Chapter 91: Peter and Harry


    <strong>Chapter 91: Peter and Harry</strong>


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Wait wait wait wait! Hold up! Are you telling me that the Thieves Guild is…actually a part of the EPD all along!?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man asked in shock and confusion.


    <span style="font-weight:400">He has been a member of the EPD for a while and he also took in missions to intercept the Thieves Guild a few times.


    <span style="font-weight:400">And now he was told that the Thieves Guild was on their side all along!?


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin smiled and exined.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well, almost. Felicia’s working inside to take over itpletely. Right now, there are only a few members that haven’t been brought over to our side. Those people are the ones you and the other members of the EPD would intercept now and then.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Hearing this exnation, Spider-Man was even more speechless.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Turns out, Benjamin has been using both groups to deal with each other…


    <span style="font-weight:400">“But…why? Is there a need to take over the Thieves Guild? Can’t we just destroy itpletely and turn them into EPD members?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well, it was more convenient to use the current reputation of the Thieves Guild to deal with things that the EPD doesn’t do.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What do you mean?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man still didn’t understand.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Felicia rolled her eyes at him.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“See, he’s too gullible.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin chuckled and continued to exin.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Think of it like this. If the EPD goes and arrests all these underground groups and gangs, what happens next?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“They go to jail?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Then?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Uhh, isn’t that it?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“If that was all, it would be too inefficient.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin shook his head.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Those underground groups and gangs all have theirwork of connections. By having the Thieves Guild deal with them, I meant it for them to infiltrate the groups and find out these connections. Once everything’s gathered, it would be the EPD’s turn to round them up. If we just go in there guns zing and all, those people would hide these connections before we can get to them. And while it’s true that I can just read their minds and all, I don’t really want to go around reading everyone’s mind…as cool as it sounds, it really isn’t a pleasant feeling, you know?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I…see…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man nodded, although still feeling conflicted about it.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin smiled and ced his hand on his shoulder.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t worry. We’re still keeping a close eye on them in case they hurt anyone.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well, I sort of get it with the underground groups but…I’ve also heard the Thieves Guild is stealing from various bigpanies!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man asked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Felicia shrugged.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“We’re only stealing from those who deserved it.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What does that mean?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t you get it? Do you think Oscorp is the onlypany with shady dealings?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“B-but it’s still wrong to steal!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What’s wrong with stealing from another thief?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Felicia rolled her eyes.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin smiled wryly and patted Spider-Man’s back.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Alright, don’t bother with those kinds of things. In fact, I mostly use the money from that to distribute among the various charity organizations. Like FEAST. I don’t really have much use with the money anyway. I also use it to fund the EPD. Also, if you’re really worried about it, the higher-ups are already aware of it.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“...”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man was speechless.


    <span style="font-weight:400">What else was there to say?


    <span style="font-weight:400">The stolen money is put into charity which even includes his Aunt’s FEAST. It’s even used to fund the EPD where he was working which meant…he was getting paid with that money as well!


    <span style="font-weight:400">Even the higher-ups already knew about it, what else was there a need for him to say then?


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Besides, most of the Thieves Guild members are just a bunch of kleptomaniacs who don’t really need money but steal for the sake of stealing. It’s our form of art. The guild is just a way for them to satisfy these urges and at the same time, control them instead of letting them loose and causing trouble.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Felicia shrugged.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man shook his head.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“No, you can’t do this!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Felicia frowned and was about to say something when Spider-Man continued.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Why didn’t you ask me to join too!? I can be very stealthy!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“...”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“...”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Both Benjamin and Felicia fell silent.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Good guy, already ready to switch sides and be a thief after hearing it was okay…


    <span style="font-weight:400">At this moment, they could hear police sirens nearby.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin called them earlier to help deal with the aftermath.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Alright, we’ll talk about this some other time. Spider-Man, you stay here and coordinate with the police officers.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Huh? But why only m-”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Cya!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Later, Spider!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin didn’t wait for Spider-Man and opened up a portal which he and Felicia went through.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man was speechless for a moment.


    <span style="font-weight:400">A few momentster, several police officers and detectives arrived.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Spider-Man, you’re here. I’m Detective Yuriko Watanabe. I was told you would fill us up with the situation. What happened?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">A Japanese-American woman with short ck hair arrived at the scene and found Spider-Man who was still in a daze after being abandoned.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man snapped out of it and shook her hand.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ah, yes. I’m Yuriko- I mean, I’m Spider-Man. But you already know that. Sorry, what were you saying?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You really do talk a lot. Can we start?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yuriko sighed and quickly got to the point.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Right. The situation. Umm, it’s like this…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man began to exin from the beginning. Of course, he didn’t say anything about the Thieves Guild


    <span style="font-weight:400">Their main goal right now was to sweep the area and make sure that there were no other problems in the surroundings and also take in any statements of the employees who were still around.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yuriko nodded. She began to issue orders and pointed to a few officers.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I want a full sweep of the area. Tag any dangerous machines or chemicals for further inspection. You, and you, take statements from the employees. I want to know everything they know. See if there are any aplices that were missed.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man felt a bit overwhelmed with her show of authority and asked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Umm, what should I do?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Go check the ceilings or other ces the others can’t easily reach.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Sir, yes sir! I mean, Ma’am!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man saluted and quickly swung to the ceiling.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yuriko shook her head then began to help the others.


