Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

Eddie stared at the page on Betty’s e-reader. It was a rough draft of an editorial piece she had been working on. It was factual, blunt, but informative. As much as he wished he could be supportive, it was also very critical of powered. Eddie read over her work, “Uh, is JJ going to publish it?” 

Betty snorted. “Since John came back he’s been trying to stick to the old ways, fewer villains and more news. But, he might. I could persuade him if a certain someone let me take pictures of him in his uniform.” Betty ran a hand down Eddie's front, giving him bedroom eyes, to which he rolled his back at her.

“You know I can’t. I'm under NDA not to let anyone know my identity.” 

Betty huffed and sat back on their couch. “I know you work for Parker, I know you are Enhanced, so I can limit it down to two. Spider-Man or Scarlet Spider,” but Eddie remained stoically stone-faced.

One clause of the PICCA was that all Enhanced, regardless of their powers, had to have it on their government ID. It had been argued it was an invasion of privacy, but the counterargument was it was an issue of safety.

Augments with differing biology might need additional help. Industrial users, with modified technology, would require specialised help if their tech malfunctioned. Enhanced needed carefully monitored doses of drugs, as their bodies were hardier.

As much as it pained him, Charles agreed. A dose of morphine to numb an Enhanced would kill a normal person. Privacy was guaranteed, but the fact they had powers was not. 

But Charles had argued that it was important to protect the identity of those with powers. Friends and family. Loved ones, even workplaces could be targeted if a powered individual was outed. While it was on every form of ID, what wasn't, was the identity of your superhero alter ego. It was now an offence to out anyone with powers. Even the Press were handed a set of rules on dealing with the identity of a powered individual.

“And, you know I can’t tell you, not if I want to keep my job.”

Betty huffed and crossed her arms, lifting her legs onto the couch and shaking her head. “Liz knows, so you can tell her but not your wife?”

Eddie sighed and moved over to kneel in front of her. “Liz is the press officer for AIM, and if she tells anyone she goes to prison for a very very long time.” As he sat at her feet he looked up at the home they had built. “I can tell you, but only if I get permission.” Given their history, he knew Peter would refuse.

His, and most of the others, relationship with the Daily Bugle was not great. JJ might have changed his tune, and Betty was now running the main press office, bad blood was still hard to forget. Liz had taken Eddie to one side and made it clear that Betty was not to be included in his get-to-know list.

If she narrowed it down to two then it was obvious who the other was. The head of Parker Inc being a superhero was newsworthy, even if it was breaking the law to publish it. Once his secret was out it wouldn't matter if Betty and the Bugle received a fine. He rubbed his forehead with two fingers, and he knew he would have to call on Peter to act once more.

When the battle of New York was fought, Peter and a lot of the others were outed. It was hard not to when they were on the streets fighting. Even though he had saved a lot of people it still caused a massive public outcry and a lot of problems. He knew Charles and Peter had worked together. Spider-Man, and a lot of other heroes, went back to being anonymous, and everyone was protected.

Betty pushing to know his secret was bad enough, but actually being told was a disaster. He loved her, more than enough to tell her but Peter had once said to him,

With great power comes great responsibility,

And to keep everyone at Parker Inc safe, to keep Betty safe was his responsibility.

"Maybe write a piece about PICCA. I mean, uh, dumb it down for us idiots."

Betty laughed, "Yeah, they don't let me hand in work done in crayon Eddie."

Eddie laughed and moved to grab her, starting a tickle fight but his phone buzzed. He shrugged apologetically and frowned as he read the message.

“Uh,” He scrunched up his face and sighed slightly, “I gotta go to work.”

“But,” Betty complained, “I thought you were off until AIM…” She grinned, “Oh, work work.” She grabbed for her bag, “Then, I’m coming with you.”

Eddie was about to complain when a spark of orange swirled in their kitchen. It expanded, and a head poked through, “Come on Eddie.” Wanda noticed Betty sitting there, “Sorry this is an emergency. She can come, but it is a lot of paperwork if she does.”

Eddie groaned, “I hate paperwork.”

“I need a lawyer. I won’t sign anything without him,” Betty huffed and crossed her arms.

“Eh, I don’t care. We have telepaths who can just put a block on you. Sign, don’t sign, just get your ass ready. You have five minutes.” Wanda backed away from the portal.

“Eddie. Do they really?” Betty asked.

“Yeah.” He ran a hand over his face, “Yeah they do, but they also have a set of rules that stop them from using their powers. It’s not black and white like you wrote.”

