Thank you to all who reviewed and keep reviewing each piece I release! It means a lot and I'm glad you're enjoying the path the story is taking! So anyway, on to why you are all here,

Lizard Man: The Dark Hunt

Issue #2: The Thorn of the Rose

Peter was in such a deep sleep. His mind was in such blissful rest and not even dreams had the audacity to disturb his mind. He was like computer that just shut down…. But then suddenly as he had fallen asleep, WHAM! Something stingingly soft and made of cotton hit his face. It forced his heavy eyes to shoot open, but he was so groggy, his beastly side didn't even know how to react. So when he shot up, he just looked around like a confused drunk. Suddenly, someone's familiar voice brought him out his funk. "Alright Lizard genius. You've slept long enough". Knowing it is Miss Brainy Jane from a mile away, Peter rubbed his eyes with his less scaly ligament without even looking at her. "How long was I out?" he asked.

MJ: "two days. Don't worry… you didn't fall behind in your cyber work. Luckily, grammar is my specialty".

Peter could hear the pride in her voice, but also a bit of weakness. He looked up and saw the dark circles forming under her eyes.

P: "Are you sure you don't need sleep?"

MJ: Oh don't you worry to. My mom does enough of that. Oh and uh here. This is your half of the Harry Osborn Fund."

MJ reached into here pocket and pulled out a hundred dollar bill wrapped in a rubber band and through on his bed. Peter's eyes widened with complete shock.

P:"wow.. how much work have you done for him?"

MJ: "let's just say, little richy is enjoying a few extra naps in well… every class"

Peter and her shared a smile and a giggle as she then walked over to his rolly chair at his desk and rolled over to him.

MJ:" You also have a few people that kinda want to hear from you: Your aunt, your jock friend, Conners.."

As she talked MJ yawned and drooped her head a bit. Peter shook her left shoulder, but she slapped his hand away.

MJ: "Hey I'm fine."

P: "MJ, your dosing off.."

MJ: "Peter I'm fine. You need to know this stuff. I've put a lot of work into your life, Tiger. You can't just stomp on my thunder"

Peter smirked, holding his blushing back from her pet name for him, and shook his head in reluctance. "Alright I'm listening."

MJ: "Thank you (She says with a squinty smile). Now, priority wise I think you should call your aunt ASAP. Text jocko so he knows your okay and..uh.. oh yeah… GO SEE CONNERS!"

P: "Okay okay relax on the Conners…"

MJ: "Oh come on Peter! You've been using these powers of yours since there inception. He needs to know your progress. You need to see him before you go back to school!"

P: "MJ relax. I was planning on doing that anyway."

MJ: "PETER! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! YOU NEED TO CARE!"

Peter put both his hand on her shoulders ash she caught her breath, she of course looking at his lizard hand with a quick look and back at him. She looked even more exhausted up close, but just as beautiful as she did yesterday. Peter, however, pushed this from his forward thinking and went on to comfort her.

P: "MJ. I do care. I may have gone off the rail for a bit but you convinced me slow down. Everything is going to change from this point on but under one condition: You get some rest and sleep like a normal person to."

MJ went to say something, but instead swallowed hard and shook her head. Peter then gave her a huge and picked her up. He then laid her in his bed, and kissed her on the forehead. Part of him wished he could have kissed her somewhere else to….

MJ: "I have my own bed you know. Next Door?"

Peter, lost on his fantasy again, snapped out of it and smiled at her again

P: "yeah.. But you wouldn't make it that far."

MJ gave him a look that seemed to say what's up with you, but it dwindled as they shared another laugh and Peter left her to rest, with thoughts of her still in his head ,but with the focus to get his life back together.

He grabbed his cell phone off his desk and some clothes as he headed to the shower. He took a glance at his phone as well, seeing 80 missed text messages, most from Flash and about 30 from numbers he didn't know. They were all "my condolences" messages and or "hope to see you soon". One was even from Gwen Stacey! Peter blushed at this thought, but it kind of made him feel bad.. He had always been into Gwen but lately he had grown attached to another… Peter pushed this from his mind quickly. The last thing I need right now was teenage love drama he thought. Instead he hoped into a very welcoming hot shower, which both sides of Peter found very pleasing.
He even had to hold himself back from transforming, it was so welcoming.

After realizing how refreshing cleanliness was, especially with two arms, Peter put on a fresh pair of clothes and did the next thing on his to do list: call his aunt.

As he dialed the number that seemed to be left for him on the kitchen table, Peter felt a sense of anxiety. How could he talked to her? How would she talk to him? but all worries went away as the conversation picked up. To Peters surprise, they didn't even talk about Uncle Ben once. Instead it was more about him, how she was proud of him, how he was so smart, how she missed him and other very positive things that Peter even made up to stay on the topic of happiness. He was pleased with this and happy to hear she was doing well, but a little bit of sadness was slipped in there with the nurse's news on Aunt May's condition and treatment. Aunt may was very traumatized, almost so much to the brink of insanity when she was first brought in. She was in denial to the events and repressed her sadness. She knows Ben is dead but will barely bring him up, instead dodging everything that has anything to do with him, for when he is brought up she goes into fits of sadness. She instead is said to find sluice in talking about Peter and how great he was. Peter wasn't sure how he felt about this, but he tried to be happy that she distracts herself. It was still in the air if she would return home anytime soon as well and Peter thought that was also for the best.

