KILLER REX

The next day, Peter sits down and watches the news reports about alien life being discovered on Jameson's shuttle. Ben soon walks in and notices that Peter looks uninterested in this.

"You don't seem excited about this, sir. I thought you'd be over the moon to hear about alien life."

Peter smiles.

"It's just a mud stain on the space shuttle, Ben. If I wanted to see a real alien, I would just go to Metropolis." Peter says.

Peter then looks at the recording and sees the lifeform move.

"Organic, living mud. But mud nonetheless." Peter adds.

As the young man stands up, Ben hands him a piece of paper.

"What's this?" Peter asks.

"It's a ticket to Ms. Watson's play tonight. She dropped it off last night during your party."

Peter sighs, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Ben, I-"

"It's your choice, Master Peter. Just thought you should know. I know you don't want a romantic relationship with Ms. Watson, but you did say that you'd be her friend."

As Ben walks away Peter looks down at the ticket, thinking about Andrea, and whether or not he should go to her play tonight.

Meanwhile a giant figure is watching the same news report, saying that the alien lifeform is being kept in Horizon Labs while also on the phone.

"Are you watching the news?" A mystery voice asks.

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'm on it."

The giant figure stands up to reveal someone with green scales, sharp teeth and a rhino horn on his head.

Later that day, at the New York City Public Library, Jill rolls over to a bookshelf and sees a book on a high shelf. Jill takes a deep breath and tries to grab it, but can't reach the book. She starts to get frustrated, desperately trying to grab the book. She then reaches out too far and starts to fall out of her chair. Before she hits the ground, Peter shows up and catches her.

"You don't have to push yourself so hard, this early." Peter says.

He puts Jill back in her chair and grabs the book she wanted.

"Sorry, just getting used to being helpless." Jill says.

Jill then grabs the book then starts to roll away.

"Jill, come on. You're not-"

"It's fine Peter-really. So what are you doing here anyway. And if you say to check on me, I will run over your foot."

Peter chuckles.

"Ok. I won't say that."

Jill sighs.

"I'm the wrong person you should be paying visit to."

Peter looks at Jill, knowing who she's talking about.

"I'm not going to have this conversation again." Peter says.

"I know. Life as Spider-Bat means you can't be happy, and the people you care about are in danger. But Peter- you love her."

Peter doesn't answer for a moment.

"It's because I love her, that I have to keep my distance. I made a mistake, thinking that I could actually be happy with her. Never again."

Jill sighs.

"Fine, I'm guessing you're not going to change your mind again. But you are going to her play tonight right? You haven't been to one since her first show and would really mean a lot to her."

Peter thinks for a moment.

"I don't know yet." Peter replies.

Meanwhile at Horizon Labs, where the alien ooze is being kept, Commissioner Stacy, Detective Montoya, and Bullock stand outside of the building alongside other police officers.

"This stinks." Bullock says.

"Quit complaining. This isn't any different from any old shakeout." Montoya replies.

"Yeah, but at least those have a purpose. Now we're just glorified security guards, guarding black slime." Bullock adds.

"The scientists think that people might try to steal the alien lifeform so they can sell it on the black market. We have to treat this like a real threat." Commissioner Stacy says.

Bullock scoffs.

"Yeah right. Who'd ever steal a bunch of goo?"

At that moment a police car lands infront of them. They quickly pull out their guns and look out at the distance and sees the giant croc with a rhino horn can be seen running through police cars and police officers.

"I think you got your answer." Montoya says.

The three of them starts to open fire on the creature, but he easily shrugs off every bullet as he continues take out police officers.

While that's happening Peter, wearing the Spider-Bat suit, lands on the roof of a building that is across the street from where Andrea's play is taking place. He takes off his mask and thinks about how badly he wants to go in and support her. At that moment, he gets a call from Ben.

"Hey Ben, what's going on?" Peter asks.

"There's seems to be trouble at Horizon Labs, sir."

Peter doesn't reply, staring at his mask and Andrea's poster for a moment.

