A/N: And here is the next chapter for my Venom crossover story with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. :) I know it's been a long time, but with Let There Be Carnage coming October 1st, I've been feeling like giving this story some attention. And also, I should remind you that Dylan, Sadie, and Billy are characters from the Separation Anxiety comic during the Absolute Carnage arc, hence the name of this chapter. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. :)

Chapter 5: Separation Anxiety

Entry #7

This might as well have been the longest shot in the history of long shots. I could've come up with a better plan, I'll admit it. But what else could we do? Drake and Riot kidnapped Dora's family. And neither of us wanted them to win, nor did we want to lose Sadie, Billy, or Dylan. I just hoped that Spite could hold out long enough to save them.

Hey, thanks for the vote of confidence.

I didn't bother raising a stink about her hearing that. I had gotten used to the fact that Spite could read my mind. Truth was, I wanted her to hear it. Given the time it took to walk from my car to the building, we had very little time to talk to each other before the plan got started.

"I can't help it, Spite. I don't know how long you could go on without me before you... I mean, obviously, I do, but I don't know what's gonna happen, you know?"

Yeah. I know. Walking into the belly of the beast is usually one of the dumbest ideas mankind ever had, especially when it's breaking and entering.

Well, now who's being rude?

"Hey, thank you for the vote of confidence."

You're welcome.

"Just... just try not to die on me, okay, Spite? You matter to me, too."

Spite made a light chuckle. It almost sounded sincere. Maybe it was, and I couldn't figure out what sincere was for a symbiote. Either way, I think I'm growing on her.

To think when we first bonded, you called me a parasite.

I made a light scoff in return.

"Come on, Spite. I didn't say that."

You were thinking it.

Well, she wasn't wrong.

"Okay. I was, but... I'm glad I bonded with you."

Yeah. Me, too.

Just then, I felt something oozing out of my leg before crawling away to a wall. I didn't bother looking down; I knew what it was, or rather who. Spite was crawling out of me and going to one of the air vents in Drake's Life Foundation building. With the cold air going on, I hope it'll keep Spite alive enough to find Dylan, Sadie, and Billy and get them away from Drake and his symbiotes. In the meantime, I've got a deal with a devil to make. Nothing to do except hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.

I walked into the Life Foundation, looking back on how excited I used to be. I had just graduated from Horizon High back then. Ever the optimist, I wanted to make my mark on the Life Foundation, to do something that'd set me apart from everyone else. Of course, I didn't forget that the Vanishing, happened. How could anyone? I was still just a kid back then.

Back then, I used to think the Life Foundation would be the poor man's Stark Industries. Of course, we dealt with organic materials, but po-tay-to, po-tah-to. Anyway, I've grown up. I know now that what we're doing is wrong. And someone had to stop this. If not me, then it's only a matter of time before someone else does. Speaking of someone else, I wondered how Eddie was doing.

Last I saw him, he was doing a tango with Carnage. I just hoped he won somehow. Though, it may be a bit late to say it out loud. When I took my first steps past the entrance, I saw Kassady standing by Drake and another one of his guards. I didn't want to think about how their fight must've ended, but I doubted that Venom would go down easy. Drake was holding his hands together and holding a smile, as if he didn't threaten my family. Well, Dora's family, but I digress.

"Amanda. Good to see you again."

I didn't bother changing the look on my face. This isn't like before when I'd shake his hand the first time I came here. And it won't happen ever again. He saw my look and tried to cheer me up, if you could look at it that way.

"Hey, don't look so sour. It's all for a good cause."

I only stopped in front of the kidnapper before I gave him a piece of my mind.

"For our cause, or yours?"

There was a bit of an unsettling silence in the air for a few seconds, but even Kassady knew I had my point. Not that he cared much, anyway. He is a serial killer, after all.

"You know, she's got a... a really good point, there."

Drake only leaned closer to me with a glare of his own.

"If you knew how far this 'Vanishing' went in this universe, you'd know they're one and the same."

Honestly, I hadn't. But I somewhat expected it. It didn't make sense to me how they'd end up disappearing in just our world. What Drake just told me actually cleared up a few things. Still, that didn't change my mind about who he was. Not by a long shot. After a short while of staring, Drake's expression shifted slightly before he turned to his cohort.

"Treece. Hold her arm. And be gentle with her."

His guard, who I'm guessing is Treece, went up and took my arm before dragging me with him and Kassady as we did a walk-along.

