Arc Three. Chapter Seventy-Seven. Crime And Punishment

Matt was sore, tired, sore and hungry. What the woman had said, Felicia, her name was, Matt vaguely remembered a young friend of Elektras, whatever she had said was a small part of what actually happened.

She had woken with a jolt, screeched an unholy noise at him and then this stuff, red and like rubber, coated her. She had attacked him and it was only by staying out of her way he had survived. Once she had calmed down a bit, she had sniffed and Matt showed her to the food. Soup was bubbling on the stove, fresh bread, sodas, and beer, pastries, and ice cream. As he sat he could hear her eat, no, as he shook his head, eat was the wrong word, devour. She slurped down the scalding hot soup like water and the rest of the food seemed to take only minutes to vanish.

As he sat he heard her, whispering his name over and over and now he also realised why Felicia had said buy condoms. Elektra was forceful in bed, but never this forcefully and in the morning, as she lay gently snoring beside him he rubbed ointment on not just his scratched and aching back but his raw and aching manhood as well. Even with superhuman stamina and enhanced senses, given to him by the strange chemical spill, he hadn't kept up with her and his hands and wrists ached from dealing with her sexual desire until the sun rose.

As he manoeuvred his way around his sparse apartment he flicked the coffee machine and it filled with water, as he slid the pod to make the coffee in, he opened the fridge and felt for the square milk jug, setting it on the counter next to the cups. As he lifted it and pressed the top of the sugar dispenser it dropped two spoons of sugar in each cup before he set it down and did the same with the milk. Adapted to drop in a set amount of liquid, Elektra liked her coffee black but Matt could never get used to the overly astringent taste and liked milk and sugar in his. Thinking back to last night, he left the sugar dispenser out and let the coffee percolate while he found and made breakfast.

Too sore and tired to make anything he simply grabbed a few granola bars from the pantry and crumbled them over plain yoghurt and as he ate he heard Elektra stir in the bedroom,

"You should have woken me," she said as she leant over and kissed the side of his face. After she finished making coffee she touched his hand gently to let him know the cup was there and sat across from him as she took a small sip of her own, laughing he could hear the small noise she made and he pointed his spoon at the sugar container. Adding in several more she sighed as she took another drink,

"I guess we need to talk then, yes?" and he paused and swallowed the mouthful of crunchy sour breakfast mix,

"Talk about the dead assassin, talk about Huntress and Venom, talk about the food and the sex, or talk about the strange smell and vibration you are giving off." and Elektra put down her cup and sniffed herself,

"I smell?" and as she sniffed her hand again he shook his head

"I doubt anyone else but me could smell it, but yes, you smell like," and he paused, "honeysuckle, and fresh rain." and she frowned,

"It is a," and she huffed, "creature, a symbiote, and it saved my life."

"Which is another thing to talk about, then isn't it," and she huffed again.

"I was surprised to see Felicia, and I got distracted," she said almost hesitantly.

Matt threw his spoon into the bowl, ignoring the loud clatter it made "distracted? Distracted, that's what you call getting one of your own sai shoved up into your chest cavity, rupturing not just your heart, but one lung, and tearing open your oesophagus. A distraction." and she stood and stared at him.

"I am aware of what happened Matthew, I was the one it happened to, you do not need to remind me how stupid I was"

"Well, apparently I do, because now you're an alien, who smells like flowers and rain and vibrates so imperceptibly that I CAN SEE YOU!" and the sudden lifting of his voice made Elektra step back.

"You can sense me, even without moving?" and he nodded.

"Whatever you are bonded with sits beneath you, giving off energy, and I can see it. You glow, and you're right there, and I can't deal, I watched you die, I didn't make it to the roof and I watched you die. But here, now you're here and alive and vibrating and I don't know, Elektra I just don't know."

As she moved over she ran a hand over his shoulder, "It's fine Matt, I can call Felicia and we can go see them, they can explain and we'll both find out okay?" and he nodded. As she smiled, "but you can see me," and she lifted his hands to her face, "properly, see me, not just like this" and he snorted,

"I happen to like seeing you like this," and his hands traced down her neck but stopped as they got her collar bone, "You're still hurt?" and she nodded.

"The creature, Hades, she is healing me, but I need to eat, food lots and lots of odd, the more I eat, the faster she heals." and as Matt turned and opened his fridge she sighed, that's not all she does she thought to herself as the memories of the warehouse, Venom and Huntress all poured into her mind. Last night had been a nightmare, a waking dream where Bullseye finally got the last of her family but it was swallowed by a dream, one in which a high school student spent days sexually satisfying not just her but her girlfriend, and many more.

Elektra gave a small smile, she now knew Felicia was gay, with some small bi tendencies and that, with all the pain she had suffered, alone was worth it. Once she was better she would take her kitten, and as long as Matthew was not too jealous she might even see if Felicia's little group would accept them both. Picking up her phone she called the second number in her speed dial list, other than Matt, the only other number in her phone.

"Go for Black Cat," and after making uh huh noises, "you know where. Breakfast will be waiting," and she hung up

"Well, I was going to ride you like a horse all morning to break you out of this stupid mood, but Elektra and a pissed off Matt are coming round, so make food, and, well, sex later." and as she stood she stretched and Huntress became a mode sedate pants and t-shirt.

"Really? Here?" and she nodded.

"You need someone to train you, and Elektra's the best," and after Peter gave her a doubtful look. "That was a fuck up, there's always someone better Pete, but she can really train you, like kick my ass till I'm black and blue and then go ten more rounds train you." She grabbed extra mugs, and Peter moved to find what to make for breakfast. He figured that bacon and eggs would be good enough, especially if Elektra had been like the rest when newly bonded.

