The beeping speeds up, barely giving ti to process what's happening. In an instant, Ellie's body transforms, the symbiote engulfing her in a wave of midnight black. Beside her, Piper disappears beneath a rippling tide of maroon.
Massive black arms wrap around like living steel as Ellie tackles . We hurtle backward, deeper into the apartnt as Spider-Woman leaps in the opposite direction. The world narrows to the sound of Ellie's heartbeat against my ear and the terrifying high-pitched whine of the boorang reaching its crescendo.
The explosion rocks the entire apartnt. Ellie's massive form absorbs the brunt of the blast, her body curving protectively around mine like a living shield. The symbiote ripples and writhes, absorbing impacts that would have torn apart.
"Oh fuck," I gasp as the ringing in my ears subsides enough for to hear the crunch of boots on broken glass. "Boorang is here."
A woman in a blue and white costu steps through the shattered window, silhouetted against the morning light. More curved weapons hang from her belt, each one glinting with deadly promise. Her face is mostly hidden behind a mask, but I can see her smile, wide and predatory.
"Hello Spiders," she calls out, her Australian accent thick as she surveys the destruction. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything important."
Venom's gaze shifts to , her blank white eyes narrowing with a peculiar mix of concern and confusion. I barely have ti to register her expression when a blur of maroon streaks past us.
Spider-Woman launches across the room like a crimson missile, her leg extended in a perfect flying kick. The impact is brutal and instantaneous, her foot connects with Boorang's leg with a sickening crack that echoes through the apartnt. Bone splits beneath the force, the limb bending at an unnatural angle that makes my stomach lurch.
Boorang crumples to the floor, her scream piercing through the debris-filled air. "WHAT THE FUCK, SPIDEY?" she howls, clutching at her shattered limb.
Spider-Woman stands over her, the maroon substance flowing across her body in agitated patterns. "You threw a bomb into an apartnt," she says, her voice eerily calm despite the violence she just inflicted. "And you're surprised by the consequences?"
The entire exchange happened so fast I'm still processing it. One second Boorang was standing there, threatening us, and the next she's writhing on the floor with her leg destroyed. Even with everything I've been through, everything I've seen, the brutal efficiency is jarring.
Venom nudges with one massive claw, her head tilting sideways. "You're not impressed with Boorang?" she asks, genuine curiosity in her dual-layered voice.
"What?" I blink, struggling to follow her train of thought.
"You usually go crazy when you see the D-list villains," she elaborates. "Like, total fanboy mode. Rember how excited you got about Big Wheel and Shocker?"
The realization hits , she's right. Before Norma, I would have been bouncing off the walls at the sight of Boorang, asking Ellie to get my picture with her. Now I just feel... hollow. Like I'm watching everything through a thick pane of glass.
"Oh... yeah, I guess you're right," I mumble, rubbing the back of my neck. "I'm just not really feeling it today."
Spider-Woman crouches beside Boorang, her maroon-covered hands wrapping around the villain's throat in one fluid motion. The symbiote flows around her fingers, extending their reach as she squeezes just enough to make Boorang's eyes bulge.
"Where's the Goblin?" Spider-Woman's voice has that dual-tone quality that sends shivers down my spine, like two people speaking in perfect, terrifying harmony.
Boorang coughs, her face turning an alarming shade of red as she claws ineffectively at Spider-Woman's grip. "Not fucking here obviously!" she chokes out, voice strained but still managing to convey her indignation. "If she was, I wouldn't have to be dealing with whatever fuck ass overpowered bullshit you're on right now!"
The maroon substance around Spider-Woman's hands pulses with what looks like excitent.
Venom leans forward, those blank white eyes narrowing to dangerous slits. "Is she on her way?" she growls, the question rumbling through the apartnt like distant thunder.
"I don't know shit," Boorang gasps, still struggling against Spider-Woman's grip. "She just told to grab him." Her eyes dart toward , fear and frustration mingling in her gaze.
The window fra, already damaged from the explosion, suddenly splinters completely. A white-caped figure crashes through in a shower of glass and wood, landing in a perfect crouch on the ruined floor.
