Pre-Party Trivia

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***

7 July, 2013. 10:27.

Peter Parker's flat.

Spider-Man

The next four days after Fury blessed me with a secret operation were extremely busy.

Firstly, I took a responsible approach to testing my post-mutation abilities and spent the day testing their limits in an abandoned warehouse. My powers, as Raj had predicted, have doubled. I could now lift over twenty tonnes of weight with no problem, and my limit without symbiote support was thirty tonnes.

Speed, agility, endurance, sense of balance, biomagnetism, everything has increased. If I could react to a point-blank pistol shot before, now I could do the same with a machine-gun burst.

I had been testing my body for twenty-four hours, and it was not until fourteen hours later that I began to show signs of fatigue. Now I can stand on one toe and not even sway, but stick to surfaces with absolutely any part of my body, even my tongue (although it hurts). And the best part is that each of these indicators, I have control over, as I was previously extremely honed. The result of early hours of training my abilities.

I also researched what's out there on the organic web. Probably managed to wrap the entire warehouse twice before I felt 'emptied'. But as soon as I ate, especially something starchy, I was once again ready to shoot my white liquid in all directions.

Then I had not imagined it on Wild Earth, and I had indeed acquired night vision. In daylight it does not manifest itself in any way, but when I am in a place where there is no light at all, I see things as if it were white day.

It's the same with air currents and vibrations, I've become very sensitive to them. I don't know how I can use it yet, but it's a fact. I can only note that my hearing has become much sharper, it's probably related.

Regeneration has just gone up capitally, still not Logan, but damn close! And with Raj's symbiotic support, I'm not sure I'm going to be inferior to Wolverine's self-repair abilities.

Most striking of all was the rudiments of some sort of telepathy. This ability allowed me to interact with spiders.

Spoiler, they don't think like we do. Though the moment I sensed the instinctive desires of the pet spider perched in the corner of the hall of my flat, my face had to be seen. True shock. I've experienced this ability in the park and it's the same with wild spiders. Once I tried to give them a mental command and a few of them did it! Wow.

What a sting. While my claws could cut almost any material into decent grooves, the bone Stings could cut through anything without even noticing the obstacles. I also noticed that sometimes the ends of the Stings would have some kind of liquid on them, so I took the stuff and ran it through the lab. It turned out to be polyamine poison, a potent paralytic that some species of spiders can secrete. I wondered if the Stings of Cain secreted it as well.

Secondly, I started training with my Web Warriors. Ben, Cain, and Delia quickly got into the tone and were excited about our sessions to hone our teamwork.

I don't know if it was a peculiarity of our nature, the synchronisation of Spider Sense or something else, but we interacted as if we were a single organism. They felt me and I felt them. It was amazing, and after only two sessions I decided that we'd go on our next patrol together. Oh, I'm sure all the gangsters in the city will decide to move immediately, since there are now four Spider-Men.

And yet this phenomenal understanding shook my paranoia and forced me to urgently analyse the data from Jackal's experiment, which I had knowingly copied.

Again, even though Warren was a rotten bastard, he was an amazing expert. His research was impressive.

As it turned out, he didn't just change Delia's sex, he added certain DNA strands to the spider's genes. That could explain the pheromones and the organic web. But I don't think my sister's got anything else going on.

With Cain the situation is more interesting, trying to strengthen the so-called "spider genes", Miles started the process of degradation, which could have destroyed my brother, but the Jackal corrected the situation in time. It didn't go away. And I'm not just talking about the scars all over his face. Warren was partially successful in his plan, which is where the sting comes from. Also, supposedly Cain's Sense is stronger than Ben's and Delia's, but definitely weaker than mine, though I can see why my opinion, approval, and so on are so important to Cain. Our Sense signals resonate on close frequencies, but mine is an "Alpha Sense," hence the reaction. Very, very roughly speaking, I've got an incredibly loyal clone, willing to do anything for me. And that's interesting.

