The weeks following the courthouse attack had settled into an eerie calm. The criminals who had once terrorized New York's streets seemed to have vanished into the shadows, leaving behind only whispers and speculation. Peter Parker found himself patrolling quieter neighborhoods, his spider-sense rarely tingling with the familiar warning of danger.
Most notably, the Green Goblin had completely disappeared from the headlines. No more pumpkin bombs exploding in alleyways, no more cackling laughter echoing through the night sky. For the first time in months, Peter could swing through Manhattan without the constant dread of encountering that maniacal grin.
The legal aftermath had been swift and merciless. Mandel Stormm had lost his case spectacularly. The court had ruled against him on every count, stripping away his assets and leaving him with nothing but legal fees and a mountain of debt. All of his remaining property had been liquidated to compensate Norman Osborn for the damages inflicted during the Green Goblin's rampage.
True to his word, Norman had immediately transferred the majority of these newfound funds to Ben. The money arrived in Primus's accounts within hours of the court's final ruling, accompanied by a brief note expressing Norman's gratitude for Ben's "invaluable assistance during recent difficulties."
"This is what it means to be a winner," Ben remarked with a satisfied smile as he reviewed the financial transfer on his tablet. He turned to Dr. Curt Connors, who was hunched over a microscope in the corner of their cramped laboratory space. "The loser loses everything, while the winner takes their place and grows stronger. It's the fundamental law of nature."
Connors looked up from his work, his single remaining hand adjusting the microscope's focus. "Laws of nature, indeed," he agreed without hesitation.
Rather than waste time sympathizing with Stormm's downfall, Connors was already calculating how to convince Ben to allocate more of the windfall toward his research projects.
"You're missing the bigger picture, Dr. Connors," Ben said, shaking his head with an amused expression. "The real victory isn't the money—it's that you've now restored your identity and reputation. In a few days, Norman will hold a press conference to announce that he's successfully located you and that, through the joint efforts of Osborn Industries and Primus Technologies, you've been completely cured of your... condition. After that, you'll be able to step back into the light of day."
Connors nodded slowly, though his expression remained thoughtful. Social interaction had never been his strong suit, and the prospect of returning to public life held little appeal. However, he understood the practical benefits. He had a wife and son to consider, and restoring his professional reputation would open doors that had been firmly closed since his transformation into the Lizard. The scientific community would welcome back Dr. Curt Connors with open arms, especially now that his work on regenerative healing had proven so successful.
Meanwhile, Peter Parker was struggling with his own restlessness. After several days of patrolling Queens and finding nothing more dangerous than a few bicycle thieves, he made the decision to venture into Hell's Kitchen. If crime was taking a vacation in his neighborhood, perhaps the Kitchen would provide the action he was craving.
What he discovered there was far more chaotic than he had anticipated. Unlike the peaceful calm that had settled over the rest of New York, Hell's Kitchen was experiencing a surge of violence that made the previous months seem tame by comparison. Gang wars raged through the streets with renewed ferocity, and the sound of gunfire echoed through the night like a twisted symphony.
Peter found himself genuinely shocked by the intensity of the conflict. Even for Hell's Kitchen, this level of sustained violence was extreme. He managed to arrange a meeting with Daredevil, hoping the Man Without Fear could provide some insight into what had triggered this latest outbreak of chaos.
"Word on the street is that Kingpin killed the Green Goblin," Matt Murdock explained as they crouched on a rooftop overlooking the carnage below. "Apparently, he wanted to keep the serum for himself, which led to a major conflict between him and the Hand."
Matt's understanding of the situation was admittedly incomplete—the details had been filtered through multiple sources, each adding their own interpretation to the events. But the broad strokes were clear enough: the uneasy alliance between Kingpin and the Hand had shattered, and now the two criminal organizations were engaged in all-out war.
"The real casualties aren't Kingpin or the Hand leadership," Matt continued, dodging a stray bullet that whistled past their position. "It's all the smaller gangs caught in the crossfire. They're being used as cannon fodder while the big players settle their differences."
The following days passed in relative peace for the rest of New York. Peter continued his patrols, finding only minor crimes to interrupt. Daredevil maintained his vigil in Hell's Kitchen, working to minimize civilian casualties while the gangs destroyed each other. And Ben waited patiently for the Stark World Expo to arrive, using the time to refine his plans and prepare for what would surely be a defining moment for Primus Technologies.
"I wonder what Tony Stark is up to these days," Ben mused aloud during one of his quieter moments.
Just as Ben was contemplating the monotony of waiting, an unexpected visitor arrived at Primus Technologies. The visitor in question was Virginia "Pepper" Potts, CEO of Stark Industries, though she had not come alone.
Pepper had never imagined that the headquarters of Primus Technologies—the company that had become famous alongside the Osborn for developing the miraculous self-healing serum—would be located in such an unremarkable building. The address had led her to a small, aging office complex in a forgotten corner of Queens, surrounded by warehouses and light industrial facilities.
Most surprising of all, Primus didn't even own the entire building—they were apparently renting a few floors from a larger complex. It was hardly the image one would expect from a company that had revolutionized modern medicine.
