Osborn Corporation, CEO's Office.
"Yes, General. As I assured you before, the Oz serum's effects are excellent and have basically stabilized."
Norman Osborn sat smiling behind his transparent desk. Pale green projection light rose before him, forming a virtual screen. On the other end stood a stern-looking general with a white handlebar mustache, listening expressionlessly to the CEO's report.
"Thus far, the serum has achieved considerable success in laboratory mice. Their physical capabilities have increased by an average of eightfold, and in some individuals, the effects have been even more pronounced," Osborn said. "I have every reason to believe that Oz is now ready for human testing."
The general on the other end of the screen remained completely unmoved. "But I heard there was a bit of trouble during one of your experiments?"
Norman's smile stiffened briefly. "Yes. But that was only one experiment, merely an accident caused by chance."
"So what kind of accident occurred that time?"
"Nothing much. The mice displayed a certain degree of aggression and hostility after being injected with the Oz serum. But I guarantee it won't be a problem. The Oz serum has been refined to a nearly perfect state and is fully ready for human trials."
The general gave a cold snort, as though expressing his disdain. He leaned toward the camera, making no effort to hide the impatience on his face. "Let me be honest, Mr. Osborn. I have never thought highly of this project of yours. It was my predecessor who took an interest in your serum. Times are changing. While you're still busy in the lab with this costly, unfinished serum that might turn people into lunatics, Stark is already flying around the world in armor capable of holding off an army.
So this is your last chance, Mr. Osborn. If you cannot produce suitable results within the next two weeks, I will have no choice but to withdraw your research funding and find other projects worth investing in."
Having said that, he ended the call without even giving Norman a chance to respond. The screen went black with a swoosh, and Osborn Technologies' 3D logo soon returned to the center of the virtual display.
Norman Osborn leaned back in his soft black chair with his fingers interlaced. His face was grim, his eyes flickering as he pondered something.
He sat gloomily in the vast office for quite some time, until a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in."
A chime of successful verification sounded from the electronic lock panel by the entrance, and the door was pushed open from outside. A man in a black suit entered. Bald, thick-faced, broad and powerfully built, he looked like he had the words "not to be messed with" written across his face.
"I'm in a very bad mood right now, Shaw," Norman said impatiently. "So unless this is important."
"It is very important, sir." The man strode in hurriedly, carrying a copy of today's newspaper.
"Do you remember Peter Parker?" the man asked. "Your son's classmate—the one who was bitten by a specimen spider in our laboratory. You asked me to keep tabs on him afterward."
"I remember. I also had you replace his blood at the hospital, but our test results showed that he had not suffered any form of infection." Norman said flatly, "The Oz inside the specimen spider had no effect on that boy."
"I don't know, sir." Shaw stepped forward, unfolded the newspaper, and handed it to Norman. "But I think you may want to see this."
It was a copy of the Daily Bugle. The front-page photograph showed several bedraggled robbers wearing black stockings over their heads, bound together by white strands and hanging upside down from a lamppost. In the sky behind them, a blurry silhouette was leaping over a high-rise building.
The headline read: "Spider-Man Appears."
"Spider-Man?" Norman frowned at the name.
"He seems to be a superpowered individual who has recently begun appearing frequently in New York, often stopping street crimes," Shaw explained. "But before this, it was mostly just rumor, with no solid evidence that he actually existed. Today's newspaper is the first piece of evidence sufficient to prove he is real. According to those rumors, this 'Spider-Man' seems capable of running along walls, shooting webs, clinging to walls and climbing them quickly, lifting vehicles with his bare hands, and reacting fast enough to dodge bullets."
Norman set down the newspaper, his gaze sharp. "Are you saying that this 'Spider-Man' is that boy Peter?"
Shaw met his Boss's gaze for several moments.
"I'm saying that this 'Spider-Man' is very likely the most perfect successful case of human testing with the Oz serum."
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters, Tri-Wing Building.
Rolling thunder rumbled from the distant horizon. Dark clouds gradually pressed down over the entire city, while pale lightning snakes darted through the black clouds.
Thin raindrops fell in a steady patter from the sky, quickly streaming down the building's glass curtain walls. Nick Fury sat in the director's office, handling a mass of complicated, trivial affairs through the projection screen on his desk. A large portion involved dull political matters. Fury had never cared for such things, but dealing with them was still part of his job.
Two dull peals of thunder sounded in succession, and pale lightning illuminated the frame of the floor-to-ceiling window. Fury paused and instinctively turned his head toward the window. Outside, the rain had formed a continuous curtain, pouring down like a waterfall.
For no reason he could name, Fury's instincts began warning him that something about the atmosphere felt wrong.
The incandescent lights abruptly went out with a snap, and the pale blue screen hovering over his desk vanished as well. Darkness silently took over the entire room, and danger crept through its cover.
If this were an accidental power outage, the backup generators should have started automatically at once, yet that clearly had not happened. Fury's single eye swept warily through the darkness. One hand rested, seemingly casually, on the pistol beneath his desk as he attempted to contact Deputy Director Hill. But his private communications terminal returned only one message: "No Signal." That meant no one could receive his call.
"Don't be nervous, Director Fury."
A mechanical, icy voice came from a dark corner of the room. A figure stepped out from it. Black armor, white stripes, and V-shaped lenses that gradually lit with a pale blue glow.
Fury frowned slightly. "You."
"Hello, Director Fury. I believe this is our first formal meeting." The armored figure stopped before his desk. "I came here today with a proposal. I believe you will be interested."
(Thanks to reader Love You, Ah Jun for the 500 Qidian Coins reward, and reader Justice League Shota Captain for the 100 Qidian Coins reward!)