By the time Hawk and Gwen reached the second floor, the monstrous Lizard was gone.
In his place lay Dr. Curt Connors—human once more, though his chest was caved in and the damage irreversible.
Blood dribbled from his lips, yet when his fading eyes met Hawk's, he forced a broken smile.
"…Thank you."
Hawk only raised a brow, silent.
Beside him, Gwen's voice trembled with confusion. "Doctor… why did you try to kill me?"
It made no sense.
If Connors wanted revenge for the Williamsburg Bridge, his target should've been Spider-Man. If he wanted blood, he should've come for Hawk. Why Gwen?
Connors chuckled weakly. His chest heaved, face pale, before he suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. His voice fell to a dying whisper:
"I… don't know… maybe…"
"…I was bewitched by a demon."
"…Sorry."
With that final breath, his lone hand dropped limply to the floor.
Connors was dead.
Hawk's gaze lingered on the body for a moment before shifting to Spider-Man. "Well? Aren't you leaving?"
Peter, still shaken by how one punch had ended it, blinked. "…What about you?"
"You killed him. Not me," Hawk said flatly. "What's that got to do with me?"
"I'm not Spider-Man."
"Then what's with the webs?" Hawk smirked.
"I'm leaving."
Without another word, Peter fired a line, vaulted through a skylight, and was gone.
Gwen snapped out of her daze, realization hitting her. "The cameras!" She pulled Hawk toward the library's security office.
"Relax," Hawk said calmly. "It was a blind spot. All they'll see is Connors flying backward. Nothing of me."
Maybe it was chance. Maybe fate. Either way, he hadn't planned it—yet fortune had kept his secret intact once again.
Half an hour later, NYPD officers carried out Dr. Connors' body.
Captain George Stacy himself arrived on the scene.
"Gwen!" He rushed from his car, wrapping his daughter in a desperate hug. "Thank God you're safe."
"Dad…" Gwen pulled back, glanced at Hawk, and quickly said, "It was Hawk. He protected me."
George looked at him. This time, unlike before, he gave a small nod. "…Thank you."
Hawk replied with a polite smile. "It was the least I could do."
Still, George's sharp eyes flicked between their linked hands, and his jaw tightened. He wisely turned away before his trigger finger twitched.
After calling her mother Helen to assure her of her safety, Gwen rejoined Hawk, slipping her arm naturally through his. George noticed, lips pressing thin.
He left before he did something rash.
Within the hour, Midtown High announced classes were canceled for the rest of the day. Students—who only minutes ago had been panicked—erupted in cheers and stormed out like a freed herd.
Hawk only shook his head. Connors was dead. Whatever demon had whispered in his ear, the truth would die with him.
…
The weekend came.
Hawk holed up in his new apartment, linking Gwen's gifted phone hotspot to the used laptop he'd bought. Browsing quietly, he considered ways to sell the five alien weapons he'd taken during the Chitauri invasion.
Money was tight.
Even if he wanted to attend the graduation dance, he couldn't afford a tux. He reminded himself of something—Venom's darkest impulse in Spider-Man was only to buy a cheap suit.
Compared to that, he couldn't allow himself to sink any lower.
Just as he was searching online, a thump echoed at his window.
He glanced up.
There, clinging to the fire escape, peering inside—was Spider-Man.
…
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]