"It's difficult to imagine that this is where the self-healing serum was invented," Agent Phil Coulson observed, standing beside Pepper as they surveyed the modest exterior. His gaze drifted across the street to where Hammer Industries' gleaming headquarters rose like a monument to corporate success, its glass and steel facade reflecting the afternoon sun. The contrast was striking—like comparing a palace to a garage.
"Frankly, no one believed that the self-healing serum actually came from this small company called Primus," Pepper replied, adjusting her blazer as she prepared for what promised to be an unusual meeting. "Everyone who's investigated their background knows that one of the company's founders is Harry Osborn. Obviously, this is some kind of shell company that Norman Osborn created for tax purposes or to hide more sensitive projects."
Pepper's presence at this meeting was unusual in itself. As CEO of one of the world's most powerful corporations, she would normally delegate such visits to subordinates. However, all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s previous attempts to infiltrate or contact Primus had failed spectacularly. Every resume submitted by their agents—including those from Natasha Romanoff herself—had vanished into the void without so much as an acknowledgment. Primus had proven to be an impenetrable fortress, successfully defending against all attempts at surveillance or infiltration.
Desperate for results, Coulson had approached Pepper directly. Faced with a request from the man who had once saved both her life, Pepper had found it difficult to refuse. Still, she maintained her skepticism about the entire operation.
"I've met Norman Osborn personally," she continued, studying the building's unremarkable entrance. "He's far too paranoid and controlling to put genuinely valuable assets in a location like this. The Osborn Group is his life's work—he would never risk exposing it to industrial espionage by operating out of a converted office building."
"Our agents have conducted thorough searches of the main Osborn facilities," Coulson admitted with a slight frown. "We've found nothing that would explain the breakthrough in healing technology. Whatever they're doing, it's not happening in the main corporate headquarters."
The situation at Osborn Industries was fundamentally different from Primus. As a major corporation, Osborn was required to maintain a large workforce, file regular reports, and operate with at least some degree of transparency. This made it relatively easy for S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to gain employment within the company and conduct surveillance from within. Additionally, Norman's recent legal troubles following the Green Goblin incident had left him somewhat distracted, creating opportunities for more aggressive investigation.
The truth was that S.H.I.E.L.D. had deliberately avoided involvement in the Green Goblin's trial, choosing instead to focus their resources on acquiring the self-healing serum. While the modified Lizard enhancement was certainly powerful, their severe side effects made them impractical for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s purposes. The organization had learned from experience that uncontrollable power was often more dangerous than no power at all.
Both Nick Fury and his hidden enemies Hydra had already made significant progress in recreating the super soldier serum. Many of their agents had been enhanced with improved versions of the formula, and while the results weren't quite as dramatic as Captain America's transformation, the benefits far outweighed the minimal side effects. Why would they risk their agents' sanity with a serum that could transform them into murderous monsters?
The self-healing serum, however, represented something entirely different. Captain America himself was living proof of how valuable accelerated healing could be in the field. The ability to recover from injuries that would normally prove fatal was essentially equivalent to having a resurrection drug, provided it could be administered quickly enough.
Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s analysts suspected that the publicly available version of the serum was merely the tip of the iceberg. The healing demonstration that Norman had performed at his press conference had been far more impressive than anything currently on the market, suggesting that more advanced versions existed. Coulson had reason to believe that Norman was hiding enhanced formulas, possibly even branching into other areas of biological enhancement.
The timing seemed particularly suspicious given the recent appearance of two different Spider-themed vigilantes in New York. While the first Spider-Man had been operating for months, the second had appeared only briefly during the Green Goblin incident before vanishing completely. Given the Osborn Group's historical research into spider-based materials, S.H.I.E.L.D. had developed theories about the possible connection between these heroes and Norman's secret projects.
"I'm beginning to understand why Tony dislikes you people so much," Pepper said with obvious disapproval as Coulson finished explaining their suspicions. She had witnessed firsthand Tony's fierce protection of his intellectual property, particularly his confrontation with Senator Stern during the congressional hearing about the Iron Man technology. The idea of government agents attempting to steal or appropriate private innovations was exactly the kind of overreach that Tony found most objectionable.
"You misunderstand our intentions, Miss Potts," Coulson replied diplomatically. "We're not here to steal their technology. Our concern is that Osborn has already demonstrated a willingness to create dangerous biological weapons like the Lizard serum. We simply need to conduct a risk assessment on both Primus Technologies and the mysterious individuals behind it."
Pepper remained skeptical but pressed the building's doorbell anyway. The small group—consisting of herself, Coulson, Natasha Romanoff, and Happy Hogan—waited in the lobby for someone to respond.
Ben Parker had been expecting visitors, though perhaps not quite this particular combination. Eunice, his AI assistant, had alerted him the moment they entered the building, giving him time to ensure that all sensitive materials were properly secured. Dr. Connors had already been moved to a secure location, and all research data had been encrypted and hidden behind multiple layers of security.
Still, Ben found himself genuinely surprised when he opened the door to find Pepper Potts standing in his hallway. He had expected S.H.I.E.L.D. to make contact eventually but using Stark CEO as their front person was an unexpected tactical choice.
