VENOM

Monsters and Spies

By the time they got home, the sun was just peeking over the horizon, and the horror of what had happened at that gas station flooded the Saturday morning news. As Leo crashed on the couch, his cell phone started ringing.
Screeeekkkk.. turn off that sound! It hurts us!
"Sorry sorry..sheesh." he checked his phone, and raised his brow in surprise. He answered it, and held it up to his ear. "Hey Sammy."

Samantha Teague wasn't like other teen girls. She wasn't showy or flashy, despite being a cheerleader, let alone the captain. She was always flocked with boys, but only dated when they felt like they were worth her time, or caught her eye. Leo wasn't typically her kind of guy, but since his 'injection', he had been acting in a more noticeable way. After he had beaten the absolute snot out of Toby and Jake, both constant harassers of Samantha, he had definitely gotten her attention, and secretly her affection. All night, she had debated on texting or calling him, but when she heard of the monster that had attacked a gas station near his house, she had to contact him.

"Hey, Leo, sorry to bother you so early, I just wanted to make sure you were safe."
"Uhh, yeah I'm safe. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Haven't you seen the news? Turn on your TV!"
Leo complied, and flipped on the local news.

A young Asian woman stood in front of a gas station, which was definitely the one where Venom struck. What caught his eye, though, was the fact there was a quite noticeable amount of blood splattered all over the front counter and floor, and a door that had been torn off its hinges. The lady was mid sentence when he finally started listening...
"...and there was only one witness, twenty four year old Felicia Diez, who saw the whole thing."
"It was like, so weird." She stuttered. "This guy comes in and demands the money, and this monster came out of nowhere and ate him. It said something though, like, I think it's name? I didn't catch it cuz y'know, I was in the back hiding. But it came outta nowhere, man. It ate him! I think. I dunno but I heard it munching, and when I came out, there was blood everywhere!"
"Miss Diez proceeded to contact the authorities, where they are currently examining the security footage. People are now calling this 'creature' the Monster of Middleburg. Now, back to you Jim."
Leo didn't watch anymore, quickly flipping off the TV.
"You see, Leo? That thing is still out there!"
"Yeah, I see."
"You live with Tommy and his mom, right?"
"Right. But they're at a family reunion thing for Memorial Day."
"Okay..well, don't take this the wrong way, but there's safety in numbers. I'm alone for the weekend because my papa is out on business. I wouldn't normally have a guy over, but I'm worried. Can you please come here?" Leo couldn't believe what he was hearing. His crush for the past three years had just asked him to stay at her house.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah I can do that. Lemme just pack some clothes."
They know of us.
Leo hung up and sighed, putting together a bag of clothes.
"Don't worry, she doesn't know who we are. If it wasn't for your dumbass, the cops wouldn't have footage, or whatever."
We aren't meant to be discreet.
"Clearly. That Diez girl..she saw us."
She is loose ends.
"We're not killing her."
Why not?
"She was at the wrong place at the wrong time. If you had just been patient, nothing would have happened."
You think you could have done that yourself?
"We've already had this talk. Let's just get over to Sam's house."

As they approached the apartment complex, Leo felt a tingling on the back of his neck. He spun around, and saw none other than Toby, but unlike before, he was armed with a baseball bat.
"Hey Freak."
"Did Sam put you up to this?"
"Nah. But I saw you so I figured it'd be a good time to settle the score."
We will devour him!
"You don't wanna do that, Toby, just walk away."
"Oh, but I think I do." He sneered and swung his bat. Leo lost control for a moment as Venom's arm shot up and grabbed the bat, but the monster hadn't completely formed. Toby's eyes got wider than his gaping mouth as he stared in fear at them: a half Venom, half human abomination. Leo fought for control, but the monster forced him out of control, and the host had to watch as Venom moved towards the bully.

