Following the relieving news of Veronica's safety, Regina lazed around her apartment. Bryan seemedon edge. No surprise. He still didn't know what had happened to the symbiote creature. Anxietystretched over every crease of his face."Will you stop worrying, Bryan?" Regina finally said, aggravated by her brother's constant worry."Surely Veronica will remember something in due time." Little did Regina realise that the creatureinhabiting her body was the symbiote. It wouldn't be long now. Soon the creature would reveal itselfto her. Regina considered silently what the being was as she watched the television, witnessing thecarnage of what she had done the night before.Strange, she could not remember any of it. But the unmistakable sense of déjà vu made her thinkotherwise. This was not the first time. It would not be the last.Scales between her powerful purple talons, teeth tearing tendons from the Lizard – Regina feltthe impulse, the pleasure in her brain. Closing her eyes, Regina got lost in nirvana. The symbioterelished the emotions. All the negativity, uncertainty and disdain, it loved every moment of the girl'smemories.Even sealed mementos of Regina's past were consumed by the creature. It realised just howbroken Regina was. Perfect.A sudden thud at the door startled Regina in her state. Bryan was already up and answering thedoor. Regina suddenly realised what swirled around her head for the moments. What washappening to her? She didn't like violence...did she?"I'll be damned," Bryan said surprised as he opened the apartment door. "Mike! Fuck me; I didn'texpect to meet you again so soon.""You make it sound like a bad thing, Bryan," Mike replied as he was welcomed into theapartment."Not at all. I've only been back in town for less than a day and already...gee, you have no idea.But it's good to see you.""Likewise." Mike made his way into the lounge area where Regina was slouched on the couch."And you must be Regina." She looked up cautiously. The symbiote didn't settle. Urges seeped intoRegina's mind."Ye-yes," Regina stammered, trying to compose herself. The creature tried so hard to break her.Since she had those impulses, her alter-ego had hit breaking-point."Is it perchance you don't know who I am?" Mike asked disappointed. "Bryan. Don't tell meyou've not told Regina about her half-brother now."Like a pressure cooker, Regina was going to pop."There hasn't been a good time really."Flesh started folding to purple. Regina panicked and bolted for the bathroom. Frenzy Origins-2-"What's that about?" Mike asked, glancing in the direction of the bathroom. Regina slammed thedoor behind her.'Stupid girl,' she thought."Regina has some...issues, Mike. She doesn't really get along with strangers.""Oh...you mean because of-" Mike was paused before he could say another word."We don't talk about that," Bryan whispered sincerely."Stupid, stupid," Regina strained. Fleeing like that was hardly discreet. Neither was hiding in thebathroom. But she had to. Tendrils lashed out from her skin, anchoring onto her features. Thecreature was breaking free. "Get...the fuck...out of my head!" she growled."Don't reject it," the symbiote snarled, "You've started this, you must accept it!" Regina's mouthwarped."Fuck you!" she snarled, "Stop manipulating me!" Her voice became deep and monstrous like thebeast itself. She tried to focus. However, her violent tendencies were unleashing a monster."You're the monster. Not me. Not us. You!""I'm not falling for your tricks," Regina strained. She tried so hard to keep calm and quiet. Bryancouldn't know what she had become."Shame. I'm sure Bryan would love to know what became of his new affair," the symbiotechuckled gleefully. Regina couldn't make sense of what the vicious voice meant. She was toopreoccupied restraining her fiendish half. The flesh slapped and hooked into Regina's pores, again,morphing to purple skin."I felt the connection between us, Regina..." Regina wanted to drown out the voice. Its influencewas growing, becoming even more difficult to contain."Back there...in the lab..." She didn't want to hear it. At least now she realised what inhabited herbody. That made it worse. Bryan couldn't know. Nobody needed to know. Regina silently begged forhis help within. Mid-transformation, Regina hunched with her back against the door. Her bodyshuddered when Bryan knocked and rattled.Frenzy Origins-3-"Only if you're gonna arrest me for freaking out," Regina replied as she retook her place on thecouch as if nothing happened. "I didn't realise I had another brother. Yeah, thanks for telling me,Bryan.""C'mon, you mean to tell me mom didn't tell you?" Mike intervened, "that sounded like Angela,alright." Mike finished quietly."Yeah...Angela." Regina drifted off. Angela - the bitch - of course she would glaze over distantrelatives. Not that she was sober enough to remember. Strangely though, Regina still felt close toher mother. She remembered moments of charity...somehow. She couldn't put a date on it. Therewas nothing. She always remembered the accident though. Why that and nothing else?The brothers continued their conversation for a spell, ignoring