Hunting the Spider

Curt was behind the Oscorp building, waiting for his "assistance." Curt had to hunt Spider-Man down, and he couldn't do that alone. He did not possess any super powers, nor did he have two arms.

Spider-Man wasn't himself at the moment. Physically, and mentally. He had turned into something horrific!

That's why Curt asked the "Black Cat" for help.

Curt was aware that the Black Cat was an ally of Spider-Man's. Curt didn't know her well, but as long as she was on Spidey's side, that was good enough for him.

Curt had been waiting for a while. Black Cat was a few minutes late. Suddenly, to Curt's surprise, she appeared out of nowhere behind him.

"You sure know how to make an entrance" exclaimed a surprised Curt.

"Well, it's like they always say; cats always land on their feet" joked the Black Cat. "I think we might have met before. You look familiar."

"You know... I don't really remember" said Curt. "Well, it's nice to meet you anyway."

"Same here" replied Black Cat. "Sooo... What exactly is up with the spider?"

Curt hesitated for a moment.

"Well, I didn't give much away on the phone, as I simply said that Spider-Man's turned into something horrific and that I could make an antidote to reverse the transformation and that I needed help."

"Go on. What did the spider transform into?"

"He turned into a.. err.. giant spider." The Black Cat looked like she was about to laugh, but managed to hold it in.

"How exactly did this happen in the first place?" Asked Cat.

"He drank a serum, hoping to get rid of his powers, but unfortunately, the effects were completely opposite" informed Curt.

"As I recall, Spider-Man hasn't been seen since the deaths of Norman Osborn and that Stacy girl, the captain's daughter. Did he quit?" Asked Cat.

"Yes, he did" answered Curt.

"And is that why he decided to drink the serum?"

"Yes" replied Curt.

"Why did he quit in the first place?"

"Spider-Man was close with the victims" informed Curt, half lying and half telling the truth.

"That's not like the spider" said Cat, who was now confused.

"The deaths affected him deeply" informed Curt. There was a moment's pause.

"So, what's the plan" asked Cat.

"Well, what I figured we could do is put both our skills to good use. I could head to ConTronics, my new business, and create an antidote-"

"And I could keep a lookout on the streets" added Cat. "I could get a good view of the city on the rooftops, and I could also listen out for any witnesses. Someone's bound to see a giant spider lurking on the streets."

"Brilliant!" Exclaimed Curt. "I'll head off to create the antidote, then. You let me know if you find any useful information on Spider-Man's whereabouts. I'll text you when the antidote's ready."

"Sure" replied Cat. "See you around, then."

With that, they both took off.

..

..

Curt had just arrived at ConTronics. Just in time too, because the builders and that had just arrived.

"Hello, boys" greeted Curt.

"Where would you like these moved?" Asked the men who were carrying new devices and furniture for the place.

"Just over here, please" replied Curt, pointing to a nearby area.

Curt thought it was the perfect time for his building to finally be renovated, not only because he could truly call it his own, but because the damage that Peter had caused during his transformation could be fixed.

Being careful not to get in the way, Curt headed for the laboratory to begin making the antidote. In the shelves, somewhere, there was a sample of the antidote that enabled Curt to transform back to himself when he transformed into the coldblooded Lizard. Curt transferred the sample from Oscorp to ConTronics right after he bought the business, along with a bunch of other stuff.

Curt carefully examined the antidote, just to make sure he knew what he was doing. Being irresponsible was what caused Peter to transform into a monster in the first place. After Curt was sure he knew what to do, he began creating the antidote, starting off with a few scientific chemicals that had been used in his own antidote.

..

..

Black Cat had been surveying the city's streets for a while, now. Being on the rooftops, she frequently leaped from building to building as she was sure the monster Spider-Man had turned into was on the move. Having a good sense of sight and smell, she zoomed in on what was below her, and kept using her nose in case she picked up Spider-Man's scent.

Nothing.

Just outdoor supermarkets, salesmen, busy traffic, drug dealers(if only the police were keeping a lookout).

Cat then smelled something.

She was sure it was Spider-Man's scent.

She knew this because she used to frequently work with Spider-Man, and after being around someone for a while, you pick up their scent. That is, if you possess the superhuman ability of a strong sense of smell.

