Chapter 2
—-----------------
A Tuesday in April, Unknown location in New York
Natasha Romanov was someone who didn't really have problems with a lot of people. That's sort of a lie, she in fact has many issues with the people she's chosen to work alongside for the better part of a decade now. But that's besides the point, what she tends to appreciate is when people listen and don't interrupt. Clint Barton was really pushing his luck in that department. It's not her problem that Nick Fury only gave them both limited details. It's in their line of work after all. It's only around now that Nat realizes she's only partially taking in what the Director is saying and paying too much attention to glaring at the side of Clint's head.
-now we might be able to get proof on these ass-"
"Wait, so you're saying that you've known about this 'San Francisco Demon' for months, it can eat people and has been doing so for months and you've only now decided to tell either of us?" Clint raises his hand, not even bothering to wait for permission before interrupting the oh so entertaining debriefing. Natasha blinks slowly, rethinking her choice of companionship as an Avenger. Though supposes she's been hanging out with Clint much longer than this whole Avengers situation. The hologram of Director Fury looks like it might just manifest in that room just to smack the archer out of his chair.
"Well if you'd like I could just tell you nothing about this and let both of you start from the ground up," At the following silence, Fury continues talking to the two somehow most competent Avengers. "This 'Demon' might have just killed a dozen Shield Agents."
Oh. So that's why Clint and Natasha were being brought in first. Natasha shoots Clint a look to get him to shut up and let her talk for a short minute.
"How much do you have on it?"
"Thank you," Nick Fury's hologram flickers, and news headlines and other articles start to appear before them. "As far as we know, this thing had something to do with the Life Corporation Explosion, Carlton Drake was messing around with things he shouldn't have. We don't know what the source is to his experiments but whoever was involved were basically all killed, destroyed or blown up. This thing was out in the streets at night for a few days, the Life Corporation exploded with everything inside it and the Demon disappeared for weeks. Now all of a sudden it's back."
"That's not a whole lot to go off of." Nat comments, sure, they've worked with less before and still come out on top. Her and Clint had once toppled a remote organized crime ring on the Alaskan Coast in the middle of a blizzard with little more than a location, but it was still a lot of work. Not that Natasha wouldn't do it but... it still wouldn't be that much fun. Regardless, she held back her sigh as she started to read the headlines. Lots of blurry images that were downright shamefully poor quality considering the pictures of stars that were out millions of miles away. It was like looking at a pile of lint. The actual headlines weren't much help either, all vaguely titled, brief descriptions of massacres. And now, mentions of Shield activity in the area. As if that wasn't gonna make the job even harder than it already was.
Natasha didn't have to look over at Clint to know that he was taking in just as much information as she was. For all his stupidity and sarcasm, he was an Avenger for a reason, just like she was. Those gears in that thick skull of his were brilliant at putting together information in situations like this. It was no surprise to him to have such little information like this, if anything, Clint was probably looking forward to this more than Natasha was. In the sense that it would get the both of them away from the confines of the Avenger's Tower that the ever charming Tony Stark had them all living in. Clint was on his feet now, and had one hand holding his jawline like a studious professor, it was an uncommon look on him for sure, but his voice was level when he spoke to Director Fury next.
"Do we have any names we might be able to look into related to this Life Corporation?"
-----------------------------
A Saturday in March, Oregon
Traveling was always at least mildly unpleasant. If only because there wasn't much to do other than look at the road ahead, listen to music and/or talk to each other. Not that Eddie particularly cared too much, there was some snappy, upbeat EDM style music in his ears as he sped down the highway just a little too fast. Venom had curled around his fingers in order to hold down the accelerator at his own desired rate, Eddie just bobbed his head along to the tunes. They'd been on the road for about two hours now, and had left in a mild hurry to get to Halfway as fast as possible so they wouldn't miss any time on picking up the trail. Well.. actually-
'If we get there, and there are bad people. And if those supposed bad people were to start shooting us-'
"Yes, Ve, I am giving you permission, that if for some reason they start shooting at us on sight then yes you can eat a few of them." Eddie snapped out, finally giving in to Venom's relentlessness. There was a slight squeeze around his arms, and the reporter bit his lip. "I'm not mad Ve. It's normal for couples to bicker with each other. You've seen Dan and Anne."
Though Venom didn't respond, Eddie knew that his other was relieved, it was a lightness in his chest that wasn't his own. Things were still a little shaky between them, trying to figure out exactly what they were together. He and Venom only recently realized that their relationship was a little more than just a symbiosis. Tears were shed, there was a confession of emotions, but they came out closer than before, feeling out the boundaries of the line between each other that seemed to blur more and more every day. They were in this together after all, Venom had given up his entire home planet and species to be here almost exclusively because of Eddie. That was more than just a good symbiosis, and they both knew it.
