Brother: Love and Adversity - Part Two
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Teaser: Peter sighed. "I got a phone call before coming here. Harry's been in an accident. But he isn't in Manhattan, he is in Elroy, Wisconsin."
Part Two
No Easy Answer
- O - O - O - O - O - O -
Manhattan
About an hour later Spider-Man finally got back to his original destination. The Osborn’s French doors were still unlocked. Everything looked as he had left it.
Before going to the mirror, Peter paused and listened. Someone was downstairs. Walking on silent feet, he checked the doors leading to the hall. They were locked.
He had to be quick. He didn’t want to stay here longer then necessary.
Back through the mirror, he let his eyes roam the small workshop. There had to be something that could explain everything.
But it seemed that his bad luck was coming back. There’s nothing in here. No papers, no boxes that could hold anything in them.
Now back into the study, Peter looked around. There was no computer, so maybe Mr. Osborn didn’t keep stuff on that.
I can’t very well go to OsCorp.
He looked at a painting of a beautiful red haired woman. No doubt it was Harry’s mother. Wait, the picture was not right somehow.
When he walked over to it knew why. It held a safe behind it. And it hadn’t been shut all the way.
In it held money, lots of money. Peter overlooked that. There was some file folders. They could have some information that he needed.
Taking them out, Peter glanced through the first one. Nothing. That’s how was for all of them, all but the last one.
Reading it over, Peter found out about the rats that had been experimented on. They had gotten stronger because of the performance enhancers. But it also said about the side effects to the one group of rodents. Violence and aggression. And the insanity.
Peter had to ask himself, What would make Mr. Osborn take the performance enhancers? But that was something the man had taken to the grave.
Something else he now remembered, was that one of the cylinders had been missing from the Goblin’s workshop.
My God, did Harry take it?
If Harry had taken the cylinder, where was he? That Peter was afraid to find out.
Putting the files back where they had been, he looked at the clock on the desk. Damn, he was going to be late. Again. Always late.
Pausing long enough to close the safe along with the picture, he but the sheet back over the hallow mirror and headed toward the balcony.
Swinging through the city via web style, Spider-Man reached his apartment in ten minutes flat.
Of course calling the one room, rundown apartment; home was a gross understatement. Any time Mary Jane came over, he was humiliated to have to invite her into this. Even though M.J. didn’t mind his place, Peter wasn’t happy with this dump.
Smiling, his thoughts turned to his girlfriend of one week. He was amazed that so much could change in the course of that time. They didn’t get much time to spend together, with their schedules and with Spider-Man on call 24-7 it seemed.
M.J. had mentioned that the play was finished running and she could now have some free time on her hands in the evenings. She was going to be modeling again some time at the end of June. But just because Mary Jane had some free time didn’t mean that the criminals of New York took a break.
Quickly changing out of his costume, Peter put on the only suit he had. Though it wasn’t black for the occasion he was going to, it would have to suffice. The ‘suit’ was his dress shirt, navy blue threadbare sports jacket, and jeans. The same one he wore to his first attempt to go see M.J.’s play. And the one he’d worn for numerous occasions the past month.
Peter was at the door ready to leave when the phone rang. Thinking it may be Mary Jane or his Aunt May, he went over and answered it.
“Hello?”
“Can I speak to Peter Parker, please?”
“This is he.” Peter didn’t realize the voice on the other end of the line.
“My name is Dr. Ivan McKinnon.”
Peter instantly thought there must be something wrong with Aunt May. But the doctor continued speaking before he could ask anything.
“I’m from Elroy, Wisconsin,” he continued. “I am calling about a friend or relative of yours, Harry Osborn. You were on the list of people to reach in his wallet. Is there anyone from his family I could get in contact with?”
“He’s a friend, and no, I’m afraid Harry doesn’t have any relatives that you can get a hold of. What happened to him?”
“He was in an accident late last night, but unfortunately he hasn’t woken up. We won’t know how he is until then.”
Feeling like he just got hit in the gut, Peter asked with as much normalcy as he could, “Is there anything you do know?”
“I am afraid that would break hospital policy, Mr. Parker.”
