Memories CH11

"Is she alive?"

"Quite?"

"Well, why isn't she moving?"

Kraven answered Electro's question with a rumbling sigh and, "She sleeps. Kraven, he can smell the sickness coming from her."

"She's sick?" Electro took a step back. If there was one thing he didn't need it was illness. A simple sneeze could black an entire community out, and draw unwanted attention to himself. He eyed the woman cradled in Octavius' claws nervously.

"No, Maxwell." Octavius sounded irritated as he used a claw to knock papers and old machinery off a wooden desk, "It's just the after effects of the mind-numbing medicine our beloved psychiatrist forced upon her. You don't have to worry about catching a cold."

The relief Electro felt was near visible as his shoulders relaxed, and he let a tentative smile cross his face. Maxwell watched Octavius gently lower the woman onto the desk, keeping his coat wrapped around her, and placing an old bag under her head for neck support.

Despite the stoic and cold expression on the Doctor's face, Electro sensed an odd sort of tenderness in the action. He glanced over at Adrian, who didn't seem to notice, and then at Kraven. The cat-man was staring at Memory, but not at Octavius. Maybe he was the only one who saw it, then. Or maybe he really was insane. That was a viable option.

"Maxwell," Octavius spoke up, not yet turning away from the woman, "would you mind giving us some power? It's dreadfully cold in here." As if understanding him, his arms moved and wrapped around his body.

"Uh, yeah… Sure, Doc."

As Electro wondered off, Octavius turned to Adrian, finally taking his eyes off Memory. "Has Phineas reported back yet?" He asked, voice neutral. Except for the arms bundled close to his body, his entire form and tone gave away no emotion. He appeared to be the cold, calculating man they all knew.

Vulture rolled his eyes, "Apparently Tinkerer has one more Spider Slayer to repair before he delivers on his promise to us. He said it would be just a couple more hours."

"Because Smythe pays so much better than we do." Now there was agitation in his voice; it flashed in his eyes. "Very well. Rhino, Shocker – have they reported in yet? They were supposed to be here before we escaped."

"I'm afraid the spider got to them." Vulture shifted nervously, "He managed to capture Shocker, but Rhino escaped. However, he's taking the long way here, in case of the spider's followings. His arrival will take an hour at the most."

That assurance was little comfort to Octavius. In fact, if it did anything, it made him even madder. His arms began to slither about his head, poisonous snakes ready to strike. His hands clenched and relaxed several times where they hung by his side. Finally, one arm shot out, gutted a nearby box.

"That accursed arachnid!" He spat, and threw the box into the nearest wall, "After all my careful planning, after all my struggles to make sure our escape was perfect…! I already had to compromise once, why must I do so again?"

Before Vulture could reply, Electro walked back in. There was a smile on his face, though it faded when he sensed the anger that had formed while he was away. He sent a careful look to the still-fuming Octavius, then a curious glance to Vulture.

"Did I miss anything?"

Vulture filled him in, "I'm afraid Tinkerer and Rhino have been momentarily delayed by a certain pest. We'll be here for another few hours, Electro." He sat on a box, a bored expression on his face.

"Spider-Man interfered?"

Octavius saw the look Vulture was giving him, a very deadpan expression, and decided wisely not to comment. Instead, he let his arms fly about for a bit. He had so many well-known emotions – and a few he wasn't used to – flying about in his head he was becoming confused. Disoriented. And he didn't like it.

"Kraven thinks the woman is-"

A fit of coughing interrupted Kraven and caused all eyes to turn to the being on the desk. Memory was clutching her chest, eyes still closed, and coughing as if unable to breathe. Octavius bounded over towards her, but not before Kraven got there. The man placed a huge paw on Memory's shoulder, pulled. She rolled over onto her belly.

Octavius landed in front of her, ran a claw down the length of her body, just a few inches above her actual flesh. The readouts displayed in his brain. Without even looking back, he shot an arm towards Electro and grabbed him about the waist. He lifted him into the air.

"Why isn't the heater on, Maxwell?" Growled the doctor.

"Ugh!" Behind his goggles, Electro's eyes widened in concern and fear. "It'll… It'll take a moment for this place to heat up! It's been abandoned for a long time, Doc. Just give it a few moments."

Disgusted, Octavius released Electro. He drew the arm closer to his body, touched Memory's face with the claw. Memories flew into his mind – memories he didn't recognize. Memories he wasn't sure he wanted to see. In the back of his mind he locked them away. They were there when – and if – he needed them. Right now, he had bigger things to take care of.

Octavius turned away from Memory to gaze at his group. They were all staring at him as if he had lost his mind, although some were more tactful about it. Adrian was merely staring at the girl instead of him with his jaw on the ground, as Electro was currently doing. Kraven, however, was standing beside Memory, a soft noise coming from his throat.

"I'll contact Phineas again." Vulture volunteered, standing, "Perhaps he has finished early." Always knowing when it was right, and when it was wrong, for him to be present, Adrian Toomes took his leave. He exited the room quickly and discreetly. Electro hurried after him.

"Kraven doesn't think you're loosing your mind." Kraven spoke up, looking at Octavius, "I think you sense the cub's troubles and are acting to them. You have Pack mentality. A member of your pack is hurt; the Alpha always watches over."

"We're not a pack."

"Kraven believes we are a pack. We hunt together; we fight together. We have the same pray and the same enemies. We respect you as our Alpha."

Octavius cut his eyes at the man-lion, "You want to be 'pack leader,' as you call it. Take it and be gone from my sight." One of his arms slid out and upwards, its claw clinging to a pipe just above them.

"Kraven is the strongest among us." He puffed his chest out in pride, "But strength doesn't win it all. Even Kraven knows this. That is why he allows you to be Alpha – for now."

Octavius grunted once; his feet landed on the sill of a broken window. "Do keep that in mind then, Kraven. And know that if you lay one finger on her while I am away, I will prove to you exactly who out of the two of us is stronger." The claws snapped threatening, and then his arms pulled him away from the building.

Kraven turned his eyes onto Memory, a frown on his face. The cat in him was stalking back and forth. It could sense this woman's sickness; it knew the pain and suffering she was going through. Kraven may have been what the world considered a "villain," but he was not a merciless killer. He had no intentions of harming an innocent, especially not an innocent that had aided in his escape.

Cats were proud creatures. The feline family was a noble one, with the lion in his blood elevating him to King of the Jungle. And a king always protected his subjects.