I’m Not Becoming Spider-Man - Chapter 47: First Encounter with the Mutated Spider (Patreon)

Peter's adoptive parents really had worked as researchers for Oscorp. They'd been colleagues of Dr. Connors, and back then they'd held positions far above his. Of course, that had been more than ten years ago. At some point they'd disappeared without a trace, leaving Peter in Aunt May's care.

If he remembered correctly, the two of them should have been involved in research on genetically altered spiders. So why hadn't he seen a single one during the tour?

He was beginning to worry that Gwen might not get the chance to become Spider-Woman after all.

“Hmm...” Harley hesitated. “Give me a second, Peter.”

She tapped away on her phone, glanced toward the teacher supervising the students, and then beckoned to him. “Come on. Follow me!”

She slipped away from the tour group with Peter and led him to an elevator. “The spider research isn't down here. It's upstairs, in a part of the building that's closed to visitors.”

The elevator carried them to a silent, deserted upper floor. At the security door, Harley calmly submitted to a retinal scan. Her identification had long since been registered in the building's security system.

“Hurry up, Peter. This way.”

With her phone in hand, she guided him down the corridor to another door. She entered a passcode, and they stepped inside.

“Here we are. Your parents may have worked in this very room.”

Harley switched on the lights. A huge, translucent red enclosure stood before them, filled with tangled webbing. Countless little red spiders crawled through it.

“Wow. That's quite a sight.”

“I think it's creepy. I don't know how your parents could stand working with these things,” Harley said.

Apart from the enormous main enclosure, a number of smaller glass containers stood nearby. Several spiders scurried around inside them. As the pair approached, however, the little creatures slowed, almost as though they were watching the visitors.

“It was their job,” Peter replied, leaning closer to examine them.

“What do you suppose would happen if one of these mutated spiders bit somebody?” Harley asked.

“Who knows? Maybe they'd get superpowers.”

“Really? That would be amazing!”

“Or, more likely, they'd die of poisoning.”

That quickly put an end to Harley's daydream.

“Uh... Right.”

The laboratory certainly looked advanced, and it was the sort of place ordinary visitors never got to see. Harley herself hadn't been there before, so she was just as curious as Peter. She hadn't even known about it until she'd asked her mother's secretary.

Then again, she'd never taken much interest in her mother's business to begin with.

Peter scratched his chin.

Something didn't add up. If the altered spiders were kept up here instead of in the exhibition downstairs, then either one had escaped and made its way down to the public area, or...

He turned around.

A tiny spider was perched on the edge of a glass container, though he had no idea how it had gotten there. Several little round eyes were fixed on him.

Peter stared back.

The spider raised its front legs as if overjoyed to have finally found the prey it had been waiting for.

Eeeek! It launched itself at him in a sudden leap, seemingly prepared to sacrifice everything to fulfill its destiny. Its tiny fangs were almost close enough to sink into his skin!

Smack!

Instead, it struck the transparent cup in Peter's hand. He snapped a lid over the opening, and just like that, the would-be instrument of fate was his prisoner.

“What happened, Peter?”

“Nothing. Let's go back down. I've seen what I wanted to see.”

“Aren't you going to take any pictures?”

“I'd rather not get thrown in prison for industrial espionage.”

“Fair enough.”

They were about to head back downstairs when their luck took an unfortunate turn.

“Harley?”

A woman in a smart business suit stood in their path. Serious and imposing, Norma looked from her daughter to the boy accompanying her.

Harley stiffened at the sight of her mother. She instinctively started to duck behind Peter, then realized how ridiculous that would look.

“Oh, is this your mother, Harley?” Peter asked. There was definitely a resemblance between them. Still, seeing a beautiful female version of Norman Osborn in the flesh was a first for him.

“Y-yes. This is my mother, Norma.”

“Hello, Ms. Osborn. I'm Peter, Harley's friend.” Peter introduced himself without the slightest sign of nervousness.

Norma's razor-sharp gaze swept over him, taking in every detail. If Harley had been accompanied by another girl, she might not have paid much attention.

But this was a boy, and the two of them had been wandering around alone. Naturally, that suggested a few other possibilities to her.

“I see.” Norma nodded. “Harley, what are you doing here?”

I should be asking you that!

Harley kept the thought to herself. Before she could answer, Peter stepped in.

“It's my fault, Ms. Osborn. I wanted to see the spiders, but there weren't any in the exhibition downstairs. Harley brought me up because I asked her to.”

“Is that right, Harley?” Norma moved closer. She was even a little taller than Peter.

“Yes...” Harley knew perfectly well that bringing him into a restricted area had been a mistake.

“All right. Remind me, what did you say your name was?”

“Peter. Peter Yang Parker.”

“Parker...?” Norma paused. Remembering his interest in the spiders, she asked, “Was your father Richard Parker?”

“Yes... Did you know my parents?”

“Of course. I used to work with them.” Once she understood who he was, her tone grew noticeably gentler. “They were exceptionally talented people. I thought very highly of them. But then they left the company. How are they these days?”

“Well... They went away when I was very young. It's been years, and I still don't know where they are.”

“Peter lives with his aunt now,” Harley supplied.

“Oh, I see. You poor boy.” Norma's expression softened further. “If you ever need any help, you're welcome to contact me. All right?”

“Thank you, Ms. Osborn.”

“There's no need to be so formal. You can call me Norma.”

“Norma? Are you sure? You look more like Harley's older sister.”

“Flatterer.” A small smile appeared on her face. She knew she wasn't that young anymore, but she certainly wasn't going to complain about the compliment.

This boy certainly knows how to talk better than Harley does.

Harley could only stare. Her mother, passing for her older sister? How shameless could Peter get? Why couldn't he save some of that flattery for Harley?

And why was Norma being so nice to him while treating her own daughter like that?

What, just because Peter wasn't her biological child?!