C 7

"Anton, thank you," Eddie murmured, his voice tinged with gratitude as he held his glass unsteadily, clearly already tipsy. The excitement and relief in his eyes burned brighter than the whiskey in his hand. 

Hearing that Anton, on behalf of the Daily Bugle, supported his decision to reignite the investigation into the Life Foundation had brought him back to life. He appeared reinvigorated, as though a lost sense of purpose had been returned to him.

"You're welcome," Anton replied, dismissing the praise with a casual wave. He took a sip from his own glass, barely suppressing a grimace as the harsh taste of the whiskey hit him. Whiskey had never been his choice of poison, but tonight, he could make an exception for the occasion. "But there's something I want to remind you about," he added, setting his glass down with a determined look.

Eddie's gaze sharpened, though his expression remained thoughtful.

"Look, Eddie," Anton continued, "the Life Foundation has some serious power in San Francisco. You know this better than anyone. They may be breaking moral and legal boundaries, but they've got the medical patents and financial muscle to shield themselves. Even if we expose them, we're probably just going to make their lives a little more uncomfortable."

Eddie's excitement dulled slightly, and he gave a small, reluctant nod. He already knew the risk, of course, but having it spelled out by Anton made it feel more real.

"I know," he admitted quietly, his hand tightening around his glass. "Exposing the Life Foundation might ruin Carlton Drake's reputation, maybe even block his ambitions for a while...but getting him behind bars? That's a whole other battle."

"And that's exactly why I think you shouldn't go back to San Francisco right now," Anton warned, his voice steady but firm. Eddie glanced up, caught off guard. He opened his mouth to protest but paused, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"You're too close to the story, Eddie," Anton continued, leaning forward. "Your face has become too recognizable, and if you go back, it's practically an invitation for the Life Foundation to notice us coming. We need you here, working the investigation from the shadows. You can't put yourself in the line of fire."

Eddie sighed, visibly disappointed. "You're right," he conceded, his excitement waning a little, replaced by a sense of resignation. "But it's tough, Anton. I've been on the front lines before, digging for the truth. Being told to sit on the sidelines now feels...wrong."

"I get it," Anton said, sympathy softening his tone. "But trust me on this. Once the first piece hits and public opinion catches fire, there will be more freedom to dig deeper. Patience, Eddie. The impact will be greater, and the message will hit harder. And once the public gets involved, well, Drake will have a lot more to worry about than just you."

Eddie looked down at his drink, reflecting on Anton's words. He nodded again, understanding the bigger picture. "Alright," he agreed quietly, feeling both supported and confined. "Thanks for looking out for me."

"Think nothing of it," Anton replied with a smirk, tossing a thick stack of cash onto the bar counter to cover the tab, along with a generous tip for the bartender. As he turned to leave, he threw Eddie a casual salute. "Tomorrow, I'm off to Los Angeles. In the meantime, hold down the fort at the Daily Bugle."

Eddie watched him go, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and apprehension. For the first time, he felt like he was in this fight with someone who genuinely had his back.

As Anton left the bar, his mind turned over the puzzle pieces he'd gathered about Eddie's story. There was something strangely familiar about it all—San Francisco, Life Foundation, fired journalist... It was hard not to think of the Venom storyline from his past life. The pieces were lining up too well.

Intrigued, he pulled out his phone and searched for news on the Life Foundation. The recent rocket crash was the first result, a headline about an accident that had occurred just a few weeks prior in Malaysia.

Anton frowned. "So, the symbiote's already here," he muttered to himself, scrolling through the article. If things were following that storyline, the Life Foundation would be working overtime to retrieve the symbiote specimens before anyone else did.

Though it all felt surreal, Anton knew one thing for certain: where there was Tony Stark, there was bound to be S.H.I.E.L.D. And that meant the world wasn't as vulnerable as it might appear. Earth had a way of dealing with alien threats, no matter how big they were.

Even if this world was an amalgamation of various cinematic universes, he knew one constant truth—Tony Stark's presence all but guaranteed that S.H.I.E.L.D. was out there, lurking in the shadows and ready to act.

With that reassurance, Anton pocketed his phone and headed home, his mind already racing with thoughts of his next project.

The following day, Anton and Toby, his top-tier screenwriter, arrived in Los Angeles. They were escorted from the airport to a high-end apartment complex close to Hollywood, a prime location for their upcoming work. Inside, they were greeted by Jim Lambert, their producer, who was more than ready to dive into the details.

"Anton, finally!" Jim exclaimed, offering a warm handshake. "We're almost set for production. The crew's ready, and we're just finalizing the main roles. Any input on the casting choices?"

Anton shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll leave that to you, Jim. My main focus is on getting this film rolling." But just as he brushed off the suggestion, he caught sight of the roster Jim held. "Wait, are you doing the casting today?" he asked, surprised.

Jim nodded, grinning. "Tomorrow, actually. Seven or eight of Hollywood's finest are scheduled to audition for the lead female role. I thought you'd want to weigh in—after all, this is Hollywood."

Anton's demeanor shifted, a playful grin spreading across his face. "Well, if you insist," he replied with mock seriousness. "Let's make sure the leading lady has…a strong presence. You know, someone good-looking, cooperative, and, uh...well-rounded."

Jim raised an eyebrow, giving Anton an amused look. "Got it, boss."

Over the next few days, Anton worked tirelessly, finalizing the prop designs and overseeing every aspect of the production. The process was exhausting, but his excitement grew with each completed step.

Then, on the day before filming was set to begin, Jim handed Anton the final budget sheet: $110 million.

Anton winced at the number—ten million over his initial agreement with Tony Stark. But considering the high production quality he envisioned and the futuristic tech he wanted to showcase, he couldn't deny that it was reasonable.

Sighing, he signed off on the expense, knowing he'd put everything he had on the line for this project. He'd mortgaged his assets, invested his heart, and was ready to bring his vision to life.

The day of filming finally arrived, and Anton stood at the helm of a small army of assistant directors and crew members, feeling a mix of exhilaration and anticipation. This was his moment. He'd waited and worked for this, and now, it was all coming together.

Meanwhile, back in New York, Eddie had assembled a small team of reporters to dig deeper into the Life Foundation's secrets. They'd already started sending back intriguing snippets of information, a trickle of leads that promised bigger revelations to come.

The investigation was moving forward, and soon enough, Eddie would have enough evidence to confront the dark side of Carlton Drake's empire.

….

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