There was no one else on the highway, hadn't been another soul for the better part of an hour and a half, during that time it had started to rain. Not the pleasant light sprinkle either, this was heavy, thunderous rain. Which meant that it was going to be freezing cold soon enough. The cold isn't really a problem for them, no more than it is for any person. The cold just sucks, being cold is awful. The rain was coming down harder, the thick pellets of water eventually drowning out the music Eddie had going in his ears, and it was getting harder to see through the visor of his helmet. Not that he needed to really see, Venom was doing the driving, and honestly was a better driver than Eddie most of the time anyways. The one thing Venom did make the reporter aware of was a small, worn down sign at the junction of the highway.
Welcome to Halfway. Hells Canyon County
What an ironic name for a desolate, small little town by the foot of a damnedly intimidating range of mountains.
Bang.
To be fair, having your front tire explode from underneath you is just unfair and unpredictable though. It could have been a flash of lightning that distracted them for a moment, but that idea was proven wrong when the front half of the motorcycle dove forward and the whole vehicle flipped from something that had obviously struck their front tire. Before Eddie had even really processed what was happening, Venom caught him, enveloping his side and cushioning the fall, half dragging Eddie into the rain filled ditch to avoid getting trampled by the machine. He's sure he heard Venom call out for him, shouting in his head as the familiar feeling of envelopment took him. Eddie didn't actually think this place was really gonna be hostile instantly, but the unmistakable sound of bullets was suddenly mixed in with the rain pouring down around them.
EDDIE! They are shooting at us on sight! I told you!
'I see that Ve!'
The lack of visor in his eyes expanded Eddie's vision, it was times like this when the lines between Eddie and Venom were the most blurred, where their senses melded together the most. Eddie was now aware that there were several sources of people around them, all of which seemed to be very upset at the idea that someone would dare visit this town. How big was this group that they just had an entire town on lockdown? And no one on the outside knew? There was at least one benefit to all of this pouring rain. It made the sky dark, and this late at night it was near impossible to see Venom without the headlights of the motorcycle giving away their position now. The location of one of the pockets of incoming fire was close enough to be considered the highest threat. Right as their near pathetic little lights came on trying to spot the massive beast they had just unleashed, Venom had already aimed his teeth for the soon to be devoured souls. Eating people was not a feeling Eddie thought he could ever have gotten used to, but watching and feeling through Venom's eyes somehow made things easier to disassociate from. Venom's excitement was palpable in Eddie's mind. The symbiote roared, he had been promised heads, and he will take them.
Venom's over-eagerness made him vicious, tearing the head from the shoulders of the first human he could get his hands on. There wasn't enough time for the man to let out a scream, but the people around him had plenty of time to realize what their situation was. The man's body made a great weapon after his death, his mother should be proud. Gunpowder carried through the rain, the bullets cut off as the headless corpse was tossed through the collection of very militarized looking soldiers unloaded into Venom's chest. All to no avail of course, the symbiote needed his fill and everyone was very conveniently at about head-eating level.
The field was alive with bodies, and some less alive ones. Limbs separated, bodies rendered very headless. Things were going very well all things considered. Until lightning really struck, far too close for comfort, and the thunder that followed was far too loud for either of them. Damn thunderstorm, why did everything have to go wrong for these two? Could they never just have an easy case that didn't involve getting shot at every single time? Venom's form began rippling, recoiling from their body as he let out a horrid, pained screech. There was a strange sound that followed in Venom's blind rage, it didn't sound like a normal bullet. Didn't feel like one either, as white hot electricity shot through their entire body. Eddie screamed too this time, those bastards seriously had giant tasers??
The black ichor receded quickly, not for lack of trying to cover and protect his other, only to be forced under the skin from the pain. Bright lights were on Eddie now, the rain deafening in his ears that were definitely bleeding now. His body was seized up, vision blurred as the motherfucker with the big gun that shot him came into view. Along with some others of course, but Eddie tried his best to remember what Taser Bastard looked like. He'd need to know who to let Venom eat when they got out of whatever the hell this was going to be. The only feature he could pick out through the rain in his eyes was definitely not real. Who the hell just has a metal arm? Who has these kinds of weapons?
Oh no. They really kicked the hornet's nest this time... didn't they?
Then everything went black as Eddie finally passed out, soundly regretting any decision to ever leave the state of California.