Note: While this story is based on Spiderman/Marvel Universe, it largely features a number of original characters with references to existing ones. This is a mature story, intended for mature audiences, expect violence, swearing and some sexual content. Some descriptions may be graphical and while I try my best to avoid 'smut,' don't be surprised if some manages to creep in.


The hallowed halls of OsCorp headquarters remained full of employees. A rhythmic, but subdued beat of footsteps echoed around the main hall. Unopposed, Veronica stepped in through the revolving doorway. Her body camouflaged in excessive clothing, one of her many trench coats, a hooded jumper and some fingerless gloves. Gloves most likely scrounged from an unfortunate, homeless soul.

"Excuse me!" A young receptionist yelled at Veronica. She turned to the woman behind an ecliptic desk, spanning from one wall to another. From a distance you could mistake Veronica's figure for a bum or thug. The clothing, unconventional to any OsCorp employee, Veronica donned made her stand out like a black sheep. She approached the receptionist. "Can I help you?" asked the radiant young woman.

"I'm here to see Zoe King." Veronica slammed her palm onto the desk.

"I'm sorry; Mrs. King is not accepting any visitors today." The receptionist leant forward slightly, almost intrusively as she tried to peek at the face of the tall woman, "You can make an appointment and we'll let you know when she's next available."

"Make an exception," Veronica boomed, slamming her second palm onto the desk. The receptionist gestured her head towards Veronica. A tall, broad bruiser of a man stomped towards the desk where these two women were talking.

"As I said miss, Mrs. King is not taking any visitors this evening." The receptionist began to shiver as this woman stood imposing before her, never shifting. Veronica's body began to tremble. Low raspy, guttural noises emitted from her cloaked face. "Now if you won't leave, I'm afraid Mr. Jones here will have to escort you out."

"He can try," Veronica snarled. Both Mr. Jones and the receptionist looked at each other perplexed. The voice was unlike the soft tones heard before. Mr. Jones placed his boulder like fist firmly onto Veronica's forearm.

"I think it's time for you to leave." He tried shifting the woman from the desk. His burly physique struggled to remove Veronica's petit hands, one glance at the desk and he saw why. Nails had dug straight into the marble, fastening Veronica to the desk; she was never going to be shifted by this man, regardless of how big he was.

The receptionist became increasingly uneasy and alarmed that she could not see Veronica's face. She stammered, "N-n-n-no hoods inside the building please." The receptionist gestured up at the cameras, but Veronica was paying no mind. She just stood there, frozen and silent. "Are you listening to me?" Both the receptionist and the burly Mr. Jones glanced back and forth a couple times before an alarming growl caught them by surprise. The receptionist inched away from Veronica.

Increasingly alarming noises emanated from Veronica's hood. A compelled Mr. Jones placed his hand firmly atop the woollen hood of Veronica who had now become completely silent. Mr. Jones brushed back the hood revealing Veronica's sickly features. Her face lathered in green scales. The receptionist screamed as Veronica's skull malformed into a powerful, reptilian snout. A loud screech from Veronica and spines erupted from her back, tearing through her coat. Terror filled the lobby and the OsCorp faithful bee-lined for the exit.

"What the hell?!" Mr Jones yelled. Veronica pried her hands free from the marble. She turned and pounced onto the giant forcing him to the ground. Mr. Jones slid on his back along the waxed marble floor away from the reception desk and into view of everyone else. Panic echoed around the halls and lobby as Veronica's body warped instantaneously. Her bulk enlarged and more spines erupted from her brow and forearms. Coat fibres ripped and tore.

A loud brassy scream came from Mr. Jones as Veronica sunk her teeth into his neck. A nearby water feature ran red with gushing cascades of crimson fluid as Veronica tore through large man's neck and ripped his head straight off. She seemed more powerful, more attune to her body. Her instincts and motivations were more human than before. However, the beastly urge to feed and kill remained.

"What the fuck is that?!" yelled a guard who witnessed the violent spectacle, pointing a puny stun gun at the giant lizard woman. Veronica took interest and grinned with a bloodied smile. She slowly zigzagged towards the guard; he was terrified, hands trembled in disbelieving fear.

"Ke-keep the fuck away from me!" Veronica just snarled as blood dripped from her mouth. Sudden panic and the guard fired his stun gun at Veronica. No effect. The barbs hit, but the shock did little than tickle Veronica. Distinct guttural sounds came from Veronica; she was snickering at this man's feeble attempt to hurt her.

