Chapter 4
Evolution
"Parker": normal speech
"Parker": Peter thinking/speaking in his mind
"Parker": Symbiote speaking
"Parker": Peter/Venom speaking (dual voice)
*****Interlude*****
Friday, April, 13th, late afternoon.
Oscorp
Curt Connors was in his lab, after last week's failure with the spiders and the incident with the boy, he was high pressured by Norman Osborn to find the cause of the failure and to achieve the results Osborn wanted.
The Oz Project's purpose was to augment the abilities of the human body in a similar fashion than the old super soldier project had in the 1940's.
After deep analysis of the camera feed-backs in the lab and the autopsy of one of the dead spiders, Connors had concluded than the serum worked as the spider's genetic material had completely changed from its original state.
As he was about to end the writing of his report, Connors saw Norman Osborn himself coming through the door with an angry expression.
"Good afternoon, Curt, Osborn said, walking forward, "I do hope, for you, you have results and some explanations to give me".
"I was about to finish my report when..."
"Your excuses do not interest me in the slightest doctor, tell me what I want now" Osborn said, coldly.
"Very well, it appears that the Oz serum was completely effective through the medium we used i.e. the spiders, the spiders became what we can call super soldiers" Connors answered.
"Regarding the experiment, it seemed the incident had been caused by one of the scientist, who deliberately manipulated the radiation level."
Norman Osborn closed his eyes for a few seconds to think about it
"Let me guess, Doctor Simons? Osborn murmured".
"Yes, according to the cameras and the trace he left on the computer but there's something...weirder on the recording.
"Which is? «said Osborn who was more curious than angry.
As the video played the scene where the black ooze left the corpse of Doctor Simons, Norman's Osborn's eyes opened slightly showing his interest.
"Curt, keep this video closely and do not show it to anyone right now, I want you to complete your report on the Oz Serum and transmit to Doctor Mendel." Osborn said.
"One last thing, I want you to find the whereabouts of the kid, who got sick last week"
"Why?" asked Connors, surprised.
"I think he may have been bitten by one of the spiders and if that's the case, he will make a perfect guinea pig" said Osborn with a wicked grin on his face as he left the room.
Curt, shuddered after the meeting with Norman Osborn, the man could be icy cold and utterly pitiless when needed, he needed to act fast and secure a bit of the Oz serum for his own pet project: the regrowth of his arm.
Saturday, April, 16th, Manhattan Borough
"I can't believe you saw Venom face to face and didn't phone me after "said MJ with a slightly reproachful tone.
Peter had been asked by his uncle to bring back some parts for repairing the doors after the "Venom incident" as Peter called it and had asked MJ to join him on the trip, which of course she had accepted immediately.
He still felt angry at himself for letting the thief leave away and afraid of the consequences it could have generated, Aunt May and Ben hurt or even worse one or the other's death.
"So how did ended the conversation with your parents"? MJ asked, curious.
"Grounded for a month and no Super NES for the same time" answered Peter dejectedly.
Peter had been unable to tell his family the whole story, he couldn't reveal that he had become some kind of mutant and than it helped him beat a guy three times heavier than him.
So he told them, he had witnessed an arson and had let the thief leave instead or calling the police or at least trying to help. Peter could still hear his uncle repeating him that "With great power, comes great responsibility".
He had chosen to leave the 400$ in an envelope before their doorstep, anonymously, to at least helping repair the door and their finances.
The sound of an explosion suddenly interrupted Peter's train of thoughts and brought him back to reality.
"It looks like it comes from the bank across the street" said Peter, getting suddenly tensed
"Let's have a look" said MJ, already enthusiastically running towards the bank.
"That girl's going to be the ruin of me one day" mumbled Peter, having no choice but to run after her.
Hardly had Peter arrived not far away from the bank that he saw or rather heard a pitch high noise through his ears, giving him headache and a bit of a nosebleed. He managed to open his eyes to see a man with a yellow suit and strange gauntlets, going out of the bank with two or three bags full of money.
"Where has she been going?" Peter thought, trying to find MJ before she got hurt or worse.
As Peter was looking for MJ, he found her behind a car taking photos of the yellow clad thief.
"Are you insane, stop taking photos and let's go calling the police" urged Peter.
Peter knew perfectly that MJ could be completely reckless when her passions were at stake
As Peter was trying to convince MJ, Venom entered into the scene and smashed into the thief, making him release the bags of money.
"Look, Peter, it's Venom, I have to..."
"...go to the police, right now" ended Peter. "Give me your camera, I'll try to take as much photos as I can but please go!" pleaded Peter
"Fine" MJ said, half way convinced as she left trying to find a phone booth.
Meanwhile, the fight kept going on between Venom and the thief who was trying to take back his bags of money.
"Get lost, you wannabe hero" he said, smashing his gauntlets together and producing waves that seemed to weaken Venom.
"You're making us angry, Shocker and you don't want us to be angry, believe us..." groaned Venom trying to get close to him.
"I don't know how you know my name but you don't seem to enjoy my sound-waves" he said grinning, increasing the output at maximum.
Peter saw Venom collapsing to the ground, black oozing matter trying to get away from its body
"Aargh! the sound" shrieked Venom
As Peter was trying to take some photos for MJ, he saw Shocker, it was his name he thought, escaping from the street with the bags.
Peter got close to Venom and tried to help him, some black ooze trying to get away unto him when Venom grasped Peter's hand and whispered
"Bring us in this back alley, quickly young man"said Venom, weakly.
Peter watching right and left, decided to use his spider strength to bring Venom in the black alley, only to see the weirdest phenomena happening, the black ooze constituting Venom seemed to leave off, revealing a much smaller and skinny body inside.
