Webs and Bones

Beginning of the End

"Error found. The algorithm is invalid."

Octavious cursed as he typed at the many screens holographic screens around him, utilising both his hands and the robotic appendages from his back.

While the others were busy giving those fools claiming to be guardians a tour of their confidential headquarters, he was hard at work trying to understand what exactly they were dealing with a little better. He was gaining minimal success for his efforts.

He couldn't deny it, an entire multiverse made up of 'Code' intrigued him. It didn't appear to be a simulation of any kind (although that theory remained on the table). It seemed to be as real and natural as their own despite some of its more digital features.

Otto was sure he could solve its secrets, even if he wasn't currently residing within it. If only had a specimen that wasn't the embodiment of a twenty-year-old personal computer.

This 'Error' certainly lived up to his name and his appearance wasn't just for show. Otto had managed to access the skeleton's code and had it constantly on display on one of the screens, not that it was of much use.

Most of the lines were just corrupted nonsense, so much so that it was a miracle if the tenth line after a random point was somewhat legible. This wasn't normal in the other world, what little samples that they managed to gather from Crossover Worlds confirmed it.

He and his AI have been trying to decipher it ever since they captured the 'Destroyer' with no luck. If only he had a more put-together source directly from the other multiverse.

"I wonder if our guests would be willing to volunteer." Otto mused as he typed away at the screen in front of him, rewriting his algorithm, something that was supposed to decipher at least some of the broken lines of illegible digits but has continuously failed to do some.

The Superior Spider-Man was starting to wonder if the bits of 'uncorrupted' code that he found were really just so corrupted that they looked normal, thus sabotaging his work.

Otto growled, rubbing his temples as he could feel a headache coming. He didn't get them as often anymore, his cloned body having a natural resistance against simple ailments like that and due to him growing accustomed to the constant blabbering of all of the Spiders in this organisation.

His growing headache was interrupted when his AI called for his attention, "Doctor. The anomaly's behaviour has changed and he is calling for your attention. Would you like me to display the security footage from his cell?"

Otto swiped away the useless lines not even worthy of being called text and said, "Play it."

A new holographic screen appeared displaying the inside of the anomaly's cell. So far, every time he checked in on the glitching skeleton he was throwing a tantrum like a spoiled five-year-old child, throwing those red bones at the walls, slashing them with his strings and sometimes blasting them.

Otto had already given himself multiple reminders to strengthen the inhibitors for his kind.

This time though, the skeleton was laughing. His hand covered his eyes, his head was raised to the ceiling as he cackled like a madman. In between his manic laughs, he would make a statement of some kind, varying from "I figured it out," to "You're all idiots."

Otto frowned. A part of him told him that he should ignore the false god and should instead just get back to work but the other half was too suspicious and curious to not ask questions.

He pressed a button on the screen, activating a microphone and letting him speak directly into the cell's speakers.

"What are you laughing about, anomoly?" Octavious questioned, his voice stern and full of authority.