Cracks in the Sewer and the Heard of the Lizard
Somewhere in the dark, damp tunnels of the sewers…
Dr. Conners sat hunched over in the dim light of his hidden lab. His human form had begun to slip further away with each passing day, the scaly green skin of the Lizard creeping across his arms and face, corrupting both his body and his mind. His mind, once brilliant and filled with scientific curiosity, was now muddled with rage and confusion.
How could she? The voice in his head was loud, insistent, angry. Winter Parker… Spidermin… She betrayed you. She used you. She lied to you.
The Lizard’s claws scraped along the walls of the sewer as he paced back and forth, his tail twitching in agitation. Dr. Conners had always been a calm and methodical man, but the transformation had changed him. The serum he had injected to regrow his missing arm had worked... too well. It had amplified not just his physical capabilities but also the darkest corners of his psyche.
And now, the thought that his own protege, Winter, was Spider-Min, gnawed at him. She had lied to him all along, hidden her true self while working beside him. The voices in his head grew louder, harsher, feeding his growing paranoia and anger.
"She betrayed me!" he growled, his voice a twisted mix of human and reptilian tones. "She’ll pay for this!"
His hands clenched into fists as he began to scribble frantically on a piece of paper, trying to focus his chaotic thoughts. He needed a plan—a way to get back at her, to show her and the world that he, the Lizard, was not to be trifled with.
But as he wrote, the voices in his head continued to whisper, pushing him further toward madness.
---
Back at Winter’s apartment…
Winter sat at the kitchen table, watching as Ningning fussed over her web shooters. The small devices were spread out across the table in pieces, a tangled mess of gears, wires, and broken components. Ningning’s brows were furrowed in concentration as she worked, her fingers moving quickly to try and fix the damage the Lizard had caused during their last encounter.
"You’re lucky these things didn’t get completely fried in the sewer water," Ningning muttered, glancing up at Winter with a stern look. "You know these aren’t waterproof, right?"
"I know," Winter groaned, leaning her head on her hand as she watched her best friend work. "I didn’t exactly plan on getting tossed into the sewer."
Ningning shot her a glare. "Well, maybe next time don’t go picking a fight with a giant lizard in the sewer then."
Winter chuckled softly, but there was a flicker of guilt behind her eyes. Ningning was always the more cautious one, the one who reminded her to think before jumping into danger. But Winter had never been good at that. She’d always been the type to rush in, to act on instinct, and deal with the consequences later.
As Ningning continued to tinker with the web shooters, she glanced up at Winter again, her expression softening. "I’m just worried about you, you know that, right? You’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately."
"I can handle it," Winter replied, though the exhaustion in her voice betrayed her words. "I’m Spider-Min, remember? I can take a few scratches."
"Yeah, well, those scratches were a lot deeper than you let on," Ningning muttered, pointing at Winter’s still-bandaged chest. "You could’ve gotten seriously hurt. Or worse."
Winter sighed, running a hand through her newly cut, blonde hair. "I know. I just... I couldn’t let him get away. Dr. Conners—he’s not himself anymore. He’s dangerous, and if I don’t stop him, who will?"
Ningning paused in her work, her expression softening with concern. "You’re not in this alone, Winter. You’ve got me. And, I guess, Karina too, now." She smirked at the mention of Karina, knowing it would fluster Winter.
Winter’s cheeks flushed at the mention of Karina. "Yeah... Karina."
Ningning smirked even more at her friend’s obvious crush. "Speaking of Karina, she must’ve been pretty freaked out when you showed up all banged up like that. How did she handle it?"
"She was... really worried," Winter admitted, her heart warming as she remembered the way Karina had taken care of her. "But then she just scolded me and made sure I was okay. I think I kind of freaked her out."
"Well, that’s what happens when you show up bleeding through her window," Ningning teased. "But at least she’s not running for the hills, right?"
Winter smiled softly. "Yeah, she’s... incredible."
Ningning rolled her eyes playfully. "Alright, lover girl, focus. We’ve got bigger problems than your love life right now." She pointed at the broken web shooter. "First, we need to fix this mess. Then we’re going to figure out how to make you a proper communication device—one that doesn’t short out in water."
Winter sighed, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, you’re right. The airpods... weren’t exactly the best idea."
"Gee, you think?" Ningning smirked, grabbing another tool to continue working on the web shooters. "You’re lucky I’ve got some spare tech lying around. I think I can rig up a prototype that’ll work under any conditions. It won’t be pretty, but it’ll get the job done."
"Thanks, Ning," Winter said sincerely. "I don’t know what I’d do without you."
"Probably end up getting yourself killed," Ningning teased with a grin. "But hey, that’s what I’m here for—keeping you alive, fixing your mess, and reminding you not to be an idiot."
Winter laughed, the sound a welcome break from the tension she’d been feeling. She knew Ningning was right—she needed to be more careful. But at the same time, she couldn’t shake the feeling that things were about to get a lot more dangerous.
The Lizard was still out there. And Winter had a feeling that he wasn’t done yet.
---
Back in the sewers…
The Lizard’s lab had become a chaotic mess of broken equipment and hastily scrawled plans. Dr. Conners—or what was left of him—stared at the notes he’d written, his hands shaking as the madness took hold.
Winter… Spidermin… She must be stopped.
The voices in his head continued to whisper, filling his mind with dark thoughts. His anger toward Winter grew stronger with each passing moment, fueled by the betrayal he felt. She had been like a daughter to him, and now she was his enemy.
"I’ll show her," the Lizard growled, his eyes glowing with a dangerous light. "I’ll show them all."
With a final snarl, he smashed his fist into the table, scattering the papers and equipment across the room. His plan was forming—slowly, but surely. And once it was complete, there would be no going back.
Winter Parker would regret ever crossing him.