Megan departed the OsCorp headquarters with ease and started to make her way home. It was lateand the night was creeping deeper into darkness."Hey, mom, it's me, sorry I'm running late - been hell at the Bugle today," she said into her phone– a message for her mother who always worried about Megan's late night escapades. "I'm gonnapop by the late night store then I'll be right back. Love you."As she travelled the streets, Megan took no notice of the increasing police presence whizzing byher. She figured it just routine for a New York evening – a run-of-the-mill fire or burglary. It wasn'tuntil Megan was at her local store purchasing the milk her mother requested that she realised whathad riled the police."Just milk tonight, Megan?" the clerk asked.Frenzy Origins-2-All the while, Megan didn't even bother to contact her family. She was too concerned of herfriend's safety, and the possibility of getting a story for jolly Jameson.* * *Police swarmed to the scene like moths to a flame. The perimeter of Cruisers swiftly created abarrier between the viewing audience and the burning warehouse. Nobody dared to get any closer.While the police felt confident that the fire would not spread, they did consider the presentdanger looming overhead: the Raptor. Until it was dealt with, there was no chance of the fireservices extinguishing the blaze. Squads already tried to supress the Raptor, but its drones silencedthe approaching officers.Mike and his partner, Rebecca could only look on helplessly. Even Mike's bravery would not doany good in this situation. Captain Stacy demanded the crews hold back, even Mike had to comply.That didn't stop him from complaining, though."This is bullshit.""Captain's orders, Mike. Even you don't stand a chance against all that," Rebecca replied,anxiously observing the spectacle. The Raptor hovered over the inferno expectantly. Drones circledits position, keeping a watchful eye on the perimeter."What's he waiting for?" Mike pondered to himself.Rebecca glanced across. "Does it matter? Give her time and she'll clear.""Her? That's clearly a man in that thing.""Oh? And how would you know, mister detective?" Rebecca joked anxiously. Her bones startedto shiver."A hunch," Mike replied simply. Rebecca's steadily quivering hands grasped a couple of capsulesthat she swiftly downed."Mike!" Megan yelled as she spied Mike through the crowd of officers. They would not allow herby, but Mike approached her. More anxiety brooded inside Rebecca. Quickly it became paranoia.Every time she saw the Irish girl, Rebecca feared that she knew her secret. It wasn't alleviated bythe fact that she would only speak to Mike. That wasn't going to change. Megan trusted himexplicitly.She couldn't hear what the two were saying, but she didn't want to reveal herself. Rebecca justhad to risk it and deal with the situation later."Megan now's not the time. You really should go home.""No, I can't. My-my-" Megan cried before noticing Rebecca ahead, staring at her. "Wait. What'sshe doing here?!"Mike turned around to see Rebecca too. "She's a police officer, Megan. It's her job to be here,"Mike said in a very matter of fact. Megan was disappointed to hear Mike's misunderstanding."Did...did you not read that report I gave you?" Megan started to quiver too. She trusted Mike tolook at that file. It seemed as though he didn't. With Rebecca looking right at her, she was hesitantto admit what she had found"I just haven't had the time," Mike admitted. Megan wanted to trust him. Perhaps he didn'tbelieve her. Why should he? Megan was just a naïve nineteen year old girl after all."Well you do now-" Megan began confidently.Frenzy Origins-3-"No, Megan. You need to go-""Stop!" Megan yelled, grabbing the attention of the closest officers. Even Rebecca heard it overthe inaudible crowd and searing flames beyond. "Stop treating me like I'm a child, Mike. I'm trying tohelp you here - trying to help you from making a terrible mistake. Rebecca...Rebecca's not the kindof person you think she is..." Mike looked back at Rebecca as Megan explained briefly what she hadfound out about Rebecca. She explained her involvement with the city's largest crime syndicate, runby a faceless figure."Those are some serious allegations, Megan. So, you think, my partner is running with New York'slargest crime syndicate.""I don't think. I know so." Mike was