And lastly, Ben. Nothing remarkable, just an ordinary clone, or rather, a perfect external and genetic copy. Except for one interesting fact. In an attempt to create a flawless clone, Miles was so obsessed with perfection that he stripped Ben of all his faulty genes. He did the same thing with Delia and Cain.

These genes included everything that could uncontrollably change the organism, including the X-gene, which had not yet matured and awakened in the organisms of the clones. When I reached this part of the experiment, I just could not stop and laughed until tears, just hysterically laughing.

Just think about it, this genius madman outdid himself!

He was so eager to reshape everything on his own, got rid of all, as it seemed to him, "harmful" genes, "Parker's flaws", but this only irreparably weakened my copies. Now the clones simply don't have those genes in their DNA, which means they'll never learn to produce bioelectricity, because Miles got rid of that set of cells in the first place. They'll never have trouble mutating because they have the X-Gene cut out, which means they'll never turn into Spider-Monsters and become stronger past that stage. In an attempt to improve "me", Warren made it so that the clones would forever be weaker, even if I had to fight them one against three and that's just on my own.

Oh, how I wanted to get in front of the Jackal and laugh in his face. Even in his triumph, that spineless scum had shat himself. Well, he'll burn in hell.

After my study, I moved on to more mundane matters.

First, I went to the Baxter Building. Turns out I got there in time, because the Four started to suspect something and almost sounded the alarm, but all was well. As it turned out, during the week I'd been away they'd had a run-in with a certain El Diablo Alchemist and, wouldn't you believe it, Dr Doom! Victor needed some kind of device, Reed didn't want to give it to him and everything went back to canon.

It's a shame, after the Destroyer thing, I've got a lot of respect for Doom. He may have his quirks, but the guy covered for me when I was hurt, I owe him. And Peter Parker always pays his debts. Life debts, at least. And if it's not rent.

Anyway, I spent half the day with the Fantastic Four, experimenting with Negative Zone readings in Reed's lab, playing video games with Johnny, watching matches and playing a bit of football with Ben, and I helped Sue a bit with the foundation, and got Reed to pause the experiment and go out with his wife. You know, bonding.

I spent the afternoon in the lab with Doc Connors. He had a grudge against me because I'd kept him busy, but he didn't have time to do anything. Gwen has covered for me, so yesterday I visited her and Mr Stacey with whisky, cake and flowers, to repay old debts.

All that's left is to find out what's happened to Flint and start dealing with Osborne. And I'm going to cross paths with Gobby somewhere today.

The sound of vomit coming from the bathroom broke me from my musings. I jumped up from my chair and ran into the room, seeing Mary Jane bent over the toilet. I walk over and gather her hair out of the way while my Redhead continues to rinse.

- Thank you, Tiger," a pale MJ thanks me in a tired tone.

- Are you okay? - There's a lot of concern in my tone.

- Yeah, probably just poisoned. Nothing to worry about," the redhead dismisses me.

- Are you sure? Are you sure you should go to the opening in your condition?

- Of course, - the vixen looks at me with her emerald eyes, and in her beautiful pools there is confidence. - The kitten has worked so hard to prepare herself to make the opening perfect, we can't let her down. Guests of honour, after all.

- You don't think it's weird that we're guests of honour at the Hardy Consolidated opening?

- Are you worried that the guests might think something wrong? - Mary asks with a smile, after she's washed her face and returned it to its usual ruddy colour.

- I wouldn't want all those business tycoons and the flamboyant elite to spread dirty rumours about you and me and Kitten," I hold the redhead close to me. - I don't care, but if I hear something inappropriate about you, I can't stand it.

- Let them say what they want, Pete, what do we care? - M.J. puts his hand on my cheek. - Isn't it enough that the three of us know the truth and we're okay with it?

- You're right," I rub against my Carrot-top's palm, "of course you're right.

- Well, it's a good thing I threw up before I had a chance to change into my dress," I love this woman for her ineradicable optimism. - I feel better now, I can get dressed.

- Please, beautiful lady," I open the door for my girl.

***

At this time.

Secret Oscorp Labs.

Norman Osborne.