Toby tried to run, but his efforts were stopped by a quick smack to the knee with the bat. He screamed and gasped as the pain shot through him, and collapsed. The knee was completely shattered. Venom tossed the bat at him as if it were a throwing knife, and smashed it into his ribs.
Venom! Enough!
Toby's screams were replaced by desperate, short groans as he clawed away from Venom. There was no escape, and all three of them knew it, but Venom took twisted joy in it. He kicked the boy once more in the ribs, rolling him onto his back, and pinned him with his large, clawed foot. Leo could see the fear in the boy's eyes, and tried desperately to fight back against the monster's control.
"L-let me go you freak!..agh..lemme go!"
"You..hurt..us." he snarled back, his worm like tongue dancing about.
"I won't do it anymore man, I promise." Venom hissed and tilted his head. Leo took this chance to try and take control, but was beaten back by the beast again.
"You..won't. Ever again."
"Y-yeah man. We're cool. Never again." Toby sighed in relief. Venom picked the boy up by his collar and hissed viciously.
"You're right. You..won't."
"Nonono..no!!"
No!
Crunch.
Venom bit him in half, and tossed the lower half aside. They could hear a scream from above them. Venom turned, and saw Samantha standing there on the balcony.
Venom! Bring me back!
As soon as the words left, he felt himself tossed all the way onto the balcony, aside Samantha. He looked up at her jewel brown eyes with his own green ones, then all went black.

Leo awoke handcuffed to a bed, his arms spread out as wide as they could. His head felt like he had been hit by a line of buses all at once. He could see through his blurred vision, a slender sillouette of a girl. After blinking a few times he could make out who it was, and his heart fell as he remembered what he just did.
"Sammy..I-"
"Nope nuh uh, no excuses, just tell me what the hell I just saw." Leo took a deep breath, and told the story.

"It's..a symbiote? Like, from biology class? That some creatures have a relationship by being around each other?"
"Yeah. Except he's attached to..well I don't know exactly, but he comes from the scar in my hand."
"Did you ever go back? Maybe they can separate you two."
No! They will hurt us, Leo. Worse than before.
"That's..not an option. They'll probably do more harm than good."
As he finished, his phone buzzed, and Leo answered.
"Hello?"
"You have something that belongs to the Life Foundation."
"My medicine?"
"You weren't supposed to have that vial. It was an illegitimate procedure, and now we want Venom back."
"You know about Venom?"
"Where do you think the serum came from?"
They can't take us, Leo. They'll kill us both.
"You'll have to catch us first, spook." Leo hung up and shoved his phone in his pocket, and stood.
"What was that about?"
"Never mind that. Do you have a place to stay?"
"Uh, well yeah my aunt but she's a county over."
"Get in your car, go there. I'll call when it's safe."
"Leo you need to slow down and tell me what the hell is going on."
"I will...I will." Leo gently grabbed Sammy's shoulders and looked her dead in the eyes. "But you need to get out of here. As soon as possible."

Within the hour, Leo watched as Samantha drove off.
You know she will not be safe while they're out there.
"I know. But where do we start?"
"How about with me?" Leo spun around and snatched the person, the guide from the tour.
"Wh..where did you come from?"
"I've been watching for a while. I'm agent Madan, I've been working for the LF for a while as an undercover spy."
"I thought you were just a tour guide."
"Then I was doing my job right. Could you let me down?"
"Oh, yeah. Sorry." Leo lowered her and retracted his Venom arm.
We cannot trust her.
"Do you have any other options?"
"I assume you're not talking to me. Does the symbiote actually speak to you? How does it know English? Does it know any other languages?"
Her prattling is getting annoying.
Leo chuckled and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"Listen lady, start talking, or scat. I got hunting to do."
"Without me, you don't even know who to hunt."
"Alright..where do I start?" The agent handed him a tan folder. Inside was a picture of an older, ginger haired man in a white lab coat, with a scar over his left eye.
"Professor Rankin. He was the one who chose the injection vial."
"Where is he?"
"Currently, at his home. His address is in the file."
"Why are you helping me?" The agent simply walked off.
"My reasons are my own, you just take down the scientist."