Chapter 6
They were at the highest floor of the yacht with no one else around them. ‘If you plan on spitting on people’s head from here, I don’t do that kind of stuff.’ He could see Tony and Pepper in the distance.
They were talking to some suited men. Peter was actually grateful to escape from meeting another group of business men.
It was actually nice in here, the loud music of the party was significantly lower in this part. Peter fel relaxed.
‘Peter…I need you to know…my friendship with you was real. I mean….the feelings. I really liked being your friend. I wish it didn’t have to be like this.’ Harry wasn’t looking at his face now.
‘What? What do you mean? Be like what?’ Peter didn’t understand anything. What has gotten into Harry?
Harry was looking at something behind him. Peter turned back to see what it was and saw that goblin guy standing there.
‘Well hello there. I told you we will meet again.’
‘Harry run!’ Peter would stall it until Harry gets away.
The Goblin laughed loudly. ‘You still didn’t understand did you? Harry doesn’t have to run. He brought you here to me. Now we don’t have much time we can do the rest of the talking at home, where you
belong.’ He threw a gas bomb at Peter which his spider sense didn’t warn him about. Maybe it was because of the shock he was in.
Peter felt the fog making him dizzy. There was some talking but he couldn’t really understand what was being said, but he thinks he heard Harry say ‘I had to’ and ‘Sorry.’
And then it went black.
----
‘Tony I can’t find Pete anywhere, he isn’t picking up his phone either.’ Pepper came to Tony’s side who is drinking at the bar. Her face looked worried.
‘Maybe he is at the restroom? I will go check. Don’t worry.’ He finished his drink before putting his glass and left to search for Peter. Thankfully the restroom wasn’t too crowded.
‘Pete? You in here?’ There was no response. He still waited until all the cabins were emptied just to make sure. But Peter was still nowhere to be found.
He decided to ask a few people if they had seen Peter anywhere. Tony was pretty aware many people in this party had their eyes on Peter. After all he was the kid that somehow caught Tony Stark’s
attention. The third person he asked gave him a response which he didn’t liked at all. ‘Yeah, Mr. Stark, I saw him on the stairs to the roof with Harry Osborn.’
Fucking Osborns
He went to roof but there was no one around. He could feel himself getting mad. He also couldn’t find Norman anywhere, too. The party was coming to an end and Peter was still missing.
Pepper was also very worried; it could be seen from her face. She was still sitting at the same spot Tony left her.
‘Pep, I think we should go back…’
‘What? Tony we can’t leave without Peter? Have you lost your mind?’ Pepper couldn’t believe her ears. How could Tony be so reckless?
‘There is nothing we can do here. He is obviously not in here. It has something to do with the Osborns. I am sure of it. So we need to go home, get me to my toys and I will find him.’
‘..maybe we should go to police?’
‘No, no need. Just give me some time okay? Friday and I will find him.’ He hated to see Pepper stressed like this. ‘Come here.’ He wrapped his arms around her. ‘Peter will be back home, I promise.’
---
‘Okay Fri, I am home now. Tell me what did you find?’ After laying Pepper down on the bed, he came to his lab directly.
‘Sir, Mr. Parker’s phone signal can’t be found. I also checked the surveillance cameras around the party, there was no sign of Mr. Parker.’
Tony sighed. ‘How about Norman? Where is he?’
‘Checking.’ Said Friday.
If that guy hurt my kid, I’m gonna kill him.
‘Mr. Osborn’s is in his estate in Malibu, not too far from here.’
‘Okay let’s pay him a little visit then.’
‘Should I get your suit ready sir?’ Tony thought about but decided not to take a big action before he was sure it was needed.
‘No, I will take the car. He probably took the kid to get on my nerves. I don’t know why Peter would leave before telling me though... I guess we will see.’
Tony raced to the Osborn’s little mansion. He decided to be civil and knocked on the door. A maid opened ‘Can I help you?’
‘Yeah, I’m gonna need to get inside.’
‘I am sorry. Mr. Osborn is not taking any visitors at this moment.’
