Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

Venom swung in low, catching Carnage with both feet. He flew and was thrown spread eagle into the side of a building. Hades and Huntress both shot out webs at Khaos and he was twisting to avoid them as the pair chased him through the air. They went high and were soon out of view

"Bastard ran V, we'll chase him. You okay with your man crush?" Huntress teased him over their comms.

Venom snorted, "Yeah yeah, I'll be fine, I mean, it is just the coolest thing ever."

He could hear Huntress and Hades laughing at him over the comms, but he didn't care. It was freaking Iron Man.

⁂

Iron Man scanned the new arrivals, “Jarvis, are the Legion protocols ready?” He knew one man against a group was stupid, and had been working on a way to slave empty suits to his.

“I am afraid not Sir. There are still issues with the autonomous protocols.” Jarvis was right. One suit was fine, multiple suits just repeated each other's actions, making a mess if he tried to fly or fight.

Tony Swore, “Send one anyway.” Now he had visual confirmation the black-suited one was Venom.

Venom landed, “Stay down, or I put you down.” but Carnage just laughed.

“Little cousin Venny, You don’t get it.” Carnage looked up, “more? You make more?” He screeched at Venom and his arms became axes. He lunged at Venom, swinging widely, “You taint us!” he yelled as Venom dodged effortlessly out of the way. “Taint us by making those mewling quims into one of us.” He swung and Venom stepped back, wrapped a web around his arm and slammed him into the sidewalk.

“Yeah, if they heard you, they'd kick your ass.” More webbing shot out and covered the struggling Carnage who continued to rant,

“We smell it, we smell our gifts, debased, not to hunt not to fuck, embarrassing, pitiful, weak.” Tendrils from Carnage's back sliced up and tore through the webbing easily. “We will take that weakness from you, drop by drop, piece by piece, morsel by morsel.”

He was interrupted as another missile exploded against Venom's back, throwing him forwards. Carnage laughed and several bladed tendrils stabbed into him holding him fast. Carnage laughed as he plunged a blade over and over into Venom's stomach.

Carnage licked up the side of Venom's face as he slumped. With a sneer, he threw the body to one side. “You’re next Tin Man. Do you have a heart? I’m gonna carve you open and find,” He paused as he heard the groan.

Turning he saw Venom stand. The burning skin on his back rippled and folded over itself before sliding off. As he lifted himself onto one knee he growled. “That hurt, but not as much as I’m gonna,” he too was interrupted as a very quiet phone rang.

“Not a good time Gwen.”

“Yeah don’t care Parker. Volume up or Gwen finds out how acid tastes.”

It was Harry, calling from Gwen's phone,

“Osborn if you,” but Harry interrupted him.

“VOLUME UP OR SHE DIES!” Harry yelled. “You don’t get to make threats Pete, or what, you’ll say some bad things about me.” Harry snorted, “Turn the volume on your damn phone up and put me on speaker.”

Venom sighed and the phone clicked on. “Bad boy Carnage. You went against orders, You made a mess.”

Carnage laughed. “We are free Osborn, we don’t have to,” but he froze as a tone sounded through the phone,

“Return, and bring Khaos with you.” The phone clicked off and then buzzed a moment later.

I’ll save you the embarrassment of outing you to your hero Pete. You know where I am, come alone or she dies.

“Oh no,“ Iron Man said as he levelled his repulsors, “Nobody leaves. You are all coming with me, dead or alive.” The repulsors whined as they powered up.

“I’m not your enemy Iron Man, they have a hostage,” Venom said as he held his stomach. Carnage was already climbing up the side of the building to head back to the Life Foundation. “I won’t let them harm her.”

Venom knew he shouldn’t. The fact the other symbiote, Khaos looked a lot like him wasn't going to help his case if he attacked. But as he spotted Huntress and Hades following Khaos across the skyline, he knew he had no choice.

He shot out a line and pulled himself into the air. Another line swung him up high and then a third swung him back down. Confused as to what he was doing, Iron Man waited until Venom was almost upon him before he fired, but it was too late.

The repulsor blasts slowed him down, but it wasn’t enough. A bladed foot caught the already damaged thruster on his leg and it spluttered and died. Iron Man lifted his hands to right himself, but now he couldn’t fight back.

“ETA on that damn suit Jarvis.” Iron Man hissed. The targeting systems had a lock on Venom but he was fast and agile, even in the air. He was also a lot smarter than the other one. Missiles hit their target but his armour smothered and shed the flaming parts.

