Spider-Man's perspective:

For the Web-Slinger, a burglar alarm was like a dog-call. Sure enough, he saw a car speeding away from a store. Spider-Man caught up to the car by web swinging, then landed on the ground not far from it. He used a web line to stop the car.

"Now, you can't be stealing," said Spider-Man. "If nothing else, what kind of message are you sending to children?"

The two men inside the car got out and charged Spider-Man, but were easily dispatched.

After using webbing to stick the burglars to the wall, Spider-Man decided that before he went home, he would use his phone to check the news in Atlanta, Georgia for Venom. The ex-journalist who had bonded with the symbiote Spider-Man had rejected had gone to war with him. While they had made peace since, Spidey remained distrustful of the vigilante in an alien costume. Could Venom keep his promise to stay not only out of Spider-Man's life but also out of trouble?

Every so often, The Web-Slinger had checked what had been going on in Atlanta to make sure Venom remained on the level. To Spider-Man's relief, Venom had so far, but you never knew.

Venom's perspective, a week ago:

Venom had found a meth house full of drug dealers. This was one of the few cartels that he had not dispatched in the few months he had been in Atlanta.

Leaping and smashing through a wall, Venom said, "Greetings, 'friends.' If you have any tobacco, you'd best chew now, because we're going to stop you from ruining another innocent life with drugs ever again."

"Shoot da piss-ant," shouted a frightened man brandishing a sawed-off shotgun.

Venom began punching and dodging bullets. In under a minute, all the criminals in the building were dead. Spider-Man would have left live collars for the police, but Venom was not Spider-Man. While their rivalry had come to an end, Venom still chose not to use the "weak" methods employed by The Wall-Crawler.

Venom noticed a seven-year-old girl bound and gagged. Freeing her, Venom asked, "Victim of kidnapping, we presume?"

"Y-yes," said the girl in fear. Venom had a bad reputation and, at least in crimefighting form, had huge, sharp teeth and a long tongue.

Venom growled. "Those rotten... sorry. We see we've scared you. But we mean no harm to any innocent person, let alone a child. We're here to help."

"Natalie Parkman," the girl identified herself. "They were holding me for ransom." Venom's symbiote made his back area sticky so Natalie could be easily carried out of the meth house and web swung throughout town. Venom used "webbing" made of the symbiote's substance to emulate Spider-Man's. Even after Venom had stopped trying to kill Spidey, he had still used makeshift webbing because it remained invaluable.

Nearing a police station, Venom said, "In the station if you will. The officers will help you find your parents and home."

"Thank you," said Natalie before she ran into the station. She was grateful yet anxious to be apart from her terrifying rescuer.

"I agree," said Venom to his symbiote. "Helping innocents is very satisfy... oh, no!" He rushed to a prior engagement of his.

Shauniqua Brown's perspective:

Although it was almost unheard of for any crime syndicate in America to have a female boss, Shaniqua Brown had broken through that glass ceiling with the death of her father by Venom's hand and the lack of a male heir. There had been one or two members of the organization who questioned if a woman could lead the gang, but they were dead by this point.

"I just got word that Venom just busted up the Johnsons," said John Bozeman, Shaniqua's assistant.

"Excellent," said Shaniqua. "I know lyin' low cost us a lotta money, but we decided to kick back and watch as all the other organizations got crushed. The Atlanta black market's ours to play with now!"

"But what about Venom?" asked John.

"Don't sweat 'im," grinned Shaniqua. "I've seen videos of his brawls with Spider-Man in New York. He's got weaknesses. We can handle him. And once we do, every hoodlum, hillbilly and transplant from the Northeast in this state'll get with the program! Georgia's ours!"

Eddie Brock's perspective:

Near Joe's Tavern, a restaurant, the Venom symbiote changed itself to an appropriate attire for a date. Its host, Eddie Brock, was attending one. Eddie met his new friend, a long-haired brunette named Mandy Grayson, just outside Joe's.

"You're late," said Mandy, hands on hips.

Just tell her what we were doing, Eddie, suggested the symbiote in Eddie's head. A little research would tell her that we're Venom anyway.

"Sorry," Eddie apologized to Mandy. "I don't know why I lost track of time."

You're playing with fire, warned the alien in Eddie's head. You better hope she doesn't find out who we are before you're ready to level with her.

"Shut up," whispered Eddie to the symbiote.

"Sorry," said Mandy sarcastically. "I'm not gonna be a doormat for any man who wants me. If you like the submissive type who doesn't care about lateness, I'm not your girl."

