Spider-man and related properties are owned by Marvel and their respective corporations.





Note: This is set in the Ultimate universe. Meaning things have been updated and Parker is still in high school. This is also a retelling of the Lizard's origins.



Summary: This is the first chapter where an article and leads Peter Parker/ Spider-man into the life of Doctor Curt Conners who is about to make a medical breakthrough on himself.



Splicing





One of the city's many newspapers. The Daily Bugle moved at a frenetic pace, vying for the most readers and advertising dollars. But in addition to its flagship newspaper it was also tried to adapt at the changing place of media by running a web site that was updated daily with news from all over the globe.

The web site was run by a few people who uploaded the stories and made sure everything ran smoothly. One of those in charge was paid intern Peter Parker.

He was sitting in one of the newspapers many cubicles with one of the many computers that dotted the office. Although he would see a couple of reporters still use typewriters.

At this moment he was checking to make sure the site wasn't infected with a virus that could cause it to go down. As he worked away at the keyboard. A man came up to his cubical and dropped a diskette in front of his face. Peter turned to look to see that the man was second in command of running the paper: Robert "Robbie" Robertson.

"Here you are Peter, a couple of stories we just got it. Could you put them on the site now?"

He turned away from his screen and looked at Robertson. "Sure, Mr. Robertson. I'll take care of that."

"Thanks Peter, and you can call me Robbie."

"All right, Robbie"

Robertson then walked away from Parker's cubical and went on with his business. Peter finished doing the virus check and then went about checking what was on the disk.

He put the disk inside and then look at what was on screen. One article was about the increasingly popular art of tattooing and how the city was having a growth in parlors. Peter typed a few commands and it was now on the Internet.

The next article was something that was interesting to Peter. He perused the article wanting know the whole story.

Scientist Able To Regrow Limbs In Mice

By Philip Cardona

Daily Bugle Staff Writer



. A breakthrough was made by renowned biologist Dr. Curtis Conners and his team at Empire State University.

Conners with help from the Osborn Industries corporation was able grow legs on several mice that were born with no legs. Using genes that originally were from reptiles.

"I'm very pleased with the progress we've made here." Conners said in a press conference held on the university grounds. "This is just one of the many things I'm looking forward to with this research."

This has been a boon for the company who had been looking to recover from both the explosion at one of its facilities. And the fire that consumed the mansion of chairman and CEO of Osborn Industries, Norman Osborn. Who after the fire is has been missing ever since.

Acting CEO, Jeffery Trackman was also at the press conference. "Osborn Industries has always been at the forefront of new possibilities. With the help of Dr. Conners and his team. We've been able to achieve some of those goals."

Conners also stated in the press conference that with further research it might be possible to regrow limbs lost due to injury, disease, or had failed to appear due to birth defects.

Dr. Conner's interest in limb regeneration came from the injuries he had received during his service in the Gulf War several years ago. Where he had lost his left arm. Since then he has been focused on trying to accomplish the dream so many others in his situation, desire. To be able to function normally again without the use of artificial limbs.

While it will be several years before human tests can be done. Conner's and his team of students and doctors are very optimistic. So is Osborn, who is funding the project.

"The results of the last few experiments are very promising. But I won't get excited until we have what we want." Conners said. "Until then, we're putting the champagne on hold for now.". . . .



Peter continued reading the article and when he was finished the story was put on the web site. This was fascinating stuff and he wanted to know more. But he would have to look on his own time and not the paper's. He didn't want to J. Jonah Jameson, the editor-in-chief to have another screaming fit about how everyone wasn't working.

The day went on and a couple of hours later. Peter went home but it his own very unique way.





Empire State University





Inside of a modern office building was the school's science and research department. Dr. Conners and another member of his team were going over the results of their latest experiment. His partner in the project was Dr. Daniel Franco: Who was from Osborn Industries and he was the one who brought the funding to the project and also handled any requests for equipment.

Conners was working on samples of DNA from the mice. While Franco was looking at the mice inside of their pens.

"Did you take a look at the papers today, Curt?" Franco asked

"I did"

"Maybe TIME magazine will make you 'Person of the year'."

"I don't think that far away. I just hope these mice will be able to walk tomorrow."

Franco turned to look at Conners. "Something makes me think they will."

He moved his eyes away from the screen and looked at Franco. "You think that supposed 'wonder-drug' is behind this?"

"Well, if we did this experiment and it has been done before. The new legs on the mice would have degenerated by now. It's been a week since we injected them and so far everything has gone well."

"Your right, 'Oz' is what I've been looking for all this time." Conners said to Franco.

"Curt, I've got contacts in the FDA. Let me see if we can move up the human tests up a bit. I'm hoping that we can start in two years."

"That's something to consider."

Franco started to get irritated. "Why the reluctance, Curt? You've been the one pushing this whole idea of limb regeneration. In fact you're the one to come to me and ask Osborn for funding."

Conners didn't feel like arguing. "Can we do this another time? I would like get this done before the night is done."

"All right. I'm gonna take care of a few reports and then I'm calling it a night."

"Fine"

Conners continued his work long after Franco had left.

It was near midnight in the city and he was still in his small office running simulations on his computer. He was looking how the combination of a particular sequence of reptile genes and the drug Oz could affect humans. This was interested him the most. To be able to have the use of his arm.

What caused the loss of his left arm back in the Gulf. Was during a trip through the desert. The transport he was on, had rolled over an old landmine that had been previously undetected. While the transport absorb the shock of the mine. Conners received shrapnel and his left arm had to be amputated.

This caused his left arm to end at the elbow. Now every time he wore a shirt or coat. He had them specially made to fit over his amputated stump.

That was why he had started the project. Fascinated with how reptiles and various aquatic species were able to regrow limbs. He studied them intensely. And a few years ago, while working as the Empire State's Biology professor. He asked Osborn Industries for funding for his research. Surprisingly they gave it to him.

Recently, Dr. Franco had come on board from Osborn. His previous job had been being in involved in the research and production of a drug called 'Oz'. In addition to his experience in research. He also had with him, samples of the drug and notes as to the intricacies of it, and how it worked with several different species including humans.

The drug changed everything and now Conners was very close to being able to achieve what he wanted for so long.

The simulations showed that if a human had been injected with the combinations of genes and 'Oz' in the area of where the limb was amputated. That it would create a new limb very quickly.

But if the experiment did not work. All that would happen would be that the body's immune system would treat the injection as a foreign substance and destroy it.

Seeing how he had nothing to lose and something to gain. Conners rose from his chair and walked into the lab.

He synthesize the combination and before long. Conners had a syringe in his right hand of filled what he believed to be the answer for many people who are missing limbs. If it didn't work, then it would just be another misstep in science

Before injecting himself, Conners took of his lab coat and shirt. Then he wiped the stump with alcohol and was ready to precede.

Just as he was about to inject himself. He muttered. "I hope this works." to himself. And then jammed the needle into his stump and pushed the concoction into his system.

For the next couple of hours, he waited hoping for something to happen. But just as the sun began to rise in the night's the sky. Conners felt strange sensations in his left arm. He looked to see what was happening and the sensations he had been feeling now were getting more intense with pain.

The pain had gotten so bad that Conners couldn't even see clearly. But just as the pain came on, it had abruptly stopped and everything seemed to be normal again.

He looked at his left arm and he was ecstatic. What had worked for the mice and had now worked for him. Curt Conners had a fully functional left arm..









To Be Continued