Peter stood over the defeated Lizard, watching as the monstrous form began to shrink and morph back into the familiar figure of Dr. Curt Connors. The transformation was both fascinating and unsettling; scales fell off, claws retracted, and the once fearsome creature was now a disheveled man lying on the cold ground.
Connors opened his eyes, blinking rapidly as if adjusting to the world anew. His gaze settled on Spider-Man and a flicker of recognition crossed his face.
"Peter... is that you?" Connors' voice was hoarse, laden with exhaustion and regret.
Peter nodded, maintaining a cautious distance. "Yes, Dr. Connors. It's me."
Struggling to sit up, Connors winced, clutching his side. "I didn't... I never meant for any of this to happen."
Peter's eyes narrowed. "Didn't you? You tampered with the serum, you knew the risks."
Connors shook his head vehemently. "No, I had no choice. I was pushed by Norman, to complete the Goblin Serum. And afterwards , when I refused giving him full rights to our ReGen serum, he tried to have me killed." He looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers as if seeing them for the first time. "But something went wrong. The serum... it changed me."
"Changed you?" Peter's tone was incredulous. "You became a monster, Dr. Connors. You transformed into a senseless, cannibalistic killing machine."
Tears welled up in Connors' eyes. "I know. And I have to live with that. But you have to understand, Peter, the power... it was intoxicating. For the first time, I felt whole. More than whole."
Peter crossed his arms, unmoved. "And now? What do you want?"
Connors looked up, desperation etched on his face. "I need your help. You're brilliant, Peter. Together, we can perfect the serum. We can control it. Think of what we could achieve... I mean... the diseases we could cure, the lives we could save."
The proposition was tempting, the potential for good was undeniable. But the greater good always came at a cost...
He shook his head. "No, Dr. Connors. It's too dangerous. We've seen what it can do."
A shadow crossed Connors' face, and a disturbing green tint crept into Connors' eyes. A sign of the madness induced by the Goblin serum.
Nice try, Doc, but I'm not falling for that.
"Dr. Connors, quit the act," Peter taunted. "You're not winning any Oscars today."
"You're a fool, Peter. Don't you see? This is evolution. This is our future."
Peter took a step forward, his senses tingling. "Dr. Connors, last chance to surrender."
But it was too late. With a guttural growl, Connors' body began to contort once more. Bones cracked, muscles bulged, and in seconds, the Lizard stood before him again, more menacing than before.
The creature snarled, its voice a guttural rasp. "If you're not with me, Peter, then you're my enemy."
Peter clenched his fists, readying himself. "Only a Sith deals in absolutes. You had your chance."
The Lizard lunged at Peter, jaws wide open, aiming to bite his head off. Peter delivered a powerful punch to the Lizard's face, shattering its head completely. Brain matter splattered across the area behind Connors.
Breathing heavily, Peter stood over the fallen creature, a mix of relief and sorrow washing over him. He had hoped to save Dr. Connors, to find a way to bring him back. But there was no way to do without blowing his cover. The Lizard's healing factor made it impossible to knock him out for long.
Realizing that S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were closing in, Peter used his spider-sense to locate them. Some were approaching through the path of destruction he had created in the building, while others were covering the building from both sides. With one last look at the fallen Lizard, he turned and quickly webbed up to the rooftop of the same building, checked his surroundings, and then dropped back into the dumpster silently. The UMF suit shifted back into place, covering him. His mind raced, replaying the recent confrontation with Dr. Connors. The end was a little tragic.
["System reboot complete. All functions operational."]
"Welcome back, AXIS," Peter whispered.
["How did the encounter conclude, sir?"]
"It's over. Connors... he didn't make it."
["I'm sorry to hear that."]
"It was all pointless. I thought I could save a good man and helped him, but he went down the same path anyway."
AXIS responded with a profound quote: ["Sir, Not everything is with in your control. Every moment you have wasted looking back, keeps you from the future."]
He had taken everything for granted since being inserted into this world. Maybe.. just maybe, he could have done things better.
["Don't waste time dwelling on the unchangeable past,"] AXIS advised. ["Focus on the present and the future. Now, do you need anything, sir? Perhaps a smack to the head?"]
Peter almost laughed out loud. "Nah, I got this. Just make sure everything goes fine on the outside." With that, Peter fell into deep meditation, his body functions adjusting to appear unconscious.
Hours later, Peter woke up, once again staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. A bed room. But this time, it was a hospital room. Without the now familiar mess and with the unfamiliar sterile scent filling his nostrils. He turned his head to see Aunt May and Felicia seated nearby, both showing signs of fatigue.
"Hey there, sleepyhead," Felicia greeted with a playful smirk.
"Felicia... Aunt May..." Peter's voice was hoarse.
"You gave us quite a scare," Aunt May said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"I'm sorry," Peter replied, guilt weighing heavy on his heart.
"Just promise me you'll be more careful," Aunt May implored.
"I will," Peter assured her.
Felicia stood, leaning over to plant a gentle kiss on Peter's cheek. "Take care, tiger. We'll catch up later."
Aunt May teased, "And you said it wasn't a date."
Peter laughed. "Guess I was wrong."
Aunt May continued, "With everything that happened, how are you, Pete? You saw so many deaths tonight and even got held hostage."
And killed one more too, Peter thought. "I'm fine, Aunt May, just need to rest a bit."
"Harry waited here for a long time. He was devastated, thinking he'll lose his best friend too. After all the kid has been through, I asked him to go get some rest," Aunt May said.
"You did the right thing," Peter replied.
As she left, Aunt May took Peter's hand in hers. "You know, your uncle Ben always said, 'With great power comes great responsibility.'"
"I remember," Peter whispered, the weight of those words settling deep within him.
"He'd be proud. Rest now, Peter."
As Aunt May left the room, Peter closed his eyes. He had faced many challenges, but with the support of the new lessons he'd learnt, these new feelings from and for the people he'd once treated like NPCs, he felt like he was changing.
"Character development is a bitch. Isn't it, AXIS?"
["Indeed, Sir. Now, Rest well. The city awaits her hero."]
A faint smile touched Peter's lips as he drifted into a peaceful sleep.
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This chapter marks the end of the Introductory Arc.
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