NOVEL WEB Arc Six. Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Four. May Day
After enjoying a last evening meal Curt headed back home. They had spent the day making sure the harness was firmly attached. Gwen had used her webbing to develop a bioadhesive, so it was held firmly. Thanks to Peter, the collar had no invasive needles so there was no risk of infection either. He could even remove it if it was ever required, or Lizard began to behave on his own. Curt was in control, but Lizard was still the driving force once he transformed.
It had still been a long and tiring day. He had changed more in the past few hours than ever before. With a slight headache and aching muscles, he was glad to be home.
With his fugitive status removed, Curt started his life again. Now that Osborn was out of the way he could close that chapter of his life. It was paperwork, but once it was signed, he and May were free to being their lives together.
They had talked, combined their savings, and bought a small place for themselves. it was a simple two-story house in Queens. After living in the sewers for so many years he was glad to have not just a home but a backyard.
May would be home. With their savings and the pensions from Ben and Peter, they could both afford to stay at home. Curt preferred to work though, and Gwen was more than willing to hire a tutor.
As he unbuttoned his coat and shouted, “I’m home,” up the stairs. He heard the shower shut off and he sighed in appreciation as she came down. She towelled off her long brown hair, straight from the shower. Kissing her on the cheek, “hello dear,” he said and she smiled, “anything interesting in the post?”
May shook her head. “The usual, maybe a job offer from Hammer Industries,” she said, “But no,” Even May knew of his reputation and she would prefer Curt to get a job in a smaller, less volatile lab this time around. She knew Gwen had offered to pay him for tutoring, but he needed a real job. Not one that forced him to be stuck in the warehouse with Peter and his friends.
She didn't begrudge him Gwen's company. They could become lost in conversation about things she had no clue about. Their intellectual closeness never bothered her. Even Liv was a source of amusement rather than small hints of jealousy. They had known each other at Cambridge, and while Liv was a party girl, Curt had been a quiet studious person.
She trusted him implicitly. He was kind, caring, and an open book about almost everything. She knew he was hiding from Norman. That he had done so after Richard and Mary's death. He just never told her why. Having known about Shield and some of Curt's work at Oscorp, she knew better than to ask. Some secrets were dangerous. Some secrets were enough to die for.
For now, fixing up the two up two down house had been Curt's focus but he needed to explain a few things to May. and hopefully not land Peter in hot water with his Aunt.
“Dear,” he said hesitantly and May raised an eyebrow at him. “I might have fixed my small problem. So now, after I've made sure that it works, maybe we can go on that holiday we planned?”
“Cured? Does that mean you won't be spending time at the warehouse?” May asked as she towelled her hair, smiling as she leaned forwards to rub the same towel up her freshly shaven legs. She grinned as she saw Curt's eyes drawn to them, and what lay further up.
Curt frowned and half shook his head, “I do still tutor Gwen, but yes. It does mean more time here dear, more time for us?” As he looked over expectantly at May, "More time for this." Curt leant in and undid the small knot at the front of May's towel, letting it drop down. He moved in and had one breast in his hand, gently thumbing her nipple when the trash cans outside clattered. “Stupid racoons,” he cursed as he huffed and rested his head on her shoulder. "If I don't you know they'll tear the bags open."
May looked at the clock, “At this time?”
Curt paled. Peter had warned him about Harry's threat, and he was well aware of what an angry Osborn could do. “Maybe go downstairs dear, just in case.” May frowned but nodded. Grabbing both towels she headed to their basement. The basement Curt and Peter spent two weeks reinforcing after Norman killed George.
Curt knew Harry had threatened both Peter at the warehouse and Aunt May. Public records would make finding their address very easy. Even for someone without Harry's vast network of resources.
As Curt crept into the kitchen he tiptoed to the back door. Peter had been insistent on some upgrades. While it looked normal it was a reinforced security door with toughened safety glass. Curt peered out and shook his head as he saw the cans rolling on their side. They had just been knocked over but there was nothing there.
"It looks clear dear," he shouted at the basement door. "Give me a few minutes to check before you unlock yourself though."
Making sure the basement door was secured he unlocked the backdoor and closed it behind him. There was trash everywhere from torn bags and the cans had been thrown across the grass yard.
He began to lift the cans and stick their dented lids back on.
Dented? He thought to himself, Stupid fat racoons.
As he lifted one to examine what caused the mark it was smashed into his face, throwing him backwards.
A Symbiote, red and black, giggled as it stretched up out of the can and as its alien limbs lengthened and sharpened. “Oh, we promise this will be fun. Fun for us and fun for you too.”
Curt had no idea who this was, only that he recognised it as a Symbiote. Gwen and Peter had been very thorough about the Symbiotes and their powers. Curt knew this would be a tough fight, especially after watching Felicia and Peter spar. They called it sparring, he would have called it gut-emptying torture. He would have sworn they were critically injured but they were both fine. Another testament to just how powerful the Symbiotes actually were.
Harry, he thought and took a breath, come on then old friend.
As he sent the command to the collar his body erupted in a wave of pain.
