Chapter 169: Gwen Digs into Max’s Mysterious Disappearance

"Harry!" Peter called out, his voice laced with concern. He remembered the last time they'd discussed Harry's condition—how Harry had rejected Peter's offer to help after witnessing the grim outcomes of Spider-Man's human experiments. Sky's warnings had only solidified Harry's decision to abandon any hope that Spider-Man could cure him.

Turning to Gwen, Peter's expression grew more serious. "Gwen, I want to help Harry. Can you help me figure this out?"

Gwen nodded without hesitation. "Of course, but... how do we even start?" She trusted Peter completely but was unsure of how they could approach such a complicated problem.

"Dr. Connors," Peter said thoughtfully. "Maybe he knows a way." Peter realized they couldn't tackle this alone. Dr. Curt Connors, the brilliant biologist who had previously worked on regenerative formulas, might hold the key. Connors had been laying low at home recently, his regenerative research at a complete standstill.

Thanks to massive public outcry after the events exposed on The Screen, Harry had been trying—and failing—to persuade the public to allow Oscorp to resume genetic research. The people of New York, still haunted by what they'd seen, refused to let history repeat itself.

Even Oscorp's board of directors stood firmly against restarting any experiments. Public pressure had driven Oscorp's stock prices to plummet, wiping out nearly half of the company's assets. Investors and stakeholders alike were unwilling to take further risks, and even Harry's influence couldn't overturn their decision.

As a result, Dr. Connors found himself with nothing to do, confined to his home, his groundbreaking research collecting dust.

[Gwen returned to her workstation, her thoughts consumed by the name Max Dillon. After hearing his name mentioned the night before, she remembered seeing him at Oscorp. He was an electrical engineer here—a detail that suddenly seemed far more significant.]

[Glancing around to ensure no one was watching, Gwen quickly began searching for Max Dillon's employee records in the company database.]

[Meanwhile, Peter was still grappling with Harry's request. He stared at his friend, incredulous. "You want Spider-Man's blood?" Peter asked, sinking into a chair across from Harry's desk.]

["This could save my life, Peter!" Harry leaned forward, his hands pressing firmly on the table, desperation in his eyes.]

["Maybe... but maybe not, Harry! It's not that simple," Peter argued, his mind flashing back to Connors' horrific transformation. "Did you see what happened to Kurt Connors?"]

["Connors was weak!" Harry shot back, dismissing the comparison. "But I'm different, Peter!"]

[Peter shook his head. "You can't just pull up in a blood donation van and expect Spider-Man to give up his blood. I mean, he's not exactly the type to willingly let someone jab him with a syringe."]

["Then maybe you can tell me where he is?" Harry suggested, his voice suddenly calmer, but his eyes gleamed with intensity. "I'll ask him myself."]

[Peter's heart raced. "What?" he stammered, trying to mask his alarm.]

[Harry picked up a newspaper from the desk and pointed to the byline at the bottom of a photo. "Photograph by Peter Parker," it read. "You took this picture. You know him."]

["Harry, I took that from a distance, using a telephoto lens," Peter lied smoothly. "I don't know him personally." It was a weak excuse, but Harry seemed to buy it—for now.]

[Harry sighed, his gaze softening. "I've been thinking about what you said by the river. That Spider-Man gives people hope. I just… I can't give up hope yet."]

[Peter fell silent, guilt gnawing at him.]

[In the security monitoring room of Oscorp, a technician noticed an unusual search query—someone was digging into restricted personnel files. He quickly traced the activity back to Gwen's workstation.]

[Gwen, meanwhile, stared at her screen in frustration. Max Dillon's file was nowhere to be found. She tried another search, but this time, the system blocked her entirely.]

[Back in the monitoring room, the technician alerted security, and a team of guards immediately left to confront Gwen.]

[Harry continued pleading with Peter, his desperation palpable. Peter felt cornered, unsure of how much longer he could keep up the charade. He stood abruptly, ready to leave, but Harry grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to face him.]

["Don't ignore me, Peter! I don't want to die like my father!" Harry's voice broke, his vulnerability laid bare. "Please, Peter! Please! I can't… I can't do this alone."]

[Peter's heart ached. He couldn't stand to see his friend like this. "I'll… I'll try to find Spider-Man," he finally relented.]

[Harry's expression softened, though his eyes were still clouded with worry. In The Screen, he didn't know what choice Peter would make—but here, in reality, Peter had told him to reach out whenever he needed help. Yet Harry had refused, terrified of becoming another failed experiment.]

In the real world Harry read all the dark secret of his company.

The spider-human trials had been cruel. None of the subjects survived, and Harry couldn't shake the fear that he'd meet the same gruesome fate. Worse still, those test subjects hadn't volunteered. They were homeless people, coerced into the experiments. This fact was precisely why McCann had been under investigation.

But the truth hadn't gone public—Oscorp couldn't afford the fallout. The rumors circulated only among certain circles, hidden from the general public to protect the company from further collapse.

Later, Peter and Gwen arrived at Dr. Connors' home. They needed his expertise, hoping he might have insight into Harry's condition

Connors listened to their proposal, his face tense. "I'm not sure it'll work," he admitted. "I've never conducted human trials, especially not with something like this."

Peter, however, was determined. "If there's even a chance it could save Harry, I'll try it—with my blood first."

Connors looked into Peter's eyes and saw the unwavering resolve. With a heavy sigh, he agreed to help.

[Meanwhile, at Oscorp, Harry felt a flicker of relief after Peter's promise. But on another floor, security guards had already reached Gwen's department.]

[A curious colleague noticed the sudden security presence. "Why are they here?" he whispered. Gwen, sensing danger, glanced up and saw the guards scanning the room—for her.]

[Without missing a beat, Gwen locked her computer and stood up casually, pretending to head for a water break.]

["Hey! Miss Stacy!" one of the guards called out.]

[Gwen pretended not to hear, quickening her pace. Luckily, Peter was in the elevator, heading downstairs when he saw Gwen hurrying through the hallway, her eyes darting nervously over her shoulder.]

[Just as Gwen was about to trip over her own feet in her haste, Peter appeared from around the corner and caught her just in time.]

[Gwen's eyes widened in surprise. "Peter!" she whispered, relief washing over her.]

["What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.]

["What are you doing here?" Peter shot back, equally curious.]

[Gwen grabbed Peter's hand, pulling him into a nearby janitor's closet. Peeking through the crack in the door, they watched as the security guards followed Gwen's trail, unaware that she was mere feet away.]

["Are you in trouble?" Peter whispered, his brow furrowed in concern.]

["Yeah," Gwen breathed, her voice low and hurried. "There was an incident in the lab. They're covering it up. It's that guy from Times Square last night—Max. He's an electrical engineer here. I've seen him before."]

["And he loved Spider-Man," Gwen added, rolling her eyes. "The guy was a total fanatic."]

["Yeah, well, I don't think he loves me anymore," Peter muttered. "It felt like he wanted to fry me like a bug last night."]

["When I love you, I just want to electrocute you!" Gwen teased, flashing a mischievous grin. But her smile faded as she added, "I tried searching for his records, but they're gone. Completely erased. It's like he never existed."

["Typical Oscorp," Peter sighed, shaking his head. "They always find a way to bury the truth."]

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