"Dylan Brock?" Loki presumed.

"Yeah, you're the detective? You, um, sound different from the phone... and you have a different accent."

"That was my partner, Mr. Paradox. I go by Mr. Ouroboros, and of my team, I'm the expert on Symbiotes."

Dylan shuddered as he looked at Loki. "You have one of your own, don't you?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. His name is Healer."

"So, would he be the real expert on Symbiotes, since he's one?"

"Well yes, but he's part of me, so technically I am as well." Loki pointed out. "Now about this hunter... did he use any fire-based weapons to kidnap your father?"

Dylan shook his head. "He used a sound gun to stun him and separate Eddie and Venom from each other, and then he sprayed Venom with a weird liquid before he took them both."

"A liquid? What did it look like?"

"It was like... a red-orange color, and he shot it out of a spray gun. It... kinda smelled nice, but I couldn't really describe a scent. Maybe... close to a Symbiote smell?"

"Curious, are you and your father not on good terms? I couldn't help noticing you call him by his first name."

"No... yeah... sort of? It's just a bit confusing for me now, because he didn't raise me. I thought Eddie was my big brother until... about a few weeks before he was taken."

"So this Symbiote hunter needed both of them, but not together?" Loki put his hand to his chin. "Perhaps the kidnapper needs his knowledge of how to control his Symbiote? Why don't you show me exactly where it happened, and we could look for clues?"

"Yeah, follow me, Mr. O." Dylan took Loki to the street corner, where Loki took a sample of the orange liquid that spilled. He observed the damage from the struggle, tracking down the direction the hunter left with his targets. Then he spoke to his own Symbiote.

"Healer, what do you make of this?"

Healer took a peek at the sample. "It doesn't look like orange juice." He extended a tendril, but when he touched it, the tip of his appendage went limp. "Lokiii, it tingles!"

"You mean the orange liquid is some sort of numbing agent?"

"I think sooo."

"Then we'll need to be wary of that too when we find the kidnapper."

"So that's Healer." Dylan noticed. "Is he related to Venom?"

"I don't believe so. Healer told me he doesn't know him."

"What? I thought all the Symbiotes knew each other with that hive mind thing they've got!"

Loki scrunched his eyebrows. "Hive mind? He's never mentioned any hive mind to me. I don't suppose you serve a queen, like bees?"

"No queen, but we had a king once. I only share my mind with you, Lokiii. I was never a big fan of the whole hive thing anyway."

"Loki?" Dylan repeated.

"Shit!" Healer exclaimed as his host glared at him. "Um, not the same Loki who tried to take over New York Cityyy... this is a completely different Lokiii!"

"Healer!"

"Sorry! You go back and forth with your real name and your detective name so much, it is hard to keep track!"

"Tried to take over New York?" Dylan repeated again. "I never heard of any Loki either."

"Well, I'll get this sample analyzed and see how best to counter it." Loki quickly suggested. "I've got measures prepared to deal with his sonic gun, and if he decides to use heat, I can counter that as well."

"Really? You have weapons from the future or something, like maybe a cold gun?"

"I do have soundproof technology, but I also have my own ice powers that can freeze the hottest flames."

"Whoa, you've got superpowers too? Are you a superhero too, like Eddie?"

Loki cringed slightly at the term, the thought of him flying around the city in a red cape like his brother seeming ridiculous to him. "Ahm, not officially, no. I'm a detective from another world."

"You mean you're an alien too? Were you born with powers like Superman?"

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Superman? Who's he... an Avenger, I suppose?"

"Huh? Oh, he's a really famous superhero from the cartoons and in comic books and stuff!"

"Comic books? What a geek!"

"Hey, you recall I was reading a Japanese comic book earlier today!" Loki admonished his Symbiote.

"That is different, you were using it to learn a new language!"

"What manga?" Dylan asked.

"Dragon Ball."

"Awesome, a classic!" Dylan went on. "Anyway, Superman's story is he was sent to Earth as a baby before his planet exploded, and he's got all these powers he uses to fight bad guys, but, uh, he doesn't usually avenge anyone... he doesn't kill."

"...Yes. Well, I doubt that I would be featured in your 'comic books.' Anyway, I worked to hone my powers... well, my ice powers are natural, but most of my powers were actually learned through many years of practice... I was taught magic by a goddess." Loki then continued to inspect the street for a trail to follow.

