AN: Thanks for reading, this is the last chapter, would love to get your reviews. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the third volume, if there's demand (and reviews) I'll give it a go. Don't miss out on the mid and post credits scene, as well as a special DVD extra - Marvel one shot: Spider and the Pirate. Also check out my Fantastic 4 fanfic that began in COPP Vol 2, chapter 10 and will cross over in COPP Vol 3.
Thanks again.
Peter Parker's house - Forest Hill
Peter sits on his bed staring at his phone stunned, his tried to process what Connors has just told him. Peter calls him over and over but Connors doesn't answer. Peter is restless, he paces in his room, fidgeting whilst he considers his options. He takes his phone and scroll down to Harry's profile. As he's about to press dial he considers the nights events, that Oscorp are involved in trying to capture and kill him, and that Harry's own father Norman might be involved. After much contemplation he throws the phone down, telling Harry will just complicate things.
Peter sits down contemplating Connors words, after much hesitation he makes a decision, to hell with what Connors says, I need to know what's happening.
Peter climbs out his window and heads to the city with his Spider-man costume.
Oscorp Tower
Connors races around his lab frantically destroying any evidence of his work with Peter. He's begins destroying all the transgenic formulas and serums he been working on, except for one antidote and one of the stabilisers that mutated his test subject.
As he returns to his main computer and begins deleting all his files he is confronted by a group of guards and Norman Osborn. Connors hits delete but the PC tells him - 15 minutes left, Connors shifts awkwardly on the spot as the guards examine him, I'll need to stall them.
"Good evening Sir, what brings you around these parts?"
Norman examines Connors closely, "I just thought you should know, we've done what you couldn't, we've cracked the transgenic super soldier formula, something you said wouldn't be done for years."
Connors trembles with fear, "That's great news, I would be interested to see your findings perhaps you can email them to me tomorrow?" he replies tentatively.
Osborn looks deep into Connors eyes, looking for a sign that he's lying. After a few moments of the two men locked in each other's gaze Osborn finally speaks, "OK I'll send you the results tomorrow" he turns to walk away as Connors sighs in relief, then Osborn stops and turns back around, "One last thing, we found something interesting in the sample of the Spider-man's blood… it contains transgenic DNA within it from a spider… you been doing transgenic work on spiders haven't you?"
"Ah yes, they are one of the few different arthropods we experiment on, it's likely others are doing the same."
"Ah yes of course, others would likely use the same subjects as yourself… but the problem is no one else is doing this research."
"Perhaps they are doing in secret, and a more advanced than us, or perhaps someone has taken one of our subjects, we did have a spider go missing."
"You had a transgenic spider go missing, around the time new Spider-man super soldier appears and you didn't think to link the two?"
"I thought the spider outfits was just a gimmick, Like I've stated all along transgenic enhancements to humans aren't possible, at least not with my subjects."
Norman ponders Connors words for a few moments, scratching his chin, "You may be right Connors because there was something else we found in Spider-man's, Something we didn't expect, do you know what it was?"
Connors shakes head looking away pretending to think of an answer, "We found super soldier serum, the one we used in our experiments all those years ago."
Connors forehead beads with sweat, he quickly glances down at his computer screen there is still 10 minutes until all his files deleted.
"So Dr Connors, I doubt it is a coincidence that our Spider-man has both super soldier serum and transgenic spider DNA, I believe this is your creation and you been hiding the results from us."
"No, it's not what you think" Connors tries to explain but the guards begin closing in on him from each side. Connors looks around for something to protect himself with as they pull out their stun guns, he spots the vial of stabilizer on his desk, he picks It up and injected into his arm.
Everyone stands back and stares at Connors but nothing happens, the guards fire their stun guns shocking him, they pull him to the ground away from the computer as Connors struggles to break free. Norman stops the deleting files and attaches a hard drive.
"So you were trying to hide your work from me, I'm sure your data will be very useful for our project, thank you Dr Connors."