‘It’s a good thing I am not here for a casual visit then.’ He kindly pushed the maid out of his way. Okay this place was big. ‘Where is our guy exactly?’
The woman pointed to a door and Tony went in. And there was Norman, sitting with a cigar in his hand and a smirk on his face.
‘Stark, I didn’t expect to see you here.’
Bullshit
‘Where is he?’ Tony didn’t want to spend time on small talk.
‘Where is who?’
‘You know who. Where is Peter? Don’t play games with me, Norman. I am not in the mood.’
‘I have no idea where your son is. Maybe he ran away from you after realizing what a prick you are.’
‘Just ask me nicely to kill you, you didn’t have to get in all this trouble for it.’
Norman snorted. ‘It is late. Can you leave, I am getting sleepy. I don’t know where your son is. If it is going to make you feel better search the building.’
Tony quietly asked Friday to search the building and got a negative result.
‘I hope you have nothing to do with this Norman, for your sake.’ And with that he left.
---
Peter opened his eyes to a dim-lighted room, not really remembering what happened. He looked around and realized he was in some kind of lab. He was lying down on a metal table with his wrists and
ankles restrained. He tried to break free but it wasn’t happening, this room was clearly designed for Spider-Man. But Peter wasn’t giving up; he had to get out of this creepy place so he kept on trying.
‘You can’t break free from those Peter, don’t waste your energy on this.’ Peter turned his head to the direction that the voice came from and saw Norman Osborn standing with a man dressed in a doctor
coat.
‘You have been sleeping for almost 12 hours, you must be hungry. Tell me, from 0-10 how hungry are you? We need to learn some basics about your metabolism, you know. We will be doing a detailed
research on this subject, just not now. So you will be getting food today.’
‘W-Why are you doing this?’ Peter was only using his powers for the goodness of people. Mr. Osborn didn’t need to worry about him. Surely, he was going to let Peter go once he believes it. ‘Mr. Osborn, I
promise It was a m-mistake, I was on a school tri-‘
‘Don’t bother, I am aware how it happened.’ Norman walked closed to Peter and put his hand on his hair, petting it. ‘My precious Spider, I am proud of you.’
The doctor came near them with a needle in his hands ‘I need more sample for our research Mr. Osborn.’ Norman made a go ahead sign with his hand.
‘Mr. Osborn, you don’t understand. I am just the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, you don’t have to worry about me.’
Nobody responded to Peter. The doctor stood before him, getting the needle ready.
‘No No.’ Peter tried to get away but it wasn’t happening. The doctor put the needle in his arm anyway.
‘So, let’s begin our research. I want learn more about your healing abilities. We took some samples from you while you were asleep. And my scientists discovered that your system is faster than a normal
person’s to heal.’
Peter was scared now. Were they going to torture him? He wanted to go home, to Mr. Stark and Pepper…to May.
‘Doc, how about we start with a few broken bones? I want to see how long it will take for our Spider to heal?’
‘That is a very good idea Mr. Osborn. I will be starting with breaking his hand and his patella.’ The doctor approached to Peter with a hammer kind of tool in his hand.,
‘NO! Please don’t. Please just let me go. I won’t tell anyone!’ He was yanking his hands and legs forcefully. Suddenly his yanking stopped as the doctor hit him very hard at his hand and he screamed and
screamed. The second hit came too soon; he screams were now mixed with grunts. The breaking of his bones could be heard. Peter felt tears leaving his eyes.
‘Don’t cry now Peter, this only the beginning. I have to leave now, Stark can drop by again I want to be home when he does.’ Peter turned his attention to Norman when he heard the mention of Mr. Stark.
He was searching for Peter. Tony would never leave him here. He just needed to hang on until Tony comes.
---
Tony sat on his lab searching for any trace of Peter. He pulled his hair as Friday spoke
‘May I suggest you to take a break, Boss?’
A break? How could Tony take a break when his kid was missing? No, he needed to think. He didn’t even bother to answer Friday’s question.
‘Fri, I am still suspicious about Norman. Check if any of his private planes left Malibu anytime soon? Maybe we are searching in the wrong area?’
‘Checking.’