unconvinced, his expression said it all; disappointed. "Youdon't believe me, do you?"Mike sighed heavily. "Look, just go home, Meg. Leave Rebecca to me." Megan could feel thesincere, patronising tone coming from Mike's lips. He wasn't going to do anything. She was just achild to him. In truth, he was not that much older than Megan was anyway.Megan, insulted, left Mike and slinked away, carefully watching him go back to Rebecca. Shetried. Perhaps she could've tried harder. However it all seemed that Mike's mind was made up evenbefore Megan opened her mouth."What was that about?" Rebecca quizzed with feigned innocence."Megan seems to think you're a dangerous woman, Rebecca," Mike replied with slight humour inhis voice, but displaying no concern for Megan's safety. Rebecca spotted Megan slipping from thecrowds. She knew that something had to be done.Now was not the time. Suddenly a large explosion burst from the warehouse flames causingeveryone to recoil and shield themselves. The Raptor casually hovered above, uninterested in thesudden activity.This changed quickly when Frenzy and Lizard emerged from the fire, diving over the yard ontoanother building across."Don't you know when to stay dead?!" the Raptor yelled. Two drones dove towards the girls,screaming hellfire and shells. Rounds ricocheted off the ground around them. Soon the crowds werein panic, quickly retreating from the scene. More drones charged towards Frenzy and the Lizard asthey evaded the incoming rounds.Both had separated in order to split the incoming armatures. It seemed like a good idea, butFrenzy had ended up with the lions share; six. Opposed to Veronica's measly three. Frenzy led herstalkers through the interior of the next warehouse."That's right, follow me," Frenzy yelled cheekily and quickly swung her body hard right causing one ofthe drones to crash into the container she avoided. One down, five to go.Veronica's approach was much more aggressive. Rather than leading the drones into awarehouse, she chose to attack them out in the open. Teeth, scales and claws collided with thearmor pieces. Veronica dismantled each one at a time, piece-by-piece. Crude, but very effective itwould seem – the Raptor sent more after her, yelling incoherently.An explosion shuddered behind the Raptor as another drone erupted. It swooped round toattack, only to be stunned."Don't count me out yet. That'll be your downfall." Zoe floated over the flames, pumpkin bomb inhand another detonation soon followed. The Hobgoblin started to thin the numbers among Raptor'screw.Frenzy Origins-4-"No!" the Raptor yelled and crashed into the airborne Zoe. The glider started to spiral arounduncontrollably. Zoe was not concerned, she had it covered. "You should be dead!""Touching, Paige. Touching," Zoe groaned, "Allow me to return the favour, traitor!" Crackles ofelectric shot from her gauntlets and bolted through the Raptor's carapace. The pilot wailed in painbriefly, a blinding light stopped Zoe from proceeding. She screamed as her irises burned from theflash.Disorientated and vulnerable, the Raptor launched more drones at the Hobgoblin. Each tried toram her off the glider as she retreated. She stood firm, using her strength to shrug off the pests.More came after, each were dispatched with flair and precision from Zoe's tools. The Raptor wasnow more concerned with Zoe rather than the two others below. Veronica looked to be struggling asmore drones entered the fray.Frenzy was still racing around the inside of the warehouse. Another drone had bit the dust; directimpact from a slab of concentrated symbiotic mass. Odds started to stack in her favour as two morefelt the wrath of her powers. Two drones flying parallel, forced into one another by strong strands ofpurple goo. They spiralled chaotically before colliding with a brick wall. The resulting explosionelated Regina.It all seemed too easy. Of course, she was unaware of how dire the situation was outside.Veronica struggled as drones piled on her. She could not move swiftly enough to contend withthe number of drones swarming over her.Zoe seemed to be coping fine, though. Aerial mobility had its advantages. She was unconcernedfor Veronica's safety. She was delighted to see her falter - one less problem to worry about.The Raptor was getting frustrated. Zoe had to die. She just had to. It peeled away for a moment,leaving