"Ugh. Of all days for this kind of thing to happen, it HAD to be today, didn't it?" I grumbled, checking my pockets. I forgot my wallet at home. My name is Ben Cooper. I am a superhero. Well, sort of. I am the host to the Venom symbiote, an alien creature from the planet Klyntar. It's pretty much a living liquid with teeth. Lots and lots of teeth. It was bonded to Spider-Man and some schmuck named Eddie Brock before being captured by the U.S. military. It was then bonded to a soldier named Flash Thompson as half of Agent Venom. As of now, Venom has been somewhat pacified thanks to Project R.E.B.I.R.T.H. Right now, I'm sitting in a play. I don't really know what it it, nor do I care. My girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson, wanted to see it and I obliged... with some protest from Venom, of course. I pinched the bridge of my nose, extremely tired. Venom oozed out of my clothes, holding his head above my left shoulder.

"You and I both know we'd rather be anywhere else!" He grumbled. I shoved him back into my jacket so nobody would see him.

"Shh! Careful! Someone might see you!" I whispered. "Besides, I want to be here for MJ. She wanted to see this, so I'm here with her and by extension: you, so be quiet and enjoy the downtime." Venom hissed as he slunk into my jacket. I turned to MJ. She was enjoying the play. I breathed a sigh of relief. MJ knows about Venom already, but I don't want her to worry. She has enough on her plate already. She doesn't need to be worrying about me and Venom on top of that. I sighed, pushing my hat up my head. MJ looked at me.

"You okay, Ben? You look stressed." She asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm good. Venom, on the other hand..." I opened my jacket, revealing Venom. He didn't look happy. "...He could be better." I said. Venom growled lowly. Suddenly, my phone began to buzz. I pulled it out and checked the news. The headline read:

"KLETUS KASSIDY ESCAPED! CARNAGE RETURNS!" My eyes widened.

"No... Kassidy... he can't be out. I made sure of that." I whispered. MJ looked over at my phone, gasping upon seeing the headline. I looked at her. "Sorry MJ. We need to go." Right on cue, Venom formed the white spider over my chest. MJ smiled.

"It's okay. I understand." I turned to leave, but MJ stopped me. "If you see Peter, tell him I said hi." I nodded and raced out the door. Venom quickly oozed over my body as my clothes were actually made of his mass.

"We can't let Carnage kill the innocent people! We must stop him!" Venom growled as he covered my head.

"No doubt. If Kassidy is out there, no one is safe." I said, webbing to a building. Thanks to Venom bonding with Spider-Man, I have most of his powers, including webbing, wall crawling and a less powerful version of his spider sense. Carnage... if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be where I am now. Serial killer Kletus Kassidy bonded to the first spawn of Venom. The ultimate killing machine. It's a wonder how Spidey and Brock managed to beat him in the past. As I swung through the city, Spider-Man swung next to me. This Spider-Man isn't Peter Parker. This Spider-Man is Miles Morales. I don't really understand what happened, but from what I know, he came from another universe where Parker died and he became Spider-Man to honor him. We swung to the roof of a building as Venom peeled off my head. Miles removed his mask.

"I'm guessing you guys got the memo about Carnage too?" He asked.

"Yeah. We did. Where's Peter? He should be here with us." I replied. Venom hissed.

"We don't need Parker! We beat Carnage before, we can do it again!" He yelled. I sighed.

"I hope you're right about that." Miles said, looking out over the city. "Have any idea where he is?" Venom covered my head again. Since the Carnage symbiote spawned from Venom, he's linked to him. He pointed towards Midtown.

"There. We must move quickly. He'll kill everyone there if we don't stop him." Venom replied. I jumped off the building, Miles close behind. We swung towards Midtown following Carnage's scent. We swung into Times Square, sticking to one of the bright video boards that surround the area. Cars were crashed, fire coming out of their engines. Bodies lay around the area. We were too late. Venom began to writhe and wriggle.

"We... we were too late..."Miles said sadly. I turned to face him.

"No, we weren't. Carnage is still around here. We can still stop him." I said angrily. I pounded the video screen, cracking and distorting the image. Venom screeched.

"We will make him SUFFER!" He screamed, spinning another symbiote web. The two of us followed the trail of Destruction down the streets of Midtown.

"So how do we take care of him this time?" I asked in my head.

"I say we take his arms and slice off his head with them." Venom replied.

"No, that won't work. We took off his head last time, yet here we are now. Here's what I think. Burn him until his symbiote retreats, then decapitate him."

"It doesn't matter how we stop him! He must pay for his crimes! Every drop of innocent blood shed, he'll repay with a gallon of his own!" Venom yelled. As we stuck to the side of a building, we saw him: Carnage. He had a civilian in his left hand with his other hand forming into an axe.

"No! Please! Let me go!" The civilian screamed. Carnage laughed.

"Don't worry, I'll let you go... ONCE YOUR HEAD IS ROLLING AT MY FEET!" Carnage cackled. I've had enough. Judging by the sounds Venom was making, he had enough too. We leaped off the building, landing with a boom behind Kassidy.

"Carnage! You're going to pay for this!" Venom and I yelled. Kassidy turned around with a demented smile on his face.

"How do I pay: Visa or Mastercard?" He asked, releasing the civilian. Just as Carnage released the civilian, webbing covered his mouth.

"Hey, quips are my trademark! I could sue you!" I turned to see Peter Parker, Spider-Man perched on a street lamp.

"Spider-Man! We had this covered without your help!" Venom yelled. Of course Peter shows up late. He's always late. Carnage ripped the web off his face.

"Fantastic! Two squashed pests for the price of one!" He screamed. Venom hissed at Carnage. Suddenly, Carnage swung his arm, throwing tiny needles at us. I threw my arms down and Venom created a wall of his mass in front of me, blocking the needles. Spidey swung over us, kicking Carnage in the face. Venom webbed Carnage as I pulled down, smashing him into the ground. Spider-Man swung overhead, kicking Kassidy in the face once again. Carnage turned and webbed Spidey's foot, pulling him down. Venom formed a blade over my hand and I sliced through Carnage's arm.

"Hey, look! Carnage's been dis-"

"Don't you dare, spider. Otherwise, you'll get a punch to the face." Venom and I said at the same time. Carnage picked up his arm.

"Well, it seems I've been DISARMED! TTFN, morons!" Carnage yelled, swinging away. Spider-Man started after him.

"Don't worry, you two! I'll go after him for now! I have new webs designed specifically to fight Carnage!" He yelled, swinging away. I jumped to the roof of a building. Venom peeled off my face, slinking over my shoulder.

"I don't trust Spider-Man. Last time he fought Carnage on his own, he needed your help." I said.

"Yes, when we became one."