Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

Chapter 3: Oscorp's Shadow

The night was thick with fog as Peter Parker swung toward Oscorp's industrial district. The city below was a patchwork of glowing lights and distant noise, but here, it was eerily quiet. Too quiet.

Felicia's tip weighed on his mind. "Project Chimera." It sounded ominous enough, but the idea of teaming up with Black Cat again made Peter uneasy. She was unpredictable—both an ally and a distraction. And then there was MJ, who was already growing frustrated with his constant absences.

He shook the thought from his head as Oscorp's looming facility came into view. Its sleek, modern design was a stark contrast to the crumbling warehouses around it. The logo glowed green against the night sky, a beacon of corporate power.

Peter landed silently on a nearby rooftop, crouching in the shadows. His spider-sense tingled faintly, but it wasn't a direct threat—just the tension of stepping into dangerous territory.

Moments later, Felicia appeared, as if she'd materialized from the mist.

"Right on time," she said, her voice low and smooth. She was dressed in her usual black bodysuit, her white hair spilling over her shoulders.

"I still can't believe I agreed to this," Peter muttered.

Felicia smirked. "Relax, Spider. This'll be fun."

"For you, maybe," Peter replied. "Breaking into Oscorp isn't exactly my idea of a good time."

Felicia stepped closer, her tone playful. "Oh, come on. You love the thrill as much as I do."

Peter ignored her, scanning the building. The main entrance was heavily guarded, with security cameras and patrols sweeping the perimeter.

"What's the plan?" he asked.

Felicia pointed to a vent system on the second floor. "We go in through there. It'll take us to the research wing. I've already disabled the cameras on that side, so we should have a clear path—assuming you can keep up."

Peter raised an eyebrow. "Keep up? You realize I have superpowers, right?"

Felicia winked. "Then try not to slow me down."

The two of them moved like shadows, scaling the side of the building and slipping into the vent. It was a tight fit, but Peter's enhanced agility made it manageable.

As they crawled through the narrow space, Felicia's voice broke the silence.

"You ever think about what your life would be like if you weren't Spider-Man?" she asked.

Peter hesitated. "All the time."

"And?"

Peter sighed. "I don't know. I'd probably be boring. Maybe a teacher or a scientist. But it doesn't matter. Being Spider-Man isn't something I can turn off. It's… who I am."

Felicia was quiet for a moment. "Must be exhausting."

"You have no idea," Peter said.

They reached the end of the vent, where Felicia pried open a grate and dropped into a dimly lit hallway. Peter followed, landing silently beside her.

The research wing was cold and sterile, with white walls and fluorescent lights. The faint hum of machinery echoed in the distance.

"This way," Felicia whispered, leading him toward a set of double doors.

As they approached, Peter's spider-sense flared. He grabbed Felicia's arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"Wait," he said.

A moment later, the doors burst open, and two armed guards stepped out. Peter reacted instantly, leaping into the air and firing webs to disarm them. Before the guards could call for backup, Felicia darted forward, delivering a precise kick that sent one of them sprawling.

The other guard reached for his radio, but Peter was faster. He shot a web at the device, yanking it away.

"Nice work," Felicia said, brushing herself off.

Peter gave her a look. "This isn't a game, Felicia. If they call for reinforcements, we're screwed."

She shrugged. "That's why we're not giving them a chance."

They continued deeper into the facility, encountering minimal resistance. It was almost too easy, which only made Peter more uneasy.

Finally, they reached a large, reinforced door with a keypad lock.

"This is it," Felicia said.

Peter examined the lock. "Let me guess—you've got a way to bypass this, too?"

Felicia smirked, pulling out a small device. "What do you take me for? An amateur?"

She attached the device to the keypad, and within seconds, the door clicked open.

The room beyond was massive, filled with rows of high-tech equipment and glowing monitors. At the center of the room was a glass chamber, containing a strange, pulsating mass. It was dark and amorphous, shifting and writhing as if alive.

"What the hell is that?" Peter whispered, his stomach turning.

Felicia's expression was unreadable. "Looks like Oscorp's been busy."

Peter approached the chamber cautiously, his spider-sense buzzing louder with each step. The mass inside seemed to react to his presence, pressing against the glass as if trying to reach him.

"This must be Project Chimera," Peter said.

"Whatever it is, it's not natural," Felicia added.

Peter turned to her. "We need to shut this down. Now."

Felicia hesitated. "That's not what I signed up for. I got you in here, Spider. What you do next is up to you."

Peter clenched his fists. "You can't just walk away from this."

"Watch me," Felicia said, turning toward the door.

Before Peter could respond, the room filled with the sound of alarms. Red lights flashed, and a mechanical voice echoed through the facility.

"Security breach detected. Lockdown initiated."

"Great," Peter muttered.

Felicia stopped in her tracks, her expression shifting from playful to serious. "Looks like you've got company."

The doors burst open, and a group of heavily armed guards stormed in. Peter leapt into action, dodging gunfire and using his webs to disarm and incapacitate them.

Felicia, to her credit, didn't run. She moved with precision, taking down guards with a combination of agility and well-placed strikes.

"We need to get out of here," Peter shouted, webbing up the last of the guards.

Felicia nodded, but her gaze lingered on the glass chamber. "What about that thing?"

Peter hesitated. Destroying it could cause a chain reaction, but leaving it behind felt like a worse option.

Before he could decide, the mass inside the chamber began to glow. The glass cracked, and a low, guttural noise filled the room.

"Peter…" Felicia said, her voice uncharacteristically nervous.

The chamber shattered, and the creature inside lunged forward, its form shifting into a monstrous, humanoid shape. Its eyes glowed red, and its mouth twisted into a snarl.

"Go!" Peter shouted, pushing Felicia toward the exit.

"What about you?" she yelled.

"I'll handle this!"

Felicia hesitated for a split second before nodding and disappearing through the door.

Peter turned to face the creature, his heart pounding.

"Alright, big guy," he said, trying to steady his breathing. "Let's dance."

End of Chapter 3