Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

“Peter,” Liv shouted from her home. He was outside working out once more with Elektra. Today was fighting naked day, but Liv laughed and brushed it off as 'stare at Peter's cock' day.

It wasn’t long before he stuck his head around the door. The one person who had carte blanche permission to interrupt any sparring was Liv. “You okay?”

Liv pointed at the TV and Peter grabbed a towel she had on hand. “Lizard.”

The screen showed the first footage of the fight. Goblin and Lizard were duking it out at a supermarket in Brooklyn.

“Even if it's Goblin we still need Curt,” he said as he grabbed his phone. “Cat. We need Huntress, Check Channel Five. Can you meet me there?”

There was a pause and he hung up. His armour slid over him and he kissed Liv before the hood slid shut, “Elektra. Keep Liv company for us.” He was up at the hatch and away into the city before she could respond.

Elektra tutted. “No offence Olivia, but I am not a babysitter.” She huffed. Liv shrugged, she didn't need one. Elektra grabbed one of the magazines from the coffee table before slumping down on the couch.

⁂

Lizard smashed Goblin into the trolley corral and dived as Goblin returned fire. Lizard held an arm over his face and the bullets tore up his lab coat. He hissed and leapt across the supermarket's small parking lot. Goblin rolled back and kicked Lizard into the air, firing with both launchers once more.

Lizard 'oofed' as he thudded into the ground while Goblin rolled out of the way and onto his feet. He jumped to avoid a tail swipe from Lizard. Spinning and following his tail he swiped a massive clawed hand and scored a gash across the side of Goblin. Even the armour was no match for the new strength Curt had gained through his transformation.

Goblin swore and backed away. “We will make you pay for that, you insignificant failure,” he yelled at Lizard, raising his wrist launchers and firing once more at him.

Covering his face, Lizard hissed and backed away. The tinned meat was no match for him and he was sure of his victory.

⁂

Huntress arrived as the tank rolled up. She swore and dialled her phone, “V, the cops are here. Shit.” She swore as she saw who walked from the lead vehicle, “George Stacy is leading them.”

On the other end of the phone, it was Venom's turn to swear,

“Still en route, I’ll call Liv.” He couldn’t risk calling anyone other than her as he made his way across town. “Be there in five.” he hung up and dialled Liv, “Liv, get Gwen watching this, her dad just showed up.”

“Will do, It will save me from my charming company.” He could hear snoring in the background. Elektra must have taken her after-workout nap early.

“Sorry. Make it up to you. Gotta swing though.”

⁂

George Stacy watched with a smile as his men unloaded themselves from the SUV.

They began to set up thick heavy plates. Unfolding barricades and dumping sandbags behind them. Soon four fortified positions with eight officers behind them were set up. All barring George pointing their new weapons at the pair.

Lizard and Goblin glanced at them while keeping a watchful eye on the other.

“This is the ETF. You are both under arrest. Stand down or we will use lethal force to contain you.” George yelled over a loudhailer.

Goblin stood and waited almost impatiently as the police set up. Lizard sat on all fours, hissing and swishing his tail back and forth. He kept himself at an angle to strike at either Goblin or the newly arrived ETF.

It was now a stand-off, and a waiting game to see who would make the first move.

“You will stand down and allow yourselves to be contained. Further acts of violence against the city or my officers will result in the use of force. Kneel on the ground with your hands behind your back. Osborn. Power down your systems and prepare to exit your armour.” George nodded at the officers who took aim. Four for each assailant. "This is your final warning."

“You're kidding me?” Goblin yelled laughing. “Toy guns? I recognise those Hammer Tech peashooters. Tsk Tsk George. Should have gone for Stark tech.” Raising an arm he laughed as he fired at the officers.

Lizard had had enough and bolted. This wasn't his fight. He had come up for freshness and the food but instead had been attacked and hurt. He wanted to go back to sleep but the Conners fought him and made him stay in control. A rarity as the Conners usually cursed him and called him names.

“Prepare to fire,” George said, and the officers raised their weapons in response. Goblin laughed and raised his wrist launcher, it whirred and clicked.

Lizard dived to one side when the officers opened fire. The area had already been evacuated so there was no risk of civilian casualties.

