Fractured Mind

Chapter 24

Peter looked around, trying to mask his horror.

So there were, of course, six of them in all. Why was Mary Jane out here with them!?

Mary Jane's words rang through his head, "He said he would make sure there was no way you could get me out alive." He shook his head to rid this from his mind.

He would save her. He had to. He promised.

"Everyone take a look at The Amazing Spider-Man. Or rather, some teenage punk in a leather jacket," Doc Ock called out.

Peter focused on Mary Jane. She looked terrified. He heard Venom screech with laughter. Electro buzzed with anger, a hint of red in his usual blue.

"I would like to thank Mr. Harry Osborn for volunteering to distract Mr. Peter Parker while we acquired Ms. Mary Jane Watson," Doc Ock gestured towards her. Venom whistled and the Vulture gave a little clap. Harry continued to stare at the wall, emotionless.

"Now, few of you would know, but Harry Osborn is actually friends with Peter Parker. They've been friends all their lives," Doc Ock continued.

Electro threw Harry a resentful stare and the buzzing of his electricity grew even louder. Venom dropped altitude to Harry's level. Harry didn't even flinch as Venom advanced towards him, mouth dripping black liquid.

"But!" Doc Ock started as Venom moved towards Harry, "Peter Parker had never told Mr. Osborn his secret, about being Spider-Man, until quite recently in fact." Venom halted. "So, due to his success in distracting Mr. Parker, all is forgiven."

Peter's hatred for Harry flared as he watched him nod his head at Doc Ock's words. He wanted nothing more than to end his life at this moment, but he knew doing so wouldn't help the situation with Mary Jane.

"Let her go," Peter said suddenly. Everyone excluding Harry turned their head towards him.

"Ah, he speaks!" laughed Doc Ock.

Venom jumped back up to one of the damp ceiling beams. "Yeah, let her go!" he called out, "Splat!"

"Please, she has nothing to do with this," Peter began. "Just let her go, and I'll stay here," he came closer.

"Stop right there, Mr. Parker, or else I'll snap her neck before you touch the first step," Doc Ock said as one of his robotic arms let go of a beam and halted behind Mary Jane.

"What do you want?!" Peter yelled up to him in a frenzy.

Doc Ock smiled. "It's always the same question in situations like this. It's never the important questions like, 'How are you planning on killing my girlfriend?'. Now that's a question I could give you a reasonable answer to," the robotic arm behind Mary Jane started curling around her neck, "you see, I was planning on stripping the flesh from her bones as—"

"Stop! Wait!" Peter put his hands forward. He had no idea what to do. There were too many of them. Harry was right. Harry!

"Harry!" Peter called out to his former friend. Harry continued to ignore him, staring at nothing in particular. "Harry, please. I'll do anything, anything you want, if you let her go. You- you want me to leave town? The state? We'll pack up and leave tonight," Peters voice shook as he spoke, "I'll give up being Spider-Man for good. Please, just please let her go. Harry, look at me!"

Harry turned his head towards Peter, and he couldn't make sense of the hopeless look in his eyes. Peter thought he saw a tear run down his face, puzzling him even further. This is what Harry wanted, wasn't it? He set Peter up tonight. The last half of a year had been an elaborate set up, to earn Peter's trust and then crush it. So why was Harry staring at him like that?