"I-I wasn't talking to you," said Eddie quickly. "I was talking to... myself." Or rather his other.

"In that case," said Mandy, "Just show me a good time and I'll forgive you."

And so they ate dinner at Joe's. It was a nice place and Eddie thought the food was nothing less than excellent.

"So you're a lawyer?" asked Eddie.

"Yeah," said Mandy.

"Divorce, business, or prosecution?" asked Eddie.

"Criminal defense," said Mandy.

"W-what?" asked a shocked Eddie. "You defend the guilty?"

"They're not always guilty," said Mandy. "Not long ago, I got off a defendant in an attempted murder case because the gun had been left in his car. Not only did I raise reasonable doubt, the true assailant has since been caught."

"But what about the vast majority of the time?" asked Eddie.

"Prosecution always wants an unfair sentence," Mandy explained. "It's my job to make sure he doesn't get it. Someday, you might see that your black and white view is wrong."

"We'll see," said Eddie. He had to admit Mandy made good points.

When they had finished dinner, Mandy said, "Tardiness aside, a good evening." She kissed Eddie on the cheek. Eddie's heart immediately rose. His last year may have been rough, but things were looking up.

But upon returning to his own apartment, Eddie saw two policemen just outside the door. "We know who you are Brock," said one. "You have much to answer for. You're under arrest for stalking, assault, and even murder. You have a right to remain silent."

"We're riding the wave," joked Eddie as he transformed back into Venom and ran and web swung away. He tried not to hate the policemen. They were only doing their jobs. It was the bad press Venom got. He doubted this would have happened if not for his attacks on the fatally misjudged Spider-Man. In reality, Eddie's quarrel with Spidey had been based on his blaming his mistakes and subsequent firing as a journalist on the superhero from New York.

Venom easily escaped but had a problem: he was now homeless.

Don't fret Eddie, the alien tried to console its host. As long as we have each other, we will survive!

Lieutenant Frank Bronson's perspective:

African-American Lieutenant Frank Bronson was trying to argue his case to his superior. "Chief, Venom is no terrorist. He may not be perfect, but he destroyed our gang problem. Please call off your arrest order. It's no way to thank him."

"No can do," refused Chief Edward Bolling. "He's best known for attacking a hero known as Spider-Man. And he's been assaulting people here in Atlanta since he arrived."

"Those were all criminals," said Bronson. "And I do think Spider-Man's as controversial a figure as Venom."

"Because the Daily Bugle has it out for him," said Bolling. "No, my decision's made. We go after him."

Bronson's plea had gone unanswered. Bronson was frustrated. He had to find a way to help clear Venom's name. He deserved it. But how?

Venom's perspective:

Because the police were looking for him, Venom needed go unnoticed. So his symbiote changed its colors to blend in with its surroundings during the next patrol. A burglar alarm revealed trouble. Venom pursued a car speeding away from a bank. Sticking to the top, he punched through a window and pulled the driver out.

After jumping off the car, Venom smiled, "Thought ignorant police meant you were safe from us, rat? Happy to disappoint."

"Wait," said the driver. "There's one gang you missed. Want me to tell you where to find my people?"

"Cowards are tasty," Venom licked his sharp, synthetic teeth. "But for the greater good, we accept your offer. You guarantee your survival if you play it straight, but that's all you get."

"OK," said the robber. Venom was surprised that he gave in this easily. Soon enough, Venom had been directed to a safehouse in downtown Atlanta. So Venom knocked out the robber. Venom would be back for him later. For now, he could not be allowed to warn the gang, especially since this seemed like a trap.

Sure enough, Venom entered to see no one there except a smiling woman.

"We take it you're the boss of the gang we were told about?" asked Venom.

"Shauniqua Brown," said the woman. "Got a problem with the boss of Atlanta's last gang bein' a girl?"

"Not at all," said Venom. "We've never eaten a lady's brain, but we're pro-equality enough to do it if you don't tell us where your men are right now."

"I wouldn't talk to me this way if I were you," threatened Shauniqua.

"If you were us," Venom nitpicked, "We'd be you, and we wouldn't have ever been part of a gang." Despite his humor, Venom was befuddled. Shauniqua seemed so confident. Did she not know that Venom could kill her with a wave of his hand?

"Be a smartass if you want," said Shauniqua. "Won't change the fact that I learned how to deal with you from watching you fight Spider-Man."