    <span style="font-weight:400">After a while, they tagged some suspicious-looking tech for further investigations.


    <span style="font-weight:400">At this time, the officers in charge of taking in statements returned with another person.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man recognized the person they brought as his very own best friend. Harry Osborn.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Harry’s face was dark as he started shouting.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What is the meaning of this!? Where is my father!?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yuriko sighed but still exined.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Mr. Osborn has been taken into custody for his crimes.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What crimes!? This is stupid! Get him out! We’re calling ourwyers!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You have that right, but-”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“A-ahem! Detective, let me handle this one.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man coughed and got in between the two who looked like they were about to start a fight.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Well, he doesn’t know about Yuriko but he knew that Harry was about to blow out of anger. He needed to interject before he did something he might regret.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Harry frowned when he saw Spider-Man.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Spider-Man? Were you the one who did this!? How dare you!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Uhh, no no no. That’s not it. Let’s talk a little over there.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man grabbed his shoulders and took him to a quiet corner to talk.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Take a look at this first before we talk.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He then took out his EPD-issued phone and yed a video. Benjamin had sent this to him earlier in case he needed it to exin some things.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Harry didn’t understand at first what Spider-Man wanted to do but as he watched the video, his face turned pale.


    <span style="font-weight:400">After all, he saw his own father turn into a green monstrosity!


    <span style="font-weight:400">“W-what happened!? What happened to my father!? What did you do!?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Hey, hey! Rx! Why are you ming me!? Look, just watch.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The video then continued to y from the moment Benjamin and them arrived right up to the conclusion.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Naturally, it didn’t include the video of them conversing about the Thieves Guild but only up to Benjamin sending Otto and Norman into jail through a portal.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing his father return to normal again, Harry sighed in relief.


    <span style="font-weight:400">He fell silent for a minute before sighing.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“That notebook they found…is it real?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I wish it weren’t but…yes.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Harry copsed onto a chair.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I can’t believe he would actually stoop so low…no. I can see him doing it…I just didn’t want to believe in it…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Harry was well aware of how vicious and cold his father could be so he wasn’t too surprised upon hearing he was connected to such criminal organizations.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man didn’t know what to say to him so he could only ask.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What do you n to do now?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Harry thought for a moment then stood up once more. His expression was more resolute.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’m taking over thepany.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You will? But…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I know. In this situation, it would be hard to maintain thepany’s reputation. But I won’t give up. No matter how long it takes, I’ll change thispany from the ground up! From now on, Oscorp will enter a new era. Whether I fail or not, I don’t know. But this way, I won’t have any more regrets.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Harry…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man could feel his resolution and determination.


    <span style="font-weight:400">He felt proud as his best friend.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Harry showed a bitter smile.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll probably have to drop out of school though. It’s too bad. I’d miss my best friend Peter.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man scratched his head.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well, it’s not like you can’t meet up every now and then right?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Hmm…no, you’re right! Peter’s a smart guy, I can let him intern at Oscorp and we can meet up more frequently!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Uhhh…y-yeah…good idea…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man started panicking in his mind.


    <span style="font-weight:400">What do you mean good idea!? I already have a part-time job at the EPD! I’m about to be full-time too!


    <span style="font-weight:400">When would I get the time to be an intern at Oscorp!?


    <span style="font-weight:400">However, he could only think of this and not say it. He didn’t want to dampen Harry’s mood.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Ah well, I’ll figure it out when the timees…


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man gave up and left it to his future self to deal with…


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ahem. I should probably go now. Good luck, Mr. Osborn.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“...Thank you, Spider-Man. If you hadn’t stopped me earlier, I might’ve just made things worse.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Just doing my job.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Also, tell Captain Freed my thanks as well. Thanks for bringing my father back.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I will.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man nodded and left while waving his hand.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Just as he was about to leave Oscorp, Yuriko approached him.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I must say, I was wrong about you, Spider-Man.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Hm? Detective Watanabe, what do you mean?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I thought you were just a bbermouth but…there’s more to it than that. I’ll be expecting great things from you, Spider-Man.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yuriko chuckled and left.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man was confused.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I kinda felt like she was insulting me, and praising me at the same time…whatever. I’ll just take it as a praise. Let’s go!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Spider-Man cheered as he swung away.


    <span style="font-weight:400">As he swung across New York, in a small alleyway, a small figure could be seen peering through the gap of the buildings and caught sight of Spider-Man.


    <span style="font-weight:400">On that figure’s hand was a newspaper of the Daily Bugle with Spider-Man on its cover.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Although Spider-Man was just one of the many heroes in the EPD, he was the most active one in this area and would appear more frequently in the newspapers.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The figure nced at the disappearing Spider-man swinging from building to building then nced at the cover photo of Spider-Man on the newspaper.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Spider…Man…”