Bitten by a radioactive spider, high school student Peter Parker gained the proportionate strength, speed, agility, equilibrium, and early warning danger sense of that irradiated arachnid. Hoping to use his powers for personal gain, Peter sought to make money as pro wrestler and a TV sensation, but with the death of his beloved Uncle Ben, a grief stricken Peter learned an invaluable lesson. With great power there must also come great responsibility. Armed with his wondrous web shooters Peter struggles with this lesson. Trying to balance an ordinary life with a day job and still divide time to be with his wife and to protect his fellow man. Due to the events regarding his personal life, Peter has given up the role to the one true Peter Parker whom goes by the moniker of Ben Reilly. This is the story of The Amazing Spider-Man!

Absolute Carnage! Part 1

It was a feeling born out of fear. A drive to become stronger and tougher than any other creature in the entire cosmos. This feeling was survival and it gave the race known as the symbiotes a direction to which to dedicate their lives beyond all costs. That dedication was changed the moment the Venom symbiote temporarily occupied first Spider-Man, and then bonded with Eddie Brock. But that was not the only time the symbiote race would deviate from its original mission. When an offspring from the Venom melding merged with Cletus Kassidy a new entity was born and no longer was their a duality. The insane mind of Cletus at first submerged the Carnage symbiote, and then later warped it into a part of his malevolent personality which thrived on chaos. Peter Parker was Spider-Man the last time Carnage reared his ugly head and it took some of the toughest urban heroes to defeat him and send him off to Ravencroft. Since Ravencroft closed down due to a financial shift in the prison system. Cletus was transfered to the Raft where he stewed in a cell designed to hold back the strongest of the villainous marvels. But even the strongest cells won't hold the truly dangerous.

As Cletus sat in his cell, he heard the sound of an explosion. The walls of his cell shook and the lights flickered on and off. For a moment all seemed normal until Cletus felt the full strength of his symbiote's embrace. It was a surprise as the symbiote had been been absent all these weeks since the transfer to the Raft. But that no longer mattered as the straight jacket that bound the formerly normal Cletus Kassidy was torn asunder by the entity known as Carnage. With understandable disgust he flung it from his body and upon leaving his cell he noticed the destruction his other had wrought. A guard was flung through one of the stationary power generators cutting off power to the entire western half of the compound. Two others were grisly corpses ripped in half with their blood splattered everywhere. Carnage laughed at the sight before him and charged down the cell block killing and maiming the villains locked on the floor with him. All the while his hated parent Venom stood on the Eastern wing feeling the emotional outlet of its offspring. This was something that greatly disturbed the unstable Brock who saw himself as hero, but was nothing more than a twisted psychopath.

"Our offspring is getting loose from here, said Brock as he summoned every ounce of his strength to feed the welcoming embrace of his other. And it was with the warped moralistic rage that Venom was able to free himself from the confines of his cell. Seeing the destruction being done and the havoc about to commence the trapped security detail sent out a call to anyone listening. While they waited in their monitor room, which was locked tight, but even that didn't promise protection from the sick monsters that stormed the halls.

--

Ben Reilly walked with a purpose as he carried roses in his left hand. With the events of the Ghost Rider situation behind him Ben hoped he could salvage his barely started relationship with Jessica. However, as he started to go up the front steps to go up into her apartment he heard on a neighbor's radio, which rested on a nearby windowsill that there was trouble at the Raft and that Carnage and Venom were loose.

Oh no, both of those two loose is not good news...

Hastily, Ben dropped the flowers and raced into a back alley where he could change into his black Spider-Man costume. And with the greatest momentum achievable he made his way toward the Raft.

--

Bentley Wittman took joy in the fact that Carnage and Venom were providing a suitable distraction for his escape. Now, he would not have to use the devices he had built to escape the Raft. Instead he could use them to ferry himself to safety. And once he was out of the jurisdiction of the New York Police. He would plot his return and the destruction of Spider-Man.

--

Six hundred pounds of solid muscle went crashing through the wall of the Raft and it was with such force that the villain known as the Rhino was knocked completely out. The cause of his quick knock out was Luke Cage - Hero For Hire. As the stalwart protector of Harlem turned to his friend Daniel Rand - the master of the Iron Fist he gave a thumbs up.