"Oh, and don't try to ask your Symbiote for help. Can't risk you causing any more collateral damage."

He didn't have to worry about that. I didn't have to ask. For now I went along with Drake and his group, hoping I could distract him long enough for Spite to help them. Of course, I was also hoping the Symbiotes don't eat them by the time she did. Then, he turned to Cletus.

"And Kassady, keep an eye out for Brock. He knows where my Symbiote is, and I want it back."

Cletus gave him a nod before going off. I guess it answered that question about what happened to Eddie and Venom. From the sound of it they must've split. I didn't picture he'd actually listen to his order. Serial killers don't usually play by anyone's rules but their own. He must have some kind of agenda with Brock some way or another.

"You're the boss."

That remained to be seen as he gave me a wicked grin before walking off. But that was the least of my worries. When we got to the lab, it... it brought a lot of painful memories. It's safe to say that it wasn't my favorite room to be in anymore. And it got worse when I saw Sadie, Billy, and Dylan in the hospital beds.

They didn't move while they were strapped in, and the canisters that held Riot's new symbiotes before were... thankfully not empty, but they were fractured. That could only mean one of two ways. Either they were like Spite when she wanted to go to me before or... they were hungry. I was dreadfully hoping so much it was the former option. I held my free hand over my mouth as a hoarse gasp escaped my mouth. Drake, on the other hand, wasn't fazed at all. When the children started to wake up, that was when I started to break.

I knew somehow that they were gonna be scared out of their minds. They never asked to be here. When Dylan opened his eyes, he found himself strapped to that bed and tried to get up, but the restraints couldn't let him. He tried harder and harder to get out, but he only got more frustrated. As for Sadie, she was scared out of her mind. She was looking around for anyone to help her. And Billy? He saw me standing there, powerless to help them get out. I tried my best to reassure them, unsure if they could even hear me.

"I-It's okay, you guys. I'm here. I swear I'll get you out of this."

Sadie must've heard me, because she turned to me, her voice full of terror and eyes full of tears.

"Mandy? What's going on? Where's mom?"

I was trembling all over. I forgot that they didn't know what happened to Dora. It brought me so much more pain than I thought it would. I couldn't tell them, even with what was happening. It wasn't fair...!

"I know what you're thinking. 'Another set of sacrifices, Drake?' But you don't have to worry. And neither will they."

I saw no reason to believe him. I wanted to punch him in the face for ever trying to read my mind. Only Spite was allowed to do that. Though, a part of me was curious about why he was so certain when he told me and Dora that Eddie's life was in danger last time. I'm scared to think what Riot's bond actually helped him accomplish with these symbiotes.

"Yeah? Why in the name of God not?"

It's a little-known fact, but I didn't feel like using the big guy's name in vain. It actually was in his name, because he's the one who created us. What Drake was doing was basically trying to play his role by using sacrifices. Drake gave me another hard glare as he turned to me.

"Because we did what God failed to do in the first place: we made up the difference for those taken by the Vanishing. And in both worlds, I might add."

"But what did Dora's family have to do with this? They're just kids! Kids who've been through more hell than you could ever imagine!"

Drake turned to the children before he walked closer to the window and looked upon them.

"I know. Dora told me about them once. They're one of the reasons why we do what we do here in the Life Foundation. If anything, they sealed it for us. You think I'm insane, Ms. Greyson, and all things considered, that's a given, but I'm not. What's insane is how people choose to live today."

There he is with his rambling again. I wasn't amused one bit.

"Think about it. All we do is take, take, take. It's in our history, and it's gonna go down to the future, whether we think about it or not. It can't go on. We've brought the planet to the brink of extinction. We're parasites. That's why the vanishing happened in the first place."

That made me puzzled. How could he know what the Vanishing was meant to be? Then again, it must be his presupposition. And on another note, I didn't like how he called me a parasite. If I didn't know how Spite felt about that before, I certainly did now.

"Besides, you and Brock are good examples. You took my symbiotes, you took potshots at a great man trying to get something done."

I made a short coarse laugh from his words. It was a long time coming, all things considered.

"You got something done alright."

He didn't quite like how I just made a side comment, but he went on anyway. When he's in the dome, he really was in the some, I guess.