Connors screams out in pain as the security guards beat him and electrify him. Norman laughs as he downloads the data but then the screams turn to a roar and a hiss. Norman suddenly realizes something is up, he peers around the computer screen and sees one of the guards fly passed him.
Connors now stands up on his feet, throwing the guards off him, and revealing his transformation as green scales Cover his face, a face which is elongated like a snout. Norman stares at Connors in horror as the remaining guards fire their guns in an attempt to subdue him. The stun guns do not affect Connors they just enrage him. Connors fingers now have razor sharp claws growing from their ends. He slashes at the guards ripping opened their faces and chests throwing them around the room like rag dolls, one is thrown straight through window and he falls to the pavements 60 floors below.
Spider-man swings through the New York skyline on his way to Oscorp tower when he notices an object break through the window of the 61st floor of the tower and fall to the pavement. Spider-man immediately swings up to the side of Oscorp Tower and climbs up the side of the building to investigate.
Connor's transformation is complete, he is now the Lizard a hybrid human reptile with only basic predatory instincts guiding his actions. He claws, bites and slashes at the remaining guards who fire their revolvers at the Lizard, slowing him down only momentarily. The Lizard chases them throughout the lab, destroying everything in sight on his hunt. Finally the Lizard kills the last security guard, Norman has called more but they don't arrive in time.
The Lizard crawls over benches and tables towards Norman, flicking its tongue and hissing as it approaches. Norman looks down at the file transfer, still four minutes to go. The Lizard charges at Norman leaping onto Connors desk and swiping at him. Norman dives away narrowly avoiding the lizards claws, but Connors' computer takes the full blow of the attack and falls to the ground smashing into pieces. Norman scurries away on all fours as the Lizard pursues him, Norman picks up one of the guards guns firing it at the Lizard. The Lizard is stunned but continues chasing him, just as he is about to take his final swipe at Norman Spider-man swings in through the broken window and kicks the Lizard away from Norman.
"Get out of here" Spider-man tells Norman who scurries off towards the hall then runs to the elevator. Spider-man then turns to face the Lizard, the two battle throughout the laboratory the Lizard ferocious in its wild and out of control attacks. Spider-man avoids most of the lizards blows until he gets trapped in a corner and the Lizard chargers at him crushing him against the wall. Spider-man pushes the lizard off him with all his strength sending him flying into a rack of chemicals. Some of the chemicals strong acids and bases burn his scales or combine and ignite. The Lizard roars in pain as his scales and flesh is being melted or burnt from the chemicals. He thrashes around violently sending chemicals and equipment everywhere.
Spider-man steers clear of the carnage waiting for the lizard to succumb to its injuries, but he doesn't. The Lizard crouches down on the floor almost whimpering in pain, Spiderman approaches, investigating until he notices the flesh and scales growing back. The Lizard now stands back up on its two legs, roaring with the rage. Spider-man runs towards the elevator, the Lizard charges after him and leaps, Spider-man jumps to the ceiling sticking to it, then crawls back to the lab along it. The Lizard quickly turns around and follows him jumping up trying to grab Spiderman as he crawls along the roof.
Spider-man finally jumps back to the ground firing webbing in the lizard's face blinding him, then firing web nets to hold him down. The lizard struggles to break free as Peter runs across the lab and grabs one of the metal frames from the broken shelving. The Lizard breaks free of it's webbing prison, as he does Spider-man thrusts the shelving frame into his chest and through his back impaling him. The Lizard screams out in pain, falls to the floor writhing in agony clawing at the frame in its chest.
Spider-man sits down exhausted watching the Lizard roll around in pain. As he watches the Lizard he notices a ripped lab coat on the floor, He picks it up and gasps horror, the lizard got Connors. Spider-man searches through the destruction and the bodies looking for a sign of Connors but he can't find anything. As he returns to where the lizard was lying he now finds no sign of it, just a pool of blood. Spider-man follows the trail of blood leaving the scene until he finds the Lizard pulling out the frame from its chest and giving out an almighty scream.