the drones to suffer without guidance. Zoe tried to keep an eye on it, but it was too fast andthe drones were more of a current threat.Finally, Frenzy emerged from the warehouse with only one drone racing behind. Instantly sherecognised how desperate the situation had gotten when she saw the hulking pile covering Veronica.Regina sprang into action. Mass bulked as Regina landed on the same roof, still being pursued,charged and knocked the swarm away effortlessly, Veronica included.Relieved, but annoyed, Veronica yelled, "Thank you!" Regina picked up on the sarcastic tone. She wasinstantly floored by the tracing drone. Regina managed to swing her large arm round to eliminatethe pest and return to assisting Veronica and the army of floating armatures.With the Raptor out of sight Zoe figured a direct approach would be more appropriate. It didn'ttake long for the Raptor to show its metallic head again, but this time it was armed.Armed with a gun that could have possibly been the cannon off a tank, it was mounted to one ofthe arms and was aimed in Zoe's direction.Zoe bleated a sharp, "Fuck!" and bolted out of the firing line. She flew below towards the yard ofthe warehouse complex. Bad idea – the Raptor didn't care about collateral damage. A burst of fireerupted from the cannon and the resulting shell detonated just beyond Zoe's path.Regina and Veronica were alerted to this. Together they continued to destroy the drones. Therewas still dozens of them, maybe a hundred - impossible to tell. Both girls had an idea though."Why not deal with the source?" Regina asked Veronica as she smashed another drone into the groundunder her."Possible. Disabling it could stop the drones." Veronica nudged aside one more drone before running towardsthe Raptor on all fours. It had descended slightly and was level with the roof. Veronica knew thatdoing this would allow Zoe to get away, which did make her sick. Her concerns were more focused Frenzy Origins-5-on herself surviving the night, though. Veronica leapt, leaving Regina to deal with the drones alone.She didn't mind all that much. It was all good practice for her, even if she was in immediate danger.Regina could spy Veronica wrapping her tail around the Raptor's free arm and latching onto itsback with vicious toe nails. From this position, Veronica could claw at the helmet, distracting theRaptor from its prey.Just as Veronica predicted, Zoe got clear, but she didn't back down from the fight. Instead shereadied another pumpkin bomb. Veronica tried to pry the Raptor's helmet off, sparks started to flyaround the neck guard as wiring started splitting.A sudden explosive impacted the two, flinging Veronica off of the Raptor. Zoe didn't care aboutthis alliance she had forged. If she had to opportunity to destroy all of them, she would. But theRaptor was the biggest threat currently. Veronica was just in the way."Bitch," she wheezed, getting back up on all fours, "Should've seen that one coming." There was no respite.Drones landed in the yard, ready to destroy Veronica. She readied herself.The Raptor was flying around dazed. Almost unaware of what events proceeded. A chunk ofmetal was blown open from Zoe's bomb, but it didn't penetrate the pilot. Something was happening.Eye sockets blinked rapidly and hydraulics whirred around the suit. A self-repair mechanism hadbeen activated, restoring the suit to a functional state.The pilot begged and hoped the suit would hold.Behind came the banshee scream; Zoe flew towards the Raptor, firing strikes of lightning towardsit."Boss stop!" the pilot yelled. The voice was amplified through the voice filters, but Zoe ignored it.A bolt struck the suit, causing more confusion among the suits functions. The Raptor braced for onefinal blow from the Hobgoblin. The wail of the crazed woman rang through the rivets and bolts ofthe suit and into the pilots head.A sudden blow sent Zoe off course. It wasn't a drone. The figure was similar to the originalRaptor. Zoe's attention was diverted from the first Raptor and now saw this new Raptor. It glidedthrough the night sky, its figure visible as a silhouette against the pale moonlight. Zoe pursued it. Sheknew something was not right. This left Regina and Veronica to fight the drones and the woundedRaptor.Nobody noticed Zoe's absence. All attention was focused on Frenzy and Lizard battling