Tony heard footsteps coming from the stairs followed by the voice of Pepper ‘Tony, please tell me you found something. I can’t take it anymore…What if-‘
‘No. Don’t finish that sentence. Peter is...fine and I will find him.’ Tony didn’t know how that was going to happen but he knew it will, whatever it takes.
Pepper sighed. ‘Did you talk to Fury?’
‘I did honey. He is also looking for him…’
Pepper kissed the top of Tony’s head. ‘Are you okay?’
Tony answered too quickly. ‘Yeah. I am fine.’
No. He wasn’t okay at all. The idea of Peter being hurt at God knows where was killing him.
Pepper knew better than to believe him but she didn’t push. ‘I will be upstairs, please tell me if you learn anything.’ Tony nodded.
Friday spoke up after Pepper left. ‘Boss, none of Norman Osborn’s jets flew from Malibu lately.’
That is great news, Tony thought. Right?
---
It has been two weeks since Peter went missing. Tony wasn’t eating much or sleeping. He was constantly in his lab trying to find Peter. But he didn’t even know where to look anymore.
Tony was now at the balcony of his bedroom with an old phone in his hands. It was the middle of the night, everyone was sleeping except Tony. He needed to talk to someone, he needed advice. So he
pressed call.
The voice at the other end of the line came rather too quickly. ‘Tony?’
‘Cap...’
‘Tony, are you okay?’ Tony could really hear the worry in his voice.
‘No. I mean yes…’ God, he was a mess. He didn’t think their first conversation after so long would be like this.
‘I am sorry, I don’t follow. Be more specific please.’
Tony couldn’t blame him. Even he wasn’t understanding himself.
‘I am fine physically. It’s my kid… He is missing.’
‘Peter is missing? Do you need me there, I can come right now.’ Steve probably knew about Peter’s adoption process from the news. Tony wasn’t surprised, the whole world was talking about it.
‘No, there isn’t anything you can do here. I just... wanted to talk.’
‘Of course Tony. Anything.’ Tony didn’t answer so Steve continued ‘You sound very tired. And worried. There aren’t any leads, are they?’
‘No. I have been searching non-stop and I couldn’t find a single thing. I am going crazy here, Cap.’
‘Do not lose hope Tony. You will find him. You always find a way to get what you want.’
‘Was that a compliment or an insult?’ Tony smiled a little.
‘A compliment , Tony. Give yourself some time alright?’
‘Thank you Cap, it was good to talk to you.’
‘I am glad you called. I am always here for you Tony, you know that.’
‘Yeah, maybe after I find the kid, we can meet or something.’
‘I would really like that.’ Tony could see Steve’s smiling face in front of him.
---
Peter didn’t know how much longer he could put up with the pain. For the past week he has been cut, stabbed, hit and even burned. Right now, they were curious to see how long he could live without
food. It has been 3 days since the last time he ate anything. And the intensity of the pain kept increasing. After they learned that Peter was able to heal two broken bones in a day, they decided to go
bigger and see if more bones were broken, would the healing factor still do its job in one day. So Peter lied down on the metal table with almost all his bones broken to pieces. He felt an incredible pain
from the slightest move. But it didn’t even matter anymore since he doesn’t have any energy left to try to escape from this hell hole.
The door opened slowly and the person Peter least expected to be here came in quietly. Harry Osborn stood before Peter. His eyes grew bigger when he saw Peter’s condition.
‘Oh my God. Peter are you okay? Is this your blood? I-I’ It was clear that Harry didn’t know his father was this cruel. Peter didn’t even answer to Harry’s question.
‘I didn’t kn- ı-… I am so sorry Peter…’ He put his hand over Peter’s which caused him to wince. Harry quickly withdrew his hand.
‘I need you to know, I had to this. I just…’ Harry couldn’t talk. He just wasn’t able to form any sentences right now. So, he left, without any warnings. And Peter was actually glad for that.
He closed his eyes and imagined himself back at home. He was with Tony back at New York, tinkering in his lab. They were ordering pizza, Pepper was scolding them for not eating healthy stuff. They
were laughing. Peter hugged Tony. He felt safe, and happy.