Cletus actually had someone specific in mind when he used the word "angel." If they had taken a closer look, they would probably have noticed that in his doodles and poems he always had one thing in mind: that his precious angel was stolen from him. And now he was able to get him back.

After his first plan failed and he had no clue how to find Alex, he decided to get his angel back first.

Detective Mulligan wasn't sent to an ordinary burglary because it was simply not an ordinary building. It was the hidden "Ravencroft" institute, which was built for people with special talents, among others. One inmate for many years was Frances Barrison, who carried mutated genes. Her ability was to let out high-frequency screams that made people scream in pain and even knock them unconscious.

Cletus and Frances had met at St. Estes, a home for, as Cletus described it, "unwanted" children. They lived there for a long time until she was relocated to Ravencroft because of her abilities. Cletus had sworn back then that he would find her and kill anyone who stood in his way. He hadn't managed that to this day, but now they were finally together again and were dancing together on a hill overlooking the whole city and acting as if they had never been apart.

»I told you I would find you«, he said at some point.

»And that we would go to the cathedral on the hill«, she replied with a smile.

They lay in each other's arms and looked at the illuminated skyline.

»Are you serious?« Cletus asked, surprised.

»You don't want to?« They looked deep into each other's eyes.

»Yes, of course. But I didn't think you wanted to right away«, he replied.

»We have lived apart from one another for so long. I don't want to waste any more time.«

»So be it then.« They smiled at each other and finally kissed.

»But then I want guests too«, she said, grinning and looking at him challengingly.

»Who were you thinking of?«

»The cop who took my eye.«

Her eyes practically sparkled.

He grinned.

»Then I'll take Eddie Brock.«

Carnage materialized his snake-like form in front of the two and looked at them vengefully.

»And I'll take Venom.«

They divided the work between them. While Eddie and Venom went through all the notes and conversations, Alex took on the drawings.

She sat on the bed because there was enough space to lay out the papers. She went through the stack one by one. She had a picture of a church in her hand and frowned. Alex had already noticed in some drawings that there were often crosses, angels and churches depicted. However, this one was the first time she had found two rings.

The television was playing quietly in the background to keep them up to date; at the moment, warnings to stay at home were being broadcast alongside the latest crime scenes.

Alex sighed loudly. She simply couldn't find anything in the drawings. It was no wonder, really, when she thought about the fact that she was trying to understand the thoughts of a psychopath.

She stared blankly at the chaos in front of her when the news suddenly announced a breaking news story: a police station had now joined the crime scenes. And a detective was missing; they showed a photo of Mulligan.

»Eddie~«, Venom began, looking at the television.

»The detective was kidnapped!« Alex shouted excitedly.

»Really?« Eddie turned from his desk, frowning.

He had been so engrossed in his work that he hadn't even paid attention to the television.

»Oh shit«, he murmured quietly.

»Why would he kidnap Detective Mulligan?«, Alex wondered.

Eddie turned to her.

»The guy is a psychopath. So not everything he does necessarily makes sense.«

»But we should also ask ourselves why he wanted to see you earlier«, Venom said.

Alex just shrugged.

»No idea. Make up for lost time?« she joked, clueless.

She thought out loud.

»We won't find any clues about his whereabouts in this stuff. Before we've gone through everything, the night will be over and half of San Francisco will be in ashes.«

»Maybe he was looking for something in the station?« Venom suggested.

»And he could have kidnapped Mulligan because he couldn't find it and he wants Mulligan to tell him!« Alex argued excitedly.

»That's a bit far-fetched, don't you think?« Eddie asked, frowning.

»That's how it always works in movies«, Alex replied.

Eddie gave her a skeptical look.

»Yes, exactly!« Venom exclaimed enthusiastically.

His gaze wandered over to Venom.

»Are you really basing your thesis on film knowledge?«, he asked worriedly.

»Yes«, they both answered in unison.

Eddie sighed loudly.

»Maybe we'll find clues on site as to where he went afterwards.«

»It's worth a try.«

»You're really driving me crazy…« Eddie complained quietly.

Alex and Venom looked at him expectantly until he finally gave in.

»Fine. But you stay here. You're not safe anywhere else«, he said to Alex.

She nodded eagerly, understanding how dangerous it was for her outside.