Regina completely. Regina didn'tmind. The less attention she drew the better. Silently, she contemplated the creature within.Though, she never did feel quite the same after that episode. The realization came as a shock. As didthe creatures attempt to assert its influence. It almost succeeded. Somehow, Regina managed tocontain the creature briefly. It would return, trying to control her.By that evening, Regina wanted release. She waited until Bryan started up the television, andstrung up her door like she used to, ensuring that her brother would not interrupt. Or notice she wasgone. Regina pushed her window open and leant out. A few stories up. What was she thinking? Afterwhat happened earlier, did Regina expect the creature would co-operate. Even crazier was what shewas about to do.The symbiote convinced her she could do this. Regina was too intrigued to not ignore thepossibility.Regina scanned the wall, all the way up to the night's sky. She took a deep breath, absorbing thecool air around. Slowly, she perched atop the metal railing and reached towards the wall. Reginafocused and her hand turned purple. Claws attached to the wall. Like glue, her fingertips stuck. Veinssplayed from the tips in a small perimeter, latching like webs."This is insane," Regina whispered. Then she tried the other hand. It, too, stuck like the first.Right, left and then right again. Before she even realised, Regina was scaling the wall. She didn'tstop, nor consider that she was still 'human.' If anybody looked up they would see a young womanclimbing the wall. Regina gasped in amazement.She couldn't believe it. Never had she been so thrilled. She was eager to discover what more thecreature could do. She completely forgot about the seeping influence it had, though. The more shedesired it, the more it rooted to her. Regina scurried swiftly up to the roof, flipping over as shereached it."Wow!" she released, taking in the New York City night air in one giant breath. She was free.Flexing her claws, Regina willed the creature to envelop her. Nightwear morphed to purple massencasing her body. Crawling was just the start. Regina recalled her dream; swinging from rooftop torooftop with the scenery rushing by. With all the tall skyscrapers around, Regina was a child in aplayground.Glancing down the avenue beyond, Regina walked to the edge of the roof and gazed down to thestreet below. She was several stories up now. Thankfully, Regina was not afraid of heights. But shewasn't prepared to find out what it felt like to face plant the sidewalk from three hundred feet. Shewinced as the thought crossed her mind.Paranoia and fear danced around her. Those thoughts were quashed though with the assuranceof the creature. Regina complied, extending her hand out towards the highest point she could see. Asingle coarse strand lanced from the heel of her palm and anchored into the wall. Regina felt it Frenzy Origins-4-tighten as the line compensated. Without hesitation, she dropped off the roof. For a split second,Regina didn't know what she was doing. A monstrous scream escaped her lungs as she swungthrough the air.Regina thought the line would snap and she'd go tumbling into the on-rushing traffic below. Itdidn't. Instead she sailed, not so gracefully, above the traffic. Regina sighed with relief. Before sheeven realised it, Regina let go of the strand and launched another further down the way. She swungsomewhat more elegantly and less dramatically. A cry of triumph escaped her lungs.The symbiote instantly applied its knowledge unto Regina, and she responded as it expected. Butshe didn't realise the creature had done so. It was like she knew how to swing through the cityalready.Memories from the symbiotes experiences were benefitting the host. Regina continuedtraversing the New York skyline, growing increasingly confident with each swing, every crawl, leap,bound and dive. Both Regina and the symbiote were synchronising. And Regina loved everymoment, dangerously so.Soon, the unmistakable bells of trouble enticed her. Sirens led the way and Regina followedclosely above. The thrill started to manifest. Regina's darker urges were crawling to the surface. Sheat least wanted to see what she could do with the creature.The trail of red and blue led Regina to a number of criminals raiding a jeweller. There were nolights on inside, so it was difficult to see how many exactly. Three patrol cars prevented a frontalescape. Regina watched from the opposite roof, analysing the scene. Two officers per car, each withtheir weak weapons trained on the glass entryway. Sounds of panic came from within. Even from herposition, Regina could hear it clear as the night sky.If she waited too long, then the crooks would surely get away. Regina chanced her hand.Throwing caution to the wind, she swung from the roof and into the store via one of the shopwindows. The police reacted and fired, but stopped once Regina vanished inside. Hoping thedarkness would shroud their locations, the criminals were now compromised. They didn't know justyet though. They didn't realise an extra-terrestrial being had just burst in.'Cops just shooting at the