This prompted the guard to flee. No good, Veronica charged him down. She head butt the guard's calf with such force that it broke. He cried in agony as he crashed to the ground. Veronica followed her charge through and trampled over the guard's back. He wailed and screamed as claws embedded into his tissue. Another fierce chomp followed and the guard was silent.

Fleeing employees kept screaming, evading the reptile as they bound onto the streets. Veronica had little interest in these onlookers. She did snap at the odd one to scare them. Still, they posed absolutely no threat to her. However, the call had been made, police began to crowd outside. Pathetically, animal control had been called in to assist too.

Gun barrels aimed at the glass doors. A few officers caught a glimpse of the large humanoid shape through the panes. The last employees cleared out of the lobby leaving Veronica poised atop the mauled corpses of her victims. Her sail twitched and brows shuddered as her senses tingled. Flicking her tongue into the air, Veronica could sense her target, many stories up. As a group of police officers breached the lobby Veronica leapt onto a wall and quickly crawled into a ventilation duct, heading up the tower.

Tyres screeched loudly as Mike Summers brought his car to a sudden halt. Both Mike and Rebecca leapt out and approached the officer in charge.

"What's going on here?" the officer turns towards Mike and his partner, gazing into the sky.

"Some kind of wild animal, apparently."

"What are we looking at a lion? Something escape from the Central Park zoo?"

"Nothing of the sort. Witnesses say it's the giant lizard. First response caught a glimpse of the creature as it fled into the buildings ventilation. They're sweeping the tower now." Mike looked up the towering OsCorp headquarters, a monument of glass windows and steel. His skin crawled.

"How long have they been in there?" Mike asked the officer.

"Uh, twenty minutes, half an hour maybe. We've not heard a thing since they took an elevator up."

"Right…" Mike pondered for a minute as more officers arrived at the scene. Rebecca stood anxiously, gently caressing her revolver slung in holster. "…Fuck it. Give me your weapon officer." Mike produced his hand to the officer, who held a shotgun firmly. Reluctantly the officer handed his firearm over.

"You can't just walk in there, we've orders to stay put and await further instructions. We still haven't heard from the response team." Mike didn't pay attention; he scrounged together some loose shells from the officer's squad car and shovelled them into his pocket.

"They're in danger officer; the longer we wait the more likely they'll be dead," argued Mike as he strapped on a Kevlar jacket, Rebecca followed suit.

"Captain Stacy said-"

"Captain Stacy is not here, I must act."

"You undermine his authority!" the officer protested.

"Well, he'll just have to arrest me then," Mike grinned. He gestured towards Rebecca and she followed.

'Better them then me I guess,' the officer thought as he watched Mike and Rebecca approach the building.

"Fear not, we'll handle this," Rebecca yelled back to the officer. The pair charged into the desolate lobby, safe for the corpses of the two security personnel. Nothing more than a lifeless, mangled pulp of flesh stewing in their own juices remained. Rebecca gasped, close to hurling bile from her gut. Mike groaned in disgust. Mutilated corpses always got under his skin, naturally. He feared those responsible for such acts. Fearing what could happen to his little girl should these 'sickos' remain.

Mike gazed up to the ceiling, picturing what was crawling around the ventilation, the giant reptile. "Come on. We've gotta go up." Despite keeping his composure, the sight of a beheaded corpse even sickened him. Realistically, Mike was terrified; he scanned every corner and every angle as he climbed the stairs to the upper lobby. The shotgun dug into his shoulder as he held it tight, ready to pump buckshot into the nearest threat. Eerie silence filled the lobby, even the fountain had been shut off. There was nothing. A loud scream over radio static ruptured the silence, accompanied by the sound of gunfire.

"Shit, we must hurry!" Rebecca yelled, the two dashed towards the elevators and frantically bashed the pads. Incoherent radio chatter started flooding the pair's ears, filled with pleas and alerts from the first response squad.

"Too fas…whe…e is it?"

"HEL-"

"ARRRG-"

"Come on, come on!" Mike whispered as the gunfire continued, now being punctuated by even more screaming.

