Scooby Doo
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Goblins' Gold
Knock-knock-knock. Scooby woke up with a start. Fred and Shaggy opened their eyes as well, yawned, and opened the door. The girls were already dressed up, waiting for the guys to get ready as well. Shaggy and Scooby needed no more incentive than the promise of breakfast. In a few minutes they were in the dining room of the hotel, alleviating the pain of hunger.
The low scale downfall of last night had no signs left, as the Sun dried up its traces. The gang sat in the good old Mystery Machine, the familiar sounds of the engine roared once again, and Mystery Inc. set on another route of danger and unknown obstacles. During their way to the asylum, the city showed its friendly and cosy side, however. It was July 4th, after all. National flags everywhere, balloons, plasters, street hawkers. And the inseparable elements of mass events: pickpocketers and beggars.
The Ravencroft Institute was founded by Dr. Ashley Kafka, hosting criminal minds gone mad, such as Eddie Brock aka Venom, Cletus Kasady aka Carnage, and the most famous of all, the first major foe defeated by Spiderman: the original Green Goblin, Norman Osborn, founder and former CEO of Oscorp. The Ravencroft was a huge complex in the suburbs, with highly secured cells, research facilities, conference halls and such.
The first obstacle the gang had to overcome, was the lack of an appointment. The guards didn’t want to let them pass through the main gate. After some persuasion and quarrel, Dr. Kafka personally showed up. She was wearing the white robe of psychiatrists, and her glasses emphasized her beautiful blue eyes. She was in her mid-thirties, but despite her young age, she had had an enviable career. As Norman Osborn hadn’t had any visitors in a while, and considering that due to the celebrations, noone else made an appointment for today, she escorted them through the entrance. Dr. Kafka took charge of Norman Osborn’s therapy long ago, with no breakthrough in regard of his mental condition. However, she seemed to have gained Osborn’s trust. After warning them about the security measures to observe, and explaining some of the methods and history of the institute, she kindly introduced the gang to Norman, who returned the greetings politely, albeit with an open surprise. He didn’t expect strangers this day. Dr. Kafka, as per the rules of the asylum, stayed, if intervention became necessary- though every patient had an electric shackle, which, in case of an attempt to leave the cell, or to remove it without the key, shocked the person wearing it, paralyzing him.
„What has brought you here in this morrow, kids?”- he asked.
„Mr. Osborn, thank you for accepting us. I’ll quickly turn to the subject of our visit. Two days ago, someone broke in Oscorp, and killed two guards. According to some witnesses, it was the Green Goblin. How is that possible? Were you not the Green Goblin? Who can be behind this? We are asking for your help.”- Velma summerized. Fred and the others nodded.
„Why would I help?”- Norman asked apathetically.
„So, you are not even surprised? That someone has taken your guise, trying to ruin your company?”- Fred continued.
„Whoever is running around in the Goblin’s mask, is an impostor, and will suffer the fate of an impostor. As for the company…it’s not my company anymore.”- Norman answered.
„But it is in the care of your own son. Are you not concerned about what happens to him?”- Daphne took over.
„My son…Don’t tell me about my son!- groaned Norman. „He is a good-for-nothing! He hasn’t even visited me. Not that it’s a problem. I don’t want to see him.”- he panted.
„So you can’t help us?”- Fred kept asking. Norman jumped on his feet, towering over Fred.
„I don’t know anything! Leave me alone or I’ll kill you!”- Norman shouted furiously.
„Norman! Calm down!”- Dr. Kafka interrupted. Norman regained his sobriety and sat down. He didn’t speak a word again. He closed off his mind, and turned away.
„It’s better for you to leave now.”- Dr.Kafka suggested. The team left the cell, door of which got closed by the automated system.
„As you can see, he is very unstable. Such questions trigger the demon inside him. I believe it is partially, at least, the result of him taking that super soldier serum, you know. The one developed by Oscorp. Norman tested the serum on himself. He gained superhuman strength, but as a side effect, he became way too aggressive. For a while, he tried to resist his murderous instincts, but the Goblin took over his mind completely. I’ve managed to suppress it, but as you have witnessed…”- she didn’t finish her sentence.
