If we are making the serum might as well speed up the process ben clicked on the watch and transformed.
Peter blinked, staring at the tiny alien that had just replaced Ben. The creature barely came up to his knees, with a large head, sharp eyes, and delicate fingers. "What... what is this? What's this little guy supposed to do?"
The small alien rolled its eyes dramatically. "This little guy is a Galvan, the smartest species in the galaxy, and also the creators of the Omnitrix. I'm basically walking, talking genius-level intellect."
Peter's jaw dropped. "Wait, you're saying the same species that made that insane watch... is you?"
"Not exactly me, but let's just say I'm borrowing their brilliance," Ben—now Grey Matter—quipped, hopping up onto the lab counter. "Now, are we going to stand around gawking, or are we going to make this serum before your oversized lizard mentor levels the city?"
Peter snapped out of his shock and nodded. "Right. Let's do this." He handed a clipboard with notes to Grey Matter. "Here's the formula Connors and I were working on. We were trying to stabilize the regenerative properties of the serum."
Grey Matter scanned the notes with a single glance, then snorted. "Amateur work. No offense, but this is child's play for a Galvan." He skittered over to the lab equipment, pointing at different items. "Grab that centrifuge. We'll need to re-isolate the serum's base components. And do you have any stabilizing agents? Preferably something organic?"
Peter grabbed a bottle from a nearby shelf. "How about this? It's what Connors used for testing."
Grey Matter glanced at the label. "Hmm, not bad, but we can do better. Hand me that vial of polymerase enzyme over there. And while you're at it, start heating the solution to precisely 96.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Any hotter, and we risk denaturing the proteins."
Peter moved quickly, following the instructions. "How do you even know all this stuff? You were a regular guy five minutes ago."
Grey Matter smirked, climbing onto the centrifuge to adjust its settings. "Galvan brains operate on a completely different level. Right now, I'm processing more information in a second than you could in a year. No offense."
Peter rolled his eyes. "Yeah, none taken. Now what?"
Grey Matter hopped off the centrifuge and gestured toward a microscope. "We're going to synthesize a binding agent that'll allow the serum to target specific DNA strands. Once we isolate the reptilian genes, we can neutralize them."
Peter leaned over the microscope as Grey Matter adjusted the slides. "Alright, but how do we test it?"
"We'll use one of the tissue samples Connors left behind," Grey Matter replied, pointing to a freezer. "There should be plenty of preserved samples from his earlier experiments."
Peter retrieved the samples, carefully placing them in a petri dish. Grey Matter scurried over, pulling a dropper from a nearby tray. "Now, we'll add a small amount of our synthesized serum and observe the reaction."
The serum was carefully added to the sample under the microscope. Peter peered through the lens, his brow furrowing. "It's... working! The cells are reverting back to their original state!"
Grey Matter crossed his arms smugly. "Of course it's working. You're in the presence of greatness."
Peter looked up, a hint of a smile on his face. "Alright, genius. What's next?"
Grey Matter sighed, his tone turning wistful. "If we had the right equipment, we could create a DNA repair gun. It would be much more efficient—point, shoot, and fix the damaged DNA in seconds."
Peter's eyes widened. "You can do that?"
"Not here," Grey Matter said, shaking his head. "This lab is too basic. We'd need high-grade nanotechnology and a proper molecular synthesis machine. But this serum will do the trick for now."
Peter nodded, turning his attention back to the microscope. "Okay, so we have the serum. Now we just need to figure out how to get close enough to Connors to inject him."
Grey Matter smirked. "Leave that to me. Between your webs and my brains, we've got this."
Peter smiled back. "You know, I never thought I'd be teaming up with an alien genius. But hey, here we are."
Grey Matter chuckled. "Get used to it, partner. Let's save the day."
Peter pulled the mask over his face, completing his transformation into Spider-Man. He glanced at Ben, now back in his human form, and said, "Alright, genius. What's the plan?"
Ben tapped the Omnitrix on his wrist. "It's simple. I'm going to transform into Wildmutt. His heightened senses will let me track the lizards by the smell of blood and their scent trail after the chaos they caused. If I'm right—and I usually am—the only place they can hide is the New York sewers. Those tunnels are massive and complicated, practically a maze. It's the perfect hiding spot for them."
Peter adjusted his web-shooters and nodded. "Makes sense. The longer we wait, the more people are going to get hurt. Let's move."
Ben smirked. "Exactly what I was thinking." He turned the Omnitrix dial, scrolling through the silhouettes of various aliens until he found the familiar outline of Wildmutt. "Alright, time to unleash the beast."
He slammed the Omnitrix's core, and a flash of green light engulfed him. Peter stepped back, shielding his eyes. When the light faded, Wildmutt stood in Ben's place—a hulking, orange-furred creature with muscular limbs, clawed hands, and a face devoid of eyes, replaced by sensory gills. The alien growled softly, flexing its claws.
Peter tilted his head, fascinated. "So, no eyes, huh? How do you see?"
Wildmutt growled in response, motioning to his gills. Peter raised his hands defensively. "Alright, alright, I get it. No dumb questions. Let's go."
Wildmutt sniffed the air, his gills twitching as he locked onto the faint scent of blood and reptilian musk. He let out a low growl and bounded toward the edge of the building, leaping with incredible agility. Peter followed, shooting a web to swing after him.
The duo moved swiftly through the city, with Wildmutt leading the way. The alien's powerful legs allowed him to leap from rooftop to rooftop, while Peter swung in graceful arcs. Below them, the city still bore the scars of the lizards' attack—shattered windows, overturned cars, and scorched streets. The sight only fueled their determination.
As they approached a manhole cover near an abandoned alley, Wildmutt skidded to a halt, sniffing the air again. He growled and clawed at the cover, signaling Peter.
Peter landed beside him. "The sewers, huh? Of course. Let me get that." He grabbed the cover and pulled it aside, revealing a dark, damp tunnel below. The stench wafting up made him grimace. "Lovely."
Wildmutt growled again, dropping into the hole with a soft thud. Peter followed, landing lightly beside him. The sewer was a labyrinth of narrow tunnels and stagnant water, but Wildmutt seemed unfazed. He sniffed the air, his gills flaring, and took off down the nearest tunnel.
Peter kept close behind, whispering, "You sure about this? This place is a maze."
Wildmutt growled in affirmation, his claws clicking against the wet concrete as he led the way. They moved deeper into the sewer system, the air growing colder and the smell more putrid. After several minutes, Wildmutt stopped abruptly, sniffing the air more intently. He growled low and pointed ahead.
Peter squinted into the darkness. "What is it? You smell them?"
Wildmutt nodded, crouching low. The growl in his throat deepened, signaling danger ahead. Peter tensed, readying his web-shooters. "Alright, big guy. Let's do this."