Ch 15
Anne found the witch's house. Not trusting the sunflower fields to let her fly over them, she landed on the road and walked up to the house. She was in her real demon form anyway, so she wasn't changed into it. She did note the sunflowers were wilting and looking brown. She tried her wings. Yes she could fly here. She flew to the house.
The house looked the same, the garden to the side was looking wild. Nothing she saw looked disturbed. "Shit," she grumbled. It didn't look like the witch made it.
Anne knocked on the door. "Hello?" she called. She tried a second time. No answer. She sniffed. There wasn't the odor of a corpse here either. She tried the latch, the door opened.
Peeking inside, Anne saw a ring of light on the floor. The witch stood inside a magic circle. At each point of the pentagram a thick candle burned, the candles were stubby, a wide glop of melted wax was around each one. Slowly, Anne went in being careful not to disturb anything. She noticed the witch's hands were up, as if casting a spell. The witch was frozen in place, but she looked alive. A little pale, but alive.
Anne got it, the woman had frozen herself inside some kind of magical containment. She must have known something was going to happen and protected herself from it. From what she saw, the candles were some kind of timer. They were keeping the spell active.
Anne tried to put the candles out. She reached over to snuff one out and bumped into a containment field. All the candles were inside the circle. She tried blowing on one. Nothing. Going over to the well pump, she retrieved a cup and got some water to splash on a candle. Nope, the water hit the containment and ran down the side.
"Shit," she grumbled. Nothing outside the containment was going to affect anything inside. What to do.
Anne pondered a moment. A containment field was usually made to isolate magic. This one seemed to be made to isolate the physical. Nothing physical outside was going to affect anything physical inside. She tried to teleport into the containment.
Anne was now face to face with the witch, the witch's hands planted on her boobs. Focusing her breath, she blew a candle out. It worked. She turned to look at another candle and the witch screamed and recoiled, back pedaling.
Anne caught her before she fell, but the witch screamed on. Guiding the screaming and flailing witch to a chair, Anne got her at down.
"You're safe!" Anne barked.
The witch gaped at her and looked around with frantic turns of her head. "Safe? The danger is past?" she asked.
"It is. There not many of us left, and no pure humans. We were hit with a nuclear bomb. I take it you knew it was coming?" Anne asked.
Calming down to take deep even breaths the witch said, "I felt disaster coming, I didn't know what it was." She then looked up at Anne. "Why are you in my house?"
"I came to see if you were alive, or just a corpse," Anne explained. "I found you trapped inside that containment you made."
The witch frowned at her. "I wasn't trapped! It would have dispelled when the candles burned down."
"Well sorry, I didn't know," Anne retorted.
"At least your intent was good," the with grumbled and got up. "How long has it been?"
"About five months now. We're trying to get things in Driftwood going again. I was hoping you could help."
"Is the ground now soaked with radiation?"
"Nope, after the blast, there was very little found. From what I know, that bomb was designed to kill people, but leave things intact. Except for the immediate blast area, it has. Your garden is overgrown, but the veggies there are edible. Oh, your sunflowers are dying too." Anne told her.
The witch looked at Anne and frowned again. "I should be angry at your interference, but I'm not. As I say, you did have good intent. Just ignorant on how magic works."
"Then teach me so I won't be ignorant," Anne replied.
The witch let out a dry chuckle. "Teach a succubus the art of magic? How much power do you need?"
Anne frowned at her. "This isn't about power! It is about restoring our town so the people who still live here CAN live and have a life!"
"Your master sent you here to help your town."
"He had to tell me I could do it, but I asked him if I could!" Anne stated. "I thought, by some sliver of hope, that you could see to helping out a little for the sake of those who survived that catastrophe."
The witch eyed her. "You really are a strange succubus."
"Will you help or not?" Anne asked.
"Inside that containment, I was in a state of suspension," the witch said in a musing tone. "For me, I had just cast that powerful spell. I am weak from it, you must sense that. Why not use your charm to force me to help you?"
Anne turned blank faced, watching the witch. After a moment, she said, "You are not evil. Just heartless from what I can see. You choose to live alone and isolated. Just like all the lack of concern you showed for Joan and Jackie when they screwed up and went into the past. You don't give a damn about anyone but you. Fine, sorry I disturbed you." She then turned and walked out. The sunflowers weren't able to stop her so Anne took to the air right outside the cabin door.
The witch went to the doorway and watched her fly away.
.