Rounds tinged off the Goblin's armour and Lizard ran on four limbs and jumped up onto a fire escape. Reports had come in that Lizard seemed more sedate than Goblin. So while two officers kept their guns trained on him, the others fired at Goblin. If Lizard even breathed funny and made to attack, they would attempt to restrain him. As he was an unknown right now and had only been fighting Goblin. While they hated some of the vigilantes, they would be harmless unless provoked. They kept a wary eye but continued to concentrate their fire on Goblin.

“Switch to AP,” the order was shouted. In smooth precision motions, clips were ejected and new red-labelled magazines were loaded.

This time, when the firing began, fewer tings and more thunks were heard. With the heavier armour piercing rounds, the Goblin armour began to dent under fire. He staggered back as the combined fire from the new ammo was more effective against the Gobin armour.

⁂

Huntress felt a small tap on the back of her head and looking up saw a black hand waving down at her. She climbed up onto the roof and Venom was there, keeping low and out of sight. While the police were concentrating on Goblin it would only take one officer to spot him.

“Can you follow Lizard?” he asked and she tapped twice on his hand as a yes, “then do that. I’ll keep an eye on Goblin. Liv, how does it look from your end? Noone spotted me or Huntress yet have they?”

“No dear, you're clear, but TV vans are keeping an eye on Curt, he’s not moving so far but give him time. He’ll probably wait until Goblin does something big and then bolt." Venom wished they had some kind of tracker. They could tag Lizard and stay together, but they needed him and he had promised Liv a fix for her legs. At least he hadn't attacked the police or civilians. The last thing they needed was to have to hunt another super-powered monster.

“We’re just watching, for now. I'm not joining in unless he looks like he’s getting away." Venom was keeping an eye on the action.

Goblin was darting back and forth, trying to avoid the hail of bullets but the police were relentless.

Behind a barricade, Venom spotted an officer loading a grenade launcher. He nudged Huntress and pointed at the man. “When he fires, head after Lizard," and she tapped his hand in agreement.

“You have one last chance to surrender Norman. We are authorised to use lethal force. You are in possession of military-grade hardware. This is your only warning. Stand down or we will open fire,” George said through his loudhailer.

"Bah, your toys are nothing," Goblin yelled back, “we have a summer treat for you and the kids.” The wrist launcher on his left arm spun around and a green-tipped missile poked its head out.

“Last one. Everything's on sale. All must go,” Goblin shouted, and laughed as the missile streaked towards the officers. George lifted the visor of his helmet as he watched helplessly as the missile sped towards his men.

The barricades did nothing to protect them. George watched as the missile exploded into a blue cloud of energy. It vaporised a circle not only where his men once were but also in the pavement. Goblin only laughed and opened fire on the remaining officers.

Heavy rounds pinged off blast barriers. They were designed to stop bombs and George saw the grenade launcher. He took a chance, dived, rolled and grabbed it, brought it to bear and pulled the trigger.

With a whump, the grenade hit and exploded against the Goblin's armour. The explosion threw him back into the store. George fired again, hitting him in the chest, and blew him back even further. He motioned to his men, who followed him into the store, holding their thud guns tight.

Goblin was sitting in a freezer. Even after the two hits the front of his armour was dented but still whole. “Naughty naughty. Don't you know tricks are for kids,” he laughed and pointed the wrist launcher at the officers again. This time it clicked and spun, whirring as the last of the rounds had been ejected outside. “Oh, how disappointing."

Goblin hoisted himself up on creaking joints, as he crushed the freeze under him. “Guess we do this the old-fashioned way.” He unclipped the wrist launchers and twisted the gauntlet the other way and a large blade sprang from it. The smaller blades he had used to fight Huntress were for doors. This one was for walls. He laughed manically as it glinted menacingly under the sparking and flickering lights.

The officers continued firing, hoping to drive the Goblin back but he was relentless.

Goblin was making short work of the officers. He didn't care if they were dead or not. He would slash at one, cutting through their armour and move to the next. Most seemed to be injured. Twisted arms and broken bones would be a thankful injury compared to being stabbed by the blade. Goblin's lack of skill showed through as he could injure but not kill the better trained officers.

Seeing the men outclassed it was time to interfere. "Liv. I need to help."

"Do not let that blade hit you. I worked on it and it will cut through your armour." Liv warned him.

