The Hunt Begins

The Green Goblin cackled as he pulled himself up from the wreckage of a broken table, his metallic green armor gleaming in the dim, smoke-filled ballroom. Despite the blast Wanda had just hit him with, his body moved with disturbing ease, as if he barely felt the impact. His helmeted head tilted toward Gwen, eyes hidden behind his sinister golden lenses, but she could feel his gaze drilling into her.

"Well, well, Spider-Woman," he sneered. "It seems I've gotten what I came for. Such a shame—I was hoping you'd be more of a challenge."

Gwen clenched her fists, still feeling the sting in her throat from when he had lifted her off the ground. "You're running? What happened to your big speech about power?"

The Goblin let out a harsh laugh. "Oh, don't worry, my dear. We'll continue this little dance soon enough. But tonight?" He gestured toward the chaos he had unleashed. "I'd say I've made my point."

The ballroom was in shambles—shattered glass, overturned tables, fire from the pumpkin bombs still licking the curtains. Guests were either fleeing in terror or frozen in shock, and security guards were frantically trying to assess the situation. Wanda, Natasha, and Talia stood at Gwen's side, their symbiote-enhanced suits still glowing faintly under the flickering lights.

"You're a coward," Wanda spat, her crimson magic flaring at her fingertips.

The Goblin's grin widened. "I prefer the term tactician."

With that, he launched a smoke bomb, filling the air with a thick, green haze. By the time it cleared, he was gone—the sound of his glider's engines fading into the distance.

Gwen took a shaky breath, staring at the place where he had stood just moments ago. She felt sick.

He knew who she is.

And now, nothing would ever be the same.

The team retreated to Stark Enterprises, their luxurious gowns gone, replaced by their combat suits. The lab was silent, aside from the low hum of technology and Jarvis's occasional data updates.

Gwen sat on the edge of a workbench, staring at nothing, her mind racing.

The Goblin knew.

Natasha crossed her arms. "We need to talk about what just happened."

Wanda, who had been pacing angrily, stopped and turned to Gwen. "He wasn't there to kill people tonight. Not really."

Gwen exhaled, rubbing her temple. "No. He was there for me."

Talia flicked a few controls on a holographic screen. "Well, let's just put this out there—who the hell is this guy?"

Gwen swallowed hard. "I don't know. But…" She hesitated, her mind flashing back to Harry's warning before the attack.

The others waited.

Finally, she spoke.

"Harry said something weird before everything went to hell. He told me the Goblin was after me. Like he knew."

Natasha's expression darkened. "Did he mention anything about his father?"

Gwen shook her head. "Not directly. But I caught Norman looking at me before the attack. And he was weirdly… interested."

Talia pulled up security footage from the gala. The screen displayed Norman Osborn, watching Gwen from across the ballroom just before the windows exploded.

Wanda narrowed her eyes. "That's not a coincidence."

"No, it's not," Natasha agreed. "That's the look of a man who's already made up his mind about something."

Gwen felt her stomach turn.

Was it possible?

Had Norman Osborn been watching her this whole time?

Talia swiped through data on Oscorp's classified projects. "Alright, so here's what we know: The Goblin's tech is highly advanced, nothing you can just pick up on the black market. But more importantly—his strength, speed, reflexes? They're beyond human."

Natasha nodded. "Which means he's enhanced."

"Not just enhanced," Talia muttered. "Juiced to hell." She zoomed in on a classified file. "Oscorp's been experimenting with human enhancement for years. They had an abandoned Super Soldier Serum project."

Wanda frowned. "And you think the Goblin is one of their test subjects?"

Gwen's mind raced.

Oscorp. Super Soldier experiments.

And Norman Osborn.

She shook her head. "It can't be him."

But even as she said the words, she felt the doubt creep in.

Wanda watched her carefully. "Gwen… if he knows who you are, then this is personal. We need to figure out why."

Before Gwen could respond, her phone buzzed.

The room fell silent.

She pulled it out, staring at the unknown number.

A video message.

With a deep breath, she hit play.

The screen flickered to life.

The Green Goblin's face appeared.

He grinned, tilting his head in that unsettling way.

"Running scared, little spider? I thought you were more than just a bug. Let's see what you're really made of."

The message ended, leaving nothing but coordinates.

Meanwhile, Harry Osborn sat alone in his penthouse, staring at the city skyline.

His father had disappeared again.

Ever since the gala, he'd had a terrible feeling.

He replayed the night in his mind—the way Norman had watched Gwen, the way he had slipped away just before the attack.

It didn't make sense.

Unless…

Harry swallowed hard.

He didn't want to believe it.

But the pieces were starting to fall into place.

And if he was right…

Then his father had been lying to him.

Back at Stark Enterprises, Gwen stared at the coordinates.

Talia exhaled. "Well, if that isn't a trap, I don't know what is."

Natasha crossed her arms. "It's bait. He wants you to come to him."

Wanda placed a hand on Gwen's shoulder. "We don't have to go. Not until we're ready."

Gwen looked up, her expression hardening. "If we don't take the fight to him, he's just going to keep coming."

Silence.

Then, Wanda squeezed her shoulder lightly. "Then we do it together."

Natasha nodded. "I'll prep weapons."

Talia smirked. "I'll get us a ride."

As they suited up, Gwen took one last look at the message.

The Goblin was waiting.

And this time?

She was coming for him.

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