When Luke saw the news headline flash across the holographic screen, "Life Foundation Rocket Crashes on Re-entry", his eyes lit up like fireworks.
"Yes!" he muttered to himself, leaning forward. "It's finally here."
Others might not understand the implications of this news, brushing it off as a mere aerospace accident.
But Luke wasn't others.
As someone who knew the ins and outs of the Marvel universe, he was perfectly aware that this headline wasn't just about a failed rocket landing.
It was about Venom. Or more specifically, the symbiotes.
Back when he'd first watched the Venom movie, Luke had instantly loved the character. The creepy voice, the monstrous powers, and the twisted sense of humor? Top-tier coolness. If he were to rank Marvel characters based on sheer ability and style, Venom was easily in his top three.
Too bad he never showed up in the Avengers movies.
"Guess they weren't ready for you yet," Luke whispered with a smirk. "But I am."
Still, it was strange. If Venom had been on Earth this early, before even Ultron appeared, then there had to be another reason he never participated in the major events. Maybe the symbiotes kept a low profile… or maybe nobody knew how to deal with a man-eating alien goo.
Luke chuckled to himself, "Doggo would love this guy."
Come to think of it, the more he imagined it, the more a fusion of Doggo and Venom sounded like an amazing idea.
"Both like to eat people, both are a bit unhinged," he said out loud. "It's a match made in monster heaven."
Of course, Wanda and Sharon would probably scream at the idea.
He shrugged. "Guess I'll have to keep this one just between me and Doggo."
Luke spun on his heel. "Bumblebee!"
The Camaro roared to life outside, even before he finished the word. Luke stepped onto the helicarrier's deck, now mostly overtaken by construction materials. Half of it had already been torn up for the massive pool project.
Wanda, standing nearby with a clipboard in her hand and hardhat on her head, raised an eyebrow.
"Going somewhere?" she asked.
"Yeah. Gotta run a quick errand. Shouldn't take more than, um... twelve hours?"
"That means it's going to be something ridiculous, doesn't it?"
Luke grinned, then called out toward the open deck. "Doggo!"
A blur of white and gray burst from behind a pile of tiles, tail wagging madly.
Doggo bounded over, tongue hanging out, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Luke opened the passenger-side door. "C'mon, buddy. You're gonna love this one."
Doggo leaped in like a missile and settled into the seat with a loud snort of satisfaction.
Luke turned to Bumblebee. "Let's go. Set course for the Life Foundation HQ."
With a blast of flame from the exhaust, the Camaro launched into the sky and disappeared into the clouds.
Three hours later - San Francisco
The San Francisco Daily newsroom bustled with late-night energy. On the 48th floor, Eddie Brock stepped off the elevator, a coffee cup in one hand and a suspicious frown on his face.
"Eddie," the newspaper's president waved him in. "Got something important for you."
Eddie sighed and walked into the office. "Let me guess. Another PR puff piece?"
"Not quite. You're interviewing Carlton Drake, the CEO of the Life Foundation."
Eddie blinked. "Seriously? After their rocket just exploded? That's not a puff piece. That's a full-blown cover-up."
"Keep your opinions in check, Brock," the president warned. "This is a sensitive interview. Just get the footage and ask the questions on the sheet."
"I don't need a script to ask real questions."
"You do if you want to keep your job."
Eddie clenched his jaw but said nothing. He hated the Life Foundation. Too many whistleblowers, too many shady experiments swept under the rug. But this wasn't a hill he could afford to die on.
"Fine," he muttered. "But don't expect me to smile."
Late Night - Life Foundation HQ
By the time Luke arrived, the streets were quiet and the headquarters stood like a black monolith in the night, looming over San Francisco.
Doggo hopped out beside him, sniffing the air.
Luke adjusted the comms in his ear. "Bumblebee, status?"
"All clear, Boss. I've unlocked the main doors and overridden the security downstairs. The lab's waiting for you."
The front doors opened with a soft hiss as Luke and Doggo stepped inside.
The building was dark, but definitely not empty.
Luke smiled. "Let's go shopping."
As they descended the sleek metal staircases, Bumblebee's voice returned in his ear.
"Two armed guards approaching from the left. ETA: three seconds."
"Three... Two... One."
Luke casually pushed Doggo forward.
Doggo's ears perked, and just as the guards rounded the corner.
All they saw was a massive mouth.
No screams. No mess. Just two fewer guards and a satisfied-looking husky.
"Good boy," Luke said, patting his head. "You're getting smoother at that."
They continued forward, bypassing doors, security locks, and retinal scanners with ease.
Bumblebee's tech made it feel like they were walking through an amusement park ride set to "easy mode."
Finally, they reached the heart of the facility, a glass-paneled laboratory glowing under sterile white lights.
Luke stopped and peered through the glass.
Inside, Carlton Drake stood tense, flanked by lab coat-wearing scientists. Their eyes were fixed on a containment chamber, where something slithered grotesquely.
Luke leaned in and saw a yellow slime-like thing inching toward a rabbit in a glass cage.