Eddie grabbed his jacket and Venom retreated so he could put it on. He ran towards the window next to the bed where Alex was still sitting. Half the city was closed, so he didn't even need to try to take his bike. They were faster if they moved across the rooftops.

»See you soon.«

She watched in amazement as Eddie was slowly enveloped in the black mass and practically swallowed up as he climbed through the window. He grew noticeably in size until Venom appeared in his full form. He grinned at her and even winked at her before making powerful leaps up the outside wall. You braggart he heard Eddie say in his head, laughing.

The two had barely been gone for 5 minutes when there was a sudden knock on the door. Alex jumped up and remained quiet. She considered whether she should open it. Eddie was certainly not expecting visitors at this time of day. She panicked and decided to hide under the bed. That soon turned out to be the best idea, because the door burst open and a strangely dressed woman came through, entering as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

She was wearing a long yellow coat, under which she wore a shirt and pants. A long scar ran across her face, stretching over her left eye, which glowed an unnatural blue.

Alex held her breath.

»Yay, Brock?« she called in a deep, rough voice.

Nobody answered.

When she noticed that (apparently) no one was there, she looked around briefly and went purposefully to the desk and rummaged through it.

The position under the bed was very uncomfortable, but perfect for observing everything unnoticed. Alex just had to be careful not to breathe too deeply. Otherwise, she would risk a coughing with the dust bunnies down there and be caught.

The woman found something in one of the drawers, which made her eyes flash. She picked up a blue box and opened it. Alex saw that it was a wedding ring. The woman took the ring out and enthusiastically slid it onto her ring finger.

»Who were you meant for?«, she asked quietly.

She turned around and took a picture from the desk, which Alex had also noticed earlier. It showed a pretty smiling woman whose name was written on the picture with a heart: Anne.

The ring must have been dedicated to her, but the apartment seemed to Alex as if Eddie lived there alone, apart from Venom of course. Lost in thought, she couldn't help but grin.

The woman looked at it closely, took it with her and finally left the apartment. Alex watched her go, but decided it would be safer to stay under the bed for a few more minutes.

The police station was a complete bust. Everything was already cordoned off when Eddie and Venom arrived, so they couldn't get anywhere near close enough to see anything. But one thing was now absolutely certain: Cletus had a symbiote.

They stood further away on one of the roofs and watched what was happening.

»Let's go back home«, Eddie finally suggested, discouraged.

Venom growled quietly. He didn't like any of this. Kasady left more chaos and destruction at each crime scene. And they still had no trace of him. He reluctantly admitted defeat.

»Fine.«

When Venom got up again and jumped with a lot of momentum to the next roof, Eddie's cell phone started to ring. Venom braked with his feet and they soon came to a stop on the tiled roof. He began to retreat and give control to Eddie, but at the same moment Eddie lost his footing and began to slide down the slope.

»VENOM!« he screamed in panic.

Venom took control of Eddie's hands and dug his claws into the tiles. They were already sliding off the edge of the roof when he finally found a grip. Eddie looked down in panic with his eyes wide open. His fear of heights has really did became a curse since Venom was with him.

»Did you know that Alex is also afraid of heights?«

„How should I?!" he cried in panic.

»I just wanted to let you know... There's no need to be abusive about it.«

Venom was right, but his fear of heights was making it impossible for him to think clearly.

»I-I'm sorry. Please just get us down from here«, Eddie begged him.

Venom pushed Eddie off the wall with his feet and climbed back onto the roof. To prevent them from slipping this time, he transformed his feet. At the same time, he pulled himself back on his hands so that Eddie could answer his cell phone. He tried to get his breathing under control again and pulled it out of his pocket. The display showed an unknown number.

»Hello?«, he answered.

»SAFE? MY ASS! Some crazy woman just broke in and messed around with your desk! She took a wedding ring and the picture on your desk too. I hid under the bed and breathed in dust. I almost suffocated!«

Her voice sounded whiny, but also a little fake, which made him laugh quietly, but he came to his senses again.

»She took the picture?«, he asked.

»Yes, why?«

Alex replied, slightly confused. He didn't seem to be worried about the break-in at all.

»Shit. The address is written on the back.«

»Why is that?«

»Because Anne wrote it on there as a reminder.«

»Well then go and warn her before something worse happens.«

Eddie nodded, quickly hung up and ran in the direction they had originally come from. Venom's black mass enveloped him again and Venom appeared again. They hadn't been this fast for a long time.