Venom roared and dived at Shauniqua. "Now," she shouted. Deafening heavy music played. It ringed in Venom's ears, causing him to literally fall short of Shauniqua.

"Since the human half of you is white and violent," said Shauniqua, "I figured you like this kind of music. Costume's peeling already. Loud shit hurts you as much as advertised. Looks like this is the last song you're ever gonna hear. But for what it's worth, thanks. You may be a crazy son of a bitch, but you did wipe out my competition." She drew a pistol and took aim.

Despite being horribly weakened, the symbiote managed to launch a blob of its substance into the barrel of the gun. It jammed an instant later.

"Sheet," cursed Shauniqua.

Venom had no choice but to flee. He heard Shauniqua shout, "Get 'im." She had not been alone after all.

After he had ran a bit outside, Venom heard two pursuers gaining on him. They no doubt had guns.

"Can we web swing?" asked Venom.

I wouldn't advise it, cautioned the symbiote. Great!

Around the bend came a car that stopped. A man peeked out with a gun. Venom dived to the side, but it was his pursuers who were shot.

"In," said Venom's rescuer. Venom did as he was told. He was driven away.

"Thanks," said Venom.

"It's been owed," said the man. "Lieutenant Frank Bronson - but don't worry. I'm one of the few open-eyed cops when it comes to you." He held out a hand. Venom carefully shook it.

"You look like you've been torn up," said Bronson. "We need to get you to a doctor discreetly."

"That won't be necessary," said Venom. "We just need twenty minutes of rest for the alien symbiote that I wear to regenerate."

"It regenerates?" asked a surprised Bronson.

"Don't ask me, Lieutenant," Venom shook his head. "I only use the alien. Doesn't mean I entirely understand it. No school on its home planet so it can't tell me much itself."

When the twenty minutes were up, Lieutenant Bronson asked, "You sure you're up to this?"

"Positive," said Venom. "Thank you."

"Anytime," smiled Bronson. "Good luck."

Venom cautiously returned to the street where the safehouse was. The car that was there had gone nowhere. Venom shrouded himself and explored the place. One of the back rooms had several of Shauniqua's cronies, along with two large speakers. Venom used a pair of web lines to smash the speakers together, then began taking out the criminals in the room.

Not to Venom's surprise, Shauniqua had fled from the safehouse. What was surprising was that she was running on foot, not driving away in her car. As Venom web swung at her, Shauniqua drew a flamethrower out of her leather jacket and blasted Venom with it, causing him to crash onto the ground!

"I also saw your battles with Carnage," grinned Shauniqua. "This is what stopped him. Figured you'd be just as vulnerable."

But then Venom used a web line to pull the flamethrower away. "Apparently, your research was incomplete. Or you'd know that unlike sound, we're not that weak against heat. Other way around for our accursed spawn, Carnage. Any last..." Venom was cut off by police sirens.

"Better run while you still have a chance," grinned Shauniqua before fleeing.

Venom ran after Shauniqua. Obviously not what she had in mind. Unfortunately, the day had taken its toll on the controversial crimefighter in an alien costume. By the time he had caught up to Shauniqua, he was hit by sonic blasters and fell to the ground.

"Halt," shouted one of the two officers. It looked like the police were also prepared for Venom.

"Thank God you're here, officers," said Shauniqua. "This maniac is brutally attacking me."

"She's a gangs..." Venom was hit by sonic blasters again. Venom was wanted and Shauniqua's criminal activities were largely unknown. So the police believed her. Before long, Venom had fallen unconscious, but not before Shauniqua smirked at and gave him a middle finger salute.

Shauniqua's perspective:

Shauniqua was pleased. After she had answered questions, she had gone to a nightclub to celebrate.

While not executed to perfection, her plan had worked. Venom was in police custody. But at heavy cost: denying that the safehouse was hers required the men inside to be arrested and the valuables to be confiscated. No matter. Shauniqua Brown would rebuild. Venom and the rival gangs were out of the way. Only the Atlanta PD remained as a threat, and once the word got out that Shaniqua Brown was the queenpin of Georgia, she would be able to take care of this one remaining obstacles with bribes.

Shaniqua had to laugh at the irony. Venom had survived everything Shauniqua and her gang had thrown at him, yet he had still lost. Shauniqua had won. She was on the way up and Venom was on his way to death row.

Who said there was never a cop around when you needed one?

