-Chapter 1-

Night of the Lizard, Part 1

It was the dead of night in New York City. Two men, one in a gray hoodie and one in a green striped shirt were running across the roof of a building, each carrying a sack of stolen goods.

"Just one more jump to the next roof, and it's a million dollar payday, Alex," one of them boasted.

As the other began to jump, he was suddenly snared by a webline and yanked back, a red light shining on them.

"Aw no, not again!" the first crook griped.

"Yep, again."

They turned to see Spider-Man standing there, the light shining from his belt.

"What is this, Marko? The third time this month?" he asked. "Aren't you sick of this yet?"

"Just wait till I get my hands on ya!" his partner ranted, webbed to the wall. "You skinny little creep!"

Spider-Man then leapt down next to Marko, who tried swinging his sack at him. Spidey easily ducked under it.

"So what do you think of my Spider-Signal?" he asked. "Too much? First night trying it out and I just don't know if it screams 'friendly neighborhood Spider-Man'."

Spider-Man then webbed Alex's sack and yanked it at Marko, knocking him to the ground, allowing Spider-Man to web him up.

"I mean, as a guy who has a lot of experience getting his ass kicked by yours truly, I really value your opinion."

"I think the next time I see you, I'm gonna-"

Spidey promptly webbed his mouth shut.

The next morning…

Peni was looking over a newspaper, the headlines screaming "Who is Spider-Man?" Yuri had come over for breakfast, scoffing at the paper in her niece's hands.

"Who is Spider-Man?" she asked. "A criminal, that's who. A vigilante."

"What's the big deal, Aunt Yuri?" Peni questioned. "You wouldn't be griping about a superhero busting crooks for you if it was the Fantastic Four, would you?"

"The Fantastic Four are public figures who work with the authorities. This Spider-Man wears a mask like some kind of outlaw."

"He's doing good either way. He stands for the same thing you do: protecting innocent people."

Yuri tapped her badge. "I stand for law and order, Peni. That's what I stand for. Captain Stacy is being way too lenient on that guy."

Peni sighed in resignation. "Well, Auntie... I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree."

With that, she got up from the table and walked away.

After her confrontation with her aunt, Peni took a cab to Oscorp. She paid her fee before heading for Dr. Connors' lab. The doctor was looking over a sample in a microscope when he heard her lightly knocking on the door.

"Dr. Connors?"

Connors turned to face her. "Ah, Peni. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you had some time to spare. I need to talk to you."

"Sure," Connors pulled up a chair. "What do you need?"

"Well, your work with genetic splicing is beyond revolutionary. I was wondering if you'd be willing to answer some... hypotheticals for me."

"I'm listening."

"I was just wondering if, hypothetically, there would be the possibility of a person, again hypothetically, getting spliced with... An animal?" she asked. "Or potentially an insect?"

"Or, say… a spider?" Connors offered.

Peni was instantly nervous and began sputtering to defend herself.

"I didn't say spider," she insisted. "What would make you think of spiders? I never said anything about any spiders!"

"Peni, you're here about Spider-Man, aren't you?"

Peni tried to come up with an excuse or defense, before slumping with a sigh. "It's that obvious, huh?"

"At first, I assumed he was a mutant," Connors admitted. "But from your earlier floundering, I take it he's the result of my Neogenic Recombinator. And I can further infer you know him personally. Your friend Peter, perhaps?"

Realizing there was no way to avoid it, Peni gave in.

"Yeah…" she nodded. "It all started during the demonstration of the Recombinator. A spider got caught in the beam just as you powered it on, and it bit Peter."

"Extraordinary..." Connors mused. "Then it works. It actually works. I don't suppose you have the specimen?"

"The spider? No. Peter swatted it off after the bite. For all we know, it got stepped on." Peni shook her head to clear it. "Look, the reason I came here is because I wanna make sure there won't be any adverse side effects. Like, for example, Peter turning into a giant spider monster and going on a rampage."

"Of course," Connors nodded. "I'd be more than happy to help. Do you think you could ask Peter to come in so I can run some tests?"