After that, Peter decided to call up Conners to setup a time to meet at the lab. When he did Conners picked up immediately.

C: "Peter! Wish I could talk but I'm very busy! Talked to you later!"

Then as soon as he answered, he hung up. Peter, confused by this, was about to put his phone away when all of a sudden he got a call from a number he didn't recognize. "Hello" Peter answered.

C:"Peter it's Conners. Sorry to hang up on you earlier, but I didn't want to risk it."

P: "Risk what Doc? What's wrong?"

C: "Peter, you were hunted down and now I believe I'm being watched. There is no way someone would come looking for you if they didn't know about us testing the serums. I think my place is being tapped, so I took the liberty of getting a second phone so we wouldn't have to worry about possible eavesdroppers."

P: "are you sure about that Doc? You sure you're not being paranoid? I mean it makes sense I guess but Kasady said he didn't expect my powers.."

C: "Maybe they don't know, or rather at this point DIDN'T, know but they were after you for something and due to Osborn's work on OZ serum, I wouldn't be surprised it would be our research Osborn is after."

Peter thought about it. It truly did make sense… No one else would have a reason to go after Peter.. But Mr. Osborn was a business man; A man of science. Could he even be capable of carrying out such actions? Peter didn't know, but Conners was very adamant about it, and he did know Osborn pretty well. Besides, the best thing Peter could be right now is careful. He had been careless long enough.

P: "Okay Doc.. lets say this is a thing. How do you think I should meet with you then? I mean I've been with this condition for weeks. I seemed to be getting the hang of it, but test should be done. I don't even know if I'm down evolving or what. Plus I've made a few discoveries myself.."

C: "Yes yes. I agree. You need to be tested more. I have ran some in your absence with blood samples taken after the transformation with no results in the negative so there's some good news. Right now what you are experiencing seems to be the limit, but you're right. We don't know enough. Now meeting is going to be hard in public especially if I'm being watched, but I hear you're good at getting around at night."

P: "Who told you that?"

C: "A little bird with red hair told me."

Peter rolled his eyes, but was also a bit shaken..

P: "Doc.. I should explain my actions for the past two.."

C: "No need Peter. You like all people have the right to find ways to get your anger out, and your still a kid. Besides this could be of use to us, you being able to gallivant through a city. You can get from your place to mine in the nick of time with your abilities. It will allow you to let out some steam and get here to run tests."

Peter smiled a bit at this idea. It was a pretty good situation.

P: "Alright Doc. I think we have a plan, but are you sure there not watching me?"

C: "If they knew about your powers and wanted you Peter, they would already have you, so I think its safe to say your safe for now. Meet you tonight then?"

Peter shook his head, a little nervous at first but then finally settled.

P: "Sounds good. See you tonight"

They said their goodbyes and hung up.

When night finally arrived Peter went upstairs to get his leather coat and beat up jeans, checked on MJ who was still asleep in his bed and after taking off his fresh closes and donning the beat up garb, he headed out his bedroom window.

As he jumped from his house to the top of MJ's, Peter transformed into his more scaly persona. With his body well rested and muscles no longer sore, Peter zoomed through the downtown Queens area and to the NYC Waters with lightning speed. He dived into the salty Brine with gleam of joy in his lizard eyes and zoomed toward the city.

Once he reached the edge he, as he had done many times before, busted from the water and landed on top of nearest building, and began jumping form rooftop to rooftop. As he did, he let his animal senses guide him with ease to the center of the city. He felt like he could hear everything, smell everything, but then his hearing zeroed in on something he did not realized he had trained it to do: Someone said the name Tombstone.

Like a fly drawn to light, Peter shot toward the area were the name was said without thinking. No no! he thought This isn't what I'm suppose to be doing! I have to see conners! I have to… but as much as common sense tried to fight the urge, Peter knew he couldn't. This is something he had wanted for weeks, as much as it was not the plan for this night. He couldn't fight the urge even IF he wanted to. So he gave in, agreeing with his beastly side to thirst for revenge once again on this night.

As Peter approached the area he could hear the discussion more clearly. These men were talking about Tombs like he was there closest friend! They talked about frequent places he had been! People he knew! They seem to know everything!

When Peter finally arrived at the place, an old movie theatre close to Broadway, Peter felt a twinge of excitement! This could finally be the lead he had been waiting for since Hell's Kitchen! As he entered the broken down building however, he found it was completely baron. No one was there it seemed at first, but then suddenly.. WHAM! A burst of bright light blinded Peter as he fell from the perched he had crawled in on! He looked up and could see the blur of 5 silhouetted men rappelling from the now white-bright roof of this theatre. As they came down they seem to be armed with very large guns as well as wearing thick silver armor. As Peter staggered to his feet, now surrounded by these five men, he heard the one in the center say in a metallic voice "Remember what I told you kid? The Rose NEVER forgets!".

Peter felt stupid, foolish, idiotic. He had taken the bat and was now trapped, like an animal who was cornered in a cage, but as he felt this feeling of despair, this feeling of helplessness, he could feel his muscles tensing, his claws elongating and could something new: his vision turning… red. Neither Peter nor these men knew what was happening nor what they had just gotten themselves into… but they were all about to find out and there was no way this encounter was going to end pretty.