Disclaimers
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Another Strand In The Great Web – Episode Eight Big Time Part II
New York General Hospital, afternoon
Philanthropist Martin Li stood over the comatose Eddie Brock. An unassuming middle-aged man of East Asian ethnicity Li was a fixture in charitable circles having been so since he first arrived in America from China many years before. The former supervillain turned anti-hero received Eddie Brock few visitors even fewer well wishers. No one wanted to associate with a self-deluded mass murderer no matter the perceived righteous of his cause. Eddie Brock was the type of person society had given up on. Which made him the perfect candidate for Li's special brand of mercy. Gently Li placed his hand on Eddie's forehead. A few moments late Li stepped outside.
Elsewhere, night
Through a darkened alley Venom stealthily stalked his prey. The dregs of Humanity. He happened upon a mugger who was accosting an elderly lady.
"We highly recommended you leave this poor defenseless innocent unharmed." Venom said swinging down beside his target.
"Piss off freak!" The mugger said firing his pistol at Venom. The old lady used this opportunity to escape.
Showing no ill effects from the bullets Venom crushed the pistol in his clawed hands. He then pinned the mugger to the nearest wall where he securely webbed the criminal in place. Venom broke the mugger's neck with a sickening crack.
"You were right to stop me. No innocents were safe while I walked the streets. I was evil. I deserved to be punished." The mugger said his head hanging at an unnatural angle. The undead mugger morphed into one victim of Venom after another in rapid succession including an unwholesome clown. "We all deserved to be punished. We were all evil. A threat to innocent life." A multitude of voices declared.
A brilliant blue light pierced the gloomy darkness. The Venom Symbiote screeched in pain. Its oily black skin dissolved into white as it was cleansed of its internal darkness.
New York General Hospital, afternoon
Eddie Brock's eyes fluttered open. He bolted upright in his bed. immediately he noticed the symbiote was gone apparently destroyed by the same explosion and resulting fire that had left him here. His eyes scanned his hospital room settling on a business card that lay on his bedside tray. The card read - Martin Li Founder - FEAST (Food, Emergency Aid, Shelter, and Training) "we bring hope to the hopeless" there was also an address and contact information listed.
Eddie picked up the card examining it carefully. Was this a sign? Could he change for the better? Maybe he was not damned after all. There was only one way to find out he decided. Eddie resolved to contact Mr. Martin Li of FEAST soon as he was discharged from the hospital.
Domain of the Demon Lord Mephisto
Mephisto was furious. Not only had Eddie Brock failed to uphold his end of their bargain but had also been healed by other means. Mephisto could no longer even collect Eddie's pitiful soul on his own terms. More annoying yet Eddie now had a chance at what mortals termed redemption.
"Can things get any worse?" Mephisto complained.
FEAST Shelter two weeks later, afternoon
"Thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Parker." Martin Li said to Peter and Mary Jane both of who were outfitted in their heroic identities of Spider-Man and Spinneret respectfully minus masks. "Not often enough do we see celebrities who are willing to help the downtrodden."
"It's the least we can do Mr. Li." Peter said. "When we received the rather generous preliminary royalty payment for the upcoming Spider-Man's Amazing Adventures Video Game we vowed to put anything extra towards a worthy cause."
"When Peter's Aunt May told us about FEAST and the good work you're doing Mr. Li we knew we had to found that worthy cause." Mary Jane said.
Mary Jane was the happiest she had been in months since before the events the media called Civil War in fact. With their new windfall, they were one step closer to gaining legal custody of their daughter. No longer could the state argument she and Peter could not provide for Mayday.
Nearly two weeks before the Parkers had been at the Baxter Building to see what the whole Fantastic Four sponsored Future Foundation was about. Mary Jane was pleasantly surprised when she discovered the Foundation was a combination think tank and school devoted to preparing society for a better, well, future. It seemed safe enough she had thought. Her only misgiving which Peter shared came when it was revealed by Reed Richards that Dr. Doom would be a member. A fact the other heroes who made up the Fantastic Four also seemed less than happy with. In any event the next meeting of the Future Foundation was scheduled to take place three days from today.
