The spider landed on Peter's hand.
Snap!
The bite was quick. Peter jerked his hand back with a sharp intake of breath. The spider held on for just a second longer. Then it released and tried to scurry away.
Flash stomped at it instinctively. His shoe came down hard.
Crunch!
The spider's body was crushed. It twitched once and went still.
Peter clutched his hand close to his chest. His face showed pain but he didn't make a sound. Just pressed his lips together and breathed hard through his nose.
A girl near the front screamed again. "Is it dead? Is it really dead?"
Dr. Connors was at the front of the group instantly. "Everyone stay calm! Teachers, get the students away from the windows. Now."
The supervising teachers immediately started herding students toward the exit. Voices overlapped. Some kids were scared. Others were excited by the drama.
"Single file line," one teacher shouted.
"Move quickly but don't run."
"Did anyone get hurt?" another teacher called out.
"No injuries," Dr. Connors said loudly.
"Everyone is fine. Just precautionary evacuation."
Gwen looked at Peter with concern. "You okay?"
Peter nodded quickly. "Yeah. Just startled me. I'm fine."
"Let's go," a teacher said, ushering them toward the exit. "Everyone out."
MJ grabbed her backpack. Flash was already halfway to the door. The crowd moved as one mass toward the exit.
Peter moved with them. His hand was tucked against his side. Hidden. He kept his expression neutral despite the pain Alex could see in his eyes.
'He's not saying anything,' Alex realized. 'He doesn't want to cause more panic. Or maybe he doesn't want to deal with doctors and paperwork.'
Within two minutes, the observation deck was nearly empty. Students filing out.
Teachers doing headcounts. Dr. Connors coordinating with security.
Alex hung back. Watched Peter disappear into the crowd heading toward the elevators.
Dr. Connors turned to him. "Alex, help me secure this area. I need to document everything before we move the specimen."
"Yes sir."
The last students left. The observation deck fell quiet except for the hum of ventilation and distant voices from the hallway.
Connors knelt beside the crushed spider.
"Specimen 15. I knew this would happen eventually. Too unstable. Too aggressive."
"Should I call security?"
"Already on their way. I need photos first. Document the scene." Connors stood and walked toward the windows. "Check if there are any other specimens loose. Last thing we need is a second incident."
"Right."
Connors pulled out his phone and started making calls. His voice was tense as he explained the situation to whoever was on the other end.
Alex looked around the observation deck. The camera in the corner was recording everything. He noted its angle.
The blind spot near the emergency exit was still there.
The crushed spider lay on the floor about ten feet from where Alex stood. He needed to collect it. But Connors was right there.
Security would arrive soon.
'I need a distraction,' Alex thought.
"Dr. Connors?" Alex called out. "I think I see something in the ventilation shaft. Another spider maybe?"
Connors immediately walked over to where Alex was pointing. "Where?"
"There. In the corner. I thought I saw movement."
Connors squinted up at the vent. "I don't see anything. But we should check. Go get a ladder from the storage room. End of the hallway. I'll keep watch."
"On it."
Alex walked toward the exit. Once he was out of Connors' line of sight, he doubled back quickly. Moved along the wall to the blind spot he'd identified earlier.
From this angle, the camera couldn't see the floor where the spider lay. And Connors was focused on the vent.
Alex pulled out a small specimen container from his bag. Clear plastic with a sealed lid. He'd prepared this days ago.
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