Spider-man and all related characters are property of Marvel Entertainment and of their respective owners.



Note: Set in the Ultimate Spider-Man Universe and a couple of weeks after the first chapter.







Regression





Summary: The second part of the three chapter series. Peter Parker is introduced to Curt Conners.





"Peter I really appreciate you coming along with me to Gwen's tutoring program."

"It's the least I can do."

It was a Saturday and Peter Parker was with his girlfriend Mary Jane Watson at a community center near Midtown High School. Where on the weekends, one of Mary Jane's friends, Gwen Stacey would be involved in tutoring middle school or elementary school kids.

She wasn't the only one doing. Gwen had been talking about her program at school. It was also receiving attention from the local press. Although Peter hadn't heard anything at the a Bugle.

The tutoring was held in the center's conference room where volunteers helped out kids with subject ranging from history to oceanography.

"So what should I do here?" He asked Mary Jane

"Just look around and see if any needs help in something. Just make sure it's a subject you know. So I wouldn't recommend helping any kids with football, Tiger." She then smiled at him.

"Okay, no sports tips from Coach Parker." He said enthusiastically.

She laughed. "That's the attitude I like in you, Tiger. Let me know if you need anything or you can talk to Gwen."

"Got it."

She then walked over to Gwen and they began to talk. While that was going on. Parker looked around the room to see if anyone needed help. But it seemed that everyone was being taken care of. This left him with nothing to do and leaving just five minutes into something girlfriend just brought you over to wasn't a good idea.

He went over and sat down on one of the many benches in the community center. Draped on the table was an unfolded copy of today's Daily Bugle. Peter looked at and notice an article that caught his interest. The headline read: "Scientist Believes That Regrowth of Limbs in Humans, Possible."

It was another article written by the same writer and it once again focused on Dr. Curt Conners. Who stated in a press release that experiments involving human cells that were damaged and then treated with the drug. Showed amazing regrowth, that regeneration was much faster than the normal healing process.



This was another amazing thing for Conners. And it made Peter wonder what this guy was doing in his lab. It was something he'd like to see. Of course not having mid-terms was something he'd like to see. But a person could only dream.

"Excuse me?" Someone ask from behind his back. "Can you help with my social studies work?

"I don't know, but I'll see what I can do." Peter turned around to see that the person asking him was an eight year old kid with blond hair kept somewhat long for a kid his age.

"Okay, just bring your stuff here and I'll help. By the way what's your name?"

"My name's William. What's yours?"

"Peter"

"That's nice. I've got my stuff right here."

"Then show me what you need help with."

William laid out a third grade social studies on the table. The book was open to a couple of pages that showed a map of the United States. "Can you help me with the state capitals?" he asked nicely.

"Well, I'll do my best."

For the next hour, Peter did his best to help William with the state capitals.

When he was done tutoring him. Peter felt like he had done something good with himself. He noticed that William hadn't left the table.

"Uh, why haven't you left?" Peter asked nicely

"I'm waiting for my dad."

"Oh, what does he do?

"He's a scientist."

"Really?"

"Yeah, in fact he works in a big lab at ESU."

"Is that so?" Peter figured that the kid wasn't lying. Why would anyone make up the idea that their parent works at a University. When a better choice would be that their a police officer, firefighter, or a doctor who helps sick people. But William seemed intelligent and honest.

"It's true." William said to him

"All right, I believe you." Peter gave into the kid. Getting into an argument with an eight year old was silly. And foolish if you decided to do it front of your girlfriend.

Peter didn't bother to look up when someone came behind William. Who seemed to know who it was said "Hi, dad". Without even turning around.

"Why hello William, what did this young man help with you today?"

"He helped me in my social studies."

"That's good. I'm glad someone came to help you out." The man extended his hand to Peter. He was about to shake it when he saw who's hand it was.

It was none other than Dr. Curt Conners. This was exciting for Peter. But what made it even more so was that he saw Conners' have two arms instead of one. Either the man had made a great stride for science or it was a very realistic prosthetic.

"You're Dr. Conners" Peter said to him

"That's right."

Peter was amazed that someone who was receiving major media coverage came to get his son from a community tutoring program.

He looked at Conners right in the eye. "I've been following what you do at ESU. You see I work at the Daily Bugle. I run their web site."

"That's really something for a guy your age. So you're interested in what I do?"

"Oh yeah, Ever since you were able to grow limbs for leg-less mice."

"I'm sure you know about my greater goals."

"Of course" Peter wanted to ask about the left arm. But he was reluctant to do so.

"You know what, you seem to be a person who enjoys science."

"Yes I do"

"Tell you what, come by the science building on the ESU campus. At 4 PM, I'll show you around the lab."

"Really?"

"Yes, unless you aren't interested?"

"Oh no, I'm very interested in it. It's just that something like this very rarely happens."

"Well, consider it a thanks for helping out my son William. I'm sure you did a great job with helping him with his work."

"I try to do my best."

Conners checked his watch. "I better get going. So remember come to the ESU campus tomorrow, at 4pm."

"Okay will do, Dr. Conners."

"Curt is fine. By the way I didn't get your name."

"It's Peter, Peter Parker."

