Huntress and Venom had continued their clean up of Hell's Kitchen. The incident on the rooftop made them more cautious but the streets didn't get clean with caution.

As they moved through each block, taking out any and all of the more unsavoury dens they found they hit their rhythm. Neither would exit at the same time, multiple exit strategies were devices and neither hunted alone.

As the number of brothels to visit dwindled, Felicia began to notice a pattern, made more apparent by the scenes outside the warehouse. Not everyone was happy, not everyone was glad that the Huntress and Venom paid their workplace a visit. In fact, from the increased number of streetwalkers and the increased number of muggings and assaults Felicia knew they had made things worse.

“Pete, look,'' and as the pair sat on the edge of the warehouse roof he saw that multiple women would be huddled together, glaring and threatening any outsiders who came near their patch.

Even he had to admit that it was getting worse, making the normal coffee and pastry run to the convenience store now meant running a gauntlet of hookers and pimps all catcalling, and the police would arrive, break them up and less than half an hour later they would be back.

He shrugged though “I really don't know what to do. Do we stop? Or let some operate, I mean, we have to do something.” It was an uphill battle. The more unsavoury places had been horror shows, and not everyone could walk away. Even Venom found himself phone the police on a few occasions as what they found needed professional help, not from the cops though, some of the girls were so traumatised they would be lucky to ever work again.

“I’m going to do something but uh,” and as Felicia gave him a look he raised an eyebrow, “I'm going to take over, like I said, maybe a new set of rules, ones to stop the worst would be better.”

He nodded and half shrugged, “I won't stop you, but, if it's your thing, then I won't help either.” and she scowled,

“You won't?” and he shook his head,

“I’ll help but not help, Venom is a bad role model. You don't want half of these guys to take shots at me cause they think I'm going to kill them,” and Peter was reminded of the news. 

For the past month, since John's death all that had been in the headlines, all the JJ had plastered over the Bugle website was a counter. ‘Days until Freedom’ it proclaimed. Citing that until Venom was caught and brought to justice, JJ wouldn't rest.

Each time they went out, it wasn't just the assholes they had to deal with, but making sure that nobody phoned either the Bugle or the police. A new ETF, Enhanced Task Force had been set up, Proudly shaking the hand of Justin Hammer they had better armour and better guns. Several units of officers, all with snub-nosed thick Hammertech rifles. 

This demonstration went smoothly and as the officers fired the bullets cut through the steel-reinforced concrete barrier like it was paper. There would be no second chance this time. A round like that would make both Venom and Huntress into corpses. The demonstration unsubtly pointed out that there would be no quarter given for enhanced individuals who broke the law.

“Make a new outfit then, practice like MJ and change your outfit.” and Peter slumped

“I've tried, it wants to stay black with the big spider, I can make clothing and the armoured form but it’s always black,” and Felicia leant over and kissed him giggling,

“My big bad emo Pete.” and he nudged her with his shoulder.

“It should be yours anyway. You did work for this, I mean, your dad and stuff.” and she sat and frowned,

“My dad wanted me to be a thief, not a crime boss. You know he said, never tie yourself to a job, it's stability that's how they catch you,” and as she shook her head, “but I like it here, I love you and Gwen, MJ’s nice, but, not being alone is good, and making a difference is good. My dad, I mean, so what if he moved around and stole stuff, it's not fun, working for scumbags who want the biggest shiniest rock just for what, a dick measuring contest.” and she shook her head, “no, even if you cant help I want this, I’ll start making rounds, getting these women help and making sure they’re protected.” and she slumped back, holding her cup, “you uh, could do the paperwork for me?” and he laughed and cuddled into her

“I can, but only to start with, get someone who can do it properly. Math isn't accounting, and economics isn’t business.”

Felicia stood and stretched, “yeah yeah I know I know, now come here a moment.” and Standing her shrugged and she pulled him over to the water tower, kneeling she winked as she looked up at him “motivation to get my business started for me,” and as she kissed him and took him into her mouth, he moaned and gently ran a hand over her head.

After their break and chat, Felicia headed out, dressed casually. She wanted to find out if a new network would get any traction. She had made inquiries before, leaving a card with some of the girls but this was starting to take a stand and draw attention to herself.

A few groups simply glared as she approached and even as she handed over a card they shook their heads, none threatened her though, she could be thankful she looked young enough they weren’t intimidated.

She had printed off cards, with a simple phone number on it,

Huntress,

Black Cats

For safety, for security, for anything,

xx-xxx-xxxx-xxxxx

It was her attempt to get a network done, even if it was something stupid as buying a girl who needed a meal a sandwich, it was something, and it was a start. With the morning over and over a hundred cards given out, she jumped as the burner number she gave out rang, and she answered it, unsure of what the person would ask,

“Hello, Huntress.” and a scared voice,

“Help, he won’t stop. Walker on 24th,” and the line went dead.

