EDDIE

'What the fuck was that?'

I was dead set on me having a clearcut moment with Laura not too long ago. It was just then that she went beet red, even though we were past all evasiveness, clearing her throat under her breath and shooting out the door. Just when I thought we were taking a ride on the A-train and keeping matters levelheaded, Stark had to do his least wanted thing.

'I have no clue what you're talking about,' Tony shrugged, peeping from behind the long holographic screen with a purse on his lips. I tossed the leather-suit clad woman, Carol, a short glance and narrowed my eyes back on Tony. 

'Eavesdropping. Since when did I sign up for that?'

From my periphery, I saw Carol fight off laughter. I was introduced to her before I was ready to pummel Stark verbally and it went better than I thought. Me being a person who was not too easily intimidated, I was about to bend the knee to her if she studied me one more time. She radiated too much raw, untamed power which was starting to rub off Venom the wrong way. From where I stood, I could pick out a heat surge from her, elemental rather than synthetic, and a fighter instinct from the way she shifted. Along her arms was a coded screen with a language I couldn't make out and a tall persona, taller than Laura.

Tony clucked his tongue. If the short table and clutter of mechanical hands weren't blocking me, I would've gone for his throat. 'It was professional courtesy. And you should know, I got my dime's worth with the security system around me.'

'You sure did,' I scoffed. 'Urging us to do it; not cool, even for you.'

We could have. Grab her and go for it.

'You're out of the woods, Brock. I did that,' he pointed a long, steel and pointer-like contraption at my direction. 'I pulled shit out of my ass for you two to - '

'Tony,' Carol sighed, reaching out to silence him so that she could approach more important things. The woman heaved out a breath, moving forward. 'Eddie - um, can I call you that?'

I shrugged in acceptance and she nodded, continuing. 'Xenophage might not be undefeatable after all.'

'Huh,' I said under my breath, folding my arms over my chest and giving her my full attention. 'What've you got?'

'Hey, Cap,' Tony piqued up from behind his screen to throw Carol an aloof glance. 'Isn't Alpha Flight supposed to be handling this situation?'

Carol glared, offended. 'Why are you still here, Tony?'

'To even the terrain,' he spoke up coolly. 'And because Sharp and I are no more on speaking terms after the stunt I pulled.'

Serves him right. My relationship was hanging on a loose thread after what he did since Laura and I didn't vocalize following the fiasco, too.

She shook her head, bringing us to the more important matter. Her light eyes met mine intently. 'I've got a stash of omega-level warp grenades with are attuned to the coordinates of the nearest star, at the station.'

'So . . . ' Tony drawled, once again interrupting her. But, he was ready to efficiently translate it to Layman's terms for me discretely. 'Teleport it to the sun?'

'That's the idea,' she agreed. 'Alpha flight can't seal down its orbital warp-holes but they can siphon some of their hyperspace force for their own use. These grenades are warp triggers so when you see me start to throw them - I suggest you move aside. Like to the other end of the city.'

Sounds so cool.

'That sounds close to impossible,' I supplemented. 'Doesn't even give us a clear opening for escape.'

'What about the Quinjet?'

I snapped my eyes to the feminine voice that traveled from the entryway of the room, the comfortably dressed Scarlet Witch making her requested entrance. She had her pulled to a ponytail behind her back and her footsteps making no sounds at all as she sauntered in. I nodded at her with a small lift of my lips to which she returned my actions and joined my side to face the captain.

'Viz could manage the thing with you after you've cornered it,' she suggested. 'Banner could pilot the jet.'

'That,' Tony remarked, sounding borderline impressed, 'is a great plan. Nice one, Red.'

'Could we get to the most important part of this?' I insisted. All eyes fell on me. 'I can just wiggle my nose and magic up that squid in front of us.'

'Well besides that Bewitched reference,' Tony drew out. 'The more the irradiations from the symbiotes, the more stronger the frequency. We've just got to cluster the hosts in the open.'

It could work, Eddie.

'Or it could not,' I hummed under my breath to Venom. 'So, we're going to bring it to us?'

'Precisely.'

'That's a dumbass plan,' I bit out. 'We're outnumbered five to one.'

I saw Wanda stretch out her fingers to count manually, making me sigh. I guess I'd have to explain. 'Parker, me, Stark, Wanda, Cap,' I counted. 'That's not enough to bring this son of a bitch down.'

'For starters,' Carol started, sending Tony a wide-eyed look. 'We've got Beck and Laura.'

No! Not our female!

Before I could start to dissent, Tony beat me to it.

'Can I have a moment?' He pursed his lips, walking closer and his shoulder nudging mine forcefully which caused me to turn my back to the rest of them. I ground my teeth audibly, facing him.

'Tony, whatever it is, it better be prompt.'

'She's not going to be a victim to your sexual oppression, Brock,' he waved a hand at me, tersely. 'Laura very nearly took that thing down and I'm not going to let her sit in the sidelines.'

'You saw what it did to me,' I mumbled back, leaning in and lowering my voice. He was getting me all wrong. 'It decked me out for three hours straight. She's not ready for it!'

'Laura's symbiote can't even physically perceive that,' he blasted out, his voice turning to a hiss. 'Her symbiote is tougher than yours!'

'Okay, Tony. Fine,' I shrugged and bit out. 'But, I'm warning you. I'll feed on your brain if she as much as even - '

You got that right.

'One thing I've learned,' he said in a loud voice to cut me off. 'Is that worrying is like betting against yourself. So instead, care and be prepared.'

He wasn't wrong. Going into a state of hysteria for something that could frankly open Laura up to some threats was embalming me, but it had to happen. She had to learn to defend herself and from past examples, she was a fast learner and great at it.

'I'm going to take your silence as a yes,' he mused, folding his arms over his chest. My eyes flitted to the bright blue ball of light, his arc-reactor, shining brighter than ever. I shook my head with a sigh.

'I want her safe, is all.' 

'She is,' he nodded. 'She's got a whole team backing her up.'

'Okay, boys,' I heard Carol speak up, making me turn to face her. She had a hand upon her hips, back straightened and her face meaning business. Wanda was beside her, her eyes glowing a faint red and meaning her abilities were at reach. She was looking straight at me.

'Suit up in fifteen. We've got a Xenophage to catch.'

- ♣ -

[ w/n: literally me when carol suddenly started talking about warp and omega level shit - 

okay but like honestly, it was hard to figure out. give me some cred for figuring this out, pleej. and you guys! I started working on part three which sadly, won't be out till like late November maybe? i love the storyline, i'm sure some Leddie stans are going to get their action *wink wink* anyhoo, who enjoyed this chapter? y'know I did! ]