Pepper, for her part, was visibly shocked to discover that the head of Primus Technologies was a teenager. Despite her preparation for this meeting, she had somehow not anticipated that the mysterious founder would be someone who looked like he should still be in high school just like Harry Osborn.
Coulson and Natasha showed no such surprise—they had done their homework before arriving, and investigating the registered ownership of a corporation was well within S.H.I.E.L.D.'s capabilities. They knew exactly who they were dealing with, at least on paper.
"Ms. Virginia Potts, CEO of Stark Industries," Ben said warmly, extending his hand for a brief handshake. "I didn't expect to see you here personally. And who might your friend be?"
"Um, my driver and... assistant," Pepper replied, her embarrassment evident as she gestured toward the others. "I have to admit, I didn't expect you to be quite so young."
As soon as the group entered the Primus facilities, Coulson and Natasha began their subtle surveillance. The interior was surprisingly modern despite the building's aged exterior, filled with sleek silver equipment and advanced technological systems. However, the space was clearly designed for research rather than large-scale production. It was more laboratory than factory, divided into several specialized areas that seemed to serve different scientific purposes.
"What can I offer you to drink?" Ben asked politely. "Coffee, perhaps?"
"That would be lovely, thank you," Pepper replied, with the others nodding in agreement. They all assumed that Ben was being a gracious host, offering refreshments as any good businessman would.
Ben disappeared briefly, returning with an armful of empty paper cups which he distributed to his guests. He then produced several packets of instant coffee from a nearby cabinet and placed them on the table.
"The hot water dispenser is right over there," he said cheerfully, pointing to a corner of the room. "Please help yourselves."
The group stood in stunned silence, staring at the instant coffee packets in their hands.
"Mr. Parker," Pepper began, setting down her empty cup with as much dignity as she could muster, "I'm here to personally invite you to participate in the Stark World Expo."
"But isn't the expo scheduled for next month?" Ben asked, crossing his arms with an expression of polite curiosity. He was genuinely interested to see what kind of story they had prepared to justify this visit.
Pepper had indeed come prepared with a plausible explanation. "The timing is related to venue allocation and logistics planning. We need to survey the space with all major participants ahead of time and discuss the specific products that each company plans to showcase. It's essential for proper coordination."
Even Stark Industries had to be careful when dealing with companies like Primus. The self-healing serum had generated enormous media attention, and excluding such a high-profile innovation from the Expo would raise uncomfortable questions about the event's relevance.
Ben recognized the explanation as a convenient pretext. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s real objective was obviously to gather intelligence about Primus's future product development, probably assuming that the company would continue focusing on biotechnology and medical applications.
They were in for a surprise.
"Allow me to show you what we're planning to exhibit," Ben said, stepping aside to reveal the sleek car that had been concealed behind a partition.
Coulson stared at the car in confusion. "I was under the impression that Primus Technologies specialized in Biotech," he said.
"Primus Technologies has never intended to limit itself to a single field," Ben continued. "We employ scientists from diverse backgrounds and encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration."
"Various scientists?" Natasha asked skeptically, glancing around the obviously small facility. "Where exactly are they?"
"They'll be joining us soon," Ben said cryptically. "But let me show you something that relates directly to the expo's theme. You know, of course, that the concept of technological progress has always been central to these events. In the last century, Howard Stark proposed the idea of anti-gravity vehicles as a vision of the future."
"You've actually accomplished that?" Natasha asked, her professional interest clearly piqued.
"Not exactly anti-gravity," Ben clarified, pulling out a remote control device. "Step back a little, please." He waited for the group to move to a safe distance before pressing a button on the remote.
The transformation was immediate and dramatic. The car's tires flattened and spread outward, while the central axle assembly opened to reveal a complex array of technological components. Layers of visible energy waves began emanating downward from the vehicle, creating ripples in the air that resembled heat distortion.
Within seconds, the entire car was floating three feet above the ground, hovering as steadily as if it were resting on an invisible platform.
"I've developed a sonic suspension system," Ben explained, clearly enjoying their shocked reactions. "It can achieve a maximum altitude of 100 meters and provides extremely stable flight characteristics. The vehicle's hull is constructed from titanium alloy so safety is guaranteed even in the event of system failure."
The group stood in stunned silence, trying to process what they were witnessing. The implications were staggering. If this technology could be mass-produced, it would revolutionize transportation as fundamentally as the invention of the wheel. Cities could be redesigned around three-dimensional traffic patterns, and the entire automotive industry would be transformed overnight.
"Of course," Ben continued with a mischievous grin, "I understand that some people prefer vintage aesthetics. We're also planning to offer retrofit services, adding this capability to classic vehicle models for customers who appreciate traditional styling."
Coulson's eyes lit up with genuine enthusiasm for the first time since entering the building. As someone who collected vintage cars, old music, and other artifacts from previous eras, the idea of combining classic design with cutting-edge technology was deeply appealing. The thought of his beloved 1962 Chevrolet Corvette floating through the sky was almost too wonderful to contemplate.
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