10636/We Didn't Start The Fire

We Didn't Start The Fire
Date of Scene:	04 January 2020
Location:	Upper West Side, Manhattan
Synopsis:	A couple of spiders play with fire.
Cast of Characters:	Venom, Black Widow (Romanoff)

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Venom has posed:
The fire raged inside the 160 Riverside Boulevard Apartments. No one knew yet what had caused it, just that there were people inside who were in need of rescuing. Due to an ultimately poor decision, which had been entirely reasonable at the time based on the facts known then, the fire department had instructed people to stay in their homes. They thought that it would be contained and quickly dealt with. But they were wrong.

Some of the residents, most of them actually, they were New Yorkers after all, had ignored those instructions and made their way down through whatever means they could. But not all. Venom had been swinging by in the early hours of the morning and saw what was going on. At first, it was easy. He'd break a window, get people out, carrying them under an arm and swing them to a nearby rooftop where they'd be safe. But as he got closer to the fire, it was becoming more difficult. The symbiote was screaming at him to leave, how much it hurt them. But there were innocents...

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
It hadn't been expected to jump buildings. Thus the instructions. Otherwise, people from the building that was not on fire would be out on the streets staring at the catastrophe like they always seemed to do. Then they would've been in the area where the fire professionals were trying to work. Yet, somehow, impossibly, the fire had leapt from the first building to the Apartments and thus the nightmare it had become.

Law enforcement personalle were called in to help with the problem. Officers were doing what they could to help. The roar of an engine was lost in the sounds of the trucks, equipment and people. The sleek black motorcycle had no manufacturer's markings. Atop sat the Black Widow. She parked a half block away and ran toward the scene, not wanting to have her bike in the way. "I'm on scene. Switching to joint radio frequency," she said into the commlink then switched from their requency to one EMS shared. She could hear the calls and cries, the situation going on.

"We are cut off! We can't get to anything above the 27th story except by ladder truck!" Which meant one at a time climbing 27 stories or more up and down a ladder. That was not going to be very fast and that meant lives would be lost. "Black Widow. I'll help on the upper floors."

A firing of the Widow's Line skyward and she hit the retract, rising rapidly into the air as she worked her way rapidly to the floors in question. She switched back to SHIELD frequency. "Any resources that can reach floors 27 to 33 needed immediately for search and evac." That would call in all flying cars, bikes, and any people with special abilities that would allow them to access the upper floors.

Venom has posed:
As Natasha got higher up, she'd see lots of broken windows. Curiously, they had been brown by blunt force trauma that originated on the outside, so the shards of glass generally fell inward, rather than raining down on the people and ground below. There were also the tell-tale signs of a wall crawler, webbing that the likes of Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Scarlet Spider, and of course, the symbiotes used.

Venom was currently inside, trying to coax a Korean family into letting him help. He had exposed his face, as the Venom look had scared the hell out of them, despite the fact that they were already scared. Their young son was currently trapped as the fire raged, preventing him from escaping.

To make matters worse, they didn't seem to speak very good English, like, at all. "Please let me help you." He was using the singular terms, because they were scared enough. "I can help." With language not doing much, he was trying to present a friendly body language and speak with his facial expressions.

And then a beam fell in front of him, on fire. The symbiote crawled and retracted away from the fire, while still being part of him. It was too hot for the symbiote, so his right leg and arm were becoming exposed to it. He should have worn more than boxers today.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Spying the windows, Natasha frowned and started peeked in a few of them. No one seemed there. She turned on a scanner to try and find life signs in range of her and that is how she happened across the apartment Venom was currently inside. Leaping through the window, she shook her head as she took in the way the symbiote was moving off his leg due to the flames near it. "Back up."

Those were the words that let him know he wasn't alone. "You need to be less nice right now. They'll get over it." Then she was speaking Korean to the family. <<We are here to help. Venom is a friend. He is going to use his powers to pull you to this side of the flames then out the window.>> "Web them, pull them over, get them out. Can you get the boy the same way?"

Venom has posed:
He nodded his head at her instructions, and Venom let loose, shooting out a webline for the mother and the daughter, yanking them over. It was quick. They might have some whiplash or something like it, but they would be fine. With the daughter under his arm and the mother trying to hit him to let her go, he punched the wall to the bedroom that the son was currently trapped in, ripping out the drywall and filler. He didn't want to compromise the integrity of the building, but with the door inaccessible, he made a new one, "can you get the son?"