windows,' they thought.One got up and yelled, "You're gonna have to try harder than that!" Brave, but foolish. He wasswept off his feet and onto his back when something slimy and sticky tripped him. Groaning, he triedto get up, wondering how he ended up so. The flailing silhouette of Regina stood above him. Purple,veiny feet pressed his chest firmly to the ground."Is that hard enough? Eh?!" Regina growled, pressing harder. The crook squirmed and wriggled,trapped like a rat between cat's claws and called out. The cock of a shotgun pump alerted Regina. Ablast in the dark flung Regina back as buckshot whacked her shoulder. She squealed sharply andmonstrously.That hurt a lot more than she thought. Her mistake allowed the criminal to get to his feet and fleetowards his compatriot, now retreating out the back with a distinct jangle following them. Both hadtheir loot, there was no reason to stick around now."What the fuck was that?" one cried in the distance. Regina recovered and got up with a groan.The creature had softened the blow of the shotgun. So her arm was still in one piece. The force didmanage to expose her skin though. Almost instantly Regina's purple skin regenerated. Her mouthwidened to reveal blood-thirsty teeth. Snarling, she gave chase."Run all you want..."Frenzy Origins-5-The goons had taken stairs up the building, hoping to bypass the police waiting out the back andfront. In order to conceal their movements lights remained off. They hoped that neither the policenor the mysterious figure would track them in the dark. One had a pair of night vision gogglesequipped with his shotgun, whilst the other was left with a Maglite."You gunna answer me? What the fuck was that?!" the same crook groaned through his teeth.His partner ignored him. The only sound they could hear was their own footsteps pounding againstthe wooden stairs up. Eventually the stairs went no higher and the corridor broke out into an openstorage area. Dust glistened in the torchlight as the two goons relented onward, desperate to findtheir escape route."Don't panic, boy. There's a ladder up to the roof ahead," the night vision goon said. Soon, thesound of incoming footsteps hurried the two along. Police officers were coming up the stairs. "Comeon, or I'm leaving you behind.""Son-of-a-bitch, slow down!" he grunted as he fell. He didn't lose his footing, he was tripped,again. From the darkness, Regina approached quickly and quietly."You guys don't know who you're fucking with!" she cried confidently. Torchlight finally revealedthe identity of their tracker: a feminine, purple figure, her skin moved and squirmed over her form."Keep the hell away from me!" he could only yell, drawing a pistol from his belt."Please, you hurt me once already. Look what good that did-" a gunshot interrupted Regina'sretort. Another and another came, five rounds were blasted into Regina at close-range. Shesquirmed, trying to cover herself. Every round did nothing more than agitate the symbiote and, inturn, Regina."Fine," Regina said. The grin adorning her face brought terror upon her foe. He screamed asRegina leaped on him, pinning him hard to the floor. Regina didn't know what to do, a dark instincttook hold. She drove her head forward, digging her teeth into the goon's neck like a wild animal andripped a chunk out. Blood dripped from her teeth and the flesh chunk within. Regina sighed andchuckled, wiping the chunk from her mouth casually. She leant in close at the agonised victim, nowclutching his neck tightly, blood spurting from the wound."That tasted delicious," she growled, "Just like chicken.""Shoot this bitch, man!" he cried in agony. Before the shotgun blast connected with her head,Regina launched to the ceiling. First the pump, then another round followed. Regina scurried alongthe ceiling avoiding two, three, four shells.All the goon could see through his goggles was the illuminated silhouette of Regina dangling fromthe ceiling occasionally. His colleague lay wounded on the ground, begging him to kill Regina.Eventually, the shotgun-wielding goon gave up. He knew his partner was done for. He already hadthe loot, so there was no reason to drag a liability with him. Regina was not in sight. He quicklybacked away towards the ladder up to the roof."Fucking coward! Herman, Help me!" echoed through the unsettled, dust ridden storeroom."Sorry, pal, you're done for." He swiftly climbed up the ladder into the night. Lying on the ground,the goon was devastated to be left behind. Though, he did grin when the purple figure darted upthrough the hatch to chase the backstabber. He never thought he'd enjoy the sound of oncomingpolice enforcers in his criminal life.Meanwhile, Regina landed on the roof. Her prey was ahead, jumping from rooftop to rooftop.She caught the inevitable 'shit' groan as he looked back. He kept running. Regina grinned devilishlyand sprinted from her stationary position. She jumped, and the momentum carried her forward tocrash down onto the retreating crook.Frenzy Origins-6-He groaned as his face collided with the loose stones of the roof, and turned around to face thepurple monstrosity. Regina