The genius, billionaire and madman walked past the test chamber towards his armoury. Deactivating the lock, the man began to watch as the sliding flaps revealed his Green Goblin suit. Though now, after the perfect serum, the Goblin was something more, his essence, something that was, deep inside, his soul.

Norman smiled.

The effects of the serum, the sprouts of OZ, had finally blossomed deep into Osborn's DNA. Which meant.

In the reflection of the glass door, Norman's eyes flashed orange.

Time to test himself.

The scientist walked over to the counter and removed his suit, which he had time to improve for his upcoming needs. It would be nice to steal Stark's technology and try to create something like that Iron Man armour. Only better. Goblin style.

Norman laughed madly, quickly donning the suit. After slinging his bag of pumpkin bombs over his shoulder and double-checking his gloves, Ozborn, grinning madly, jumped into his flying machine and put on his mask, just before the Glider carried him up through the hatch of the secret tunnel leading straight into the city.

Norman Osborn would have duties today, but before he did, the Goblin would get a good thrashing. It's time to take out the trash.

*

Twenty minutes later.

Harlem, Pumpkinhead Base.

Lee Stull, the self-proclaimed leader of the Pumpkinhead Gang was relaxing in the main room of their base.

Alas, the Pumpkinheads had risen quickly, but they had faded so quickly.

And everything started so well, their leader appeared on a monster flying on a monster and with a crazy smile offered a damn good weapon, advanced. They raided that stupid fundraiser and then thought, what next?

And it went just as Stull had hoped: raiding banks, ports, stealing weapons and medical supplies. They were going to make an army out of them and some personalities, like Marcus, as a former military man, liked it a hell of a lot. There were also people like Amber who thought they'd be a damn good street gang and they should have stayed at that level better.

Most of the gang didn't bother with such questions, we had the money, we had the guns, we didn't need more than that.

And yet Amber was right, because the sprouts of their growing power were being ruthlessly trampled on, and that all-destroying force was, who would have thought, Spider-Man.

The current boss of the pumpkinheads didn't understand why this, as he declares himself, Friendly Neighbour was so angry with them. But the fact is, Spider-Man disrupted their every operation, searching for bases like a man possessed and interrogating every Pumpkinhead who got in his way, and it soon became obvious he was looking for the boss.

And the Green Goblin knew it, delaying their meeting. Lee, as the right hand, often took orders from the boss, passing them to the rest of the organisation, and sometimes he managed to communicate with the Goblin live and yes, the laughing madman was a real psychopath, but a genius and a brilliant tactician, under him the organisation grew stronger, and he regarded Spider's persecutions as a game, delaying its finale.

However, at the crucial moment Goblin disappeared, abandoned them and everything fell apart.

At the risk of becoming one of the strongest groups in New York, they became another small gang, the power of the previously captured weapons was enough for them to reclaim a small piece of land in Harlem and return to the former small business. It was enough to keep them afloat.

- You're wondering how it all came to this again?

The current boss of the Pumpkinheads turned and saw the one who was now his right-hand man. Amber flicked her pink-coloured fringes and leaned against the doorjamb. Unlike Marcus's dubobolo, she could think, so the place of his right hand went to her.

- Just thinking about what to do next.

But Stull's further words were interrupted by a series of explosions, so violent that plaster fell from the ceiling.

- An attack?!

- I don't know, get to the briefing room!

Lee caught the gun Amber threw him and ran into the hall. Meanwhile, the explosions didn't stop, but only got closer.

Other members of the organisation were running alongside them, some had fucked prostitutes and were now trying to get their trousers on, some were obviously high or drunk, but everyone was running to where the most pumpkinheads would be.

Eventually Stull entered the room and, finding his main chain dog with his eyes, approached him.

- What's going on, Marcus?

- We're under attack, apparently," the pumped-up man mumbled in reply.

Meanwhile, the sounds of explosions were coming closer and closer to their location, getting louder and louder.

- This is insane, there are at least forty pumpkinheads in this room right now, it's suicide, pure madness!

- Somehow I don't think the attackers care much," the Negro muttered, reloading his shotgun.

The pumpkinheads armed themselves and aimed their weapons at the door, ready to fire as soon as it opened.

