The Spectacular Spider-Men: The Great Web

CHAPTER-5: Here's Dirt In Your Eye

August, 2011

THIRD-PERSON POV:

An eerie glow emanates from the dimly lit warehouse. In the center of the room, Flint Marko, his form shifting and shimmering, is securely restrained to a standing-table. Norman Osborn stands by, watching intently. Hammerhead, his imposing figure adorned in a tailored suit, examines a set of intricate machinery. Otto Octavius, with his mechanical tentacles, hovers over a console.

"So, doc - what's with the arms?" Marko asks Octavius.

"These?" he points to the four mechanical arms attached to his back. "Well, they allow me to multitask, manipulate difficult objects and, of course, maintain a safe distance."

"You need a safe distance?" Marko asks, concerned. "What about me?"

"Actually, there are concerns-"

"Marko, relax." Hammerhead cuts off Octavius. "Procedure's simple, painless, and totally worth it. Show him."

"Yes, well... the subject is infused with millions of microscopic silicon granules, creating subdermal silicon armour. Now, in theory, he'll be able to pass through metal detectors, well, undetected, and he'll be impervious." Octavius explains.

"'Impervious?' What? Is that a good thing?"

"Yeah..." Hammerhead says. "Means nothing and no one can hurt you- including the Spider-Men."

"Please, Mr. Osborn, this lab- it was assembled so rapidly, and the equipment- it- it's substandard. At the least, I need more time. The- the experiment has never been tested." Octavius tells Norman.

"This is the test." Norman says, wearing his goggles. "Press the button, doctor."

Flint struggles against his restraints, his expression turning into one of terror as the machine starts.

His body is injected with millions of sand particles and electricity.

"STOP!" Marko yells. "STOP IT, NOW!"

A warning symbol appears on the machine.

"The magnetic field is breaking the silicon's overloading! We must abort!" Otto shouts.

"Not yet." Norman says, calmly.

Flint's body morphs into different shapes before bursting into sand particles.

"What have we done...?" Otto asks regretfully. "What do we do?"

"We sweep up, and we try again." Norman says.

"Wait a minute." Hammerhead interrupts. "What's going on in there?"

Flint's body recreates itself using the sand particles and is back to full height before long. He glances at his hand, yells out.

"AARRGGHHH!"

...

RITVIK ANAND'S POV:

I'm on my usual patrol, when I spot a B&E happening.

Just another night in the city.

I decide to get involved, but as I'm kicking the bad guys' asses, my phone suddenly rings. I take it out and see that it's from an unknown number.

"Uh... hello?" I answer the call, jumping over one of the thugs, and kicking him in the back.

["Hello~!"] the voice comes out surprisingly cheerful. ["Ahem. Hello? Is this Ritvik Anand?"]

"Yep, it's me. Who's asking?" I ask, cautious.

"This is Betty Brant. We haven't officially met, but I saw you the other day-"