Spider-Man: Marvel Knight

Chapter 20-Unexpected

Norman was deep within the Goblin's mind now. Osborn was no longer himself. The creature had full control.
He sat in his basement and contemplated how he was to end Parker's life.
Don't you dare hurt him. He's like my son!
Goblin ignored the voice deep within the caverns of his demented brain. He had to kill Peter. He had to humiliate him...make him suffer. Norman broke back out and talked back.
"You can't do this!" he replied on the edge of tears. "As much as we hate Spiderman, I can't hurt Peter. He's like Harry's brother!"
"Parker betrayed us, Osborn. He could have joined us, but he laughed in our face!"
"He didn't betray me. Pete is one of the most loving kids I know. He does what he thinks is right."
"Is he right, Osborn? You made the formula that created me? Was it right?"
Norman shook his head and closed his eyes. "Stop talking... You've brought us nothing but trouble."
"You miserable piece of shit. I showed you what the world needs to be. We are the world's potential!" Goblin snarled.
"What potential?" Norman asked. "A murderer? A criminal? A terrorist?!" He stood up and headed for the basement door. "I'm going back to the lab to synthesize a cure... Then I'm turning myself in."
Suddenly, Norman found it very hard to move. He felt the Goblin crawling through his mind, stretching his conscience through Norman's limbs. He screamed from the immense pain.
"Wh---what are...are you doing?!"
"I'm doing what is necessary..."
"Don't you dare hurt him!!! Don't you hurt anyone!!! My son, Peter, Gwen, May...any of them, you hear me!?!?!"
Don't worry, Norman..."...it'll be over before you know it," Goblin said out loud with a cackle.
He walked out of the basement and made sure no one was out there. What could he do to humiliate the spider. He wanted to hurt him over and over again.
He took out his phone and began looking at contacts that were close to Peter. "May Parker would be too predictable, and using Harry would be idiotic." Goblin then looked at the four letter name that shot out to him.
"Gwen," he whispered with a small cackle. "Nothing better than a bitch to bait a hero..."

Peter swung back to Gwen's house as fast as he could. He had to warn her in case Goblin would try and get to her. As he reached the window, he climbed inside and shouted her name.
"Gwen, you need to hide!" he exclaimed. "Norman could be coming here." There was no answer. "Gwen!"
He looked down and saw Harry balled up on the floor in complete shock. All he was whispering was, "He...took her...."
Peter bent down and grabbed his friend's shoulder. "Harry," he whispered. No response. He shook him. "Harry, look at me." He slowly turned to his friend.
"Dad..." he said shakily. "Dad...he took...he took Gwen..."
Peter's heart dropped when he heard those words. Goblin now had Gwen. He was going to use her to hurt him. Pete looked at his friend. "I have to go, Harry."
Harry shook his head, still visibly shaken. "No...no, no, you can't go you'll all....you'll all get ..." He passed out from the shock of everything that happened. Pete carried him to the bed and continued to swing out the window.
"I'm sorry, Harry," he said trying not to cry. "I'm so sorry."

Gwen woke up tied to a pole. "What the hell?" she mumbled to herself. She soon realized that she was up in the air, on top of a skyscraper. She could see the tops of other buildings all around New York.
Goblin walked around her, humming "the itsy bitsy spider" to himself. "Ah, you're awake..." he said with a cackle.
"Where the hell am I?"
"Empire State Building," Goblin replied. "Beautiful sight isn't it? This is what me and spidey looked at before I threw a bomb at him." He let out another eerie chuckle.
She smirked bravely. "You're screwed. When he comes here..."
"When your boyfriend comes here, he'll be welcoming a slow death."
Gwen went over those words in her mind. "You know who he is?"
"Of course I do. It wasn't hard to figure out...especially when he basically just told me."
She grew more and more worried for her health. "If you know who he is, then why need me?"
He chuckled and picked up a knife. "Do you know the slowest death for a hero?" She remained silent. "Heartbreak. And the quickest way to heartbreak is to make him feel like he failed." He sheathed the knife and grabbed her face. His glowing green eyes stared into hers. "So if all goes south...this knife goes into you. Okay?"
Tears came to her eyes. "You're a monster..."
"The best kind, my dear. I'm the monster that wins." He got on his glider and hovered off of the building.

Peter felt his phone buzz as he swung across the city. He grabbed it and cautiously answered. "Hello?"
"Can Spider-Man come out to play?" the gravelly voice on the other end asked. It was Goblin.
Spidey landed on a building and continued to talk. "Stop this, Norman. This isn't you," he said. "You've nearly killed your son from this whole thing. Let Gwen go. This is between you and me."
Goblin cackled. "Miss Stacy is my passport to you coming here, Parker. She's mine for the time being. If you do not face me, she will die. Do not think that I'm bluffing. If you do not come face me, she will die."
Spidey sighed. He had to stop him no matter what. Clinching his fist, he asked, "Where is the meeting place?"
"Empire State Building. Rooftop. Same time we met. Not a minute later or earlier, or else she dies." He hung up.
Pete placed his phone back in his pocket and rubbed his temples. This was it. One way or another, this had to end.
Goblin hummed to himself on his glider.
"The itsy bitsy spider..."