Chapter 26

They'd chosen this rooftop for a reason. From this vantage point, they could watch over the most crowded area of Manhattan at midnight. Elsewhere, the city had gone quiet; certain streets were deserted, adding to the stillness of the night. But here, the vibrant nightlife buzzed below, alive with nightclubs and bars filled with young people, restless and eager for release. As the night wore on, these crowds would eventually spill out onto the streets in small groups, their energy waning, laughter lingering as they staggered off to find cabs or walk home.

Holm observed them intently, thinking they made perfect prey. 'If I were Dr. Lizard,' he mused, 'I'd go after these people too. They're full of pent-up energy and make the ideal targets.' He could almost hear himself taunting them, 'All that energy with nowhere to put it? Well, follow me to the lab. You'll all be exhausted by the end.' Holm chuckled at the thought, imagining Dr. Lizard dragging these drunk partiers away for his sinister experiments. He was still chuckling when Daisy interrupted, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Why do you think it's so mysterious? He's Dr. Lizard, not some all-knowing psychic. How could he predict that we're coming after him?" Daisy asked. Holm grinned as he answered, "Exactly. Plus, we already know he's reckless. The police have mapped out his pattern of attacks, but he keeps doing his thing, ignoring the risks."

Holm reflected on how public perception was shifting. "Have you noticed? Every day, the Daily Bugle's owner slams the police on his channel, and it's only boosting their ratings." After spending time in this universe, Holm was beginning to understand just how irritating James could be, complaining endlessly on TV. In movies, it had always seemed comical, but in real life, hearing it every day was exhausting. Holm tried to imagine the patience Peter Parker, Spider-Man in countless universes, must have to deal with. Even in the movie, when Peter was influenced by Venom, he'd only asked James for a raise instead of doing something drastic. Holm thought, :Spider-Man is seriously one of the most patient heroes.'

Daisy added, "Maybe James has been quieter because Spider-Woman's been laying low lately. After all, without her around, he's got no one else to target." She knew James' style well. The Daily Bugle's enormous screen wasn't far from where they stood, and its broadcasts were loud enough to be a daily nuisance. Both of them had grown used to its constant interruptions.

Holm set his binoculars down, rubbing his eyes as he joked, "Looks like Dr. Lizard hasn't even managed to nab a middle-aged guy this month. If I were him, I'd take James—problem solved."

Feigning mock seriousness, he continued, "James has so much energy, so it's obvious he's in good health—perfect specimen material."

"Don't joke about that." Daisy put her binoculars down, looking at him with a hint of real concern. "He might be irritating, but it's terrifying to think of him falling into Dr. Lizard's hands."

Seeing her genuine worry, Holm laughed. "Relax, it's just a joke. If Dr. Lizard were actually listening to me, I'd tell him to surrender, tie himself up, and make our lives easier."

Daisy smiled at this, her confidence bolstered. "We're going to catch him! This month will be his last."

She reached out her hand, eyes glinting with determination in the moonlight, and Holm high-fived her, a satisfying smack echoing in the night air. "Let's hope your wish comes true," he said, grinning.

Daisy, charged with renewed spirit, picked up her binoculars and continued her watch. Holm did the same, scanning for any signs of movement below. Time passed, and eventually, another wave of people trickled out from the bar, staggering in different directions.

Just as Holm shifted his gaze slightly, something caught his attention—a familiar figure in his peripheral vision that made him turn back. It was a girl he recognized: blonde, with slightly curly hair, dressed in a familiar sweatshirt. She trailed behind the bar crowd, pausing to look around as though weighing her options before choosing a direction.

After a short walk, she stopped again, seemingly dissatisfied, and turned back, heading in the other direction. She was not alone for long; the latest group of bar patrons had also started down the same path, walking in her direction, weaving unsteadily as they went.

"Look at this girl," Holm thought, shaking his head. "Not content to buy booze at the convenience store anymore; she's hitting the bars." He found it odd that any bar would let someone who seemed underage inside.

As Holm followed her movement through the binoculars, she suddenly stopped, raising her head to look directly in their direction with an expression of suspicion. Holm's heart skipped—had she sensed their presence? Although he knew she couldn't possibly spot them from this distance, with their vantage so high up and their advanced binoculars, it felt as though they were making direct eye contact. Holm quickly looked away, feeling a strange flutter of unease.

"Could her intuition really be that strong?" he wondered, amazed. He knew that sometimes people could sense when they were being watched, but from this far?

Unable to resist, he glanced back, wanting to confirm it was a coincidence. Just as he turned, however, something dramatic happened—a manhole cover near the girl suddenly shot skyward.

A monstrous green lizard emerged from the sewer, its scales gleaming in the dim light, and unfolded an oversized sack with shocking swiftness. Without a moment's hesitation, the creature captured the trio of unsteady bar-goers in front of the girl, stuffing them into the sack. The creature then moved toward the girl, who took two hesitant steps backward, but her attempts to escape were futile. The lizard's agility far surpassed hers, and within seconds, she too was tossed into the sack.

After capturing his victims, the lizard monster slung the bulging sack over his shoulder, heading back toward the sewer he had emerged from, looking pleased with his quick success.

Holm and Daisy, frozen in shock, watched as he disappeared with his captives, the girl's figure vanishing along with the others.

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