"What the hell are you!" said Peter, stepping back, unsure.
The black ooze jagged mouth opened and hissed "We are Venom, a symbiote from the Klyntar species, and we need a host to live and fight together".
"You mean; you are an alien?" said Peter his mouth opening in shock.
"Yes, our current host is too weakened by the sound and by our previous fights and cannot fight anymore, we need someone strong enough to merge with us and become the new Venom" said the black goo, it's white patch eyes looking straight into Peter's.
"You mean me?" said slowly Peter, both unsure and strangely attracted by the offer.
"We can feel your hidden power, young Parker and offer you to become a superhero if it is your wish of course".
"Me? Becoming a superhero?"
Since getting these new powers and abilities, it didn't occur to Peter he could become a superhero but somehow, he liked the idea, moreover Uncle Ben had always told him that with great power came great responsibility.
"I don't know if I'm up to the task or not but I'm willing to try at least" answered Peter.
"Good, let's start the bonding process" hissed the symbiote
The symbiote detached completely from its former host and slithered along the street until it was close enough from Peter. It latched upon him, the black ooze quickly dissolving his jeans and his shoes and entirely coating his lower body in the process.
"What the…" said Peter, surprised.
"Don't worry, you won't need any more clothes in the future" whispered the symbiote in his mind, black tendrils already starting to curl upon his waist.
The ooze was warm and felt pleasant to Peter, like a second skin. It soon began to spread itself on his torso, dissolving his t-shirt and hugging his torso with its black substance, forming the white spider design who stretched in front and on the back of his body. Peter felt the symbiote coating his biceps and forearms and black gloves with white squares forming upon the back of his hands.
As the symbiote began to move up his neck, Peter started to panic and tried to scrabble at the black ooze, unsuccessfully. He felt it ooze up the back of his head and smothering his hair until it reached his face and entering his mouth, ears and nose.
Peter blacked out for a second until he heard again the voice of the symbiote again:
"Are you read to become one Peter, to become Venom, I need your final consent now before we merge" hissed Venom in Peter's mind.
Peter's panic started to decrease when he heard the symbiote's voice and that the final choice was still his to do.
"Yes, this is what I want" Peter thought
Peter, suddenly opened his eyes as the symbiote substance formed jagged white patches over his eyes and watched as his body changed. He felt himself growing taller and all his body's muscles bulging at least twice their size. His fingers already sharpening into thick black claws and talons like claws forming at the tip of his toes.
The final change occurred as Peter or should we call him now Venom was about to speak, he felt the mouth area of his mask opening widely, unveiling a massive set of jaws filled with vicious sharp teeth, a long tongue dripping green drool easing itself out of his mouth.
Venom clenched his now clawed fists and roared " I...WE ARE VENOM!", embracing the new power and the rush that came with it.
"Why do we speak like two persons together?" Asked Peter to his symbiote.
"This is how the bonding work as we both speak as one now" hissed the symbiote.
As Venom was about to leave the black alley, he cast his eyes on the body of the former host of the symbiote who was naked and barely breathing.
"I can't let him dying like this, I need to bring him to the closest hospital" thought Peter
"Peter, where are you, are you okay?" they heard MJ coming near the back alley, searching for them
"Shit, It's MJ, we can't let her see us like that, we need our clothes right now" said Venom, aloud.
"As I said earlier, this is not an issue, just concentrate on whatever clothes you want and mentally will to change" answered the symbiote.
Skeptical, Peter willed himself to change back into his former clothes and was surprised when the ooze forming his body started to change and transformed back into brave, old Peter Parker.
"This is incredible, no more clothes to buy" thought Peter.
"MJ, right here" said Peter, leaving the back alley to rejoin her.
"I'm fine but we need to help this naked guy in the back alley, something must have happened to him, we must bring him to the emergency".
"Poor guy" said MJ who didn't dare watching him as he was naked, "let's wait for the Police to handle him".
Peter and MJ didn't have to wait very long until they saw several police cars arriving before the bank. They were soon interrogated by a female police officer, describing the thief and telling him about the guy in the back alley.
"I will need you to write a testimony of what happened here, but I will have to contact your parents first, what re your names kids?" asked the Police officer, smiling.
They gave her their names and addresses which the young female officer noted quickly on his note book"
"Perfect, my name is Jean Dewolff, I will contact your parents tomorrow" she told them before leaving and returning with the other police officer.
"Wow, she's hot" said Peter aloud, watching at the back of the blonde officer.
"Too old for you by far" replied MJ annoyed, which earned a surprised look from Peter. "Anyway, it's already 5 PM, let's get back home, your uncle must be waiting for these parts!".
"Yep" replied Peter as they walked away from the crime scene and returned home.
Saturday, April, 16th, evening
Peter's room.
Peter went quietly out of his room, checking that his aunt and uncle were soundly sleeping before returning into his room and close the lock on his door.
"I still can't believe everything that happened today" mused Peter
"But it has, we are Venom now" whispered the symbiote.
"Yes" said Peter standing in front of his mirror and focused on his clothes, willing to transform into Venom.
Peter once again felt his body growing taller and bulkier as his clothes melted into black ooze and transformed his body back into Venom's muscular one.
"This is so cool" whispered Venom, feeling his mouth and his new fanged maw moving as one and playing with his tongue.
"Starting tomorrow, we will guide you in using your powers" the symbiote replied.
"We feel so powerful now, this superhero job will be a breeze" grinned Venom, flexing his veined biceps and taking the same pose than Mister Bison's at the wrestling tournament.
"10:30 PM already, time to sleep" said Venom, the goo morphing into a black underwear and a white tank top as Peter went into his bed and slumbered into deep sleep.