The hulking Hulkbuster strode down the corridor, its heavy footsteps thudding rhythmically against the reinforced floor. In front of it, a lab technician led the way, glancing back every few steps to steal a look at the towering machine that followed him. His eyes were filled with a mix of awe and curiosity.
He had never been this close to such an extraordinary feat of technology before. The sight of the massive, red-and-gold armor—gleaming under the corridor lights like a walking fortress—left him both thrilled and intimidated. Each step sent faint tremors through the floor, echoing through the hall like the march of a steel giant.
But what truly caught his attention was the small metal case the armor carried. Whatever was inside that box, it had to be something of great significance—otherwise, Mr. Ethan wouldn't be guarding it himself.
He wanted to ask what it was, but common sense prevailed. The man in the armor wasn't just the de facto master of this base—he was the master. Asking too much would be a very bad idea.
"Oh, we've arrived, sir."
The technician snapped back to attention just before walking past their destination. Before them stood a dark green metal gate, the red Hydra insignia emblazoned across its surface like a bloodstain. The technician hurried to the control panel beside it and tapped several keys. With a deep metallic rumble, the gate began to rise.
After Zemo's death, Hawkeye had purged all of Hydra's old security codes and installed an entirely new system, redistributing the clearance levels among trusted personnel.
The sight beyond the door, however, contrasted sharply with the oppressive symbol outside. It was a massive, open chamber—about half the size of a football field, with a ceiling nearly ten meters high. Around the mid-level height ran a ringed observation platform, clearly designed for monitoring activity inside the space.
The walls were lined with advanced machinery and consoles. Huge sensor arrays hung from steel supports, ready to detect any irregularities within the room.
At the very center stood a large transparent enclosure—an entire room built out of reinforced glass. It was clean and minimalistic, devoid of any decoration. Through the crystal-clear walls, one could see that the chamber was completely empty.
No equipment. No instruments. Not even a chair. Just an eerie, sterile emptiness.
The technician, seeingEthan's gaze, hurried to explain:
"This was a containment cell Baron Zemo built years ago—for a Super Soldier."
"The plan was to lock the subject inside once he was created, run tests, and then send the data to Red Skull."
"But… nothing ever came of it. They never managed to finish the project, so this chamber's been left unused."
Ethan nodded slowly. "I see. Go tell Dr. Walter to bring me a test subject—and one vial of the experimental compound."
"Right away, sir!" The technician didn't hesitate. He turned and jogged back toward the intercom station near the entrance—after all, no one in a facility as large as Weapon X relied on shouting to relay orders.
As the technician picked up the receiver and began speaking,Ethan approached the glass chamber. He unlocked the door, stepped up to it, and tossed the metal case inside before opening its lid.
The moment it landed, he raised both hands. The Anti-Hulk's helmet sealed itself with a hiss, and from his right arm, a coiled emitter snapped into place—the sonic cannon. On his left, a small nozzle extended outward—the flamethrower. Both were trained squarely on the glass room.
From the open box, a pool of black liquid began to ooze out, rippling softly as it spilled across the floor.
ToEthan's surprise, it stayed still. The symbiote didn't lash out, didn't climb the walls or fling itself toward him. It merely gathered into a quivering mound near the case, pulsing faintly like something alive but subdued.
That wasn't normal behavior. Even without a host, Venom could move freely, stretching tendrils and darting short distances. Its current docility wasn't from weakness—it was caution.
That, at least, made things easier.Ethan relaxed slightly but kept his hands raised.
"Wake up, you tongue-wagging maniac," he said evenly. "We need to talk."
The black mass shuddered, as if it understood. Ripples spread through its surface, and slowly, a distorted "face" formed—a wide, fanged grin beneath two gleaming white eyes that blinked into existence.
"Speak," it rasped, the voice warped and mechanical, like a growl filtered through a broken synthesizer.
Ethan nodded, unfazed. He lifted his right arm. "This," he said, "is a sonic cannon."
Then he raised the left. "And this is a flamethrower."
A tiny jet of flame flared from the nozzle with a low hiss.
At once, Venom shrieked, its form convulsing violently as it recoiled, scuttling backward to the far corner of the chamber, desperate to keep distance from the fire.
Fire and high-frequency sound—the symbiote's two greatest weaknesses.
"Don't worry,"Ethan said with a small smile. "As long as you cooperate, I won't have to use either." He extinguished the flame.
Venom's eyes narrowed. It slithered forward slightly, murmuring in its guttural tone, "Temporarily…"
Ethan didn't take the bait. Instead, he changed the subject.
"Where's your host?" he asked. "And don't get me wrong—I'm not talking about some random wastelander or animal you latched onto. You know who I mean."
He winked.
"Do not… mention… Eddie!"
The momentEthan said the name, Venom went berserk. Its body shot upward like an explosion of black flame, slamming into the glass ceiling with a deafening thud. A piercing screech filled the room, raw with anguish and rage.
The technician at the door, still holding the phone, nearly jumped out of his skin.
But the creature didn't break loose. Even with the chamber door wide open, it didn't cross the threshold. It still had enough sense not to.
"Fine, fine, we won't mention him,"Ethan said, raising a placating hand. His eyes narrowed slightly. He understood that Venom's feelings toward Eddie were complicated—painful, even.
Gradually, the black mass settled down, shrinking back into a dense, trembling blob.
ThenEthan spoke again—calmly, but with words sharp enough to pierce.
"I don't know whether he was killed… or just died of old age," he said. "But I can give you a chance—to be with him again. To feel that perfect union no one else could ever match."
Venom froze.
It stopped halfway between retreat and attack, its pale eyes flickering with something like disbelief. Then, silently, it slithered toward the open doorway, staring up at the Hulkbuster that loomed over it.
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