The next day started like any other at Midtown High. Ethan strolled into Dr. Connors' class with Peter by his side, the two casually discussing their shared project. Gwen, as usual, sat near the back, her head tilted as she jotted down notes with an air of disinterest.
Ethan's sharp eyes caught Dr. Connors pacing at the front of the room. He looked worse than the day before—his hands trembled as he scribbled chemical equations on the board, and he kept muttering incoherently under his breath. Peter nudged Ethan and whispered, "Mad scientist phase, definitely confirmed. Should we, I don't know, call someone?"
"Let's not jump to conclusions," Ethan replied. "But keep an eye on him."
The class dragged on, Connors barely holding it together. Toward the end, he abruptly dismissed them without assigning homework, a rare occurrence. Ethan and Peter exchanged concerned glances, but they filed out with the rest of the class.
As Ethan headed down the hall, he glanced back. Connors' office door was ajar, and he could hear the man muttering frantically to himself. Ethan frowned but continued walking, his gut telling him this wasn't over.
Ethan's gut proved correct when, minutes later, a series of crashes echoed through the halls. Students screamed and scattered as a massive green figure tore through the science wing. Ethan's heart sank as he sprinted toward the noise, quickly ducking into a supply closet to change into his Spider-Venom suit.
By the time he arrived, the creature was in full view—a monstrous humanoid lizard, its claws raking through walls and its tail whipping over overturned desks.
Peter and Gwen arrived almost simultaneously, both fully suited up. Spider-Man skidded to a stop beside Ethan, staring at the creature in disbelief. "Tell me that's not Dr. Connors…"
"It's him," Ethan confirmed grimly.
"Great," Gwen quipped, landing beside them. "First a giant man in a suit, now a giant lizard. What's next? A giant hamster?"
"No time for jokes," Ethan snapped. "We have to stop him before someone gets hurt. Let's move."
The three launched into action. Ethan led the charge, firing a web at the Lizard's tail and yanking hard, causing the creature to stumble. "Over here, big guy!" he taunted, leaping to avoid a swipe of its claws.
Peter swung in from the side, slamming both feet into the Lizard's chest. "Hey, Doc! Didn't anyone tell you it's not cool to tear up your workplace?"
The Lizard roared, snapping its jaws at Peter, who flipped out of the way just in time. Gwen used the distraction to fire a web at the creature's eyes, temporarily blinding it.
"Nice shot," Ethan called out, sliding under the Lizard's swinging tail and delivering a web-coated punch to its knee.
"Thanks," Gwen replied. "Now, how do we stop him?"
"We need to subdue him," Ethan said. "Spider, get him from the left. Ghost, aim for his legs."
The trio coordinated their attacks, their movements fluid and precise. Peter distracted the Lizard with quick, agile strikes while Gwen tripped it up with well-placed webbing. Ethan stayed in the middle, delivering powerful blows and keeping the creature off balance.
But the Lizard was relentless. It roared, thrashing wildly, and slammed its tail into the ground, creating a shockwave that sent all three flying.
Ethan groaned as he picked himself up, his spider-sense flaring just in time to dodge a clawed swipe aimed at his chest. The Lizard turned its attention to a nearby shelf, grabbing several vials of a glowing green liquid.
"Is that more serum?" Gwen asked, her voice tense.
"Looks like it," Ethan replied. "We can't let him escape with it."
The Lizard smashed through a wall, making its way toward the school's sewer access. Ethan chased after it, swinging through the debris and landing on its back. He wrapped his arms around its neck, trying to force it to drop the vials.
"Go to sleep!" Ethan growled, tightening his grip.
The Lizard roared in frustration, slamming its back against the wall to dislodge him. Ethan gritted his teeth, holding on for dear life until a powerful swing of the creature's tail sent him flying across the room.
"Ethan, you okay?" Peter shouted, webbing the Lizard's arm to stop it from escaping.
"Just peachy," Ethan muttered, pulling himself up. "Don't let him get away!"
Gwen fired a web at the vials, yanking one out of the Lizard's grip. "Got it!"
The Lizard snarled, lunging at her. Gwen flipped out of the way, but the creature used the opening to leap toward the sewer entrance.
"No, you don't!" Peter yelled, firing a web at its leg.
But the Lizard was too strong. It ripped through the webbing and disappeared into the sewers, taking the remaining vials with it.
The trio regrouped in the ruined classroom, catching their breath. Ethan leaned against a wall, his mask partially torn from the fight.
"Well," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "that could have gone better."
Peter nodded. "Yeah, we totally let a giant lizard escape with a bunch of dangerous chemicals. Great job, team."
"Good thing the Midtown High spider trio was here in time to reduce the damage," Ethan said with a smirk.
Gwen froze, narrowing her eyes at him. "Wait. What did you just say?"
Ethan shrugged. "You heard me. We all go to the same school, right? I figured it out weeks ago."
Peter gaped at him. "You… you know who she is too?"
"Obviously," Ethan replied. "You're Peter Parker, you're Gwen Stacy, and I'm Ethan Daniels."
Gwen crossed her arms. " Is too? And how exactly did you figure that out?"
Ethan pointed at her. "Spider-Sense, your uncontrolled sense are like beacons in the dark. Peter's and my powers come from the same spider; hence, we won't trigger each other's spider-senses." He turned to Peter. "And you, Parker, are about as subtle as a wrecking ball."
Peter groaned. "Great. So much for secret identities. Wait a minute, you got bitten by the same spider?"
"Yes and relax," Ethan said. "This just makes things easier. Increased trust will help us work better as a team."
Peter brightened. "A team? I like the sound of that!"
Gwen sighed. "Let's focus on catching the Lizard first, okay?"
Ethan nodded, his expression serious. "Agreed. Let's move. We can't let him cause any more damage."
The trio headed toward the sewer entrance, ready to face whatever challenges awaited them below.