Issue #1 by Jake Hawkins
Sep 2023 Peter Parker
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It is a rainy, early spring morning in uptown New York city. Richard Parker smoothed out his lab coat while hurrying into the elevator from the employee parking tunnel. He caught the doors just before they closed and hopped inside. He shuffled into place amongst the other employees of Oscorp. Already running late, he didn’t hesitate to ignore his phone vibrating in the front pocket of his coat and hurried off the lift in the direction of his lab.
The massive industrial lighting rigs that had been fine-tuned to his specifications when he was hired came on the moment he stepped inside. He walked into his office near the back of the room and got settled, taking off his winter coat and tossing it on the back of his chair. As he looks over his schedule for the day he looks up to see his co-worker entering the lab. He put on his moon frame glasses and spun out of his chair, walking over to poke halfway out of the office to be seen. “Right here, Curt.” He let his colleague, Doctor Curtis Connors know as he made his way back into the main area of his lab. He pushed back his blonde hair, tucking it behind his ears as we walked over. “Looks like you had the same kind of morning as me.” Dr. Conners gave Richard a wry smile before passing him one of the cups of coffee in the drink holder he was carrying. “Well I figured if Osborn was going to chew me out for being late, I may as well be wide awake while he does it.” Richard is surprised by the joke from the usually somewhat uptight Curtis, but all the more appreciative of it nonetheless. “Let’s just hope our latest round of testing results will be enough to appease that goddamn buzzard and his shareholders. That will keep all of us without the board and any of his partners breathing down our necks.” Richard said with a hope even he couldn’t pretend to be confident in. Curtis could tell his word’s didn’t even sway himself, which caused him to chuckle at the irony. He checked his watch and took another sip of coffee. “Welp, I guess we better head on up. Are you ready?” “Let me just grab a few things from my desk.” He answered before hustling back across the lab and into his office. He pulled open the middle drawer of his desk and pulled out the flash drives with the data for his portion of the presentation. Once he slammed it shut, his phone vibrated loudly against his keyboard, clattering enough to finally get his attention. He picked it up and eyed it with peculiar curiosity. “Hey I’m getting ready to head into a meeting, can I-” Richard paused, the voice on the other end interrupting his excuse. “I understand that, Ben, I do. But I can’t leave here right now, not today. Please.” Deep in the heart of Brooklyn, hauling his equipment upstairs was Benjamin Parker, his phone tucked between his ear and shoulder as he spoke with his brother. Ben huffed as he reached the final step of the sixth floor, thankful that his climb was over. He caught his wind for a moment before returning to the exasperating call with his younger brother. “For god’s sake Rick. It’s bad enough you’ve never set foot in the kid’s school in the last two years!” Ben took a few short breaths, determined to not allow his brother’s attitude to work him into a tizzy. He could already hear May scolding him about his blood pressure. “He’s getting this scholarship this afternoon, something he worked so hard for to make you proud, and you can’t make time for your own son?” “Ben, the work I am doing is going to better not just Peter’s life, but the lives of so many people across the world. I’m doing this for him. He will understand that. I need you to as well right now.” Ben only shook his head at his brother’s flimsy rationale “Rick, you’re all he’s got left. You can’t…” Ben paused, holding back a sigh as he tried to find the words he was hoping would get through to his brother. “You can’t keep doing this to him. You’re all he’s got left, god damn it.” Ben made sure to cross his heart and apologize for his curse as he waited for his brother’s response to his plea. “We both know that isn’t true. He has May. He has you. Now I’m sorry Ben. I have to go. I’ll be there to pick him up after seven.” Richard assured his brother, but Ben had long had enough of his brother’s part time, if at all, parenting. “You know what, why bother? You’re just dropping him off here tomorrow anyways. I’ll take him to school the rest of the week.” Ben ended the call abruptly as Richard and Curt got into the elevator. Richard’s chin hit his chest, his heart heavy with the words he knew were nothing short of true from his brother. Curtis couldn’t help but feel regret for his friend’s plight, and placed a consoling hand on his shoulder. “We’re on the precipice. Richard. We both know