"Ne…ackup...81st floor…abs!" Finally the elevator pinged and the doors slid open. Both Mike and Rebecca got inside and bashed the '81' button. The elevator shut firmly and climbed the tower. Radio chatter had ceased. Only the sound of the elevator motor could be heard.

"Summers? Do you read?" it was Captain Stacy calling over the radio.

"Yes sir!" Mike acknowledged.

"Note that while I do not appreciate your decision to ignore a direct order, we need you to scout that floor out."

"Yes sir."

"Good, we also understand that civilians are still trapped inside."

"I thought they all got out," Mike responded surprised.

"Not all, some are still coming out as we speak but one high priority target is still inside." Mike had a good feeling on who, "Zoe King, the OsCorp CEO is still inside."

"Understood sir, where should we be looking?"

"Her offices are on the 82nd floor, one floor up from first response team. Keep this channel open and keep us updated."

"Yes Captain Stacy." The elevator dinged at the 81st floor and the doors slid open. Mike and Rebecca aimed their firearms into the outstretched corridor. There were no voices, no screams and no gunfire. Either the response team took down their target or had ceased to be. The pair took slow deliberate steps down the corridor, scanning cross sections leading to other passages. In this maze of offices one wrong turn, one misstep and they could be lost.

"Stay close Mike," Rebecca said. Mike didn't respond but detected the slight fear in her voice. The unsettling silence began unnerving the pair, "Gah, fuck this. Where's first response?!"

"Don't panic, stay calm," Mike replied. Rebecca was panicking and now her hands began to tremble. A sudden low droning sound alerted the pair. The lights began to fade into total darkness. Rebecca wailed in surprise at the sudden void. She breathed low and fast. Low growling could be heard.

"Mike?" Rebecca asked. No reply. She paced around in the darkness reaching out for a solid surface. With no torch, Rebecca could only use her lighter as a visual aid in the blackness. Only her immediate vicinity was visible. A narrow corridor before her, one passage that way and same the other. Mike was nowhere to be seen. A terrifying growling sound could be heard not too far away.

"MIKE?!" Rebecca yelled into the darkness. Emergency lighting managed to quell Rebecca's fears momentarily. She could at least see her surroundings better but still no sign of Mike. A sound from behind her attracted her attention.

Revolver ready, Rebecca aimed down the dim hallway, her hands still trembled. To counter this Rebecca removed her capsule loaded with pills; she pooped the lid and tipped a load in swallowing them straight down. Her hands settled as her mind lifted. Still focused on the job, Rebecca explored the corridors, seeking both her partner and the missing police team. The low growling seemed to shadow her. It was everywhere.

"Where the fuck are you, Mike?"

Earlier, Zoe had been making plans.

"Mrs King we must get out of here!" Benny yelled.

"I can't, I've some things I must do."

"You can't be serious? There's a dangerous animal in the building, we have to evacuate now!" This did not impress Zoe. She stood tall before Benny, imposing her authority upon the subordinate.

"You're going to help me with something Benny."

"What?! You can't be serious?!"

"I'm deadly serious. All the secret projects data we've accumulated need to be backed up. Then the remaining evidence needs to be destroyed."

"Okay, so why do you need me?"

"I trust you, I expect you to assist me with this endeavour." Zoe removed a pistol from her desk drawer and presented it to Benny.

"Whoa! I've never used a gun before. Do I really need this?" Benny asked cradling the gun.

"Yes." Zoe said bluntly

"Alright, what are you planning? What do I need to do?"

Zoe activated her desk terminal, displaying a layout between the 80th and 85th floors, "I want you to go down to the lab and login to your terminal. I'm heading up to the server room to wipe all the data regarding our 'anonymous' projects," Zoe illustrated where she was headed on the holographic map, "When I release the failsafe's for data security, there will be a short sixty second window in which you must activate the emergency backup procedure. All the data will be redistributed to a secure databank in my possession. There they will remain until further notice. All the data here will be destroyed." Zoe finished and the hologram vaporised.

"This is all a bit drastic. I mean, why all the secrecy?" Benny asked shrugging his shoulders.

"The police are out there. And if what I think is happening, is happening, then I must protect my reputation."

"All to prevent a grand inquisition, eh? Fine I can respect that, but what if the window is missed? For the failsafe."

"Then all the data will be eliminated and years of research gone. It is imperative that you activate the backup procedure from your lab station before that failsafe expires."

