'Has Doctor Octopus- the man who had terrorized the city for the past ten years altered his ways? No one knows the answer to this question, but the actions of the rogue scientist are testimony to the change in his ways. A bus accident on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge would have killed forty-five innocent school children if not for the supervillain who intervened in the matter. The school bus was on the brink of falling off the bridge when Doc Ock appeared out of thin air and pulled the bus back on the road. What should be apprehended from this out of character actions of Doc Ock? City Officials has questioned the morality of the former member of the National Nuclear Physics Association (NNPA) but, the parents of the children in the casualty cannot stop praising the mad scientist. Doctor Octopus also saved the lives of twelve scientists from the burning wreckage of the Government's Genetic Development Laboratory (GDL) near the outskirts of the city. The reason for the disaster at the laboratory is still unknown as no statement has been made by the authority. Nothing could be said about the intentions of Doc Ock until he makes another public appearance.'
Samantha's raven eyes read the printed letters again her mind was elated by the words on the newspaper in her hand. A warm feeling took over her as she conceded that the brilliant scientist had taken her words into consideration and even worked on them. An unrealized smile spread across her face as her mind envisioned how good of a sight it would have been to witness Dr Octavius saving others life, doing something redeeming.
"Now, you are also laughing at me!" A sudden outburst of a high pitched voice startled Sam, who had drowned in the ocean of her thoughts ever since her colleague slammed the newspaper on her working desk in a somewhat aggressive manner.
"I wasn't the one going around complaining about Dr Octavius to everyone." Mocked the surgeon as she sat back on her seat, passing her friend a mirthful smirk.
"I don't believe this man. He is a supervillain, for god's sake." Vented Kyle as he looked down at his friend with a disappointed look on his face. "And you better don't comment anything on this. You never believed he was a bad guy." The younger man tried to reciprocate the sarcasm but failed miserably at the attempt.
"Don't you drag me into this? I never said he was a good guy, all I said was he must have a story which was unknown to me." Dr Wright justified herself. "And what is wrong with him doing the right thing now? You always complain he was harming the city, but now that he isn't, you have a problem with this too?" She added with a curious look, for she failed to understand what her friend was trying to imply.
Kyle parted his lips to speak but found himself at the loss of words. The young man had spent a lot of his gratis time bellyaching, blogging and discussing the peril of Doctor Octopus, calling out his evil deeds. But now that the mad scientist is not committing any more crimes, it angers Kyle further. It felt to him as it wasn't his idealism for a safe city but his prejudice against the scientist that made him this way.
Dr Wright saw the lost look on her colleague's face. She was aware of what the younger man was thinking. She could sense that he had silently accepted his mistake but, he was too afraid to admit it now. How could he? After having spent ten years of his life loathing a man he never met and who did the young man no harm, Kyle felt bad for himself. A long moment of vacant and dull silence prevailed the short conversation between the two friends. One was unaware of what was to be said, while the other was feeling bad for her friend but was happy too for the man with whom she had spent quite a few evenings. The two vastly eccentric people poured out their hearts about various topics to each other without a hint of worry that the other would judge them. Samantha enjoyed Dr Octavius' company more than some people would find it prudent, but it didn't matter to her. He needed a friend, so did she. It was ironic how the two vastly different people crossed paths in the most peculiar circumstances. But one fear constantly clouded her thoughts full of merriment that the brilliant scientist might lose his life while battling the Black Skrull, who has become more belligerent and ruthless with every appearance he made. It had taken her long enough to find someone who was like a friend to her. And the surgeon was too scared to lose him too.
The two doctors were lost in their own thoughts when a knock on the glass door filled their ears, tugging them out of their ocean of thought. Sam shifted on her seat to pose more professionally and permitted them to enter her cabin. From behind the door appeared a middle-aged lady in a blue uniform. A clipboard was in her hands and a vacant expression on her face.
"Dr Wright, you are required down at the emergency room. Dr Hartman needs your assistance." The lady spoke in the same vacant tone. Her voice carried no emotion.
