Venom turned out to be more efficient at washing dishes than any dishwasher Leon had ever seen.
Less than twenty minutes later, the kitchen was spotless.
As promised, Leon paid him five pieces of hazelnut chocolate.
Venom considered the arrangement an excellent example of fair labor practices.
Afterward, Leon made tea for both of them.
His cup was normal.
Venom’s was closer to a bucket.
They settled onto the couch and turned on the news.
Unsurprisingly, Spider-Man dominated the coverage again.
The Daily Bugle seemed physically incapable of going a single day without finding some new reason to attack him.
J.
Jonah Jameson appeared on television, passionately explaining why New York’s masked wall-crawler was apparently responsible for yet another societal problem.
Venom stared at the screen.
“I really hate that mustache.” Leon took a sip of tea.
Venom pointed accusingly at Jameson.
“When I was bonded with Peter, this guy never stopped coming after us.” Jameson continued ranting.
Venom growled.
“Every day.
Spider-Man this.
Spider-Man that.
Menace.
Criminal.
Threat to society.” Leon shrugged.
“Spider-Man sells papers.” Venom looked at him.
“If the Bugle said the same things every other outlet said, nobody would care.” Leon gestured toward the television.
“Jameson built his brand around being the loudest anti-Spider-Man voice in the city.” Venom narrowed its eyes.
“So he’s annoying professionally.” “Pretty much.” Venom seemed to find that even more offensive.
They continued watching.
Neither of them noticed the man approaching the house.
At least— Leon didn’t.
Venom did.
Almost instantly.
The man’s hostile intent stood out to the symbiote like a flare in the darkness.
A sensation flowed across their bond.
Leon stopped drinking.
Images formed in his mind.
A man outside.
Moving carefully.
Watching the house.
One hand resting near the handgun at his waist.
Leon set down his tea.
“So we still haven’t found Paul Marks…” His eyes hardened.
“But apparently somebody was kind enough to come find us.” Venom’s grin spread across its face.
Its tongue slid between its teeth.
“This time I’m getting the head.” Leon glanced sideways at him.
Venom looked completely serious.
“No accidents.” “No dropping it on dirty floors.” “No ruining dinner.” Leon sighed.
“Focus.” Black symbiote matter flowed across his skin.
Within seconds, Venom had enveloped him.
His body expanded into the massive original form.
Leon looked down at himself.
Then shook his head.
“Normal size.” Venom grumbled.
“Why?” “I don’t want to scare him so badly he loses control like Rick.” Leon stared pointedly at Venom.
“And I’d rather not spend another night cleaning things off the floor.” Venom reluctantly reduced their size.
The hulking monster compressed into the leaner hooded form they’d designed.
Leon had started calling it the Stalker form.
It was roughly human-sized, sacrificing the raw intimidation of Venom’s full transformation for mobility, concealment, and anonymity.
The hood remained.
The face stayed hidden in darkness.
Only the pale white eyes were visible.
Venom shared another update through their bond.
“He’s getting closer.” Leon saw the man approaching through Venom’s senses.
“Hand’s still on the gun.” Venom’s voice became amused.
“He’s probably planning to check whether you’re home.” “And if I am?” “Shoot you.” Leon gave a quiet laugh.
“Convenient.” He stepped backward into the shadows.
“Let’s let him inside.” Venom’s grin formed briefly across the mask.
“We’ll be excellent hosts.” Roy Jones gripped his handgun as he slipped over the fence and entered the yard.
His instructions were straightforward.
Confirm the kid was alive.
Figure out what had happened.
Then eliminate him.
Roy had already confirmed the first part.
There was someone inside the house.
Light flickered behind the curtains.
He could hear a television playing.
The target was home.
Roy crouched near the window.
Damn curtains.
If they weren’t closed, he might’ve been able to take Leon out from outside.
One clean shot.
Then walk away before anyone knew what happened.
Breaking into the house added unnecessary risk.
Still, it wasn’t complicated.
Roy moved closer.
Then the television suddenly went silent.
He froze.
Footsteps crossed the living room.
A door opened.
Then closed.
A few seconds later— Running water.
A shower.
Roy smiled.
Perfect.
He moved toward the entrance.
The lock lasted less than a minute.
Roy had done this plenty of times before.
The door opened with barely a sound.
He slipped inside.
The living room was empty.
Steam and running water came from deeper inside the house.
