SPIDER-MAN: Partners in Crime Revisited

Spider-Man and related characters are property of Marvel. This is set in my AU of Red Witch's Misfits Univers aka Earth-H aka the "Hasbro-verse" (so yes, this is still in continuity with "Musical Illusionists", "The World's Finest Soldiers", "War of the Machines", "The Evil Below", and associated one-shots/spinoff fics).

This is also a remastering/partial reboot of my earlier fanfic "Spider-Man: Partners in Crime". Most of the changes I'm making involve streamlining bits from the original fic either for the purposes of more efficient storytelling.

Chapter 1: The Spider's Bite

"Welcome to OsCorp's- you in the back! Yes, you! The redhead! Not you- the other one! The one with burn marks on her clothes! This is an active laboratory, so spit out that gum!" a man in a lab coat began.

The student in question turned a nearby trashcan and complied with the orders.

"Now, where was I? Oh yes- welcome to OsCorp's Transgenic Research Center. I am Doctor Curtis Connors, head researcher. Now you may be asking yourself several questions: 'Why should I care about this?' 'Where's the nearest exit?' 'What happened to your right arm?', and most importantly 'What goes on here?' To answer those questions in no particular order: 'Lost it in an industrial accident and got a cyberarm that's getting maintenance done on it', 'Right behind you', 'This is very interesting material', and 'Cutting edge biotech research'."

An awkward silence settled over the room.

"Moving on then- let's start with transgenic experimentation. Show of hands- you in the back. Yes, you with the GI glasses and the brown hair. I see you waving your hand around. Go on."

The student in question turned to an attractive redhead.

"MJ, I'm-"

"Peter, go ahead and say your piece."

Peter nodded.

"It's where you alter an organism's genetic code with material from an outside source in hopes that it exhibits that trait and passes it onto its offspring."

"Bravo, Mr.-"

"Parker. Peter Parker."

"Anyways, Peter here has hit the nail on the head. Granted, it's a simplified explanation, but an accurate one nonetheless. Anyways, our current effort in that field involves these."

Connors gestured to a nearby table with various spiders on a series of trays.

"Here we have the test organisms for the OZ transgenic retrovirus. You may be asking yourself- why spiders? The answer is that we could find them for free and they tend to reproduce en masse. Before your eyes, we see thirteen specimens- wait a second. Why are there only twelve?"

Just then, there was a piercing cry of "SPIDER!" from one of the students.

Ask a stupid question. Connors thought.

At the moment, the missing spider was in the process of crawling onto Peter's wrist. Before he could swat it off, it sank its fangs into him.

OW OW OW!

In his trashing about, Peter sent the errant arachnid flying through the air, whereupon it landed on Mary Jane's shoulder. Just before Doctor Connors removed it with some tweezers, Mary Jane felt something like a pinprick on her shoulder.

LATER THAT DAY:

"Well, that was certainly fun." Mary Jane mumbled to herself as she entered her room.

As the redhead began to change into something more comfortable, she noticed something in the mirror. On her shoulder was a swelling the size of a golf ball with two tiny holes in it.

"HOLY HELL THAT SPIDER GOT ME TOO!"

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

The student who Connors told to spit out her gum was Angelica Jones aka Firestar. Also, Dr. Connors is probably not going to end up becoming the Lizard here.