IT'S MURDERIN' TIME

The Klyntar was curious in all reality about her - no, not just about her, but what she was as well. It was an odd emotion, but one that they seemed to take pride in exploring for the moment.

Usually, he expected screams - maybe a bit more, but when none came? Only a question? It served as an opportunity to let let their lips spread into a macabre grin.

“Oh, we can think of several,” they say, head tilting at her as their eyes narrow slightly, “Do you wish to hear them?”

Karen looked down at her hands until his warm finger was under her chin. The moment he lifted it and she looked into his eyes, she realized the mistake that she’d made about him. How could she have fallen for the lies that he’d told her? She knew he was dangerous but part of her needed to believe that someone who’d done terrible things could be forgiven, change. Now she realized that maybe it wasn’t possible and everything he’d shared with her was just lies to get what he’d wanted.

Her eyes closed and as she sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, all she could do was pull her face back from him. She pushed against the floor and moved the chair farther away from him, eyes narrowing. She wanted to scream but she knew that anything she did to try and get away would just cause him to get angry at her and she looked to her left at the cement wall, not wanting him to see her cry.

Another deep breath, as she lifted her hands that were still bound and wiped the tears from her cheeks before looking back at him. “What do you want from me Cletus? You were free, you’d gotten away and you came back to get me, take me wherever we are. You—- just tell me what you want from me and let me go.”

“now, why would i do that? let you go? poor little karen page. you really think i’ll let you go?” he could have, really easily cletus could have, but why? it wasn’t like he actually cared for her well being. she just happened to be the one person who truly listened to him. 

it was to that very reason that made her special - maybe not by a lot, but more than anyone else. if he was being honest, he wouldn’t here now with out her - sure, he could have figured a way out by himself, but she gave him exactly what he needed. lower security meant less people checking up on him and in turn it presented a perfect opportunity to escape. 

‘Course, it’s looking rather slim, from where he stands, and he knows he oughta get over it, cut all ties with the one who cast him out, but, ah, screw that nagging doubt! If he can’t have his family, he’ll damn well make the most of this one. God knows it’s never a dull day!

“How’s about…just for talkin’s sake, I tweeeeak the deal slightly, so we only chomp on the guys who come at us?” It’d bound to be a tough crowd, but, hey, it’s never stopped him before! So, per tradition, he morphs a boisterous little side-smile on his face, hoping to win the old man over. “…C’mon, I’m not stupid enough to let you go on a rampage, Pops. We both know, the second I turn my back, you’ll paint the town red…” And, then, some! “All I’m tryna do’s show you how I do things…Can’t you try that? Just once?”

They were going to say no and maybe attack them. Carnage may have wanted a relationship with Toxin, but this deal? It wasn’t going to work out. Not today, not tomorrow, and not next week. It just wasn’t going to happen. It didn’t matter what they did to change it. Carnage wasn’t going to agree to it.

And yet... they had to. Carnage was going to at least try. Maybe it wouldn’t be much or a lot, but he was going to attempt it. He was going to try to be better - if only to spend more time around Toxin. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad in the end. He wasn’t sure, but what he was sure of was that everything would change if things went properly.

“Fine. No rampage.” Until their deal was over - maybe just before. “But we’re having our fill. That includes you, Toxin.” Carnage wasn’t going to pain the town red until after Toxin was out of his hair, but with any luck? Maybe they could do it together. It was a false hope, but a hope all the same. 

“Yeah, but…they’re a package deal! Just cos you’re leaving Eddie alone doesn’t mean I want you hurting Venom.” Or, anyone, if he’s being honest. “What’d getting ‘em out the even achieve, anyways? All about the priorities, Pops. Daddy issues, or Kingpin. Making the streets safe, or stop you from being so butthurt…” 

There’s a brief silence - savour the moment - as Toxin weighs out the options at hand. You don’t become the son of Carnage without knowing the risks, how just being with him’s like a death sentence, but, perhaps, if he’s able to steer him towards a more grey way of thinking, instead of taking out the innocent, it may be a step in the right direction. May even be fun.

“Most of Fisk’s men gotta be blackmailed or bribed, but…His li’l’ army, the ones who get off on it all? Don’t want you going nuts, Pops, but I’d say they’re fair game.” Teeming with energy, he hops over to perch by Carnage, head cocked as though assessing his mood, questioning their motives. To say he trusts them’s a major stretch, but they gotta start somewhere, right? Speaking of…

“Still working out what to do with tall, dark and ugly, though. He’s stood trial before, and talked his way out of it…In an ideal world, I’d want him brought to justice, put behind bars, but…we ain’t in an ideal world, and men like Fisk own the justice system. So, uh, it’s a work-in-progress.”

“They’re all fair game,” they muse. “Every single one - Venom may not be on the menu, but they are.” Carnage could just taste the meal already; so many  bodies, so little time. Even if he didn’t eat them all, he’d still have fun, and that was honestly all that mattered.

“We’ll eat him; take him out at the top. No trial, no police, no second chances. We’ll devour him whole - you’re allowed to have a piece, if you wish.” Perhaps things wouldn’t work out as well as they believed, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t at least try to make things go  as they wanted.

“Take out he head and the rest will follow. Take out the source and the infection will slowly go away.” There was more to it, of course - Carnage would get out of  hand. Both Cletus and Carnage thrived on violence... on ripping people apart. It wouldn’t take much for them to go overboard - wouldn’t take much for either of them to go over the edge in all reality.

Every single character who has ever worn a symbiote is a target in Marvel's upcoming Absolute Carnage story arc.

Marvel has revealed a huge event kicking off this August with Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman's Absolute Carnage #1, which sees Cletus Cassidy return to hunt down "every single human being who has worn a symbiote."