I’m Not Becoming Spider-Man - Chapter 57: Big Trouble (Patreon)

“So why exactly did Harley have to come along?” Gwen asked from the back seat, sounding thoroughly exasperated.

“Because I'd have nothing to do sitting alone at the apartment,” Harley replied. “Where Peter goes, I go. Besides, my family owns the company. If some clueless employee tries to stop him, one look at my face should sort things out.”

“I just know this internship is going to turn into a disaster.”

“Relax. We're not going to interrupt your work. Surely the company has a waiting area for visitors.”

“Or I could find an empty office and we could play video games,” Harley suggested.

“Even better,” Peter said.

When they reached Oscorp Tower, Harley and Gwen got out while Peter parked the car. Once he returned, the three went inside together.

Everything went smoothly. Gwen led them straight to Dr. Connors's biology laboratory to check in.

“Oh, Gwen, you're here. I thought you'd arrive a little later.” Connors, who had only one hand, was already working in the lab. He glanced at the two people behind her. “And who might these be?”

“Uh, they're my friends.”

“Dr. Connors, you don't recognize me?” Harley cut in.

“Hmm... Have we met?” Connors scratched his head. She looked familiar, but his mind was so full of research that he couldn't place her. “Were you one of my students back when I taught at the university?”

Harley's face fell. Did she really look that different from Norma? She'd always thought she resembled her mother a little.

“Harley?”

Everyone turned toward the voice. Who else could it be but Norma herself?

“Oh, Peter's here too. And who's this?” Norma asked, looking around.

“This is Gwen, another friend of mine. She's starting her internship here today,” Peter explained.

Norma nodded and studied Gwen. “You remind me of myself at your age. I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do. You're already doing better than my own child.”

“Norma!” Harley protested.

“Ahem. We just came to accompany Gwen and look around,” Peter hurriedly interjected. “Harley loves visiting this place.”

“Hmph. Then show Peter around, Harley. You know which areas you're not supposed to touch.” Norma turned to Connors. “Doctor, I'd like a word with you.”

“All right.” Connors looked toward one of his assistants. “Mobius, keep an eye on these kids for me. I won't be long.”

Connors followed Norma into the adjoining room, where they sat down to talk.

Mobius was a tall woman with curly black hair, exceptionally pale, delicate skin, and sharply defined features.

“Come here, you three,” she ordered. Her voice was cool and impatient, as though the visitors had already interrupted something important.

“I'm Dr. Connors's research assistant. You'd better behave and stay out of our way. Understood? This is a serious laboratory, so don't go wandering around.” She turned to Gwen. “You're with me. I'll explain some of the experimental procedures. And I'd better not have any problems from you.”

After Mobius led Gwen away, Harley muttered, “Well, she's rude. And she doesn't even look that much older than us!”

“Anyone who earns a place in a lab like this is bound to be talented,” Peter said. “If she's Connors's research assistant, she knows what she's doing. Come on, let's find somewhere to sit.”

“Okay. I'll see if they've got anything fun around here. Oh, Peter, did you bring anything?” Harley glanced at his backpack. “You're always carrying that thing. I swear you can pull anything out of it. That electric shock device you had before was so cool.”

“Just the essentials. Cell phone, satellite phone, GPS tracker, electronic jammer, first-aid kit...”

“Why would you need all that? And in what universe are those the essentials?”

“Always be prepared, buddy,” Peter said. “And I brought a handheld game console!”

“Fine. I'll go find us something to eat and drink.”

Peter settled onto a couch and watched Norma and Connors through the glass door of the distant seating area. He couldn't hear their conversation, but before long, their gestures grew heated. They appeared to be arguing.

“Looks like trouble,” he murmured.

...

“Your project is moving far too slowly, Doctor. We're shutting your research team down,” Norma declared without a trace of sympathy.

“But we're almost there! We've developed the experimental compound. We just haven't started animal trials yet!”

“That's no longer necessary. You've burned through too much money, and the military isn't happy.” Norma's tone remained firm. “Dr. Otto's prosthetic limbs, controlled through neural signals, can take the place of your entire line of research. Why wait for a limb to regenerate when you can fit someone with a mechanical replacement?”

“No! It's not simply about growing limbs back. The treatment could dramatically improve healing and even grant extraordinary abilities...”

“I've given you more than enough time.” Norma didn't soften her words. “You assured me you could reproduce Richard Parker's mutation experiment. That's the only reason I let you continue working here. More than ten years have passed, and this is what you have to show for it. I've argued on your behalf again and again, but the shareholders, the board, and the military have all lost patience.

“It took you over a decade just to reach the stage Richard was at over a decade ago. You've wasted a great deal of my time and money. Perhaps I should speak to Parker's son instead. He might understand the mutation research better than you do.”

“I...” Connors had no answer he could give her. Richard had left behind no usable material at all. Connors had been forced to start from the beginning. Of course rebuilding the research had taken years.

“Dr. Otto has working prosthetics that people can see and touch. A collection of small laboratory animals isn't going to impress investors who want weapons or substantial returns.”

“But this could cure all kinds of diseases,” Connors pleaded. “Can't you imagine what it could mean? It could give disabled people an entirely new life.”

“Otto's prosthetics can do that too. And they're removable.” Norma rose to her feet. “Pack your things, Doctor. Organize your experimental records and take care of those animals. Maybe another company will buy the project for a good price or take over the work. But we're finished funding it.”

“Wait, Norma, I...”

She was already walking away. Connors scrambled to follow, tripped, and fell to the floor. By the time he looked up, all he could see was Norma stepping into the elevator.

Someone helped him to his feet from behind.

“Are you all right, Doctor?” Peter asked.

“Y-yes. I'm fine. Thank you.” Connors forced a smile.

Back in the lab, his heart sank when he saw Mobius showing Gwen how to work.

Gwen had only arrived today. He'd personally promised her an internship, and now his entire project had been canceled on her first day.

And there was Mobius. The international student from Romania had devoted herself to research because of an inherited disease that afflicted people in her hometown. At last she was making progress, and now...

Connors could do nothing. Norma was right about one thing. He'd taken too long. Richard Parker's earlier work had already reached the mutation stage, yet Connors had needed more than a decade just to reproduce it.

The point of the research had always been to alter DNA, giving people a way to resist any disease.

But Dr. Otto's work clearly looked more promising to the people paying for it. Rumor even had it that Otto planned to move on to nuclear fusion next.

Connors smiled bitterly.

“Doctor, could you come and have a look?” Mobius called. “I've made some progress. I think I might be able to prepare a test compound soon.”

Excitement crept into her voice. “Then maybe I'll finally accomplish what I've worked toward all my life. People back home won't have to suffer from that terrible disease anymore...”

“Of course. I'll be right there.” Connors smiled at her before making his way back to his office.