"Hey, Sensei," I say automatically, relief flooding through at the sight of Taskmistress's skull mask.
Boorang's eyes widen to comical proportions. "SENSEI!?" she screams, montarily forgetting the hands around her throat. "YOU'RE THE FUCKING LEAK?"
Taskmistress stands to her full height, cape settling around her imposing fra as she surveys the chaotic scene. Her masked face gives away nothing, but her stance radiates irritation.
"Venom, what the fuck?" She gestures at the destruction around us. "I called you and Shane like twenty tis to warn you Boorang was on the way, but you didn't fucking pick up!"
Venom's massive head turns toward Taskmistress, those blank white eyes narrowing slightly. "Well, Shane was sleeping, and I had our phones on silent," she explains, her dual-layered voice vibrating through the apartnt debris.
Taskmistress walks toward us with asured steps, each boot crunching on broken glass. As she approaches, her hand moves to her belt with casual precision. The motion is so fluid, so natural, I almost miss it when she draws her pistol.
Without breaking stride or even looking directly at her target, Taskmistress raises the gun and fires a single shot. The sound is deafening in the confined space of the apartnt.
Boorang's head snaps back, a perfect hole appearing between her wide eyes. Blood and brain matter spray across the wall behind her as Spider-Woman releases her grip, letting the body collapse to the floor with a heavy thud.
No one reacts. Not Spider-Woman, not Venom, not even . I just stare at the corpse, feeling nothing.
Taskmistress tucks the pistol back into her belt with the sa casual efficiency with which she drew it. "Alright, that’s done," she announces, like she's just finished a minor household chore rather than executed soone.
Her skull mask turns toward , those black eye holes sohow conveying concern despite their emptiness. "Shane, how are you doing, kid?" she asks, her voice softer than before.
"Good," I say automatically. "I really want to kill Norma."
Taskmistress nods slowly, her white cape settling around her shoulders. She turns to Venom, whose massive claws still rest protectively on my shoulders. "Definitely for the best," she agrees, her tone matter-of-fact.
Spider-Woman steps over Boorang's body, the maroon substance flowing across her form in agitated patterns. "We need to get Shane out of here," she says urgently, glancing at the shattered window. "I can call up the Avengers right now. Get him a temporary room in the tower."
"Absolutely not," Venom snarls, the black substance around her head retreating to reveal Ellie's furious face. "I said no, Spidey."
Spider-Woman throws her hands up in exasperation. "Well, clearly he can't fucking stay here! This place is compromised."
"I've got like six safe houses," Taskmistress interjects, her skull mask tilting as she surveys the chaos. "One in Manhattan, one in Brooklyn. Or you could get completely out of the city. All off the books, extrely defendable."
Ellie's eyes narrow suspiciously. "Does Norma know about them?"
"Fuck no, of course not," Taskmistress scoffs, sounding almost offended. "What kind of rcenary would I be if I showed all my cards to clients?"
"I choose that one," I say quickly.
Taskmistress tilts her head. "Which one?"
I look at Ellie, searching her face for guidance. Her blue eyes soften when they et mine, the anger montarily replaced by concern.
"Might as well be the Manhattan one, right?" I suggest, my voice steadier than I expected.
Ellie sighs, running a hand through her blonde hair. "Okay," she says, resignation clear in her tone.
"Perfect," Taskmistress claps her hands together with finality. "Pack whatever you can salvage. We leave in five minutes."
"Wait," I say, the reality of our situation dawning on . "What about Boorang's body? We can't just leave her here."
Task's head tilts to one side, her skull mask sohow conveying awkwardness despite its fixed expression. "Uhhh, can one of you girls eat it?" She gestures between Ellie and Spider-Woman with a gloved hand.
Ellie's face contorts with disgust, the symbiote shifting uneasily across her skin. "I don't really want to," she says, looking down at Boorang's corpse with obvious revulsion.
"I'll do it," Spider-Woman steps forward. "Carnage is hungry anyway."
"Well," I sigh, resigned that I'm not in a good enough emotional place to try and save Spider-Woman right now. "That settles that."
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