C 17

"Eddie, you..."

Dora's voice trembled. She stared at the man before her, his face pale and wide-eyed, and asked with a hint of panic, "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright, but you look like you've seen a ghost," Eddie said, patting himself down to check if he was all in one piece. "Do you want me to have an accident or something?"

"No, no!" Dora shook her head quickly. Then, the researcher within her took over, excitement lighting up her eyes. "You're okay! You're okay, Eddie! You've successfully bonded with the symbiote! You've become the perfect host!"

"Wait, does this mean I can survive in space now?" Eddie looked bewildered, his mind racing to catch up.

"Of course," a deep, gravelly voice echoed in his head. "You are my perfect host."

Eddie's eyes bulged. "Who...who said that?"

"What do you mean?" Dora looked at him, utterly baffled. "No one else is here!"

"No, I swear someone was talking to me!" Eddie insisted, shaking his head as if he could shake out whatever had invaded his mind.

"Did you imagine it?" Dora's brows knitted together. "Could there be a side effect of the symbiote? You need a medical examination, Eddie!"

Eddie wasn't listening. He glanced around, realizing that staying here was a bad idea. If they didn't leave now, he wouldn't live to see another day, let alone an examination. "Run! We need to get out, now!"

Eddie grabbed Dora's hand, and the two bolted toward the exit, dodging through the maze-like corridors of the research center.

"There! That way!" Dora pointed frantically.

Just as they rounded a corner, a group of security guards blocked their path, weapons raised. One guard shouted, "Halt! Or we'll shoot!"

Eddie barely slowed down. He knew stopping was a guaranteed way to end up dead. Behind them, he heard the shout, "Fire!"

Blinding blue light and deafening shots erupted around them, bullets striking close enough to make them jump. Eddie was sure he was done for when he saw a bullet speeding his way, too fast to avoid. But to his surprise, his body moved on its own, twisting unnaturally, just enough to avoid the hit.

What the hell was that? he thought, but he couldn't slow down to figure it out. His body seemed to act as if on autopilot, navigating every shot, every turn, with superhuman precision. The thrill and terror mixed in his veins like electricity.

Dora struggled to keep up, clinging to Eddie's arm as they sprinted faster than she ever thought possible. Soon, though, they found themselves cornered again, more armed thugs blocking their path.

In a moment of desperation, Eddie's body lurched forward, his fist swinging wildly and hitting a guard with a force he didn't know he had. The man was flung backward like a ragdoll, crashing into the wall. The guards around him gaped, frozen in shock.

Dora stumbled back, her eyes wide. Eddie wasn't just fast; he was powerful in ways she couldn't comprehend.

"Eddie…" she breathed, awe and fear battling in her voice.

But Eddie wasn't in control. His movements were erratic, almost animalistic. He knocked down guards with ease, his body stretching and morphing in ways that should have been impossible.

And then, something more horrifying happened. Eddie's skin started to change, becoming slick and black, stretching over his entire body. His face twisted and elongated, transforming him into a monstrous figure with bulging white eyes and a wide, toothy grin that was both sinister and triumphant.

The guards stared, frozen in terror as the alien creature laughed—a sound that reverberated through the halls like a mocking growl from the depths of hell.

"Oh my god!" Dora gasped, taking a step back. She clapped her hands over her mouth as the alien creature—Eddie—grabbed one of the guards and, with a sickening crunch, bit down on the man's head.

Panic erupted among the guards, and they scrambled to escape, tripping over each other in their terror. Dora screamed, her face pale with horror.

In a flash, Eddie's form snapped back to normal, leaving him panting and trembling. "What… what was that?" he muttered, clutching his head, still reeling from the transformation.

"What is the symbiote?" Dora stammered, barely able to get the words out. "What did it just make you do?"

"I don't know!" Eddie said, shaking his head in despair. He didn't have time to process it. They had to get out. More guards were closing in, and he knew their luck was running out.

Dragging Dora along, he darted through the exit and didn't stop until they were well clear of the building.

Back in the press conference room, Carlton Drake's voice echoed through the speakers, a smooth, rehearsed speech about his noble ambitions and dedication to scientific progress. But as he spoke, a loud, metallic bang interrupted him, startling everyone in the room.

The press and guests turned their heads toward a massive iron door near the back of the hall. It was bulging outward as if something on the other side was pushing with immense force.

"Is… is there something behind that door?" one reporter whispered, backing up instinctively.

Boom!

With a violent shudder, the door flew off its hinges, crashing to the floor. A man and a woman appeared, stumbling through the empty doorway.

"What the—who are they?" someone shouted.

Drake's face went pale as he recognized the disheveled figures standing in the entryway—Eddie and Dora.

"Eddie…" Carlton Drake whispered to himself, a mixture of fear and fascination flickering in his eyes.

The press immediately erupted into a frenzy, cameras flashing as questions rained down like bullets. "Mr. Drake, who are those people?" 

"Is this part of your experiment?" 

"Did they escape from your facility?"

Drake's assistant quickly jumped in, ushering Drake off the stage. "There has been an unexpected development," she said, trying to maintain some semblance of control. "The press conference is over. We'll provide further information as soon as we have clarity on the situation."

But the press wasn't having it. Journalists pushed forward, shouting questions, demanding answers. Drake didn't respond, slipping out of the hall as his assistant followed in haste.

In a dimly lit car across town, Anton and Jameson watched the live broadcast on a small screen. Anton's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching as he watched Eddie's chaotic escape unfold in real time.

….

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