growled with pleasure to catch her prey and pried the goggles off him.His face was cold and determined with emotionless eyes."Well, Herman, you've had your shot," Regina giggled, veering closer, possibly looking to takeanother chunk of meat. "Now it's my turn.""I don't dine with dead chicks, girl." The shotgun cocked and a blast followed. Fortunately, Reginamanaged to avoid the blast. However it allowed Herman the chance to get to his feet and resumefiring. Rhythmic blasts and pumps cued up Regina for a dodge every time."Where I come from we squash vermin like you. Stay outta my way, if you know what's good foryou." Herman's thick southern accent made Regina chuckle. He stopped shooting and Reginaperched herself atop a nearby water tower. "What's so damn funny, girl?"Regina, barely controlling her laughter, replied "Your name's Herman? And, he-he, you've got avoice like tha- bwahaha!""You think that's so fucking funny you little harlot, why don't I help you learn some fuckingrespect!" Herman replied with fury and fired another volley. A transmission coming through madeHerman slow down. With his shotgun dry and pistol in hand, Herman pressed his free finger upagainst his ear. Regina still had to evade the rounds as they pinged past her head. Someconcentrated fire from Herman forced Regina to take cover briefly."We're out of time I'm afraid, girl. Best stay outta my way from now on. Not unless you enjoy thepain." Regina tried to pin Herman down as he turned, but he managed to retaliate, dropping a flashgrenade. The blinding light made Regina scream loudly, freeing the symbiotes hold on her body for amoment. Her face became visible momentarily. Both she and the symbiote were blinded. Shestretched her arms around ahead of her blindly, seeking her opponent."You need to learn fast. This isn't a game. You're as green as they come. If you think you're sospecial in this city then, well, you've got another thing coming. It's been a pleasure, girl. Hopefullywe won't be seeing each other soon." Herman didn't stick around any longer and vanished down thegap between the buildings.Regina groaned, her vision returned and her body stung still from being blasted with the shotgun."Bastard," Regina groaned. There was no time to assess her injuries, although she could feel thebruising beneath her new skin. But the police were approaching. The first officer poked his headfrom the roof's hatch. Regina darted across his vision."Halt!" he yelled as he climbed onto the roof. Regina's form dove off the roof out of sight. Hershort pile drive crushed a police cruiser beneath her talons. Before the police could take pot-shots ather, Regina hoisted herself into the air and out of danger. A few stray bullets traced her arc, eachmissing Regina completely.There was no pursuit. Regina was long gone before the police could retaliate. Sneaking back intothe apartment was as simple as she left. The bedroom door was undisturbed. Regina took a momentto make her way back into the lounge, as herself of course. Bryan was snoring away on the couch. Aglance at the clock showed it had gone past midnight.It didn't feel like she'd been gone for too long, but it was enough for one night.The following weeks flew by. Regina's endeavours had both captivated and terrified the denizens.The morning after her brush with the jewel thieves had blurry images of her figure adorning theDaily Bugle's front page. Many thought that Spiderman had returned. Their theories changed thoughonce stories of viciously beaten criminals swarmed the headlines.Frenzy Origins-7-Another Lizard sighting cropped up, but Regina could not track it, much to the disappointment ofthe symbiote. Regina seemed more concerned with the well-being of Veronica.It was foolish. Regina was not interested in her, not intimately. Or so she told herself. Veronicawasn't even interested in Regina. Or so she told herself. It was just silly, stupid feelings that Reginasuccumbed to easily. Just like in the schoolyard – young love. But why couldn't Regina shake thefeeling of anxiety? Not just her personal feelings, but something was not right. The seclusion,especially after what happened two weeks prior, was unwelcomed by both Curt Connors and Bryan.Veronica only allowed Curt one visit and that was it, not a peep since. Regina did often spy ayoung girl coming and going from the apartment. Sometimes carrying bags of stuff – what stuff –Regina didn't know. Other times, she was just there, lugging that brown messenger bag around."Jealous are we?" the symbiote sneered as Regina watched the girl leave for the first time thatday."No, we aren't," Regina replied quietly. She didn't need to; Bryan was out. So Regina was leftalone, at least as alone as she could. The creature inside her was forever lingering. Suspicion andintrigue got the better of Regina as she wanted to know why that girl was coming and going as shepleased. Bitterness encouraged her to investigate further.The symbiote relished Regina's emotion and understood more about her than Regina even knewabout herself. Regina probably did, but would deny it; she had done so once already. There wasgenuine feeling for