should I say, your latest member in your line of freakish friends!" John jeered.
"That's so sweet of you to be keeping tabs on me, but save it when I first get you out of trouble first." Spider-Man said as he sensed the Goblin making new moves.
The Goblin's glider inched closer and closer through its engine boost with its sharp edges reaching as the Goblin readied his razor-sharp boomerangs from his utility belt. With that knowledge in mind, Spider-Man dropped down an air level and let the glider go over him.
He then shot a new web which latched onto the glider. While Spider-Man was performing his maneuverers, John was panicking as they were still high in the air while the boomerangs were flying about randomly in the air.
"Okay, ready for some happy landings?" Spider-Man asked as he immediately detached himself from the hanging web and sky dove down.
As Spider-Man plummeted with John beside him, he made sure of the altitude that would be appropriate to swing again after getting John to ground safely. After swinging close enough to ground level, he swung close to the ground to drop John onto the footpath.
Scared onlookers soon had a moment of curiosity as John was dropped before them. John grumbled after being let down by Spider-Man and gasped for breath. Quickly getting up and looking dishevelled in front of others, John raised his fist in the air in protest as he watched the web-swinger swing away as he focused on the Green Goblin.
"Kidnapper! Masked terrorist!" John yelled before running short of breath again.
The Green Goblin looked from above to see John safe and sound ranting away before turning his attention to focus on Spider-Man. At first, he had lost sight of the web-swinger before he was forced up by heavy upward force on his glider. Spider-Man had managed to land a punch to the glider bottom reducing his own balance for a moment.
"Surprise!" Spider-Man said grabbing onto one of Goblin's foot.
"Pest!" Goblin sneered as he tried to stomp on Spider-Man's hand.
The glider started turning in all sorts of directions in the midst of the struggle. As this happened, the Goblin found the timing to grab onto Spider-Man's arm before flinging him across the city space.
Spider-Man was flung hard enough across the air that his back actually hit onto a building staircase bar hard. The effect of it hurt to the point where the Goblin had the advantage diving in. Even with the Spider-sense, Spider-Man was caught off guard by the Goblin flying towards him and grabbing him tight by the two arms as they soared once again.
"You and me? Are going to have hell of a time." Goblin grimaced staring into Spider-Man's eyes through his monstrous mask, "Spider-Man."
DELIVERY DEPARTMENT, OSCORP TOWER GROUND FLOOR…
After the scuffle she had with the men, Gwen had managed to pull off a messy but successful feat. The floor was hers to explore and to ensure that the men would not get back up, she dragged them to a corner and bundled them up in a ball of web.
"Yuri, can you send some people in blue to the Oscorp parking floor area later? There's indeed some fishy business with the people working here. Their IDs are dodgy and they all seem be here for just a couple of days." Gwen said over her ear-comm, "It's definitely starting to be déjà vu here."
After sending her voice message through, Gwen scanned the area as she walked up to some computer terminals. Upon inspecting, she was surprised to see that the computer screen is already opened up to what appears to be a log list.
"Do any of these goons know privacy or is this another sign of the computer system here being bugged?" Gwen said remembering well that the Living Brain is a sentient being watching over the operations at Oscorp.
As she scrolled through the log list, she noted the recent purchases that range from tech parts and chemicals all needed for Oscorp's continuous innovations. However, one item struck Gwen's attention, there was no description except for its code 'U-G0429'. It was classified as biohazardous and had seen increased deliveries as of late.
Clicking onto the item, she noted that users could add comments regarding the item which led Gwen to the next clue. 'Increase production at Greenwich. Mr. Osborn orders.' Was the comment attached next to the item.
"Down at Greenwich huh?" Gwen said as she felt something familiar about the clue.
MANHATTAN SKY…
Spider-Man and Green Goblin twirled through the air crashing occasionally into buildings and causing debris. As this was happening, the Goblin decided to target one of Spider-Man's weakness again which was his affinity for innocent. In the midst of the ongoing chase, the Goblin deviously smiled behind his mask as he took out one of his spherical bombs from his belt.
"He's doing that same air bombing thing again, I bet." Spider-Man noted as he glided through the air after the Goblin.
As the Goblin began dropping the bombs, Spider-Man's priority became the civilians on ground who could get in the explosion crossfire. Using the wingsuit, he glided downwards to sweep civilians out of the way from the collateral damage that followed.
"Get cover!" Spider-Man yelled as the Goblin continued with the air assault.