Lieutenant Bronson's perspective:

This was not good. While the last major gang had been deterred, it had not been destroyed. And the man who could finish it was in jail. But Bronson knew that Eddie Brock had recently dated a lawyer. This was fortuitous.

Bronson called this lawyer. "Mandy Grayson? This is Lieutenant Frank Bronson. There's something you're really gonna want to hear."

Eddie's perspective:

Eddie's crimefighting career had been cut short. He was in jail and had been informed that touching the bars would trigger a sound wave. He had tested this anyway and it did not feel good.

He heard a knock on the metal door of his cell. It was Mandy. "So my boyfriend is Venom?" she asked. "Don't know whether to find it scary or cool. Don't worry. I'll get you out of here. Their case is weak."

"They took everything," said a dispirited Eddie. "We can't pay you anything."

"You're an honorable man and my boyfriend besides," said Mandy. "Besides, a chance to get a superhero off? Even if not everyone thinks of you as that, that does enough for my career. Just promise you'll rethink your simplistic view of defense attorneys and morality in general."

"I'll try," Eddie promised.

So the next say, Eddie was amazed as Mandy eviscerated District Attorney Bob Folsom in the preliminary hearing.

On cross-examination of Officer Darren Folkman, Mandy asked, "So let me get straight. You've found dead bodies where Mr. Brock has allegedly been before."

"He committed them," said Folkman. "Sorry, but you can't win 'em all."

"Is it true that we have yet to see any physical evidence or a testimony directly implicating my client?" Mandy asked him.

"Can we help it if the symbiote doesn't leave prints or that the witnesses think he's a hero and won't testify against him?" asked Folkman.

"I'm not asking if it's your fault," said Mandy sternly. "True or false - you have no evidence?"

"Objection," said Folsom.

"Overruled," decreed Judge Roy Thompson.

"True," said Folkman reluctantly.

Sitting next to Eddie, Mandy smiled and whispered, "You're golden."

Sure enough, at 6:18 PM, Judge Thompson said, "It is the judgement of this court that case against Mr. Eddie Brock is insufficient to prove probable cause of the assaults and murders he has been accused of. He will therefore be returned to society. This hearing is adjourned." Thompson banged his gavel.

"Congratulations," Mandy kissed Eddie on the cheek and put an arm around his shoulder. The began walking out of the courthouse.

"I thought it was men who did the rescuing?" joked Eddie.

"How very old-fashioned of you," Mandy laughed. "Doing anything in particular with your freedom tonight?"

"We were going to try to track down Brown before she rebuilds her gang," said Eddie.

"Tomorrow," said Mandy. "I saved you. I've earned a night on the town with you."

"We're broke," said Eddie.

"I'm not," said Mandy. "Besides, after we sue the Atlanta PD and DA's office for false arrest, we'll both be loaded. But for tonight, we've both earned a break."

Eddie certainly could not say no to that.

Lieutenant Bronson's perspective:

"If I hear that you had anything to do with this..." Chief Edward Bolling threatened his Lieutenant.

"You sure you want to go there?" asked Bronson.

"Meaning what," asked an angry Bolling.

"A majority of Atlantans approve of Venom," said Bronson. "After all, crime's down. You fire me for helping him out of jail, not that I did, and you'll have calls for your own head."

Bolling stared hard at Bronson for a few seconds, then walked away.

That was fun.

Eddie's perspective:

It had been a very fun night for both Eddie and Mandy. They had eaten out, attended a play and finally pursued various hobbies together at Mandy's house.

"To bed?" Mandy smiled broadly.

"Yeah," said Eddie, returning Mandy's hungry smile with his own.

"Three's a crowd," Mandy laid down a ground rule.

What? asked the symbiote angrily.

"You'd better go," said Eddie to his symbiote. "I'll take you back first thing tomorrow. But this is private. Don't ask. Human thing."

The symbiote reluctantly shed itself from Eddie and got on the couch. Eddie and Mandy happily walked into her bedroom together.

Peter Parker's perspective, present day:

The man also known as The Amazing Spider-Man had decided to share this with MJ. "So I guess that's what Venom's been doing lately," said Peter.

"Looks like he's OK," said MJ. "I'm not saying I've forgiven the things he did to us, but maybe you ought to leave him alone after all."

"Yeah," Peter reluctantly agreed. "He's got a strong woman in his life. Maybe she'll make him sane. Or at least as sane as he can be."

"Speaking up which," said MJ. "I took a test. It was blue."

Peter was shocked. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean," smiled MJ.