Into the Sewers
Somewhere Beneath the City - The Sewers
The air was thick with the stench of decay and rot as Dr. Connors—no, the Lizard —crawled through the slimy tunnels of the city’s underground. His once brilliant mind had become fractured, overtaken by the beast inside him. As his hulking, reptilian form moved through the muck, his eyes glowed a sinister yellow, his thoughts racing with dangerous ideas.
"The serum," he muttered, his voice low and guttural. "It was supposed to be perfect... flawless. But now... now I see."
The Lizard paused as he reached his hidden lab, a dark and musty space in the heart of the sewers. Rusted pipes ran along the ceiling, dripping water into the pools below. On a cracked table in the corner, various vials and syringes lay scattered—remnants of Dr. Connors' experiments.
He slithered over to a mirror on the wall, staring at his reflection—the beast staring back at him. "I’m stronger than ever," he hissed to himself, flexing his massive claws. "This is evolution. And soon... soon the whole city will see."
The Lizard’s lips curled into a twisted grin. He wasn’t content with just being the only one. No, he had plans—big plans.
He would transform the entire city. Make everyone like him.
---
At the Football Field - Later that Day
Winter, Karina, and Ningning were sitting on a bench at the edge of the school’s football field, soaking in the warm afternoon sun. The conversation, however, was anything but light. Winter couldn’t stop thinking about the Lizard—about Connors —and the dangerous encounter she had with him on the bridge.
"So, let me get this straight," Ningning said, munching on a bag of chips. "You’re saying the giant, scaly lizard that almost took you out is actually your science buddy, Dr. Connors?"
Winter nodded, running a hand through her newly dyed blonde hair. "I’m sure of it. Something’s wrong with him. I just... I have to figure out what he’s planning next."
Karina sat beside her, her brow furrowed in concern. "And how exactly are you going to do that? You don’t even know where he went."
Winter opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, a football came flying straight toward them at full speed.
Without thinking, Winter’s hand shot up, catching the ball mid-air with an almost superhuman reflex. Karina’s eyes widened in shock as Winter nonchalantly tossed the ball back toward the field, but when the ball collided with a metal pole nearby, the impact bent the pole nearly in half.
There was a brief moment of silence as Karina and Ningning stared at the damage Winter had just caused.
Ningning was the first to break it with a laugh. "Okay, seriously. You need to watch where you’re throwing, Spidermin. You’re going to tear the school apart."
Winter chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "Sorry about that. Guess I don’t know my own strength."
Karina glanced at the bent pole, still amazed by Winter’s abilities. "You really are something else."
---
Later that Evening - Dr. Connors’ Apartment
Winter decided to visit Dr. Connors’ apartment, hoping to check on him and confirm her suspicions. As she arrived, she knocked on the door, only to be greeted by a strange, eerie silence. She waited for a few moments before knocking again, but still, no answer.
Her spider sense tingled slightly—a faint warning that something was off.
Winter reached for the door handle, finding it unlocked. She carefully stepped inside, scanning the room for any signs of Connors. The apartment was in disarray, papers scattered across the floor, furniture knocked over. It looked like there had been a struggle.
On a nearby table, she spotted an open journal—Connors’ notes on their work together. Flipping through the pages, she found detailed descriptions of the serum’s effects. But as she read further, the notes became more erratic, more disturbing.
"The serum... it’s changing me. But it’s not enough. I need more."
Winter’s heart sank. This was worse than she thought.
Suddenly, her spider sense flared again, and she realized—Connors was the Lizard. The creature she had fought on the bridge had once been her mentor, and now he was out there, dangerous and unpredictable.
---
At the Police Station
Winter raced to the police station, desperate to inform Karina’s father about her discovery. She burst through the doors, her mind racing with the information she had just uncovered.
"Captain Yu!" she called, catching his attention as he sat at his desk. "I need to talk to you about Dr. Connors!"
Captain Yu looked up from his paperwork, frowning. "Parker? What’s this about?"
Winter quickly explained everything—the serum, the transformation, the fact that Connors had become the Lizard. She laid it all out for him, hoping he would believe her.
But instead, Captain Yu sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration. "Listen, Winter. I don’t know what kind of story you’ve cooked up, but you can’t seriously expect me to believe that Connors turned into a giant lizard."
"But it’s true!" Winter insisted. "He’s dangerous! You need to send someone to investigate before it’s too late!"
Captain Yu hesitated, clearly skeptical. But after a long pause, he finally nodded. "Fine. I’ll send a couple of officers to check on him. But don’t expect me to believe this... lizard nonsense."
Winter bit her lip in frustration but didn’t argue. It was better than nothing.
---
The Plan - Winter’s Trap
Back at school, Winter gathered with Ningning to discuss her next move. She knew she had to act fast—Connors was growing more unstable by the day, and if she didn’t stop him soon, there was no telling what he would do.
"I’m going to the sewers," Winter said, pulling out a map of the city’s underground tunnels. "That’s where Connors is hiding. I’m sure of it."
Ningning stared at her like she’d lost her mind. "You’re going into the sewers? Alone? Do you even realize how bad of an idea that is?"
"I don’t have a choice!" Winter replied, her voice determined. "I have to stop him before he hurts more people."
Ningning groaned, shaking her head. "I swear, you’re going to get yourself killed. But fine—if you’re going to be stubborn about it, at least take your gear."
Winter smiled, grateful for Ningning’s support. "Thanks. And don’t worry, I’ve got this."
Fast forward a few hours, Winter had set up her trap deep within the sewers, using her webs to create a massive net that stretched across one of the tunnels. She had positioned her personal camera nearby, ready to capture evidence of the Lizard’s presence. If she could trap him here, she could take him down for good.
She crouched in the shadows, waiting patiently as the distant sounds of water dripping echoed through the tunnels.
Her heart raced, her senses on high alert as she prepared for what was to come.