this. All we have to do is stay the course.” Richard nodded as Curt patted him on the back. They stepped off the elevator and walked down the hall, each with folders full of notes and data composited on their research over the last week. “Good morning gentlemen.” Norman’s assistant greeted them. "Please go right on in, Mr Osborn and the board are expecting you.” Richard gave him a firm nod with barely any eye contact as he strode past the desk and into the conference room. # # # # # # # # # # CURTIS JACKSON JUNIOR HIGH SOUTHSIDE QUEENS, NEW YORK Fourteen year old Peter Parker folded a piece of scotch tape around the middle of his glasses, mending them for the time being. He stood up straight and made sure he was in line once he’d put them back on. The snickers and rude jokes he could hear coming from his fellow eighth graders that had taken glee in his broken frames were just background noise to Peter. He was far too excited for the ceremony that was about to begin. He listened to Principal Garrison drone on through his introductory speech before finally announcing his class to step on to the stage. “Please welcome our eighth grade scholars award recipients, ladies and gentlemen.” Principal Garrison led the audience in applause as the group of twelve students were led on stage. In the middle of the packed auditorium was May Parker, who whistled and hooted through budding tears at the sight of her nephew. “Excuse me, I’m sorry if I could just…thank you.” She turned to see who was making their way down the aisle towards her. She smiled with relief when she saw her husband, still in his work uniform, but right on time nonetheless. The audience took their seats and Principal Garrison continued the ceremony. May leaned over to her husband with concern all over her face. “Don’t tell me he isn’t coming?” Ben shrugged his shoulders. “Okay. I won’t tell you.” She gave him another look before turning her focus back to the stage, where her fight against welling tears continued the moment she saw Peter sitting behind the principal. “We have a number of students who have received scholarships to the prestigious Brooklyn Visions Academy, where they will be pursuing their high school studies.” Ben smiled wider as the Principal picked back up where he left off, his wife’s enthusiasm and the joyous occasion they were there for helping him to ease his mind off his brother. “I would first like to congratulate and present the Curtis Jackson Junior High Honor Roll award to Peter Benjamin Parker.” Peter sheepishly made his way to the front of the stage but not before scanning the crowd for a few familiar faces. He couldn’t hold back a grin when he saw his Aunt and Uncle whooping and hollering louder than anyone in the room. As he shook hands with Principal Garrison, he couldn’t help but notice that to both Uncle Ben and Aunt May’s right and left were strangers, and nowhere to be found was his dad. He did his best to hide his disappointment while cameras flashed in his direction. Peter took the golden plaque backed on a cherry oak wood in his arms, looking down at his engraved name. He couldn’t wait to show his father, couldn’t wait to put it next to his various scholastic achievements. As he headed back to his seat, he took one last backward glance into the audience, one his Aunt May didn’t miss. Her heart broke in that instant for her nephew, as it so often did when she felt for him. She could see the sag in his shoulders as he sat back down, the smile slowly fading into melancholy. # # # # # # # # # # SOUTHSIDE QUEENS MAY AND BEN PARKER’S HOME Ben and Peter sat on the living room couch, each of them finishing a slice of pineapple upside down cake alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The living and dining areas had been adorned with balloons and streamers to celebrate Peter’s scholarship. A half finished box from Stan’s pizza and an empty bottle of Faygo cola sat on the table, remnants of the small parties' beginning stages. Peter slouched down in his seat once he’d set his plate on the end table next to him. Raiders of the Lost Ark played at a dull roar on the television set. From the kitchen May watched them both as she stood on the cordless house phone. She turned back to the dishes, shaking her head and almost whispering into the phone. “I tell you Marie, I just can’t get it through my head how that man can let his son down like this. It’s almost like the boy’s a complete afterthought to him.” May continued to scrub furiously as she listened to the other end of the call. “Exactly! It's almost as if he can’t fathom that he needs him now more than ever. Thank god for Ben or who knows what state my poor Peter would be in.” Peter nudged his uncle in the pudge of his stomach, jostling the dozing Ben awake. “How long I make it?” Peter couldn’t help but