Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

Huntress and Hades landed inside the ruined building. Hades nodded and began to spray a chemical webbing over the ruined wall, reinforcing it.

Blonsky lifted his head and nodded, “Alright luv?” he asked before setting his head back down.

Betty was sat in one of the lab chairs, scanning through Stern's notes. She would pause and note down what was happening to the slowly mutating man. His skin was pale green, like Hulk but the mutation seemed to be focused on his head. It was growing at a visible rate and becoming comically larger.

“So uh, not helping, or need help or?” Huntress asked.

Blonsky sat up, “Oh no, I’m not daft. I ain’t fighting Hulk. That's a mug's game.”

“Right, and the ripped clothes. Are you two?” Huntress asked. She could feel and smell the blood and formula in the air. Even sitting here, they would be affected somehow.

“Oh yeah. We're both Hulks now, watch.” As he sat he grew his skin thickening and became the same pale green. "Neat eh?" he grinned before he shrank back down and adjusted the lab coat covering his groin.

“So, Hulks but you thought what? You’d take turns?” Huntress asked. Even Hades stopped reinforcing the wall.

“Nah, see. I already fought Hulk, and he wrapped me around a support pillar. Doc said it broke every bone in my body, even the little three ones in my ear. Fighting Hulk? That's suicide.”

“Or cowardly,” Huntress admitted.

Blonsky huffed, “coward? Yeah, ‘cause fighting a giant rage monster is dead smart. I took my swing, missed and paid for it. Rather be a live jackal than a dead lion. Anyway, why don’t you go? See how much you like being shafted by that thing.”

He lay back down, muttering to himself. “Bloody heroes, dont come crying to me if you get smashed into paste.”

Huntress would have rolled her eyes at him, but she just shrugged and turned to Betty, "and you?"

Betty raised an eyebrow, “I have Hulk powers, but it seems I’m not as mutated. I’d rather figure out a cure. Plus.” She waved a hand at Sterns, who was groaning as his head grew.

Hades shrugged when looked over at her. Huntress sighed, “right, big head first. You two, you don’t have to fight, but I’m sure that the threat of fighting would be enough to get him to calm down. There are people trapped. So quit whining and get moving.”

Huntress grabbed Sterns, “We’ll babysit him.” She lifted him by one hand and Hades began to web him to the ceiling. “Any weird powers?”

Blonsky huffed, “yeah, he’s got this voice thing. Really annoying too.”

Hades shrugged, "annoying but easily remedied." She aimed and covered his mouth and neck with webbing, leaving his nose uncovered.

“I uh.” Betty had stood but the lab coat was barely covering her, “I can’t go down there.”

Once Sterns was cocooned on the ceiling, Huntress nodded at Hades, who lifted Blonsky. “Right, we can go see if Venom needs help and if you can calm one of them down.” Without asking, she lifted him and leapt through the broken hole, ignoring his scream as they fell.

“Just us. You can probably calm Bruce down, you're his girlfriend right?" Huntress asked and Betty grew and tore the lab coat to shreds.

"Yeah, but this won't calm him down," She-Hulk said as she motioned to herself.

Huntress was not going to admit that she was really sexy, but she focused on making sure nobody else got to see her. First came the sleeves. Tearing at the coat she webbed it to her torso, creating a tight-fitting fake sports bra. There were plenty of pants still with usable waistbands and one pair became tight shorts. Once more held with webbing and covering her private areas.

“Right, the webbing would last about an hour. If it doesn't come off, call this number.” Betty was handed one of the Black Cats cards, “We’ll come help.”

“What are you going to do?” She-Hulk asked, looking down at the very large drop,

“My nails,” Huntress added glibly while pointing at Sterns.

She-Hulk laughed, “I hope you have fun then,” before she leapt through the hole.

Huntress looked around the room, and after checking out the front door, she smiled under her mask. The office across the hall was empty and perfect for her plan. Getting a van here would be difficult, she figured doing some shopping for Peter would be in order.