Roy moved slowly.
Gun ready.
He crossed the hallway and reached the bathroom.
The door was partially open.
Even better.
The target clearly wasn’t expecting company.
Roy eased it wider.
Steam filled the room.
A shower curtain concealed the tub.
Water continued pouring behind it.
Roy raised the pistol.
He stepped closer.
Then ripped the curtain aside.
His finger tightened on the trigger.
Nothing.
The shower was empty.
Roy’s eyes widened.
“What—” A hand closed around his throat from behind.
Before he could react, he was lifted off his feet.
Then thrown backward.
BANG!
His body slammed into the bathroom wall.
Pain exploded through his back.
Roy looked up.
A black figure stood in front of him.
Human-sized.
Hooded.
Faceless.
Two pale eyes stared from beneath the hood.
Roy reacted on instinct.
He raised the handgun.
POP!
POP!
POP!
Even with a suppressor, the shots cracked loudly in the enclosed bathroom.
He fired again.
And again.
The black figure didn’t move.
The bullets disappeared into its body.
Literally disappeared.
Venom’s voice echoed inside Leon’s head.
“Interesting.” Leon watched the symbiote absorb the rounds.
Venom seemed to be tasting them.
“Gunpowder has a kick.” Another bullet vanished into the black material.
“Kind of spicy.” Leon almost rolled his eyes.
Venom continued thoughtfully.
“Like one of those ridiculously hot peppers people put in food.” Roy kept firing.
Before he could empty the magazine, Leon moved.
He caught Roy’s arm.
Twisted.
CRACK.
The elbow broke.
Roy’s eyes bulged.
Leon dislocated the shoulder immediately afterward.
Another sickening pop.
Roy opened his mouth to scream.
Leon’s hand clamped over it.
The sound died against his palm.
Roy trembled.
Leon’s voice came through the mask, distorted into a low rasp.
“What a nice surprise.” Roy’s eyes darted wildly.
“I’ve been trying to find someone.” Leon’s grip tightened slightly.
“And you walked straight into my house.” Venom’s white eyes narrowed.
“How thoughtful.” Leon shifted his hand just enough to let Roy breathe.
“Here’s how this works.” Roy stared at him.
“I ask questions.” Leon raised one finger.
“You answer.” “If you make any sound that isn’t an answer to something I asked…” Leon bent Roy’s ruined arm slightly.
Roy whimpered through clenched teeth.
“I break another bone.” Leon’s voice remained calm.
“You’ve already lost two major joints.” A pause.
“Try to preserve the rest.” Roy nodded frantically.
He understood.
The creature in front of him wasn’t Spider-Man.
Spider-Man would’ve webbed him up.
Called the police.
Maybe made a joke.
This thing was different.
For the next five minutes, Roy answered everything Leon asked.
Names.
Orders.
Who sent him.
What he had been told about Leon.
How long he’d been watching the house.
What he knew about Rick Frey.
What he knew about Paul Marks.
Roy held nothing back.
Survival mattered more than loyalty.
When Leon finally stopped questioning him, Roy swallowed.
“I told you everything.” His voice trembled.
“Can I go?” Leon looked at him.
Roy immediately continued.
“I swear I won’t tell anyone what happened.” He spoke faster.
“I’ll leave New York.” No response.
“I’ll leave the country.” Leon remained silent.
“Tonight.” Roy’s panic increased.
“You’ll never see me again.” Leon finally spoke.
“Relax.” Roy’s breathing slowed slightly.
“I said I wouldn’t do anything else to you.” Hope flickered across Roy’s face.
Then Leon added— “I’m done.” Roy stared.
Leon tilted his head.
“What happens next is up to someone else.” Confusion crossed Roy’s face.
“Someone…
else?” The black surface covering Leon’s face moved.
A line appeared down the center.
Then it opened.
Roy’s eyes widened.
The hooded human shape split apart around the head.
Rows of enormous, razor-sharp teeth emerged.
A vast red tongue slid between them.
Venom’s monstrous face unfolded directly in front of him.
Roy screamed.
Venom lunged.
One bite.
Roy’s head disappeared.
Before blood could fully erupt from the neck, Venom expanded its jaws again.
The second bite swallowed the rest of him.
Then the room became silent.
Roy Jones had entered Leon Carter’s house intending to kill him.
Minutes later— There was nothing left of him at all.
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