Several hours passed uneventfully as Mary Jane and Peter handed out hot meals to excited residents. Everyone was having a good time until a burly blonde hair man with a thick sandy blonde beard approached the pair. Mary Jane unconsciously stiffened when she recognized who the man was; Eddie Brock! In spite of the fact neither Mary Jane's or Peter's warning sense went off both were immediately on guard for anything their longtime enemy might pull.
"Hello Peter hello Mary Jane," Eddie said. "How are things?"
"How are things?" Peter repeated dumbfounded. After everything that had passed between he and Eddie that was how Eddie greeted him.
"Sorry, I didn't know what else I could say," Eddie confessed.
"We're still alive no thanks to you." Mary Jane said narrowing her eyes.
"I deserve that and worse," Eddie said.
"I heard about your being found exonerated of Venom's crimes by reason of temporary insanity due to the influence of the symbiote. Can't say I agree with the verdict." Peter said.
"It's the truth all the same," Eddie said. "I heard about your video game and finding your long lost daughter. She's a cute kid."
"Don't you dare go near her! Our daughter is off limits!" Mary Jane said. "Symbiote or no symbiote I don't trust you Eddie Brock."
"Neither of you or your daughter have anything to fear from me," Eddie said. "I've changed."
"That remains to be seen," Peter said.
"I hope one day I can earn your trust. Yours as well Mary Jane." Eddie said.
"Don't hold your breath." Mary Jane said refusing to shake Eddie's hand even though she knew without the symbiote she could easily crush every bone he had. Peter likewise refused the gesture of reconciliation.
"Can't say I blame either of you," Eddie said. "If you change your minds and want to talk."
"We won't." Peter insisted.
"You know where to find me," Eddie said before walking away to help the shelter residents.
"Brrrr," Mary Jane said shaking all over. Memories of her many unpleasant encounters with Venom flashed through her mind. "Even without the suit he still gives me the creeps."
Peter draped his arm across his wife's shoulders pulling her into a half hug. "He can't hurt now. He's a ghost from our past, a bad memory nothing more. Our future is bright there is no room in it for empty shadows like Eddie Brock."
"That's surprisingly poetic for a sciencey guy." Mary Jane said.
"What can I say I'm a man of many talents," Peter said.
"Which is why I love you, tiger." Mary Jane said.
"I thought you loved me for my tight yet supple glutes, red?" Peter teased.
"Those too," Mary Jane said briefly laying her head on her husband's shoulder.
Before either hero knew it night had arrived. They each lent a hand cleaning up and preparing the shelter for the next dat. They did their best to avoid Eddie Brock as they went did their duties. They were about to leave after a job well done when their warning senses when crazy. A huge black shadow crashed through one of the many windows of the converted church fearfull residents ran out of the main room. Mac Gargan the current wearer of the Venom Symbiote landed between the pair and a terrified Eddie Brock. Gargan had escaped from prison earlier that week.
"Hello, Spider-Man." Venom hissed green slime dripping from his long prehensile tongue. "The news reports said we would find you here. And you brought the missus how cute. She will be an extract treat for us."
"No," Eddie cried. His eyes frantically searched for a possible exit he could reach without luck Venom barred his only viable option. He had to get out of there! Escape from his personal demon!
"Eddiiiiiieeee," Venom taunted turning his attention on Brock. "We see yoooouuuuu Eddddiiiieee!" Eddie bolted for the door but was not fast enough. Venom jumped landing directly in front of the frightened man. A clawed black hand grabbed Eddie by his shirt collar dangling him a foot off the ground. "You can't escape us. We know you too well."
"Leave me alone demon! You can't have my soul back!" Eddie wailed.
"Let him go!" Mary Jane said who happened to be closest. She dropkicked Venom in his broad back causing him to release Eddie with a grunt of anger.