Peter wanted to howl in frustration. For all he knew Harry could be laying in a bed dying in that hospital for all the doctor was not telling him.
Letting out a breath, he said with forced politeness, “I’ll get a hold of you when I can get to Elroy. What’s your number?”
After saying his number, Dr. McKinnon said, “I’ll call if there is any change. Goodbye.”
“That’d be great, bye.”
Looking at the clock on his side table, Peter sighed. He was now way beyond running late. But he doubted that the deceased Dr. Otto Octavius would mind much.
- O - O - O - O - O - O -
The cemetery hadn't changed much. Unlike the last time Mary Jane Watson had been here, this day was sunny and warm whereas last time it had been cloudy and cold. That time had been a year and a half ago.
Mary Jane wouldn't have even come today if it wasn't for Peter. I never knew Otto Octavius. Unless knowing him as Doc Ock because he held me hostage counts.
She hadn’t known that they had found Doc Ock till the other day. Peter hadn’t asked her to come with to him to the scientist’s funeral, but she was doing it for her boyfriend. From what she read in the newspaper, not the Daily Bugle, was that it was difficult getting the man and the arms out of the still warm water in the pier.
Heading toward a small group of people, M.J. stopped. She didn't want to interrupt the mourners who were paying their final respects to the scientist. Scanning the group, Mary Jane didn't see her boyfriend among the mourners.
Thinking she would know where Peter would be, she headed for a grave that she had only been to a few times. But Peter wasn't at his uncle's grave.
Finally Mary Jane found Peter at…Norman Osborn's grave. She hadn't been at that grave since he had been buried. Though M.J. hadn't really cared for the late Norman Osborn, she wasn't happy when she found out about his death.
"Peter?" her voice was hushed, but it startled her boyfriend.
So deep in thought was he, Peter hadn't even heard Mary Jane come to his side. Turning to her, he said, "You came."
"I thought you might need some support." Mary Jane looked down at Norman Osborn's grave. Lifting her eyes from the tombstone, she met Peter's. His blue eyes were filled with worry. "What are you doing here? I thought you would be with the others mourning Doc- I mean, Otto Octavius?"
Peter sighed. "I got a phone call before coming here. Harry's been in an accident. But he isn't in Manhattan, he is in Elroy, Wisconsin."
"Is he alright?"
"Dr. McKinnon wouldn't tell me much. He says Harry hasn't woken up yet. They won't know how he is till then."
M.J. frowned. She did hope Harry wasn't badly hurt. She hadn't seen him since her near wedding to John Jameson, son of J. Jonah Jameson. But she hadn't talked to him then, just seen him.
"So what do you plan to do?" she suspected that Peter had gone to Mr. Osborn's grave to think things over.
"I'm planning to go to Elroy. But I need to see if Jameson will take some of my photos first."
"Do you want to go see Dr. Octavius now?"
Nodding, Peter took M.J.'s hand in his.
They walked in silence across the cemetery. No one was at Octavius' grave. The coffin was covered in flowers, mostly roses.
Otto and Rosie Octavius must have planned for this. The grave was set up to be jointed. Rosie had died just over month ago. Peter couldn't bring himself to go her funeral then. But he stood in silence now; remembering the couple that he had only known for a short time.
"'When I count, there are only you and I together,'" Mary Jane read out loud the quote on the grave marker. "What's that from?" she asked more to herself then to Peter.
"It's from The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot," Peter replied.
"Poetry?"
Peter nodded. He had read some of Eliot's work. The Waste Land was one of them. He found his poems depressing and frankly nearly fitted with Peter's life. But that had been a month ago.
Since Mary Jane didn't know Octavius or his wife, she didn't know what to feel for the deceased couple. She felt bad about their deaths, but didn't effect her personally.
"Want to get something to eat?" she finally asked.
Looking at his watch, Peter shook his head, no. "I've gotta get some photos to the Bugle, then try to get a plane ticket to Wisconsin.”
"Alright, call me if you can."
If being the operative word. Peter didn't know if Spider-Man would need to be somewhere any time soon. "I try to stop by later."
Smiling, M.J. said, "I'll hold you to that, Tiger." Leaning forward, she kissed him, purposely letting it linger.
