Spiderman: Venom

If this woman really was Ock, and the harness was Oscorp tech, then she worked for Norman.

Damn it, Peter cursed under his breath.

This situation was far more significant than just four superpowered villains wreaking havoc in New York. They must have a bigger plan.

He silently cursed Felicia. I bet she knew. Of course, she did. So much for trust.

Liv leaned back, and the mechanical arms extended around her.

"Do you like them? They were a gift. I volunteered to test the first armor prototype for Osborn," she said, reclining and smiling as though recalling a much happier moment in her life. "That was sixteen years ago. Little needles drilled into my spine, holding me in a great, big hug."

Peter could hear the anguish in her voice, the weight of some secret she was trying to suppress. This hadn't been her choice; she likely had no idea what would happen once the harness was attached. Beneath the oozing sores, her skin was so pale it was almost translucent. Even her chest showed her ribs clearly. Peter might not have Gwen's biological expertise, but he recognized malnutrition when he saw it.

Liv—or Ock, or whatever name fit her now—was nothing more than a tool for Osborn, a puppet under his control. Peter clenched his jaw in frustration. One more reason to despise Norman. Still, she seemed fully aware of her actions. Wasn't mind control supposed to turn people into brainless zombies?

"Now, Goblin armor will protect the brave men and women of our nation. All under the glorious leadership of Norman Osborn," Liv said with a mocking salute.

Peter understood what she meant. The harness was integrated with her nervous system, allowing her to control the mechanical arms. Norman must have added a fail-safe—something to punish her if she ever disobeyed.

She wasn't free. She was Osborn's prisoner. He still loathed her for what she had done, for the pain she'd caused him, but she wasn't entirely at fault. Now, her words made more sense.

Should I help her? he wondered. Or will she turn on me and try to kill me again?

"Free me and I'll—" Peter began, but the sound of the door rattling cut him off. Sandman walked in, holding several takeout bags from WacDonalds.

"Uh, what the hell, Doc?" Sandman asked, his tone sharp.

"Oh, just playing doctor and nurse, Sandman. Be a dear and get dinner ready," Liv said casually as she adjusted her lab coat. She leaned forward, gently running her fingers through Peter's hair. "Caught you peeking, you naughty boy."

After climbing off Peter, she buttoned up her coat and grabbed one of the bags. Opening it, she pulled out a heavy cheeseburger and sighed. "I did ask for something lighter, Sandman, darling."

Sandman shrugged. "It was all they had." He took another bag and walked over to Peter. "Don't let her fool you. I still owe you, asshole," he said, slamming a spiked fist into Peter's side.

The blow was painful, but the symbskin absorbed most of the damage. Peter still let out a grunt as the air was forced from his lungs.

"And unlike her, I don't have a collar to stop me. So, screw her and screw you."

"How charming, dear. Now run along while I work. The Supreme Leader won't be happy if I eat before completing my tasks," Liv said, dismissing him.

She stepped away to grab a file, clicked her pen, and began to jot down notes.

"So, according to our timeline, you and"—she flipped through the file—"oh, no name here. Well, you were bitten by escaped research specimens. Spiders, in this case. You must have been found homeless and prepared for implantation. So, the lab disaster was you. I suppose we now know what happens when a symbiote bonds with a freshly enhanced individual," she said, a glint of madness in her eyes. "But let's see what's under the surface, shall we?"

If she intended to dissect him, Peter knew he'd have to act. As she hummed to herself while setting up a tray, he began testing the restraints. They groaned under the pressure as he strained against them.

Liv rolled over a medical table, grinning as she pulled on rubber gloves. "No glove, no love, Peter dear. Now, let's make this simple," she said, pointing to a row of containers for blood and tissue samples. "We can run quick tests, or I can sedate you and take much larger samples. Be a good boy and stay still, or mama will punish you." She gestured toward a bone saw and an organ dish.

Peter knew his tissue samples wouldn't last long outside his body. Even at the warehouse, the symbiote matter disintegrated within minutes of separation. He nodded toward the syringe, allowing the symbskin to retract from his arm.

"Well, that was easy. The big boss wants to see what gifts you've acquired from your little adventure. Organ samples would be easier, but it's better to keep the subject alive for as long as possible."

Liv collected ten samples and a few flakes of symbskin Peter allowed to slough off. The material oozed in the test tubes, already beginning to degrade.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it? Now, let's see if Sandman brought anything edible."

The two villains sat down to eat burgers while Peter stared at the ceiling, bored out of his mind. He was supposed to remain passive, but the mix of the food's smell and the hard table beneath him was maddening. He wanted to break free and use the table as a weapon against both Liv and Sandman, but at the same time, he just wanted a burger. This wasn't the worst treatment he could have imagined.

His stomach growled, and he decided to take a risk. "Hey, can I—?"

"No. Shut your mouth," Sandman interrupted, taking another bite of his burger. Liv sighed, unwrapped a cheeseburger, and held it up for Peter to take a bite.

"Now, now, Sandman. We're under orders to keep him alive. There's no need to be rude," she said as she wiped sauce from Peter's mouth and playfully licked her thumb.

Strangely, Peter realized he now knew their location. The burgers were from WacDonalds on Ninth Street. He'd been there once with MJ when she was job-hunting. The place had reeked of weed, and the burgers smelled identical. They were about four blocks from where he'd been captured.