The mother continued to pound her arms screaming in Korean for the monster to let her daughter go, but Venom just used his free hand to web the father over. He was acting the monster he could be. Grabbing both adults, he webbed them together, back to back, so that he could then carry them out the window, which he did, leaping and firing a webline to get them over to the adjacent building, far enough away that the flames couldn't jump, but close enough that he could get back, to see what other people needed help.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
<<He is getting you to safety!>> Natasha yelled at the woman in Korean to no avail. It didn't matter. Better they were taken out quickly than died due to stubbornness. With the opening to the bedroom, Natasha was through it immediately as Venom worked. She grabbed the boy, despite him also not wanting to be picked up by a stranger. His family had taught him well at least. She held him under one arm and went back through the window she'd entered, in the first room. A firing of the line and she was swinging to the opposite building. There she wrapped the line around the boy and quickly lowered him to the ground, cut the line and was leaping back for the opposite building. Two stories up, three apartments over. Three life signs. All adult sized.

She went through the window feet first, crashing to the ground within and running for the bedroom where the three were located.

Venom has posed:
Venom knew the apartments he had visited, some had no one in them, some did, he'd broken windows each time to get inside. It was pretty easy. But Natasha seemed to be going for a specific one, and so he followed, figuring she had intelligence on who was where. He was kind enough to rip the webbing he had tied the mother and father into. And the family were so grateful to be alive and together.

Little did Venom know that someone had caught video of him swinging out of the building, holding a girl under his arm, and an adult couple, all of whom were screaming in Korean for the monster to let them go. Knowing his luck, the front page of the Daily Bugle would be that he started a fire and kidnapped some of the people.

It was fortunate that the window to this apartment was open, so Venom followed suit, though it was a tight squeeze for him.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Inside were an older couple, clinging to one another in a corner of the room that wasn't ablaze yet. There was a woman in her mid forties pleading with them, trying to get them to leave. As the pair entered, she turned and screamed. "I can't get them out. Help us!" The family resemblence was obvious. They had to be her parents.

"We'll get you out. Venom can carry two of you at once. I can get the other." She had no doubts he would do so.

A creaking noise warned what was about to happen. Beams above were compromised. Any moment they would break. Natasha rushed in, pullng the older woman up and putting her into a fireman's carry over her shoulder. This immediately had her screaming and the husband rushing to follow, and thus the entire family got out to the main room before the collapse behind them. The room they had been in was now a blazing inferno.

"Get the daughter and father." It was automatic for her to take charge. She'd apologize for gruffness later. Then she was out the window, this time more gently because her cargo was a bit more fragile.

Venom has posed:
Venom saw the situation, and given the age of the father, he would be extra careful about it. He was masked at this point, but didn't show off the tongue, teeth, and had the mask appear to be a mask, as if he were just a guy talking through a fabric suit. "It'll be okay."

He took the daughter as well, being a little less gentle with her, as she was in better shape and condition. Getting through the window wasn't going to work. So he used his foot to make a bigger hole. This time the glass and debris would hit the ground. Hopefully no one was on this side to get hurt. And then he leapt with them, taking them to safety.

He had no problem following Black Widow's orders. In fact, he kind of liked it.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Three more on the ground safely. Black Widow was on the opposite roof, turning her head as she scanned. "Five more. All in a single apartment. 32nd floor, third window from the left is closest entry point."

A glance up showed that floor was mostly in flames. Only two windows didn't have flames roaring out of them. Their entry would be through one of those two. "Once inside, door to the right and that is the room they are in. It's small and probably a bathroom from what I'm being relayed." SHIELD was giving her the info on the life signs through recon droids flying around the area and floor plans through records.

It was that point that a quinjet arrived, coming to a hover. "We'll evac them to there. Fast as possible." The rear door on the quinjet was open and they were prepared to coordinate with the heroes.

"If it gets too hot, get out. We can only do so much." Then she was firing her line again and swinging for the window in question.

Venom has posed:
The big burly man in black nodded his head as Black Widow relayed the information to him. This apartment seemed to have more flames than most, especially with the flames roaring out of some of the windows. It made Venom hesitant. The symbiote hated fire... not only was it harmful, but there was a psychological aspect to it.

As Venom approached, following after her, he landed on the wall, feet firmly planted. His reason for doing it was two-fold. A fire erupted just as he was about to swing through one of the windows, and as hot as this place was, he was beginning to hyperventilate. If her sensors were monitoring him too, and capable of such things, they'd suggest that Venom was going through something of a panic attack.

Remarkably, despite the way his fists clenched, his breathing was going, and the vertigo he was feeling, he ripped a hole in the wall, sending more debris falling to the ground, and opened up into the bathroom, where he said, "we're here to help." And grabbed the two people in there so he could carry them back to safety. But that left three.