"Don't you kids have any respect for the dead?"
Breaking apart, they looked over at an older man in dirty overalls, who must be the graveyard keeper.
Mary Jane didn't look at Peter because she was sure he was blushing, so was she. Not really out of embarrassment, though that was part of it. But she was afraid if she said something, she would burst out laughing.
"We were just leaving!" Peter managed to say. Grabbing his girlfriend's hand they quickly walked passed the annoyed man toward the graveyard entrance.
Once she was sure the graveyard keeper couldn't hear, M.J. started laughing.
Stopping, Peter eyed her, "What's so funny?"
That caused Mary Jane to laugh harder. "I-can't believe-you said that!" she managed between her mirth.
Peter just looked at her as if to say, What else was I supposed to say?
That bewildered look made M.J. laugh again. Oh, how she loved him, even though sometimes Peter could be so clueless. Once she calmed down, she said, "Com’ on, let's go so you can show Jameson more pictures."
- O - O - O - O - O - O -
"Mr. Jameson-" Peter started to say, but once again got interrupted.
J. Jonah Jameson, publisher of the Daily Bugle, sat behind his desk, smoking his cigar. He talked around it, "Well don't say you need a vacation!" He removed his cigar from his mouth, blowing smoke in Peter's direction, and continued talking. "Just because that masked menace went off to God knows where and then waltzes back…"
Peter had grown use to the cigar smoke in the room as well as the cigar's disgusting smell. He was use to it, but it didn't mean he liked it. Peter cut in on his boss' idiotic belittling on his alter ego.
"Mr. Jameson, I have some personal matters I need to take care of. I don't know for sure how long I'll be gone, but-"
"You don't know? What in the hell am I going to do with that troublemaker that terrorizes the city? I need photos!"
"Mr. Jameson," Peter's annoyance at his boss was showing, "I told you that Spider-Man doesn't want anymore photos taken of him."
"Brock! Get in here!"
Peter remembered seeing Eddie Brock talking to Betty Brant when he came into his boss' office ten minutes ago. When Eddie heard J.J.'s not so quiet voice, he came over to the door.
Eddie was a few years older than Peter with reddish blond hair. He had been at the Bugle longer than Peter, but Eddie disliked him. The only reason for it was because Peter was 'lucky' enough to get photos of Spider-Man, whereas Eddie wasn't.
"Yes, boss?" Eddie completely ignored Peter and Joe Robertson. Robbie had been in the room and quiet through Peter's and J.J.'s conversation. Most people called him Robbie, was an older man, had known Jonah for a long time.
"Since Parker's going on vacation, I want you to keep a look out for that web swinging nutcase."
"Me? Oh, sure." Eddie looked like he had hit it big like the jackpot. He shot Peter a quick look, one that said, I'm going get better pictures then you ever did.
"What are you standing there for? Go find that overdressed maniac!"
"Got it." Eddie hurriedly left to undoubtedly try finding Spider-Man.
Peter didn't even bother getting into this. Eddie couldn't take a picture of something that wasn't there. But he had to try to stick up for himself; or rather Spidey.
"You know, Mr. Jameson, you could give Spider-Man a break and write about something else."
"And what do you think would sell the papers, Parker? Hum?"
Peter remained quiet, nothing he could say would satisfy J.J.
Ted Hoffman stuck his head in the doorway. He didn't get the chance to say what he came for.
"Hoffman, whatever it is; handle it yourself!"
"But-" Hoffman started to step into the office.
"Out!"
Hoffman quickly left, praying that he didn't screw up the page 10 problem up by 'handling it' himself. Maybe he could talk to Jameson in ten minutes.
"Where was I? Oh yes, paper sales. Maybe a mad scientist who has eight limbs? Nope that's done and he is dead, probably thanks to 'Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man'!" Jonah stood up and walked to the window that looked out to most of the city, his back to Peter and Robbie.
Knowing what really happened to Otto Octavius, made what Jameson said hit a raw spot with Peter. Though Dr. Octavius had returned to his right mind in the end, fighting his artificial intelligent arms to destroy the nuclear fusion reactor before it was too late for New York City. But it didn't stop Peter from feeling guilty.