"Well Peter, I'll see you tomorrow then."

"All right, nice talking to with you Curt."

"Same with you Peter, goodbye then."

"Bye"

Conners and William walked out of the conference room and then the community center. Peter was standing there, anticipating for what Conners was going to show him.





The next day



At around 4pm on a Sunday at Empire State University. Things were quiet and the campus seemed to be a ghost town.

For Peter this would be a chance to look into the cutting edge of science. And unlike his trip to Osborn Industries, he wouldn't have to consider the idea that someone was going to jab a syringe into him.

He waited in front of the school science building for Conners to let him in. Peter checked his watch. It read 4:00 PM. After he had looked at his watch, The entrance to the building was open and Conners stood at the doors.

"Well Peter, ready to be shown the miracles of science?"

He chuckled at the cheesy line. "Sure". Peter then walked inside.

For the next couple of hours, Conners showed Peter the lab, various pieces of equipment that he used in his research, and even the animals that were used in experimentation. In addition to the usual white mice with red eyes, there were also several reptiles and lizards.

"You see Peter, part of the gene therapy I use involved genes taken from certain species of reptile and lizard."

"Interesting, although you would have to adjust the genes. Just pumping an organism with lizard genes isn't going to make them grow scales or something like that."

"That right, because if the genes weren't adjusted the body's natural defenses would just recognize as foreign material and destroy it. So there's more to it, obviously."

"You must do further adjustment before injecting them into another species."

"Exactly"

"So what do you do to adjust it?"

"Well that involves. . . ." Conners just abruptly stopped talking. He was suddenly having a headache and what he was seeing through his eyes wasn't what he was seeing before. What he saw was a change in perception, that colors looked different. That also when he was experiencing this he had this strange metallic-esque taste in his mouth.

"Are you okay, Curt?" Peter asked

Just as it came on, what ever he had gone through. It disappeared just as suddenly.

"I'm fine." Conners said confidently

"You know, I've been here for a while. I think I should get going?"

"That's a good idea. You know I thank you for being so interested in what I do. Not people your age are."

"Thanks, although I should be the one thanking you for bringing me up here."

"Don't worry your interest science is enough for me."

"Well Curt, maybe I'll come by again sometime."

"If you'd like to, your welcome to be on the campus anytime."

"That's very nice of you. Maybe I'll even go to college here?"

"That's something to consider. Anyway take care, Peter."

"You too, Curt."

They then shook hands.

"Peter do you want me to take you back outside?"

"No I'm fine."

"All right."

Peter then walked out of the lab and left Conners alone.

He was curious about what he had experienced. Was it a side effect of the injection to make his arm grow back? Conners wanted to know and since he was inside his lab. He could find out.

First he carefully took some blood from his left arm and then began to work on checking the DNA.

It took a couple of hours and when Conners had his results it was night in the city.

He took the DNA sample and put it under an electron microscope. What it showed him was a normal looking DNA strand. As if nothing was done to manipulate the structure. Feeling satisfied, Conners made sure he didn't leave any evidence behind that indicate he was doing his own genetic testing.

When he got out onto the street, the deserted campus gave an even more ominous look of a ghost town. He was trying to get to the subway station a couple of blocks away. He took the subway due to his left arm. While driving was possible for people who were amputees, Conners founded it easier to take the subway or a cab to his brownstone uptown. Where his wife Martha and his son William would be waiting for him.

As he continue to walk to the subway station, Conners walked past a scruffy young man who gave off the impression that he was another homeless person.

"Scuse me sir, can I have some change for the subway?"

Conners just kept walking and blew by the young man. With his back turned he didn't notice he was being followed by the guy asking him for change. What Conners didn't know that was the man's M.O. was to ask for change and then hold up the person at gunpoint. He would then take what ever money the victim had.

As he got closer to the subway station. Conners suddenly came under the same headache spell he had gotten in the lab. But it felt even more intense and it was causing him to be disoriented.

For the mugger behind him. He saw the man start to stumble around and then walk into an alley. He didn't know what was going on but he didn't want the guy to die on him during the hold-up. Having a dead body on your hands wasn't something that the cops took lightly.

Conners continue to feel pain in his head, have the taste of metal in his mouth, and see the shifting the colors. But all of those things were more intense then he had ever felt before. Also this was longer than the one at ESU. He stumbled down the alley and then stopped near the wall where he dropped to his knees. Succumbing to pain he had never felt in his life.

The mugger pulled out the .38 he used for his robberies and crept closely behind Conners.

He put the gun's barrel on the back of Conners' neck.

"All right give me ya wallet and what ever you got of worth."

He got no response.

"Whaddya deaf? Give me the money."

He tried not to yell because it would have made it more difficult for him to do his job.

"This is the last time, gimme ya wallet now."

Still no response. So he grabbed Conners by arm and spun him around. So he could see his face.

The mugger screamed to the top his lungs. A few moments later were the sounds of something inhuman combined with the screaming and then just the sounds of something inhuman. What was left was a shredded carcase and pieces of tattered clothing. In addition to the clothing, a photo ID was left behind. The ID belonged to Curt Conners.







To Be Continued