"Brock took from the person he loved the most, who trusted him the most. And then there's the kids in the room. Their birth parents took shots at each other, never caring if they hurt their own children in the process. And Dylan? He's left out by people who took a short-end deal just to get by on drugs and intoxicants. That's insane. What I've initiated, what we've initiated is a new species, a whole new world where none of that exists at all. Man and Symbiote combined. I know you saw my message, seeing as you're here, so you must know some level of what I'm talking about by now."

I took my deep breath. I hated to admit it, but he wasn't wrong. Their parents were kinda jerks and deadbeats. But Dora changed their lives for the better. And he had no right to take her away from them just for that. I looked back to the kids, who looked back at me, fear and confusion riddled on their faces, especially Billy and Sadie's. Then, I turned back to Drake and told him what was on my mind. In a way, I might as well be telling them the truth. At this point, the only strength I had was used in giving Drake a piece of my mind: it was the only strength I could afford to keep them from going crazy with fear.

"You're not wrong. I do understand. Just in the past few hours, I've... I've felt better than I've ever been in my life. And yeah, there are people who don't even give any thought to the lives around them. But Dora wasn't one of them. And she was murdered anyway. By you!"

Drake made a slight clap of his hands and held out his hand like a wave, like it was supposed to make some kind of point.

"And look what came out of it. Progress. Do I regret doing what I did to Dora? Yes. Yes, I do. But I don't dwell on what ifs. I told you before about the past, didn't I? Giant leaps will always come at a cost. But as Machiavelli once said, the end justifies the means."

I still wasn't convinced. I couldn't just drop what he did to Dora, even if he did regret it, which I doubted was true. I had to one-up him. And I knew just what to say to do that.

"Even if the whole world dies?"

Drake looked back to me, clearly not happy with my back talk. But I kept going nonetheless.

"You should seriously think a lot more on what I just said, Drake. Most Symbiotes won't care about their host. And even if they did, who's to say they won't bond with the wrong people? Cletus is a serial killer, for Pete's sake. Your idea of a new world? It just turned him into a full-on psychopathic, genocidal killer, and believe it or not, it is so much worse than before. Face it: you're lucky he's not chowing down on you. Just like I was lucky enough to have a symbiote who wasn't a psycho and didn't want to eat me from the inside-out. But you? You should be extremely afraid. Riot may be a team player, but he's only playing for his team. How do you even know if you're in it?"

Drake clenched his hand, starting to get angry. Clearly, I was getting to him. And he didn't very much like that.

"Because we have a common goal here. The vanishing didn't just affect us, Ms. Greyson; it affected every single trace of life in the universe, including the symbiotes. Even the Avengers, Earth's so-called Mightiest Heroes couldn't stop it. This is the future, Ms. Greyson, whether you like it or not. Which is why I have to do this."

With that, Drake went to a computer and did the worst thing he could've done: he pushed a button and opened the three tubes that held the symbiotes. It didn't take long for the green, orange, and purple symbiotes to snake their way to the kids. Sadie, Billy, and Dylan all tried to break free, the first two more desperately than before. I glared back at Drake. He promised he'd let them go, and yet he flipped the switch anyway!

"You promised you'd let them go!"

"And I did. But don't worry. What happens to them is gonna be the least of your problems."

I went after Drake with a hard yell, aiming to punch him in the face, but Treece held me back, so I went for him instead. I could've called Spite to do something worse, especially with Riot on his side, but she was trying to find a way to save them, though I'm not sure she'd make it in time. Besides, I couldn't just let him get away. When my fist connected, I felt and heard something break as he fell to the floor. When Treece didn't move, I realized something that came as a surprise. I just broke his jaw.

Did I have that much strength in me before? Or was it left over from when Spite and I bonded? Either way, it didn't amount to much when Riot morphed over Drake, roaring at me as he thwacked me into the lab, breaking through the glass as I fell to the floor with Sadie and Billy practically screaming their heads off as the green and orange symbiotes went on their beds.

I tried my best to get up, but without Spite, it was hard to recover from a heavy hit. I got several cuts from the glass, and a heavy ringing in my head that just couldn't go away, but I didn't care. Dylan looked so scared. There wasn't anything I can do. I was done for…

"Dylan… I'm so sorry…"

Riot wasn't done with me yet. He picked me up by the back of my head and lifted me up, making Dylan shout at Drake.

"Stop it! Let her go!"

Riot only gave out a snarl as he forced my eyes open to watch as the symbiotes went over Sadie and Billy with the purple Symbiote going on Dylan's bed.

"This wouldn't have happened if you just brought me my offspring!"