giggle at his uncle. “You made it to the last thirty minutes at least.” Ben sat up, groaning a bit through the effort. “Well that’s got to be a record for me through any movie.” “”Yeah I guess so, maybe we can try to break it tomorrow with the next one?” Ben ruffled his nephew’s hair playfully, giving him a smile. “That don’t sound like too bad of an idea. Maybe we should break the popcorn maker out of the attic tonight and give it a shine?” “That’d be awesome Uncle Ben!” Ben however, wasn’t sold on his nephew’s excitement. One look into Peter’s eyes as he focused back on the movie gave Ben the hint he needed. “Something bothering you, Peter?” Ben leaned forward, trying to meet his nephew eye to eye. He gave him a pat on the shoulder, a gesture hoping to comfort. “Nothing Uncle Ben. I was just wondering, I know my dad’s working late tonight-” Ben sighed, a sign Peter took that his uncle already knew what he was about to ask. “Yeah, listen kiddo. I’m sorry that he couldn’t make it out today.” Peter did his best to make a brave face, looking up at his uncle with what he hoped was a beaming smile. One his uncle however, saw straight through as he spoke. “Ah it’s ok. I know how important the last few weeks have been at work for him. Every once in a while I listen to some of his recordings of his studies, when I can sneak into his office at home.” Ben was surprised by the admission for a moment, until he considered how often his nephew astonished him at every turn. “Well, he said you might say something like that?” This time it was Peter’s turn to be surprised. “He did?” Ben nodded. “Yeah, but I want you to know that your dad has a responsibility to you. Now more than ever. A lot more than he does to Norman Osborn.” “Do you think it would be ok if I caught the train down to Oscorp? Before it gets too late?” Peter eyed his uncle with nothing but a mix of enthusiasm and hope. His uncle shook his head, taking a long look at his nephew. “You make sure you’re back here before 8:30. You got that?” Peter grinned, nodding enthusiastically. “And you better make sure you text your aunt when you get off the train. Well, get a move on then!” Pete hopped off the couch and hurried up the stairs to the spare bedroom he used when at his aunt and uncles. May wandered into the living room with the phone in her grip and both hands on her hips. She cast a look at the stairs, her concern growing as she listened to Peter scurry for his things. “Do you really think it's the best idea for him to go running down there?” May turned her eyes to her husband. He got off the couch and walked over to her, this time putting that same comforting hand on her shoulder. “No. But I couldn’t tell him no. I just couldn’t.” May rested her head on his shoulder, trying to give him the same comfort he had extended her way. Peter bounded back down the steps two at a time. He snatched his award plaque off the coffee table and shoved it into his backpack. “I’ll text you as soon as I get to my stop, Aunt May!” He promised with a wave. “You better!” Aunt May called to him as he disappeared out the door. # # # # # # # # # # OSCORP RESEARCH FACILITY UPTOWN MANHATTAN Peter placed the finishing touches on his text to Aunt May before heading inside the building through the sets of automatic doors. The main lobby receptionist recognized him as soon as she looked up. With a warm smile she greeted him as he walked over to her desk. “I didn’t expect to see you here this evening. On your way up to see your dad?” “Yes ma’am. Is he in his office?” Peter responded as politely as his Aunt May had always taught him. “One moment, let me check for you.” She picked up one of the many phones across the rectangular reception area and dialed the extension for Dr. Parker’s department. After a moment or so, she hung it back up and gave Peter a disappointed frown. “Looks like he’s still in a conference with the board.” “You mind if I wait in his office?” Peter asked, and the receptionist's smile gave him his answer before she could put it into words. “You remember the way?” She asked, but he was already walking past her and headed for the elevators. “I think I can manage.” He told her and followed it up with a wave before rounding the corner. Inside the conference room, Richard Parker and Curtis Connors continued their lengthy presentation on their research. They stood at the front and center of the room, each of them on one side of the projector that was presenting their data. “As you can gather from the numerous trial breakthroughs we have had with various test runs so far, we are getting closer than ever to having the ability to take the strengths and biological traits of animals and apply them to mankind’s greatest weaknesses. Dementia, cancerous cells-” Curt paused for a moment to gesture to his own stub. “Even missing