"Forget that ... WITCH!" Anne raged upon entering the sheriff's office. "She truly is a complete WITCH! Cares nothing about anything except her own ass!" Spinning on the sheriff, she complained, "I got her out of that containment she'd trapped herself in. She wasn't pleased I did that and was in her house! She KNEW something very bad was coming, did she try warning anyone? HELL NO!"
"Anne calm down," the sheriff told her. "You know as well as I do that woman is a loner. That is how she is. You went to see if she would help, it's obvious she won't. Thank you for trying, but it didn't work."
"I just can't see how she can be so selfish!" Anne snapped.
The sheriff pressed his lips together. Someone behind her snorted out a chuckle.
"WHAT?" Anne snapped, turning around.
John coughed and said, "Sheriff, I think you're rubbing off on Anne here."
"I think so too," he agreed. "Anne, she won't help so forget it. We'll figure things out."
Anne left out a huff and sat on the edge of his desk. "As least I tried," she grumbled.
.
Anthony Perkins was angry. Sitting at home, arm in a sling and a brace on his knee, the doctors told him he would heal, but if he put pressure on his right shoulder, there was a good chance the tendons would split and that would be the end of any usefulness for his right arm. His knee was the same. He would never fence, or do anything athletic wise, ever again.
A possible carreer, ruined by that little bitch, Jackie Connor.
This was a bad year for him and his family. First, the PSR they were sure would take over the country, and didn't. They had invested heavily in that venture, and it all came crashing down. A high ranking officer in the PSR, His father was killed and the remaining wealth he had just disappeared. His mother fled to Canada, and if he didn't make sure he had thrown out all his PSR stuff, he'd be in jail. Fencing was letting get some of that anger out. He did try to get the Connor bitch to not participate in the Saber tournament, then she beat the shit out of him when they met on the mat.
How he wanted to find her and kill that bitch!
He talked to the local head hoodlum, also a PSR deserter, and was told to leave any Connor alone. The Connors were all unstoppable killers and destroyed entire organizations, not just people. The PSR was doing fine, gaining wealth and power until the Connors got involved. Then they were crushed. There had to be something he could do to hurt Jackie Connor like she'd hurt him! He just had to think and plan.
.
Terminators were crucial now in assisting in the town. Them taking care of stores and houses in town let Bob and his family work at the lake and growing food in the gardens.
Bob understood that Enel was his son and he would help taking care of him. After killing him twice, Joan and Allison also accepted the Mer boy. Finding a boat house near the hotel, Allison helped Bob convert it into a mer-house. From the house just off the shore, they raided mattresses and a few lamps. The boat house had power to it. Scrounging around, they found an electric grill. And something Bob looked at and decided they, rather Enel would like. He found a pair of crutches. Whoever had lived here had at least one disabled person. He also found a power chair and in a store room, a regular wheelchair.
There wasn't any lumber around, but there was a garage. Bob got the cars out, a Mercedes and a Subaru while Allison emptied out the rest. Fishing gear, a canoe, portable heaters, a charcoal grill and other picnic type stuff.
Instead of just a walkway inside the boathouse, Bob tore the garage apart and used the rafters and roofing to make a platform stretched across the walkways. An outdoor carpet from the large back porch covered the roofing mostly. It did cover where the mattresses weren't. Plastic on the mattresses then with a sheet and bedding over it and Ellen and Enel had a decent bedroom to sleep in, and an area to cook in. A ladder type ramp of 2X4's that used to hold up the garage wall made a ramp so it was easy for the Mers to get up and down out of the water.
The boat house was now Ellen's house. Joan and Allison even accepted Ellen as an 'unofficial' wife. Allison showed Ellen how to use the power chair and plug it in at night so it would re-charge. Ellen was thrilled. Enel was also very happy with the crutches so he could walk, or he could use the wheelchair. They went for their first venture out on dry land together. Bob went with them in case they had any problems. The place they went to was the hotel.
The hotel did have handicapped ramp. Bob helped Enel in his wheelchair up the ramp. They went into the dinning room to find Joan, Malinara and Patricia in the corner, sitting with the alligators. Rather them sitting and alligators sleeping in their laps.
"Hey Bob!" Joan called. "The fish came early today. Three big tankers of fish! The Game Commission guys said there was 1500 Walleye, 900 Bass, 1300 sunfish and a few thousand minnows. I think that should be enough to start repopulating the lake."
