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[b]September 5th, 2013. 4:36 PM
Manhattan, New York[/b]

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"Hey, Petey," my godfather, Curtis Connors, greeted me at the door. He was one of only a handful of people who could get away with calling me Petey without agitating me. "Glad you had time to stop by today. I've got some big news I want to share with you."

Great. I could tell just from his voice it would be science related. Whenever he started talking fast and excitedly it would always involve something to do with his lab work. While his science discussions were always boring to listen to, he was my godfather and I never complained when he wanted to share his newest results and experiments with me. That's not to say I didn't crack jokes at his expense and kid around with him, though. 

It was pretty much our thing. I would drop by for a visit at the Lee-Ditko Research Center where he worked, he would show me what he was currently researching or explain to me about some new and exciting scientific discovery, or theory, or whatever, and I would make a few immature jokes whenever he asked me my opinion on the topic. Curt would smile, change the discussion to how I was doing in school and my life in general, and we'd talk for an hour or two.Then, every time before I would leave, he would try to persuade me to pursue a life in the lab and dedicate my intellect to science, and every time I would turn him down with another joke. Sometimes I would feign annoyance at his persistence, but it was always more amusing than irritating. It had become a little tradition of sorts.

Curt led me over to his office; compared to the rest of the lab it was a small room, but it was about as large as my bedroom, and just as messy. As was typical, his desk was cluttered with piles of papers and empty cups of coffee. He cleared a small space in front of his chair and set down the laptop he had been carrying. 

"I know I've told you a little about my work before, but do you remember what I told you it was your father and I had set out to do all those years ago?"

Of course I did; he would remind me almost every month, but Curt could be pretty forgetful at times. Aunt May and I would tease him by referring to him as Professor Plum after the absent-minded "Clue" character.

“Sure,” I said. “You were researching tissue regrowth, a cure for cancer, and other stuff like that.”

Curt nodded, grabbing a cup of coffee off of his desk. “Right,” he took a sip and winced. I guessed the drink was probably ice cold after sitting there for more than a few hours.

Originally,” he continued, “I was looking into lizards and how they can regrow lost limbs. I always believed I could take reptilian DNA and combine it with the DNA of other species in a safe way that would allow the subject to fully accept the new DNA sequences and integrate it successfully into their own genetics.”

“Sounds like a plot to a cheesy, fifty’s B-movie a la The Human Fly.”

“Yes, well, while attempts at cross-species neo-genetic recombination have never been successful to date, the theory is far from science fiction. As a matter of fact...” 

Curt tapped a few keys on his laptop and spun it around to show me the document he had opened up full of graphs and charts. I could tell it demonstrated some sort of positive results over a fairly lengthy period of time, but without knowing all of the research behind the data I had no real clue what I was looking at.

“I’m sure this is all really cool, but I’m not sure what exactly it is I’m supposed to be seeing here.” I told him.

“Petey, this is my breakthrough! Look,” Curt clicked the mouse and a new document popped up. “Look here, do you see it?” He was really getting excited now.

This new page had a few complicated equations listed out for what appeared to be some sort of formula. 

“Wait a minute...” I was putting two and two together, and even I was starting to show some excitement over this. I was never one to show interest in science, but this... this could be huge. “Is this what I think it is, or am I just jumping to conclusions? You didn’t [i]actually[/i] manage to incorporate lizard DNA into another species, did you?” 

"Well, no,” he admitted. “Not yet at least. But I’m close! I’m so close to succeeding, Petey. This is it. This has been what I’ve been working on for my entire career and I’m almost there. I just want to make absolutely sure before I begin testing, but I’m confident and I expect to start running trials with this formula in a couple months, if not sooner.” He smiled at me. "I knew you would be able to tell what it was. You've got your father's brain."

Wow. Even I had to admit, this was pretty cool. If Curt was right, and if the formula succeeded this would completely change the world. The medical field would be revolutionized. Amputees all around the world would get the chance to literally regrow their limbs back. I glanced at Curt and his own missing arm; he had more reason than most to be excited over this.

“How did you come across this formula?” I was curious now. 

He explained rather long-windedly about realizing a few years back that trying to introduce foreign DNA sequences into a completely different species would almost certainly never work; the process likely ending in failure every time. He had come to the conclusion that before he ever hoped to succeed with cross-species genetics, he would first have to strengthen the already existing genes in a species so that any new DNA introduced wouldn’t immediately be rejected.

Curt picked up the same coffee and took another sip, apparently already forgetting it was long past being warm. “So,” he said through another grimace, “after spending months of researching previous experiments concerning modification of genetic structures in attempts to greatly enhance the test subject, I began my own tests. Two years ago, after countless experiments, I started to successfully alter the genetics of small species in a way that would effectively increase their capabilities. To give them a super boost, if you will, to their DNA.”

“Small species?” I asked tentatively, sure I already knew the answer.

“Yes. Insects and arachnids mostly. Anyways...” 

He carried on, but I wasn’t listening anymore. I was already flashing back to that day last year, there in the lab, where I had been bitten by the spider. I had always figured it had been one of my godfather’s experiments; I mean, how else could a spider bite give me superhuman abilities, but to finally, truly, learn the origin of that spider was sort of mind-numbing. I had long since accepted the dramatic changes I had undergone, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t still curious of what, exactly, had brought on those changes. Whatever Curt had done to that spider somehow, through some miracle or freak accident, affected me through the bite. I wanted to ask about the arachnids he experimented on, or, better yet, what research he had discovered that led him to successfully alter their genetics, but I bit my tongue. I didn’t want him to start questioning why I was so interested in his work all of sudden. He may be forgetful at times, but he was still a brilliant man and I didn’t need him figuring out my secret. But I would definitely find a way to dig deeper now that I had a general direction to go in.

“Petey, are you listening to me?” 

His words snapped me out of my reverie. My godfather was looking at me with that analytical stare of his, trying to figure out where my mind had gone to. 

“Yeah, sorry. Just, uh... zoned out.” I said, trying to play up my known disinterest in all things science. “I guess all your science talk finally put me to sleep.” I smiled to let him know I was teasing.

‘Listen, I, uh, I have to go. Homework to do and all that other fun stuff that comes with being a high school student.”

“Oh, alright.” Curt seemed surprised I was cutting my visit short without really getting a chance to talk yet. “But, Petey, don't think I didn't catch that gleam in your eye earlier. You can’t hide it from me with the boredom facade. It may have only been briefly, but you got a little excited by all that ‘science talk.’ There’s hope just yet that you’ll join me in the lab someday,” he added with a wink.

For the first time since Curt had started prodding me towards a life in a lab coat, I found myself contemplating the possibility. Not so much out of interest for science, but more so because working in the lab alongside my godfather might bring me closer to the answers about that spider and just what had been done to it... and me.

“Anything’s possible.” Was all I said as I waved goodbye. Anything.