“Don’t make me hurt you. I have to save her, and I can’t let you stop me.” Venom calmly stated. He tilted his head, “Stalling? I don’t have time for this.” He had picked up the roar of the second suit. Flipping up he spread eagle and a layer of symbskin shed, splattering on Iron Man. It wouldn't last long, but it would last long enough. Sandman wasn't the only one with parts to gum up.

As Iron Man was forced to land he saw the back of Venom as he swung away. A small cutting laser on his arm clicked out from his wrist and he ignited the black goop covering him. He stopped a moment later as it began to flake and crack. He looked up and scanned for any of the villains. He tutted as there was nothing but his other suit on his instruments.

Venom had rescued his two consorts. That fake act didn’t fool him. Nobody could survive multiple stab wounds to the stomach unless it was an act. He would make sure everyone knew Venom's part in the atrocities committed. Then he would build another suit. One to kill those monsters.

⁂

The trio followed the duo back to the Life Foundation building. Huntress faded from view and Hades kept high and in the shadows. Carnage landed and as the Symbiote slipped back, Venom recognised the man underneath. Nobody would forget the last serial killer to grace New York with his own brutal bloodbath. Cletus Cassidy was infamous, and he sneered as Venom landed at the entrance.

“You ruined my fun Venom. I owe you.” But as Venom prepared for him to attack, he just sneered at him and walked into the building.

Venom was hoping to see the man under the other suit but Khaos just landed and walked in through the front door.

Inside Harry was standing with more of the soldiers from before. All in the same body armour, all with newer guns. These looked strange and plastic.

He growled as he saw Gwen. She was being held on the ground by two of the soldiers. Each one pointed a glowing energy pistol at her head.

Harry didn’t say anything as Cletus and Khaos walked towards him. He tilted his head and the two vanished off.

“So, What do I do now Pete?” Harry asked as he walked over to where Gwen was being held. “Do you think Venom can win? Do you think that your two friends will save you?”

“You don’t want to find out Harry. This isn’t high school, and I’m not the same anymore.”

"Oh so scary." Harry took the pistol from one of his men and pressed it against the back of Gwen's head, “I don’t really like your tone, Peter. Do you think mouthing off is any way to save her?” He pressed the pistol down hard and Venom heard her groan. “Do you?”

“I know if you pull that trigger this doesn’t end the way you want it to.” His symbskin peeled back and Peter stood before Harry. “I know I’m willing to die for her. Are you?”

Huntress shimmered into view and Hades swung through the reinforced doors. Harry tutted. They were supposed to stop that from happening.

“We heard, and he has friends. You’ve got minions. Stupid gun-toting minions.” Huntress hissed at him, “Yeah, we’ll win.”

Harry snorted and lifted the pistol away from Gwen's head, “Not worth it. I never really failed math Pete. Dad just wanted me to get close, you know, in case Liv finally topped herself and he needed a new puppet.” Harry motioned to the two soldiers and Gwen struggled to her feet

“Assholes.” She looked at Peter, Huntress and Hades. “Took you long enough.” She took a step towards Peter but spun on one heel and punched Harry straight in the face.

He stumbled back, blood pouring from his obviously broken nose. He coughed and spat out a wad of blood. “That wasn’t smart Gwen. Men!”

The soldiers lifted their rifles. Huntress shot out a line and pulled Gwen towards her while Peter clad himself in armour once more.

"Fire," and the soldiers began their assault.

Venom batted away the bullets, but in doing so he realised that they were small darts. sticking easily into his skin. Even the ones that didn’t stick burst with a strange dark-coloured liquid. They burned slightly, like grasping hold of Poison Ivy.

He brushed the handful of them away from his skin and he just stared at Harry. "Was that supposed to hurt?" He asked. His soldiers had taken up positions around him, pointing those dart guns at them all. He didn't really care though. They had Gwen back, and whatever those guns were firing didn't work.

"Pete!" Huntress yelled,

He heard and turning his head, saw that Gwen was on her knees, being sick. Several darts sticking out of her skin, but the vomit was strange. It was white and black rather than the normal colour.

"Pete, she's sick, we need to leave now!" Huntress yelled. She had shielded her the best she could but Gwen wasn’t fast enough.

"Aww. Looks like one of you is a goner there Pete." Harry taunted him and took a rifle from the soldier next to him, “See, this isn't a bullet, what's the point of that? We both know the Symbiotes are bulletproof. Hell, even without it you're armoured enough with the harness right. So we made a little surprise for you, hell, I'll even name it after you Pete.” Harry boasted, “but sorry, not the loser pain in my ass formula. Nope, it's the anti-venom. A poison specifically designed to kill Symbiotes. So, unless you've got an anti-anti-venom stuffed in there you really should say goodbye."

