Arc Ten. Chapter Two-Hundred Seventy-Two. A Call To Arms

As V was flying his phone rang, and he wasn't surprised to see it was Coulson,

"Coulson, kinda busy," he answered. He could hear Phil sigh on the other end,

"I figured. Stand down." and V almost hit the side of a building in surprise.

"Uh what? No."

"Please Peter. Everyone else is grounded. You can't interfere."

"Oh, I can, and I am. They attacked us at the warehouse Phil, they came for Wanda and Laura."

Coulson sighed, "I know, we got the report. But any Enhanced team is grounded until they are registered under the new act. You, Tony, and even Ross are under orders, Stand down and stay out of it."

V slowed and landed on a building, "That the official line? What's the actual order?"

"That is the order, Peter. Stand down, please. We have orders to apprehend you if you destroy another Sentinel squad."

V could hear someone else breathing in the background "They'll send me son. Better listen," and he knew it was Ross.

V took a deep breath and his armour shifted once more. It dyed back to its deep black, and the white spider was once more prominent on his chest. As he let the anger bubble up from within him he thickened the plates on his body, and now he looked more like Iron Man on steroids than the sleeker Mark Two Venom armour they were trialling. Defeating Sentinels would require strength and endurance. Sleek and sexy was out, angry and strong was the way forward.

Standing on the side of the building, Venom huffed out through his nose. No matter what, no matter if the government was about to rain hell down on him. This was his city, and these were his people. Legal didn't mean right, and Lawful didn't mean ethical.

"Phil." and he heard him sigh,

"Yes, Peter?"

"Go fuck your orders."

Venom hung up before Coulson could reply and as soon as he did his phone buzzed again,

"Fury," he said as he answered the call,

"Yeah, I already know what Coulson said, he called me right before you. That's not why I'm calling though. I'm heading into New York, we'll take care of the Sentinels here while you take care of your people, but I needed to warn you."

Venom frowned under his mask, "Warn me about what?"

"Stark. Part of his deal to not be thrown in jail for the Times Square attack and all the other shit he did was to be the stopgap if you went rogue." and Venom cursed.

"So the Legion?" and Fury sighed

"Uh-huh, Plus that new suit he made, and Vision."

Venom swore, "Right, thanks for the heads up,"

"Oh don't thank me yet. We'll all be in the same prison if this goes south. Make sure you get this done. I don't have the pull to save us all this time." and Fury cut the call.

Onto the next one, he thought to himself.

In Swords headquarters, shared with Shield in the newly refurbished Triskelion, Flash sat while Steve argued with Ross. They had been given their orders, and once more the Avengers had been benched.

Flash, I already know, are you going to stop me? He heard in his mind.

He really hated Parker or anyone intruding on his thoughts, but at least Peter could keep the feelings out,

Steves in there now, Ross is under orders to contain you if it goes sideways, and uh, I don't think Steve agrees.

Look, I won't blame you if you do, but I'm not holding back.

Flash was about to reply when he heard a roar, and a smouldering Steve crashed through the door of General Ross's office. The large Red Hulk ripped the rest of the door away as he strode through it,

Yeah, not an issue. Flash sent him, as his Webb armour slid over him, and he charged towards Ross.

Venom felt Webb's anger, and he knew it wasn't directed at him. Fury had been right, it was all going sideways as he put it and as he stood on the side of the building he let his technopathic senses extend out. He could feel the Legion at the edge of his senses. Keeping their distance, and he guessed that right now, as he hadn't done anything they would hold back.

Emma, it's bad. Sentinels are attacking Augments over the city, stay safe and be careful. I think Felicia is heading your way, she'll help.

He tried to contact Charles at the mansion but the usual psychic interference he felt when discreetly probing there was gone. He frowned slightly as there was no reply, there was nothing at all. As he felt for Jean or Helios it was the same psychic blank, as if the mansion had completely vanished from the Earth. There were no minds in the area, and drawing a blank if it was one of Charles's abilities or something else had happened, Venom had no choice but to ignore it. While they were the target of the Sentinels, Erik had to be able to deal with a giant metal robot, in fact, Peter wondered if making them out of metal was a flaw or just plain stupidity. Venom decided to check anyway. The flight would be short with the new pack and it was better to make sure nothing serious had happened,

He already knew if he wanted to contact Selene he would have to use the Mind Stone, and that meant stopping. Her defences should be enough to keep her safe, and he figured if anyone was stupid enough to send a Sentinel into the heart of an Aumgnented city, then they got what they deserved.

He just hoped Cain was okay. The last time they spoke he was still upset at having to take down Rogue. The fight had brought back several unpleasant memories of not just bullies, but the violence that followed with them. With limited flight on the newer harness, Genosha would have to take care of itself.

