----
Inside the back of a delivery truck, Nolan watched Jessica Jones, restrained by magnetic shackles made from pure vibranium, binding both her wrists and ankles.
He had spared no expense crafting them specifically for capturing super-powered individuals like her.
From his coat, Nolan pulled out a vibranium restraining band sothing he had prepared long ago.
He'd co up with two contingency plans, already suspecting that Jessica might've started to see through him.
What he didn't expect was just how sharp she actually was.
She had instincts those rare "detective" traits.
Clever, sure. But against soone who had prepared for everything? Still not enough.
"If you're awake, you can stop pretending," Nolan said with a smirk, staring down at her. "Didn't think your resistance to the sedative would be that high."
"Liar," Jessica muttered, opening her eyes.
"I didn't have another way to get close to you," Nolan replied calmly. "Sure, you had suspicions. You even found so of the evidence of my ulterior motives. But that's where it ended."
"The mont you agreed to have dinner with yesterday... your fate was sealed."
"So all of it, every word, every look, you never actually liked ?" Jessica's voice cracked with a painful mix of disbelief and anger. "Everything was just a setup?"
"Do you get emotionally attached to your lab rats before an experint?" Nolan said flatly. "Everything I did was to reach my goal. Nothing more."
"Love is a waste of my ti"
He wasn't the type to waste ti on romantic distractions. With the power he possessed, he considered it a joke to use it on sothing as trivial as love.
"You—!"
"We're here."
He cut her off as the truck ca to a halt. The doors swung open.
Jessica, still burning with fury, was dragged away. Nolan, anwhile, ascended to the top floor of the Oscorp building, where the remaining board mbers had already assembled.
Ownership of the company had been split among three major factions.
As Nolan walked in, he spotted a familiar face.
Maria Hill?
So S.H.I.E.L.D. had sent her as their representative?
Without missing a beat, Nolan delivered his announcent. "Dr. Connors is now Head of Research. From now on, no Oscorp project proceeds without my approval."
"Hold it," Hill raised her hand. "I object. I want oversight over company research too."
"You're not entitled to that," Nolan shot back. "Unless you hold over 34% of the shares, our bylaws don't require us to share that access. You barely have 20%. Motion denied."
Hill narrowed her eyes. "Since when was that part of the bylaws?"
"As of this morning," Nolan replied with a cheerful grin. "eting adjourned."
"You can't just push changes through like that!" Hill snapped, her voice rising. "That bylaw was passed without board consensus!"
"Are you under the impression we need your approval?" Nolan said, tone sharp. "This wasn't a capital restructuring. It doesn't require unanimous consent."
Just then, the doors burst open and a young man stord in, shouting, "I don't agree!"
Nolan turned his head and raised an eyebrow. The kid had thinning hair and pale skin.
"Harry?"
"I don't agree with anything you're doing!" Harry Osborn said, stepping beside Hill with clenched fists.
"And what right do you have to disagree?" Nolan asked, unimpressed. "You don't own a single share."
"My father is Norman Osborn. Until he returns, I speak for him!"
"You think this is so kind of schoolyard ga?" Nolan scoffed. "Your father never formally transferred his shares. He's missing not dead."
"You're the one who kidnapped him!"
"Careful with your words," Nolan replied coolly. "This is a democratic country. Accusations like that require proof. Otherwise, you'll be looking at a defamation suit and charges for threatening private property rights."
He waved dismissively. "I don't have ti for this nonsense. If you're so sure, go ahead and sue . I've got all the ti in the world."
Without sparing them another glance, Nolan turned to Connors and walked away.
As they headed toward the lab, he asked, "Any breakthroughs on the Green Goblin reversal serum?"
"There's still a few issues. I haven't solved them yet."
"Send the data. We need Norman back. Also, what's the status of Phoenix 2.0?"
"Ready for human testing."
"Good."
Nolan nodded.
"Secure our 'research assets' in the most protected wing," he added. "Tell Klaue to guard them personally. They're too valuable to lose."
"Understood."
Connors hesitated for a second, then asked quietly, "Boss... you want to check on the Spider project?"
"Yeah. Might as well see if Richard left anything behind."
Connors led him to a lab disguised as a jungle bio. Low shrubs lined the edges, their leaves crawling with brightly colored spiders suspended on webs.
"Ever since Richard disappeared, I've been maintaining this lab. I didn't really focus on it just had the interns toss in so bugs now and then."
He thought about Peter's terrifying strength. If Nolan hadn't told him, he never would've believed Peter's powers ca from these spiders.
Nolan studied the lab carefully. "Have this place cleaned up. Once Phoenix 2.0 is finalized, our next priority is the Spider Serum."
"Show whatever Richard left behind."
"Yes, sir."
Nolan wasn't sure if he could recreate Spider-Man's full abilities but the spiders were definitely worth researching.
He rembered that Richard had started his work by embedding Peter's genetic material into his tests.
That thod, Nolan could replicate.
It might even lead to a brand-new formula.
One capable of producing an army of lizard-n... or Green Goblins... hell, even Hulks.
He didn't care much for wall-crawling or super strength. But spider-sense?
Now that was vital an advanced danger-detection system perfectly suited for his enhanced reflexes.
Richard and Connors had once been colleagues. They probably started from the sa place, but their paths diverged.
The Lizard Serum and the Spider Serum both ca from the sa origin. Richard was simply the more gifted of the two he found the balance.
Now Nolan needed to rediscover it.
If the Lizard Serum could give soone lizard-like traits, then all he wanted... was the spider traits.
He had ideas for the Goblin Reversal Serum already but in science, progress ca from learning from the best.
"Ti to have so fun," Nolan said softly, eyes glinting with excitent.
----
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