Disclaimer: Believe it or not, none of the characters in this story are Saban's. Spiderman (Peter Parker), Deborah Whitman, and Doctor Kurt Conners are all the property of Marvel Comics, and are used without permission. Since I don't read Spiderman comics, the characters are based on the Fox cartoon series, early in the first season. Alexis Darling, the Purple Ranger, is my own character, although the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are Saban's. This story takes place about a month after "Fond Farewells", in early January, 1996. Oh, and one more thing: the thoughts of the characters are between underscores in this story, because I'm too lazy to use italics.
At the St. John the Baptist High School in West Philadelphia, the students scramble to get to class. A single young woman doesn't care much whether she's late or not. Although she's only sixteen years of age, she has learned that there are bigger things to worry about than possible detention. Alexis Darling tugs at the bottom of her plaid skirt, and straightens her vest in the school bathroom. She always hated wearing uniforms, and in Angel Grove, she actually didn't have to. Alexis frowns at her reflection, and after tucking a stray lock of carrot red hair behind her ear, she leaves the bathroom, heading for her American History class. As she wanders through the nearly empty halls, memories flood her mind like a raging river.
Alexis had finished freshman and sophomore years of high school at St. John's, and she even started her present year here. That was months ago, when she lived with her mother Amanda Darling in Philadelphia. Then, in November, Alexis and her mother moved away from the East Coast, and settled in Angel Grove, a small and charming city in southern California. For a few short weeks, Alexis enjoyed the warmth of the climate as well as the warmth of the people. She found an instant friend in Kimberly Hart, and she felt she would have been friends with her even if she never became a Power Ranger.
Alexis owned a small golden coin, with the image of an Eagle on its face, since childhood. It was a family heirlomb, and she always wore it on her necklace. Lord Zedd discovered that the coin was in fact the long-lost Purple Coin, and he kidnapped Alexis, and attempted to make her an evil Purple Ranger. Of course, his attempt failed, and instead, the Power Rangers added a seventh ranger to the roster.
Alexis really loved being a member of the Power Rangers, one of the most exclusive groups on the planet. She quickly formed lasting friendships with all the members-- Kimberly Hart, Tommy Oliver, Trini Kwan, Zack Taylor, Billy Mitchell, and Jason Lee. She finally found her niche, a group of teens that really understood her. And she also found love, since she was attracted to Jason from the beginning. But Alexis couldn't remain in Angel Grove, and the Power Rangers had a quick, and drastic, roster change. Trini, Jason, and Zack left the team to attend the Peace Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, and so they passed on their Power Coins to three friends-- Aisha Campbell, Rocky DeSantos, and Adam Park. All three were excellent martial artists, and they were trustworthy, since they managed to keep the secret of the identities of the Power Rangers for a week before actually joining the team. And after only three weeks of active duty, numerous circumstances caused Alexis Darling to retire.
For one thing, Alexis tried a desperate, and dangerous, tactic in battle. Usually, the Purple Ranger has the ability to absorb the energies of the six other rangers in a combined Bomb Attack, which is the most powerful combined attack the rangers had to date. She had used it several times, and the only consequence had been mild exhaustion, which faded after a few hours. However, the creature they battled was no ordinary monster. It was Dracola, and nothing short of a miracle would cause the mighty beast to fall. Fortunately, the Power Rangers had assistance from another team of young heroes-- the Spectrum Force. Zordon discovered that the Spectrum Force's powers were comparable to that of the Power Rangers, so much so that Alexis could absorb their spectrum powers as well. The result was an awesome single burst of golden energy, which not only destroyed Dracola, but also left Alexis in an extremely weakened state. She didn't recover immediately, and she couldn't morph. She was useless to the Power Rangers.
Also, Alexis' sister Denise Johnson was diagnosed with AIDS, but she refused to quit Law School. She'd finish most likely in May of the following year, but she couldn't study and take care of her infant son Johnathan without a little help. Alexis volunteered, and so she moved in with her sister, back to West Philadelphia. She left the Power Rangers behind, but Zordon allowed her to keep her Purple Ranger powers, since the coin was hers to begin with. Alexis was still weak, but slowly, she's recovering. She even went on patrol for the first time late New Year's Eve, and managed to prevent numerous car accidents due to drunk driving. Thanks to her, the number of car accidents on New Year's Eve was cut in half from the usual high numbers. The media was in a frenzy about the mysterious purple woman who appeared out of nowhere, but no one could get either a picture of her, or a statement from her. They dubbed her the Purple Knight, because she is clad in purple armor, and comes to the rescue of citizens of Philadelphia.
