Chapter 84: CHAPTER 83: Invitation
After saying goodbye to Tony Stark, Jean gave Arthur a faint smile.
"Looks like you and Tony have a pretty solid friendship," she commented, crossing her arms with a teasing air.
Arthur stepped closer, sliding his arms around Jean's waist, a mischievous smile on his face.
"Yeah… but my relationship with you is way better."
She raised an amused eyebrow, but before she could respond, he pulled her in closer.
"Enough talking," he murmured, his voice low and filled with intent.
Jean tried to keep a serious tone, but her expression betrayed her emotions.
"Don't think you can just get away after what you did earlier..."
She stared at him for a moment, eyes wide, as if a sudden realization had struck her.
"I was wrong!" she said, almost laughing, before giving in to the moment.
In the room, the muffled sounds of kisses and soft moans echoed.
Oscorp
In his panoramic office at the top of Oscorp Tower, Norman Osborn gazed out over the city. The night reflected a dark gleam in his eyes. Something was simmering behind that silence.
An executive rushed in, carefully maintaining his composure before the ever-controlled CEO.
"Mr. Osborn, how can I assist you?"
Norman didn't turn around. He simply extended his hand and dropped a business card onto the desk.
"Is this hospital under our administration?"
The man picked up the card, skimmed it, and responded firmly:
"Yes, sir. It's under my direct supervision."
Norman slowly turned, his sharp gaze locking onto the executive.
"The police recently admitted a patient named Peter Parker. Are you aware of that?"
"I heard about a patient under police custody, but I didn't know the name. It must be him, sir."
"Tonight, I want a sample of his blood. No fuss. No questions."
The executive hesitated for only a second before nodding.
"Understood. Where should I send the sample, sir?"
"Send it directly to my personal lab."
Norman took a step toward the coat rack, put on a white lab coat with the precision of a surgeon, and headed to the elevator without another word.
Hospital
In the reinforced security wing, two officers stood guard outside Peter's room. A nurse approached, holding a tray of medical supplies.
"Who are you?" one of the guards asked, standing upright.
"I'm here for a blood test. Post-trauma complication screening," she replied calmly and professionally.
The officers exchanged glances. Everything seemed in order.
"Go ahead, but make it quick."
The woman entered, and a few minutes later, she walked out holding a small thermal box. In the hallway, she passed George, who had just returned from his shift change.
"What was she doing here?" George asked, frowning.
"Blood test. We checked, everything was fine."
George nodded, but his eyes followed the nurse as she disappeared down the corridor.
"Alright. You can take a break. I'll take it from here."
One hour later...
Secret Laboratory – Oscorp
Norman Osborn examined the two freshly drawn blood samples as if they were treasures. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he analyzed them under the microscope.
The lab was cold, sterile... and terrifying. In containment tubes, hybrid organisms and genetically modified beings floated in suspended animation. Some were human. Others... not quite.
After a few minutes of analysis, Norman let out a small, satisfied chuckle.
"Just as I suspected..."
He stood up and walked over to a large panel filled with old research records. Prominently displayed: an image of Captain America.
"Howard Stark… you created an icon. But me? I'm going to create an army."
He looked at the blood under the light.
"The super soldiers I develop won't just surpass your beloved Captain... they'll redefine the very concept of power."
He slammed the panel shut and smirked.
"Watch and see. I'm Norman Osborn. And I'll go down in history… as the man who managed to recreate the super soldier serum."
With the experiment underway and a new plan taking shape, Norman left the lab and headed straight for his car.
Osborn Residence
Harry was already waiting in the main room, pacing back and forth as if the tension might overflow at any moment.
As soon as Norman walked through the door, Harry turned around, his face marked by anger and disappointment.
"Why didn't you give Peter and Dr. Connors more time?!" he snapped, not even waiting for a greeting.
"If you'd just waited a little longer, none of that would've happened to Peter!"
Norman calmly closed the door and hung his coat on the rack beside it.
