The Osborn mansion was enormous.
Because Norman’s body couldn’t be discovered, the butler had quietly dismissed all the servants.
Harry and John remained inside Norman’s bedroom for a long time, giving Charlie Parker plenty of time to search the estate.
He checked every room…
Every cabinet…
Every hidden compartment he could find.
Yet nowhere did he discover a lock that matched the old green key.
Trying to uncover its secret by himself was proving nearly impossible.
The key itself looked ancient.
Maybe Harry knew what it was for.
As evening slowly fell, Harry finally emerged from Norman’s room like a walking corpse.
He silently entered his father’s study.
Without turning on the lights, he sat alone in the darkness for hours.
That night…
He thought about many things.
The crushing weight now resting on his shoulders left him barely able to breathe.
The sorrow in his heart gradually gave way to helplessness…
Fear…
And overwhelming loneliness.
Meanwhile, Charlie lay quietly on the mansion rooftop with both hands behind his head.
He stared silently at the moon overhead while listening to the muffled sounds of Harry crying inside the study.
No one could truly understand another person’s grief.
Norman’s death had shattered Harry’s world.
Charlie, however…
Only felt a quiet sense of regret.
Harry was his best friend.
But there was very little he could actually do for him.
Secretly informing the butler where Norman’s body could be found…
That was about all he was capable of.
Besides…
Even if Norman hadn’t died at the hands of that mysterious attacker…
Charlie would still have had to find a way to stop him.
To Norman…
Death had never been the greatest fear.
His greatest fear…
Was losing himself completely and hurting Harry one day.
Even though…
He already had.
For Charlie, the fact that Norman hadn’t died by his own hands was the best possible ending.
So…
He simply stayed there on the rooftop.
Keeping his grieving friend company through the night.
The following morning…
Warm sunlight streamed through the study window, falling across Harry’s face.
The warmth made him shiver slightly.
After an entire night of grieving…
He finally forced himself to stand back up.
John entered carrying breakfast.
Taking a deep breath, Harry said,
“John.”
“My father’s secret can never get out.”
“Tell everyone he’s taking time away due to illness.”
“I’ll handle everything at Oscorp from now on.”
His eyes had become steady.
His father had protected him for so many years.
Now…
It was his turn to protect the company his father had cherished.
John watched him with quiet pride.
Harry opened his computer and began searching for every report related to the Green Goblin.
Among all the news…
The most recent incident was the Green Goblin’s battle against Spider-Man several days earlier.
“A soldier carrying a shield…”
“Explosive arrows…”
“And Spider-Man…”
Harry calmly analyzed every detail, trying to identify whoever had killed his father.
Norman’s fatal wound had been the massive hole in his chest.
Harry had already watched the crime scene footage.
Neither the shield-wielding soldier nor Spider-Man possessed enough power to tear through the Green Goblin armor like that.
Which meant…
Neither of them was the killer.
Besides…
They hadn’t even managed to capture his father that day.
“Harry.”
John’s phone suddenly rang.
“The autopsy results are back.”
He looked up.
“The hole in your father’s chest wasn’t caused by an explosion.”
“The weapon appears to have been something resembling the claws of a wild beast.”
“A beast?”
Harry frowned.
“What kind of clue is that supposed to be?”
“Oh.”
John suddenly remembered something.
“And there’s this.”
He produced the green key.
“I found it beside your father’s bed while cleaning up this morning.”
“I must have overlooked it earlier.”
Harry accepted the key.
A memory flashed through his mind.
Immediately, he began searching through the study.
Eventually…
Inside the safe…
He found a small black box, barely the size of his palm.
The moment he saw it, a faint smile appeared on his face.
“When I was little…”
“My father loved playing treasure hunts with me.”
“I always managed to find the prize.”
“But he’d hide the key somewhere different every time.”
“He cheated a lot.”
The warm childhood memory disappeared almost instantly.
His smile faded.
He inserted the green key into the lock.
Click.
The box opened.
Inside…
There was only a cellphone.