„We understand. We are sorry for the bother, Mr. Kafka.”- Daphne apologized.
„It’s alright. We would be more successful had the government not cut our funds last year. I surmise it is for that idiotic campaign of theirs. These politicians can’t comprehend the importance of our work and the research we undertake.”- Dr. Kafka rambled. Realizing she might have said too much, she added: „But never mind, it is not your business. If you excuse me, I have many things to take care of.”
„Sure, Dr. Kafka. We are leaving.”- said Fred. Ashley Kafka escorted them back to the gate. On their way out, the gang passed Carnage’s cell. Cletus Kasady started shaking the door outrageously. „I’ll get you little punks! I’ll eviscerate you! I’ll eat your intestines! Carnage will butcher everyone hahaha!”
Scooby and Shaggy started shaking. „Never mind him, he is the worst.”- Dr. Kafka tried to calm them.
„Let’s hurry out…”- Shaggy said and hastened his steps. Dr. Kafka watched them getting in the Mytery Machine, and returned to her schedule. However, someone else, from a black car, was also watching the gang leave.
„What’s your impression, guys”- Fred asked, as he was navigating back to downtown.
„He might know something. His lawyer hangs out with Wilson Fisk, after all.”- Daphne pondered.
„But Mr. Osborn hasn’t had visitors lately.”- Velma objected.
„Still…he’s suspicious to me.”-Daphne insisted.
„He is just crazy, Daphne.”- Shaggy interposed.
„Obviously. That’s why he is suspicious.”- Daphne lectured.
„More like, dangerous. But Scoob and I are hungry.”- So did Shaggy change the topic.
„Is there any time when you two are not hungry?”- Fred joked.
„But of course. When we have filled our stomachs.”- Shaggy explained.
„Be patient. You can eat as much as you want at the street buffets.”- Velma chilled them. The rest of the journey was silent in the van, albeit the city around was rustling with the aboundance of the concrete jungle’s fauna called humans. Friends and families were watching the street shows, marches, listening to speeches and commemorating the independence of the United States of America, the day when the Declaration of Independence was accepted by the Continental Congress in 1776. The following war produced many heroes, who sacrificed their lives for the dreams they envisioned. Heroes, some of them well known, some of them hidden by the historical mask of forgetfulness. Heroes, whose nation is being protected by successors such as Spiderman. Such is the nature of humans: they need heroes to worship, but they are quick to forget. Heroes may become public enemies, gangsters becoming celebrities. A never ending cycle of struggle between good and evil.
„What a clichéd writing that is, Spiderman is not a hero! Don’t mention him in the same paragraph with people like Washington or Jefferson.”- J.J. Jameson was enraged. He threw the paper in the face of his assistant, lit a cigar, and carassed his meticulously cut grey hair. „But J.J, Spiderman saved a child last week.”- Robbie Robertson protested.
„Yeah, after putting her at risk during a fight with a thief.”- J.J insisted.
„See, he was chasing after a thief.”- Robbie argued.
„A thief who got away.”
„Because Spiderman chose to save the girl whom the thief pushed onto the road.”- Robbie sighed.
„It’s Spiderman’s fault for not leaving these things to those competent: the police.”- J.J smashed the table with his fist.
„Re-write the article, that’s my final word!”- yelled J.J, and Robbie waltzed out of the office. Before closing the door behind himself, he peeped in, and said: „By the way, your wife is on the line.”
J.J took the cigar out of his mouth and threw it at the door, but Robbie, anticipating such reaction, had already shunned the door, so the cigar missed, and fell on the floor.
„Damn that Spiderman! It’s his fault as well!”- J.J groaned to himself. He stood up, picked the cigar and dropped it in the bin. He walked to the window, and looked down upon the city. People seemed like ants, from the 20th floor of the Daily Bugle.
„I hope at least Parker will make good photos.”- he thought, and picked up the phone.
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