Spider-man looks on as the hole in the lizards chest begins healing, I've gotta do something else this thing won't die. Spider-man return to Connors lab looking for an answer, he searches through Connors' notes until he notices the antidote in the incubator. That's it I'll use the antidote to stop it's healing.
Spider-man takes the vial of antidote and places it in syringe gun, now all I have to do is get close enough to that thing to inject it… this should be easy.
The Lizard returns to the lab tracking Spider-man's scent, it charges at him wildly slashing its claws and whipping its tail. Spider-man jumps, ducks and weaves to avoid it's attacks but he misjudges one and gets hit by its tail, throwing him across the room. Spider-man can't get close enough to use the antidote, he tries webbing it again but this time the Lizard avoids his webbing continually darting back and forth in his attack. Spider-man then notices that the damaged shelving where he took his makeshift spear from has been knocked on its side, twisted metal frames stick out sideways like a medieval pike. He maneuvers himself in between the Lizard and the shelving, waiting until the last second, then he dives out the way as the Lizard leaps in attack, impaling itself on the shelving frame. Spider-man them quickly inject the Lizard with the antidote avoiding it's free arm from swiping him. Once the antidote is injected Spider-man takes a step back and waits for the transformation, but nothing happens.
Spider-man searches the surrounding area for something to restrain the lizard, as he does he notices a change in the roars coming from the Lizard, they sound more human like, more screams then roars. Spider-man returns to the Lizard and observers his snout shrinking, the head now looks more humanlike but still covered with scales. As he looks closer at the Lizard he sees definition within his face, he now realizes that this is Dr Connors.
Spider-man folds up his mask to show Connors his face and tries to help him off the frames that impale his body, but Connors waves him away. The transformation back into a human occurs in waves, sometimes he looks more human but then the reptile features will grow back as the healing properties of the Lizard fight the antidote. Connors higher brain functions return and he recognizes Peter and then falls into unconsciousness and into the daydream that has been haunting him these last few months.
Connors sits in a meeting with fellow scientists Toomes, Kravinoff, Gargan, Sytsevich and Osborn. Connors argues against experimenting on the children, he tells them it's unethical exposing children to radiation in the hope it will activate the super soldier formula in their bodies. Some of the other scientists also raise issues with these experiments, they tell Osborne that they've become quite attached to them, like the subjects are their own children. Osborn tells them it's not negotiable and they should all bring their subjects to the laboratory tomorrow. Connors tells Osborn that he won't do it and storms out throwing away his security badge.
Osborne tells security that Connors cannot be allowed to leave with the boy.
Connors races home to his wife and son Billy, Connors bursts through the front door and demand that his wife and Billy come with him immediately. Connors runs to his private study and takes a briefcase with his research, money and the families passports. He bundles the family into his car under protest and races to the airport.
At the airport Connors buys three tickets on the next flight out of New York. Connors notices that he's being followed by two men, as the PA announces their flight he tells his wife "Ok lets go." The two men follow until the family pass through the gate. On the plane Connors meets the Parkers, they begin a conversation about how much their sons look alike, they could be twins. Soon after take-off there is an explosion in the left-wing, Oxygen masks fall from the roof and flight attendants yell for everybody to take the brace position. The plane drops suddenly and Connors passes out.
Connors awakens, leaving the plane disoriented, he stumbles out of the hole in the side of the plane, semi-conscious and missing an arm. Getting his senses back Connors rushes back into the plane fuselage and looks across to where the Parkers were sitting, there are no survivors in that section. Connor's hears Billy cry out still alive and conscious, his wife however is dead. Connors takes Billy out of his seat and into the field where the paramedics rescue them as the entire plane explodes in a huge fireball. When they take Billy from Connors and ask whether this is his son he replies "No, this boys name is Peter Parker."
