As expected.
The next day.
While still on the school bus, the Lizard monster that appeared on the Williamsburg Bridge yesterday had already become today's hot news.
It was the hottest news.
"Holy moly, did you guys see this morning's news?"
"I saw it. Good thing my house is in Queens, not Brooklyn or Manhattan, because I can't afford a house in either of those places anyway."
"I think we should leave New York City after we graduate."
"What's wrong?"
"Look, a few years ago, Hulk and Abomination, last year that technology expo, this year aliens even came, and the year isn't even over yet, and now there's another Lizard monster."
"Hiss."
"You're right, what's been happening to New York City these past few years?"
"Anyway, it hasn't been good since September 2001."
"By the way, am I the only one curious about how Spider-Man shoots his webs?"
...
Sitting in the last row by the window, Hawk listened to the faint voice coming from inside the school bus, raised an eyebrow, and subconsciously looked at Peter sitting beside him.
See.
I'm not the only one who's curious.
Peter felt the teasing in Hawk's gaze and his mouth twitched: "I don't want to discuss this."
Hawk shrugged, not caring, and smoothly changed the subject, glancing at the last row where only he and Peter were sitting.
"Where's Harry? He didn't take the school bus with you today."
"He'll be late. He went to Osborn Biological Industry this morning. He said Osborn was invaded last night."
Peter said, scanning the inside of the bus, then whispered, "I asked a few more questions. It was Dr. Connors's lab that was stolen. They say all the equipment was moved out by the Lizard."
Hawk nodded.
"They say? Was New York's good neighbor not there?"
"New York's good neighbor was sleeping."
Peter's mouth twitched.
He was now incredibly glad he'd made himself a Spider suit and covered his face.
Look.
The only person who knew his true identity, and someone who, like him, wasn't very talkative at school, was even teasing him like this.
What if it were someone else?
The most important thing was, he was doing justice, that was right. Uncle Ben would probably be very proud of him now.
With great power comes great responsibility.
But...
No matter how great the power, one still needs to sleep. Even a real spider needs to rest every day.
What's more, he wasn't even a real spider, so he couldn't possibly be out fighting twenty-four hours a day.
Peter thought, recalling the unfinished conversation from last night, and lowered his voice.
"What do you think Dr. Connors is trying to do by doing this?"
"I don't know, I don't care, I'm not interested."
Hawk shook his head, a triple rejection.
Peter looked at Hawk, who, after saying that, had returned to his usual taciturn self, gazing out the window at the scenery. He opened his mouth, but didn't say anything more.
He hadn't thought about inviting Hawk to be a vigilante with him.
After all, what he liked, others might not, and he shouldn't force others to like it.
Peter understood this principle.
At school.
The buzz about the Lizard monster not only didn't die down, but intensified as students from all grades gathered, showing a trend of growing more and more intense.
All sorts of rumors.
All sorts of gossip.
Flying around among the fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen-year-old adolescents with an excess of hormones.
At noon.
Hawk, who had ordered a hamburger and coke as usual, was burying his head in his food when Gwen, who had finished class later than him and arrived belatedly, sat down opposite him with her tray.
"I just got news that I don't need to go to Osborn Biological Industry recently. Dr. Connors's lab was robbed by the Lizard, and Dr. Connors is also missing."
"Uh..."
Hawk looked up, thought for a moment, and looking at Gwen, lowered his voice: "It wasn't robbed by the Lizard, it was robbed by Dr. Connors."
He had originally intended to tell Gwen about this when he saw her at school this morning.
But in the morning, the gossipy Mary was also beside Gwen, so Hawk thought about it and didn't say anything at the time.
However, saying it now was just the same.
It wouldn't delay anything.
When Gwen heard Hawk's words, her expression first froze, then instantly turned to shock, and her chest visibly rose and fell.
But very quickly.
She seemed to remember that this was a restaurant and it wasn't good to speak loudly, but she stared with wide eyes at Hawk, who had finished speaking and was continuing to eat his hamburger.
"What? Dr. Connors is... Is that true or false?"
"Ninety-nine percent probability. Spider-Man said the Lizard had my scent on him, though it was very faint."
"Spider-Man?"
"Mm."
Hawk nodded naturally.
Gwen, however, was stunned once again.
If her eyes weren't already wide open, she felt like she could open them even wider.
"You know Spider-Man?"
"Yes."
"Who is he?"
"Can't say."
Hawk shook his head, choosing not to tell Gwen that Peter was Spider-Woman.
Telling Gwen the Lizard Dr.'s identity was because the Lizard Dr. might harm Gwen.
That's not good.
But Peter was different.
Especially since this version of Peter was the original Spider-Woman, the one who, even when possessed by Venom, only thought about buying a discounted suit, getting a raise from his newspaper boss, and throwing dust in the eyes of people he didn't like—New York's good neighbor.
Moreover, Peter didn't go around shouting about his abilities with a megaphone.
Naturally, he wouldn't tell others that Peter was Spider-Woman either.
Hawk said so, then, meeting Gwen's unblinking, wide-eyed gaze, chuckled: "Even if you look at me like that, I still won't say."
Gwen then withdrew her gaze.
If he won't say, then I'll find out myself.
It was still the same saying.
No one knew Hawk better than her. Hawk's social circle was very simple; basically, everyone Hawk knew, she also knew.
So...
If Hawk knew Spider-Man, then she most likely knew Spider-Man too.
She was very confident.
Gwen quickly sifted through everyone she and Hawk both knew in her mind, while lowering her voice.
"No, how did Dr. Connors turn into that Lizard from yesterday?"
"I don't know."
Hawk shook his head: "Only God knows what happened. That time I talked to Dr. Connors on the phone, he said his regeneration serum had succeeded on a white mouse with a severed tail."
This was only because Gwen asked him that he thought about it a little.
If it were Peter, he wouldn't bother to think about it.
Even if the Lizard Dr. ripped New York City apart, it wouldn't be his turn; someone else would be more anxious than him.
Hawk thought to himself, then saw Gwen's eyes widen again.
...
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