Symbiotic Agent

Just like Holm, Gwen could sense the outcome of the skirmish beside him simply by the intense scent of blood. While she didn't fight in this manner, she harbored no objections; after all, not everyone shared her approach.

"The next step is getting into the lab. Looks like it requires a password. Wonder if forcing it open would trigger anything," Holm muttered, breaking the silence. He stared at the door, then glanced at Gwen beside him.

Gwen stepped up to the display screen near the door. After a brief assessment, she replied, "It's not too complex. I can get it open." She pulled out a thin, sheet-like device from her waist, slightly thicker than chewing gum, and attached it to the display.

With a small button press, the device began scrambling garbled codes across the screen. Holm's puzzled expression prompted her to explain: "It's a lock-picking tool I made myself. Usually gets through any password that's not too advanced."

"The password Dr. Lizard set isn't particularly tough," she continued. "He probably set it up just to keep his lizardmen from wandering in and disrupting experiments. I doubt the smarter ones even have clearance." She added, "Normally, Dr. Lizard wouldn't leave, and against actual intruders, the lizardmen guards outside would be far more effective than a combination lock."

As Spider-Woman spoke, Holm nodded, tucking the small explosive he'd taken out back into his bag. He'd planned to use it to force the door open—it was something he had used countless times before. The SHIELD-specialized bomb was reliable, with low noise, high power, and strong penetration, particularly suited for locked doors. But now, with Gwen's approach, he could save the explosive.

Watching the device's progress near completion, Holm marveled at her inventiveness. It was remarkable that she'd crafted such effective advanced tech on her own.

A soft "click" sounded as the progress bar finished, and the door slid open. Holm stepped forward, nudging the door fully, and entered with Spider-Woman at his side.

The lab was massive, crammed with all manner of devices. Alongside the central machinery with unknown purposes, several enormous glass jars lined the wall at the back. Each jar contained lizardmen of varying shapes, immersed in a greenish liquid, with labels at their bases reading terms like "Phase One" and "Phase Two."

Unlike the complete lizardmen they'd encountered earlier, the ones here appeared incomplete, indicating these were likely the early, failed experiments of each stage.

"I can't feel any heartbeats or breathing. They must be dead," Venom's voice echoed within Holm's mind.

Holm sighed, a sense of sorrow stirring within him. These lizardmen, once incomplete, had once been human.

Beside him, Gwen was also studying the deformed figures in the jars. Unlike Holm, her gaze held not only pity for these unfortunate beings but also a deep sadness—a sadness laced with personal memories. Her mind flashed to Peter Parker, another of Dr. Lizard's victims.

Dr. Lizard had manipulated Peter, exploiting his desire to be unique, like Spider-Woman, to make him willingly volunteer as a test subject. The memory triggered an anger in Gwen that made her fists clench involuntarily.

In the weight of that somber atmosphere, Holm and Gwen felt an urgency to press on. They both knew they needed to find information on the reagent and Dr. Lizard's plans without delay.

"Here's a separate folder," Holm announced, spotting a concealed file tucked in the corner. The folder contained several videos, each marked with a date and timestamp. After a moment of thought, Holm selected the oldest video and hit play.

The screen flickered, then stabilized, revealing a bearded man with a weary, desolate expression. His right sleeve was empty, signaling a missing arm.

"The past few days have been unbearable. My Martha passed three days ago. I don't even know why I'm still here," the man spoke to the camera, his voice tinged with despair and apathy.

Holm examined the man's features closely, piecing together fragments of memory. The figure resembled someone he knew from another reality, and he soon realized that in this world as well, Dr. Connors was the real Lizard, the main brain behind the whole fiasco. The missing right arm was a clear giveaway.

Yet, there were differences. In this version of events, Dr. Connors' family—his wife and son, scarcely mentioned in Holm's memory—had both died tragically, leaving the man in utter shambles.

After several rambling, disjointed sentences, Dr. Connors finally mentioned his experiment.

"I'm not sure why I should continue, but I need to finish the experiment I once left incomplete. Whether I fail or succeed, at least I can join Martha without regrets," he confessed, his voice heavy with resolve and weariness.

"I promised Martha I'd never touch this experiment again, to let it go," he continued. "She believed it was too dangerous, always fearful of the unknown. But I loved her, so I stopped. Those were our best days. We really shouldn't have done anything so risky."

"But now, I've lost everything—my child, my Martha. All I have left is this experiment. It's unfinished, an obsession I can't shake."

He paused before delivering his final words in the video: "I'll complete it, regardless of the outcome. I can't live without purpose, and I can't die with regrets."

The first video ended abruptly. Holm looked up to find that Gwen had moved beside him, silently watching over his shoulder.

A subtle fragrance caught his attention—a familiar, rich aroma, tinged with a hint of fruit.

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