"It should be," Bob agreed. "We got Ellen's house done, and they are taking their first tour on land," he beamed.
"I see," Joan said with a smile at Ellen. "We're going to have to make more for the other Mers."
"I did notice other boathouses around the lake," Allison said. "Fixing them up to be Mer houses is easier than buying new ones."
Enel tugged on Bob's arm to get his attention. "aa's at?" he asked, pointing to Joan's lap.
"Aters," Ellen said, also pointing.
"Gaters," Bob agreed.
It was past noon so they all had lunch with the alligators. Enel thought they were a bit toothy, but cute.
.
The news was out now that Texas had been nuked, and from the criminal trials going on, their ex-president had done it with the help of the PSR. News agencies wanted to know why, and if there was anything left in the area. Eddie Brock was assigned to go find out all he could. He'd been to Driftwood before.
The first place Eddie went was the town just to the north, Dripping Springs. He got an interview with the Mayor.
Sitting down with the Mayor in his office, Eddie asked, "The whole country knows now that Driftwood was hit with what's called a neutron bomb. Do you know if anyone survived? Did you get any refugee from there?"
The middle aged Mayor laughed. "No refugees. I will tell you, it took a while, but they did come, in force. We've always known Driftwood wasn't a normal town. There's some folks there that can be pretty scary. See right after that bomb hit, we were far enough away that it didn't affect us. But the next day those PSR scum came into town. They rounded up me, the sheriff and his deputies and put us in jail, stated it was Martial Law now. They were thieves! They claimed all land and property now belonged to the Government and would be redistributed as they saw fit. Some folks in town fought them. Our brave boys got quite a few, but they all died. Many of our women and older girls were collected up to 'serve' this scum. I suppose you can imagine what that meant. Everyone who could, ran. We were being occupied by basically Communist forces."
He grinned a bit, then said, "Then they started prodding into Driftwood. Any of them that went never came back. While the PSR scum were stealing and ordering around our townsfolk who were left, Driftwood was building up an army. They didn't come for a while, but when they did come, they wiped those PSR out. They surrounded the town and killed every last one of those bastards. Yeah, that bomb did kill a lot of people in Driftwood, it also severely angered those who didn't die. We're talking red-eyed hate for that scum. Can't say as I blame them. Anyway, they came and wiped out the PSR here and saved us. Once they got us fairly secured, they moved on to go get rid of more of the PSR all the way out to the west coast!"
"When you say army, you mean many men with guns." Eddie asked.
"They didn't have guns, and I don't think they were men as you know them," the Mayor told him. "A couple of those Driftwood men came to get us out of jail. The PSR guys holding us shot them, not only those men didn't go down, they shot back with energy weapons right out of their arms! Took out the whole front wall of the jail! After they killed the PSR, they came in and asked us who we were. We told'em. They ripped the doors right off the cells and told us to stay near them for safety until all the PSR were dead. The only PSR guys they didn't kill were a few boys from town that were impressed into the PSR."
Waving a finger at Eddie, the Mayor said, "We got people from Driftwood now who come to shop. Don't matter how odd they look, everyone in town is decent to them and give them discounts. We give them whatever they need. Those folks are our heros."
"Do you think they were mutated somehow by that bomb?" Eddie asked.
"Don't know. You'd have to ask them. Like I said, we've always known they were a little odd down there. Odd, but peaceful and good folk. We also know now those are not folks to get angry at ya."
"The government has classified that area as high radiation, a no go zone. Any idea how or why they are still living there?" Eddie asked.
The mayor shrugged. "Nearest I can figure the radiation don't bother the ones that survived. I imagine they are still there because it's their home. I'll tell ya, I don't want to be the one telling them they have to leave their homes. I'm not sure anyone who tries will live to tell about it."
"I can understand that," Eddie agreed. "Do you know who is the best person to contact when I go there?"
"The sheriff. He's also the Mayor. Talked to him a short while ago about buying some goods from there. Due to that being a high radiation area, nothing's supposed to come out. That's gotta be tough on their economy."
"How are they surviving then?" Eddie asked.
"You'll have to go and see," the Mayor said.
"I think I will," Eddie said and extended his hand. "Thank you for speaking with me."
"You're welcome. Let those folks in Driftwood they are welcome here any time."
.
Eddie headed for Driftwood. He had the his cameraman Bill get shots of the big sign that was put up stating a big red warning at the top, followed by: Turn around, this is a high radiation area. To continue on you will be exposed and your live will be at high risk!
