EDDIE

The kid had no idea what was coming at him. Venom could sense his profound fear from a mile away as we headed slowly towards the trap door fitted between a thick growth of grass. Behind us, the setting sun cast spasming rays of light into the thick overgrowth of trees between the mill's perimeter. Venom was on watch the entire time as I pushed a few moss and ferns off the steel wheel to get a closer look into what lies below the narrowness.

I shot Peter a quick glance. He seemed too fidgety. 'You okay, Parker?'

'Yeah,' he breathed out inside the mask sounding anything but. 'Mr. Brock, do you really think we can take him down?'

I rolled my eyes as Venom's tendril shot lightly from both my hands, a thick cord of black material making my hand seem bigger than usual. I latched onto the wheel tightly, shifting it clockwise. A light groan left my lips.

'Relax. He's kind of a dumbass,' I said. 'Who is stupid enough to get himself tracked by every system in the state? It's fine.'

He nodded in vain, watching me closely as the door shot off its hinges and the immediate scent of NYC's sewers hitting us hard. While Peter gagged, Venom rustled with savoring.

Delicious.

'No, not delicious.' I reprimanded angrily and Peter jumped, looking at me like I'd lost my screws.

Mmm . . . if only we could.

In the meantime, far ahead in the small spot of trees beyond, I heard the loud whirring of engines and the grind of chains in a motorcycle. Peter shot me a questioning glimpse.

'You hear it, too?'

'Guys, coming through!'

The delicate feminine request pealed through our comms, a hand shooting to my ear to press it in and hear clearly. I already knew who it was. Peter snapped his neck to behind him.

A motorcycle that nearly resembled my own revved a foot up in the air, with unnecessary headlights and irregular balance stumbled near us with a thud in the uneven dearth. Peter and I sidestepped the path of rampaging vehicle as swift as we could, the motorcycle hurtled to the wall ahead. Before I could swoop to control the vehicle, a woman's heel braced itself on the ground and making the vehicle manually brake all the while, shooting soil from the force of the wheel. 

The lady riding the vehicle shook her raven hair, tendrils parting to reveal Laura's flustered face and thinned dark eyes. Her eyes immediately landed on mine with a quirky smirk. I let out an impressed scoff as she exited the vehicle with a short hop.

'Laur?' I said with wonderment. 'How the - Fury sent you?'

'I sent myself,' she said stiffly. She reached me in a few long strides, her hand catching mine and gauging my expression. She reached over my shoulder to maternally pat the top of the superhero's head with her mood lifted.'You know I'm not exactly a follower of demands.'

'Is rebel Jane Austen on the field?' Tony's shrouded approval cleared through the networked comms. Laura flattened a hand over her ear and looked up to the sky, trying to spot the superhero. A laugh left her as she replied.

'Yes, it is I. Hope I didn't mess with anyone's plans.'

'Nah, we always wing it.' Scott added. 'Good to have you here, Laura.'

'Expected,' Laura shrugged at the former comment. 

I tugged on her soft hand, making her stumble closer to me. Her dark eyes clouded as she merged her gaze with mine, her pink lips lifting up to mine as an offering. I smoothed mine against them, moving in synchrony with hers. Laura grinned gently into my lips.

'Warmest welcome ever,' she muttered.

'Only for you.'

She lifted her chin in mock thought. 'Remind me again why I love you.'

Let's. Please.

'We just did.' I said, tucking my tongue in cheek acknowledging Venom in my head. 'Hmm, maybe a smooch for good luck - '

'Pillowtalk's over kids,' Tony commanded over the comms, making Laura and I split away in embarrassment. 'We got another on the field.'

'Do not engage, Stark,' Laura said fiercely into the system. 'She's here to lend us a hand.'

Finally, I realized that we indeed had company. A woman with green skin and dressed like nobility slash warrior stood beside Laura silently. She was just as tall as Laura with her built stature and bearing a weapon that resembled a bayonet-scythe. Only Laura could breakout a freaking alien from a high-tech prison. God, I loved her.

Peter, on my left, scuttled behind me as the mysterious alien-woman took a step forward.