She fired two taser webs at Sterns, happy as he shuddered and went limp. After making sure he was unconscious, she hummed as he lifted the first machine. She had no idea what it was, but she would bet anything Peter would love it.

⁂

While the pair were busy, Venom had landed between the sparring duo. He caught a car and safely lowered it to the ground,

“Now now kids. You dont throw your toys. Don’t make me put you in a time-out.” He chided Red Hulk.

“Yeah, great. Another one of you pyjama-wearing pansies.” Red Hulk spat to one side, “I ain't scared of you, bug boy.”

Even Hulk snorted at Red’s comment. “Yeah, leave Hulks alone,” he sneered at Venom.

“You want to shout and have a temper tantrum, fine. But there are injured people here. Take it to the desert, go kick stones there.” A long sword grew from Venom's arm, “but first. Those people are leaving the theatre, and you two will play nice or Papa will spank.”

Hulk huffed but nodded, while Red paced back, “yeah yeah, fine. Hey, midgets, get yer sorry asses out. I ain’t askin' again.”

MJ nodded at Venom as she helped her hurt co-star from the theatre. They eyed the pair warily but hurried to the cordon nearby. Police Chief Stacy waved them through while holding a walkie-talkie. He was trying to get permission to send in his new task force but even he was hesitant. Venom or Spider-Man would be fine, but this was Hulk and not just the one.

Looking at the three standing glaring at each other, he tutted. “Yeah, keep to the cordon. I doubt even the new Hammer thud guns will do anything other than piss him off.” George Stacey swore under his breath. He doubted even the military had the hardware for Hulk. Taking in a deep breath. “Someone get Stark on the phone.”

⁂

Liv could barely contain herself as she watched the news report,

“In a surprise upset, it appears that Venom landed to try and calm the pair down, but that was not the shock.

“I can't believe you Hulk.”

The camera pointed to a large red woman. She was standing berating the very henpecked-looking Hulk. “Are you five? Are you a child that throws tantrums when he gets annoyed? No, You’re a giant strong monster who should be proud.”

“But Betty,” Hulk tried to argue.

“No, no Betty me. She-Hulk, and if you don’t behave, there will be no She-Hulk for Hulk.” She-Hulk rested her hands on her hips, “now change back to Bruce. You’re in a time out mister, and no change until I say so.”

Hulk looked like he was about to argue but while the camera didn’t catch her expression, it was obvious she was mad. With a capital M.

He nodded meekly and shrank back down to Bruce Banner. He was about to speak when She-Hulk held up a finger and pointed furiously at him. He nodded and sat back down, seeing the camera he covered himself as best as he could.

The camera moved as the other Hulk started to laugh,

“Oh don’t you start Red. Mom would be rolling in her grave right now if she could see you. You’re a sixty-year-old man and a supposed general. But here you are, throwing cars at Hulk as if you’re ten. You change back too.”

“But Betty,”

She-Hulk must have glared at him as well as the massive Red monster suddenly shrank back down to a chorus of gasps. Nobody had expected that it would be General Thaddeus Ross. He too was sat there in a shredded pair of trousers, looking suitable chastised.

Ross looked over at Bruce while She-Hulk towered over him, “Now apologise.”

Ross straightened up, “I will not.” but She-Hulk took a step towards him, “Fine. I am sorry Bruce. My eagerness to complete a formula led me to make some rash decisions. I am willing to let bygones be bygones and offer you a position with the military.”

She-Hulk cleared her throat.

“Fine. A complete pardon for you and Hulk. Full benefits packages, and a written guarantee I won't try anything underhanded.”

The large pale green one just held up his hands and shrank back down as well, "I already saw her pissed. Just gonna sit here quietly."

The camera swung back to the reporter as the ETF moved in on the group. Venom pointed saluted at the police officers and not just Venom but his two friends swung away.

“As you can see, the situation was handled by who we can only assume was Elizabeth Ross. We will be contacting the military for a statement.”

⁂

Iron Man had hovered just far enough away that he could see the group below him. They were in range of his scanners but the television camera wouldn't pick him up.

