The Lizard thrashed wildly, muscles bulging, but Spider-Man's webbing held tight, layer upon layer cocooning him like a straitjacket. For the moment, escape was impossible.
Suspended upside down from a single strand, Peter slowly lowered himself until he was right above the monster.
"Dr. Connors?" he called softly, searching for a trace of humanity beneath the scales.
ROAR!
The answer was a deafening, bestial snarl.
Peter winced. He had left Connors' nose and mouth uncovered so the doctor wouldn't suffocate, but clearly, that was a mistake.
"Alright then…" Thwip! Thwip! Two sharp shots of webbing sealed the Lizard's jaws shut, leaving only his nostrils free.
"Sorry, Doc," Peter said lightly, "I was gonna leave your mouth open, but honestly? You're too loud. And—wow—your breath is rank. Don't tell me that serum causes halitosis too? That's a terrible side effect. Honestly, I'd recommend brushing. What's your toothpaste of choice? Mint? Cinnamon? Bubblegum?"
Dangling there, Peter unleashed a relentless barrage of banter, each joke sharper than the last.
Connors could only glare, muffled grunts escaping through his sealed mouth. His tail lashed in frustration.
Peter didn't care. This wasn't just trash talk—it was strategy. The chatter calmed his own nerves, rattled his opponent, and gave him valuable time to watch Connors' body language for any tells.
Then—
RIPPP!
Peter froze. The cocoon of webbing tore open with a sickening rip.
"What the—?!"
In an instant, Connors exploded free, twisting violently. Something heavy hit the ground with a wet thud. Peter glanced down—
A severed tail.
His eyes widened, then flicked up at Connors' now bare backside. The realization hit like a punch.
"…You've gotta be kidding me. Tail-shedding?!"
It was true. Just like real reptiles in the wild, Connors had sacrificed his tail, using the break to rupture the webbing and slip free. The discarded appendage still writhed on the ground, twitching like a decoy.
Genius. Terrifying, but genius.
And it meant one thing: Connors' human mind was back in control.
"Dr. Connors?" Peter said cautiously, dodging a swipe of claws.
The Lizard stopped, breathing hard, and looked up at him. "Spider…"
Peter's heart jumped. That wasn't a growl. It was a word.
"You're… you're lucid?" he asked hopefully.
Connors tore the remaining strands of webbing from his chest and straightened, his voice deep but controlled. "Ah, Spider-Man. So—you are like me after all."
Relief flickered through Peter. The fury in Connors' eyes had dimmed, replaced by something dangerously close to reason.
But Peter stayed cautious, clinging to the curve where ceiling met wall, keeping his distance. "Doctor, what happened to you? Can you change back?"
Connors tilted his head. "You… know me?"
"Of course I do," Peter replied carefully. "You're one of the leading experts in cross-species genetics. And a top researcher at Oscorp. Anyone who's read a science journal knows your name."
Connors studied him intently, eyes narrowing as though trying to pierce the mask.
Then he sneered. "Oscorp… don't mention that name to me. If not for them, I wouldn't be like this. No—" He straightened, scales gleaming under the dim sewer lights. "I should thank them. Because of Oscorp, I've become perfect."
Peter's stomach dropped. The clarity was a façade. Connors wasn't cured—he was spiraling deeper.
"Doctor…" Peter murmured, his instincts screaming.
Connors' voice turned solemn, almost priest-like. "Little spider, we are both children of evolution. I hold no grudge. You can live your small life. But I have a mission greater than us both."
He turned, stalking down a dark tunnel.
Spider-Sense flared like an alarm bell in Peter's skull. "Wait—mission? What mission?"
Connors didn't stop walking. His voice echoed through the sewer, booming with conviction:
"I will make New York a city of lizards. I will bring all humanity into the glorious evolution!"
Peter's jaw dropped. "Okay, wow. Did you just… go full Viktor from League? Three hands and all?"
Connors froze, confused. "…Viktor? You mean that European fool?"
Peter blinked. "Wait, you actually know someone named Viktor? Uh… never mind."
He dropped from the wall, firing webs. Thwip-thwip! Sticky strands wrapped around Connors' arms, yanking him to a halt. "Sorry, Doc, but I can't let you turn New York into Jurassic Park."
Connors roared, muscles bulging against the restraint. "Why stop me, Spider? I am giving humanity a gift!"
"A gift?" Peter grunted, digging in his heels, anchoring the webs. "They don't want it, Doc! People like being, you know… people. Plus—think about it. A whole city full of bad breath? Yikes."
The Lizard's eyes blazed. "Then I'll start by killing you!"
He spun with sudden violence, dragging Peter off his feet. The shift from stalemate to raw force threw Peter off balance, slamming him into the wall.
A massive clawed fist came crashing down—Peter barely twisted away in time, flipping onto an overhead pipe.
"Okay, talking phase is officially over," Peter muttered, sprinting along the pipeline.
His twin web-lines, still clinging to Connors' arms, suddenly cinched together as he looped around.
In a blink, Connors found himself spun into a tightening circle of web.
The fight wasn't over.
But the game had just changed.
—End of chapter—
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