"Hey, Lex!" called a voice from behind. Alexis turned around in surprise, and saw her good friend Dawn Adams.
"Oh, hey Dawn," Alexis said with a warm smile, "What's up?"
"I've been looking for you! Class is about to begin! Why are you walking so slowly?"
"I'm just... thinking," Alexis said. Dawn arched her eyebrow.
"Its about that guy in Angel Grove that you're head over heels for, isn't it?" she asked. Alexis could feel the heat rise in her cheeks.
"Yeah," Alexis admitted, "but I miss _everyone_ I met in Angel Grove. Not just Jason."
"Come on, Lex," Dawn huffed, "you only lived in California for three weeks! You've lived here all your life! What's the big deal?!"
_If only I could tell you, Dawn_ Alexis thought, _I did more than just meet some nice people. I met a group of friends that were so genuine, its hard to believe. And I spent those three weeks fighting for something bigger than anything I've ever even dreamed about! I participated in saving the planet! That's the kind of life that's hard to leave behind..._
"Lex," Dawn said in concern, "you're not zoning out on me again, are you?"
"Nah," said Alexis with a forced smile, "Let's move it! We're going to be late for gym!"
"We can't let that happen," Dawn said with a grin, and the two girls jogged the rest of the way to class.
* * *
The same time in the vast complex of Eastern State University, two young graduate students Deborah Whitman and Peter Parker walk down the hallway towards the largest laboratory in the city. That lab is where the brilliant genetics expert Doctor Kurt Conners works. The two are his best students, and they were both summoned to the lab for a brief meeting. They enter the silent lab, and Deborah turns on the light switch.
"No one's here?" she asked, peering through her glasses. A frown crossed her face as she walked around the lab, "Doctor Conners?"
"Relax, Deb," said Peter with a smile, walking over to the row of lockers. He unlocked the combination on his locker, and pulled out a white lab coat. "Doctor Conners will be here soon."
"Do you have any idea what this meeting is about?" Deborah asked, retrieving her lab coat from her locker, and tying back her long blonde hair in a ponytail, "I just got an e-mail asking me to be at the lab at ten o'clock. That's it."
"Yeah, that's exactly what the message I got said," said Peter with a shrug, "We'll find out soon enough what's going on."
Peter stepped away from Deborah, and looked out at the city through the window. _I sure hope Doctor Conners is okay_ Peter thought, _He hasn't been the same since that whole Lizard incident..._
Peter cringed as he remembered the events of a few weeks ago. Doctor Conners had created a machine that actually bonded human DNA with that of a lizard. Doctor Conners was hoping that by introducing reptile DNA into the human strand, he could grant humans the ability to regenerate lost limbs, just like some reptile species could. He then tested his theory on himself, and the arm he lost in a lab accident a few years ago grew back, good as new. But, the experiment had other, unexpected results. Doctor Conners not only developed the reptilian skill of regenerating limbs, he also mutated into a large beast. He became the Lizard, a deadly, seven foot tall reptile, with super strength and agility, razor sharp fangs and claws, and a mighty tail. Also, his personality was altered, so the Lizard was completely uncontrollable. It was Spiderman's greatest challenge yet to restrain the Lizard without hurting him, and return him to his normal form. He hoped there weren't any permanent changes in Doctor Conners that could somehow bring back the treacherous Lizard. Since the accident, Peter has kept tabs on the doctor, to make sure the Lizard doesn't return.
"Sorry I'm late," said Doctor Conners, closing the door behind him, "it took longer than I thought it would to get plane tickets--"
"Plane tickets?" asked Peter, worry etched on his face, "Are you going somewhere?"
"Yes, I am," Doctor Conners said, "After an... accident that happened a few weeks ago, much of my Neogenics equipment was either damaged or destroyed."
Peter nodded knowingly. It wasn't common knowledge that Doctor Conners actually was the Lizard, but the Lizard did manage to damage a great deal of the equipment in the laboratory.