Without a second thought, the surgeon stood up from her seat and walked towards the glass door of the cabin, where stood the nurse. Together, the two women made their way towards the staircase as the nurse handed Dr Wright the clipboard, informing her about the patient's condition.
"He was admitted an hour ago after a road accident. His heart acquired no major injury, but the stent that was in his heart was damaged. Dr Hartman tried his best, but he is failing to restore the flow of blood to the heart." Informed the attendant. Samantha nodded silently at the words, absorbing every single piece of information that was given to her but her eyes remained fixed on the clipboard in her hands as the two women descended the staircase.
*
The day was unlike any other, the sun shone brightly in the blue sky, yet the cold wind blew mercilessly. There was something different about the air today. It was refreshing and joyful. It lacked the staleness and putridity it always had on this day every year. This was the day ten years ago that he lost Rosie to his ego. Her grave stood erect in front of him, her name engraved on the stone with today's date on it. Every year it rained on this day, but still, he came here and stood under the cold gush of rain, asking for an unspoken apology to his late wife, but no answer came his way. But like many other things that were unusual this year, one more thing was missing- the small bouquet of roses. He found them on the grave every year but never bothered to know who kept them there. Unlike others, he never brought flowers to her grave, but instead, he used to place a book of poetry against her grave, for it was the very thing that had brought her happiness. The hollowness he always felt was not burdening his heart, but Otto was oblivious to why he wasn't feeling the way he usually did. The metal tentacles didn't dare to hiss or even try to free themselves from the confinement of the heavy trench coat today even they felt pity for their host.
A sound of footsteps crumbling dry leaves filled his ears, but he cared to pay no attention to the intrusion in his moment of remorse, for many people lost the ones they loved. He wasn't the only one suffering from the loss.
"Sorry." A low voice fell in his ears, pivoting his attention to the person who stood behind him. The mad scientist was greeted with the sight of Dr Samantha Wright, a long coat hanging by her shoulder that matched the colour of her spectacles that always sat on the top of her nose, a surprised look overhauling her face. But the thing that attracted his attention the most was the bouquet of bright red roses in her hands, which stood out against her raven attire. The roses in her hand were similar to the ones that were left on Rosie's grave every year.
"All these years, it has been you..." The words left Otto's lips in no more than mere whispers. He wasn't sure about how he was supposed to react to this.
All Samantha could do was nod in reply. She also was in a state of shock on seeing the brilliant scientist at the grave. She had visited this grave for the past ten years to apologize for a mistake she never committed, but she never found Dr Octavius here. Shrugging aside the shock, Sam took a step towards the grave and gently placed the roses beside the book. For a long moment, the two doctors wordlessly stood there beside each other, not wanting to fondle their minds with words. The whole time, Otto eyed his fellow narrowly, trying to contemplate the reason for her actions. Finally, he turned his head to get a clear look at her face and dared to ask her the question that was burning his heart.
"Why..." The supervillain couldn't formulate the words, for he was at a loss of them. He wanted to ask why she placed the roses but wasn't sure how he was supposed to ask that.
Sam also turned her head to look up at him. It took her no time to sense the question he was finding an arduous task to ask.
"I know you want to ask why I had been doing this for the past ten years." Spoke the doctor, her eyes still fixed upon the brown eyes of the scientist, but she too finds it hard, to tell the truth to the man. Finally, she spoke - "I was there when Mrs Octavius died."
Samantha had anticipated the confused look from Dr Octavius, so she spoke further-
"I was assisting Donell Lewis- the doctor who operated upon her when they brought her to the hospital. The medics had found a faint pulse in her. It was supposed to be my first surgery. I was excited like a little girl. Very Determined to save lives. Dr Lewis tried everything to save her, but he couldn't. It was the first and the only surgery that I was a part of in which I failed to save someone. My hands were covered in her blood when her heart stopped beating. I asked Dr Lewis to try something more effective, but she was already gone." Her voice was low and filled with regret.