Osborn has finally reached the rest of Oscorp's security guards, he orders them back to the lab and kill anyone or anything they see. As the security leave he takes his phone out and calls Mendell Stromm, "Spider-man is here at Oscorp tower, it's time for the Goblin to finish this once and for all, is the glider ready?" he asks, "Yes sir fully operational" Mendell replies.
"Dr Connors, Doctor Connors can you hear me?" Peter asks desperately.
"Billy, I'm so sorry Billy couldn't stop them."
"I'm not Billy, Its Peter, Peter Parker."
Connors' scales begin to fade away as humans skin takes over, Connors human features now return along with his mind.
"I'm sorry Peter, I don't have long, and there is something I need to tell you. I need you to listen, No matter how crazy it might sound."
"Don't talk like that I'm going to get you out."
"Peter listened to me, you're not Peter Parker you're Billy Connors my son." Peter shakes head in disbelief, "Dr Connors not thinking clearly, let me help you up."
"Peter!" Connors yells angrily, "The plane flight that the Parkers were killed in, I was on that flight, you were on that flight, I lost my arm and you survived." Peter shakes his head, "I don't understand" he replies.
"When I rescued you from the plane I told them your name was Peter Parker, the plane was so badly damaged they couldn't identify the bodies."
"But… But why would you do that?"
"Peter, you're not my actual son, you were adopted… from Oscorp."
"Oscorp?"
"Yes, we were experimenting on Steve Rogers super soldier formula, introducing it to unborn children, trying to give birth to a super soldier with the formula in their DNA."
Peter stands silently in horror, mouth wide open not able to form a word.
"We made you and five others…" a surprised look crosses Connors' face, no there were six others, just like you. "Connors eyes dart back and forth as he searches his memories, "Peter you can't trust him, Osborn, you can't trust" then Connors is struck by a bullet as many more fly into the room from the advancing security staff. Peter pulls his mask down and dives for cover, looking back he sees Connors eyes close. Spider-man then races for the broken windows and dives out of the building. One of the security guard bullets ruptures an oxygen tank and it explodes creating a huge fireball that destroys the entire level. The various chemicals lying on the floor create secondary explosions sending glass and furniture flying out the windows to the street below.
Midtown - New York
Spider-man swings away to safety and stops on a roof nearby, shocked, contemplating what's happened "Who am I?" he asks himself repeatedly. As he sits there contemplating his own existence he hears it, the roar of a jet engine, not a jet, a glider engine.
Spider-man turns around as the roar of the glider fly past him. The goblin hasn't noticed him sitting on the rooftop and heads towards Oscorp Tower. Spider-man sighs with relief as he watches the goblin fly back and forth examining the wreckage.
Spider-man sits back down against the building ledge, relaxing until he hears a buzzing behind him, two spider slayers fly directly over him on the way to Oscorp tower. He quickly scurries behind a water tank attempting to conceal himself from the slayers but his movement alerts them and they veer towards him. Spider-man doesn't wait for them to find him, he picks up some old rusted Metal rods and throws them at the slayers javelin style. The rods hits the slayers, destroying one's engine and sending it into a tailspin. The other is only partially damaged, Spider-man immediately shoots a web at the remaining spider slayer, pulling it towards him, he dives out the way at the last minute as it crashes into the water tank. The slayer begins short-circuiting as the water pours down onto it. The slayer struggles to hover and finally falls to the roof top shutting down completely.
Spider-man now climbs to the edge of the building examining the wreckage of the first slayer below. As he does, he hears the approaching roar of the glider engine, the Goblin has spotted him. Spider-man swings away trying to get as much distance between him and the Goblin. The Goblin catches up quickly throwing grenades and firing blades to which Spider-man avoids by continually changing direction and swinging down narrow alleyways where the Goblins glider can't fit. After a few kilometers of this cat and mouse Spider-man decides that its time to finish it. He looks for an abandoned area where there will be no civilians. As they travel through Hell's Kitchen he sees a few abandoned buildings on the docks, perfect.