Standing on the edge of the roof, Venom shot out a line to the market's sign. He swung down and flipped over through the smashed doors. Driving both feet into Goblin's chest, he spun in midair and landed. With a blade of his own stood over the policeman Goblin was about to attack.

“Get them out of here,” he yelled at the ones still standing, even as they pointed their guns at him as well. “Ungrateful morons,” was all he said as he dodged a blow from Goblin and kicked his legs out from under him.

Webbing him down he yelled again, “Go, I've got this.” After looking at George, he nodded and they began to evacuate. Goblin roared as he righted himself and checked his blade.

"Finally. We know you planned this. It's all your fault. You and Harry. Making me look bad. Taking what is rightfully mine.” Goblin snarled. "I will enjoy this."

He was big and fast but Venom was used to fighting someone much faster. As Goblin swung widely Venom just dodged and weaved, pulling shelves down on him. He began to grab tins from shelves and hurled them at the visor. Anyone watching would think the pair had gone mad. Goblin slashed widely while Venom threw pudding and milk. He had learned his webbing wasn't infinite and if there was a substitute on hand, why not?

Venom was trying to get Goblin sticky enough, wet enough that he would be forced to take the helmet off. The Mark Two they had liberated from Aaron showed the helmet, once offline, was a hindrance. Venom was trying to exploit that and remove Goblin's last advantage.

“This is your fault, George. Letting Venom and Spider-Man destroy my perfect drones. I see it now, you two are working together, you two conspired with Harry to set me up, ruin me and make me a joke. You stabbed me in the back,” he yelled, “let me return the favour.”

As the last officer was helped from the trashed supermarket Goblin laughed. “Not so fast Georgy boy.” He pointed the wrist blade at George and it shot free. George pushed the officer he was carrying out the way. Venom dived but Liv had been right. The blade passed through Venom's hand and impaled George in the chest.

Venom roared at Goblin.

“Aw, kebabs are no longer available,” Goblin laughed, “you’ll just have to settle for ground beef.” He launched himself at Venom who caught him and slammed him into the ground.

“I prefer my meat tenderised,” he shot back and thudded a fist into the side of the armour.

He had Liv talk him through the design process. While the armour was thicker at the front it was considerably weaker at the sides. Joints needed to flex and were much weaker than the plates at the front. Even a genius like Osborn couldn't ignore physics and with each punch, the armour began to buckle.

One hand held Goblin by the throat and the other pounded him in the face. Venom knew that the only way to release the armour was from the inside. Now he just needed to make it uncomfortable for Norman to stay in there. Lifting him he slammed him back into the supermarket floor, over and over until it cracked. Remembering last time he stopped and flipped him over, trying to pry the armour shell open at the back.

"V, Curt is on the move, following now,” Huntress spoke and he commed back twice in acknowledgement.

“Venom, Hands up, move away from Osborn,” an officer, with his gun, drawn spoke. They had regrouped and set up a new barricade. All of the uninjured officers were pointing grenade launchers at him. Venom was a top-priority target. Small arms were out. It was heavy ordinance only for him.

He shook his head “I'm trying to help,” he yelled. “Make sure Stacy is okay,” and he slammed Goblin into the floor again as he tried to push himself up.

“Venom, we repeat, stand down, Unhand Goblin and move away until you can be secured.” The officer repeated and Venom shook his head.

“Dad!” he heard, and Gwen ducked past the officers straight to her father. Paramedics were working on securing the blade, still stuck in George's chest. Goblin saw his chance and fired off his last usable weapon. Thermite anti-missile flares whizzed and whined from the front of his armour. They exploded against Venom's chest and face and he was blasted back and into a shelf.

He was stunned by the sudden flurry of hot chaff and noise. As his vision cleared, he could only watch in horror as the Goblin ran towards Gwen and her father. Pulling the blade free he swung it back and then towards Gwen's exposed neck. Her father’s blood sprayed over her as she watched in slow motion.

He had to watch as Gwen closed her eyes, knowing nothing would stop the blade from taking her head. Even Poison wasn't that strong, and as the blade tinged off something she opened one eye and took a glance.

A symbskin sword blocked its path, held in place by a large, black, well-armoured Symbiote.

“You killed my dad, fuckface.” As Agent Webb brought the blade around, he slashed at the front of Gobin's armour. As Goblin stumbled back he brought his foot around and kicked him backwards. “And now I'm gonna gut you for it.”