"Harry, I'm not the sole owner of Oscorp," he replied in a cold, controlled tone.
"I gave them all the time I could. It was the board that decided to shut the project down."
"That's a lie. You wanted it shut down from the beginning!"
Norman narrowed his eyes, his jaw clenching subtly.
"Take him to his room. He needs to calm down," he ordered the butler approaching them.
"Don't touch me!" Harry stepped back with a sharp gesture.
"I can walk on my own."
The old butler hesitated, then backed off with a worried look. Harry climbed the stairs without looking back, rage pulsing with every step.
Norman watched in silence. When his son was out of sight, he let out a long sigh, more weary than defeated.
"I'm doing this for Oscorp's future, Harry… one day you'll understand."
A few minutes later, the butler returned.
"Master Osborn, young Harry is just concerned about his friend. I hope you won't punish him for that."
"I understand," Norman replied, regaining his impersonal tone.
"Send in the maids. I need a massage. Now."
"Yes, sir."
A few days later
Life was finally starting to settle into a rhythm for Arthur.
The days began to follow a comfortable pace. He logged into his system daily—though many of the rewards seemed far too… "interesting" to use immediately. He had fun with Jean and Gwen around the house and enjoyed quiet moments to continue writing his books.
Gwen was back in class, while Jean began preparing for her return as a teacher at Xavier's Institute.
With both of them busy, Arthur found time to train, refine his skills, and work with Ruby on designing new equipment. He also paid Tony a visit to talk about the development of Nanotechnology.
Tony Stark's House – Private Lab
Tony looked at the new arc reactor at the center of the lab. Sleek. Triangular. Stable.
The energy pulsing within it was different. Balanced. Pure.
With a steady hand, Stark removed the old reactor from his chest—the second-generation model—and placed the new one in.
As it clicked into place, a wave of energy coursed through his body.
He felt it.
Life. Clarity. Relief.
The palladium poisoning vanished as if it had never existed.
"This feels amazing!" Tony exclaimed, eyes wide with satisfaction.
"It's like I've been reborn."
He raised his arms, testing their motion.
"JARVIS, is everything ready?"
[All systems are ready, sir,] the AI replied with its usual calm.
Tony suited up in his brand-new Mark 6. A bold design. Powerful. Brilliant—just like him.
Seconds later, he soared through the night sky, leaving a trail of light behind him.
"Woohoooo!" he shouted, giddy as a child with a new toy.
The sky was his stage once again.
Same moment – Arthur's Mansion
Arthur watched everything unfold through Ruby's interface. Seeing Tony fly with the new reactor made him pause.
"So he did it..."
Thanks to their relationship, Arthur knew Tony had sped up the project. But seeing it in action was something else entirely.
"This is going to turn some heads..."
He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering.
The Monaco race is next week.
If that person saw Tony—without symptoms, with the new arc reactor—things could change drastically.
Before he could dwell on it further, he heard the sound of the door opening.
Jean and Gwen walked in, laughing, carrying shopping bags.
Arthur shut off the projection instantly and turned to them with a smile.
"Are either of you free next week?"
The two of them stopped.
They blushed immediately.
"W-what?" Jean tried to play it cool.
"What exactly are you talking about?"
"It's not what you think!" Arthur replied, raising his hands.
"Why do you always assume I'm the pervert here?"
"Because you are!" Gwen shot back, laughing.
"Should I remind you that it's the two of you who keep encouraging me to have more women, huh?" he said to both.
"Ahem! Moving on… What's happening next week?" Gwen quickly changed the subject.
"Tony invited me to a race in Monaco. I want to know which of you is free to come with me."
The two exchanged glances.
"I'm free," Gwen said, brushing her hair back.
"Nothing important scheduled till then."
"Professor Xavier is organizing an event for next week. So I'll be free too," Jean added, smiling.
Arthur nodded.
"Perfect. It's settled, then. You're both coming with me."
(End of Chapter)
Give me some power stones there you go~😉