"The problem is that the budget ESU has given me won't cover all the repairs needed," Doctor Conners said with a sigh, "I know there have been some... setbacks in the Neogenics project, but I know its salvageable, if only I had a bit more funding. So, I decided to seek some assistence from other universities. The University of Pennsylvania, one of the most prestigious research universities in the country, is considering giving my project the necessary extra funding to fix all the damage done. However, I must put together a presentation for the Board at UPenn. My flight leaves tonight."
Peter unconsciously frowned at that statement. _How am I supposed to keep and eye on the Doc if he leaves New York?_
"Wow," said Deborah, "the University of Pennsylvania? Will they really give you the grant?"
"If they like what I have so far," said Doctor Conners.
"How long will you be gone," asked Peter.
"We'll be gone for about a week."
"We?" asked Deborah.
"Yes. I was hoping the two of you would join me. I'll need some help getting the presentation together, and you are my best assistants."
"I'd love to!" said Deborah excitedly.
"Me too," said Peter with a smile. _What luck! Now, I'll be able to look after Doc Conners easily!_
"Well, you have... eight hours to pack your bags and take care of whatever you need to," said Doctor Conners, glancing down at his watch, "The flight leaves JFK at six, and we'll be in Philadelphia at six-thirty."
"Why didn't we just drive to Philadelphia?" asked Deborah curiously, "I mean, it's about a three hour drive. At most!"
"I have a meeting with UPenn's president Judith Rodin at eight o'clock tomorrow morning. I still have some things to get together both here and at Penn before then, and every minute counts."
"We'll meet you at your house at five then?" asked Peter. Doctor Conners nodded.
"Sounds good. See you all then."
Peter and Deborah left the laboratory, hurrying out of the building to get things ready for their sudden departure.
"I'll see you at five, Peter," said Deborah as she climbed into her car. Peter waved at her, and then walked to the nearest subway station, where he could catch a train headed downtown, where the headquarters of the Daily Bugle, New York's premiere newspaper, is located.
_I hope Jameson gives me the next week off,_ Peter thought, running a hand through his short chestnut hair, _He's usually so stingy with vacation time, and he never liked me much. He's always on my back to get some good photographs of something other than Spiderman..._
The subway car pulled up, and Peter boarded, along with a few dozen other commuters. After about ten minutes, Peter exited the train, and headed down the block, to the towering J3 Communications office building, where the powerful business tycoon J. Jonah Jameson runs his entire network of communications mediums, including a newspaper, and several television stations. Peter hurries to the top floor, where Jameson's office is.
"Hi, Trixie," he said to the secretary, "is Mister Jameson in?"
"He's really busy, Peter," Trixie said with a frown, "he just got back from the Bahamas for New Year's, you know."
"Yeah, I know," said Peter, walking to Jameson's door, "but its really important, and I don't have a whole lot of time."
Peter knocked on the door loudly.
"I'm busy!" a voice barked from behind the large oak doors. Peter cringed. Jameson wasn't in a good mood. Peter opened up the door anyway, and strolled in.
"Parker!" Jameson yelled, looking up from a mountain of paperwork, "What're _you_ doing here?!"
"I need to ask for the next week off," Peter said.
"WHAT?!" Jameson roared, "You had a four-day weekend for New Year's! What is it now?"
"Well, Doctor Conners is going to Philadelphia to try to get some funding for his Neogenics experiments, and he asked that I come along. I'm one of his assistants--" "Right," said Jameson, brushing his moustache with his fingers, "You're going to Philly, eh?"
"Yeah."
"I'll let you go on a _paid_ vacation on one condition," said Jameson, rising to his feet, "I want you to get me some photos of the Purple Knight."
Peter's eyebrows rose. "The who?"
"The Purple Knight," Jameson repeated, sipping his coffee, "Several eye-witnesses reported a flying woman in purple and gold armor saving them from car accidents on New Year's Eve. This woman only appeared in Philadelphia, predominantly West Philly, where the UPenn campus is located."
"Yeah," said Peter, "so?"
"So, no one has any proof of her existence! A few people said they saw her, but there aren't any pictures of her! Now, since you're so good at tracking Spiderman, I figure you can make some use of the time you'll be spending in Philly, and track down this Purple Knight. Get some photos, and maybe even a statement from her."
"But, how do I find her?" asked Peter. Jameson smiled.
"You'll find a way. You always do."
Peter left Jameson's office, and went directly home. Along the way, he was constantly emmersed in thought.
