I’m Not Becoming Spider-Man - Chapter 63: Understanding (Patreon)

"Whew. Are you two all right?"

After contacting Harley, Peter finally found her and Martha two blocks away. Harley was looking after Martha, who had been injured. It was hard to tell whether she'd been caught by a stray blow or hit by falling debris.

Martha lay on a stretcher, but all the bystanders had been able to offer was basic first aid. There were too many other people with worse injuries and more urgent needs. Ambulances and ordinary citizens alike were busy carrying the wounded to safety.

Nobody dared go near the fight between the Lizard and Spider-Woman, not even the police. All they could do was maintain order farther away and wait for heavier backup.

Overhead, helicopters from the Daily Bugle and the police circled noisily, bringing increasingly grim reports from the scene.

"Okay, Martha. Can you hear me?" Peter asked.

"I can hear you, Peter..."

"Listen carefully. Don't tell anyone that Dr. Connors can turn into the Lizard. That isn't just for your protection. It's for his, too."

There was no way to hide the truth from Norma, but most people still had no idea that Connors was the man inside that monster. For now, at least, his identity was a secret.

"I... I understand." Martha took his hand. "Please, Peter. Help Curt..."

"I will. I promise." Peter turned to Harley. "Take her to the hospital, and give me the inhibitors."

Harley understood that this was no time to argue. She handed over the backpack, carefully lifted Martha onto her back, and set off for the hospital.

With the bag in hand, Peter hurried back toward the battle. He didn't get far before a police cordon stopped him. Officers had already sealed off and evacuated the surrounding area.

"Please, get Commissioner George Stacy for me! Tell him Peter needs to speak to him. It's really important!"

Peter pleaded until one of the officers finally contacted George.

"Peter?! Where are you? This area isn't safe!"

"George, listen. I've got an inhibitor," Peter said over the distant thunder of the fighting. "If we can get it to Spider-Woman and she injects it into the Lizard, this whole thing can end!"

Silence came from the other end of the call. George seemed to be weighing his options.

"Where exactly are you?" he finally asked.

"I'm on Mentos Street, near... uh..."

"The corner of Twelfth Street," the officer beside him supplied.

"Stay there! I'm coming!"

George arrived quickly in a patrol car. As the NYPD commissioner, he'd naturally gone to the scene to direct the response to an emergency this serious.

The moment the car stopped, Peter opened the passenger door and climbed in.

"Where's the inhibitor?" George asked.

"In my backpack."

"Fine. But I'm not taking you in there."

"No. I'm going with you."

"This isn't a joke, Peter! You're a kid!" George snapped. "Do you understand how dangerous it is out there? Let me handle it!"

The Lizard could overturn a car with its bare hands, and rifle rounds barely bothered it. Trying to stop the creature was like taking on a rampaging tank.

"I'm the only one who understands how the inhibitor works! When a doctor prescribes you medicine, don't you listen to how you're supposed to take it?" Peter shot back.

George held his tongue for a moment. Then he relented.

"Put on your seat belt. And don't do anything unless I tell you to!"

"Got it!"

George explained the operation over the police radio. Several experienced officers volunteered for the dangerous mission, and he had another officer bring Peter a bulletproof vest.

"Uh... is this even going to help?" Peter eyed it doubtfully. After seeing the Lizard's strength firsthand, he suspected the vest would provide more emotional reassurance than actual protection.

"Put it on. We're moving out."

George adjusted the radio and addressed the other officers.

"Everyone, this is NYPD Commissioner George Stacy. Thank you for stepping up. This is an extremely dangerous operation, but the people of this city need us. Above all, look after yourselves."

The channel fell silent for a moment.

"Copy that."

"Copy."

...

George could have waited for a better-equipped SWAT unit or even the National Guard. There simply wasn't time.

The Lizard wasn't standing still to fight Spider-Woman. It kept moving through the city, destroying property and injuring more people as it went. This was downtown, where the powerful had their businesses and expensive homes. Pressure from city officials and ordinary residents alike was forcing George to make a quick decision.

Besides, SWAT was already stuck in traffic. Who knew when they'd arrive?

Two patrol cars led the way through the gridlocked streets. After another two blocks, George's group reached the scene of the fight.

Gwen was having a miserable time. The Lizard seemed to have limitless stamina, and its regenerative ability was absurd. It rampaged through the streets while she struggled to fight it and rescue the people in its path.

Worse, she was running out of web fluid!

She'd already used far too much in this fight. There'd been no time to replenish her supply, and she was short on raw materials anyway. Even if she'd managed to make more, it probably wouldn't have been enough.

She'd been burning through her remaining webs just to restrict the monster's movements.

When the police sirens sounded, the Lizard appeared to be provoked by the noise. It broke free of Gwen and charged toward the patrol cars.

"Oh, come on! Why'd they have to drive right into this?!"

The monster almost reached the lead car, its huge jaws gaping open. The officers inside stared in horror as it bore down on them.

Fortunately, Gwen caught its tail and stopped it just short of the vehicle.

The officers scrambled out. George turned to Peter.

"Stay in the car. Give me the inhibitor!"

Peter didn't argue this time. He fitted a needle to the syringe containing the inhibitor and handed it over.

George stepped out with the syringe and his rifle, running toward the fight.

"Spider-Woman! I've got an inhibitor!" he shouted.

"What?! Whoa!"

Gwen's grip finally gave out. The Lizard slammed into the now-empty patrol car and then surged toward the officers.

"Open fire! Open fire!"

Bullets struck the creature's scales, leaving little white marks. To the Lizard, the impacts were about as irritating as a swarm of biting mosquitoes.

It lunged at the police. The veteran officers responded quickly, with those closest to it retreating while the others provided covering fire.

Gwen caught up in an instant. She dropped from above, stamped the creature's head into the pavement, then sprang onto a streetlight.

"Where's the inhibitor?!"

"Right here!" George raised one hand while continuing to fire his rifle one-handed with the other.

"Oh... my God..."

Seeing who had come to help, Gwen was deeply moved.