“What was Father trying to tell me?”
Taking a deep breath, Harry played the video stored inside.
“My son, Harry…”
“I’m sorry.”
“If you’re watching this…”
“Then I’m already dead.”
The man on screen looked exhausted.
His face was pale.
Yet he still smiled gently.
“I can no longer control myself.”
“I could only leave you this message during the rare moments when I was still lucid.”
He paused briefly before continuing.
“You’ve always wanted to know…”
“Why I spent nearly all my time inside laboratories instead of with my family.”
“Your mother left because of it.”
“You resented me because of it.”
“But…”
“I had no choice.”
“I’m finally telling you because the Osborn family carries a hereditary disease.”
“Once we reach forty…”
“It slowly destroys us until we die.”
“You carry it too.”
“But you still have time.”
“I devoted everything to developing a gene serum that could cure it.”
“But…”
“It has a fatal flaw.”
“It dragged me into darkness.”
“A place from which there is no salvation.”
“So…”
“You must never inject yourself with it.”
“I believe you’ll one day perfect the formula.”
“All of my research data is inside my laboratory.”
“You already know the password.”
“My son…”
“I’m sorry for leaving so suddenly.”
“I’ve reached my limit.”
“I hope you’ll live a happy life.”
“But some things…”
“Can never be chosen.”
“Please forgive me…”
“For being such a terrible father.”
“Harry…”
“I love you.”
The video ended.
Norman’s smiling face froze forever on the screen.
Harry stared silently at the phone.
His eyes slowly turned red.
A hereditary disease…
So that was why his father had risked everything.
At last…
He understood.
At almost the exact same moment…
Charlie received a video file from an unfamiliar account.
He opened it.
Norman appeared once again.
“Charlie.”
“Congratulations.”
“If you’re watching this…”
“That means the mutated spider successfully transformed you into a superhuman.”
Charlie’s pupils immediately contracted.
Wait…
I became Spider-Man…
because of Norman?
He continued watching.
“Yes.”
“I knew your father.”
“We were once close friends.”
“He showed me his greatest research project…”
“Using genetically engineered spiders to perform human genetic enhancement.”
“That research inspired me.”
“It also showed me the only possible way to cure the Osborn family’s hereditary disease.”
“Genetic evolution.”
“I spent years trying.”
“But I have to admit…”
“I could never equal your father’s brilliance.”
“My experiments failed.”
“I became a monster driven by madness.”
“While I was losing my mind…”
“I did something unforgivable.”
“After your father disappeared…”
“I stole the genetically modified spiders he left behind.”
“I wanted to recreate his work.”
“But I failed.”
“So…”
“My insane self released the final surviving spider…”
“And made sure it bit you.”
“I know you hate spiders.”
“But you were never given a choice.”
“You might have died.”
“You might have become a monster.”
“But…”
“I trusted your father.”
“That spider was engineered using your own genetic material.”
“It would allow you to surpass the limits of the human body.”
“Something…”
“I could never accomplish.”
“I needed a successful genetic enhancement subject.”
“I needed your help to perfect my serum.”
“I needed you, Charlie.”
Norman sighed heavily.
“Of course…”
“Those are only the thoughts I have while I’m still sane.”
“If I completely lose myself…”
“I may eventually see you as an enemy.”
“If that day comes…”
“Only you will be able to stop me.”
His face filled with guilt.
“I know I’m selfish.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I can’t control what’s happening to me.”
“Harry knows nothing about any of this.”
“I hope…”
“The two of you remain best friends.”
“And finally…”
“As Harry’s father…”
“I have one last warning.”
“If anyone ever invites you to join some strange organization…”
“Don’t accept.”
“It’s dangerous.”
“Very…”
“Very dangerous.”
The recording ended abruptly.
The video automatically deleted itself.
Charlie stood there in silence.
His missing father…
A mysterious organization…
His mind immediately landed on a single possibility.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
Then another name surfaced.
The Avengers.
Could the mysterious person who killed Norman…
Have something to do with all of this?
(End of Chapter)