His instruments ran passive and active scans of the group. Four Hulks and three of those others. He knew the costumes Venom and his two lady friends were wearing wasn't cloth. It read all wrong on his instruments and came back as very hot and completely airtight. It was a mystery and it was one he wanted to solve.

Neither of the two below was MJ Watson. With a full body scan done at the tower, and now full scans done here, he had complete biometric data for all three. Even if Venom shrank or grew like a Hulk the other two seemed to be static. He would find out who they were.

Banner and Ross could argue all they liked. The Hulk or Banner formula was a bust. His dad's research notes on the formula warned about not using any other kind of radiation. Anything else killed the test subject. How the four below survived was a fluke, or as the father/daughter pair argued, some genetic anomaly. Without samples, it would be useless. He could probably search the files for his dad's research but he preferred his armour. Becoming a moronic rage monster didn't seem as fun as piloting an armoured suit.

With his scans complete, Iron Man flew back to Stark Tower. There was work to be done.

New players meant bigger and stronger armour. Beating Venom would be easy enough, beating Hulk might actually prove a challenge.

⁂

“I mean, really Peter. Is this going to be your schtick?” Liv asked. Staring at the new equipment that Felicia had brought back from Harlem.

Peter looked up at Liv. He was under a desk, writing in the new gamma emitter they had stolen. He also noted, that while she was annoyed, she was also not wearing underwear, and had her legs just right to tease him.

“Well, if we’re honest. I was arguing with Hulk, while Felicia stole this. So no, it's not my schtick Liv.”

“So, you just roped her into robbing another supervillain then? Did you leave a cup noodle there too?” Liv chuckled

Peter slid out from beneath the desk, “first off. Eww. Sterns was a weird-looking science dude, second who said you were a supervillain? I mean, they do evil stuff and get away with it right?”

“I would have got away with it if it hadn't been for you pesky kids,” Liv said, dryly.

Peter laughed and picked himself up off the floor, “damn right.” He gave her a small kiss on the cheek. “Now, quit complaining. We have a new machine, that uh, zaps things, plus a whole catalogue of formulas. Banner, and yeah, whatever Sterns was working on.”

Liv sighed, “I know. Gwen has been grinning like a loon all morning.” She took in a breath, and frowned, “You need to have a word with her. Her research is brilliant, and  Poison can whip up formulas in seconds.”

Peter shrugged, “Isn’t that the point though? If Gwen cracks it, we don’t need Curt.”

“But we also paint a target on our backs.” Liv wheeled over to where Peter was kneeling. “We are a dangerous group. You, Gwen, Felicia, MJ, and myself. Not because of the Symbiotes, just us. You’re smart, as is Gwen, but you don’t reign yourselves in. Felicia is a criminal, a real one, and can draw the attention of the police. MJ is a beautiful young actress that is about to catapult herself into a rather large spotlight.”

Peter frowned as he realised what she meant. “We need to take extra care we don’t get an inquisitive reporter finding something out they shouldn't.”

“Exactly. I’m not a fugitive, but if the police find me, then.” Liv frowned as she shrugged, "They have a motive to search the warehouse."

Peter smiled, “We have a really great lawyer, and you have people who will protect you.”

Liv shook her head, “It won’t matter. If you have to reveal who you are, it starts a ball rolling nobody will like.”

Peter looked around. The lab now looked like the set from a horror movie. The lab was filled with Liv's equipment and what they stole from Sterns. It did look like something a bunch of college students shouldn't have. Something the authorities would want an explanation for. Even with Gwen now interning at Stak-Tech, it was millions of dollars worth of equipment.

Peter looked at it. Even though he had just wired everything up, it needed to be changed.

“I’ll rearrange the warehouse. Move these to a separate unit, and add heavy-duty locks. I can remove the windows and set up air filters and proper security. Anyone asks, it’s storage and the locks can look low tech but be keyed to the symbiotes.”

Liv nodded. The last thing she wanted was for her family to be taken away because someone couldn't resist a mystery.