Let's reach 250 Power Stones for an extra chapter
***
The Oscorp lab is a cathedral of science, a space humming with potential. Gleaming chrome instruments line the counters. Glass terrariums house lizards and mice, living testaments to the power of genetics. The air smells of antiseptic and possibility.
Ethan surveys the layout. He knows what to look for and where to find it. However, Peter is immediately captivated.
Peter's eyes widen as he takes it all in. He's a kid staring into a candy store, his jaw practically scraping the floor. Microscopes shimmer under the fluorescent lights. Centrifuges whir softly in the corner. The sheer scope of scientific possibility is overwhelming.
"Wow…" Peter breathes, his voice barely above a whisper. He is truly in awe. He takes a step into the lab. "This is incredible!"
He walks over to a complex-looking DNA sequencer, tracing its lines with his fingertips. He has always dreamed of working in a place like this. To have access to cutting-edge technology, to contribute to breakthroughs that could change the world – it was a dream he had almost given up on. His dream of one day being at the top of his field.
He spins and gazes at Gwen, his eyes shining with hope. Peter asks Gwen a question.
"Can I… can I actually use all this stuff?"
Gwen smiles, recognizing his enthusiasm. She has seen that look in his eye many times. The look of genuine excitement.
"Go ahead, Peter," she replies, her voice warm with encouragement. She nods towards a vacant workstation. "It's all yours. I'll help you get started."
Peter beams, relief and pure joy flooding his face. His passion for science is evident. Peter walks over to a computer terminal. He starts tapping at the keyboard.
"Alright," Peter mutters, rolling up his sleeves. He has focus and determination. "First, I'm going to run a full diagnostic on the equipment. See what we're working with here."
Gwen pulls up a chair beside Peter, ready to guide him.
"Okay, let's start with the basics. Have you used a spectrophotometer before?"
As they dive into the world of science, the lab feels more alive than ever. Peter throws himself into the task, a man possessed. He's immediately lost in the labyrinthine data. Gwen hovers beside him. She patiently explains each step, breaking down complex procedures. She makes it easy for Peter to understand. She knows it's a race against time.
"Alright, Peter," Gwen says, pointing to a series of readings. "These protein chains seem to be heavily altered. That's likely where the… enhancements are coming from."
Ethan watches them for a few minutes. He is pretending to understand the science, nodding along with a furrowed expression. The conversation washes over him. Terms like 'chromatography,' 'amino acid sequencing,' and 'polymerase chain reaction' bounce off his skull. The words mean absolutely nothing to him.
Okay, yeah, this is way above my pay grade, Ethan thinks, stifling a yawn. Time for Plan B: pretend I'm interested in something else.
He excuses himself, feigning a sudden interest in the lab's less explosive elements.
"Alright, you two have fun with… that. I'm gonna go check on the… lizards."
He wanders over to a row of terrariums. A small, green reptile stares back. It has beady eyes and a knowing gaze.
Hey there, buddy, Ethan thinks, tapping lightly on the glass. You wouldn't happen to have any insight on how to cure a homicidal maniac, would you? No? Didn't think so. Though, you know, you kinda have the same expression as Norman…
The lizard blinks slowly, then flicks its tongue out.
"You know," Ethan murmurs to the lizard. If I was a betting man, I'd say you're probably happier in there than I am out here.
Ethan continues his tour, muttering to the various caged creatures. He is filling the silence with half-hearted jokes. His anxiety is growing. He can't help shake the feeling that something terrible is coming. He just hopes Peter can crack the code before it is too late.
Half an hour ticks by. The whirring of machinery and the tapping of keyboards become a monotonous rhythm. Peter runs another scan, but it is to no avail. Gwen pinches the bridge of her nose. Both of them emit a simultaneous groan of frustration.
Ethan glances over, his eyebrows raised. He has been watching them work, more or less, and notes their increasing agitation. The jovial atmosphere has completely dissipated. He ambles over, leaning against a nearby counter.
"Everything alright?" Ethan asks, trying to sound casual. "You two sound like you're trying to solve world hunger with a spoon."
Peter sighs, running a hand through his messy hair. The initial excitement has been replaced by a grim determination. He stares at the swirling patterns of data on the screen.
"We're making progress," Peter says, his voice tight with frustration, "but at this rate, it'll take months to analyze the whole thing."
Gwen pushes away from her terminal, her expression mirroring Peter's. She crosses her arms and looks at Ethan.
"And the data's incomplete," Gwen adds, her tone laced with despair. "This could take forever."
Peter turns, his eyes filled with worry.
"If it takes too long," Peter says, his voice barely a whisper, "what if Norman's transformation becomes permanent? What if we can't save him?"
The weight of the situation settles over them, a heavy blanket of responsibility and fear. The city depends on them to get the cure right. The weight of the city's life is on them. They know this. The clock is ticking.
Ethan drums his fingers on the cool countertop, a spark of an idea flickering in his eyes. He straightens and looks at them with newfound determination.
"There's gotta be more data somewhere. Norman wouldn't just leave this stuff scattered around. He'd have a private database, something secure."
He pushes himself off the counter and strides towards a nearby computer, the one Peter isn't using. The keyboard clicks beneath his fingers as he brings the machine to life. A familiar blue screen flashes, welcoming him to the Digital World.
"Alright, while you two are playing science, I'm gonna go play hacker," he announces, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He pulls out the Digivice and initiates Connect Jump.
Connect Jump…
The world dissolves into a stream of binary code. The sterile lab fades, and Ethan is now hurtling through a neon landscape of information. Towers of data loom in the distance. Electric rivers of algorithms flow beneath him. His senses overload with the sheer density of digital information. He floats, a disembodied consciousness amidst a sea of ones and zeros. His Digivice flickers, mapping the pathways of Oscorp's digital fortress.
He is entering Oscorp's virtual mainframe. This is the heart of the company's data. Everything is protected by layers of security protocols. He can feel the pressure of firewalls, the sting of anti-virus programs, the constant hum of activity. It is like swimming in a shark tank. Ethan's grin widens. He is ready to play.
Inside the Oscorp mainframe, Ethan navigates the electric currents of data. Firewalls rise like shimmering walls, their surfaces crawling with intricate code. Anti-virus sentinels patrol the network, their digital eyes scanning for intruders. Ethan dodges and weaves, his digital signature masked by the Digivice.
He follows the traces of Norman's activity, the digital breadcrumbs left behind in the network. The pathways narrow. They converge at a single point. A heavily fortified zone shimmers before him. It is walled off with layers of encryption and protected by complex algorithms.
A glowing sign hovers above, its letters burning into the digital air.
[NORMAN OSBORN - RESTRICTED ACCESS.]
Ethan's grin widens as his fingers danced across the Digivice, unleashing a torrent of code. Exploits cascade against the first layer of security, then the second, and the third. His hacking skills, honed from countless hours of gaming, were put to the test. Lines of code resolve, crumble, then collapse. The outer defenses fall, one by one. He could almost taste victory.
Then, a new barrier appears. A biometric lock shimmers into existence. A window flashes on the screen, displaying a chilling message: DNA SCAN REQUIRED.
Ethan recoils.
"Jackpot!" he mutters to himself, a mixture of excitement and frustration in his voice. "But DNA scan? Seriously? This guy was paranoid."
Defeated, Ethan stares at the screen. The biometric lock pulses menacingly. He knows he cannot bypass this level of security. It is beyond even his abilities. He considers his options. He needs a new strategy, a new approach. But here, now, he is out of options.
Frustration surges through him. He clenches his fists. He needs to tell Peter and Gwen what he's found.
***
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