Cat began scaling down the building. She kept on sniffing. The scent was getting stronger.

"ARRGGHHH!"

Someone was screaming.

"Could that be a witness?" She thought. With not a moment to lose, Cat quickly scaled down the building and then jumped off the wall, landing on her feet.

Cats always land on their feet.

"Did you scream? What's wrong?" Cat was desperate for leads.

"You're not going to believe me.. but..I.. I was almost attacked by a giant spider!" Stammered the terrified woman.

"It's okay, I believe you" reassured Cat.

"You do?"

"Believe me, girl, we live in a city where there's giant lizards, human octopuses and men dressed up as scorpions."

"True" replied the woman.

"Are you okay? Did it hurt you?"

"No, it didn't, but it growled and pointed its claws and hairy legs at me. I thought It was going to kill me!"

"What did it look like" asked Cat.

"Well, it was big. Massive, even. Bigger than the biggest horse! It was grey. And hairy. It had very sharp claws and fangs and had eight, black eyes. Probably the most ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life. Uglier than my brother."

"Where did it go?"

"It headed over there" said the woman, pointing behind Black Cat.

"Okay, thanks" said Cat, who then rushed off in the given direction.

"Come on, spider, where are you?"

..

..

Curt had just finished the antidote.

"Now to test it" he thought. The biggest mistake Peter ever made was not testing his own antidote, which resulted in... you know what.

Curt's antidote was designed to reverse Peter's mutant spider transformation, so that Peter would become his human self again. Curt created test subjects that would represent what would happen to Peter if he took the antidote. Curt had created human cells, which he developed from human DNA. He then added a touch of Spider DNA to the cells, to represent Spider-Man's body. Curt then reacted what had happened to Peter by adding poison, which, according to myth, were from mutants, to the cells. The cells then transformed, just like Peter did.

Now for the test.

Curt added a small sample of the antidote to the transformed cells. With that, the cells slowly transformed back, proving that the serum worked.

"Perfect" Curt muttered to himself. "Time to text Cat." Curt took out his cell phone, scrolled for Cat's name and began texting her the message.

Completed antidote.

Where do I meet you?

Curt sent the message and waited for a reply. Within just a few seconds, he got one.

meet me near bank in uptown area :)

With that, Curt left the building and headed for the bank.

"I'm leaving, boys. You can show yourself out" Curt informed the workers.

Curt then realised something and stopped in his tracks.

"When Peter transforms back, he'll be naked. He'll need something to cover his body with and he'll also need a mask.. to conceal his identity from the Cat. I'll head on home first to see if I can find anything." Curt then headed to his house.

"Curt, I'm glad you're home, I-"

"Not now, Martha. I'm busy" said Curt.

"You're always so busy these days. You don't-"

"I said NOT NOW!" Snapped Curt. Martha seemed shocked at Curt's cold attitude.

"Fine" retaliated Martha, who then stormed off.

Curt sighed.

He looked through his son Billy's room for old masks. Billy used to dress up a lot back when he was younger. All Curt could find was an old zombie mask Billy had worn for Halloween years ago. Curt decided that that would have to do.

After grabbing a brown blanket, Curt hopped in his car and took off. Curt was feeling guilty about the way he spoke to his wife earlier. His mind was then focused on Peter again.

Curt had reached the bank in the uptown area and found Black Cat waiting near the side of the building. He got out of his car carrying a bag, which contained the blanket, mask and antidote.

"Been waiting here long?" Asked Curt.

"Yeah, a bit" replied Cat. "I take it the antidote is in the bag."

"Yeah, it is, along with a few other stuff" informed Curt.

"Such as..?"

"You'll find out soon enough" Curt simply said.

"It's a good thing you came when you did, I could've sworn I'd saw something moving towards that area" informed Cat, pointing to the apartment building location.

"Did it look like a giant mutant spider?" Asked Curt.

"I'm not sure, I only caught a glimpse of it. It looked like it was heading for the tunnel system, which... might be a good thing considering it's.. not a populated area."

"True" said Curt. Curt thought about the situation for a moment. "I think I might know where he's heading."

"Where?" Asked Cat.

"To his apartment. Pe... I mean... Spider-Man lives around here, so it's a possibility. Here's what we'll do; I'll head to his apartment to check if he's heading there and you keep a look out here in case he somehow shows up."