Not far past the sign they met a man who stood in the road and motioned for them to stop. Eddie did. The man walked over to the window.
"You are aware this is a high radiation area," the man said.
"Yes, we did see the sign. I'm Eddie Brock, I'm a reporter, Bill here is my cameraman. I came to see what's left of the town. From what I'm hearing people still live here and at least up in Dripping Springs, they hold you here in Driftwood as their heros."
"We did assist them in removed the PSR from their town. It is good to know our help was appreciated." the man said tonelessly.
"May we continue?" Eddie asked. "And if possible, speak to the sheriff or John Connor?"
"Wait please," the man said. He stood up and turned around. A moment later be turned back and looked into the window. "The sheriff will see you. You are required to leave your camera in your car and off while you are here, or the sheriff can hold it for you."
Eddie remembered they didn't like video taken here. He also remembered what happened last time. "Tell the sheriff we'll turn it in so it's kept safe."
"I will, Mr. Brock. Going into town, the sheriff's office is on the right." the man said and waved them on.
"Thanks," Eddie said and continued on.
"That guy was kinda stiff," Bill noted.
"I don't think he was human," Eddie replied.
Driving on, They passed a road and Bill tapped him on the shoulder. "I saw a truck going up that road. Should we go up there and try to get some footage?"
Eddie thought about it and said, "Later. We go see the sheriff first."
Venom then gave Eddie a thought. 'Tread carefully here. None of the survivors are human, even if they look it.'
'I'm getting that' Eddie thought back.
Eddie parked in front of the sheriff's office. Bill took the camera in with them.
Behind his desk, the sheriff greeted them with a pleasant smile. "Hello fellows. You're the reporters? Have a seat."
"Eddie Brock," Eddie said offering his hand. "This is my cameraman, Bill."
The sheriff shook their hands, then took the camera and set it on his desk. "You fellows came to find out how we're doing here in Driftwood?"
"That's right, Sir," Eddie said. "It must be tough living in a high radiation area," he offered.
"Not the easiest," the sheriff agreed. "We have money going out to buy things, but nothing coming in. Since this is classified a high radiation area, no one can buy from us. That also means no one buys from outside of Driftwood unless it's vital."
"How do people here make money?" Eddie asked.
"We have a few residents that have incomes out of town. Mostly, it's barter. "Here," he said pointing to a perf board on the wall, "We have an exchange board up. If you want or need something, it goes up there. There's one down at the alcohol station too. "
"Alcohol station?" Eddie asked.
"Buying gas is expensive, so we have people around that supply alcohol as fuel. That is their barter item. You get fuel there, then bring what they need. Right now, there's a big backlog on grocery items. We are growing produce, but as of yet, the grocery store still needs more cleaning and setup to come back into operation," The sheriff told him. "In another week, I have to go down and inspect it before they start loading up the shelves and coolers."
"So you are essentially supplying yourselves," Eddie concluded.
"We have no other option at this point."
The front door burst open. Eddie and Bill gaped. The woman that just came in bore long horns on her head, wings on her back and very long fingernails. Her long thin tail twitched behind her.
"Sheriff!" she cried, "We got pigs! I killed 15 up by JJ's farm, but he's busy putting in his still. He wanted to know if someone else can come collect them."
"Ask Bob or Joan up at the big lake, they got a bigger pickup truck. If not them, see if Cameron or one of them can go get them with that EV2. If you can't find anyone to help, come get me." the sheriff replied.
"Will do!" she woman said and left.
"What the hell was that?" Bill asked weakly.
"My secretary," the sheriff told him. "After that bomb killed all the meat animals, the only meat we get is the wild pigs that wander in. She's been hunting them for the town."
"She looks like some kind of demon or something," Eddie said.
"She is," the sheriff agreed. "We got a few around here that don't look normal. That's why no pictures. We don't want to be a media circus."
"Ahhh yeah," Bill said weakly.
"Sheriff, if it will help, Bill and I can go help collect those pigs." Eddie offered.
"Mighty kind of you!" the sheriff replied. "I'm sure Anne will be back soon with some news. I'll tell her you're up at JJ's farm. Go back north and it is the only road on your left before that big radiation warning sign."
The sheriff shook their hands and thanked them again for helping out. Eddie turned around and went up to JJ's farm.