"Master Peter?" Ben says.

Peter quickly snaps out of it and puts back on his mask.

"I'm on my way, Ben."

Peter jumps off the roof and web swings away. As that's happening Andrea is inside, staring disappointedly at the empty seat that was supposed be where Peter was supposed to sit.

Back at Horizon Labs, Commissioner Stacy and Detective Bullock are knocked away by the giant creature and Montoya is knocked to the ground infront of him. He then grabs a police car and lifts it over his head to squash Montoya. Spider-Bat then quickly swings in and grabs Montoya, moving her out of the way before the car lands on top of her. The two land infront of Commissioner Stacy and Detective Bullock.

"You ok?" Peter asks.

"Yeah. Not the first time I got hit by a guy bigger than me." Montoya replies.

Peter and the giant croc stare each other down.

"You know that thing?" Bullock asks.

"I've heard of him. His real names Waylon O'Hirn, otherwise known as Killer Rex. He suffers from a rare skin disorder called epidermolytic hyperkeratosis. He filed his teeth to razor points and went on a killing spree. His m.o. is bank robberies mostly- and cannibalism. I'm guessing someone has hired him to steal the alien lifeform. You guys pull out. I'll handle this."

All three of the cops look at each other concerned.

"No offense, but are you sure you can handle this guy?"

"I'll be fine. Go." Peter replies.

Commissioner Stacy nods as he and his two detectives leave, helping the other cops who have been taken out by Killer Rex. Meanwhile, Killer Rex smiles at Spider-Bat.

"So I finally meet you face to face. Now I get to kill you." Rex says.

Peter smirks.

"Heard that one before."

Killer Rex then throws a car at Peter, but the hero quickly flips over it. He then uses his webs to slingshot himself at him, landing a dropkick to his chest that does nothing. Killer Rex tries to slam his fists into Spider-Bat, but Peter somersaults to the side and webs his hands together. Rex easily breaks free from the webs and throws a punch.

Peter tries to block it, but gets sent flying through the doors of the lab and across a table. As Peter gets back to his feet, Rex charges at him head first. Peter dodges, causing Rex's horn to crack the protective glass that's holding the alien lifeform. Peter then punches Killer Rex in the face, knocking him back and destroying parts of the lab.

While they continue to fight, the alien lifeform squeezes through the crack of the glass to get outside.

At that moment, Rex tackles Peter and pins him against the wall, biting his shoulder. Peter yells out in pain then punches him in the face, knocking one of his teeth out. As Rex's mouth is left open, he quickly pulls out an explosive and shoves it down his throat. The explosive goes off but Rex shrugs it off and knocks Peter away and he runs out of the lab in a hurry. Commissioner Stacy then runs in and helps Spider-Bat to his feet.

"Are you in pain?" He asks.

Peter stands up to his feet, clutching his shoulder.

"I work through pain." Peter replies.

Later as Spider-Bat and Commissioner Stacy stand outside, an angry scientist soon approaches them.

"I hope you're proud of yourself. Not only did you wreck the lab, but you let that thing get away with the lifeform. Or maybe that was your plan." He says in a accusing tone.

Commissioner Stacy steps infront of the scientist.

"What are you implying?"

"How do we know that he and that big brute aren't working together?"

Commissioner Stacy gets angry.

"Listen to me you smug little-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Peter stops him. Stacy turns around to Spider-Bat shaking his head at him. The hero then shoots out a web and swings away.

"He didn't even deny it." The scientist says.

Commissioner Stacy starts to walk away.

"Because he doesn't have to."

As Peter swings away, unbeknownst to him, the alien lifeform is on the back of his foot. Peter starts to get a little frustrated, at not only letting Killer Rex get away, being accused of something he didn't do but also missing Andrea's play. He then starts to get frustrated, wondering where did the alien lifeform go, because Killer Rex couldn't have taken it.

As his frustration grows, the lifeform starts to grow over his suit. He swings onto a rooftop, with his suit now pitch black.