Jonah continued speaking, not knowing the thoughts going trough the young photographer's mind. "Or how about there's that tramp who jilted my son. Whoever Miss Watson is seeing now, when I found out who he is, his life is going be like hell.” Almost as an after thought, he added more to himself, ”Plus the fact she wouldn’t gave me an exclusive for what happened at the prier."
Peter was sorely tempted to web Jameson's mouth shut when he turned around; just like he had done when the Green Goblin paid the editor in chief a surprise visit. But he couldn't do that here; now. He didn't care a jot about himself, but how dare Jonah say what he did about Mary Jane?
Inhaling quietly, he clenching his hands together. Forcing himself to look relaxed, he slowly exhaled and rested his palms on the arms of the chair.
Robbie noticed Peter's expression change with the mention of Mary Jane Watson's name. It looked like it took everything in him not to say or do anything to Jonah. That was proven when Robbie noticed the way Peter tensed up then relaxed.
So, Mary Jane chose Peter over John? Robbie thought. I wonder if she knows that Peter is Spider-Man?
He had no real proof that the young freelancer was the city's hero. It was just a suspicion he had. Peter couldn't be that lucky to get all the pictures that he did of Spider-Man. Plus some of the things Peter did… It wasn't obvious, but Robbie had been contemplating it. He had made some comments in Peter's presence, but whether he picked up on it or not…it was something the young man only knew himself.
Turning away from the window, Jonah really looking Peter, and saw that he had irritated Peter. The cause, was something he was unaware of. Putting his cigar out, he tossed it out the window.
"What are you just sitting there for? If you don't have any pictures, leave!"
An untouched folder with some pictures in it sat on Peter's lap. He knew he can't let any personal matters affect that fact he needed the money for the round trip air fee. Pushing his resentment toward his boss aside, Peter tossed the folder on Jonah's desk.
Since Peter's last attempt with pictures of 'good times' failed more then a month ago, he decided to see if J.J. would like these.
Jonah looked at the pictures. One was with a guy helping an old lady across the street. Another one was with some kids cleaning a park that was littered with trash. And so on. He muttered 'crap' among other words to each of the photos.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t fire you, Parker,” but Peter couldn’t respond because J.J. got the next picture. “What in the hell is this!" he demanded, holding up one of the photos for Peter to see. It was one of the pictures toward the end, which had Spider-Man rescuing a kitten from a tree.
"Spider-Man saving a cat." Robbie answered for Peter seeing the picture.
"I can see that!" his boss retorted. Glaring angrily at his young freelancer, he demanded, "What, is this some kind of joke?"
"No, it's just that Spider-Man can do something good every now and again, you know."
Ignoring him, Jonah went back to looking at the rest of the pictures. Finally he came across a picture he could use for his front page. He pulled out another one. Maybe J.J. would save it for a rainy day.
Robbie looked down at picture of Spidey saluting the police as he left the scene of an attempted robbery. The robbers were all webbed up on the ground. "The headline?"
Handing Peter his folder, Jonah took a voucher out to pay Peter. Before he could answer, Peter said, "Six hundred."
"What?"
"Standard fee. For two pictures." Peter hoped Betty would be able to give him money this time. He should be caught up by now.
"That's insane. Done."
Voucher in hand, Peter stood.
"Jonah, headline?"
J.J.'s intercom on his phone buzzed. Hitting the button he bellowed, "What is it?"
"Your wife is on the line," Betty started to say. But she got cut off when her boss turned the intercom off.
Peter was at the door when he heard the headline. "Web Slinger Escapes Arrest." He was sure that Robbie wouldn't even bother trying to correct Jameson. All Peter heard was the older man's sigh of disbelief.
Peter saw Hoffman hovering at the door. Ignoring him, he walked over to Betty, in exasperation. Can't I ever get a break? No matter what I do…it never is enough.
Five minutes later, Peter left the Bugle six hundred dollars richer. But that didn’t help him feel any better. And to top that all off, he missed most of his first class that he was supposed to retake.
Note: I know very little on Manhattan, New York and next to nothing on Elroy, Wisconsin, so please excuse any mistakes I probably will have about these places.
Jenn
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