"Alive doesn't mean fed, Doc. The bastard doesn't deserve to eat after what he did to me," Sandman grumbled, clenching his fists. Peter noticed tiny grains of what appeared to be sand falling from Sandman's hands.

Unstable is a good sign, he thought.

Another one of Norman's twisted experiments. If Sandman was one of them, then Electro and Rhino were probably victims too. Could they even be saved? And, more importantly, did they want saving? Liv looked visibly troubled, but she continued eating and jotting down notes, occasionally turning to let him take a bite of her burger.

The science behind all this would undoubtedly fascinate Gwen, but Peter didn't have the luxury of indulging in curiosity. Right now, he needed a plan to escape. He already had strategies for taking down Sandman, Rhino, and Electro, even if they attacked in pairs. But Ock's combination of brute force and mechanical tentacles would complicate things. If he could reason with her and get her on his side, it would simplify taking out Sandman.

That decision, however, would have to wait. Peter had eaten enough to regain his strength, and now it was time to act. Ock appeared content, munching on her food, while Sandman sat nearby, his scowl deeply etched on his face.

"Oh, boo hoo," Peter said mockingly. "You're a criminal, and you got what was coming to you. Don't like it? Stop being a criminal."

Peter was done with this. Liv was meticulously organizing the samples she had collected, while Sandman radiated tension, his anger coiled like a spring. Venom could practically taste the adrenaline and fury rolling off him.

"Here's a thought: stop mugging people, and you won't end up in jail—or beaten to a pulp."

"You broke my damn ribs," Sandman growled, his hands transforming into solid, spiked clubs. "I would've died if they hadn't given me that stuff. I'm a freak because of you."

He slammed a spiked fist into Venom's ribs repeatedly. "How's that feel, huh?!"

What the hell? Peter thought. Is he crying? Who cries while beating someone up?

Anticipating the assault, Venom had thickened the area Sandman was targeting, reinforcing it with a honeycomb-like armor that absorbed the impacts. The punches still hurt, but they didn't cause serious damage.

"My daughter was in the hospital. I needed that money," Sandman said, delivering blow after blow. Venom could feel his breath being forced out of his lungs. The attacks weren't as effective as they would have been without the armor, but Sandman didn't seem to care. He was venting pure frustration.

"My daughter, my little girl," he sobbed.

Sandman landed one final strike on Venom's side, but Peter had had enough. The blows were barely effective, and his incessant sobbing about his daughter was starting to grate on Peter's nerves.

"And what about the daughters of the people you robbed? Did you care about them? I lost my uncle because of scum like you."

Venom tensed his muscles and tore free from the restraints. He kicked over the instrument tray and swatted Sandman across the room with a powerful backhand.

"You're pathetic. Either fight me properly or shut up. At least last time, you weren't whining like this."

"Now, now," Liv interrupted, stepping away from her desk. "Let's keep it civil. We all have our jobs to do. No need to get nasty." She held her pen like a blade, ready to defend herself if needed.

Peter rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up. Like you didn't smash me into a parked car. This is a fight, not a date. You want something romantic? Take me out to dinner first."

Venom slammed his fists together, reinforcing the armor over his knuckles. Sandman, recovering from the blow, rose to his feet and raised his fists. Peter prepared for the next round.

Sandman swung first, but Venom crossed his arms to block before retaliating with a punch of his own. The blow sent Sandman flying again, but he retaliated by blanketing the room in a thick layer of sand.

"Whoa, whoa, gentlemen," Liv interjected, stepping between them. "Can we calm down? Or at least take this outside? This place may not be much, but it's still my home."

Peter couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of her request. "You know what?" He opened his maw, stuffed in two hamburgers, and grinned. "Yeah, let's take this outside, kitty litter."

Sandman glared at Liv in disbelief. "Seriously, Doc? Are you kidding me right now?"

Liv gave a half-shrug, tapping the metal collar around her neck. "Sorry, Sandman. Orders are to keep him alive, and I can't disobey." Her tone was apologetic but firm. "If you're going to fight, it'll have to be without me stepping in."

"Fucking Osborn," Sandman muttered, his gaze shifting back to Venom, who was still chewing on his burgers.

With his mouth full, Venom gestured dismissively. "Go on. I'm eating." He waved Sandman off like a pesky fly. "I'll catch up with you in a minute."

Sandman glared daggers at him, his rage bubbling under the surface.

The nerve of this guy, Sandman thought. But if Ock gets involved, I'm screwed.

Reluctantly, Sandman stormed out through the side exit, muttering curses under his breath.

"Don't mind him, Venom," Liv said casually. "He's been on edge ever since Osborn refused to cure his daughter. Maybe cut him some slack?"

Peter popped the last burger into his mouth, chewing and swallowing it. "He doesn't deserve a damn thing from me." His gaze narrowed as he looked at Liv. "And I haven't decided what to do with you yet."

Liv arched an eyebrow at him, her expression unreadable. "We can discuss that after you survive. Sandman isn't someone you should underestimate."

Peter smirked. "I know. I remember how you four ganged up on me last time. I can handle him."

He knew talking to her was risky, but Liv was difficult to figure out. Was she truly under Norman's control, or was she playing some game to trick him into letting his guard down?

Liv simply shrugged. "I warned you."

Peter pulled off the metal cuffs, letting them fall to the floor with a clang, and made his way to the door.

"If you die out there, can I have your body for research?" Liv called after him.

Peter raised his middle finger without turning around as he stepped through the doorway.

"Well, that was just rude," Liv muttered to herself with a smirk.