Otto looked down at the woman, who stood beside him, barely managed to reach his shoulder. Her eyes filled with regret and sadness. As if she felt genuinely guilty for the life she couldn't have saved. The surgeon's eyes were glassy, tears threatened to escape her eyes, but she refused to cry. For all the times she had met the scientist, she had cried and shown her vulnerability to him more than a few times.
"It was one of the regrets I was living with, but I was too scared to tell you." She added lastly.
By now, Otto had completely tuned his body. An incomprehensible look cast over his face. The poor man was confused, for he was unsure of what he was supposed to feel- anger or remorse. His lips trembled from the overwhelming emotions that raged inside him like a tornado.
"I know you are angry. You have every right to feel that way. You might don't want to see my face again, and I don't blame you." Whispered Sam apologetically as she took a step back, willing to leave the company of the supervillain. Facing away from the man with four metal arms, she took a small step to walk away.
"Don't. Please don't go." A deep voice fell on her ears, halting her footsteps. Sam had been praying to god that Dr Octavius would do that, so he did. "I don't know what I should feel, but it wasn't you who failed her- it was me. It was my ego and overconfidence in my invention that blinded me of the danger my reactor proposed. I lost her, but I never wanted her to see me this way." He added with a sorrowful tone. His eyes fixed upon the ground, for he found it hard to look in Samantha's eyes.
"She would have been proud of you for what you did for the children and the scientists." Dr Wright spoke in a small voice. In an attempt to reassure the mad scientist. The words caused him to look back at her face, which had a small yet reassuring smile on it. "I am happy that you are using your powers for the goodness of people. They need you more than they need the Skrull." She added as the surgeon took a step towards him. Seeing the supervillain without the metal tentacles hovering behind him was strange for sure, but it didn't bother Sam, who was relieved to see a small smile her words had put on Dr Octavius' face.
"I thought helping others might help me get over my own guilt, and it did. When the people weren't looking at me with hate in their eyes, it felt good. Thank you, Samantha." Spoke Otto. His voice was low and calm. His heart was trying to accept the overwhelming feeling, for he didn't want Sam to walk away from him too.
All Dr Wright could do was smile, for she felt content for many reasons, another guilt got off her heart, and she didn't lose the man who was like a friend to her, and in addition to that, Dr Otto Octavius was trying to do something good.
*
The ground beneath was slippery from the fresh pour of rain about half an hour ago, but it was not enough to keep the citizen of New York from walking upon it. The crowded streets were filled with people who were unaware of the other person's presence, pushing their way ahead. Despite the late hours of the day, the street was far from empty. The cars rushed on the road people walked on the crowded sidewalks, unaware of the chaos wrecking four blocks away. Dr Wright was one of the oblivious faces in the crowd who appeared exhausted. A seven-hour surgery was enough to drain anyone, and so the surgeon had decided to go straight to her home but only after getting herself something to eat.
Purchasing a crème cheese bagel, Sam inhaled the delicious scent of the brown crusted bagel. Her stomach made a rumbling sound, asking her to nourish it and so the doctor complied. Taking a bite of the luscious snack in her hand, Samantha continued walking, taking every step with caution, for she was in no mood to fall on the slippery sidewalk. It was when she decided to take a taxi that her eyes fell upon a small girl standing dangerously close to the road, a skittish look on her innocent face. Sam couldn't see an adult with her. The poor girl looked lost and on the verge of crying. Not a single passerby cared to glace upon the lost girl. Walking up to her, the doctor passed the little girl a bright smile as she kneeled on the ground to level her height.
"Where are your parents, dear?" Politely asked Sam, not wanting to scare the child.
"I don't know." Spoke the little girl as she twisted the arms of her toy bunny, trying hard not to cry.
"It's alright, no need to worry, dear. We'll find them together." Samantha reassured the child with a warm smile. "But first, I need to know your name, kiddo?" She added.
"Isabella." The girl replied shyly.
