I'm working on Marvel's Spider-Man in American comics.

Chapter 163 Jonathan Drew

This was the first time Peter had met Jessica's father, Jonathan Drew, the developer of the Super Soldier project who succeeded his own father. The closest Peter had come to understanding him was when he used his access to look up the Osborn Technologies Super Soldier project, where he saw his name and the plan to treat ALS using spider genes—though Peter couldn't understand at all what spiders had to do with treating ALS.

However, from another perspective, since Dr. Jonathan made this suggestion, it's likely that Jessica has been diagnosed with ALS, but her health seems to be good so far that it won't affect her life.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Peter Parker. To be honest, I was quite surprised when Mr. Osborn told me you were Spider-Man.” Jonathan smiled and extended his hand to shake Peter’s. He was a rather young-looking man, no more than forty years old, with a rather thick, short black hair for a researcher. Like his senior, Jessica, Jonathan, as a father, was also Latino—although defining Latino is generally a rather abstract question, at least someone like Jonathan Drew, whose skin was mostly white but whose features had some Indigenous characteristics, and who occasionally uttered Spanish words, was definitely Latino.

Peter was a little confused because, based on Jonathan's words, it seemed as if they knew each other before, but Peter was certain of one thing: they had never met before.

"Excuse me, um, do we know each other?"

“Oh, no, I don’t know them. But I know your parents. I was your father’s student and his lab assistant. We worked together for over ten years, until he left the Savage Force project, the one that created that genetically modified spider.” Jonathan revealed the connection between the two families that Peter had never heard of before, and Peter nodded.

Norman glanced at his watch, then smiled apologetically at Peter, "Sorry Peter, I wanted to stay a little longer, but I have a very important meeting, so I'll have to go now."

“Wait, Uncle Norman.”

Peter's words startled Norman, who then asked, "Oh, wait, you called me uncle?"

"Um, yes, you're Harry's dad, so I'll call you uncle. Is that a problem?"

“No, no, of course not.” Norman laughed happily. “Is there something you need?”

"Why don't you talk to Harry for a bit? He's really invested in this, both the Foundation and his mother's job."

Norman hesitated for a moment, then finally shook his head: "No, never mind. Harry won't be happy to see me. I'll go now, sorry."

Norman left the lab, and Peter, after a moment of silence, suddenly remembered that he had something he hadn't asked: "I forgot to ask him why those terrorists would rob a hang glider."

“Actually, I know this very well.” Jonathan, carrying a thermos in his left hand, said with a smile, “Their real target was radioactive material used to create gene-editing tools, but they got the intelligence wrong, so they hijacked the wrong truck. Oh, may I go in now?”

“No problem, Dr. Jonathan.”

Peter led Dr. Jonathan into the spiderweb within the base's structure. Once inside, Harry glanced at Jonathan and sighed. It wasn't because of Dr. Jonathan, but because Norman's last words had upset Harry. However, Harry wouldn't say anything now.

"Alright, kids, don't worry about me. Mr. Norman just wants me to find a nominal person in charge of this experimental center. After all, you're all still high school students, and as the direct modifier of the spider that bit Peter, I'll be responsible for monitoring his ecological characteristics, and incidentally..."

As Jonathan spoke, he walked to a piece of equipment, placed the incubator on it, and it quickly retracted inside. Then, an entire ecosystem enclosure rose up, revealing seven or eight spiders, each about half the size of a palm, moving around inside. Seven or eight?
Peter, somewhat shocked, moved closer to the eco-box and asked incredulously, "These can't all be...?"

"Oh, no, they're backup test subjects. Ever since the exhibition hall glass broke more than six months ago, we've had to start all over again. These are the research results so far. It will take some time before we can reach the level of the spider that bit you, Peter. It might take another year or two..."

Peter understood perfectly what Jonathan meant by muttering "one or two years" here.

"Alright, unless you're feeling unwell, you don't need to worry about me." Jonathan simply shrugged and laughed, "I'll just stay here and study my spider."

"What about the Savage Force project? Has Osborn Technologies abandoned the military's super soldier project?"

"The new Savage Force project will be led by my classmate, and also your father's student, Kurt Connorson. He will begin developing the new project, and I think he might be more suited to this kind of research."

Looking at Jonathan's smile, Peter couldn't help but shudder. What the hell? The lizardmen have already started researching genetically modified lizards? Although Osborn Technologies is a big company, it shouldn't be so bad that they would let him inject them with serum.

Anyway, let's keep an eye on him. Peter silently added the lizard man to his following list, while Harry beckoned him over and then asked him with some confusion, "Why are you so familiar with that new scientist? Maybe he's an undercover agent sent by my dad."

“I don’t think so. Dr. Jonathan should be a good person.”

"You can't assume he's a good person just because he figured out the spider that bit you. That just means you're a good person."

Peter then offered a straightforward explanation: "He was also my father's student."

"Oh, I see." Harry seemed to realize something. "So you two knew each other before?"

"Uh, no, but he is Jessica's father."

Jessica's father?

Harry was stunned when he heard this. He really didn't expect that the circle of people around him was so small, and that he could easily run into people with connections. Then he suddenly thought of a problem: "What if Senior Jessica comes to visit the set? She is the president of our detective club."

“I don’t think there’s a problem… After all, my senior didn’t even know that her father was a researcher of genetically modified spiders, and she investigated Spider-Man for so long without ever looking for her own father.”

(End of this chapter)