_The Purple Knight, eh? I guess some mutant has decided to keep an eye on Philadelphia. Well, they need a superhero over there. New York has me, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four! I'm sure I can find this Purple Knight. I just need to know more about her. I need to do a bit of research before I get to Philly..._
Peter strolled over to the small house he and his Aunt May, his sole living relative, live in. As he closes the door behind him, the scent of cinnamon fills his nostrils.
"Are you baking, Aunt May?" he calls as he walks into the kitchen. The aged woman smiles affectionately at her nephew as she spreads icing over a freshly baked cinnamon coffee cake.
"Well, its so cold today, I thought you'd enjoy some hot cake and coffee when you got back," she said, "So, how was your meeting with Doctor Conners?"
"It went well," Peter said, pouring some freshly perked coffee into a mug, "He invited me and Deborah Whitman to go with him to Philadelphia. He has a presentation to give to the board at UPenn."
"Wonderful," said May, "it seems like ages since you've gone somewhere!"
"Well, I've been busy is all," Peter said with a shrug.
"So, when are you leaving?"
"Tonight. I'd better start packing. Call me when the cinnamon cake cools a bit."
Peter kissed his aunt on the cheek, and hurried up the stairs. He immediately turns on his computer, and while it starts up, he opens his closet and pulls out a few outfits for the trip, including two Spiderman suits, just in case. He throws the clothes into his suitcase, and sits down at his computer. He logs online, and goes to the Philadelphia Inquirer website.
"Now, to see exactly what the reporters in Philly _do_ know about this Purple Knight," he said aloud, accessing the New Year's edition. Sure enough, on the cover was the article about the mysterious Purple Knight. He scrolled down the article, sipping his coffee as he read.
"Strange," he said aloud, "most of the accidents prevented were between 30th and 42nd streets. That's right where the UPenn campus is located! And these eye-witnesses are mostly either students at UPenn and the neighboring college Drexel or professors and staff members. This Purple Knight seems to have adopted University City, the few miles of Philadelphia in and around the two big universities. I wonder why..."
"Peter!" May's voice called, "The cake's ready!"
"I'll be right there!" Peter called, printing out the article on the Purple Knight. He then found a map of University City online, and printed that out too. The folded the sheets of paper, and put them in his backpack.
_I'll read up on the Purple Knight on the airplane_ he decided, walking down the stairs towards the kitchen, _and tonight, Spiderman will see just what's going on in the city of Brotherly Love._
* * *
After school, Alexis and Dawn walk home. Snowflakes begin to lightly coat Philadelphia, and the two girls enjoy watching the flurries fall as they walk.
"So," said Dawn, "what are you doing tonight?"
"Well, Denise has work at four, so I'd better go home directly," said Alexis with a sigh, "She's working until nine o'clock tonight, so I'm babysitting Jonny all day."
"Too bad," said Dawn, "I was hoping we could go catch a movie. Its Friday!"
"I know, but its not so bad. I mean, next week, Denise starts classes again after Winter Break. Then, things're going to be tough. Juggling school and work doesn't leave her with much time to take care of Jonny."
"Its a good thing your mother came last month to help out," said Dawn, "I mean, Denise was really struggling through her final exams. If you mother didn't help, I don't think you would've even been to class at all the week before Christmas."
"You're probably right," said Alexis, as the girls walk to the apartment complex where she lives, "Maybe the two of us can catch the movie tomorrow night?"
"I hope so," said Dawn, waving as she left, "Take care, Lex!"
"See ya, Dawn!"
Once her friend was out of sight, Alexis entered the apartment building, and went to the apartment she shares with her sister and nephew. As soon as she comes in, she sees Denise pulling her jacket on. Denise quickly put her finger to her lips, signalling silence. Johnathan must've been asleep.
"I've got to get going," Denise whispered, "Jonny fell asleep about half an hour ago, so he'll be our for another hour or so. His bottle's in the fridge, and he eats at about six."
"I know," Alexis said, rolling her eyes. Denise always goes over the instructions, even though Alexis watches Johnathan daily.
"Listen," Denise said, "Alice offered to take care of Jonny tonight, so you could have some time for yourself. She'll be here by six-thirty, so make sure he eats before that, okay?"
"Really?" Alexis whispered excitedly.
"Really," Denise said with a smile. She leaned over and hugged her younger sister tightly. "Its not fair for you to give up your entire social life. Alice isn't doing anything tonight, so you can hang out with Dawn or something. You deserve it."
