Listen With Your Heart Chapter 12

When the dismissal bell rang Peter was waiting outside the school just as Phoebe had requested him to do in her note. One by one students left for in droves whether it's to do their own after school activities, go home, or leave just to hang out with each other. It didn't really matter to him. Usually he'd stand by watching Gwen Stacey leave as he did most of the time because of his crush on her. Well not this time. This afternoon he had a bigger fish to reel in this time around.

A couple of minutes past where Peter began to believe that perhaps he was being stood up by his own sister. He was nearly about to call it quits and leave when he felt someone tap his shoulder from behind. It was Phoebe. She had gotten her bicycle from the bike rake before she'd gone over to meet him. Peter breathed a major sigh of relief when he realized she hadn't ditched him. They stood there in a span of uncomfortable silence not really knowing what to say to each other now that they're face to face fully aware that they're twin siblings.

Phoebe broke the ice first. She mentioned that her dad had wanted Peter to come see him at Oscorp that he might as well join her since she was headed there anyway. This would be the perfect opportunity for him to do so and for them to get better acquainted with each other. Peter agreed saying he'd like that very much. So they set off for Oscorp with Phoebe riding her bike and him on his skateboard. Despite the disadvantage Peter had no problem with keeping up with her. He's never been much of an athlete, but with the added assistance of his newly acquired spider abilities it was no longer a problem.

Phoebe and Peter talked of many things together talking about the stuff in their lives back and forth. Basically Peter would tell her one thing and then they'd compare. Afterwards it would occur again in reverse. An ever-recurring circle. Phoebe was particularly interested in details about Uncle Ben and Aunt May while Peter is eager to learn stories of her childhood with the famed Dr. Connors.

Much sooner than they expected to Phoebe and Peter made it to Oscorp. There is no need for credentials this time around for Peter to get inside. Phoebe comes around the facility so much that much of the staff there in security and reception knows her face by heart and who that she always comes to visit. She's memorized all of the rules for people here so they weren't concerned about her breaking any of them. So Peter needn't be afraid of being thrown out. Once she spoke to the woman sitting behind the front desk saying that Peter is with her that's when he became relatively ignored. In this case it's really good to be invisible.

Fortunately for Curt Connors the remaining anger Phoebe had towards him faded the longer she talked with Peter. Those that fit her personality towards him replaced these completely out of character emotions.

A definite blessing in disguise for Curt Connors sake.

Curt Connors didn't conceal the surprise he had upon seeing them together, but he greeted his daughter with a kiss on the forehead. A gesture she mirrored lovingly on his cheek. Gathering how the two were interacting with one another he must've figured out on his own that brother and sister had met at some point during the day and talked. There are no secrets between them now leaving nothing left to be said on the matter. Best to keep moving forward, not back.

Now best to get on with the main purpose as to the reason why Curt Connors invited Peter here in the first place.

Giving Peter a tour of the lab, Dr. Curt Connors said "We have protein structure, rDNA chromatography, transgenics testing, that's X-ray video. That's the only one on the planet. We have, um, human line testing over-."

"I remember that," said Peter, pointing at a certain machine he recognized from his past. "I've seen that before."

"The Ganali Device," said Curt Connors, fondly.

This is actually one of his favorite machines here in the lab.

"I remember a picture of that in my dad's office," said Peter, turning to Phoebe. "What about you? Do you remember?"

Shaking her head, Phoebe said "No. I don't recall it at all. It's a blur to me."

"Oh," said Peter, awkwardly.

Clearing his throat to break the tension, Curt Connors said "The idea for the Ganali Device was simple. Load it with an antigen. It creates a cloud, which can be dispersed over a neighborhood, an entire city. Theoretically, you could cure polio in an afternoon."

"Incredible," said Peter in awe.

"Others disagreed. What if the device were loaded with a toxin? What if you wanted to opt out? You can't run from a cloud after all. So here lies, gathering dust."

Curt Connors then took them a section of the lab where they would have more privacy. Here the room was darkened so a holographic computer generation could be done. With this new data could be loaded and transferred when needed.

The technology really is quite marvelous. But, hey, that's the 21st century for you.

Phoebe stepped back and watched for her father and brother did all the work. Science is more of their thing, not her own.

"What you see here is a computer model of a lizard. Now, many of these wonderful creatures have so brilliantly adapted that they can regenerate entire limbs at will. You can imagine my envy. We're trying to harness this capability and transfer it into our host subject, Freddy the three-legged mouse," said Curt Connors. "Enter the algorithm now."

Just as Peter began to punch in the digits of the equation his phone went off. Peter pulled it out to check, seeing the person calling is Uncle Ben.

"Do you need to take that," asked Curt Connors.

Shaking his head Peter instead declined the call slipping it back into his pocket.

"System ready for gene insertion."

Peter then dragged the whole algorithm over to Curt Connors, saying "Check."

Curt Connors took it, inspecting the cub created.

"See what I'm trying to do," asked Peter.

"Preempt the proteins," said Curt Connors.

Curious, Phoebe said "What does that entail?"

"The immune response," answered Peter.

"Beginning trials…Pending…Failed. Subject deceased."

The simulation is already proving for naut.

"Come on. Come on…," muttered Peter.

"Pending…Failed. Pending. Failed. Pending. Failed. Subject deceased. Pending."

"Damn," cursed Dr. Connors, under his breath.

"Peptide algorithm accepted. Regrowth complete."

Eyes side, Phoebe said "Dad. Dad, look!"

"Vitals normal. Blood pressure normal. Limb regeneration successful."

"Extraordinary," said Curt Connors.

Laughing Phoebe went over and hugged her father bouncing up and down on the soles of her heals, hardly containing the joy. Excitement shared with both of them.

Peter chuckled hardly believing the equation of his dads that he offered to Dr. Connors worked.

Beyond grateful for this momentous scientific breakthrough of a lifetime, Dr. Connors said "Thank you."

He couldn't have done any of this without Peter's assistance. Without him then none of this would've been possible. Curt Connors would still be chasing utterly useless dead ends.

Removing herself from her father Phoebe clapped her hands bringing them to her lips. Finally success. At long last her fathers life's work is reaching its peak. These are the results he needed.

Once the formula was constructed into a liquefied form for testing it was taken to the host subjects. One male and one female. Right now it's Fred's turn to go for this.

"Met Fred and Wilma. Our three-legged mice," said Curt Connors, picking Fred in his hand and passing him off to Peter. "Here you go."

Phoebe was relegated to taking some notes for later study. She had enough knowledge on this procedure to record for later use.

Holding Fred gently in the palms of his hands, Peter said "Hey, buddy, I got you."

Curt Connors filled a canister with a measured amount for one Fred's size, saying "Okay. Careful, don't want to stick you by mistake. Human trials aren't until next week."

A little humor passed from one fellow scientist to the next. The three of them laughed.

Curt Connors then injected Fred with the serum. Now all they could do is cross their fingers and wait. If all goes according to plan without incident then a miracle cure would be risen.

Phoebe got to thinking that maybe this was an omen of good things to come.

Authors Note:

Unfortunately you all know what's coming next. I don't like it either, but it does have to happen guys. If it doesn't happen then there's no Spiderman. Otherwise, where does the story go?