"And the gun?" Benny asked holding the gun up.

"In case that monster shows up. Which I'm almost sure it will." Those words did not fill Benny with any confidence. It seemed a certainty at least one of them would come face to face with this beast. Benny hoped that it wasn't him. However, given that he was heading into the lab where all the samples were stored, Zoe knew that the creature would most likely encounter Benny first.

Benny had the simple task of just pressing a button once called upon. 'How hard can it be?' He thought to himself. As he approached his laboratory he heard the low droning of the power cutting out.

"This is a bad idea," he said aloud, "That woman is crazy. Why does she need to do this?" The emergency lighting kicked in and Benny stepped into his lab. It was quiet, an unfamiliarity that made him uncomfortable. Normally half of the machinery would be functional, synthesising formulas and chemicals for the secret projects. Benny had a simple understanding of the server fail safes, he was orientated on them briefly following his employment but never quite expected to utilise them so early in his OsCorp career.

"Login…password…" Benny said under his breath as he typed away on the keyboard. Suddenly a crash came from the adjacent room. From Paige's workshop a vent grate had been dislodged from the ceiling and was now on the floor. In its place was a scaly tail, poking out from the duct. Benny gasped and dived into cover.

Beyond the glass he could hear the muffled impacts of feet colliding with the solid surface. A steady rhythm of steps grew into a rapid dash and the creature launched itself through the dividing glass. Shards rained down onto the ground around Benny's lab.

He could hear deep sniffing close by. Benny feared it would smell him and that'd be the end of it. He held his gun tightly, anticipating the creature to poke its head round the corner. However, it didn't reveal itself to Benny. Instead the creature proceeded to destroy the lab. It grasped vials of chemicals and smashed them to the ground; it swung its tail into cabinets and machinery.

Benny took a peek at the beast since it was too occupied to notice him. It was a tall lizard-like creature, it appeared more human than animal. Sometimes it was crawling around on all fours, flailing its tail around. Otherwise it was standing upright on hind legs, grasping clutches of vials and beakers before flinging them around Benny's lab.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Benny panicked. The dim emergency lighting didn't alleviate any of his fears. If anything the red lights created a malevolent atmosphere. Shadows on the beast made it appear demonic in the blood illumination.

Veronica stopped; she had smashed the lab and now noticed the active terminal. Text scrolled and prompts pinged. A whirring drive beeped and scratched within the large computer. Veronica skulked over to the terminal and managed to make vague sense of the terminal. The lights piqued the reptile side of her mind rather than her human reasoning.

Sudden judders and a beaker fell from a nearby desk. Veronica cocked her head and body round like a serpent. Crawling on all fours in slithering, irregular movements, Veronica scouted the circumference of the long rectangular desk. Stench of human sweat and fear excited Veronica's senses. Her expression, even as a lizard showed the emotion of delight.

Benny cooped himself inside one of the desks cabinets. Slowly, he pulled back on the handgun's barrel. It cocked into place and Benny took deliberate deep breaths. Beyond, he could hear the paws of the lizard clashing with the marble floor.

It snorted loudly, like a vacuum or a giant fan. The creature was sniffing him out…

Regina was rapidly scaling the buildings of New York like an obstacle course. Swinging from roof top to rooftop, mounting flagpoles and launching into the sky, Regina was desperate to reach OsCorp tower. Off in the distance a couple helicopters were circling the tower.

'Fuck,' Regina thought as she continued her approach. 'I shouldn't have left her alone.' Regina knew exactly what she was heading into. Veronica was in the tower. What for, Regina didn't know exactly. Either way, she was dedicated to protect her. One final strand of symbiotic mass latched onto the skyscraper and Regina, comfortably, connected with the building. She was about halfway up the tower.

"Which floor do you think?" Regina asked her other as she looked down towards the crowd of blue uniforms.

"82nd," it responded.

"How do you know?"

"Just because I'm an 'alien' doesn't mean I'm illiterate. Your girlfriend's sheets said so." Regina started to rapidly scale the tower.

"She's not my girlfriend," Regina stated.

"Well, your 'not-girlfriend' is up there. And I'm itching for a fight." Regina didn't respond, she was too focused on reaching Veronica. "Here," the symbiote said. Regina stopped and looked into the building. Red lights shone through the weaves of corridors. She took her head and snarled loudly as she smashed her skull through the window pane; the momentum took her through and into the building.

