A Collapsing Star

Chapter Fifteen

"Tony? What's going on?" Steve asked, standing in the center of the semi circle formed by the Avengers. "Why did you call us?"

"Peter? Why don't you share?" Tony said. Peter shot his dad a glare but stepped up nonetheless.

"This is Dr. Connors," Peter said, FRIDAY broadcasting a holographic image of him. It then changed to show a picture of the Lizard. "This is also Dr. Connors. He's been mutated and intends to mutate the rest of the city."

"He's trying to change everyone into Godzilla?" Clint asked. Peter nodded. "That should not sound so awesome."

Natasha elbowed him in the side. "Continue Peter." she said.

"I fought him earlier today. Do not underestimate him. I made that mistake and I got a little messed up." Peter said sheepishly. "I don't know where he is right now, but the best bet is Oscorp. That's where we made the serum."

"We?"

Peter blushed and looked down. "Yeah I...I've been working with Dr. Connors."

"Okay. So how do we stop him?" Steve asked.

"Lizards are sensitive to temperature change." Peter said. "So I was thinking Dad could blast him with his repulsor. The drastic change in heat should cause his systems to go into shock, incapacitating him. Next we need a place to hold him while I synthesize a cure."

"Will you be able to create one?" Steve asked. Peter nodded.

"I made the serum. I sure I can make a cure too." Peter said with finality. "It will take me a little while though, which is why need to find somewhere to hold him."

"We could place him in the Raft." Steve suggested. Peter looked at him strangely.

"The Raft? I thought that was a prison for bad guys?" Peter asked.

"He's trying to mutate the entire city, Pete," Clint pointed out. "That sounds like something a bad guy would do."

"No, it's just...it's messing with his mind." Peter defeneded.

"It won't be permanent." Tony said softly. "Once you can make the cure we'll let him out. The Raft is the only place suitable to hold him."

Peter sighed and looked at the ground. "I know." And he did. He just felt so guilty about locking Dr. Connors in a prison full of criminals. Why did he have to help create that serum?

"Okay, next big question, where is Dr. Connors now?" Steve asked.

"He was in the sewers last time we fought," the team screwed up their faces in disgust. "But he ran off after he clawed me up."

"Clawed you up?" Clint asked. In form of answer, Peter lifted his shirt to show the healing claw marks on his chest. The team gasped.

"He's got a nasty pair of claws." Peter said. "Try to be careful."

"Okay, we will definitely be going back to running headfirst into dangerous situations later," Steve said. "But right now we need to catch a Lizard. How did you find him, Peter?"

"I had some help," Peter said. "But he can't help this time. We need to find a different way to find him." He figured Eddie would appreciate not being put on the Avengers radar, what with eating people and all.

"Okay...so what's the plan?" Clint asked. "Do we bait him out?"

"No, that wouldn't make sense. Think. Where would you go if you want to mass-mutate all of New York?" Peter asked. "How would you be able to do that?"

"I have no idea," Tony said. "I can't think of anyway you could efficiently mutate all of New York. But if it were me, I'd go back to my lab to figure it out."