Even after Peter walked out of the Oscorp Tower, the scene he had just witnessed refused to fade from his mind.
His hands and feet were ice-cold, his thoughts blank and scattered.
"Dr. Connors is the Lizard… how could I dream something like that?"
But he knew very clearly—it wasn't a dream.
Connors might have looked like himself moments ago, but his whole temperament was completely different from before.
More importantly, Peter had seen the mouse they'd experimented on together a week earlier—it had mutated beyond recognition, swollen to the size of a dog and viciously devouring every small animal in the lab.
In that instant, Peter finally understood where the Lizard that appeared on the Williamsburg Bridge last night had come from.
"It's my fault!" The guilt hit him all at once, heavy and suffocating.
"If I hadn't given Dr. Connors my dad's formula, he never would've tested it on himself—and he never would've turned into that!"
He felt like he'd messed everything up again.
Every time, he messed everything up.
His spirits sank; the confidence he once had simply vanished.
He'd thought gaining superpowers meant he could turn his miserable life around. But now it felt like he was still the same helpless loser he'd always been.
Peter blamed himself for everything.
What he didn't stop to question was why Dr. Connors suddenly decided to experiment on himself in the first place.
All he knew was that no matter what Connors had become, he needed to save him.
"I—I should tell the police…"
The first thought that flashed across Peter's mind was to report it.
So he did.
But when he rushed to the police station, he realized just how naïve he'd been.
Who would believe the rambling of some random high schooler?
"I'm telling the truth, Chief!" Peter pleaded, unable to understand why no one was willing to listen.
"That's enough, Mr. Parker," George Stacy interrupted sharply.
"Dr. Curt Connors is a decorated scientist—a respected doctor—not the Godzilla you're describing."
As he spoke, he unbuttoned his uniform, switching it out for a suit jacket.
He had better things to do than humor a boy with delusions. For example: pick up his daughter, head home, and finally enjoy the lemon sea bass he'd missed last night.
"I'm not lying!" Peter stepped in front of him, flustered.
"Dr. Connors has been researching cross-species genetics, but the experiment failed—he turned into a Lizard! Spider-Man stopped him last night—"
George halted mid-step.
"Spider-Man stopped him?" He looked Peter up and down. "Or maybe I have another explanation."
"That masked spider freak and the Lizard are working together."
The moment Spider-Man was mentioned, George Stacy's temper snapped.
Last night the precinct entrance had practically become a gallery of webbed-up gang members—all courtesy of Spider-Man.
If that wasn't a challenge to the NYPD, what was?
Who did that vigilante think he was?
"What? How can you say that?" Peter stared at him, stunned, ready to argue when a soft voice chimed in behind him.
"Peter Parker?"
Peter spun around and saw a blonde girl standing there.
"You're… Gwen Stacy?"
He was genuinely surprised.
Of course he knew Gwen. Compared to Liz, the girl he'd always had a crush on, Gwen Stacy shone even brighter. He never expected to see her here—let alone hear her greet him by name.
"Y-you… what are you doing here?" he stammered.
Gwen tilted her head toward her father. When George met her eyes, something clicked in his mind.
So the boy wasn't just some delusional kid—he was trying to woo his daughter.
Great. Fantastic. A blonde pretty boy bold enough to show up at the precinct—did he think George was blind?
The look George shot Peter immediately soured.
He shoved Peter aside a bit too firmly. "She's here for her father. You have a problem with that?"
"Dad!" Gwen snapped, annoyed. George instantly deflated.
But he still didn't bother giving Peter anything close to a pleasant expression. "That's enough, Parker. I'm leaving."
George pulled Gwen along. She waved at Peter as she was dragged away.
Normally, getting a goodbye wave from such a pretty girl would've sent Peter floating.
But not today—his heart was too heavy, weighed down by thoughts of Dr. Connors.
Leaving the station, the cloud over his chest hadn't faded at all.
"If the police won't help… then I'll have to find Dr. Connors myself."
Connors was dangerous now. Peter didn't know what the Lizard serum had done to him, but judging from the mutated mouse, the transformation clearly came with violent aggression.
"Damn… where do I even start looking?"
"If only Ben could help me. Otherwise I really might screw everything up."
To Peter, Ben Tennyson was basically a walking miracle. Everything Peter messed up, Ben could somehow fix. Whenever Flash bullied him, Ben had always stepped in.
Peter sighed and decided he'd have to go to Ben for help.
Meanwhile, George and Gwen got into the police car.
"Talk." As a father, George Stacy was in no mood to tolerate nonsense.
"About what?"
"You and that boy. Are you two dating?" George demanded. "Don't lie to me. I can tell something's going on."
"What?" Gwen practically shrieked. "What are you even talking about, Dad? I don't even know him! We're not in the same class!"
She was flustered and defensive.
But she wasn't lying—strictly speaking, she and Peter weren't close.
That didn't mean she hadn't noticed him.
Top grades, quiet, bookish, frail-looking—but with a surprising spine.
Gwen had seen him multiple times stepping in when Flash Thompson bullied other students. Flash could tolerate it once or twice because of Ben, but eventually he'd lash out at Peter too. Still, Peter never backed down.
"Dad, what did Peter want from you?"
"Peter?" George repeated, his tone strange. His daughter was definitely growing up… and slipping further away.
Calling him by his first name? And she said they weren't close?
What could he do, though?
He gripped the wheel, started the engine, and answered with resignation, "He said your teacher, Dr. Connors, is the Lizard that appeared on the Williamsburg Bridge last night."
"Insane," George muttered, still bristling.
Gwen had interned under Connors at Oscorp. Connors had even offered to write her a glowing recommendation letter.
But Peter Parker claimed he was the Lizard? Ridiculous.
Yet when her own teacher was mentioned, even Gwen looked startled.
Still, she said, "Dad, Peter rarely lies. He might've really discovered something. Besides—"
"Oscorp seems to be having issues. This morning Dr. Connors messaged us that everyone has the day off."
Gwen's face was tight with worry.
George froze. The engine choked and stalled.
He grabbed the radio.
"All units, begin immediate investigation into Dr. Curt Connors. Full records."
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