limbs, all can be problems of the past with the genetic coding sequencing we are in the process of developing.” “Well, therein lies the issue, gentlemen.” Norman Osborn leaned forward, his elbows on the table as he kept a keen eye on the projector screen. “I mean most of the subjects you’ve had that have exhibited traits from other animals you’ve injected them with have eventually succumbed to all sorts of side effects. Have any of them lived past a few days?” Curtis cleared his throat, a prompt for Richard to step back into the fray. “We have isolated the issue and have more than enough test data to ensure our next subject will be the one that leads us towards full human testing.” Richard swiped upward on his phone and a series of graphs, charts, and a few recorded videos showcasing a spider in their testing lab replaced the items previously on the screen. “This funnel weaver spider that we have selected for examination seventy-three, has been irradiated for thirty minute intervals every four hours over the last three weeks.” Richard explained. He poked his chest out and shot a look in Norman’s direction before continuing. He wanted it to be clear how much he stood on what they were representing, and he would not be deterred by the doubts of even the CEO. “We believe the steady doses of light radiation are the exact catalyst we need for the DNA binding to stabilize. Once this test is successful, we should be nothing but a step, even a hop away from human trials.” Curtis summarized, bringing their presentation to a close. The lights came on in the boardroom and Norman sized up the two scientists under his employ. “I want the results of these next round tests in my office by the end of next week. No setbacks. No excuses. No further extensions.” “Absolutely. Understood.” Richard confirmed. His cell vibrating in his pocket forced his attention away from Norman momentarily as the board members got up from their seats. Norman ignored the disrespect he felt Richard could possibly be showing him and continued with his ultimatum. “It's far past time we received some substantial progress from your department. We’ve signed a lot of blank checks over the years without the returns we were initially promised.” Norman walked out of the boardroom, leaving the pair of research scientists behind as he moved to the next portion of his ever busy schedule. Curtis gave Richard a sideways glance, wondering what could possibly be distracting him right as they wrapped their pitch to the board for their funding to be continued. “We have an issue.” Curtis' face went stark white at the sentence from his co-worker. Just a few scant minutes later they both rushed into the testing lab, hurrying over to Adam, their lab tech who was standing in front of an empty cage amongst a wall full of various arachnids. “For the love of god Adam what the hell happened?” Curtis demanded, pacing back and forth in front of the empty cage. Adam stammered for answers to the many questions they surely had about their missing test subject. The unfortunate part of it all was he didn’t have many for them. “I can’t be too sure to be honest with you Dr. Connors.” He answered with nothing but regret, barely able to look at them both. “The locking sequence was initiated last night before the last tech signed out, but it looks like the subject's cage might have a maintenance issue.” Richard walked around Adam and inspected the computer console that ran the lab cage locking program. He ran through the program himself a few times, trying to find what could have led to this catastrophe. Behind him, Curtis continued pace, now trying to figure out the most efficient way for them to recover their test subject. “We’re going to need every wing of the building swept through by a sanitation team, and quietly. We’re going to need a reason for us to initiate a B level lockdown, section by section of the building.” Curtis broke down the strategy forming in his head. Richard turned around, his arms folded. “I guess this is a bad time for me to let you know the lobby called for Dr. Parker.” Adam interrupted sheepishly, figuring this was the most opportune time for him to deliver the news. Richard looked at Adam, completely bemused by what the lab tech could be referring to. “Called me for, what exactly?” # # # # # # # # # # Peter sat behind his dad’s desk, browsing away through the private research files house on the computer in front of him. His mouth hung open slack jawed at the data his father had compiled over the years. He had no idea the depth of his father’s fascination with both human and animal DNA, and realized then he needed to study more of this. He looked over the top of the monitor to be sure he was still alone as he hatched a quick idea. His fingers moved with precision across the keyboard, breaking down the