Black Widow was very capable, the most capable woman he'd ever met, but three was probably too much for her. And so he went back, returning by making another hole in the wall. He got in, and then a beam collapsed from above, landing on him. It was on fire. He heard a scream. It wouldn't be until later that he realised the scream came from him.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Everyone over here." Natasha twisted a wrist, releasing two of her Widow's Lines so they could be tugged free manually. She quickly tied them around two of the three people remaining. "This is going to be the fastest thrill ride you have ever been on." She moved to the side, bracing her feet against the wall and looking to the last man, the largest of the three, who would be remaining behind with her. "Help brace me." He wrapped his arms around her torso and also braced against the wall. "Jump. Now."

The two hesitated but then did as ordered, leaping out the window. Natasha was monitoring them through the reports from the drones. When they were twenty feet above the ground, she triggered the lines to slow quickly, bringing them to a gentle landing on the ground. Then she cut the two lines and the wires fell out the window to the ground as well.

She had just finished with the last civilian and was about to have him jump out the window when the sound of the scream let her know that Venom was in the next room again. "Out." And with that, she had the last man falling. When he was pulled up close to ground level, she was almost pulled out the hole behind him but she managed to keep herself inside. She had to.

Line cut, she rushed to the beam that had Venom pinned. If he couldn't lift it, she knew she couldn't. "Venom! You have to help me! I'm not strong enough by myself. You push while I lift. I know it hurts. I know you are scared. Push through. You can do this." And with that, she grabbed the flaming beam and put all her strength into trying to lift it. With him pushing, hopefully it would be enough he could get free from it.

Venom has posed:
The symbiote had retracted around the beam that was on fire, exposing Eddie's bare flesh to it. Eddie was a strong man, with or without the symbiote, but this was scary for anyone, and terrifying for someone with a deep seeded fear of fire and heat. It wasn't exactly Eddie's fear, but he was feeling the panic in the symbiote, and it was affecting him almost as deeply.

Black Widow's help and kind words helped to set him at ease, not entirely, but he was feeling better than he had been without her. The beam was heavy. Eddie was in a bad position to push. He had poor leverage. The angle was all wrong. But together they managed it. And with the flaming beam off of him, the symbiote returned, filling in the gaps. But before it did so, there were some pretty bad burns on his chest, and the impact from having it fall on him as well.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Out. All of them are safe." Natasha put her arm around the symbiote, knowing it had to be hurt as well with the flames. She helped him to the window then fired a Widow's Line. Natasha was strong. Stronger than a human should be. It was thanks to the serum they had used on her back in the Red Room.

She was strong enough she could support him and she leapt, taking him with her, swinging to the quinjet that had returned. It had been forced to fly off a moment ago, due to flaming debris falling from stires above them.

The pair of them ended up inside the quinjet and she cut her line again as the room behind them completely collapsed. "That's the last of the life signs in the building. He needs medical. Now. Get to the helicarrier. And he is not to be treated as a prisoner, on my orders."

Venom has posed:
She could have left him. He was a wanted criminal. But she didn't. She saved him, just as he had saved her once before, not that she needed saving exactly. Still, he had put himself in harm's way for her, and now she repaid the favour.

He was trying to be better. He was trying to make amends. He was trying to balance all the red in his ledger. But it wasn't easy. He was hurt. He was in pain. And though he was conscious enough to move the beam, it took a lot out of him. Now, safely on a Quinjet, he could rest and relax. The symbiote was feeling it too.

He looked up at Black Widow, the symbiote mask looking more like a series of tendrils, ripped and strewn across his face, like the mask had been there, but there were gaping holes in it. He looked up at her with his baby blues. And he said, "thank you," mouthing it, as he had inhaled a lot of smoke while trapped in the fire. And then the eyes seemed to close. Did he pass out? Or was he just resting?

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Ironically, her face looked much the same. Only hers was due to all the soot and smoke blackening her skin but the sweat from the heat leaving trails through the black that showed the skin beneath. She sprawled on the floor of the quinjet next to him, closing her eyes. She was just resting, ignoring the burning of her lungs and the pain in her arms and hands. She was not unscathed from that log. Her costume wasn't fireproof, after all.

Venom has posed:
Eddie was exhausted. Natasha was exhausted. But the symbiote, well, it healed much faster than its host. It was very much awake, calming down now that it was safe and secure in this government ship. Okay, so perhaps not as safe and secure as it would like, but Black Widow had told them to give medical attention and not to treat them as a prisoner.

The symbiote spoke to Eddie in his head, 'Eddie? Eddie?' But there was no response, nor the stirring of movement. It 'looked' over at the sprawled Black Widow beside them. Her suit was not fireproof. She was, essentially, human, though enhanced in some ways. She had saved helped them. She had saved them.

The symbiote took control over Eddie's unconscious right hand, lifting and moving it to take her left, wrapping fingers around. It spread into her glove, making contact with her skin. It did not envelop her, move to her, but instead, just came into contact. It held her hand, and through that, worked to speed up her recovery, giving a little boost to her own innate healing, even as it worked to heal Eddie was well.