the hordeof drones, with the other Raptor, struggling to maintain altitude with its wrecked frame. The pilothad no choice but to go to ground. She had to stop the two would-be-heroes. Otherwise, theconsequences would not be favourable to her.Veronica was alarmed when she heard the unmistakable fire from the Raptor's cannon. It missed.Range and inexperience contributed to the Raptor's inadequacy. The targeting system was downalso. Even the assistive AI system the pilot prided above everything else.The missed round did remove more drones though. The break allowed Veronica to get down andclosedown the Raptor quickly. Frenzy managed to clear out more of her adversaries. Morecontinued to join the fray, but Veronica had the right idea to attack the source.The pilot vainly tried aiming the unwieldy cannon at the Lizard, but could not hit it. Wasted shellsimpacted the ground around, blasting holes in warehouse walls and contributing to the decliningnumber of drones.Finally, Veronica managed to lunge at the Raptor and knocked it to the ground. It retaliated byswinging an iron fist into Veronica's skull. Veronica yelped and scratched her head aside the Raptor.The pilot manoeuvred the frame back to its feet and aimed at the dizzy reptile. Tasting victory, the Frenzy Origins-6-pilot fired. The resulting blast blew Veronica back, scarring her torso. Raptor limped forward throughthe dust and debris.When the Lizard's weak body came into view again, the Raptor aimed and fired. This time,Veronica lost an arm. Her mind was unprepared for the excruciating pain and she let out adeafeningly pained hiss. Previously, Veronica had the creature's instincts to deal with the pain. Nowthat she was more human, she could actually feel the pain.Fortunately, the hiss caught Regina's attention."Veronica!" she screamed and dashed in the direction of the shrieking. Drones tried surroundingRegina. The symbiote assisted by aggressively launching tendrils around Regina's body. Regina'sspears stopped any that got too close.The symbiote had a surprise for Regina. Tendrils suddenly merged to form four alternating wings.Regina flew away from the drones, but they still pursued as they would. From above, she could seewhere Veronica was. She was helplessly trying to retreat from the Raptor. Repeatedly, the Raptorfired its cannon to dissuade Veronica from attacking.The Raptor didn't expect Regina to appear out of nowhere and topple her. Regina relieved theRaptor of its weapons. The cannon crumbled under her talons and ripped it off the armour. Sparksflew from the space where the weapon was. Quickly, Regina strung up the Raptor, encasing itentirely in pulsing symbiotic mass.It seemed more alive than when Regina had wrapped up victims previously. The mass activelykept the Raptor contained, preventing her from breaking free. Only the head was clearly visible.With this, the drones seemed to deactivate.The battle ended as quickly as it began.A distant explosion momentarily distracted Regina. Not far off, the top floor of anotherwarehouse went up. Regina didn't have time to consider what had happened. She tended toVeronica. Without the Raptor hounding her anymore, Veronica could reassemble her lost limbs. Astump sprouted from her elbow, gradually forming into an arm, wrist, palm and finally the fingers.Flakes fell on the ground as her skin renewed and revealed new scales."Veronica, are you alright?" Regina asked calmly as Veronica got to her feet. She grunt and groaned,nodding her reptilian snout. The Raptor still struggled in the living cocoon. She could smell thedesperation of the pilot beyond the metallic exterior. Veronica ran her nose all over the Raptor'shelmet."Keep away from me!" the Raptor yelled. This did not discourage Veronica. Swivelling andwrithing, the Raptor repeatedly tried to shred through the pulpy purple prison. Eventually, Veronicastopped sniffing the armour and placed her claws firmly on the helmet.The Raptor screamed. Robotic synthesised tones dissipated into human screams as the helmettore from its connections.A silver haired woman dangled upside-down within the cocoon. Veronica recognised her as PaigeMason. The pair had only met briefly before Zoe and Veronica's relationship turned sour."Paige Mason, one of Zoe's peons," Veronica growled. Paige kept trying to break free. Despite her age, shehad great determination. It