"That's a lovely name, Isabella, and I am Samantha, but you could call me Sam." Complemented the surgeon as she tried to warm up with the scared child. "And who is this little guy?" Sam asked as she squeezed the brown nose of the toy bunny.
"He is Timmy." Came a reply from the child.
"Very nice to meet you, Timmy." Zealously said Dr Wright as she took the small paw of the soft toy in her hand and shook it in an attempt to make the scared girl laugh. She succeeded in her attempt as Isabella chuckled.
"We will find your mommy and daddy but tell me, Isabella, are you hungry? You wanna eat something?" Asked the doctor. Little Isabella nodded in reply.
"Ok, then we would get you and little Timmy something to eat and then we will find mommy and daddy." Announced Sam. Before the doctor could have spoken any further the loud noise of car siren, glass shattering, and metal clanking filled everyone's ears. Samantha held Bella's hand instinctively, not wanting the child to get lost again in the chaos that the abrupt sound caused. Looking back from where the sound came, the surgeon was greeted with a sight of a flying figure throwing punched a masculine figure, which was suspended in the air by four metal arms. It was another fight going on between Doctor Octopus and the Black Skrull. A dreadful feeling took over her as she saw the flying monk throwing punches at Dr Octavius in a somewhat forceful and brutal way.
Screams of horror coming from people who were far and safe from the damage could be heard. People started running erratically, not caring for everyone but themselves. The cars halted on the road drivers came out of the vehicles to get a clear look at the commotion causing the damage. Samantha and little Bella were pushed off the sidewalk to the road by the scared crowd.
Sam could see the fight clearly from where she stood, for no one was standing on the road where she was. Skrull was attacking the scientist, throwing cars, poles and everything that his hand landed upon at the supervillain, who appeared to be dodging every attack that came his way but not attacking in return. To everyone's amazement, the supervillain was performing the role of the hero in this battle of superhuman beings. Doc Ock's tentacles were dodging the debris from hitting the people beneath.
"Stop this, Skrull! You are only hurting people!" Growled Doctor Octopus as his tentacles prevented the pole thrown at the crowd on the street from hurting them. His words did not affect the superhero who kept attacking him without giving him a chance to breathe. Otto could feel he wasn't fighting the Skrull, he had fought countless times, this Skrull was violent, aggressive and he didn't care for other people's life. Anger was rising in the Black Skrull, and the brilliant scientist could feel it. And it only infused a feeling of dread in him. Doc Ock feared that the flying monk could hurt people, and he was sure that he would. The next move of Skrull was as predictable as it was unpredictable, he lifted a car high above his head, but instead of throwing it at Doc Ock, he threw towards the scarcely crowded road where stood a woman and little child next to her. Both had a thunderstruck visage on their face.
Dr Samantha Wright could see the car coming in her direction, and she wanted to run, but in no time, the car came dangerously close to her. All the surgeon could do was press the frightened child against her chest and face away from her impending death, shielding Bella from any direct damage. Sam waited for the cold metal of the car to crush her, the shattered pieces of glass to pierce her body yet again, but the pain never arrived. Little Isabella could feel the heart of the sweet woman beating thunderously as she was pressed against her chest.
It took the sharp mind of the doctor to realize that she was not crushed under the car, pulling apart from the child, Sam checked her for any injury, but Bella was as untouched as she was. Samantha turned to get a look at what had happened and was greeted with the sight of Dr Otto Octavius standing a few feet away from her. The lower two tentacles helped him in holding his ground, and the upper two arms were holding the thrown car in the air preventing it from crushing them. The doctor let out a sigh of relief as she passed the supervillain a smile. Otto, too had his eyes fixed upon Samantha. His heart had almost skipped a beat when he recognized whom the car was about to hit. The brilliant scientist had already lost everything, and he wasn't ready to lose the only person whom he could trust and who was like a friend to him. Abruptly Doc Ock turned and threw the car in his metal arms at the flying hero, who missed dodging the car.