Hudson River Port - Hell's Kitchen
Spider-man swings down to the docks area landing on the side of a factory, then he climbs in through an unopened window. Inside Spider-man quickly moves through the roof beams to the other side of the factory. He examines both roller doors waiting to see which one the Goblin will enter from.
BOOM
The side of the factory explodes ripping a gaping hole in the wall, the Goblin flies in through the hole and begins throwing grenades randomly throughout the factory damaging the roof support pillars. Spider-man fires his webbing at him, hitting him numerous times in the face. The goblin claws at the webbing that blinds his view, by the time he rips off the webbing his glider crashes into a wall. The Goblin and his glider fall to the ground, as the Goblin hits the ground he rolls away, the glider hits the ground full of grenades and it explodes.
The explosion stuns the Goblin who stands up and sways, trying to regain his bearings and balance. As he does Spider-man attacks with the combinations of punches and kicks. The Goblin backs away trying to block the blows but Spider-man is too fast and strong. The Goblin finally falls down to the ground under the barrage and yells out for Mercy, "Stop, stop it wins, its wins."
Spider-man stops and looks down at the tragic figure below him, the Goblin speaks to himself quietly under his breath in a language unfamiliar to Spider-man. He bends down closer to hear what the Goblin's saying, then suddenly the goblin jumps up with a right hook that collects Spider-man on the jaw and sends him flying backwards. Spider-man now defends the goblins attacks, he pulls out blades and slashes at him. Spider-man's costume deflects most of the blows but some cut through into his flesh. The two battle out hand-to-hand Spider-man avoids the goblin's blades, knocking them out of his hands only for him to replace them with another set. Spider-man fires webbing at the Goblin's face, hands and feet trying to slow the attacks and counter with some of his own.
Both combatants are exhausted, the Goblin has no more blades and hunches down gasping for breath, Spider-man leans against a support pillar.
"Why did you do it, Why kill those people?" Spiderman asks.
"Because of you, they died because of you, because you're the hero and the only way to capture a hero is to be a villain" the Goblin replies, "If you had never saved those people when this began, the rest would still be alive, including the girl from the school."
Spiderman shakes his head, "I don't believe you, you're a killer, you're a monster, that's why you did it."
"I am a monster, but I was not a killer, not until you, you made me."
"All I did was try to help people" the Goblin laughs at this comment, "And look where it got you." Spider-man now lifts himself off the pillar and readies himself for round two
"What the hell are you anyway, is that a mask or your real face?"
The goblin laughs at this question, "I am the first of many, the first of an army, an army you cannot…" Spider-man shoots a webbing in his mouth to stop his diatribe and continues his attack. The Goblin fights back getting the upper hand, Spider-man takes a few hits to the stomach then web slings his way back up to the roof. The Goblin climbs up a pillar after him, Spider-man jumps from beam to beam away from the Goblin who follows him. The beams begin swaying as the pillars that keep them steady have been damaged by the Goblin's grenades. Spider-man stops at the end of the factory and the Goblin finally catches up to him. They both catch their balance as the beam swing back and forth. The Goblin attacks Spider-man swinging wildly, Spider-man easily avoids his attacks, the Goblin struggles with the movement of the beam. Spider-man however has no problems and plays with the Goblin, jumping from beam to beam and teasing him. The Goblin leaps from a beam to another, as he does the beam breaks in two, the goblin doesn't reach the next beam, hitting his head and falling to the ground.
Spider-man shoots a webbing to catch him, but he's too late, the goblin falls ten meters to the floor below with a thud, directly onto a pile of broken beam which pierce his body. Spider-man's webbing hits the motionless body, too late to save him. Spider-man jumps down to help the Goblin but it is too late. A pool of blood, begins flowing from the body onto the concrete below, Peter examines it in the shadow that covers the Goblin's body, it doesn't look like normal blood, he pokes a nearby stick into it and examines it in the light, the blood is green.