"Gotcha" said Cat.

"I'll see you soon" said Curt, who then took off.

Curt thought that checking Peter's apartment was a long shot, but he was in a desperate situation. The monster that Peter had turned into could've easily been using the vents or grate, considering the monster he turned into was a mutant spider. Curt had a spare key to Peter's apartment, so he was able to enter.

There was no sign of Peter anywhere.

Not even a mess, except for an unmade bed and some boxes which were piled up around the place.

"Damn it!" Exclaimed a frustrated Curt. "Where else could he-?"

Then it hit him.

Peter could be heading to MJ's apartment.

MJ lived not far from Peter, so there was a possibility that the monster Peter had turned into was heading there.

With not a moment to lose, Curt immediately made his way to MJ's apartment building.

..

..

MJ was heading home. She had had a long day and wanted to get some rest. She had just left the hospital after having a pregnancy test. Before that, she went shopping for groceries.

MJ entered her apartment and neatly put her shoes near the door. She threw her bag full of groceries on the sofa and headed for her room.

She felt like she could just collapse now.

She threw herself on the bed and began thinking about what she could do the next day.

CRASH

MJ's thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash noise.

MJ immediately left the room to investigate.

"ARRGGHHH!"

MJ was face to hideous face with the giant mutant spider Peter had turned into. The window behind the monster was broken, so the monster entered via window.

MJ's mouth dropped.

She was backing away, fearing for her life.

The monster just stared at MJ.

Suddenly, the monster recognised her.

To MJ's surprise, the monster suddenly left, through the same way the monster entered; through the window.

..

..

Curt had just arrived at the apartment building when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He could see the monster scaling up the building. Curt could hear a crowd forming to watch the action.

"This is bad" muttered Curt to himself.

He decided to text Cat the plan.

Spotted Peter scaling apartment building on Pinnock Avenue, which is a few streets away from Monica Street. I'll wait in the alleyway with the antidote while you distract him on the rooftop and lure him into the alleyway so I can shove the antidote down his throat.

Curt immediately got a reply.

no problem :)

Curt carefully made his way to the alleyway, making sure he wasn't spotted by Peter, aka, the mutant spider. He could see Black Cat high above, making her way to the rooftop of the apartment building.

Curt waves.

Cat waves back.

Curt took the antidote out of the bag and took the lid off, being careful not to drop it. He kept a firm grip on it.

Cat was now on top of the building.

"Come on, spider, I'm ready for ya!" She exclaimed.

Peter was almost on top of the building. The monster he had turned into was scaling the wall, which caused terrified residents to scream.

Finally, the monster came face to face with the Black Cat. Cat looked ready for anything. The monster just stood there staring at her, growling.

Cat realised she had to make the first move.

With that, Cat immediately charged at the monster, attacking it with her fists when she made contact.

The monster roared.

"Okay, now it's pissed off" muttered Cat to herself.

The monster was now charging at Cat!

Instead of panicking, Cat took advantage of the situation. To prevent herself from become fresh meat, she jumped out of the way, causing it to crash into the antenna. Cat then attacked the monster from behind, enraging it even more.

After the monster recovered from its impact, it turned around and began coming after Cat. This was the perfect chance for Cat to lure it to Curt.

"Perfect. I've got him right where I want him."

Cat began scaling down the building. Sure enough, the monster followed her.

"Just keep on crawling, spider" said Cat.

Things then got a little dangerous.

The monster began firing venom. The venom had just missed Cat by a few inches.

"Whoa, that was close! That venom could be toxic!" Exclaimed Cat.

The monster was now scaling a whole heap faster! It was catching up to Black Cat.

"Holy shit!" Exclaimed Cat when she realised how close the monster was.

Cat was trying to increase her scaling speed.

Unfortunately, it was no match for the monster's.

The monster had finally caught up with Cat.

The monster knocked Cat off the building.

Cat found herself falling down. She landed headfirst on the ground.

"I thought cats always landed on their feet" joked Curt, who had approached the fallen Cat.

"Yeah, well, sometimes, there are a few exceptions" replied Cat, who was being helped up by Curt.

"Are you okay?" Asked Curt.

