NOVEL NEXT Chapter 277: Riot
Days passed, and Eddie's relationship with Venom grew more cooperative.
One evening, Venom finally spoke up:
"Eddie, Drake's ship didn't just bring back us three symbiotes."
Eddie immediately thought of the dead one he'd seen in the lab.
"I know. I saw another, already dead."
Venom's voice rumbled in his head again:
"No. I mean another survivor. One called Riot. When the ship landed, he escaped. He never went back to Drake's lab."
Venom paused, then added darkly:
"You need to find him. If you don't, he may find Drake. And if he boards that rocket, he'll return to our world… and bring back millions of symbiotes."
"Millions?!" Eddie nearly shouted.
"You mean there are that many of you?"
Venom scoffed.
"Millions is nothing. Your Earth has over seven billion people."
Eddie frowned.
"We have God, Iron Man, and other powerful superhumans. Would your kind really be enough to destroy the planet? Especially with weaknesses that obvious…"
Venom ignored the jab.
"The stronger the host, the stronger we become. Imagine a symbiote bonded to one of your superhumans. Do you understand the devastation?"
Eddie hesitated, then admitted:
"That… actually makes sense. But why me? Why not my boss?"
Venom fell silent. Among his kind, he was weak, almost a failure. Eddie Brock was also the weakest of the five humans Venom had seen that night. Weakness recognized weakness.
And besides—Smith Dole was impossible. Venom had no illusion he could ever possess him. Even his subordinates could rip symbiotes free with ease. Smith himself? Untouchable.
"…He's too strong. Not for me," Venom admitted.
Eddie smirked.
"Great. So I'm weak enough to be your lucky pick."
Venom ignored the sarcasm.
"Just feed me more chocolate. And maybe some meat. I like that flavor."
Eddie sighed, then asked:
"So… how strong is Riot?"
Venom's tone grew grave.
"Very. One of our strongest. He can manifest countless weapons."
"If he bonds with Drake, that's manageable. But if he finds a true superhuman host… that will be far worse."
Eddie didn't waste time. He called Smith Dole and reported everything.
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Elsewhere.
Riot, controlling the body of a little girl, entered the Life Foundation labs and found Carlton Drake.
Drake was furious. Days had passed, and he still hadn't identified the intruders who stole his symbiotes. His research was paralyzed. Without more test subjects, he couldn't confirm stable human bonding.
If he couldn't recover the stolen symbiotes, his only hope was to launch Life Two and bring back more.
As he brooded, a little girl appeared in the corridor. Curious, Drake bent down.
"Are you lost, little one?"
The girl's mouth twisted, voice deep and alien.
"You're the one who's lost."
Her hand clamped his throat. Riot surged from her body into his. The child collapsed, dead—already hollowed out.
Drake convulsed, then straightened as his body twisted and armored over. He looked at his transformed hands, strength coursing through him.
"This… this is symbiote power?" He laughed, giddy.
"Maybe I should test my battle power right now."
He strode off to his office, where his old battle power scanner sat in a drawer—an antique he once used to test guards. Not one had ever ranked high enough for him to recruit. But now… he was something else.
······
At the League base, Eddie finished his report.
Smith Dole gathered the team.
"The final symbiote has emerged. It may already have bonded with Drake."
"This time, our mission is simple: capture Carlton Drake and bring down the Life Foundation. His assets will be frozen and redirected—compensation for the victims' families. If no family remains, a foundation will be established to help the homeless."
"And this won't be just us. Other operatives will assist, handling the civilians inside—preventing data destruction, preserving evidence, and blocking asset transfers."
Eddie blinked.
"Boss… do we even have the authority to freeze a corporation's funds?"
Smith smiled knowingly.
"Yes."
"I hold an official identity recognized even at the United Nations. When an individual or corporation clearly threatens the Earth, I have the authority to act."
His position as Inspector General wasn't just for S.H.I.E.L.D.—it applied worldwide.
Eddie's eyes widened. He had never imagined that God—Smith Dole—wasn't just a hero, but carried official power on a global scale.
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(End of Chapter)
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