Regina couldn't hear anything unusual. Sirens from outside could be heard from the new ventilation solution Regina had invented, but beyond that it was mute. No sign of a disturbance.

"Can you sense anything?" Regina asked herself as she calmly walked down the corridors, using her attuned senses to feel out the environment as she went.

"She's here," the symbiote replied with elation, "Four others. Two cops…one of them is perhaps of varying mental degree. One…nerdy boy, scruffy, needs to bathe more…"

"How d'you know?"

"I can feel them, their emotions...just like how I found you."

"Where's Veronica?" Regina demanded. She continued down the corridor as she patiently awaited the creature's response.

"Not far…"

A loud warning signal erupted from Benny's terminal. Veronica snarled in surprise and Benny darted from cover and bashed the keypad. He was now in plain sight of the creature, it grinned at him.

"Shit," Benny said feebly as he pointed the gun at the seven foot creature. He squeezed the trigger. One round flew from the muzzle barely scathing Veronica. She sniggered with low tones, revelling in this prey's pathetic attempts. Benny was petrified, he couldn't fire another shot. After what he'd seen, why bother?

Veronica firmly grasped him by the neck and throttled him several feet off the ground. She pulled her snout forward and licked Benny's face, lathering him with saliva. He almost gagged at the blood stench oozing from her maw. Her tongue returned to her mouth and snarled.

"Where is Zoe?" she spluttered out incoherently.

"Fuck," Benny replied in horror. He couldn't believe it. This creature spoke. Veronica screeched loudly at Benny before repeating.

"Where is Zoe?!" Veronica began squeezing her grip; talons started digging into Benny's throat.

Suddenly a louder, much monstrous screech echoed through the lab as the lizard was launched from her feet. Benny was released and collapsed onto the floor. He glanced at the new gaping hole in the lab wall where the lizard had disappeared.

"Benny?" Zoe's voice was coming from the terminal. Benny pulled himself up to the desk to see Zoe's face animated onscreen.

"You do it?"

"Yes ma'am, but uh…we've got a pr-problem"

Regina and Veronica tussled in the corridors, both exchanged blows with one another. A vicious ballet of brute force between two unnatural beings ensued. Plaster was smashed out of the structure as bodies collided.

"This wasn't the best idea was it?" the symbiote mocked.

'Shut it,' Regina thought. She was much too occupied with the seven foot problem before her. Veronica was biting rapidly and wildly at Regina. Scales scraped alien flesh and window panes shattered as Veronica flailed her tail around her body like a whip. Each miss enraged her more and more. Her banshee screams pierced Regina like a bullet.

"Fuck, that really hurts," Regina groaned. A barrage of shrieks was substantially more painful than a spike to the gut. The frequencies of Veronica's screams weakened the symbiote.

"The noise, make it stop!"

Regina launched herself towards Veronica, bulking her mass and tackling the lizard into the ground.

"Veronica, stop this!" Regina yelled. Veronica didn't respond, she wrapped her tail around Regina's torso and flung her aside. While still within her coils, Veronica catapulted Regina through the ground and into the corridor below.

Regina grunted in pain as Veronica scuttled through the hole and onto the ceiling.

"She's stronger than I remember," the symbiote mused.

"Mind giving me a hand then?" Regina asked as she got to her feet slowly. Amusingly, the symbiote morphed an extra limb on Regina and presented a palm before her.

"You know…" Regina suddenly got whisked from her feet and dragged along the floor as Veronica pinned her. "…that isn't helping."

Veronica's bestial instincts had taken over. Red mist descended as the image of this creature tormented her before. She had no desire greater than to end this beast. By manipulating her mass, Regina was able to create a clump of tendrils that launched Veronica over her and down the corridor. Veronica disappeared out of sight.

"Let's change this up a bit," Regina grunted as she pounded her way through into the nearest chamber. Mechanical arms, tipped with what appeared to be lasers decorated the laboratory. Hand grenades with distinct pumpkin like expressions loaded on belts and lines. This was a manufacturing line for OsCorp weapons. Regina morphed down to normal size. She knew too well that in this environment, speed and agility would benefit her most.

Dark thoughts began circulating around Regina's mind, not an influence of the symbiote, natural thoughts. The plant, if active, could prove to be a worthy assistance against the reptilian Veronica.

