Debra had just arrived at Oscorp Tower. She was in a bit of a hurry because she was late. With her eyes distracted on documents she carried in her hand, she was startled by what she saw right after, tripping and almost dropping her glasses. Several soldiers and staff were packing up and moving away from the interns' lab, with Peter watching the action. She closed the folder in her hands and slowly approached him.
- Peter.
- Hi Debra.
- What is happening?
- You arrived too late for the briefing — She looked confused — My... Our nanorobot project was also transferred to Oscorp's higher systems.
- That's good, isn't it?
- I don't know, you tell me, you went through that first.
- Hahaha, I guess we're idle partners now, huh.
- I'm not sure I like the prospect — Peter smiled playfully.
- Oh, stop it! — Debra broke into a wide smile.
- We have the day off, practically.
- What do you think of us buying a hot dog and making small talk? Sound like a good date to you?
- Debra... — Peter looked at her with reproach, and she laughed derisively — All right, but only because I need to fill you in on the briefing.
- Oooohh, I'm flattered, Mr. Speaker — She grabbed Peter's arm, passing hers through his, and he sighed nonconformist, but the two began to head out — So what?
- We must make a project proposal by the end of the month. Since we can no longer join any existing projects once they are all booked up, it's up to the two of us now.
- I actually have some ideas, but I refuse to talk business on an empty stomach.
- It's nine in the morning, you didn't have breakfast?
- I took it, but now I'm hungry for a hot dog.
- Got it — Peter rolled his eyes playfully and she laughed — Tell me, we never talked about how we got to this internship.
- I study at Empire State, Doctor Connors taught there a few years ago. It's a mandatory internship, you know, especially for people who want to stay in the technology field. And you?
- In addition to needing the job, I'm trying to get a cool experience to try MIT.
- MIT? Wow. You have what you need, that's for sure, Oscorp's internship will definitely help you a lot.
- Empire State isn't bad either. I know some people from my old school who went there.
- Where?
- From Midtown.
- Are you from there?!
- It doesn't seem like it.
- No, hahaha.
The two walked to the nearest hot dog stand and then spent some more time chatting aimlessly around the great city of New York. Eventually arriving in Central Park, the two sat down on one of its many benches. Peter never got to know her better before that day. She ended up finding out that he prefers Italian food, and he found out that she prefers Chinese. He talked about what made him want to pursue a scientific career, and she talked about how she ended up doing an internship at Oscorp. Peter told her about his family and how he ended up with just his aunt, and Debra talked about how her father always mistreated her since she was a child. At the end of the day, they didn't just see each other as colleagues, people they met once a day for a job, but as real human beings, and friends.
Already in the bowels of Ravencroft laboratories, Morris sat on the remains of his tank, while Smythe recorded a series of dialogues and tests that he operated on the poor man. Bench's voice still slipped into watery tones when he was out of his mind, which was usually when he was distracted or not concentrating on keeping his form cohesive.
- Mister Bench, I see that your control over your new form is much more stable.
- I have… A lot of difficulty.
- Does it affect you in any way…?
- Really hurts.
- Are you feeling pain right now?
- Yes, a little. It's like I need to concentrate so I don't pass out from exhaustion at any moment, as if my body demands that I keep working non-stop.
- And how have you been facing it? If indeed the difficulties have been great at that point.
- I have to concentrate a lot on myself, I can feel every drop, I can even feel parts of this strange outfit, and especially this on my chest.
- The control disk. It must be the part of you that is most you right now, your brain so to speak.
- I keep thinking about everything I missed. Because of me, because of others — he clenched his fists, practically turning them into two blocks of water — because of this company.
- You have a lot of negative thoughts.
- No, not negative. Real. I've been controlled too long, I don't control my destiny, and I lose everything. My family, my money, and now my body — Bench shifted his eyes to Alistair's, some of the nanobots clustered together in a small floating machine in his hands, making them larger — Will you give me my body back, Doctor?
- Maybe you can do it yourself — Smythe said, in a mixture of fear and fascination — The nanotechnology we injected into you should be able to change the hue, already the consistency, depends on how you control them.
He closed his eyes again and began to concentrate. Soon, the water-muffled roar of his entire body could be heard, a clear murmur of pain as the impossible happened before them. In a little over a minute, Bench's appearance apparently reverted to his normal skin and hair. He had a tired face, but when he opened his eyes, and looked at his normal body, but still covered by the strange costume, he opened a wide smile. But then Smythe got up and walked over to him, pen in hand. He prodded the surface of Morris's exposed arm, and pressed until it began to break through, and soon, the illusion broke, the entire gelatinous layer of the ex-sailor's disguise melting away into his real aquatic form. Bench wore a clear expression of anger, his silence deafening.
- I'm sorry, it seems that your human appearance is nothing more than a disguise.
- Leave me alone — he whispered, and so Smythe complied, moving towards a familiar figure behind some controls in the lab.
