Midtown Manhattan, Next Day
The next morning, while Queens stirred to its usual rhythm of honking taxis and corner store arguments, Peter Parker found himself far from home — standing at the gleaming entrance of Oscorp Tower.
It wasn't his first time in Manhattan, but this felt different. The Oscorp building wasn't just another skyscraper scraping the clouds. It was clean, cold, clinical — a monument to human ambition polished to a sterile sheen. The massive logo etched above the revolving doors seemed to watch everyone who passed beneath it.
Peter adjusted his backpack, nerves buzzing under his skin.
He had been shortlisted for the Oscorp Innovators Scholarship Tour, a school-sponsored program that offered select students a chance to intern at Oscorp if they impressed during orientation. For Peter, this was a dream. A foot in the door to the future.
Inside, the lobby was a cathedral of glass and steel. Everything echoed — footsteps, hushed conversations, the faint mechanical hum of automated security systems. Oscorp didn't flaunt its power; it let the architecture do that for them.
A group of students had already gathered, all wearing the same wide-eyed expression Peter carried. They were ushered into a briefing hall where a corporate host — polished suit, rehearsed smile — welcomed them to the Oscorp Future Innovators Program.
Peter's attention wasn't on the presentation slides.
His eyes were on the tech.
Holographic models displayed next-gen prosthetics, nanotech innovations, and AI-enhanced exo-suits. He recognized some of the theories from articles he'd devoured online, but seeing them in person was a different experience. His mind buzzed with questions, possibilities, and ideas. It was exhilarating.
Up above, from the privacy of a glass observation deck, Norman Osborn watched.
Norman stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his posture relaxed, his gaze sharp. He watched Peter as one would observe a chess piece — not yet significant, but potentially game-changing.
The Parker boy was bright. Too bright.
Norman had read the reports. Peter's academic profile was impressive enough, but it was his cousin who had drawn Oscorp's attention. Aaron Parker. A boy whose anomaly signals had triggered every silent detection grid Oscorp had in Queens.
Norman had learned long ago that talent clustered. And when one Parker stood out, the others weren't far behind.
He smiled thinly.
Today wasn't about confrontation.
Today was about observation.
After the presentation, the group was split into smaller clusters, each led through Oscorp's R&D floors. Peter's excitement bubbled over as he asked detailed questions — about nanite stability, energy efficiency in prosthetics, neural link latency. The Oscorp guides were surprised; most students nodded along politely. Peter dissected every answer.
Norman noted it all.
The tour was nearing its end when Norman Osborn decided to step onto the board himself.
"Peter Parker."
The voice was smooth, authoritative, but not loud. It cut through the hallway chatter with ease.
Peter turned, surprised to see Norman Osborn himself descending the stairs toward him. The other students murmured, stepping aside instinctively. The Oscorp staff straightened subtly, as if Norman's presence recalibrated their posture.
Peter's heart raced. He knew who Norman Osborn was. The man was a legend in the scientific community — a pioneer, a genius, a CEO who had built an empire out of ideas.
Norman's smile was calm, disarming. "I noticed your questions during the tour. Most students are content to listen. You challenge the narrative."
Peter rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, I just… I like understanding how things actually work."
"Never apologize for curiosity," Norman said, his tone warm but precise. "It's a rare trait. One Oscorp values."
Peter smiled awkwardly. "Thank you, sir."
Norman gestured, inviting Peter to walk with him. "Tell me, Peter. How does someone your age develop such a keen grasp of applied physics? Surely, you have some familial influence."
Peter's chest puffed a little. "My uncle used to tinker with me in the garage. But honestly, it's more my cousin, Aaron. He's the real genius."
Norman's eyes narrowed just slightly, the smile never wavering. "Ah, yes. Aaron Parker. A remarkable young man, from what I've heard."
Peter beamed with genuine pride. "Yeah. He's always been ahead of everyone. It's like his brain's wired differently."
"I imagine growing up together must have been… enlightening," Norman said smoothly, though his words carried an undertone Peter didn't catch.
"Definitely. He's more of a math-and-numbers guy, though. I'm more into hands-on stuff," Peter replied, unaware of the data Norman was gathering in that simple exchange.
Norman led Peter toward a display showcasing Oscorp's environmental energy solutions. He paused, letting his hand rest casually on the model, but his gaze never left Peter.
"Your school nominated you for our Innovators Scholarship. I see potential, Peter. Not just academic. Adaptability. That's a trait Oscorp cherishes."
Peter flushed slightly at the praise. "I'd be honored to work here, sir. It's a dream."
Norman smiled. "Dreams are valuable. But vision is what changes the world."
There was a pause, then Norman's tone shifted subtly — still friendly, but layered.
"We've been reviewing applicants very closely. Family patterns, behavioral profiles, anomaly trends…" His eyes sharpened. "The Parker lineage seems consistently… exceptional."
Peter, still basking in the attention, missed the deeper weight behind Norman's words. "I guess we just got lucky."
Norman filed that response away.
From Norman's perspective, the boy was honest. Genuine. But naïve.
Oscorp's anomaly detection systems had been monitoring a biological anomaly in Queens for weeks. Untraceable, silent, yet growing. Aaron Parker's name had surfaced during their data correlation sweeps. No school records flagged mutations. No government databases held relevant medical files.
But the signals didn't lie.
Norman didn't believe in coincidences.
Peter's innocence was useful. A mirror reflecting Aaron's abnormality by contrast.
Patience would serve better than pursuit.
Norman's hand rested briefly on Peter's shoulder. His grip was light, yet it carried the weight of a calculated gesture.
"Peter, we'll be observing your progress closely. You and your family. The future tends to favor those who stay prepared."
Peter took it as encouragement. "Thank you, Mr. Osborn. I won't let you down."
Norman's smile was razor-thin. "I'm sure you won't."
As Peter rejoined the tour group, oblivious to the layers beneath the conversation, Norman remained standing at the exhibit, his gaze lingering long after.
Oscorp didn't hunt carelessly.
It observed.
It waited.
And now, the Parkers were on the board.