Oscorp firewall in just a few brief moments. He was certain no one in their IT department would be the wiser that he had disabled their file transfer security protocols. Peter dug through his backpack to retrieve a usb stick that he plugged into the computer tower. As he copied everything on his father’s work that the drive would hold, the very same spider that was to be the subject of his next round of tests spun a web down from the ceiling. His attention fixated on the monitor screen, Peter didn’t notice as the spider crawled across his shoulder blades and slipped underneath his shirt. He yanked the usb out of the computer with a satisfied smirk on his face. As he stuffed the drive deep into the bottom of his backpack, a piercing pain struck his left shoulder. He stood up abruptly, trying to figure out where the sharp pang could have come from. He saw the spider scurry out of his sleeve and across the table just before his vision began to blur. Suddenly he felt hotter than he could ever imagine and he desperately yearned for some fresh air. Peter knew there wasn’t a window anywhere in his dad’s or Doctor Connors office. His only hope for reprieve from whatever suddenly ailed him was to get back downstairs and out on the street. He threw his backpack on his shoulder, but it felt to him like it was full of bricks. Sweat trickled down his face, he couldn’t believe how much it was scorching in the office, the only thing on his mind was getting to the lobby. Peter took a step and had to steady himself, his knees buckling. He placed both palms flat on the desk, desperate to keep himself from collapsing in a heap. He looked up, just in time to see his father and Dr. Connors rushing towards the office. He could tell his father was shouting, but everything around him sounded like white noise ten leagues under the sea. The room swam back and forth in front of him before everything faded to black, the last sight he saw before his head hit the floor was the look of desperation on his father’s face. # # # # # # # # # # ST. KRISTA HOSPITAL WEST MANHATTAN Richard stared through the glass window into the ICU room that his son was in, his face grim and gaunt. He couldn’t take his eyes off the tube down his son’s throat as they tried to pump the venom from his veins. The ding of the elevator down the hall reaching the eighth floor broke him from the listless thoughts he was filling his head with. He looked to his left and saw his brother marching down the hall in his direction. May, always the far more level headed of their pairing, could be seen visibly pulling him backwards in an effort to slow his progress. She was in the midst of certainly giving Ben a heavy piece of her mind, but her words didn’t impede his march any more than the pulling. “You just couldn’t take a goddamn hour out of your day to come to the ceremony. No, Norman Osborn and whatever check he writes you next is far more important than your son to the great Rick Parker.” Ben’s voice raised as his tirade started to take shape. Richard’s shoulders sagged deeper somehow, all fight extinguished there. May took a long, hard look at her brother-in-law, then turned to the ICU room with her nephew inside. “Ben…please. This isn’t the time or place..” May insisted. Ben whipped his stare around at her, and a deep look into her soft blue eyes, and his anger formed into nothing but pain. He took a step closer to the glass and watched Peter sleep, in a medically induced coma from what his brother told them. This time Ben’s shoulders sagged, and this caused Richard an ever greater ache in his heart. “You can go home, or to work Rick. We’ll take it from here.” Ben told him softly, turning back around to face his brother. Richard opened his mouth to speak, to plead his case. The words he felt would suffice never came to him, and instead he merely walked right back down the hall the very same way Ben and May had arrived. Ben watched the elevator doors close on his brother, both of them looking into each other’s eyes. “Mr. and Mrs. Parker? If you’d like, you can go inside.” A nurse working the ward informed them before leading the way inside the room. The door closed behind them, and May swooped to Peter’s side. She took his hand in hers and brushed his hair out of his eyes. They both listened to the nurse explain Peter’s current status, but their minds were only on if he would open his eyes again. # # # # # # # # # # Richard Parker turned the lights on in his two bedroom Queens apartment. He slid to the floor, clutching his head in his hands as he sobbed quietly. His grief was interrupted by the sound of his cell phone chiming softly. He looked down at the number and his stomach dropped when he saw it was Norman Osborn himself. Reluctantly, he answered the call. “Mr. Osborn, how can I help you?” TO BE CONTINUED |