A minute, a second. There was a deafening silence and many began to get nervous. Third, Fourth.

The leader was about to go out and open the damn door himself! But he didn't have to.

There was an explosion that tore off the heavy oak doors, which flew off with such force that they even crashed into the nearest members of the organisation, seriously injuring some of them.

Meanwhile, the creator of the Pumpkinheads flew into the room, laughing madly.

- Daddy's home, boys and girls! - announced the Goblin, waving his arms out to the sides.

- B-boss? - Marcus whispered.

In response, Norman pointed his gun fingers at the man who had opened his mouth and fired two powerful stun charges that threw the two-metre tall man to the far end of the room.

- Did I authorise anyone to speak? - Osborn clarified, blowing invisible smoke off his finger.

No one else had said anything.

- Eh, how did you manage to screw this up so badly? I admit I walked away, leaving you without my wise guidance, but I had good reasons. And you? I gave you everything: weapons, bases, uniforms, discipline. How the fuck did you fuck up discipline?! - Green pondered as he glided around the room in his glider.

- Boss, I...

- Oh, Mr Lee, self-proclaimed leader," the Goblin abruptly approached the pale Asian and hovered in front of him on his flying machine, "do you want to justify yourself?

- I...I...I," Stull cleared his throat with a cough and tried to start speaking confidently, "at the time, I was acting under the circumstances to preserve what you had created, to preserve the pumpkinheads," Lee looked into the supervillain's eyes. - I take full responsibility for what happened.

- Oh, that's manly," Norman said, smiling gloatingly.

In the next second, the Goblin grabbed his former deputy by the collar of his T-shirt and lifted him straight up to the ceiling of the spacious hallway on his glider. The supervillain pulled two pumpkin bombs out of his bag, but when activated, it turned out that they were not explosives, but two large hooks, which the madman used to nail Stull to the ceiling.

- Hang here for now, we'll talk later. As for the others," the Goblin looked at the bandits watching from below like ants, "this isn't a flogging," Norman pressed the remote control system and activated the glider's rocket launchers, "it's a cleaning.

The next second, a volley of four missiles flew out of the gargoyle-shaped machine. Several crashed into the largest crowd of pumpkinheads, the explosion killing at least seven, the bodies of three torn into disfigured pieces. The other missiles flew tangentially, but also managed to gather their harvest of five dead.

Panic ensued, and only three of the nearly three dozen survivors tried to shoot at the Goblin.

Norman calmly watched, smoothly dodging the shots. Now he was interested not in those who tried to fight, but in those who cowardly ran away. The Green Goblin took pumpkin bombs out of his bag and activated the glider's machine gun. With the throws of two bombs, he destroyed the four hapless bandits who were running unsuccessfully nearby. With a thunderous blast from the heavens, he mowed down another dozen pumpkinheads with a machine-gun burst, ending their lives. Pressing a button with his foot, he released a blade from the mouth of his flying machine, and armed himself, pulling out a trident from the glider's base.

In the process of his deadly flight, Norman bound the three brave men with glider fishing lines, and killed the remaining criminals with the trident or the blade.

At last the carnage was over. The spacious room was littered with corpses. Some were still bleeding from their last breaths, and some had begun to spread the stifling odour of the bodies of those who had been alive a few dozen minutes ago.

- Well, now you," said Osborn, smiling madly, fixing the trident in its rightful place.

Norman circled the three brave men. The only survivors, apart from a shocked Lee, who was watching the execution nailed to the ceiling, were Amber, Marcus and the currently shaking guy in the hat and baggy clothes.

- I think we'll start with you," Osborn flew over to the bound and terrified boy, "what's your name, boy?

- O-ot-tis," said the dark-haired boy, stammering, his eyes downcast.

- Be a man, Otis, and look straight at me!

At the madman's shout, the lad raised his startled gaze to him.

- Why do you think I left you three alive? - Confidingly approaching, the Goblin asked.

In response, the boy only shook his head negatively.