A loud crash came from the plant ceiling. Regina sunk into the wall, her mass merged with the paint, camouflaging her.

From the ceiling, Veronica emerged, scuttling around on the ceiling like a spider. Her talons digging into the plaster work. Regina casually observed from the corner as Veronica skulked around the plant. She sniffed and sniffed. Veronica knew that her opponent was in here, she could sense her. Slowly, Regina slunk to the floor and started crawling stealthily around, trying to locate the controls.

Veronica continued poaching the laboratory, even starting to damage equipment to uncover Regina.

Suddenly, the plant erupted into life. Laser beams activated and terminals beeped. Regina had activated the production line. Veronica snarled and Regina burst out of nowhere and speared into Veronica, knocking her back against a rack of grenades. Regina slung a few towards her and the symbiote clasped them tight to her forearm. Swiftly, Regina shot to the ceiling as Veronica got her balance and shrieked. By now the production line was in full swing. Mechanical whirs and clunks produced more and more of the pumpkin grenades.

Veronica lunged at Regina, and with that momentum, Regina swung her towards the laser beams. A loud sizzling burn and a brutal thud followed. Veronica slowly got back up; however, her tail had been cut clean. It was a few feet away, twitching violently. This did not amuse Veronica. But before she could even retaliate a grenade was flung towards her. The detonation blew her backwards. Shrapnel pierced her skin and scarred her reptilian body.

Veronica tried to recover from the sudden shock, but Regina was on her in a moment. The reptile was stunned and could not react as a grimacing maw formed upon the purple creature's face. It grinned at her, just like before.

Regina placed a firm hand on one of the mechanical arms and twisted it round to face Veronica. The laser was still active. With a swift motion, Regina lopped off Veronica's left forearm. The lizard wailed in a contorted jumble of beast and human pain.

Green lights shone bright from Regina's grenade as she activated it.

"Don't move!" Regina turned to face a woman, aiming a rather large revolver at her. It was Rebecca Vickers. "Put the…weapon on the ground." Regina turned and mockingly put her hands up with the grenade held aloft. "Drop it I said!"

"If you insist," Regina replied and threw the grenade in Rebecca's direction.

"Whoa!" Rebecca dived backwards away from the grenade as it blew a few feet in front of her. More of the assembly line was damaged by the explosion. Rebecca coughed and gradually got to her feet. After the smoke thinned, she could see the figure standing there, laughing hysterically.

"I'll give you something to laugh at," Rebecca said furiously. She aimed her revolver and pulled the trigger. Regina acknowledged the click of the hammer and bolted away from Rebecca's sights. The bullet ricocheted off the far wall. Rebecca traced Regina around the room and out into the corridor. She managed to squeeze off a couple more rounds, not one impacted the sleek, purple menace. "Mike, are you there? The lizard and that purple bitch are here," Rebecca said hopefully into her radio, "I'm in pursuit of one now. God, I hope you're getting this." She blindly charged out into the corridor aiming wildly in all directions.

Unknown to Rebecca and Regina, Lizard had managed to relocate. Within the safety of the ventilation system she began working her magic.

Flesh renewed itself. Bones, muscle and scales grew back and her arm was just like new. Her tail regenerated like nothing happened. The rapid process proved that Veronica's experiment was a phenomenal success. Perhaps not quite how she intended though.

She still sought her ultimate prey: Zoe King. Veronica slowly crawled through the vents, sniffing out her location.

"Come out!" Rebecca yelled down the halls. "You haven't a chance!" Regina just giggled from her corner, gleefully. She glided around the shadows, growling and giggling.

"What are you going to do?" Regina began. Rebecca spun round to face only darkness. "Arrest me?" She giggled at the pathetic prospect. "Nah, it's you who doesn't have a chance." Hyperventilating, Rebecca continuously waved her aim around the corridors, taking blind steps in disjointed patterns. The case of drugs she kept sagged in her pocket, Rebecca pulled the case out. Immediately, Regina launched the case from Rebecca's sweating palm. A small glance was enough for Rebecca to pinpoint her foes location and fired a quick shot from her revolver. Again, another giggle from the darkness and Regina quickly analysed the case. She snapped her tongue against her teeth, making a clicking sound of disappointment.

