THE GOBLIN STRIKES

At an old run down carnival, a man stands in the rain waiting for someone. He looks over and sees the one he's been waiting for.

"There you are. Have you had enough time to inspect the property and decide if it's what you were looking for?" The man asks.

The White Goblin steps forward, looking at the carnival.

"Well... It's garish, ugly, and derelicts have used it for a toilet. The rides are dilapidated to the point of being lethal, and could easily maim or kill innocent little children." Norman says.

"Oh, so you don't like it?" The man asks.

The Goblin turns to him with the same unhinged smile he always have.

"Don't like it? I'm crazy for it!" He says.

The man is a little surprised by this as they walk through the carnival.

"You... You really want to buy it? And the price I mentioned isn't too steep?" The man asks.

The Goblins laughs outloud.

"Too steep? My dear sir, as I look at it I'm making a killing. And anyway, money isn't really a problem... Not these days."

When Norman sees a poster of a dog, his mind goes back to when was a boy. Him and his mother sit on the couch together while his father is getting drunk while looking at all the bills they have. He gets angry and throws his bottle against the wall.

"We have too many damn bills! All of you freeloaders are costing me money!" He says.

He then gets angry as he hears the dog barking outside.

"I'm tired of wasting money on that damn dog too!"

He then stands up from his chair and walks into his room. Norman's mother tries to comfort him as he is scared.

"It's ok, sweetheart. Everything's going to be ok."

At that moment Norman's father comes back out, holding a gun. He walks towards Norman and his mother, pushing her off of him.

"Move bitch!" He says.

He then grabs Norman by the arm and drags him outside.

"I have too many mouths to feed. That dogs gotta go."

He then hands him the gun as tears flow out of Norman's eyes.

"Stop that crying! Be a man!"

He then pushes Norman towards the dog. As Norman continues to cry, he slowly aims the gun at his dog's head, trembling while doing so. He closes his eyes and turns his head away, pulling the trigger.

The Goblin snaps back to present day, still walking through the carnival.

"Y'know I'm positive you won't regret this purchase. The place isn't that dilapidated, some of these rides are still pretty sturdy. Really, this could be one of hell of a carnival." The man says.

The Goblin smiles, offering him a handshake.

"You're so right. Thanks to your smooth salesmanship and your silver tongue you've completely sold me on the place. Let's shake on it."

"Uh... well... sure. It's my privilege."

The man shakes his hand but feels a prick in his palm.

"Indeed it is. Naturally, I won't be paying you anything. My colleagues persuaded your partner to sign the necessary documents just over an hour ago. The property's mine already. You're happy with that. I take it?"

The Goblin takes of a joy buzzer with a needle on it.

"I can see that you are. I'm so glad. You know, when you see the improvements I have planned for this place, I guarantee you'll be absolutely speechless! And incidentally, that's a lifetime guarantee. Well, I must dash, there's just so much to do. But feel free to stay as long as you want."

As The Goblin walks away, the man stands completely still, injected by Goblin Toxin.

Meanwhile Peter is on the batcomputer, trying to find the Goblin. Ben then comes down, holding a tray of tea. He sits it down next to Peter who continues to look at the computer screen.

"Your refreshments, sir." Ben says.

Peter doesn't say anything.

"Master Peter? Is there anything further I can assist with, or will that be all?" Ben asks.

"No. That's all... I don't know him, Ben. I was best friends with his son for years, And I don't know him."

"Well to be fair sir. He's not the same man he once was." Ben says.

Peter thinks to himself for a moment.

"He may look different. But maybe the experiment he did on himself just brought out what was already inside of him." Peter says.

At that moment, Peter gets a call on the private line he gave Commissioner Stacy.

"Commissioner." He says.

"No exactly." Detective Montoya says.

"Detective Montoya. What's going on?"

"You might want to get to the hospital. It's bad this time." She says.

A few minutes later Montoya, Bullock, and Spider-Bat are in the hospital room with an unconscious Jill while the doctor examines her.

"The bullet went through her spine. I'm afraid her legs are completely useless. Putting it bluntly, she may well be in a chair for the remainder of her life." The doctor says.

Peter hides his anger while Montoya explains what happened.

"A woman next door found, the- victim, in a state of undress, but otherwise the place was empty. The Commissioner was-"

"Undress?" Peter interrupts.

Both Bullock and Montoya look at each other.

"He'd removed her clothing after shooting her. We, uh... well we found a lens cap the floor that didn't fit any camera in the place. We believe that, uhh... that he took some pictures. Of her." Bullock explains.

Peter clenches his fists tightly.

"Please leave us alone for a moment."

Everyone leaves the room, Peter presses a button on his utility belt, taking down the cameras for a moment and pulls his mask off. He then puts his hand on her face gently.

"Jill? Jill can you hear me? It's me. It's Peter."

Jill slowly wakes up and sees Peter.

"Peter?"

Her eyes then widens and she hugs Peter.

"Peter... It was him... took uncle George... H-He... Oh God! Oh God, I remember! Oh Peter, what he did..." Jill says, tears falling down her face.

"I'm so sorry, Jill. But it's ok now." Peter says.

"No! No, it's not ok! You didn't see. You didn't see his eyes."

Peter then starts to remember every the Goblin has put him through.

"I see those eyes every night." Peter replies

"H-He said he wanted to prove a point. That Uncle George was top of the bill. What's he doing to him, Peter?"

Jill then passes out again, as Peter gently puts her back in bed. He then pulls his mask back on and walks out of the room, motivated even more to find The Goblin.

While he's outside, he gets a call from Andrea.

"Sorry Andrea, it's not really a good time."

At that moment, Peter hears a familiar, sickening laugh that shocks him.

"Can Spider-Bat come out to play?" The Goblin asks.

Peter gets angry.

"Where is she?"