"No kiddin'? That's awesome, Mr. O! So what's your Symbiote like? Does he eat brains like Venom? Does he protect the innocent, and-"

"Does this kid ever shut uuup?" Healer messaged his host as Dylan continued his inquiries.

"Don't be rude, Healer!" Loki scolded in his head as he worked. "He's a curious lad, rather like me, and he wants to know more about us; you should feel flattered. We just had some chocolate, so you have no good reason to be so cranky."

"Uggghhh... I am not so good with kids after all."

"Well now's as good a time as any to practice! Surely it won't kill you to brag about yourself to a young boy, would it?"

"I suppose nottt. There is just something about this one... something I do not like..."

Loki scrunched his face in confusion again, turning his full attention back to his client. "The trail ends here... he must have taken your father and his Symbiote through space. Healer, can you track others of your kind?"

"We can only track our own offspring, and I have never had anyyy." Then he added in their mind. "And I never will."

"Then we'll have to get this hunter to come to us. I doubt he'll know about us being here, but once he learns there's another host on his trail, he'll undoubtedly come for us, and one way or another, we will meet, and I will be able to rescue your brother and any others he's abducted. By the way, Dylan, do you have any relatives you can stay with, somewhere safe you can go while I find him?"

"Nnn... I used to live with my grandpa in New York, but I don't want to go back to him."

Loki noticed how his young client recoiled at the thought. "Is he abusive?"

"Yeah, he used to lose his temper a lot, used to beat me sometimes. He actually raised me as his son, so I thought he was my real dad until Eddie found me and finally told me the truth. Eddie's not perfect, but he's a good dad, and he takes responsibility when he makes mistakes, unlike grandpa."

"I know that feeling. I'm glad you found a good father. I was recently re-adopted myself, so I can imagine it must have been hard for you. All the more reason to make sure you have a safe place to stay! What about your mother?"

"I never met her. She died sometime after she dropped me off at my grandpa's."

"I'm so sorry." Loki thought for a moment. "Hold on." He took out his TemPad and contacted his own adoptive father. "Hello, Dad? I know you and your soon-to-be daughter in law are on a sort of vacation, but could you possibly look after young Dylan while I'm out catching the kidnapper? He doesn't have anyone to stay with, and in a way, it'll be like you two are helping in the case with me."

"Are you serious?" Sylvie asked him. "You remember I still have one of my own here!"

"Yes, it will make for good practice, will it not? And Mobius is excellent with children, so he can teach by example for when ours comes!"

"Really, you're gonna be a dad?" Dylan overheard.

"I am. Please?"

"No problem with me." Mobius agreed.

"Fine." Sylvie relented.

"Thank you, you're both wonderful!" After Loki dropped his client off, he began to wonder. "Healer, how old are you?"

"In Earth years? About... 5420."

"So by the year 2030, would you have been born yet?"

"Hmmm... yesss."

"Then would you be able to contact your variant from this universe and timeline, see if he knows anything? Maybe he's been targeted by the hunter as well?"

Healer concentrated, seeking out any trace of himself throughout the planet. "In my timeline, at this point, I would likely be here on this planet, in search of humans."

"Do you remember who you were bonded to?"

"...That would be like trying to remember how many times I have blinked this year. This would have been about a few months after I bonded to my first hossst."

"You had that many incompatible hosts?"

"Not exactly. I... I was in a very bad place... for a very long time. None of the people I merged with at this time would have survived, and truthfully, it might be best if we never found me here."

"And why is that? Wouldn't the past you want to know that you find a perfect match someday?"

"Rrrrgh. Not at this point, but... I will see if I can find the other me." Healer focused once more. "I do not see another me anywhere around this planet. Truthfully, I do not know if I can even sense variants of myself, and the me from this universe might be different, if I was ever born here. Who knowsss, maybe the threat of this hunter made me decide to leave the planet? But then again, he is me, so he will be no more help to you than I am presently; there is no point in finding him."

"And you don't know any other Symbiotes?"

"No! The only other Symbiote I have met is my father, and I would rather be boiled alive than find himmm!"

"You wouldn't want to see your abusive father hunted down and stuffed in a cage by a hunter?" Loki waited for Healer to picture the scene in his mind before he continued. "Maybe even tortured and sold into slavery?"