Getting to the farm, Eddie could see there was some type of construction going on. Passing the big graveyard beside the driveway, Eddie pulled up clear of the work and got out to watch. What looked like a natural gas supply tank was in the air, a couple feet off the ground on one end. The other end was floating free in the air. A man with dark hair was on top with a level. Standing nearby were a couple other men with white hair and a woman with long pink hair.
The man on top pointed down and said, "Drop it, just a little, say two, three inches!"
The tank lowered slightly. "Hold right there is perfect! Block it up!" he called.
"Where's the crane?" Bill asked.
Eddie didn't see any equipment. He walked towards them and noticed the pink haired woman had small horns on her head.
The dark haired man jumped down and helped put stone blocks under the tank to prop it up. He grabbed a long stone that looked very heavy and propped it up against the far side. Another long stone lifted up and propped itself against the side closer to them.
"Johnny, I could have done that," the pink haired woman said.
"I got it," he said, then noticed Eddie and Bill. "Hey guys, can I help you with something?" he asked.
Eddie walked over to meet him. "I'm Eddie Brock. The sheriff said you could use some help gathering up dead pigs?"
JJ shook his hand. Bill introduced himself next. JJ waved a hand at the work going on. "We got the tanks in today and are trying to set up the operation to make an alcohol still, there's farm work to do also so we're kinda swamped. Any help is appreciated."
"Who do we have here?" the pink haired woman asked as she approached, eyeing the newcomers.
Motioning to each, JJ said, "This is Eddie and Bill, guys, this is Kaede, my right arm."
Eddie was thinking albino, with Kaede's pale skin, pink hair and red pupils. He wasn't going to ask where the horns came from. "Hi Kaede. We came to see how people are getting along here in Driftwood. The sheriff said you needed some help, so we came to provide it."
"The sheriff called and said you were coming," JJ said. "My sister Joan called not long after that, her and Bob are bringing their truck."
"The more the merrier," Eddie offered with a smile. "You are Johnny?" he asked. "Were you here when that bomb went off?"
"John Connor Junior. Yeah, I was here. I woke up and everyone else was dead," he said and motioned to the graveyard. "Both my wives, our child and everyone else. That was not a good time. Kaede lost all her family too."
"I imagine it was horrible," Eddie agreed. "Yet, you seem to be recovering from that disaster."
"We have to," JJ said firmly. "Sure as hell nobody is going to do it for us. The Taroten family, the white haired folks here, came to give us a hand. Without them we'd be sunk trying to do everything with just myself and Kaede."
"Can you tell me how you survived a nuclear blast, either of you?" Eddie asked.
"No, just lucky, I guess." JJ said firmly.
Kaede eyed Eddie and Bill, then said, "Hon, I'll go with them to get the pigs."
JJ nodded.
One of the white haired men ran up beside Kaede. "Kaede, they really do want to help and let people know what happened here. They only have good intent so please don't hurt them."
Kaede face planted. "Thank you, Kalen."
'She can rip us apart any time she feels like it, I do mean into bite sized pieces,' Venom thought.
Eddie figured that too. He had figured out she was the one holding that tank up with nothing.
"Sweetie, sure you want to go?" JJ asked quietly.
Kaede offered him a short smile. "I'm sure, some of those pigs can get pretty big, shouldn't take long."
"We got a ton of work to do, so let's get back at it," JJ said. "Eddie, Bill, thanks again for the help."
Kaede motioned to Eddie and Bill. "Come wait at the bottom of the driveway with me. Joan will be here soon."
They walked down the driveway. Beside Kaede, Eddie asked, "Loosing all your family must have been very hard on you. How do you cope with that?"
Kaede glanced at him. "You mean having my entire family murdered by some official in the government. Frankly, if it hadn't been for Johnny, I would have committed suicide or gone a very long killing spree in utter rage. Johnny was the same. We gave each other what we needed to go on and live fairly sane lives. We did kill every PSR we came across. Like Johnny referred to them, they were scum."
"Were you born here in Driftwood?' Eddie asked.
"No, we came to get away from the ones who tormented us. Never again will I be hung up in a suit inside a steel vault. It's not just me any more. Here, I have support and I will support my friends as they support me," Kaede stated.
"You had a terrible younger life," Eddie said.
"Putting it mildly yes."
Bill blurted out, "Going on a killing spree, you're talking ten, twenty people?" he asked.
Kaede let out a snort. "More like hundreds or thousands. In Japan, in frightened whispers they called me the Wind of Death."
Bill swallowed and stopped talking.
