Chapter 8: The Web of Curiosity

The students filed into the observation area, a sleek room filled with monitors and displays showcasing Oscorp's research projects. The tour group buzzed with excitement, their voices overlapping as they speculated about the next part of the visit.

Peter Parker hung at the back of the group, his thoughts still lingering on the spiders they'd just seen. Something about them gnawed at his curiosity, the way their movements seemed almost coordinated, as though they shared some silent understanding.

"Alright, everyone." Gwen Stacy began, her voice cutting through the chatter. "Before we continue, feel free to look around the observation deck. If you have questions, ask one of the staff."

The students spread out, peering at interactive displays and models. Peter's eyes drifted to a nearby screen showing a diagram of Oscorp's arachnid research, but before he could focus, a commotion drew his attention.

"Yo, check this out!" Flash Thompson called, gesturing toward a nearby news screen.

The students gathered around as the holographic display flickered to life, showing a reporter standing outside Ryker's Island.

["Breaking news: Tony Stark, convicted on charges of war crimes and imprisoned at Ryker's Island, has reportedly escaped. Authorities confirm Stark used a stolen van to break through the gates during lunch break. Efforts to locate him are underway."]

Flash gawked at the screen. "Are you kidding me? Stark broke out of prison? The guy who made nukes?"

MJ crossed her arms, shaking her head. "Sounds like something he'd do. Always thought he was too smart for Ryker's anyway."

Peter chuckled, the absurdity of the situation hitting him. "Seriously? A genius billionaire in a van? What, did he strap rockets to it or something?"

Flash snorted, pointing at Peter. "See? Even Parker gets it. The guy probably built a tank out of spare parts."

As the group debated, Peter's amusement faded, his thoughts drifting back to the spiders. He glanced at the teachers and staff, who were too preoccupied discussing the news to notice him slipping away.

....

Peter moved through the halls of Oscorp with quiet determination, retracing his steps to the arachnid lab. He reached the secured door, its keypad blinking ominously.

'Figures.' he thought, scowling at the lock. He glanced around, searching for a solution, but the corridor was empty.

His eyes drifted upward to a vent cover near the ceiling. A slow smile spread across his face. "Why walk when you can climb?"

With a soft leap, Peter grabbed the edge of the vent, his fingers gripping the metal tightly. He hoisted himself up with ease, his lean frame slipping into the narrow duct.

The vent echoed with every movement, the metallic hum of machinery vibrating faintly beneath him. Peter crawled forward, his breath steady, until he reached the end of the vent. Peering through the slats, he confirmed he was directly above the arachnid lab.

'Perfect!' he thought, pushing the cover aside and lowering himself into the room. His sneakers landed softly on the floor, and he straightened, brushing dust off his shirt.

The lab was eerily quiet, the only sound the faint hum of the enclosure's machinery. Peter approached the glass, his eyes fixed on the spiders. He studied their intricate webbing, the shimmering silk strands catching the light like tiny galaxies.

"Stronger than steel..." he murmured. "What else are you hiding?"

A voice interrupted his thoughts. "Ha! I knew it."

Peter spun around to see Gwen standing in the doorway, her arms crossed and a smirk on her face.

"Knew what?" Peter asked, feigning innocence.

"That you'd do something stupid." Gwen replied, stepping inside. "I've been keeping an eye on you since the tour started. You've got 'troublemaker' written all over you."

Peter grinned. "I get it. I'm handsome, but stalking me? Bit much, don't you think?"

Gwen's smirk vanished, and she kicked his shin lightly. "Shut up, Parker."

Peter winced, hopping back a step. "Hey! Violence isn't the answer."

"Neither is breaking into restricted areas." Gwen shot back, her glare softening.

Peter sighed, gesturing toward the enclosure. "Look, I just... don't think these spiders are here just for their silk. There's something more to them."

Gwen frowned, folding her arms. "That's not my problem. I'm just an intern, Parker. I don't know the details."

Peter opened his mouth to reply but froze as he noticed something off. He pointed at the enclosure. "Hey, aren't there supposed to be more spiders? I swear there were sixteen."

Gwen's brow furrowed as she counted. "Oh, no... There's only thirteen."

"Yeah." Peter said, stepping closer. "You guys messed up big time." His eyes narrowed as he spotted something crawling on Gwen's shoulder. "Uh, Gwen?"

"What?" she asked, turning toward him.

"You've got a... guest." Peter pointed at the pink spider scuttling across her blazer.

Gwen's eyes widened, and she began flailing frantically. "Get it off! Get it off!"

The spider reacted, biting her exposed wrist before leaping to the floor. Gwen yelped, clutching her arm as Peter grabbed a nearby vial, trapping the spider inside.

"Gotcha." Peter muttered, poking holes in the lid with a pen before slipping the vial into his backpack.

Gwen glared at him. "That's stealing."

"Yeah, well, I don't care," Peter replied, his grin unapologetic.

Gwen swayed slightly, her face pale. Peter reached out to steady her. "Whoa, you okay?"

"Just... dizzy.." she murmured weakly.

Peter guided her to a nearby chair, his attention shifting as he spotted another spider, a red-and-blue one, crawling along the edge of the desk.

"Great, there's another one!" he muttered, capturing it with a second vial and adding it to his bag.

"Parker, what are you doing?" Gwen asked, her voice faint.

Peter smirked, pulling a USB drive from his pocket. "Just borrowing some data. Stay put."

Gwen blinked at him, her confusion evident. "What?"

Peter turned to the computer, his grin widening as he began to work. "You'll see."

Peter plugged the USB into the terminal, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he navigated Oscorp's complex systems. The security protocols were impressive, but he couldn't help smirking at how easily he bypassed them.

"Let's make some magic." he muttered.

Gwen, still sitting pale and weak nearby, managed a groggy protest. "Peter… what are you doing?"

Peter didn't glance back, his focus locked on the screen. "Fixing our little trespassing problem."

With a few keystrokes, he accessed the footage of the arachnid lab, editing the video feed to show an empty room. He carefully looped the doctored footage, ensuring it appeared undisturbed for the next few hours.

"Okay." Peter said under his breath, his tone almost playful. "Step one, done. Now for step two."

He opened the security logs of the tour group's movements, painstakingly editing the footage to show himself and Gwen sticking with the group the entire time. It wasn't perfect, but it would pass casual inspection.

Gwen groaned weakly. "You're insane…"

"Insanely good at this," Peter quipped, his grin widening as he accessed the main server directory. "Now, let's see what Oscorp's hiding."

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I'm loving this Peter 😫

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