Denise grabbed her purse, waved, and hurried out the door. Alexis grinned widely, and went to her bedroom. She had about ten minutes to kill before Dawn would get home. She laid her backpack down quietly, and took out her textbooks, planning on organizing her homework. She'd need to get a good deal of it done tonight, since she'd go to the movies, and maybe even on patrol afterwards. She glanced down on her dresser, and smiled as her eyes fell upon an article from the January first Philadelphia Inquirer. It was about her.
In Angel Grove, the Power Rangers aren't really news anymore. They've been around for over a year, and the people have become pretty much used to their presence. Not that they don't appreciate the work the rangers do to keep the city safe. They just aren't as awestruck by the heroes any longer. But things are different in Philadelphia. Here, they've never seen a Power Ranger before Alexis came, and they don't know what to make of it. Alexis chuckled as she read over the article about the mysterious flying Purple Knight. They didn't even know she was a Power Ranger. They probably don't believe the Power Rangers even exist.
_I wonder if I should have been more careful to keep a low profile,_ Alexis thought, _I was lucky that no one managed to get a photo of me. But, they'll be ready next time. In fact, I'm willing to bet people are walking around the city with cameras, just to get a shot at me. I didn't really think much about publicity in Angel Grove, but I'm basically alone here in Philly, so I guess the decision is mine. I mean, talking to the press isn't necessarily breaking the Ranger Code. But, if I give them too much information, they may figure out the Power Rangers are human, or something like that. Its probably best if the Purple Ranger, er, Purple Knight, stays quiet._
Alexis goes back into the kitchen, and finds the new newspaper. After quickly checking out the movie listings, she picks up the phone and dials her best friend's phone number.
^Hello?^
"Hey Dawn, its me!"
^What's up, Lex?^
"Guess what? Alice is watching Jonny tonight, so I have the night off! What movie do you want to see tonight?"
* * *
"Peter, what on Earth are you reading?"
Peter glanced up at Deborah, who was curiously peeking at the sheets of paper Peter was so intently reading. Peter frowned at her, and folded the papers.
"Just something for JJ," he said simply, "In order for me to have the week off, I need to get some photographs while in Philly."
"Oh," said Deborah, opening her bag of complimentary peanuts, "Of what?"
"Have you ever heard of the Purple Knight?"
"The what?"
"Just some new superhero that was sighted in Philadelphia. Since I'm going there anyway, I'm going to see if I can find her."
"How?"
"Well, this is the article about the Purple Knight," Peter explained, turning around in the small airplane seat to face Deborah, "I printed it off the web this afternoon. The Purple Knight has only appeared once so far, on New Year's Eve. She single-handedly prevented a few dozen car accidents."
"That's amazing," Deborah said, nodding.
"Yeah," agreed Peter, "but the interesting thing is the locations of the car accidents she prevented. They were all within a fifteen block radius--" Peter pulled out the second sheet of paper. It was a map of University City, marked with red ink. "--the fifteen blocks directly surround the campus of the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University," he continued, "That area of Philadelphia is called University City, for obvious reasons. I marked the places the Purple Knight was sighted. She is clearly protecting this region of Philly."
"Not necessarily," Deborah commented, "After all, this 'Purple Knight' only appeared one night. Its possible she selects a particular area to patrol each time, or perhaps she'll never appear again! There's no way you can deduce her crime-fighting pattern with only one night's data to work with."
"I realize that," Peter said, "but its the right place to start."
Deborah shrugged, and turned to look out the window at the clouds below the airplane. Peter resumed his study of the map of University City.
_What Deb doesn't realize is that superheroes tend to be territorial,_ he thought, _I've met a few heroes, and I've noticed that usually they select a certain area to protect. Especially when they operate solo. I mean, no individual can protect the entire world, so they select either a particular city or portion of a city to patrol. They become experts on the area they lay claim upon. I'm sure the Purple Knight operates in University City. However, I'm not sure how often she appears. She was only sighted once, and I'll be in Philly for only a week! If she doesn't show up, JJ's gonna kill me!_
Peter grimaced at the thought. But, he was still confident he could find the mysterious Purple Knight. After all, he knew where to look.
"Attention, please," said the stewardess, standing in the front of the passenger cabin, "We're beginning our descent to Philadelphia International Airport. Please take your seats, and prepare for landing."
