LAURA

'Hey, freshie. Jones wants you at his office in five.'

I shot up from the table, flustered that I'd been caught sleeping on my job. Shaking myself out of my daze, I glimpsed at the watch in my hand. Closing in on six and still no call from Eddie. Seriously, why the hell did he own a phone?

My onsite reporter job was a pain in the ass. I studied four years of journalism and two years of higher studies only to land here, and sleep off for three hours on the job. Apparently, 'newbies' couldn't be sent on the field until he or she gets enough experience working alongside other reporters. Like interns.

 Eddie I could use, but it felt so weird to associate with him on every aspect of the day. Running behind him scribbling notes didn't exactly scream 'dating and happy' to me. I fought past his manipulative pestering to help me and worked things my own way. The feeble-minded and dull way. So this part was unlike me who was used to jumping into juice without checking its flavour. Which landed me in a cubicle with absolutely nothing to do except watch the door, expect someone to shout 'you're up for this!' and pop a party popper.

'H - yeah! Sure, I'll be there.'

Was my boss finally going to give me an opportunity of a lifetime? Ugh, I had to stop it with the pipedreams. Grabbing my coat and my heels, I rushed past oncoming obstacles such as buzzkill Ben and asshole Abby to get the elevator doors from closing. Thanking the lords, I got into the empty elevator and pushed the twenty-four button. By the time I reached my floor, my wavy hair was fluffed and my heels were on.

'Ms. Sharp?' 

'Mr. Jones,' I nodded and saw him look down at the popped open button on my blouse that exposed my tummy. I sheepishly hooked it back on. The light bounced off his buzzed off hair and the suit fit him flawlessly. For a forty-year-old man, he was killing it. 'You needed me?'

'Yes, I have some clarifications to make. Have a seat.'

Following so, I crossed my legs and sat up straighter. His table was a perfect clutter; a photo frame of his son and wife at a football game, the right alignment of pencils on the oak wood, a tall stack of new reports fresh-off site. I dreamed of being like that one day. With a job from where I could flick my fingers and news would blow, point out errors with just a scan of my eyes and come to work with a purpose. 

'A little birdie told me you are romantically involved with Eddie Brock from his titular show,' he said. 'Why is that you haven't been catching up to him when on-duty?'

'Actually, I would. But it's too risky to put both my job and relationship in jeopardy. I hope you understand, sir.'

'Of course. I offered you a place here so that you can move up and achieve greater things. So far, I don't see much of that happening. I was hoping you would use Brock as your upper hand and move further above.'

I panicked. 'No, I can do much better! I just - I - '

'Sharp, please. I've seen your articles and writings and they are phenomenal. I would love to see the same approach while working as a team player and following our top reporters on the field.'

He continued when I started to fidget. 'I don't know if it is an inferiority complex or something but you are losing out. I'm going to have to pull the plug if I don't get a review from you by next week.'

I spoke up finally, but sounding a little choked. 'I wrote that minor article on the accords incident in Berlin and Stark's intel on it - '

' - which happened a year ago. Innovation, Sharp. I need new news not some fight between two superheroes.' 

My breathing increased. I rolled my lips into my mouth nervously, trying to frame my sentences. 'If you'd like to take my advice . . . ?'

Hopefully, I glanced at him and he proceeded. 'There's a convention at the Life Foundation this Friday. It's a press meet in the afternoon and Mrs. Abernathy is leading a crew up into the conference.'

'The Life Foundation?' I queried. 'Aren't they sealed? I thought the press release via Eddie provided enough evidence for it to be shut for a lifetime.'

'CEO Carlton Drake's recent will had been configured,' he shared. 'Almost eighty per cent of his bondholders were written down to his fellow companion, Keith Malik. And Mr Malik has announced its new and improved opening on good terms with the board. Newer science, looking ahead into the future and the whole nine yards. Somehow managed to convince the jury by ignoring whatever had happened in the former year. Science can be, hm. Strangely indulgent.' 

I hummed along, lost in my thoughts. 'Strange.'

'So, I presume you'll be informing Abernathy about your involvement?' He asked pointedly and I nodded quickly. 'Your press badges will be here by tomorrow morning so better step on it.'

'Yessir.'

- ♣ - 

'Psst, Laura.'

Ignore it.

'Laura!'

I breathed out my nose, turning to acknowledge the voice. I raised my brows. 'Yep?'

'I heard you were going for the Life Foundation thing,' Shin asked from the cubicle behind me, just as I was about to leave. Shin was a new addition in the social media sector and specializing in the shareability of our company. She moved from Hong Kong a few months ago hence the accent. 'Has Abernathy given you a pass?'

Gossip did travel fast around the workplace. 'M'yeah,' I said, uninterested. 'Not over the moon about it.'