was useless. No matter how hard she tried, Paige was going nowhere."Fools," Paige responded bitterly, "when I get out of here, you're both dead! Then I'll deal withhim!" Paige rambled on and on, barely registering a note with Veronica."Him?"Frenzy Origins-7-"The Raptor!" Paige spat, "I know his face! He'll pay for this! Pay for setting me up!" Paigecontinued and Regina listened humourously. "You let her go! He wants her dead. He wants me dead!Back-stabbing bastard!" Tussles and turns lead to nothing as Paige relentlessly tried to break free."I thought I was nuts," Regina whispered."Ho-how dare you! I gave him my allegiance and this is how he repays me?! Framed and in thehands of the purple-bitch and her scaly fuc-" Paige's rambles were finally silenced by purple gunksmothering her."Finally," Regina sighed. Stifled moans still came from Paige, but at least the sentences wereindistinguishable. Regina did come to realise something though."Where did Zoe go anyway?" she asked Veronica. No idea was what Veronica told through her humangestures. Sounds of a dozen boots approached. Since the danger was minimal, the police closed in."Let's check out that last building over there before the police check it out." Regina pointed up to where theexplosion had come from earlier. There was every chance that Zoe had been there.Frenzy and Lizard made themselves scarce as a squad of officers drew closer to the suspendedPaige."Lieutenant Vickers! We've got one here! Looks like Frenzy tagged the Raptor."The officer approached the purple cocoon. She grinned fiendishly and turned the mass to see theface. Her grin grew when she noticed it was Paige and not someone else. Paige's eyes equalled hergrin when she realised who was in front of her. Paige had been played."Paige Mason, you are under arrest. Cut her down and put her in one of the vans." Rebeccawalked away; delighted to hear Paige's silenced protests behind her.Mike had led another group nearby and noticed Frenzy and Veronica's departure. He followedtheir movements while his team scoured the surroundings and assisted the fire tenders inextinguishing the warehouse fires.Word soon reached his ears that the Raptor had been apprehended. A small smile of gratificationcrept from the corners of his lips. But Mike was not completely satisfied, both Frenzy and Lizardwere here. The chance to catch them had passed.He didn't consider the fact that they had stopped the Raptor as a free-pass for their previousexploits. They were killers. All he could do was idly stare out towards the ruined building beyond thecomplex.Regina could feel his gaze beyond the smoke and rubble, boring into the back of her head. Theback of her throat stung from the ash and growing flames. Cinders flew through the black smog, ittingled her alien skin. Veronica slunk under, easily avoiding the rising fumes.She sniffed high into the sparse air. Something smelt familiar. Zoe had been here. Then another –not unlike the Raptor scent. Metal. Not much else, not a distinguishable odour to identify otherwise."She was here," Veronica growled, lurking further ahead of Regina."Yeah, so where is she now?" Regina finally cleared the smoke and emerged into a small clearing of thebuilding. It was more of a crater than a clearing. The ground was sunken slightly, concaving into theroom below. Rubble at the epicentre crumbled and collapsed. Just ahead, Veronica peered into theopen ground. Flames provided minimal lighting. Veronica could just make out the shape of aheadless suit of armour, badly damaged and scarred with burns of battle.It was a familiar shape. In fact, it was the same one they faced just moments ago. Veronicagroaned loudly as her reptilian form collapsed beside the frame."It's the Raptor..."Frenzy Origins-8-"We got her already," Regina replied as she joined Veronica. The flames above closed in, threatening torupture the building's crumbling foundations. "Right?""No, Regina." Veronica analysed the armour carefully for a few uncomfortable seconds. Claws slidbetween every curve, every panel of the remains. Veronica didn't doubt it. The design was subtletydifferent from Paige's. There were similarities, much like the drones. But there was one feature ofthis armour that neither Paige's nor the drones had.Eventually she noticed the space where the symbiote sample should be. "This was the real Raptor..."