Veronica among Regina's denial.Regina pitched up at Veronica's door and knocked."Veronica," she called out. There was no answer. She tried knocking again. No change. Reginawas overreacting. The girl was likely just a neighbour. However, Regina was not going to give in. Shewanted to know. It was clear that something was going on behind those sealed doors. She tried toopen it. Unsurprisingly, it would not budge. So Regina pressed the tip of her finger against thekeyhole and manipulated the symbiote to seep through the crack. The mass moulded to the uniqueshape and solidified, forming a perfect key counterfeit.Regina managed to unlock the door by simply rotating her finger. Taking a deep breath, Reginaopened the door. Despite her silent infiltration, Regina failed to contain her concern."Veronica? You in here?" she said with uncertainty. An unknown sense tingled in her brain. Therewas the familiar smell of the apartment. It was something else. Something else was in the apartmentwith her, beyond Iggy the iguana."Where's your mother, Iggy?" Regina looked around - just as it was two weeks ago. Those samedocuments strewn across the worktop, her scattered effects littered on the ground and over thefurniture. Iggy's terrarium had at least been stocked recently and Veronica did resupply herself withessentials – food, hydration – just not quite the supplies Regina expected.Raw steaks and cuts layered together like bricks filled one large polythene bag. Copious amountsof generic soda pop stood neck to neck on the counter. Just behind, Regina spied another bag. Insidewere several over-the-counter drugs and medication. Clearly Veronica was treating her affliction.Regina just didn't quite realise how severe it was.She investigated the apartment more, hoping to uncover some dark secret. Eventually all thatremained was Veronica's chamber, a place Regina dared not venture. The memory was still fresh.It constantly dwelled on her mind. She knew that something was very wrong with Veronica. Butshe did not have the courage to be direct about her discovery. After all, Regina had her own secretto protect too. There was no cause to be rash. Regina would remain calm, leave and act like nothinghappened.Frenzy Origins-8-Click went the front door. Regina gasped and bolted as the door crawled open. She dove behindthe couch with a fern beside it – just enough camouflage. The familiar face of Veronica entered theapartment unaware of Regina's presence.However, she did notice that the door was unlocked. Any human being would notice it – shedidn't need superior senses to realise it. Veronica's slow, steady and cautious movements as shesurveyed the room said so.Regina adjusted accordingly from her position when Veronica moved out of sight. Since the doorwas ajar, Regina made a swift exit. As she shot through the doorway, her jacket snagged, slamming itshut. Veronica shot to attention and pounced on the door. She swung it open, hoping to catch theintruder. There was nobody. She sniffed the air like a bloodhound. No scent.Regina was long gone; she darted quickly out of sight before Veronica could catch her. The onlyplace she could go though was back across the street to her own apartment. Back to where she wasno more than fifteen minutes ago. Regina was no closer to discovering who that girl was. Perhaps itwas just Veronica or, as she reckoned before, a neighbour.Now Regina knew that Veronica was back. Rather than going back over and act all innocent aboutintruding on her den, she called. Veronica picked up quickly."Hey, Vee, it's Regina," Regina said quietly, biting her nails nervously."Hey yourself, stranger. How are things?" The conversation went on longer than Reginaanticipated, they both talked for what seemed hours. Veronica claimed to be too busy to call. Reginahad her doubts of course. Her investigation and evidence said otherwise. Beyond that, Regina had ahuman conversation with the mysterious girl across the road – the wolf in sheep's clothing.The conversation took a turn though when Regina asked: "What are you up to tonight?" She waskeen to scope out the place again, and to know more about Veronica. There was a ghostly silence.Veronica was still there; her breathing down the line was audible."Veronica?" Regina pressed."Nothing...I, uh...just staying in and, uh...watching a movie. Some awful sci-fi flick.""D'you mind if I come over? It's not like I've got anything better to do either." That stungVeronica."No!" She replied sharply. Realising her tone, Veronica adjusted, "Sorry, Regina. I really don'tthink you'll like it.""Oh? You won't know unless I come over," Regina teased. It was feint; she could tell Veronica hadsomething else on her agenda that night. "C'mon, Veronica, I'm not that repulsive. Am I?""Is that a rhetorical question?" Veronica replied cheekily."Just a simple yes or no. It's not a trick question," Regina chuckled.Veronica had to think an excuse - anything. But she came up blank. "I like you, Regina. For somestrange reason I do. I feel like I can trust you...but-""But what?""Not tonight. Just not tonight, I'm really sorry." The line went dead. Regina couldn't even plea.