"We don't care!" They heard being shouted through the portal. "We need all hands on deck and a reporter. We don't have time to get a real one, so your girlfriend will have to do."

Eddie coughed to cover up a laugh. That was definitely Peter shouting, "So, uh, Miss Brant, legitimate member of the Press. Shall we?" He offered her his hand and she took it while mouthing 'kiss-ass' at him. Eddie strolled through the portal like it was an everyday thing. Betty hesitantly paused and then let herself be pulled through by Eddie.

She gasped, "This is Wakanda." It was hard not to recognise the Golden City.

Shuri nodded. "Yes, it is. I can see why Peter values your journalistic instincts so much. We also have some sand and rocks that you may be able to help identify."

Betty froze, "and now I'm being sassed by the Queen of Wakanda." She turned to Eddie, "You failed to mention you knew the Queen of Wakanda." She had no way of retorting to Queen Shuri, and so Eddie became the target of her frustrations.

Eddie rubbed the back of his head, "Well, I don't really know her, know her. It uh, more a." he held his hands up as the rest of the group started laughing. "Oh, you know what, screw you guys. Why are we here?"

"Wakanda is aiding the rebuilding effort, as much as we can. One species has reached out to us, and we are unsure of what to do." Shuri said, She moved and a box seemed to be sitting in the middle of the plain.

"It's a box. What, does it turn into a giant robot bent on death and destruction?" Betty joked but nobody laughed.

"Maybe," Peter said. "Sorry Eddie, suit up."

In a neat row were the AIM suits of armour. Eddie found his new Scarlet Spider Suit and stepped into it. It wrapped itself around him, fitting snugly.

"So, A Decepticon?" he asked as he flexed his gloves, getting used to their fitting.

"Unmarked. Which is why we have a problem. Loki destroyed the Autobots on Cybertron, so, maybe. We don't want to risk it." Peter answered as he let Venom wrap itself around him. Now that everyone was here, and armoured, they would reactivate the Cybertronian.

War Widow stood with Nakia. Scarlet Spider, Ghost Spider, and Iron Spider were on one side. Talon, Black Cat, and Jean were on the other. In his armour, Venom stood with Liv, who had an Energon converter hooked to an arcstar reactor.

Shuri stepped forward, "Here Miss Brant." Shuri handed Betty a camera. "We will make sure you do not take pictures of anyone out of costume, but feel free to document the event."

Berry nodded and sighed. The camera cost more than her apartment. She began by snapping pictures of everyone, and then the box. It was a silver-grey almond-shaped device, only five feet in length. "Are you sure this is an uh, Autobot?"

"Energy readings are consistent with a Cybertronian. Autobot is the equivalent of a social subgroup. So, it could be either." Liv explained, "Venom. Here." She handed him an Energon injector, designed by Ratchet for more damaged Cybertornians.

"Okay, ready." he received a chorus of affirmative, and he stepped forward, hooking the device up. Holding it over the box, he eventually found a port, which transformed to accept the Energon. Stepping back, he let the device empty. It held enough charge to reactivate any Cybertronian, but not fully power them.

The box slowly filled with colour, becoming a pale peach colour. Venom sighed in relief as the emblem on the front became an Autobot symbol. "Okay, stand down. We have an Autobot." The group relaxed but did not disperse. Autobot did not mean friendly, especially after Loki.

There was a familiar grinding noise, and the small box unfolded into an equally small robot. "Hi, Wheelie is my name. And rhyming is my game." The little robot stretched out, feeling his limbs. "That was tasty, that was good. I would really really like more food."

"Sure, but first. Why are you here? I mean, Where are the rest of the Autobots?" Venom asked.

"After her, the planet's gone. We need help, we need Energon." Wheelie replied. He finished checking out his new form, and moved to Liv. "We have a message just for you, we need your help, only you will do."

"Venom?" Liv asked and Venom shrugged.

"He's definitely an Autobot. So yes. Wheelie do you have anything from Arcee for us?"

Liv started the converter again, and small Energon cubes began to pop out. Wheelie sat and giggled in delight as he ate one, and then two.

After the fourth, his eyes lit up, "This is a recording taken from the memory banks of Autobot leader Optimus Prime. I have only enough energy left to create this simple message.. We need help. We have been attacked by a strange alien draining the life from the planet. If you are able, travel to these coordinates and seek out Peter Parker. He will aid us, and reward you.”