"What the hell?" he asks aloud as the screeching breaks of multiple cars draws his attention. Armed men flood into the factory from all entrances, Spider-man retreats to the roof beams and sneaks out through the window he entered, undetected. He swings away from the scene, the armed men guarding the perimeter fire at him, but none hit their mark.
Peter Parker's house - Forest Hill
Peter returns to his bedroom through the window, getting changed out of his Spider-man costume and searching through the pictures of him as a boy with his parents. As he does he realises they're only a few pictures and only when he was really young.
Peter walks downstairs with his childhood photos, he walks up and down the hallway looking at all the pictures of him, There are plenty with his uncle and auntie but none with his parents. He then moves into the lounge room where Aunt May is watching late night TV. He places the photos on the coffee table and asks, "Why are they no photos of me and my parents? I can only find a handful from when I was a baby."
May shifts uncomfortably on her seat then sifts through the photos, "The reason we don't have many photos from before you came to live with us is that your Uncle and Father didn't speak for many years, we didn't see you much after you were born. Then when you came to live with us, just after your parents accident, the house you were living in burnt down destroying everything inside including photos."
Peter shakes his head with confusion in disbelief, "That doesn't makes sense, why did the house burn down?"
Aunt May becomes extremely uncomfortable, "What's brought this on? Why are you asking?"
Peter senses hesitation in her voice, she's hiding something, "Because I found out about how they died, that I was on that plane, something you never told me."
Tears form in Aunt May's eyes, her hands begin shaking, "Who burnt down the house? Why didn't you tell me?" Peter demands angrily.
Aunt May answers him with sadness in her voice, "I don't know who burnt down the house, it happened just after your parents death, it was found to be arson and the insurance wouldn't pay out. They thought since we were your legal guardians that we burnt the house for the money, we ended up with nothing."
Peter softens his tone, "I'm sorry I didn't know."
"No, I'm sorry Peter we should have told you, about the fire, about the accident… but you were so young and we didn't want it to affect your childhood."
"It's ok Aunt May, I understand" Peter hugs her, comforting her in the knowledge that she has no idea what has happened and who he really is. Peter returns to his room and lays on his bed, his eyes begin welling up with tears, he looks across and sees 3 messages on his phone. Peter reads through them, all from Gwen, describing how he broke her heart and that she's moving to London to live with an Aunty.
Peter's grief is compounded, he cries in despair at how his life has been destroyed in one night, he looks across at his Spider-man costume in the corner, he marches over to it and throws it in the waste bin, "Spider-man has ruined everything, everyone, I am Spider-man no more."
Hudson River Port - Hell's Kitchen
Oscorp security cover the area retrieving all evidence of the Green Goblin and Spider-man's battle. They carry the partially destroyed glider away as a limousine drives through the factory and stops just before the Green Goblins body. The limousine door opens and a figure emerges dressed in a business suit. He walks towards the body where two security men are examining it, they turn and look up at the figure, one asks, "Sir, what would you like us to do with that body?"
Norman Osborn looks down and replies, "He was a great soldier, a servant of our race and our master, keep his body on stasis, he deserves a warriors funeral back home."
The two security men nod in agreement and begin removing the body. Osborn oversees the cleanup as Mendel Stromm approaches from behind, "Sir, the Spider-man escaped, he could upset all your plans."
Norman smiles, "That creature is no threat to us, we have found the source of its power, and it will power our army, he will be of no consequence."
"I understand sir, but he has a habit of getting in the way."
"Mr Stromm, do not concern yourself with Spider-man, we have already begun assembling the ultimate team to deal with him."
"A team?" Stromm asks, "Yes, we have sent blood samples and transgenic subjects to the other scientists, we will have a strike force that neither Spider-man nor SHIELD will be able to contain."