This took a while, but we're setting up for some interesting events here. Should be fun.
DISCLAIMER: I own Borderline. The universe this story takes place in belongs to Persiana13, as does Farrah Willows/Persiana. Everything else belongs to Marvel.
Chapter 3: Reptilian Return
Dr. Curtis Connors was an unlucky man. After he lost his arm, he had attempted to use a serum to grow it back in the same way a lizard regained its tail. Unfortunately, the serum had the side-effect of transforming Connors into a human-reptile hybrid calling itself "the Lizard". After several encounters with Spider-Man, Connors had moved to New York to find a way to permanently ensure that the Lizard would never return.
That was where Osborn came in.
"You want me to recreate my serum and use it to mutate one of your H.A.M.M.E.R agents into a monster?" Connors asked, horrified. "Are you mad?"
"I'm told as such," Osborn replied. "Oh, and before you decline, let me remind you of one thing…"
A click behind Connors caused the scientist to turn, and there stood James "Rhodey" Rhodes, the hero-turned-Dark Avenger called War Machine. Rhodey was pointing a gun at the back of Connors' head.
"You don't have a choice," Osborn smirked. "Unless, of course, you would like more…drastic…means of preventing the Lizard's return."
"I…" Connors stammered, suddenly clutching the stump that used to be his right arm. "Ur…no, I…"
"No?" Osborn said. "Very well, then. War Machine?"
"As you command," Rhodey stated flatly, preparing to fire. Then, something unexpected happened.
Connors' arm grew back.
"No!" snarled Connors as his skin became covered in green scales, quickly lashing out with his newly-grown arm and destroying Rohdey's gun. "You will be the ones to die today!"
Osborn's Iron Patriot armor activated, and though he managed to launch a jet of fire from one hand, the newly-transformed Lizard was barely affected by the raging flames. The reptilian monster quickly struck Osborn down with his giant tail, doing the same to Rhodey. He then bounded out of the lab within the Dark Avengers' headquarters, destroying everything in his path.
"Dark Avengers, stop the Lizard from escaping!" Osborn barked. "I repeat, stop the Lizard from escaping!"
Daken charged at Lizard, claws drawn, but Connors' monstrous alter-ego agilely dodged and slashed Daken across his back. A black tentacle suddenly snatched Lizard's hand, but Venom soon found his efforts in vain when Lizard tore his hand free and charged, swatting the symbiote aside as he burst through the door and escaped into the streets.
Osborn got up, angrily glancing at the wreckage the Lizard had wrought on his team's headquarters.
"Wolverine, Persiana, find him by his scent," Osborn snarled. "He can't have gone far. The rest are with me. I want him alive...for now."
Back at the Baxter Building, Angelica was spending the majority of her time by the secretary desk, thinking. Should she join Borderline's resistance? If not, where else could she go? Osborn would indeed continue his hunt for her. Should she not at least try to ensure that no other innocent people suffered the same fate?
"How you doing, chere?" asked Remy as he strolled in.
"Okay, all things considered," Angelica sighed.
"You think about joining up?" Remy asked. "Might do you some good to pay back Osborn."
"I…I really don't know," Angelica said. "I know it'd be good for me, and it might even keep me safe from that lunatic. All the same, though…I don't want to give up whatever normalcy I had."
"Trust me, chere," Remy said with a shake of his head, "there's nothing normal about mutants. Osborn wants mutants like us to build up his Dark X-Men, and if he gets what he wants, it means some bad times for everyone in this whole country. You really want that, chere? You want every mutant in this country to be drafted into the bad guys?"
Angelica was silent for a moment.
"You sound awfully…wise," she said.
"Eh, what can Remy say," Remy shrugged. "You pick up a few things if you've been around. And when you've been around Borderline, you really can't avoid picking up things."
"What's with him, anyway?" Angelica asked.
"Don't know," Remy shrugged. "All Remy knows is that he's a kid who really has it in for Osborn. Doesn't like Stark, Richards, and Pym too much, either. Blames them for giving Osborn an opportunity or something like that."
"They started the Civil War," came the familiar deadpan tone of Borderline's voice as the nineteen-year-old walked in. "Single smart supervillain would be able to capitalize on opportunity. Osborn was said smart supervillain."
"Oh, uh…hi, Borderline," Angelica stammered, still getting used to the strange teenager.
Borderline gave her a brief nod of acknowledgement.
"So, this is one of those famous times in which you leave the computer room," Remy smirked. "What's the occasion?"
"That," Borderline said, pointing to the door.
For a moment, both Remy and Angelica were confused as to what Borderline was indicating. And then, it revealed itself to them.
The Lizard barreled through the doors, roaring madly and gnashing his teeth. He made a leap at Borderline, but the teenager dodged with a single swift side-step. He then jabbed one of his electric poles into the Lizard's back, discharging a painful amount of electricity into the creature. It was not enough to defeat the beast, however, as Lizard turned around and swatted Borderline with his tail, sending the teen flying. Amazingly, however, Borderline simply rolled across the floor before springing up into a fighting stance.
"Humans," snarled the Lizard, "your end is near. The reign of the Lizard will soon begin!"
Remy extended his staff as Angelica powered up, floating into the air slightly. The Lizard charged, slashing at Angelica, only for the heroine formerly known as Firestar to dodge each attack. Remy jabbed the end of his staff into the Lizard's stomach, allowing his kinetic energy to send the scientist-turned-monster skidding across the floor. The Lizard rose, but was quickly struck with a fireball from Angelica and another electrical jab in the back from Borderline, falling unconscious soon after.
"What…what is that?" Angelica panted.
"The Lizard," Borderline began, "real name Dr. Curtis Connors. Former member of Sinister Six and Sinister Twelve. Powers include super-strength, super-agility, wall-crawling, and telepathic control over reptiles. Said powers acquired due to serum intended to re-grow lost arm. Currently active."
He looked down at the Lizard's unconscious body.
"More or less," he finished.
"So, what do we do with Scaly here?" Remy asked.
"Keep him," Borderline said.
"Keep him?" Angelica repeated.
"Uh, couldn't you just get a dog from the pet store?" Remy asked.
"Have an idea," Borderline said. "Need Lizard in the computer room."
Two blocks away, something was brewing.
Daken and a woman with white fur perched on a rooftop with a clear view of the Baxter Building. Both eagerly awaited what they assumed would be a relatively easy capture.
"Wolverine to Iron Patriot," Daken said into his communicator. "Lizard went into the Baxter Building."
"Knowing his psychological profile, he will most likely attempt to set up a base there," Osborn surmised. "I want both of you to take him out and bring him here."
"Roger," Daken said before deactivating his communicator and turning to the furred woman. "You ready?"
"Ask yourself that," smirked Farrah Willows, the heroine-turned-Dark Avenger codenamed Persiana. "Let's go."