Peter immediately buckled his seatbelt, and Doctor Conners, who was napping in the seat behind Peter and Deborah, woke up. Once the plane landed, the three scientists gathered their luggage, and headed out the airport, where Peter flagged down a cab.
"So, what's the plan?" asked Deborah.
"Well, first we're going to the Penn Tower Hotel to get settled, and at seven-thirty, the Undergraduate Chair of Biological Bases of Behavoir will meet us at my room, and escort us to the facilities at our disposal, so we can set up for tomorrow morning's demonstration."
The three stepped into the cab, and Peter put all the luggage into the trunk.
"Where to?" asked the driver.
"The Penn Tower Hotel, please."
* * *
That evening, after a quick dinner, Doctor Alfonse Griffin of the University of Pennsylvania escorted Peter, Deborah, and Doctor Conners to the laboratory at their disposal. After making sure everything was prepared to the morning's presentation, the three returned to their respective hotel rooms. Peter grimaced as he noticed Doctor Conners was sweating.
"Are you feeling okay, Doc?" he asked.
"Oh, I'm fine," Doctor Conners said, "I guess I'm a little nervous about my presentation tomorrow. This is our last chance to get funding for Neogenics."
"Your presentation is excellent, Doctor Conners," said Deborah, "You have nothing to worry about. Just get a good night sleep, and relax."
Doctor Conners smiled at his two assistants. "That's good advice. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Some sleep will do me good. See you both tomorrow morning, bright and early."
With that, the doctor disappeared behind the door to his room, leaving Peter and Deborah in the hallway.
"So," said Deborah with a smile, "what are you up to tonight?"
"I'm going to bed," Peter said simply.
"Right," she said with a smirk, "What about the Purple Knight?"
Peter rolled his eyes. "Okay, I'm going to look for the Purple Knight. I won't be out too long, because we have a presentation tomorrow morning."
"Need some company?" Deborah offered, "I'm not tired or anything. Besides, its only ten o'clock!"
"Thanks, but no thanks," Peter said, "Trust me, tracking down superheroes is much easier to do alone. G'night, Deb."
"Goodnight, Peter," Deborah said with a frown, entering her room. Peter let out a breath, and went into his own room, locking the door behind him.
"I'm glad I got rid of her," he said, unlatching his suitcase. He pulled out a special small camera, two rolls of film, and one of his Spiderman uniforms. "It'll be much easier to track down this flying Purple Knight as Spiderman. Hopefully, she'll come right to me."
Peter donned his Spiderman uniform, and attached the small camera to his belt. It was specifically designed for use as Spiderman, and is small enough to hide easily. After all, it would look odd for Spiderman to be walking around town with a camera on his neck.
"Now, to find this Purple Knight," he said, opening his window. He perched on the windowsill, and climbed up the wall of the building to the roof , where he could get a better view of the area.
"If I remember correctly, the Penn Tower Hotel is on the south-eastern edge of the campus. So, I'll travel north-west, and hopefully, I'll see her."
With that, Spiderman aimed his web-shooters, and launched a vine of webbing to the nearest high building. He then swung on the web, and continued to web-sling across the campus.
* * *
Meanwhile, inside his room, Doctor Conners splashes some cold water onto his face. No matter what he does, he continues to sweat profusely, and his head is pounding.
"Oh no," he whispered, his knees wobbling, "Not now!"
Doctor Conners gasps in horror as he notices the green hue his skin has taken. He then holds back his screams as his lost arm grows back, with sharp claws and scales. His face elongates into a snout, with razor sharp fangs instead of teeth. He roars as a tail grows, ripping through his slacks and white lab coat. He releases one more roar, and sniffs the air around him.
"Where am I?" asks the Lizard in a deep, rumbling voice, "What has happened?"
The Lizard leaps across the room in a single bound, and punches the glass of the window, shattering it into infinite pieces of glass. He stares out at Philadelphia curiously.
"I do not recognize the surroundings," he growls, "but I do smell something familiar. Spiderman..."
The Lizard growls once again, and leaps out the window. His claws dig into the outer wall, and he safely lowers himself down the building. Once he reaches the ground, he hides inside the bushes along the hotel, until he locates a manhole. He effortlessly rips the manhole cover off, and leaps into the darkness of the sewers.