With everyone either warned or safe he had one last call to make,

"Go for Tony," came the smug voice,

"Yeah, can we not do this?"

Tony took a breath, "Parker. What you're doing is wrong. You accepted the New York Accords, this is just a bit bigger. You should have been warned, stay out of it."

Peter bit back his reply and decided to be more cordial. "No, it's not. Nobody asked to be an Augment. Nobody asked to have powers, except us. We made that choice, but kids? People living without using their powers ever. No, Tony, this is wrong, and you know it."

"It doesn't work like that Pete. Nature handed them a loaded gun, and we need to make sure they never use it."

"By locking them away? With control collars, or power dampers. By forcing them to serve in the military or face prison? That's slavery, and you know it."

He could hear Tony sigh, "Is that it? No way to change your mind?"

Venom snorted, "my mind? You're wrong Tony, you're agreeing with discrimination and bigotry."

Tony sighed, "It's not bigotry to protect the people you care about. One per cent, maybe less, have the gene. One per cent Peter, and so far if they're all on Erik's level they are a threat, a huge one. What happens when Erik gets angry or any other Augment? We need to be policed. Ultron was a mistake, Modok, Osborn. They were all mistakes that could have been avoided. We made them Peter, those mistakes were ours to stop and we failed. There need to be consequences. There needs to be oversight. ARCA isn't bigotry, ARCA is the best solution without actually rounding people up and putting them in camps."

Venom sighed, "The last time drones were used, they killed people Tony and the time before that. The AI the Sentinels use is dangerous, I wouldn't let run a toaster. It's alive and angry, and with the powers it has, it makes Ultron look like a kid's toy. This is a mistake, and I won't ask permission to stop it. You should know better than anyone what an angry AI can do, of anyone I thought you would understand."

"I do understand Pete. I understand that powers, and armour comes with responsibility, and right now, nobody's being responsible, not even us. Stand down, or I'll make you stand down."

Venom snorted, "That sounds like Coulson talking. This is wrong, so. You always wanted a fight, well. You know where I am. So come get me, or stay the hell out of my way." and he cut the call.

Now Tony decided to be responsible, Now Tony decided that things had gone too far. Of all the stupid jackass, idiot messes Tony could have gotten himself into this was the stupidest. Venom wished he could go back to when they were fighting over stupid things, tech, and who slept with whose girlfriend. Fighting an injustice was a war nobody won, and there were always consequences.

As there was no movement within the range of his powers, he figured Tony either listened or more likely was waiting until he broke the new law before trying to apprehend him. With a sigh, Venom fired up the small pack on his back and continued to head towards the mansion.

Peter, we've got company at the labs, but Cindy and Ivan are keeping them busy while we work, and we were right. It's some kind of mimetic alloy, not wholly alive but a mix of Earth metals and something else the mass spec can't identify.

Good, but stay safe okay,

We will, but make sure that any Augment stays away from these things. Their main processing unit is almost like a symbiote, adaptive and absorptive. Once they sample a power they can adapt to it and reflect it back at an attacker. We already warned Wanda. Oh dear, it's not looking good here, will be in touch, Love you,

Love you too,

Peter cursed once more. Did Shield or Sword manage to keep a cell sample alive long enough to make these things? But Peter knew that one person stupid enough to make murderbots that could take not just Augments but himself would be Stark. It just wasn't his style though. Suits yes, his Legion yes but these weren't as flashy, and Stark would be all over the press like cops on a doughnut. Someone else was behind this, and once he found out who he would stop it at the source.

As his phone buzzed again, he knew who it was. "Hey Matt, I know."

Matt laughed, "Oh no you don't. Give me some credit Peter, They did file a whole bunch of legal injunctions against you, citing your involvement as Venom in the past few attacks, but it's all bullshit as they can't prove who you actually are. I'm getting them all thrown out of court. It'll take a while but, no biggy." and Venom had to laugh,

"Pepper?" he asked

"Oh she's here, and wow, I think I'm in love. For a non-lawyer, she really knows her stuff. I think New York and whoever set this up is in for one hell of a shock. But uh, stay safe okay. They're fighting dirty, and not afraid to overstep and claim it was an accident."

"Thanks, Matt. I owe you." and Matt laughed,

"You haven't got my bill yet. I'll call you later with good news, get anyone to use their one phone call if they need to call me." and then hung up.

Venom cursed. Whoever was in charge of the operation knew enough to systematically take each of his supporters away. He had given everyone he could warning, and he figured nobody would be stupid enough to target his mom, he silently cursed, of course they were, and pushing the small flight pack to its maximum he sped to her house.

His senses were going crazy, and as he approached the block before her home he could already feel the Iron Legion drones and the last obstacle. Vision.