Over The Web - Miguel O'Hara

Chapter 2 - Error

1 Day Till The Bite

The eleven hour flight from Gatwick airport to New York burnt Maggie out. Not only was she already tired from having to wake up at such an ungodly hour, but then throw in jetlag, and suddenly you're faced with a very aggressive woman.

Barely surviving the flight, it then took all thirty university students another hour or so to reach their small hotel. Unloading the coach that took them there was a whole new game, figuring out which suitcase belonged to who, and which person was going to room with who. Because the university new they were with all adults, they new it would be safe for students to room with whoever, not really minding mixed gender rooming. This was the first upside of the day for Maggie and Peter, who once told the news excitedly looked right at each other.

While the two watched as everyone else scattered to find someone else to room with, boyfriends, girlfriends, partners, or friends, Peter and Maggie stayed close with luggage in hand. A lot of the students always confused the two as dating, something neither were now keen on.

There used to be a time where Maggie had a developed a bit of a crush on Peter, a good seven years ago when she was just thirteen, and the two even dated for what was probably only two weeks. But the fact that they lived together made the pair realise it wasn't supposed to be. Now, whenever someone made that comment, "Bleugh, don't even mention it" or "That's actually gross" was the reply they'd get.

So, now unpacked in their room, both having a bed each, Maggie was scrolling through her phone, while Peter talked her ears off about the events taking place over the week.

"I know you're excited for the science museum, Mags, but I can't lie to you, the fact we get a whole day just to go exploring by ourselves is kind of sick. You gotta agree with that, right?"

"I mean, yeah. I'm really hyped for the museum, and the other stuff we're doing, but I really wish we got to visit Alchemax."

Although astrophysics was in Maggie's main interest, she had a side interest in the objectives happening at Alchemax. It only gained her attention once it was revealed that Norman Osborn, the former CEO of what once was OsCorp Industries was the Green Goblin. For almost fourteen years now, Maggie swore off of heroes and villains, and the rest of the gossip that came with it. She didn't believe that super heroes and their power were worth it to this world. "Not only do they cause so much destruction, I mean, look at 2012 Manhattan for God's sake, but them being arounds means that villains get more creative, and have a reason to exist. The hero has to take down the bad guy. A hero can't exist without a villain." She'd ramble on for hours if she could. But the work that was taking place inside Alchemax was what caught her off guard.

Alchemax has a smaller side hustle, Alchemax Genetics. There they discover new ways to alter someone's genetics, even going as far as cloning them. Maggie has always wondered whether or not they'd be able to change things to the point where you're not even entirely human, or to a more medical view on it, being able to take out certain genes and genomes to prevent cancer running through generations. That's the part she admires.

"What if we just snuck away half way during one of the tours? I mean, the science museum is close to Alchemax, right?" Maggie suggested, a sly undertone present in her voice.

"Uh, no. No chance. I want to see all of the bio stuff at the museum. I heard they have some new exhibits." Peter argued.

"But like, what if-"

"No, Maggie. I don't want to get us into trouble on our first day here."

"Pete, what are they gonna do? Send us back home?" Maggie shrugged, flinging herself back on her bed.