- He's volatile. Clearly this form is messing with his mind in some way. At the very least, he's having more time to brood over his own inner, dark desires. It can burst at any time.
- I sensed a desire for worthiness — Fiers said, closing his eyes — A desire to be rewarded. I need to speak with Osborn.
- With all due respect, sir. Why do you still confer with Osborn? That inconsequential boy is a problem for anyone.
- Make no mistake, Smythe. I have Osborn under control, he is a very useful asset. He remains the company's rightful CEO, and our goals are aligned. I make the decisions.
- Yes sir — Alistair replied, not questioning further.
Fiers walked to the front of Osborn's cell, who was doing push-ups on the floor. When he noticed the knight's approach, he stood up, and turned to face him, the effects of the Osborn curse running across his face in deep olive-green tones through his bulging veins.
- Bench has erratic behavior, he can be an unpredictable resource for future plans.
- This is all a test, Fiers. A one-man test, and that's not a person anymore, it's a weapon — He twisted and crooked his neck almost preternaturally, to the sound of snapping and ripping flesh — Release him.
- Release Hydro-Man?
- Yes.
- I'm afraid to inform you that Parker hasn't been involved in vigilante activities lately
- I said to release! — Harry yelled — The test isn't just about combat; it's about how much it takes to break him. Peter will be back, just wait, and when he finds out about his old friend...
Harry smiled. Fiers started to head out of the Institute, and Osborn continued his push-ups in the cramped cell where he found himself, not trapped, but sheltered away from the world, waiting to deliver his next blow.
May Parker watched the news once more. A headline in the Daily Bugle rang out that crime has started to rise again. The lack of the city watchman put her in a state of siege. Crime was rising again in the last few days that he had disappeared, and the tension in the streets was increasing at the rate that reports of robberies and assaults on some kind of water elemental being were spreading through the city. Many wondered if the hero, or as the Bugle headlines described it, the masked menace, would stick around indefinitely as Manhattan found itself increasingly under siege. She felt she needed to talk about it with Peter, but it was late at night, so she simply went upstairs and, before entering the room, peeked into Peter's.
He was passed out on his computer keyboard, still wearing his Oscorp lab coat, the glow from the screen illuminating his messy hair. She walked over quickly, lifted his head from the keyboard, and began to sway her shoulders slightly.
-Peter, love. Wake up…
- Hi... — He opened his eyes slowly; the dark circles of fatigue showed the exhaustion of his routine.
- Honey, it's already 2:00 AM, haven't you taken a shower?
- I don't have time for this, Aunt May.
- Oh, that’s it. Peter Benjamin Parker, immediately stop what you're doing and go take a shower.
- I told you I can't!
- It's not a matter of choice, I'm ordering it, young man.
- No, May, no! — He stood up, clearly furious — Let me do my job in peace!
- Peter, for God's sake, this isn't work. This isn't even life, you're working non-stop, and you haven't done anything else for the last few days. All your life has been just Oscorp, you don't go out to have fun anymore, you don't stay here to spend time with me. I know you've been feeling alone, but so have I!
- It's not about you!
- No, it's about you. Where are the pictures? — She pointed to the wall.
- I shelved them.
- Why?
- I don't want to see their faces anymore. I don't deserve to look at them again. Everyone leaves and it's just me. I am tired. If I only care about myself, I don't have to suffer through these things again. I have a responsibility to you, to this house and to myself. Responsibility, as Uncle Ben said.
- Darling... Ben said that for you to understand that your life needs to have these responsibilities, and not be completely surrendered to them — She ran her hand down the side of her nephew's face, tears streaming from his tired eyes — You need to have a life to call your own, just as you need to think of others in the same way. I'm here for you always, just like I know other people want to be.
- I don't know if I have the strength, Aunt.
- Yes, you have. If it's too painful for you, try at least one thing every day, keep trying over and over again. The secret is to persist, the changes will only come when you try until you succeed — She took her hand from his face and took his left hand, caressing it — Promise me, darling? I know very well what it's like to end up alone, what it's like to see everyone leave while you stay, I'll be here all the time, but you must try to move on.
- I... — He lifted May's hand, kissing it — I promise, Aunt May.
- We need to continue on behalf of all those who no longer can, remember that. Now go take a shower, honey. I don't know if I can sleep tonight, but you should try.
The two followed through with what they said. Peter passed out from exhaustion, and woke up late, but since he didn't have to go to Oscorp for the hour, there was no problem. With renewed spirit, he decided to do a little at a time. That day, people saw the figure of Spider-Man glide through the skies once more, stopping one robbery at a time, stopping when he didn't feel comfortable, walking the streets hidden as his alter-ego, watching, and waiting for the moment to act. Although the Arachnid was on the streets again, his presence as a person was much colder and this was perceived by people.
Comments (0)
See all