Venom

TWENTY SEVEN: The Underground

Maisie woke up in a cell that smelled like cats. She raised an eyebrow.

"So, you're awake," Elise said.

"And you're observant," Maisie replied sarcastically, looking slightly annoyed.

"Listen, I'm just here to explain what's going to happen. Since you're a special case, we had to seclude you in the underground. A large underground military bunker that houses anything that poses as a threat. You'll only be here until you prove that you're in control. Then, we'll place you in a nice home," Elise explained with a slight smile.

"Where's daddy?" Maisie asked. Elise's expression hardened.

"Nowhere that you need to worry about," she responded.

"But he's my daddy. I wanna go back home with him," Maisie admitted sadly. "Him and Venom are the best dads ever, and I don't wanna leave them alone."

"I know how you feel, Maisie. But, you just can't stay with them. It's complicated, but the bottom line is that you're unsafe in their care. They've proven that many times," Elise said, crouching down in front of Maisie to look her in the eyes.

"But, they're fun. And they're nice to me. And we go on adventures and eat tater tots and play with dolls! I even made a doll that looks like him! See?!" Maisie cried, silently sobbing as she reached in her backpack and pulled out the doll she made. "See! So I can't leave! 'Cause I love my dads! And because they make me happy! And I don't ever wanna be sad or scared again! I need them 'cause they make me safe!"

"And I'm sure there will be other families who will make you feel the same way," Elise pointed out.

"Elise! You're needed at the case room!" A soldier informed Elise before the two of them left.

Stop your whining! I'll get you outta here if you just shut the hell up!

"Okay," Maisie agreed, nodding and taking on a determined glare. Carnage shredded the ropes, earning a grateful smile from Maisie. "Thank you!"

Shut up.

"Now let's go find my dads!" Maisie cheered as she stood up and slid through the cell bars.

See? Starving you came in handy.

"If you don't mind...will you please shut the heck up? I need your help, not your overbearing stupidity," Maisie threatened. Carnage shut up, and Maisie smiled triumphantly. "Good. Now that we've settled that, let's go!" Maisie ran down the corridors and followed Venom and Eddie's familiar scent. She caught the attention of some of the soldiers, who chased after her. They caught up to her, and she ducked under them as they all reached to grab her. Then, Maisie continued running toward Venom and Eddie.

Eddie was sitting weakly in a bolted down chair in the middle of a sound amplifying room. Eddie could hear some noise from outside, and looked up just in time to see Maisie sprinting toward him. She put earplugs in his ears just before the high frequency speakers were activated, causing Maisie to scream in pain as her and Carnage separated. The sound was exponentially worse for her, due to her heightened sense of hearing.

"Maisie!" Eddie shouted. Once the sound was finally turned off, the ringing in Maisie's ears was still unbearable, and her head throbbed. Carnage re-bonded with Maisie and broke the steel bars that held Eddie to his chair. Maisie caught Eddie's head before it hit the floor, and tried to let him use her as a crutch in order to leave.

"You're too heavy. Do you think you can walk or crawl?" Maisie asked. Eddie shook his head.

"I'm not sure. I can try," he responded. Just then, two women and two men entered the room with smug expressions.

"Look what we've got here, Lasher. They're trying to escape," one of the soldiers nicknamed Scream said.

"Then we've gotta stop 'em," another one, Lasher, said. With that, symbiotes took over all four of the soldiers. Turning them into Scream, Lasher, Agony, and Phage.

"This isn't good...I'm not strong enough to help yet...and you can't stop them alone," Eddie pointed out. Maisie looked determined as she spoke.

"I'll have to for now," Maisie stated. She put Eddie down and stepped toward the four giant symbiotic humans.