- You don't know," Green said disappointedly. - It's simple," the Goblin said, folding his hands behind his back. - You put up a fight, not a cowardly run! While these," Norman pointed at the corpses behind him, "were futilely trying to save their lives, you, by the right of the strong, were fighting for your own. That is honourable.

- You mean you're going to let us go? - hope flared in the dark-haired boy's eyes, interrupted by mad laughter.

- That's a nice suggestion, silly but nice," the Goblin wiped away an invisible tear. - No, it's just that you deserve to be test subjects for my new abilities.

The man raised his hand and clenched it into a fist. To the shocked looks of the pumpkinheads, the Goblin's hand began to burn.

- This is so exciting, I've never tested my abilities in costume," Ozborn said in a manic tone. - I hope the glove doesn't burn," Norman turned to the pale boy, "let's begin the test.

The Green Goblin put his hand on Otis's face and the fire began to spread through his body like a dry tree in a forest fire, burning alive the guy screaming in pain. After a dozen seconds, the brunet died of painful shock, and after another twenty-five, his body turned into an unrecognisable charred corpse.

- Interesting," Norman muttered, moving over to the terrified girl, "now you, cutie.

- If you think I'm going to beg for mercy, you can go fuck yourself, you green freak," Amber picked herself up and sent the bastard away.

- Norman brought his hand to the girl's face and squeezed her cheeks, "It would be tempting to keep you alive and keep you as a toy, but I don't throw words into the wind.

The goblin raised his palm, but instead of lighting fire on it, he began to concentrate it and after a dozen seconds formed a fireball in his hand.

Raising his other hand, Osborn repeated the procedure.

- Goodbye, sweetheart, - Goblin threw two powerful fireballs at the girl, which sizzled Amber, revealing another burnt corpse.

- Perfect," Norman flew up to the last victim.

To Osborn's surprise, Marcus only laughed loudly.

- Well done, boss. How'd you do that?! - the negro burst out laughing again. - I knew it, I told those fuckers you'd be back! And they didn't believe me. Who's laughing now, bitches?!

The Goblin noted to himself that this was hysteria bordering on insanity.

- The purge, that's brilliant, boss! Now we're gonna start over and make the Pumpkinheads what they should be, right? - the big guy was staring fanatically at the supervillain.

- I'm sorry, big guy," Norman said to Marcus with the same smile, "but no exceptions. However, for your loyalty," the glider took the Goblin a few metres away from the man, "I will give you an easy death.

Green raised both hands and fire began to swirl on them, as if building up. In the next second, bright orange flames burst from the villain's hands and consumed the body of the Pumpkinhead's most formidable fighter in powerful jets, as if fired from two flamethrowers.

- You're probably wondering how I did all that. - The Goblin questioned, flying up to the nailed Lee as Marcus burned to death.

Stull, however, was so shocked by the carnage that he was unable to utter a word.

- "I actually tested one of my powerful designs, at the time of taking it my Green OZ was the only portion of its kind," Norman continued to rant, clenching his hand into a fist. - Even now I'm not sure I've awakened the full potential of my formula, but I'm thinking of erasing all the research, because what better repository than this," Norman tapped his head, "right?

But Lee continued to make no response.

- I bet you're wondering why I'm telling you all this. Well," Norman patted his former deputy on the cheek, "as you know, dead men tell no tales.

The goblin began to form fire in his palm.

***

An hour before the events described.

Tinkerer's electronics shop.

Alistair Smythe.

The guy was scared. He sat in his gurney chair and couldn't believe what was happening.

- You didn't think you'd be able to hide, did you, Spencer?

All Alistair could only hear was a rumbling bass.

- M-Mr Fisk, please," Smythe Senior babbled in fear.

- No. You've failed, and you've decided to run away without honouring our agreements. Sooner or later you have to pay for that.

Smythe Jr. clenched his eyes shut, trying not to react as his father was beaten behind the wall. Useless worthless cripple!

The sounds of violence stopped.

- Please, just don't hurt your son," Spencer's weak voice rang out.

- Don't worry, your cripple is of no interest to my Syndicate.

A gunshot rang out.