The Goblin observed from behind seeing Spider-Man put so much effort into saving as many lives that he thought about the next cruel test to pit Spider-Man's morality. Taking out another spherical bomb, he carefully aimed the bomb this time at Spider-Man.
"Save this one." Goblin mocked as he threw the bomb down.
Spider-Man's senses started to go haywire in regards to the direction of the bomb. Nevertheless, in the heat of the moment, he tried to stop bomb mid-air from landing by intending to swat it away like a tennis ball. This proved to be a fatal mistake with the bomb exploding the moment, he touched.
Spider-Man was knocked down from the air by a flurry of fire while bits of shrapnel scrapped his suit. The worst part of it was the burning singe on his left hand that followed as he fell down in pain. Inside the suit, Peter felt all the pain a normal human would but because he was a superhuman, this was thankfully still just painful.
"Argh!" Spider-Man cried as he felt the impact of the bomb's fire whilst falling down.
Before he hit ground, Goblin swooped up Spider-Man back into the air. The blades of the glider were sharp enough by the tip that it could pierce him. For now, the Goblin seemed eager to continue toying him around though.
"Still want to play around?" Goblin cackled as they flew around, "Or shall I squash you into paste now?"
Soon, the two crashed into a stockbroker building window where several people were stationed. The sudden crash from the glider shocked as many people who were already alert from the sound of the bomb drops early on. Getting off the glider which hovered in mid-air, the Goblin walked towards a struggling Spider-Man.
Groaning, Spider-Man heard the sound of many people fleeing as Goblin dished out his next set of weaponry which were the razor boomerangs. The stockbrokers ducked when the razors flew around with some of them getting hit on their suits.
Spider-Man tried to stand his ground after breaking glass just now. His injured left hand was still burning bad which caused the most difficulty in standing back up. His vision of the Goblin was hazy as if the man before him was otherworldly.
"After all that's thrown at you. You're still trying to stay alive." Goblin said, "And strangely, it'd be unfulfilling to end it here and now."
Spider-Man continued to keep his distance as he tried to focus on his healing factor. If he did not have his spider powers; he would have died at the Goblin's hands fast and it would be the swiftest demise he faces in his superhero career.
"You inspire the godhood in me." Goblin menaced, "I've watched you grow into the fiercest warrior a man could dream. And yet you hold back your potential."
"Well…" Spider-Man replied catching his breath, "I am The Spider-Man after all. And I much rather keep my distance from second-rate evildoers like you."
The Goblin feeling insulted decided to attack Spider-Man instantly by throwing his fists. All of which, Spider-Man dodged. This then led to him deploying a hidden knife blade from his wrist as he started swinging. After a few swipes, Spider-Man managed to grab onto both his wrists to prevent further attacks.
"Think about us as a team. Instead of you and that girl. Or…Her, you and I united. What we could do to crush the worms that chew on us. We can enlist other gifted beings too and build the better world today." Goblin persuaded as he felt Spider-Man's grip on him.
"I'm not selling out." Spider-Man said back.
Again, the Goblin was not surprised at this response. It was time for him to really hammer home how dangerous he is to the vigilante. At first, he whistled which caused the glider behind him to sound. Then jumping up, he aimed to have the glider stab Spider-Man.
Spider-Man jumped up whilst still holding onto the Goblin's wrists. Landing on top of the glider; he was thrown forward at speed until the glider was stuck onto the wall. The Goblin had him pinned against the wall briefly before Spider-Man flipped around and pinned him back. The next move he did was sure to impress the Goblin in which he repeatedly started punching the face mask.
The Goblin recoiled at the damage Spider-Man was inflicting back at him. It was enough to make him smile as bits of his face mask started to crack and crumble. As soon as one eye could be seen, Spider-Man was more eager to uncover the identity of the Goblin.
"Is this who I think?" Spider-Man wondered as he stared back at the open eye.
In retaliation, the glider activated full throttle, which broke the wall down and led the two to the building stairwell. People below them were still fleeing from their battle as they ran down the stairs. Goblin broke free of Spider-Man's grip the moment his fingers loosened a little.
"Outstanding and disappointing can't go hand in hand." Goblin commented as the two battled on the floating glider whilst surrounded by stair handles.
The struggle came to its close as Goblin gained his ground back. Whilst keeping his balance, Spider-Man tried to fight back and but the Goblin made sure he could stand still for him. In an instance, he used the knife blade hidden under his wrist and shoved it into Spider-Man's abdominal area.