Felicia shouted into the warehouse, “Pete, I know you can't help but backup?” and he nodded. As Huntress shimmered and vanished Peter made himself a long coat and grabbed a cap. He had on the undersuit he’d originally worn, and he could pull its hood over his head and sure, he’d look more like Spider-Man than Venom but he didn’t care. No one would call the cops on Spider-Man. I really hope no one will call the cops on Spider-Man, he thought to himself as he ran out the door.

Huntress kept high as she approached the address she’d gotten, and as she rounded a rooftop corner she saw. A young woman, lying bleeding on the side of an alley doorway and she slipped over the edge and dropped down. Clicking on her mic. “V, a girl, let me check it out, stay at the alley entrance,” and he clicked back an affirmative. As she approached the girl's wounds were apparent. Someone had taken great delight in breaking her nose, and her face was a mess of bruises. Cursing under her breath she crouched and moved towards the girl slowly, to make sure this wasn’t a trap.

“Hey,” she whispered and as she got no response she gently touched the girl whose eye fluttered open and as she coughed, a thin line of bloody spittle leaked from her lips, “I got your message, who did this?” and the girl’s eyes went wide and she shook her head. Her lips were swelling, and a small amount of blood trickled from her mouth as she tried her best to speak.

“Can’t. They heard me call and did this, promised to hurt me again,” and Huntress lay a hand on her legs.

“I can make sure they don't. I have a friend, can he make sure you're okay?”

The girl nodded and winced as she tried to stand but Huntress put a firm hand on her “Stay here,” and the girl nodded,

“Bakers Bar,” and her eyes flicked over to a green glass window at the other side of the street. Huntress nodded and as Venom approached he took out a roll of bandages and some wipes. 

“Clean her up, I won’t be long.” and as Huntress shimmered once more he nodded, and the girl flinched as he leant down and helped her clean herself.

As the door swung open the bar went silent. In full armour Huntress walked to the centre in front of the jukebox and ripped the plug from the wall, letting her camouflage drop.

“So, you guys know anything about the girl?”

In the dank stereotypical biker bar, the cut of the jukebox brought the attention of the bar patrons. To Huntress it was a Hollywood bar, rows of bottles lined the wall behind the bar, where a denim wearing tough guy, with grey hair tied up in a ponytail, served beer to similarly dressed men. Sleeveless tops and gang tattoos seemed to be the trademark look here and whatever the biker gang was, it was emblazoned across their backs, a flaming skull with a lit cigar.

“And so what if we do?” one of the toughs asked, and Huntress moved.

As she grabbed his head, slammed it into the table, she lifted and threw him towards the back of the bar, where he landed with a thud on the pool table. Nobody moved, nobody said a word and as she straighten up,

“There won’t be blood, there won't be cops, or warnings, there won't be a second chance. There will be pain and death, there will be a hunt and you will not see another day. You will stay quiet, you will behave and soon, very soon a new set of rules will come down to you. You will obey them, or what just happened here will be the best day of your lives.” and remembering something her father had given her, she flicked a pin on the bar.

“The Black Cats run the streets now, behave or get the claws,” and to prove her point her hand stretched and five large razors adorned one of her fingers. 

Drawing it along the bar, she felt slightly guilty about marring such a nice polished surface but made sure that she got her point across. And as she left the sliced deep into the wood she stalked to the door and was about to push it open when she heard the click.

“Fire and you die. No second chances.” and as she stood she could hear the rapid breathing of the man holding the gun, his sweat filling the bar with a sour pungent smell. “We will not interfere as long as you play nice.” and with no reply, she pushed open the door and went out into the daylight.

Her skin shimmered once more and crossing and heading back down the alley she found Venom, opening a backpack and the girl, bruised and crying as she drank a bottle of water and ate a small sandwich.

“Taken care off. You their girl?” and she nodded, “drugs or whoring?” and she shook her head and then nodded.

“I warned them off. Call that number, once a day for a week, at noon. If I don't hear from you, they die. If you want out, give me some time and I’ll see what I can do,” and as Venom stood he handed the girl a twenty, and Huntress leapt up and onto the roof, he nodded at the girl and followed.

As she stood on the rooftop, they kept an eye on the bar, making sure no one followed them and soon enough the girl walked back over. As she entered the bar there was no sign of a disturbance.

“Just leaving her?” Venom asked and she turned and looked at him,

“Or do what? You gave her twenty, can’t always do that V. a sandwich and a bottle of water sure, but no money. We’re running a business now. I need a pin, something to make the girls and I know what it is. I’ll make sure shit like this never happens again, and that scumbags like those guys never touch another girl again, but no more charity. We help, not coddle,” and as she turned to walk away he pulled her into a hug.

“Big softy,” he gently whispered, and as she resisted the urge to knee him in the nuts for saying it, she still wrapped her arms around him.

The Black Cats would make things better, she would make things better.

~

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