"An officer with a drug problem," Regina mocked. Rebecca, infuriated, fired another round. One round left in the chamber.

"Come out and face me bitch!" Rebecca screamed.

"You really need to calm that temper of yours, or…ah I get it! This helps? Well, where are my manners?" With that Regina sarcastically flung the case out into the light. The impact immediately caught Rebecca's attention. Sweat was pouring out of her like water trickling out of a faucet. She steadily approached the case, weapon still raised.

Purple talons struck out from the darkness and gripped the barrel of Rebecca's gun. From the darkness, Regina's devilish face emerged. Rebecca reacted instantly and squeezed the trigger. Regina's head flung backwards. The chamber rotated and continued clicking as Rebecca kept trying to fire another round. It was empty.

Regina's face returned to face Rebecca, now horrified. Beyond gritted, grizzly teeth, a single revolver shell was caught neatly inside by Regina's tongue.

"Now, that's just not nice," Regina said gripping the metallic frame tightly and swung the barrel and her fist directly into Rebecca's nose, sending her back some distance. Rebecca cowered on the floor, scrounging around her pockets for ammunition. Regina spat the casing out.

"I'll get you!" Rebecca said defiantly. A speed loader brushed her fingers. She revealed it, but Regina reacted quickly by striking the loader from her hands. Rebecca hit a window, she couldn't go any further. Regina relentlessly approached, her skin flailing to and fro. Above Rebecca, Regina crouched down and grasped Rebecca firmly by the throat. Rebecca gagged. Air was being crushed from her as the beast gripped tighter.

"Let's get some air, shall we?" Regina grinned. A confused look on Rebecca's drained face was replaced by terror as Regina threw her victim through the window, still firmly within grip. Regina gradually released her grip and Rebecca wailed and screamed as air returned. The night breeze rushed past her head as Regina seemed to be reminiscing, taking a peek down to the street.

"I wonder if one can hear their own bone's crush as they fall from a great height."

Rebecca tried to get words out, but only splutters of fear and panic escaped her windpipe. Symbiotic mass began shifting around Regina's face. She wanted to try something, give her foe one last gratifying look of the woman who would kill them.

"Get one last look…" she began. Teeth began rising to reveal Regina's mouth.

"Drop her!" Mike said cocking his shotgun.

"You really should be careful what you wish for!" Regina joked, her jaw speaking through the partially open maw.

"You 'drop' her and I'll drop you. Now, carefully bring her back inside."

"If you kill me, every cop in New York will be after you!" Rebecca spluttered under crushed throat. Regina gritted her teeth in anger, she really wanted to kill. But, did she really? Sudden reasoning returned. In all the action, the adrenaline had become a drug. The perfect climax would've been the demise of this police officer. To avoid being public enemy number one, Regina, reluctantly pulled Rebecca back into the building and placed her carefully on the corridor's marble flooring.

"Good, now turn to face me." Regina turned to face Mike as her face returned to its monstrous norm. Something struck her, this officer, there was something fiendishly familiar about him. His face and those eyes, a lot like someone she knew very well.

'Bryan?' she thought. No, it wasn't Bryan, Bryan is slightly taller and certain imperfections that only Regina would notice were not there.

"Family reunion?" the symbiote noted. Even it knew there was something familiar. Regina released her captive and shoved her towards the officer.

"Mike," Rebecca said relieved.

"Mike?" Regina whispered. She had no reason to know that name, but something about the symbiote's presence made it recognisable. Mike gazed in confusion at the purple beast.

"You're coming with us," Mike declared uncomfortably to the beast.

"Oh come on, I just gave this fucking spiel to your colleague here, you can try-" A gunshot alerted Regina and the officers. "That's not one of yours."

"How do you know?"

"'Cos they're all dead." Regina darted down the corridor.

"Stop!" Rebecca yelled fumbling her holster for a weapon that wasn't there. Mike didn't react or respond to Rebecca. He was more amazed at what he'd seen, baffled more than anything. Yet, he knew that if the Lizard was still in the tower, then perhaps it was up to that woman to stop it.

"Oh, Veronica, Veronica," Zoe said menacingly, "what have you done to yourself, hmm?" She took her weapon and fired straight into Veronica's shoulder. She screeched loudly. "Good aren't they? My 'good friend' Paige made them. Stops anything, regardless how thick its armour is." A regenerative lapse had made Veronica vulnerable.