'M'lanz,' she introduced in a mechanical, almost robotic voice. 'I only bring an agreement to your terms. I shall help you in this quest for destroying Tel-Kar of the Kree.'

'Is it just me or does this one look like something out of Midsummer's Night Dream?'

'Be nice, Tony,' I heard Scott say sternly. It came out as a whisper, meaning he had entered treacherous bounds. 'Besides, Fury would have our asses on a skewer if we were to hurt any of his assets.'

'I'm coming in,' Tony said dryly. ' To check out what the hot cat dragged in.'

Silent roars of Iron Man's repulsors whirred above us, his alloy-clad hands propped downwards to balance himself as he landed a little away from us with a thud on the grassy earth. His mask vanished to the back of his neck, his eyes strained on Laura immediately. 

'I knew this sortie was missing pistillate pizazz,' Tony tsked while assessing M'lanz of the Skrull. 'Evidently, she wants blood on her hands, Sharp. You really think she can avenge fair?'

'Hardy har har, Stark. Only a woman can understand another woman. She's our final resort and besides,' she dragged and I knew he had it coming. 'I had the balls to approach an exotic sentinel for help. And succeeded.'

His eyes thinned with faux-seductiveness. 'Testy.'

'It's the rum talking.'

I knew it. She reeked of alcohol.

'Guys,' Peter sighed while stretching the mask tiredly to let a little air in. 'Could we please get down to business.'

'Point for Underoos.' he pointed to the tired superhero. 'Alright. Children gather - except you Ant-guy. You do you.'

'On my way, boss,' Scott's acceptance rang through. 'I think I can terminate the power source that's firing up his ship. Fry the mainframe, maybe but damn, this is some old-school mumbo-jumbo.'

'Not now, though,' I swiftly inserted. It was suicide trying to eliminate the signal to the ship without Tel-Kar down. 'Wait for our signal. Tel-Kar needs to be down and steadied. He could be able to access the bioweapon from a distance.'

'Good thinking,' Laura commented with a deep breath. 'I think someone should stay back here and watch our six. We might have SHIELD incoming.'

'God damn it, Sharp, what part of - '

'I'd love to listen more, Tony, but we've got to run.'

'Right. Princess Fiona, symbiote couple and I will take the tunnels to Tel-Kar. Pete and Scottie, you stay up here and guard our six, got it?'

'Mhmm. I got everything under control.'

'Yep.' Peter sounded more than happy to comply with Tony's orders.

'Sorry kid, no foreign ass-kicking today.' I kidded with a nudge of his shoulder. He grumbled silently, tightening the web-shooters on his wrists. They gave off metallic clicks as he fixed them in position.'

'Clear comms in two. Get in position.'

I felt a warm hand trace down my arm and interlace its fingers between mine. I tightened the clutch on Laura's hand. Tony and M'lanz indulged in a short conversation before M'lanz dived leg first with her Kree-killing weapon close by into the well-shaped tunnel leading down. 

'If we make it out alive, you owe me breakfast-in-bed or trip around the city. Take your pick,' Laura stated with static pants. She looked at me with doe-eyes which I couldn't resist. Tony went in next into the vast pit of doom, deciding to use his body-fit repulsors to gradually lower him to the sewer floors. As soon as he and his suit were out of sight, we were up.

'Both. The trip will have to wait,' I smirked. 'If y'know what I mean.'

'Excuses, excuses,' she sang under her breath.

'Can't run from me,' I chuckled. 'I'm onto you like . . . Tel-Kar.'

A beat passed. 'Ew.'

'Okay, I admit. Took it too far.'

I scooped her into my arms without notice pulling a scream from her. Venom's tendrils wrapped around her waist and ankles as I leaped into the tunnel, soon my vision going dark. I felt fibers cording over my skin, my suit of armor coming to life twice over.

Copy.

[ w/n:  not too shabby of a chappy. good to be back, by the way. missed you all so much. I'm feeling a little better now loves, thank you for your concerns via pms and mbs. but like I said, overcoming this isn't easy so bear with me. further, we're almost at the end! only a few dow to go so who's ready for the rest of it? ]