"I'll see what I can do," Peni said simply.

Connors stood up. "This could actually help me with my own research."

He led Peni into his lab, displaying such things as notes on reptiles, as well as two lab mice with three legs.

"You've got a thing for lizards, huh?" she asked.

"Well, it's more than that. Peni... did I ever tell you how I lost my arm?"

Peni shook his head. "I don't think so."

"It all started when I enlisted in the military. I was a field medic, performing emergency surgery on wounded GIs," he sighed. "It all went down hill when I got caught in an explosion. My arm was badly damaged, and had to be amputated."

"Whoa…" Peni winced.

"After I was sent home, I worked with Richard Parker and my war buddy Ted Sallis, trying to uncover the secrets of reptilian regeneration," Connors went on. "But Richard passed away, and Ted left soon after, joining a team trying to recreate the Super Soldier Serum."

"The same formula that made Captain America?" Peni questioned.

Connors nodded. "The very same."

Peni perked, the other part of Connors' words sinking in. "Hang on... you knew Peter's dad?"

"Indeed I did," Connors confirmed. "We were good friends. It pained me the day he perished." He sighed. "Well, back to the story. I continued my research solo after that... but it wasn't until the discovery of Neogenics that I felt I could actually pull it off."

Peni looked over the notes and research, realization hitting her.

"So that's what this is all about," she let out. "You want to use the Recombinator and lizard DNA to try to regrow your arm."

"Just imagine what could be done with such a discovery," Connors went on. "There would be no more suffering, no more pain. Peter is living, breathing proof that it could work."

"It certainly sounds good," Peni admitted.

"Just ask Peter to meet with me,"

Peni nodded. "Alright. I'll do that much."

Later, at the Parker house, Peni told Peter of her meeting with Connors

"You told Dr. Connors that I'm Spider-Man?!" Peter let out.

"No," Peni replied. "He figured it out himself."

"Seriously?"

"Well, he didn't get a job at Oscorp's science division by being a dumbass, Pete."

"Fair enough."

"He wants to talk to you," Peni went on. "Both of us want to make sure that spider bite won't have any nasty side effects."

Peter nodded. "Alright, that sounds fair."

"And don't worry. He can be trusted to keep a secret."

"Okay," Peter nodded. "Then let's do this."

The next day, Peter and Peni met with Connors.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Peter," Connors told him.

"No prob," Peter assured. "So... what do you wanna know?"

"Well, I was thinking we could start with a blood sample. If you don't mind."

Peter hesitated before nodding, holding out his arm. Connors drew some blood, putting it under a microscope before looking it over.

"Incredible…" he said. "Perfect spider cell/human hybrid DNA sequencing."

"So I'm not gonna grow extra arms or anything?" Peter asked.

"No, it doesn't appear as such. It's stable."

Peni and Peter sighed in relief. After that, Peter decided to change the subject.

"So… Peni said you were friends with my dad."

"I was," Connors confirmed. "Those web-shooters you use; the webbing is Richard's biocable formula, correct?"

"Yeah, it is," Peter nodded. "One of the few things I had left of him."

"I'm sorry. He was a good man," Connors smiled. "He was quite a boon to my own research."

"Really?"

"Indeed. And from what I've seen, you're a chip off the old block."

Peter beamed at that.

"Speaking of which, Peni told me about your latest project. We'd be happy to take a look at it."

Then let's not waste anymore time."

The three examined Connors' basic plans, along with blood samples he had taken from reptiles.

"The basic idea is a serum capable of regeneration, derived from reptilian DNA," Connors explained to the duo. "If it works out, we could use it to help people grow a new pair of legs, or arms. Perhaps even new eyes, or a new heart. The secret lies in the power of the Neogenic Recombinator."

"Sounds pretty out there, Doc," Peter remarked.

"I won't deny that. But I'm close to a breakthrough."

"Well, let's see what we can do." Peni decided.