She could no longer face Zoe with her full strength. Veronica stood precariously in front of one of the many window panes. The gallery stretched the tower's radius and the streets lay below. There was nowhere for Veronica to go, not in her state. Slowly, she was changing back.

"Sorry it has to end this way Veronica." Zoe cocked the gun barrel and inserted another large round. "But you should have just left well alone. Now, stay dead." Zoe gently squeezed the trigger. Fire erupted, and huge kickback flung Zoe backwards.

From the shadows Regina screeched, "Veronica!" She was too slow; the round impacted Veronica straight in the torso. A defeated wail followed as the round ripped through scales, sinew and muscle and busted through the window. Veronica followed it through and out the window as she collapsed. Regina dived after.

A few stories down, a police helicopter was hovering. The sheer bulk of Veronica collided with the rotors and damaged them. Screams filled the night's sky as onlookers saw the mangled lizard corpse tumble beyond the helicopter. The helicopter had lost control, the rotors were badly damaged and the pilot could not regain control.

Regina plummeted down the tower in pursuit of Veronica. However, she could not ignore the increasingly descending helicopter. If it continued, the craft would surely kill any beneath it. Regina shot a pair of tendrils which successfully latched onto Veronica. She pulled on them to close the gap between herself and Veronica. Quickly, Regina manoeuvred her body to piggyback Veronica, the symbiote wrapped tendrils around her body to secure her. Veronica was unconscious and missing another limb, plus some reasonable scars.

The helicopter was still spiralling down. A blaze was gradually forming on the tail and the pilot inside was stuck. He could not get free. Regina latched onto the craft and could see the pilot frantically trying to get loose from his harness. Heat from the tank was seeping towards the cabin. Regina tried to grab the metal frame of the door, but the heat caused the symbiote mass to retract, revealing her bare hands.

"Dammit," she shouted. Inside the pilot was literally pleading to Regina to get him out. "I can't get the door open!" She yelled in vain.

"One life or a few dozen, your choice." The symbiote stated. Regina had no choice but to accept. If she didn't stop the craft from crashing, then the few dozen, hundreds, below would be killed or injured. Regina looked again at the helpless pilot, still desperately trying to free himself. Latching mass onto the hull, Regina steadied herself for the stupidest thing ever. With another mass of strands she latched onto the OsCorp tower.

As the helicopter plummeted beyond and away from Regina she could see the pilot inside making his final cry for help. It was for naught. With Regina acting as a pivot, she swung the helicopter into the mid-lower levels of the OsCorp tower, narrowly avoiding any critical structural weaknesses and the streets below. A glorious fireball blew from a hole in the building and the burning wreckage was well lodged into the structure.

A few shards of debris rained down from the impact point, but fortunately enough people had dispersed to avoid the pieces. Regina looked on relieved yet remorseful. She had saved dozens of people from dying, but at the cost of one. It didn't make her feel any better. She dwelled on it and the symbiote feasted on it. Negative emotions fuelled it and Regina was a smorgasbord to gorge upon.

Onlookers pointed and gazed in amazement at the creature. A police helicopter shone its spotlight at Regina. She held her hand up to protect her eyes.

"That's my cue to go," Regina said as she threw a single strand and swung away from the tower with Veronica leeched to her back.

Regina eluded the police and hunkered down in Veronica's apartment. Mass lifted Veronica over Regina and she cradled her into her bedroom. Iggy was waiting patiently for the return of its master. Veronica was still unconscious and she had not changed back yet. Lying on the bed was a giant, humanoid lizard, battered and beaten, the right leg missing.

"I knew I shouldn't have left you, maybe if I was stronger," Regina said remorsefully.

Suddenly, the leg began to reform, Regina watched on in startled amazement. Within seconds, Veronica's leg was completely regenerated. The scars incurred by the helicopter rotors were minimalized too. Veronica's body began to shrink as her features returned to normal. Her overstretched garments glided over her curves.

Regina thought it best to let her rest; she carefully removed Veronica's clothes. Utilising her symbiote fully, Regina was able to cover Veronica's bare body with her bed sheets. Veronica stirred calmly.

"Regina," she said. Her eyes were still firmly shut.

"I'm here for you." Regina kissed her gently on the forehead before walking out and slowly closing the door.

"You came back…"