At that moment an unexpected thing occurred. Several tendrils of the symbiote snagged Mary Jane's foot and refused to let go. Try as he might Gargan could not make his alien partner release the feisty redheaded heroine. Long dissatisfied with Gragan's lack luster preformance Venom sensed a powerful potential new host one it would not allow to escape from its clutches.
Eddie who knew full well from years of experience with the entity what was mere moments away from occurring took action. His fear temporarily forgotten Eddie threw himself at Venom. "Take me not her! I want you back! Do you hear me! I changed my mind, come home!"
Initially confused the Venom Symbiote soon made its choice. Eddie was second only to Peter in its dark heart. It released Mary Jane to her intense relief. The black ooze completely departed from Gargan who was less than pleased and enveloped Eddie Brock from head to toe only to flee from him after a very short time as white fluid emerged from his every pore. This substance proved extremely caustic to the alien melting away whatever parts failed to flee in time.
"Are you all right?" Peter said rushing to Mary Jane's side.
"Yeah, I think so." She said back on her feet. They watched Eddie Brock transform before their startled eyes.
The white substance swirled around him until it formed what appeared to be an inverse color scheme version of Venom! The new entity was almost like a film negative mainly white whereas Venom was mainly black with a black spider symbol on its chest that wrapped around its back as well as a black triangular face. The most notable difference from Venom were human shaped solid yellow eyes. The Venom Symbiote seemed to quiver in fear at the altered Eddie it then retreated down a large crack in the floor disappearing from sight.
"Eddie, you in there buddy?" Peter asked cautiously. He and Mary Jane ready to spring into action if necessary.
"I'm here, Peter." The creature said in a voice that was very similar to Eddie's but much deeper.
The creature experimentally flexed its clawed hands. Its long long prehensile tongue lashed about seemingly without purpose. "We, no I have been reborn." It declared. "Henceforth I shall be known as, Anti-Venom. Because I stand against everything I once stood for as Venom." Anti-Venom directed his gaze at Mary Jane. "I thank you." He titled his head then added. "I sense you both are, ill."
"What do you mean?" Mary Jane questioned.
"Your DNA has been mutated. Allow me to fix you." Anti-Venom said approaching the pair.
"No thanks," Peter said quickly. "We're fine."
"What is he talking about?" Mary Jane whispered.
"I think he intends to 'fix' the alteration of our DNA that gives us our spider powers. If he did we'd be defenseless when the next crazed supervillain comes calling. We best play it safe and decline his offer, just in case he can 'fix us'." Peter whispered.
"Good idea," Mary Jane whispered. She said in her normal voice being as diplomatic as possible in her language. "I agree with my husband. Sadly we must decline your generous offer, Eddie."
"As you wish," Anti-Venom said. "But this one I must cleanse so he cannot harm others in the future." He plucked a cowering Gargan from the floor where the Venom Symbiote had unceremoniously abandoned Gargan.
"P-please let me g-go!" Gargan whined. "It-it made me! I wouldn't have come here on my own, I swear!"
"Receive my gift and be cleanse of evil, amen," Anti-Venom said without a hint of malice in his voice.
"Eddie, don't!" Peter called out but he was already too late.
Anti-Venom glowed with a bright yellow light that infused Gargan's form. Gargan screamed in agony as he was purged of his scorpion mutation. When the process finished Gargan collapsed unconscious. Anti-Venom gently placed the newly powerless villain back on the floor.
"Please inform the proper authorities of Gargran's whereabouts," Ant-Venom said. "I must good. Spread my gift far and wide." Quicker than one would have thought of something so large Anti-Venom left via the window which had earlier been broken by Venom.
"Wait, Eddie," Peter said.
"Save your breath tiger he's gone." Mary Jane noted. "We better do the same."
"Good idea," Peter said webbing up Gargan. "We can drop Gargan at the nearest police station on our way home."
Mr. Negative alter ego of Martin Li watched the events unfolded via a network of security cameras from the comfort of his office. "Interesting," He said steepling his fingers. " Perhaps I can make use of this Ant-Venom along with the Spiders. By facilitating Anti-Venom's creation my other half has done me what I'm sure is an unintentional favor."
To Be Continued