Spider-Man's eye lenses widened when he saw the red coming from the knife washed over the red of his own suit. The Goblin's mask staring back at him with one human eye in the open looking back. It was then the Goblin made more use of his blade when he took it out of his abdomen and sliced the fabric off Spider-Man's mask. It was then Peter became alarmed.
"No, no, no." Peter thought to himself as the knife cut through the half of his mask.
In an instance, the Goblin's human eye widened too as if he was enthralled. He grabbed onto Spider-Man's still functioning right wrist and dangled him above the stairwell.
"Such a moment in destiny that this is the truth about Spider-Man. A young man using the resources from a landfill to make his plight. A sorry sight." Goblin mocked, "You should have taken my hand, Peter."
"So…It is you. It was always you." Peter proclaimed at last knowing that Norman is the culprit behind the latest problems.
"My offer still stands. Join me in achieving greatness or be discarded like the bug you are." Goblin proposed.
Peter was frozen in fear. Not only was he bleeding from where he was stabbed but now, he was being threatened. Threatened by a man he knows personally.
"Mr. Osborn please… You may be a tough person but you're not a bad man. Think of your son, Harry. Come to your senses!" Peter pleaded with sweat and grime on his face, "Think of the things Oscorp is supposed to do. The lives you want to change!"
Goblin then paused immediately before deactivating his face mask which shifted backwards to reveal Norman's twisted face undone by the serum, he put upon himself. At first, he was unamused but soon the wicked smile came.
"Harry?" Goblin answered, "That sick little dog I'm supposed to call son?"
Goblin then lifted his other fist in the air before punching Peter's face.
"He's undeserving to be alive. Even if I do cure him… The world will eat him fast." Goblin said taking pleasure in Peter's pain, "You, Peter…Are unique. You still have the potential of an inheritor to a 'holy' power. It's as much as I can afford to accept one."
There were villains like Chameleon or Tombstone who were close to threatening his life but the Goblin was different. And this instance, it broke Peter to hear such cruel words coming out of Norman's mouth. The Norman he knew was supposed to be a caring father at the very least.
"I-I will never join you." Peter bitterly spoke back.
"Hmph." Goblin replied before dropping Peter instantly.
With a bit of quick thinking, Peter used his right wrist to shoot out a web that latched onto a staircase handle to stop himself from falling.
"I will start your suffering soon enough." The Goblin gloated and pointed from above, "With everyone you hold dear. Your sick aunt. Your pitiful teacher. And that dear girl of yours… Gwendolyn Stacy. And those she holds dear. They bear the burden because of you."
Peter watched weakly as the Goblin took one stomp on the glider. Looking away, the Goblin dismissed the badly wounded Peter as he hopped onto his ride. The engines roared as Peter watched with helplessness. The next thing he saw was the Goblin ascending to the top and towards the sky ready to do his next malicious deed.
"Urrgg…" Peter groaned before the web snapped causing him to fall.
OSCORP R&D DEPARTMENT…
Curt had been working a little overtime at finalising the humanoid robot design requested by the Oscorp Robotics Division. For his work, this was another opportunity to think about the structure of his potential new biological arm.
"There, looks good… I think I'll call it a day." Curt said as he took off his lab coat.
Everyone else has packed up for the day and it was fitting for Curt to start packing. As he was about to leave, the automatic door to the department opened for him and soon Curt found himself greeting Norman wearing one of his snazzy business suits.
"Oh, Mr. Osborn. Hello." Curt greeted.
Norman moved forward with authoritative presence. His battle wounds by Spider-Man were polished up to decrease Curt's suspicion whilst he approached with his nerve-wracking smile.
"Curtis… Just the man I was looking for. Come, there is something I must show you." Norman said.
"Uh… I'm on a run. You see… I gotta attend to my wife and son." Curt said.
"You'll have ample time. For now, just follow me." Norman said back without a care.
Immediately, Norman led Curt away from the room by one hand to the shoulder.
Meanwhile on the computer screen that Curt logged out from, the Living Brain system started to move the mouse cursor on its own without human input. It first uploaded the schematics of the robot Curt had been designing to a database system. The next move that followed was the addition of a new execution file with the name 'Gaunt' installed for the robot's command input. As of now, no one at Oscorp not even Norman himself knows what the file was about to do.
TO BE CONTINUED…