Chapter 18

"Can I have another cup of coffee? This one's a bit cold."

In the police station, Holm sat in George Stacy's office, addressing the officer standing nearby. After hearing Holm's request, the officer glanced at the cooling coffee on the table, then shifted his gaze to the hallway outside, visible through the blinds, a hesitant look crossing his face.

Noticing the officer's unease, Holm smiled. "Never mind," he said. "Let's just leave it. I doubt I'll be here much longer." He closed his eyes, settling back as he tried to calm the restless voice of Venom stirring within him.

"I'm so hungry, so hungry, so hungry. Just one bite—maybe that guy's head?" Venom muttered, irritated. He'd barely tasted one piece of chocolate before the lizard monster's sudden appearance interrupted him, and now all he could do was smell the tempting scent of heads around him, his hunger gnawing at him.

"Hang on a little longer," Holm said, trying to soothe Venom. "We should be out soon. Then I'll buy you all the chocolate you want."

"I'm so hungry, so hungry, so hungry." Venom continued his lament, sounding pitiful. "I mean, your kidneys smell pretty tasty. What if you have one less?"

Venom's voice had a negotiating tone, as if seriously considering the idea. Holm gritted his teeth, annoyed, and warned Venom sharply. "Get that idea out of your head."

"Just wait a little longer, and you'll have all the chocolate you can eat. But if you even think about turning on me, I'll stick you in a glass tank and surround you with nonstop noise."

"No, no, no, just kidding, hehehe," Venom quickly backpedalled, laughing nervously. "I was just messing around. Actually, I can manage fine, even if it's another half-hour...or an hour."

Relieved at Venom's reluctant compliance, Holm rolled his eyes and took a sip of the lukewarm coffee. Holm sighed, thinking about how his Venom seemed, well, a bit….

dim-witted, lacking in some sense. Some training might be in order.

It had been over an hour since he'd been brought to the station. Because of Holm's connections, George Stacy couldn't pressure him too much, leaving him instead in the office to wait.

While George didn't doubt Holm's identity—he'd seen him in Midtown Middle School's gymnasium—he had lingering questions. He wanted to know if Holm and Spider-Woman had communicated after Holm's recent encounter with her, and he wondered why Holm hadn't tried to delay or stall her.

He knew that Spider-Woman was formidable, but he also knew that Holm was armed and more than competent. While expecting Holm to subdue her was unrealistic, surely he could have slowed her down enough for backup to arrive.

"Click!" The door lock turned, and George Stacy entered, motioning for the officer to step out. After closing the door, he took a seat across from Holm.

Neither spoke at first, and the silence stretched, each sizing the other up.

Finally, Holm broke the silence, noticing the frown on Stacy's face. "As I've already told you, capturing Spider-Woman is your responsibility, not mine."

He paused, his voice sharpening. "And I'd like a reasonable explanation for that bullet that nearly hit me. Is this really how your department operates?"

"If it weren't me standing there but an average person, and if your 'wanted criminal' hadn't intervened, you'd have one more innocent civilian shot on the street. What then?"

As Holm spoke, his brows knit together, his gaze sharp and unyielding. His words visibly unsettled George, who looked increasingly uneasy.

The accidental discharge today could become a significant issue if Holm decided to pursue it. If not, it would likely fade away quietly. But Holm's tone implied he wouldn't let it slide easily, leaving George with little to do but sigh and apologise.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Clint," George began. "I only asked for your presence here to record a statement as a procedure, given your contact with Spider-Woman."

"As for the accidental discharge, we've already disciplined the officer involved, and I apologise sincerely on behalf of the department."

"It's over now; you're free to go."

Seeing George's genuine apology, Holm refrained from pushing further. But as he rose to leave, George looked at him again, speaking more thoughtfully.

"Mr. Clint, I realise you might have your own opinions on Spider-Woman, and you may disagree with our actions." He took a deep breath. "But I ask you to remember Peter Parker—the boy who died in the gym."

"I'll never forget the sight of that child lying there, pale and cold, his parents grief-stricken. In the end, despite wanting to stay, they couldn't bear the memories and decided to leave."

He paused, his voice catching. "The Parkers were close friends of mine. Our kids grew up together. Peter was like a son to me, and his death devastated my own daughter. She hasn't been the same since."

George's eyes grew misty, the white hairs at his temple seeming more pronounced. Holm watched him in silence as he continued.

"Mr. Clint, if something like this happened to someone you loved, what would you do? Would you still believe Spider-Woman shouldn't be wanted, that we shouldn't be pursuing her?"

Holm considered George's question seriously, and after a thoughtful pause, he answered, "If Spider-Woman is responsible for that boy's death, then I understand your actions."

"But from what I've seen, she may not be the true culprit, even if she was involved. Focusing on Spider-Woman alone might mean you're missing other crucial leads."

"Aren't you curious why that boy suddenly turned into a lizard monster, and started attacking other people? And why did another lizard monster appear today?"

Looking directly at George, Holm added, "Mr. Stacy, in a sense, I feel that child's death as deeply as you do."

"You may think I'm being unsympathetic, but it's actually because excessive grief and anger can make us overlook the real clues we should be following."

"Instead of solely pursuing Spider-Woman, I believe you should investigate why these lizard monsters keep appearing."

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