'Why not? It's a great place to make connections. I got here because of the Life Foundation event in my city. My boss got me outsourced after my presentation.'

'Super,' I rolled my eyes and thinking about their fraudulence that was scripted across the news. 'According to me, they're nothing my deceiving scientists playing with life thinking they're saving the world from ecological collapse. Utter bullshit, if you ask me.'

'Come on, it can't be that bad. It's for the better good,' she murmured under her breath. 'Science is the future.'

'I can't live a future which has been achieved by spilling innocent blood,' I retorted and stuffed my computer in. My actions got rasher as I shoved the thick stack of folders back into my drawer with a bang. Without tossing her another glance, I stormed out and into the elevator for the last time that day.

The building was brimming with life at the entrance, most employees tapping out and ready to get to their destinations. I pushed past the glass doors, flipping through the agenda of the press event and unknowingly teething the edges of press badges. 

Damn, Carlton Drake did make a shit ton of money. The amount invested in this conference was enough to feed a country of hungry souls. Keith Malik must be brave enough to have a sit-down press convention. Crossing the road to the opposite street, I took a steep uphill walk to the corner where my scooter was parked. All the while, I glued my eyes to the times for every event and the gist of every chronological case. Symbiote . . . Space explorations . . . Aliens . . . not a trace of what Eddie said. Like they had washed it clean and such a case never existed. 

Shaking my head in defeat, I found my fading green scooter sandwiched between two ferocious-looking cars and fished the keys out of my coat pocket. When thrusting the papers into my bag, I felt a sharp prick at my side and instantly making my breathing rate go up. I fell on my knees by the sidewalk, clutching the region where my elbow touched my rib and tried to focus on calming my heart rate.

Shakily I reached for my bag, shoveling through the contents for water but the pain started to become excruciating. Pricking and climbing in pace, spreading up to my entire chest region. I shrieked as the burning intensified and not a person in eyesight to help.

I nearly cried out of relief when a hand beat me to it, fetching the water bottle that had rolled onto the street and passing it to me after twisting open the cap. I generously chugged it and the water dripping onto my thin blouse which I couldn't care less about.

'Breathe. In and out.'

I drew in gasps just like he said, propping a hand over his shoulder. When I slowed my breathing, I felt his hands serpentine waist up and I pushed him away. Only to realize it was Eddie. The better version of last morning's Eddie.

'What are you doing here?' I asked, breathlessly. 

'I was going to pick you up from work and then I see you writhing on the street,' he said but fell to faintly on my ears. 'You were in so much pain. We could sense it.'

'We? Who - ' I sighed. 'Oh. ET.'

'You need a doctor. Come on.' He lifted me up by the arm and pressing me into his chest by wrapping me in an embrace. The cold felt so good against my side, a moan rippling out of me. When I realized where he was taking me to, I extricated myself from his arms.

'No, I'm fine,' I said and picked up the purse on the ground. My spine hurt to move and I winced slightly. 'I need to get home.'

'You've got to be kidding me, Laura,' Eddie scoffed and grabbed my arm. He applied pressure by trying to stop me. 'You need a hospital. Right now.'

'I don't need anything,' I retracted my hand with a sneer. 'It's just a hunger pang, is all. I didn't have a proper lunch.'

'For the past week?' 

'Fuck off.'

'Just get on the bike.'

'I don't get how this is any of your business,' I murmured and bumped my shoulder with his. I pushed my keys into the scooter keyhole. A flash of black shot past me and snatched the keys from the scooter. I widened my eyes. 'Hey!'

'You are our business,' he stated with a narrowed gaze. 'That pain was something else. Like weird heartburn.'

'You didn't care to talk to me yesterday! You didn't care about opening up to me!' I yelled, throwing my hands in the air to emphasize my annoyance. 'Not a word from you, Ed. Now suddenly you want to barge up in here and tell me I need a freaking hospital. I can't understand you!'

'What if you die, Laura? What then?'

'What if I did? You still have Venom, a career. I don't have shit.'

'I won't have you, damn it! I can't lose you because of - ' 

His shoulders rose and fell with growling breaths, his hands fisting tightly over my shoulders. I grimaced at the sharp pain that shot up my shoulders and I glanced at his eyes. A thin line of black had taken over the irises, swirling in an amorphous nature. My hands cradled his cheeks, the rough ridges of the facial hair poking into my palms.

'Eddie, look at me. Don't phase out on me.'

My god, he was making me become moody. One minute I'm boiling mad and the next, I'm compassionate. Either my D-day was close by or this was all Eddie sweet-talk working. At this point, all of it seemed right.

'Eddie? Talk me to me, honey.'

'Stay with me, then,' he said in a tired voice. 'Everything's been so fucked up all week and I just want one normal night - '

My answer was instant, the tone and the vulnerability in his eyes tormenting me. 'Ssh, Eddie. Okay, I will.'