Peter had seen Matt before, but as he got out of the car and his cane unfolded, Peter frowned and stared, he's blind? And as he came closer Peter could see the slightly unfocused look in his eyes and the lack of dilation as the sunlight filtered through his glasses. Elektra followed lazily behind him, strutting along the sidewalk with a huge grin on her face. He could see the lack of wound on her chest, as the tight scarlet top showed off her belly button. Whatever the symbiote had done during the night it was obvious she was perfectly alright.

"And you must be Peter," she said with a huge smile and in typical European fashion kissed him on each cheek before kissing him firmly on the lips, "Hades sends her greetings." and a stunned Peter just stood in the doorway, while Elektra brushed past him and made herself comfortable at the breakfast table.

Eletrka smiled as Felicia showed Matt into a chair, "What is that smell?" she asked sniffing the air and biting her lip, "You never said it was this good," and Felicia shook her head,

"Sorry," and hit the newly fitted air con. A fine pleasant-smelling mist filtered through the warehouse taking with it the sweet scent of Peters pheromone and Matt sneezed once but visibly relaxed while Elektra pouted.

"That was not fair kitten, I was enjoying it." and Felicia scowled,

"Felicia, and it's rude, Matt was uncomfortable."

Elektra laughed, "fine fine, but I believe breakfast was promised," and it was Matts turn to shake his head.

"No. Explanation first. Why is Venom a high schooler? and why is Elektra this, thing?"

Peter sighed, "Want me while you cook?" and Felicia shook her head,

"Hell no, you ditched me last night, you do both," and she poured Matt and Elektra coffee and sat back down with her own.

Peter huffed and rolled his eyes. "Fine. Oscorp, doing illegal genetic research into two things. One, a formula which," and Peter took a sniff, "you already know about, and the second, an alien hitchhiker, called a symbiote. I was exposed, and with certain things happening, so was everyone else."

Matt forward as he stirred his coffee, "Why would I know?" and Peter stared at him, before shaking his head, he can't see me, idiot. "You stink of it, the blindness yeah? Residual scarring around the eyes, you were exposed to a toxic chemical. It was Oscorps formula. I'd have to ask Liv but yeah, how long ago was your, uh accident?"

It was Matts turn to huff, and as he sipped the coffee he leaned forwards, "About 20 years ago." and Peter whistled,

"One of the first batches then, no wonder." and Matt tilted his head,

"No wonder?"

"Uh yeah, it's really vile stuff, neurological problems, mutations, and well, I guess, blindness. We can get you checked out if you want, uh Liv is probably the," but Matt shook his head,

"No, Venom. Why are you Venom? My eyes have been like this for years, I don't need tests and I don't need sympathy. Venom. Why are you Venom?"

"Wow, uh okay. Well, you notice the lack of actual police work in this city, see I did a bit of digging, and sure you don't make the front page, some nut in a mask and a costume, but Daredevil right, the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, some boogeyman scaring petty criminals. So, so what if I'm Venom, I do exactly what you do, just you know, not as sneakily."

Matt snorted, "yeah, subtle as a brick through a window."

Peter laughed. He was just like Felicia, brash, but he guessed as Elektra gave him several concerned looks, really a softy underneath,

"So, yeah, Devil. Can't really pick on my name, but as for Elektra, she's a host now. We can separate the two but, uh, what's your symbiote called?"

Elektra let her symbskin slide over her and unlike the rest, it was a formfitting red outfit, no spider, but shoulder pads and a ninja mask, leaving her eyes uncovered, "We are Hades." and Peter nodded, smiling,

"Right, Hades is the symbiote, but if we separated them she'd need a new host or she'd die. It's not a parasite, it's a symbiotic relationship, speed, senses, a whole lot of powerups, and yeah, the emotional highs and lows are a bitch but they mellow out, as long as you control them," and he gave Elektra a stern glare.

"We have been, we have used the Matt to work out our frustrations," and as Felicia grinned and shook her head, Peter realised she didn't mean a fighting mat, and the reason for Matts limp and scowl was now apparent.

"Uh yeah, she'll calm down, you'll live," and Felicia snorted and laughed.

"So, now we've all shared secret identities, whats next?" Elektra asked,

"Stay out of Hell's kitchen, and there no problem," Matt answered but Peter shook his head,

"After last night, that's impossible. The Black Cats aren't going anywhere," Felicia answered, "The boss that runs Hells Kitchen came after us, and we can't step back."

"Then you answer to the Devil," but Elektra put a hand on his.

"Matthew, calm. We agree. Your Cats do not allow everything correct? We have heard of you taking out dens where the filth gathers," and Felicia nodded,

"Leave those to us. Matt, while you do not like it, why not take Felicia on as a client, you can monitor what she does and know that the Kitchen is safer in her hands, while you make sure those who stray are dealt with."

"That seems fair, Venom will step back, leave things to you. It's uh, not a good time for me anyway, and I'd feel better knowing there was someone there to take up the slack."

Mat shook his head, "No, I'm not working with crooks and thugs. Want a lawyer? Go to corporate and grab a slimeball. I do decent, good work, and I won't have that tainted by a murderer."

Peter laughed and shook his head, "Everyone thinks I killed John, but nobody actually checks if I did. He fell, I was there but he fell," and Matt cocked his head to one side,

"You're not lying?" and he frowned.

"Why would I lie, I've killed, no question, but not John." and Matt sighed and raised his mug,

"More? But this time can someone put milk and sugar in it, you think you're a big badass but your coffee is terrible."