The day wore on for a bit. The trio mixed up different chemicals and solutions into the lizard blood samples, soon creating a green concoction, which Connors proceeded to give a dose of radiation from the Recombinator. With that, he pulled out a hypodermic needle, filling it up before heading for the mouse cages.

"This here is Freddy, our three legged mouse," he explained. "If this works, he should be whole once more."

Peter pulled the mouse out of the cage, holding him as Connors gently poked the needle into the spot where his left front leg used to be.

"And now…" Connors injected the contents, removing the needle. "We wait."

They watched and waited. Within the hour, Freddy's leg grew back, as if it was never missing. Peni gasped, hands going to her face.

"It's a miracle!" she exclaimed.

"This is just the beginning," Connors insisted. "A few more tests, and we can change the world."

"Happy to be of service, Doc," Peter assured.

With that, the two took their leave. Once he was sure they were gone, Connors pulled out another needle, filling it up.

"All that remains is human trials. And what better subject to test it out on than myself?"

Connors filled the syringe with the serum and, after a moment's hesitation, injected it into his stump. The minute it was over, he began breathing heavily, slumping back in his chair and shuddering before passing out…

As dawn rose, Connors came back to, slumped at his desk. He rubbed his eyes, looking around and beginning to get up, only for something to block his stump. Bewildered, he turned, raising the stump to reveal a limb covered in dead reptilian flesh and scales. Wasting no time as he set it on the table, he began peeling off the scaly skin, revealing a fully regenerated right arm. While the sight of it was far from pretty, with translucent skin, visible veins, and no fingernails, a grin spread out on his face as he flexed his new fingers, moving the arm about. After bumping it against his desk lamp, burning it, he recoiled before beginning to chuckle.

"It works…" he laughed. "It works!"

All of a sudden, Connors keeled over in pain. He winced, clutching his stomach for a few minutes until the pain passed.

"Must be a side effect," he mused. "It's still settling in."

He honestly wondered if he believed himself, but nonetheless, he headed out of the lab, eager to show his family the fruits of his labor. However, he didn't get far before being hit with another wave of pain. His right arm began to tremble and convulse, and as he looked at it, he saw scales forming on the palm.

"No…" he managed as fingernails sprouted, forming into claws. "I've made a terrible mistake!"

Hiding his mutating hand in his coat, he quickly ducked into a storm drain…

That afternoon, Peter and Peni were headed for the library when they saw a man frantically talking to a police officer up ahead. Exchanging looks, they nodded, getting close enough to hear without being noticed.

"I'm telling you, there's something down there in the sewers!" he insisted. "Some freaky mutant monster attacked me! Damn near bit my head off!"

"Monsters?" Peter muttered. "In the sewer?"

"Be honest, sir," the cop began. "How many drinks have you had?"

"I barely have a buzz on! And is it really that hard to believe there's a monster in the sewers with that Spider-Man swinging around?"

"He has a point," Peter mused. "Maybe Spider-Man should look into this."

"Be careful, Pete," Peni warned. "God knows what's down there."

Spider-Man wasted no time, slipping down a manhole in an alleyway and cringing at the smell.

"I love the stink of sewer in the morning…" he grumbled.

He fired several web lines down the tunnels, creating a large sound web. "Now to wait out this sewer monster."

He landed in the midst of the web, kicking back and waiting. After a few minutes, he sighed.

"...This is gonna take a while."

Around that same time, Peni was with Yuri, who was lighting up a cigarette.

"The station's been swamped with calls about some kinda monster in the sewers," she remarked, taking a puff. "We're not sure what to make of it."

"You think there might be something down there?" Peni asked.

"Possibly. Or maybe it's some kind of prank. Who knows?"

"Maybe. George is thinking of sending a team down to investigate."

"Aunt Yuri, if there is an actual monster, maybe you should just leave it to Spider-Man." Peni suggested.

Yuri gave her a look.

"I know what you're thinking, that you don't like him. But I've seen videos of him on YouTube, and heard people discussing him. I think most people would say that he's providing a public service."

"Most people would be wrong."

