C 30

The next morning, an airplane landed at San Francisco Airport. Anton walked out of the terminal and stood on the curb, waiting for a taxi.

"Man, do you want to get in the car?" a familiar voice rang out.

"Of course," Anton replied, smiling as he approached the co-pilot's seat. "Eddie, it seems you've been having a good time lately."

"Yes, despite the misunderstandings we had before, things are going well now," Eddie responded, his demeanor much more relaxed than when he had first encountered the symbiote. He even introduced the entity within him, saying, "It's called Venom."

"Hello, Anton. You smell delicious," Venom suddenly announced, causing Eddie's face to twist into a grotesque grimace.

With sharp fangs bared and a wide, gaping mouth that seemed otherworldly, Venom's appearance was unsettling. Its snake-like tongue flicked out, reminiscent of a demon that had just emerged from the depths of hell. Although unsettling, Anton recognized it was just Venom greeting him.

"Hello, Venom," Anton replied, his expression unfazed. He gestured toward the road ahead. "But you're about to crash."

"Oh, little problems!" Venom quickly retreated back into Eddie's body as Eddie expertly maneuvered the vehicle, executing a dramatic drift to avoid an oncoming car.

"Hey, fuck you! Watch the road!" a driver yelled, but Eddie paid no mind as he sped on.

"How are things?" Anton asked casually. "The Life Foundation has been a mess, and Carlton Drake is having a rough time. With Osborne backing us, he'll be in prison soon enough."

"Osborne?" Eddie's eyes narrowed as he glanced at Anton. "There's something I need to tell you, Anton."

"Is it about Osborne?" Anton inquired, his brow furrowing.

"Exactly," Eddie confirmed, his expression darkening. "Among those who wanted to captured me recently, besides the Life Foundation, Osborne was also involved."

"Osborne knows about the symbiote, just as we suspected," Anton said, rubbing his temples. The implications of this were troubling. The Life Foundation and Oscorp operated on very different levels. While the Life Foundation might dominate in San Francisco, Osborne had significant influence throughout the United States.

Anton wasn't intimidated by Osborne's power. It was the combined pressure from both major corporations that could complicate matters considerably.

"Don't worry; neither poses a threat to us," Eddie reassured him, confidence bolstering his tone. "Our only real opponent right now is Carlton Drake."

"What do you mean?" Anton asked, pondering Eddie's words.

In the days since they had maintained contact through email, Anton had gained some insight into Eddie's situation. The memories he accessed revealed a universe teeming with symbiotes, millions of them drifting through space. Besides Venom, countless others awaited those on Earth who could bring them back.

The spacecraft belonging to Drake was pivotal. According to Venom, it wasn't Drake who had discovered them but rather the symbiotes that had sought him out.

"Yes," Eddie continued, "there were seven of them brought to Earth by that spacecraft, but it crashed in Malaysia. The Life Foundation managed to recover only six."

"Another symbiote is still in Malaysia?" Anton asked, processing the implications. "It's called Riot?"

"Exactly. Riot is likely in San Francisco now," Eddie confirmed. "He aims to assist millions of alien symbiotes in occupying Earth."

"Venom has agreed to help me with this," Eddie said firmly. "We want to coexist peacefully on this planet."

Anton raised an eyebrow. "What does this have to do with Carlton Drake?"

Eddie elaborated, "Riot escaped the Life Foundation's control. Based on what I've gathered, he was possessed by an employee of the search team during that time. Therefore, it's logical to assume he knows that Carlton Drake could help him return to space and reunite with millions of his kin."

He paused, then added, "Drake has been planning to launch rockets. He has a grand vision for the aliens, but he underestimates the dangers lurking in the universe."

"I understand," Anton nodded. "So, we need to keep a close watch on Drake. If Riot comes into contact with him, we can deal with the situation, and the Life Foundation will cease to be a threat."

Eddie nodded in agreement. "Then we can focus on Osborne afterward."

"Good plan," Anton smiled. "You really surprised me, Eddie. It looks like you can handle this without much of my assistance."

"It's all thanks to Venom," Eddie said, shaking his head modestly. "But I appreciate you coming to San Francisco. You've helped me more than you realize."

As they drove, Eddie suddenly recalled something. "By the way, your movie is breaking records! I haven't had a chance to congratulate you. And that Batman character—who is he? Is he our ally?"

"You'll meet him soon," Anton replied with a mysterious smile.

Before long, they arrived at a modest house.

"This is the home of my ex-girlfriend, Annie Weying. She's been a tremendous help to me," Eddie explained as they stepped out of the car.

At the door stood a couple waiting for them.

"That's Annie's boyfriend, Dan Lewis. He's a doctor," Eddie said, looking a bit awkward. It felt strange to ask his ex-girlfriend for help, especially since he was now living with her current boyfriend.

Anton observed Dan closely. He seemed like a decent guy, though perhaps a bit naive.

Once inside, the group gathered around a table.

"This is Anton, whom you all should be familiar with," Eddie introduced, grinning. "He's the genius director who's been taking Hollywood by storm. I just checked the box office, and Anton's first film has already grossed over $350 million. Many see him as a walking goldmine."

"Hello, Anton," Annie and Dan said, their surprise evident as they shook his hand. "Thank you for coming."

"He works for me," Anton said, not wanting to take credit for Eddie's achievements. He genuinely believed that Eddie could resolve the Life Foundation issue independently; his own involvement was merely a bonus.

After introductions, the conversation shifted to the task at hand.

"According to Venom, symbiotes are vulnerable to sound frequencies between 4,000 and 6,000 Hz, as well as to flames," Eddie stated seriously. "We need to exploit this weakness to deal with Riot."

"That sounds manageable," Anton responded, a smile spreading across his face. "I can reach out to Stark Industries for weapons. Creating sound wave launchers and flamethrowers within that frequency range will be straightforward."

He pulled out his phone, exuding confidence. "With the right funding, I can probably have customized weapons ready by tomorrow."

A chorus of incredulous gasps echoed around the room.

Eddie, who was strapped for cash and entirely reliant on Anton, couldn't help but smirk at the absurdity of their situation. He felt an unexpected sense of joy at being supported by his wealthy friend.

….

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