New York City Police Department – Conference Room
The conference room was gripped by a heavy, almost oppressive silence. The low hum of the air conditioner sounded far too loud amid the tension hanging in the air. Seasoned police officers, veteran detectives, and federal agents sat gathered around a large rectangular table, yet none of them dared to speak. Many of them had faced armed mobsters, terrorists, and even individuals with "unusual" abilities… and still, nothing compared to what they were about to hear.
It was a familiar voice that finally broke the silence.
"Dr. Connors…" someone said cautiously. "Are you certain that Peter intends to turn all of humanity into… humanoid lizards?"
The silence that followed the question was almost cruel.
Curt Connors nodded slowly, without hesitation. His face was pale, his sunken eyes betraying a sleepless night. When he spoke, his voice carried an almost unbearable weight of guilt.
"Judging by his words last night…" Connors took a deep breath, as if gathering the strength to continue. "Peter no longer sees the mutation as a mistake. To him, it's the next stage of human evolution."
Several people shifted uneasily in their chairs.
"He took the serum vials," Connors continued, his voice breaking. "To 'evolve' humanity… by force."
The room once again sank into absolute silence.
This was the kind of information that didn't register immediately. It went beyond anything they had ever faced. Some of those present had dealt with violent cartels, others with masked supercriminals… but a plan to biologically alter the entire human race?
That was on a completely different level.
"Now all we're missing is an alien invasion…" someone muttered nervously, with a bitter edge, trying to ease the tension.
No one laughed.
George Stacy remained standing, his hands planted firmly on the table. His expression was serious, hardened. He looked straight at Connors.
"Does Peter really have a way to spread the serum?" he asked bluntly.
"He does," Connors replied immediately. His voice trembled, but there was no doubt in his words. "Oscorp developed a device called the Gaia Microbial Dispersion Mechanism. With it, the serum can be released directly into the atmosphere… on a global scale, if necessary."
Shock rippled through the room.
Some officers exchanged disbelieving looks. Others simply covered their mouths.
"But…" Connors swallowed hard. "The worst has already happened."
He hesitated for a second before finishing:
"Peter has already stolen the device."
"WHAT?!" George shot to his feet, his chair scraping loudly against the floor.
Before he could say anything else, the conference room door burst open. A police officer rushed in, holding a report.
"Captain! Dr. Connors is right. There was a break-in at Oscorp's technology development division yesterday afternoon. The case was filed last night, but only now were we able to connect the dots. All indications point to him."
George clenched his fist and slammed it down on the table. The sharp sound echoed through the room.
"Damn it…" he muttered, frustration written all over his face.
He took a deep breath and turned back to Connors.
"Dr. Connors… if there's still a sample of the serum, is it possible to create an antidote?"
Connors hesitated. His eyes belonged to a defeated man, someone who fully understood the magnitude of the disaster he had helped create.
"If the sample still existed… maybe," he replied with difficulty. "But he took the last remaining samples of the serum."
"You developed it!" one officer insisted anxiously. "Just make it again!"
Connors shook his head, patient but firm.
"It's not that simple, officer. Even with all the original data, it's nearly impossible to recreate an identical serum. Perhaps, through reverse engineering the Lizard's serum itself, it would be possible to develop a cure… but I don't have it."
He looked around the room.
"Do you remember the Super Soldier Serum?"
The name echoed like a silent thunderclap.
Captain America. A scientific miracle. Something that changed the course of history… and was never reproduced.
"Even with all the resources and records," Connors continued, "the Captain's serum was never replicated. And mine… is even more unstable than that."
George took a deep breath, feeling the weight of responsibility crush down on his shoulders. Then he spoke firmly:
"Then we only have one option left: stop Peter… at any cost."
He turned to the room, his voice taking on the commanding tone of someone who had faced New York's worst horrors.
"I want a task force assembled immediately. Request SWAT and FBI support if necessary. Heavy weapons are authorized. We are not underestimating him this time."
"We should search the sewers," someone suggested. "If he's hiding down there, we might be able to catch him before he activates the device."
George nodded at once.
"Locate the companies responsible for sewer tunnel maintenance. If we can neutralize him underground… that's our best chance."
Connors stepped forward, clearly distressed.
"Captain Stacy, take me with you. Maybe… maybe I can still convince Peter. He's not a monster. He was a good kid…"
George studied him for a few seconds, weighing his words.
"Alright," he said at last. "But you stay in the rear. If you get captured again, our already bad situation will become even worse."
"That won't happen again," Connors promised.
George nodded and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"You did what you could last night. None of us blame you."
Connors tried to respond, but hesitated.
"There's just one thing I can't stop thinking about… Spider-Woman. She seemed to… know me."
George frowned.
"I thought that was strange too," he agreed. "It would've been a lot easier if she had helped us with the Lizard."
"She already knew about his plan and was there to stop him…" Connors murmured. "Maybe she was trying to protect something. After all… she handed the briefcase to Peter."
"Let that go for now, Doctor," George said. "Go get some rest. You look exhausted."
Connors nodded slowly. He knew the decisive moment was approaching.
Outside the room, agents were already moving swiftly, like pieces on a chessboard being positioned for a final move.
New York was on maximum alert.
---
New York Sewers
Deep beneath the city, far from sunlight and civilization, the air was damp, heavy, and saturated with the stench of rust and decay.
On an improvised platform made of scrap metal, pipes, and twisted grates, the Lizard was at work.
His sharp claws adjusted a complex-looking device with precise movements.
He carefully inserted a small tube into the core of the machine.
Despite the lack of time and proper materials, he had managed to recreate the serum. An inferior, unstable version… but sufficient.
The machine's lights intensified.
The Lizard's vertical pupils gleamed with animalistic satisfaction.
"HAHAHAHAHA… SOON… I WILL LEAD THE HUMAN RACE TO ITS TRUE EVOLUTION!"
At his feet, torn scraps of bloodstained human clothing and broken bones were scattered across the soaked floor—clear evidence that he was no longer merely experimenting.
He was feeding.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!"
The echo of his monstrous laughter spread through the dark tunnels, like an omen of the chaos yet to come.
(End of Chapter)
A/N: I know it's a bit frustrating when the protagonist doesn't show up, but hang in there—this arc won't take much longer to wrap up.