A horn sounded. Bob and Joan drove up, Anne standing in the bed. Joan waved out the window a Bob drove up to them.
"You guys coming to help pick up pigs?" Joan asked.
"We are," Eddie announced.
"Climb on in then, Anne knows where they are."
Eddie was very curious about Kaede. He climbed in the back and sat down by her. "You came to Driftwood for refuge?" he asked.
Kaede smirked. "Nana came first. Kouta had told her to keep safe, she had to go far away. Nana was a sweet girl, just not very bright. She traveled the world, looking for a place called Far Away. She'd been gone months. We were sure she was either lost or something happened to her. Then she calls, excited she'd found Far Away. Not long after we got a package from Nana. It had a computer and some of those thumb drives with it, and a bunch of pictures. The pictures were of Nana and things we'd never seen before. The videos on the computer were the same. In every one, Nana was smiling. Sitting down to a table full of people and talking with them, scenes that now we know what they are, we never had a clue they existed. Nana going to a concert with a big crowd, and everyone accepted her. I was very happy Nana had found a place she was accepted in."
Eddie raised an eyebrow and said, "She wasn't wrong, Driftwood Texas is about as far away from Japan as one can get."
"True, when Cameron came to get us, it took a long time traveling to come here. For us, it was a strange, but a nice safe place to be," Kaede said. "That was, until that bomb was dropped on us."
"I think I could fill a couple documentaries just on you," Eddie told her.
"Don't!" Kaede warned. "There are people still looking for me. That would cause us more trouble. I'm sick of trouble!"
"I won't," Eddie assured her. "I take it there are others here who don't want any attention on them," he said and flicked his eyes at Anne.
"Most of us. There are also things here that need to be protected. Getting any attention to those who live here is dangerous to them," Kaede stated.
"The curious and scientists would over run the place, and mess up your lives even worse." Eddie said.
"Yes."
Bob drove off the road. Eddie looked up to see Anne was flying now ahead of them and pointing. Anne glided down, Bob drove over to where she went. Dead pigs lay all around them.
"OK, gut-em, cut the head off and drain the blood, then throw'em on the truck!" Joan announced.
Eddie felt Venom stir. Of course, this was food. He resisted Venom coming out until he could get behind a rise to let venom come forth. Venom liked to eat brains, and there was brains available all over the place.
"Lunch time!" Venom announced, picked up a pig and bit it's head off. Anne was in front of him immediately. Venom was then wrapped tightly by nothing.
"What is that?" Kaede asked from his side.
Venom pulled his head back to show Eddie's face. Eddie said, "This is my symbiote, Venom. He just wants to eat the heads."
Venom was released. "Fine, but the rest of the pigs are ours. Don't forget to gut them." Kaede said, then walked back to what she was doing.
"What Kaede said, " Anne added, and went over to start gutting another pig.
Bob and Joan carried the headless, gutted carcasses to throw them on the truck. Eddie and Bill helped mostly by finding the dead pigs and calling out where they were. Some of these pigs were big. They did carry a few of the smaller ones back to load them on the truck.
When they were done, the truck was low on it's springs, the bed full of dead pigs. Anne flew back to tell the sheriff they has the pigs and see where she could find a cooler big enough to put them in. Since the back was full, Eddie and Bill got to ride back in the cab with Bob and Joan.
Joan got a phone call. "Joan ... yes, we got a full truck load ... It is? GREAT! we're on our way back. We just have to drop off Eddie and Venom and Bill at JJ's farm ... No it's kind of hard to explain, Venom is part of Eddie .. right kinda like Bruce and his troll ... K Mom, see you there."
Joan closed up her phone and said, "Bob, good news! There's a portable generator behind the grocery store now. It's an alcohol one, and they started it up to run the cooler in the back. We got a place to hang these pigs!"
Venom popped his head out of Eddie's chest and leaned over the front seat. "This Bruce, did he have one like me in him?" he asked.
"Not like you, he was a big green guy," Joan told him.
"You aren't bothered by me? None of you are scared?"
Joan chuckled. "Why? You and Eddie have been helping us and made that job go quicker. So what if you're big and real toothy. You're also friendly and help us."
Venom pulled back and looked at Eddie. "We need to move here!" He then went back inside Eddie, making him recoil.
Bill was staring wide eyed at Eddie. "That thing is in you?" he asked weakly.
Seeing this, Eddie shrugged. "Yeah I got a symbiote in me."
.