"Never better" answered Cat.

"RAAARRGGHH!"

That was the sound of the monster's screams.

"Go over to that corner over there" said Cat, pointing to the corner outside the alley. "I'll lead him to you. As soon as the spider reaches the end of the alley, shove the antidote into his mouth. Understood?"

"Understood."

Curt made his way to the outside corner, remaining hidden from view. The monster was now in the alley.

"Come on, spider, I know you want me." Cat was now standing and ready to take on the monster.

The monster sharpened its claws, growled and began chasing after Cat. Cat began running towards the end of the alley, with the monster chasing after her. Curt could hear what was going on. He made sure the antidote was safe in his hands, so he could be ready for when the monster was at his presence.

The monster had reached the end of the alley. Curt forced the antidote down the monsters throat, causing it to scream.

The monster then became weak.

It was decreasing in size.

It began losing hair.

Its claws and fangs were now shrinking and disappearing.

It fell to the floor, face down.

"Here, put this mask on" ordered Curt, handing Cat the mask.

"Why?" Asked Cat.

"The man wears a mask for a reason. We must respect his wishes."

"But, I've s-"

"Just do it, Cat!"

Cat approached the transforming Peter and carefully placed the mask on his head.

"A zombie mask? Really?"

"Hey, it was all I could find" said Curt in his defence.

The transformation was over. Peter was now himself again.

"Oh, god!" Cat was looking at Peter's bare bottom.

"Oh, sorry about that. Here, put this over him." Curt handed Cat the brown blanket. Cat covered Peter with the blanket.

"Is he unconscious?" Asked Cat.

"I think so" replied Curt. "He'll probably wake up any minute, though."

Peter suddenly groaned.

Curt made his way to Peter and helped him up.

"Are you okay?" Asked Curt.

"Wha... What happened?" Asked a dozy Peter.

"It was the serum you drank" informed Curt.

"It caused me to grow four extra arms" said Peter.

"And it caused something else" added Cat.

Peter had just realised that Cat was there.

"Cat. What are you doing here?"

"That's a nice way to greet a lady. Especially one who just saved you from a certain monster!"

"Wha.. What monster? What am I doing here? What else did the serum cause? What's going on?" Peter was desperate for answers.

"You, err... the serum caused you to turn into some sort of mutant spider" explained Curt. Peter took the time to take this in.

"Did... did I hurt anyone? Was anyone hurt?" Peter felt an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"No, you didn't" informed Curt.

Peter let out a sigh of relief.

He then wondered what the hell he was wearing.

Peter picked up a discarded piece of glass on the ground, presumably from a broken window, and looked at himself in it.

"Couldn't get a better costume?" Asked an embarrassed Peter.

"Err, no, considering you gave your costume away to... God knows who!" Replied Curt.

Peter put down the discarded piece of glass.

"Well, it looks like my work here is done. I'll be leaving now" informed Cat.

"Yeah, see you Cat. Thanks for the help" said Curt.

"No problem. It was nice working with you. We make a pretty fine team." Curt smiles.

"Yeah, thanks for helping me, Cat. Sorry if I.. you know.. bothered you or anything. I'm sure you had better things to do" Peter apologised.

"Oh, relax, spider. It was a blast! I always like a good adventure. Besides, it was great seeing you again" Cat exclaimed.

"Yeah, same" said Peter.

"I'll see you around" said Cat, who immediately vanished.

"She sure knows how to make an exit" said Curt.

"Yeah" replied Peter.

"Come with me, Peter. We have a lot to discuss."

Peter didn't argue.

He could tell Curt wasn't too happy with him at the moment. With that, Peter accompanied him to his car, without saying a word.

Okay, so that's the end of chapter 14. The mystery person was Black Cat. It was a joy writing her part in the story. Thanks for all the reviews, they're great! There are still a lot of questions that have to be answered; Will Peter become Spider-Man again? What do you think the Kingpin has planned? Is MJ pregnant? Will her and Peter end up together? Do you guys want MJ and Peter to end up together? Also, would you guys like to see Black Cat appear in a future chapter, because I can consider it based on what you want. If so, please let me know. Yet again, thanks for reading and hopefully, the 15th chapter will be posted soon. Stay tuned.

MrAce531 :)