Out of blues, Otto mind which, was completely calm, was filled with the hissing voices that asked him to kill the flying monk. The brilliant man tried to suppress the thoughts that were growing stronger with every passing second. The hissing voices started inflicting real pain in his head, and in no time, the mad scientist's head was throbbing. It felt to him as if it would explode. The man dropped on the wet road, his gloved hands clutching his curly hairs pulling them in a futile attempt to get relief from the pain. His face visibly reflected the pain he was going through. Sam saw it, and without wasting another second, she sprinted towards him, kneeling next to him on the road.
"Otto, what happened? Are you hurt? Telling me where it is hurting." Hurried Dr Wright as she scanned him for any visible injury.
"These... these voices in my head. Make them stop. Please." The supervillain groaned with pain as he looked upon the doctor with pleading eyes.
Sam couldn't understand what the scientist was saying, but she was more focused on relieving him of the pain he was feeling. Her trained fingers checked for any concussions that could inflict pain, but to her relief, she found none.
"Listen to me, Otto, there is no physical damage. So you need to tell me what is causing you this pain." Said the surgeon with a concerned filled voice.
Samantha's refined voice weakened the hissing voice in Otto's head. The relief was not much, but it became bearable for the scientist. Without saying another word, the mad scientist stood up and pulled the doctor up with him too. Otto had to make sure that Skrull wouldn't hurt anyone anymore. He scanned the street for the flying monk, but to his consolation, the supervillain found him to be nowhere, which gave him a sigh of relief.
"I think he is gone." Whispered Dr Octavius as he shifted his gaze to Samantha, who looked up at him. "I should leave before the police come for me." He added under his breath, his head was still stinging badly, but the scientist had no other option to himself. The metal arms lifted his body above the ground and started taking him away, the strong tentacles piercing the road like nothing but paper.
Samantha's heart wanted to ask him to stay, but she wasn't sure if she should comply with the wishes of her heart or not. Sighing deeply, the doctor decided to comply with her heart as she parted her lips to call for the retreating figure of the scientist. But before any word could have escaped her lips, her body was abruptly lifted off the ground. A pair of muscular arms holding her in the bridal position, a frightened scream escaped her lips as she found herself high above the ground in the arms of the Black Skrull. The metal mask with a huge crack covered his face, but Sam could sense him eyeing her.
Ethan looked down at the woman in his arms, her fragile-looking body shivering violently. Her face was very familiar to him. The superhero's brain tried remembering why her face inflicted uncontrollable anger in him. Finally, he recognized her she was the woman because of whom he was humiliated by Madam Serenity. She was the reason he had destroyed the laboratory where he was kept. The humiliation Ethan had been facing since his failure to terminate Doc Ock had been unbearable for the young man. Skrull could hear her plea to keep her down, but his mind left it unheard. Her face caused the anger in him to rise to a point where he found it hard to control. She was the reason for his failure, and his mind couldn't help but blame her for that.
"Leave her, Skrull! She has nothing to do with this." A voice called for Ethan, causing him to look down at the figure of Doctor Octopus, his tentacles ascending scientist towards him.
"She is the reason for my failure, and she will pay for it!" Shrieked the Black Skrull as he clutched her thin neck with his hands.
Sam found it hard to breathe as she was suspended in the air by the man this city saw as a superhero, his fingers tightening their grip over her throat. The doctor tried to free herself from his iron grip, but her frail attempt wasn't able to compete with the enhanced strength of the Black Skrull. Slowly Ethan raised his hand his fist pointed at the struggling figure in his hand. Her punches felt like the feeble caress of wind against his chest.
Dr Octavius' arms tried reaching Samantha as fast as he could. The words and actions of the superhero were frightening him, and Otto feared that the flying monk would hurt her before he could reach them. His eyes were fixed upon the struggling figure of Samantha. An aggressive jaw shattering punch landed on her fragile-looking face, knocking the black glasses off her face. The mad scientist could feel the anger boiling deep in his guts, as hot as lava. It churned within, hungry for destruction. There wasn't much left for him to care for, but he had started caring for the doctor.