"Why not? He catches bad guys just like you."

"Let me illuminate you, Peni. The car thief he attacked last week? If we wanted him off the streets, he'd already be off the streets."

"Then why wasn't he?"

"Because he was leading us to the people who run the entire operation. Spider-Man ruined a six-month long sting. It's called 'strategy'. I'm sure you're aware of the term 'strategy'?"

Peni sighed. "Okay. Obviously, he didn't have a plan."

Yuri raised an eyebrow. "You seem to know an awful lot about him. You know something we don't know? I mean, whose side are you on here?"

Peni held up her hands defensively. "I'm not on anyone's side! I saw a video on YouTube-"

"Oh, you saw a video on YouTube," Yuri deadpanned. "Well, then the case is closed."

"I'm just saying it looks like he's trying to be a hero," Peni defended. "That he's trying to help, do something the police can't."

"Something the police can't?" Yuri grinded out her cigarette, turning to Peni. "Just what do you think we do all day, Peni? Sit around eating donuts with our thumbs planted firmly up our asses?"

"I never said that," Peni insisted. "It's just, Spider-Man can do things the police can't. Think about it this way, Aunt Yuri. Yeah, you and the NYPD are equipped to deal with thugs and mobsters. But say someone with actual superpowers comes to town. A supervillain like Magneto or Dr. Doom. Would you be able to handle them?"

That actually gave Yuri pause.

"And if you're worried about strategy, maybe you and Spider-Man can work together," Peni went on. "I mean, if the Fantastic Four can be called in at a moment's notice, why not him?"

Yuri thought it over for a minute.

"Alright. I won't deny you have a point. But it's Captain Stacy's decision in the end, not mine."

Meanwhile, Spider-Man was laid out in his sound web, bored out of his mind.

"Man, if I knew if it was gonna take this long, I would've brought a book or something," he muttered.

Suddenly, he felt a tug on one of the webs. He perked, feeling a bizarre tingle as the hairs on his arms stood on end.

"Spider-sense…" he realized. "Looks like I'm about to see the monster."

Spidey took a stance, ready for whatever was going to come next. He heard monstrous growls and hissing that came ever closer. After a moment of silence, a massive creature barreled forward. Spider-Man narrowly managed to avoid the attack, hopping onto the ceiling. As the beast turned around, it enabled him to get a good look at the beast: a hulking lizard man standing at at least six and a half feet tall, wearing a tattered lab coat and jeans.

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed. "You're for real!"

Spider-Man leapt at him, punching him across the face. The Lizard's head rocked back, and Peter immediately recoiled, shaking out his hand in pain.

"Okay, ow!" he yelped. "What's your head made of?"

The Lizard swatted Spidey with his tail in response. They grappled for a bit, the Lizard pinning him to the web.

"What…" Spider-Man wheezed, "what the hell are you?"

The Lizard hissed, getting in his face, before saying two words:

"The future."

At that moment, the web snapped completely, sending both Spider-Man and the Lizard into the drainage area of the sewer. They grappled as they plunged into the water, Spidey's entire body warning him of the danger he was in. As the two tussled, Spider-Man kicked the Lizard in the face and tried to swim away. The Lizard gave chase, Peter managing to give him the slip down a pipe that was too small for the creature to fit into. As soon as he got in, he was swept through the pipe, eventually being spat out into a drainage junction. Coughing and gasping for air, he pulled himself onto dry land before collapsing onto his back.

"Oh, that sucked…" he managed.

As he sat up, he saw something got snagged on his hand. He held it up to see it was a nametag. He looked it over, his lenses widening at the sight of Dr. Connors' name and picture...

Author's Note:

Yep, Spider-Man's first villain is the Lizard. Planned for this to be one chapter, but it got too long and I had to split it.

And yes, the thugs Peter catches in the opening are Flint Marko and Alex O'Hirn/Aleksei Sytsevich, the future Sandman and Rhino. They were also the muggers he caught at the end of the prologue.

Please R&R. Until next time!