"Oooh, that would be wonderful! But I cannot track him, so you will have to find the hunter first!"

So they took a spaceship and traveled throughout the galaxy, asking around the taverns and seedier establishments on the nearby planets if anyone knew of a man fitting their description. He gave them the descriptions he heard from Dylan: a long red vest, scary-looking face, and an Indiana Jones style hat. Unfortunately, none of them knew who this Jones was, asking Loki what style the hat was, and he in turn asked Healer. The duo hit quite a few dead ends, though they were able to acquire bits and pieces of information from the former buyers.

"Symbiote hunter..." One of the patrons mused. "I might know a guy like that... what's it worth to you?"

"Oh, not a whole lot of me, but I know a young man who is very interested." Loki stalled as Healer searched the man's thoughts. "Really, all I truly needed to know was the fact that you know, merely a confirmation of sorts."

"Then get lost, flatfoot. I'm not here for chitchat."

"Of course, let my just check this location of the list... how do you spell the name of this planet again? E-S-A... H? Or E-S-A-L-E-H..."

"I said get lost!"

"No, that's right, it's E-S-A-L-H-E-N-A. And..." Healer reattached his piece. "And that's it, thank you for your time." He then made a fast and smooth exit before the increasingly drunken patron lost his temper. "So, what did you find from this one?"

"The man we are looking for is called Haze Mancer, and he pilots a Badoon Slave Ship, collecting specimens of Symbiotes across the galaxy and selling them to the highest bidders."

"And what of the hosts? He doesn't kill them, does he?"

"There is no knowledge on them, but it appears that he mainly targets young Symbiotes who have not yet bonded! But... on the bright side, if the hosts are still alive, their Symbiotes will be able to sense their locations and reunite with them upon their rescue! Of course, if the hosts are dead, they will still be able to find the bodies, but-"

"We can't let it come to that!" The two exclaimed in unison as Healer easily anticipated his host's response.

"So then, what's the plan?"

"I believe it's about time for a new highest bidder to join in on the party." So Loki went undercover as a wealthy collector, his noble background proving of great use. Following the hints he picked up, he was able to track Haze Mancer to a dark planet, where he hunted down more Symbiotes.

"Lokiiii... I recognize this planet! It is Klyntar!"

"Your homeworld, was it?"

"The homeworld of my speciesss... I have never actually been here before, nor have I seen it with my own eyes, but somehow, I just know it!"

"Your kind must be in very high demand for him to shoot straight from inside the hive! Well, I say we take full advantage of the element of surprise and search his ship before he notices he's being hunted!" Keeping their presence concealed from him, they snuck aboard and sought out the imprisoned, finding the Symbiotes contained in clear tubes. Loki then checked the control system. "There should be a button that releases the Symbiotes right... about... here!"

Loki pressed the corresponding buttons, but instead of the containers opening, a high-pitched alarm sounded from both the inside and outside of the ship, which caused Loki and Healer to convulse in agony. The Jotun prince fell facedown, every instinct he had screaming at him to bury his head deep underground!

"AAAAAAAAGHHH! LOKIII, MAKE IT STOOOOOOOOP-" Healer shrieked.

Loki took one hand off of his ear as he whined in pain along with him, and he summoned his ear protection into his hand, clutching onto them before his shakiness could cause him to drop them. He carefully placed them inside of each ear, but to his disappointment, the excruciating sensation didn't diminish at all, his body still feeling as if it were being torn apart in every direction!

"LOKIII, IT HUUURTS!"

"I KNOWWW!" Loki struggled to lift his head off the ground, desperate to find the alarm's wiring. When he did, he shakily tossed a barrage of knives through it until the alarm turned off, and though his body still trembled and his ears were ringing, the overwhelming pain soon passed.

"I... I think I'm going to..." Loki panted before he vomited into the trash can.

"I wwwould... rrrub our back..." Healer panted. "But... I need a moment..."

"Ughhh, I'll give this Mancer credit for being prepared; there must be a code to release the others that only he knows, but thankfully, we have ways of getting it!"

"Your e-earplugs... they- they did not work. Why?"

"I'm not certain, but we haven't the time to figure it out!"

"Well now, take uh look at yew!" The hunter remarked as he watched the footage from a hologram on his wrist. "New prey comin' ta me? It's ma lucky day!" He promptly gathered his captured quarry and headed back to his ship, his weapons at the ready.