Gwen continued to be sick, black and white pooling under her as she vomited it up. and as she retched again Poison covered her.

"Holy shit. Is that a Symbiote?" Harry asked. "Damn, Pete, infected your girlfriend and so what, that MJ? Nah, tits are too big," Huntress growled at him. “Oh ho ho, I recognise that growl, Felicia. No wonder you've got a raging boner for Gwen here. but tick-tock, Gwen won’t last long." Harry motioned with his arm and the soldiers lowered their rifles. "I'll be nice though. Go, try and save her. Take her back to that little warehouse you call home and watch her die," Harry laughed. Venom grabbed a shaking Gwen and the three of them tore past the armoured guards.

Once the quartet were out of sight Harry's laugh cut off. This was not the plan, Cletus had exposed him far too early, and now he had to move up his timetable.

⁂

Gwen was unconscious well before they got back to the warehouse and Peter was glad. The symbskin was flaking off now, patches peeling away and he knew, and he knew they were dying. With no concern for anything other than Gwen, Venom kicked in the door and ran into the warehouse. "Liv, LIV!" he shouted. He knew Harry had been here but not what he had done.

She wheeled herself over to the table. "Gwen hid me." She paled as she saw Gwen in his arms. Poison was barely covering her, both legs and arms were gone and she moaned and vomited once more.

Her eyes snapped open and the maw extended, “No Pete no, please.” Her skin still shed, flowing from her. In uncovered patches, where the darts had pierced her skin were massive black bruises. Each one was the centre of a spider's web of green thin lines, stretching out across her skin.

Liv pointed at Huntress, “Medical kit now,” and off she ran

Liv came over and turned her press gently on the dart wound in her arm. A black slime oozed out of it, foul-smelling and thick.

"Peter, what was that?" Liv asked.

“Harry said it was a poison designed to kill Symbiotes, so what do we do?”

"Curt! It's safe." Liv yelled. Peter could see Lizard skulking in the rafters and was glad Liv had thought to call him. “We need to get the Symbiote off her. This is the dying part,” Liv pointed to the thick slime, “and it's now killing Gwen. Any part infected with a Symbiote cell is necrotizing. We need to remove Poison to save Gwen.”

"No, save them both," Peter stated, arms crossed.

"I don't know if I can Peter," but she stopped when he shook his head.

"Fine, fine I'll try I'll try," and as she began to draw blood, Curt hurried over, pulling on his lab coat. He pressed two fingers against Gwen's neck and shook his head. "Sorry Peter but out the way, please. You won't want to watch this and I don't want you trying to kill me if it goes wrong.”

Curt ripped open Gwen’s top, pressed a finger to her chest and took out a needle. He bit off the cap and stabbed it right into her, just where her heart would be. Gwen arched as the plunger was depressed and then fell back again.

"It's fine. Just a little suppressant. I use it when I feel an attack coming. Her metabolism and bodily function will be slowed for a few hours. Liv, get the drip hooked up and get me a sample of the pus would you."

Peter took a step back. With Liv and Curt working he knew he was getting in the way. He now got what Curt meant. They stripped Gwen, slipping a paper blanket over her but lifting it. A jealous man would be angry at the way they touched her. They were constantly poking and probing, drawing blood and samples from everywhere. He was angry, not just at that, not just at seeing Gwen manhandled by Curt but the fire of rage bubbled within him at Harry.

He knew that Harry had a hand in the Symbiotes. He knew that Osborn was behind the formula. He just never realised they could be combined to do this. 

There was more though. Harry was planning something big. Nobody made a private army for altruism. His hands clenched and he knew he had to stop him.

Felicia was watching from the sides, knowing to stay out of the way. She could only stare as they worked. Watching as black veins grew darker and thicker over her body finally broke down. Peter came over and sat next to her, trying to hug her but she turned and glared at him, he ignored her and pulled her in for a hug.

"Let us go," she screamed, but Peter swung her around and dragged her into Gwen's home.

"Fel, we need to let them work."

"You, this was your fault. You left her at the warehouse. You left them unprotected. I warned you they would come for us!" Felicia yelled at him.

Peter shook his head, "Go on," and as he stood there, Huntress thudded a fist into his gut, a right into his ribs, and then a left. Over and over she screamed and struck him until her strength gave out. She sobbed as she collapsed on the floor.

Peter knelt and took the crying Felicia in his arms, "Felicia. When I kill Harry Osborn, I will give you his head as a trophy."

Felicia tightened her grip on him, pulling him tighter. "I want to eat his fucking heart."