Peter swung gracefully through the night, landing steadily on Hawk's rooftop.
"Whoa, Spider—"
"Peter?"
Hawk stopped mid-sentence, blinking as the "spider" pulled off his mask to reveal his face.
Peter gave a sheepish grin.
Right then, he realized Gwen had been right before:
"Hawk, your acting really sucks."
"…Is that so?"
Hawk raised a brow.
Peter nodded earnestly.
Hawk shrugged. "Alright then, I'll keep working on it."
One person calling him a bad actor? Maybe it was just their opinion.
But two people? Maybe his acting really was that bad.
Peter chuckled but quickly grew serious.
"By the way, Hawk—did you see what just happened back there?"
"Part of it. But right as I was about to watch properly, you and that lizard freak disappeared."
Hawk was honest. He'd seen the beginning and the end, but not the middle.
Didn't matter. By tomorrow, the news would have every detail.
New York's media vultures were faster than anyone. Even before the fight on the Williamsburg Bridge was three minutes in, he'd already spotted three helicopters from different TV stations circling overhead.
Peter froze. He looked at Hawk, then back toward the bridge—barely visible in the distance.
"…From here?"
He turned back, stunned.
Hawk only smiled. "My eyesight's pretty good. But yours isn't bad either, right?"
Peter hesitated, then slowly nodded.
True enough—if he focused, he could see just as far.
His eyes lit up. "Then… did you see where the Lizard went?"
"Nope."
"…Figures."
Peter sighed. "Didn't expect him to be that strong. He threw me like a ragdoll. By the time I recovered, he'd already jumped into the river."
Hawk tilted his head curiously. "How strong would you say he is?"
Peter frowned, considering. "He's stronger than me, but slower. Not as agile either. But in the water? He's way faster."
Got it.
A "one punch" opponent.
No need to burn his Cosmo on that.
But then—
Peter suddenly frowned. "There's something else… That Lizard—he felt… familiar somehow. That's why I hesitated. That's when he tossed me."
Hawk's eyes narrowed. "And now? Figure out why?"
Peter nodded. He looked straight at Hawk.
"…You."
"…Me?"
"Yeah."
Hawk almost laughed out loud.
Absurd.
How could the Lizard have his scent? He'd only visited Connors' lab once. That was months ago. Whatever faint trace there might've been would've long since faded.
It's not like Connors was some love-struck fool who refused to wash his hand after a handshake.
Peter, though, was serious. "Last semester in the old gym—I picked up your scent clearly. The Lizard's was faint, barely there. I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't thought about it for so long."
Hawk raised a brow. "You're sure?"
"Positive." Peter nodded again. "It's like… the Lizard brushed against your aura once. Kind of like Gwen. She carries more of it, of course, but his was still there."
At that, Hawk chuckled in realization.
Oh. So that's what he meant.
"Then I know who it is."
Peter's eyes widened. "Who?"
"Curt Connors. Head of Oscorp's Regeneration Lab. Gwen went to see him just the other day. He's been studying lizard biology for years, trying to crack regeneration."
It made sense.
If Hawk's "aura" was a full mark, Gwen—always by his side—carried half. And Connors, who'd just interacted with her, might've picked up even less.
Peter's jaw dropped. "Connors?! I've… seen him once, with my dad."
"Then you get it."
Mystery solved, Hawk relaxed.
He yawned. "Alright, too late for this. I'm going to bed."
"…Fine."
Peter wanted to discuss the Lizard's threat more, but Hawk clearly wasn't in the mood.
"Goodnight, Hawk."
"Goodnight, Spider-Boy."
"Uh—I'm not Spider-Boy."
"…You sure?"
Hawk smirked, tilting his head. "Come on, tell me—out loud. Where exactly does your web shoot from?"
Peter stiffened. His face darkened. "…Goodnight, Hawk."
"Goodnight, Peter."
This time Hawk let it go.
Peter swung off into the night.
Hawk returned to his apartment, munched down his fried chicken, took a cold shower, and slipped into bed.
Meanwhile—
Deep beneath Queens, in the labyrinthine sewers where countless homeless took shelter during the winter snows—
A beastly roar echoed from the darkness.
But gradually, that roar weakened.
Until finally—
Only a human groan remained.
...
(End of Chapter)
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