The skyscraper lit under the moonless sky blurred in front of her eyes. The pain in the right side of her skull was unbearable. Sam could feel the warmth of the blood flowing from her mouth, metal carving on Black Skrull's knuckles slit the flesh of her cheek from which the blood flowed mercilessly. A groan escaped her lips due to the throbbing pain. Another punch came her way, but this time her stomach fell victim to the brutality of the superhero.
"Leave her, Skrull!" Shrieked Otto yet again as his metal arm lunged towards Samantha in a futile attempt to grasp her out of the flying monk's grip.
"As you wish, Doc Ock." Ethan mocked as he loosened his grip from the doctor's throat. Finally, he let go of her. The gravity pulled Sam down faster than she could have anticipated, and in no time, things were repeating themselves. Dr Samantha Wright was falling towards the street beneath. A horrified gasp escaped her as her body descended towards the slippery ground.
Otto saw her falling figure, and without a second thought, he lunged towards her, his arms trying to reach her. Dr Wright could see the mad scientist coming her way and on his face was a frightened look as if feared for her life more than she did. But unlike last time, the brilliant scientist's metal arms managed to get hold of the falling figure of Samantha. The tentacle wrapped itself around her waist and pulled her towards his body. Collecting Sam's body in his arms, Dr Octavius pulled her closer to himself, for he feared she would fall again if his group loosened upon her. It was too late for his metal arms to punch a hole in the wall of the building and bring a halt to their fall.
The doctor wrapped her arms around the mad scientist's neck, pressing herself against him. She felt protected in his arms as if no one could hurt her if those arms held her. Pressing her bloodied face against Otto's neck, Sam tried avoiding looking at the ground. Abruptly their fall halted with a jerk. The tentacles took the impact of the fall as they kept their host suspended above the ground, which created a crater in the road from the force of the fall.
The mad scientist's feet were still a few feet above the ground. Gently the arms lowered their host, landing on his feet, the doctor still in his arms. The crowd on the street saw what had happened. The person they thought to be their hero threatened their life, and the one they loathed defended it for them.
"Don't worry, I didn't let you fall this time," Otto whispered gently, but he didn't place her down on her feet.
"Oh, please stop dropping me like that again." Said the surgeon as she looked up at the man holding her. His face was very close to hers.
Before another word could have been spoken between the two, the sound of the ambulance siren filled their ears. A group of medics were already standing a few feet away from them, they were eager to help the injured woman, but they feared stepping near the man who was holding her.
"Don't fear me. I won't hurt anyone." Told the brilliant scientist as he stepped towards the medics and handed the woman to the medics. The medical attendant carried Sam's body to the ambulance for giving her the medical attention is was in urgent need of. Otto's eyes couldn't leave the face of Sam that faded in the crowd that had gathered around him. He also decided to leave, when he felt someone tugging his heavy trench coat. Looking down, he found the little girl that was with Samantha, her innocent eyes looking up at him. Kneeling in front of the little girl, Otto felt amazed by the fact that the naïve kid was not scared of him.
"Thanks for saving me." The child spoke with the same innocence. The mad scientist was unaware of what he was supposed to say, but before he could have said anything, a very unexpected thing happened, the child took another step towards him and tried to wrap her short hands around his chest and hug him. A warm feeling infused in his heart as he saw the little girl hugging him. Pulling apart from the embrace little Isabella walked back to her mother and father, who stood in the crowd, tears falling from their eyes as they saw their child safe and sound.
*
Dr Samantha Wright was yet again admitted to the emergency ward of Summerstone hospital because she was involved in a battle of superpowered beings. She was not suffering from a concussion, but she did feel a mild headache. The doctors reassured her that wound on her cheek would heal without any stitches, and her parents were happy to know that. She was supposed to stay overnight, which she found to be exaggerating for her minor injury by everyone else felt it prudent for her to stay in the hospital. No one complaint about Dr Octavius to her this time, but instead, everyone was glad he was there to save Samantha.
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