"Dammit," Venom swore but Liv had already moved.

"Wheelie, the schematics please."

Wheelie's eyes flashed and Liv held up her tablet to accept the transfer of optical data. Newer models, who had been damaged, could transfer data using light, and Liv was prepared. "Thank you dear." she hummed and frowned as she flicked through the data. "We have a problem though."

"A Space Bridge will take six months to complete. Even if we pull Stark or Doom in to help. We have the materials but not enough people with the correct expertise. I am sorry dear. How long do we have."

"I do not know, I’ll have to guess. We maybe have a year or less."

Liv patted the small robot on the shoulder, "I am so sorry."

Peter looked over the schematics and Liv was right. He had a barely passing interest in particle physics but getting this wrong would blow a hole in space/time. Looking at some of the math, however, he had an idea.

"Wanda, does the sling ring have a limit?" He asked, handing the tablet back to Liv.

"Not that I am aware, I mean, We have tested your idea, why?" Wanda let Hexen slide back. Betty was busy talking with Natasha and being shown the NDA she was expected to sign.

"Because I have the location of the Spark Chamber on Cybertron. Could you open a portal there?"

"To a planet I have never been to, using your thoughts as coordinates?" Wanda huffed, "I have no idea," she said as she threw her hands up, "and no, you could kill me, or them. What about pressure differences, or atmospheric interference? Mars was different as we used..." she frowned and huffed, "you want to use the Wakandan atmospheric chamber.

Peter grinned, "Oh, we can do that?"

"I hate you. One month of pampering, two if I need Gwen, and three if I need Stephen."

Peter just smiled. "Deal." He turned, "Shuri, can we have a press pass for Miss Brant, as we want this to be done independently of AIM? We're in enough trouble without the US accusing us of harbouring aliens...again." He looked at the assembled team and smiled as Friday was squatting, talking with Wheelie.

"Sorry, guess this was a bust. No evil forces today, just this little guy. Wanda, get everyone home?"

Wanda nodded, "I needed to talk to Stephen anyway. He will want to monitor my sling ring portal, you know, just in case."

"And steal the idea," Peter said and Wanda gave him a quizzical look. "Sorcerer shipping. Your package delivered in one minute or less, portals guaranteed."

Wanda laughed, "You know, that might be a good idea. If this works we can ask Asgard to send our unemployed Sorcerers to different planets. If they can Sling Ring, they can charge for moving people and goods." Wanda moved, smiled, and kissed Peter on the cheek, "You still owe me a pampering though."

⁂

The set-up to prepare a sling ring portal wasn't as difficult as imagined. Stephen went over the spell with Wanda, and Gwen stayed nearby just in case. It was rare the spell failed, but it was not as rare it ended up leading to a location you didn't want.

Wrapped in Hexen, in a low-pressure environment, Venom stood behind her, with a hand on her shoulder.

desolate, barren, destroyed, wasteland, bright, souls, Arcee!

The air sparked and a portal opened. "You okay?" he asked Hexen who slowly nodded.

"It is not fun, and the pull is horrendous. You have five minutes, maybe less." she looked up at the control Room, "How is the atmosphere?" Venom had a hold on the two of them, and they felt a pull but not much else.

"Zero, Everyone will need suits, so it's up to you," Shuri reported. Stephen couldn't use magic in a space suit, and Gwen was not as powerful a practitioner as Wanda was.

"The hurry Peter. I doubt I will be able to do this more than once a day."

Venom nodded and headed into the portal. His armour was equipped with oxygen tanks, and as he surveyed the area, it was just as Loki had seen it.

Instead of a bright pillar of souls, there were only a handful, and Arcee was lying peacefully in front of the core. Around here were ten bodies. Venom could see Optimus, Hound, Jazz, Ratchet, Bumblebee, and a few more he didn't know.

"Right. I'll bring Optimus and Arcee. The rest will have to wait."

It was easy to lift Arcee as she was still human-sized, but Optimus was huge. It was undignified but Venom slid a tendril of Symbskin under him and dragged him by the legs.

Letting the portal close, Hexen collapsed on the ground. She held a thumbs up. She was tired, but not injured.

"Wanda, once you are recovered, come to the Sanctum. I think Peter's idea may have some merit." After creating his own portal, Stephen headed home.

It was a start, and over time, they would save as many Autobots as they could.

It would be a task. But as the saying goes. Time, and in this case, several geniuses with an unimaginable amount of money, heals all wounds.