Did he know? Was that why Drake's face changed when we met at the entrance a few minutes ago? How did he catch on? All these questions flooded my head at once, and I couldn't find an answer. I was getting just as terrified as they were. And now they're all going to die. And it's all my fault…! I started to cry when I looked into Dylan's eyes, but then I saw something that made me reconsider: they were flowing silver. Did it mean that she came in time to help? I started to grow happy when Riot slammed me to the floor headfirst and yelled into my ear.

"Where is she?! Where is Spite?!"

I had to recover from the brute shouting into my ear. With all the pain in my body, even that was tough to do. But I could tell he was wondering where his daughter was. I gave him a cold laugh before I spoke bitterly.

"I feel sorry for you. Your daughter was the only one who changed… and you can't even recognize her."

Riot grew confused. And just as he looked up at the children, Dylan shot out a silver spike from his arm, breaking his restraint and pushing him away. I looked back up at his bed just in time to see Spite thwack away the purple Symbiote while getting out of him. I didn't know how Spite's been able to do this kind of thing, but I was glad that she was. While Dylan stared at the silver Symbiote in awe, Spite turned her attention to the other, too. And she decided to play leapfrog, hopping from one bed to the other as Sadie witnessed her own Symbiote getting chased off before it did the same with Billy's.

All four of us were looking on as the three symbiotes scurried away to the vents while Spite went back to me. I took the cue to hold my hand out for her before she coated my whole body again. If this was what reunion felt like, I didn't want it to go away. Before I knew it, all the cuts and bruises I had on my body were gone, as was the ringing in my head. Now that I was back with Spite, I decided to do a little pest control.

I morphed my hand into a spike before stabbing at the symbiotes who dared to try and attack my family. I only managed to pick up the green and orange ones, but the purple scurried over to a vent. I raised my spike before stabbing at the purple Symbiote. As they squealed, Spite made sure not to let them overtake me just as she spoke into my head.

Put them back in their tubes.

That didn't make any sense to me. Why would Spite ask me to save those killers?

"What? But—?"

Just do it!

Her tone sounded desperate and concerned. I wondered if it was because Spite knew something about them that I didn't. But there's no use getting into an argument. I hurriedly went over to the tubes where they were released before sliding them off of the spike and into their tubes before sealing them. I couldn't do it by computer unless I wanted them to go after Dylan, Sadie, and Billy again, so I had to improvise by forcing them closer. When it was over, I turned to the three kids who sat in shock before Spite and I spoke in unison.

"Uh… I can explain this. But first…"

I hadn't forgotten about who brought them here in the first place. He's the one who tortured Dora before killing her. And there's no way I'd forgive the Symbiote or the host for what they've done.

"Riot!"

When I came out of the lab, I saw that neither Riot nor Drake were around. This only added to my frustration as I grunted.

"Damn it! He got away!"

Ordinarily, I'd be pissed, too, but right now, I'd be more worried about the kids.

I turned back to the kids as Spite sunk back into me. I took my deep breath as all three of them were stunted by my prowess with Spite and with what almost happened to them. Who knows what they must've gone through before they even woke up? Who knows what they must think of me now? I bet they would tell me to go away. I deserved that much. But Dylan said something else instead. It didn't mean a lot, but anyone would ask that. I certainly did.

"Mandy… what the heck is going on?"

There it was. The moment I tell them everything. I thought I was ready back at their house, but now… I couldn't be further from the truth. I might never be ready after all. But someone had to tell them. It would've been cruel not to. I didn't know if I should worry about Carnage or Kassady on the way, but I couldn't care about anything else right now. I needed to tell them before I lost the chance.

"Dylan, Sadie, Billy… there's something I need to tell you. But first… let's get you home."

Just then, Spite interjected.

And them, too.

That didn't make any sense to me. I turned back to the green, orange, and purple symbiotes that I captured. Why would she bring those things with us?

"Are you sure, Spite?"

They're my family, too. It's not their fault they tried to bond with them.

I took a closer look at the symbiotes. As they tried to get out, two of them, the green and orange, were headed for Sadie and Billy. But the purple one just pushed against itself, rocking like a boat in the ocean. I didn't know what Spite saw in those things, but she hadn't steered me wrong before.

"Okay. I trust you."

A/N: And here's where the story stops for now, but you can bet things will be crystal clear next chapter. And Dylan, Sadie, and Billy's roles will be discussed later soon. :)