Carnage watched as Curt doubled over, screaming in pain. Carnage was confused. He had barely touched him and now he was spoiling the fun. With a cracking noise, the man suddenly leapt at him. His skin and body were now thick with muscles and scaly green. In shock, the Symbiote sliced out with an arm blade, but the Lizard simply caught it in his jaws and bit down. Howling in pain his other arm came and smashed against Lizard's head. Rather than let go he shook him, lifting him off his feet and thrashing him like a rag doll.
As he yelled and screeched in pain Lizard let go and threw him towards the back of the yard.
“Gut You, Kill You,“ Carnage hissed at him but Lizard shook his head.
“Eat you. Fresh meat, tasty." He snapped his jaws and licked them with a huge Lizard tongue. The Peter had never said the slime monsters were tasty and he wanted to eat the red one. Nobody had said he couldn't and Curt was in agreement. This creature needed to be killed.
He knew he wouldn’t get in trouble as he smelt different from the others, they might even buy him steak as well. Lizard knew anyone different was bad. The May creature was the Peter creature's kin and the Conner's mate. Even though he could hear Connors in his mind telling him to be careful Lizard wasn’t worried. This red slime man was weak, tasty but weak.
Red stretched to his full height, his arms splitting and becoming giant axes. “Eat me? Eat ME? I’ll gut you, gut you and then gut the other one. Your wrinkly bitch.”
With no coordination, he swung for Lizard. As the axe slid harmlessly off his skin Lizard crouched and spun, batting carnage with his tail. Carnage was swung around as he grab it. Huffing Carnage dug in his heels and lifted Lizard up and slammed him down into the ground.
“Kill you kill you,” he screeched. With Lizard's tail trapped under one arm, his symbskin enveloped a small section of it. It thinned and wrapped itself around it like a wire, cutting and cracking the scales.
Lizard howled in agony as the skin twisted and bit into him. Carnage coated his thinner tail scales in some kind of toxic acid and the flesh hissed as it ate into him. He thrashed it back and forth, trying to dislodge him, but Carnage only laughed as he dug in and held him fast.
“Kill you, then kill the bitch,” he giggled as he taunted him. His fingers became thin blades and he began to force them under the thick plates covering Lizard.
With that taunt Lizard became enraged.
Kill May? Curt echoed, No. No. NO!
In his mind, the Lizard felt the world go black. For a second he was sure the Conners had put him to sleep. His vision faded and then almost immediately it returned. As his sight returned, Carnage was on the ground, with a thick scaly clawed foot pushing him into the dirt.
Carnage had been laughing as he pried the plates from Lizard. He stumbled and almost fell as the creature shrank, becoming the man one more to escape. He immediately grew once more and planted a thick foot on his back, forcing him to the ground. Even as he sent tendrils waving and slashing from his back the monster was relentless. He stomped down, again and again before jumping and driving two clawed feet into his back.
Even winded, the tendrils continued their assault. Lizard ignored the useless blades that only cut and slashed his clothing. Lizard picked up Carnage and hoisted him over his head, smashing him down on his knee. As the man coughed and vomited he repeated the same move and it was only when he heard the sirens that he paused.
With a momentary distraction, Red coated himself in the same acid he used before. Roaring in pain, Lizard dropped him and he bolted, vaulted over the neighbour’s fence and ran.
It had not gone according to plan. His master had been wrong and he had gotten hurt. If he could only free himself he would be able to take revenge on them all, take revenge on the ones who did this.
Oh, what fun I could have, he thought but the master kept him on a tight leash, and he could only obey.
As Connors shrank back down he thanked the creature and headed inside. He saw May standing with a phone in one hand and her brother-in-law's old gun in the other, “Is it gone?” and as Curt nodded she burst into tears and grabbed hold of him.
The doorbell rang and Curt saw the armoured police ETF officer. He waved and the man nodded, seeing the state May was in.
“May, listen, I will explain but we cannot tell them, about me. I know you saw, I’m not stupid and I know you’re not either, but they will take me.”
With her head buried in his chest, she nodded. “Richard was Shield, I know when to lie,” and as she stood up straight, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
As she opened the door she apologised, “I'm sorry officer, it, it was just a bit much.”
He nodded, “It's okay ma’am, but we will need a statement, it was the Lizard, yes? And one of Venom's associates?”
Aunt May had no choice but to nod. It was going to be a long night.
Once they had both given statements they waited for the forensic team to finish. The backyard had been scoured, and evidence was collected and bagged. After several long hours, the police finally left.
In the kitchen, May was handed a cup of tea by Curt. She looked over at him, knowing full well that his guilty nervous smile hid more than he was willing to tell.
“Is he safe?” May asked sternly. It was only then that Curt frowned, “Is Peter safe?” After a moment of realisation, Curt nodded. “Then don’t bother lying, as long as he is safe then I don’t need to know.”
As she took a sip from the cup. “But, if you ever lie and he isn’t Mr Conners. Whatever that man was going to do will be a picnic compared to what I will put you through.”
Curt and the Lizard both gulped. Now he knew where Peter got it from.