"That was too easy Danny," said Cage. "When are we gonna face somethin' more in our league?"

Iron Fist turned to Cage after completing a spinning heel kick that knocked out the elusive Slyde and shrugged his shoulders.

"May we be of interest," said Wrecker of the Wrecking Crew.

Cage turned from and saw all four members of the Wrecking Crew looking like they were ready for a fight. And it was obvious by the look in their eyes they remembered both Iron Fist and Cage.

"Christmas," said Cage as he turned his baseball cap around so that bill of it would be facing the opposite direction. "So, we in for some hardball gentlemen?"

"Sure and we'll use your head for the ball," said Thunderball as he spun his demolition ball.

"We'll see," said Cage as he allowed a smirk to form on his face.

The Wrecking Crew charged at Cage and his partner with the intent to kill and while they brawled in a southern section of the Raft. The symbiotes drew closer to each other laying a path of death in their wakes. Many minor villains lay dead at Carnage and Venom's feet. Too many to possibly fathom. Stilt Man, Jester, Typeface, Override, Aura, Blood Spider, Abominatrix, and Boobytrap. All of this took place on the east and west sides where the two hated rivals came closer to each other.

--

Spider-Man clung to the underside of the helicopter that was heading straight toward the Raft. On-board was Silver Sable and her Wild Pack. A group of expertly trained mercenaries who were originally tasked with tracking down former war criminals, but now worked for the highest bidder. As Spider-Man rode on the underside he could faintly hear the sounds of people talking, but he couldn't make out what they were saying.

"Listen up Wild Pack. Already a team has been sent in to try to quell the prison break. We are being sent into assist and if necessary take over the operation."

"How many crazies are in this place?" said Battlestar.

"About four hundred and fifteen. With already one hundred and seventy confirmed casualties. Among them being the fifty staff members that were in control of the Raft."

"That's a lot of bodies to sort through," said Crippler, letting a smile cross his face. "But who knows maybe we'll get lucky."

"Enough with your perversions, Crippler. You may offend Miss Drew here."

Jessica let the comment go while glaring at Crippler who was eyeing her with perverted lust.

"And just what was your reason for being here again?" asked Crippler.

"None of your business."

"Feisty. I like that."

"You will like my fist in a minute," said Jessica. She put her mask on while giving Crippler the finger.

"I like that girl," said Crippler to Battlestar.

"Shut up. All of you," said Silver as she cocked her glock. "We're nearly there."

Unknown to the occupants on the helicopter Spider-Man dropped down on a nearby roof and crawled into an air vent. Once inside the wall crawler saw some one who was huddled in one of the junctions. How she got up into the ventilation system he had no idea. All that Spider-Man knew was that by the look on her face she was scared to death. Spider-Man drew closer to her with the shadows and his black costume leaving him concealed in the near darkness.

"Are you all right?" asked Spider-Man.

The woman turned revealing her full features and the wall crawler was surprised by her looks. But he managed to put aside his unexplained admiration and came closer to her.

"What's your name?" asked the hero a second time.

"Beauty Ann Grace."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm-I'm a nurse who over sees the care of some of the inmates. I was on call when th-the...oh god."

"It's okay," said Spider-Man as he cradled the crying woman.

As the seasoned hero held her he could hear a growl that was definitely not human. The woman in his arms pressed herself against him and whispered in his ear with a hint of amusement.

"Can I tell you a secret. I may have told you a little white lie and now my boyfriend is good and mad!"

Beauty pushed away from Spider-Man, laughing all the while the web-slinger was pulled down from the ventilation shaft into the prison itself. And all he could see was massive hands ending with claws grabbing at him as he wiggled to get away.

--

Cage's fist met with Piledriver's jaw sending him flying into Bulldozer who was just getting up from being thrown into a wall. The resulting impact from both super durable bodies hitting knocked them unconscious leaving Cage to watch Iron Fist deal with Wrecker and Thunderball.

"Need a hand?" asked Cage. All the while watching as Iron Fist ducked Thunderball's swing of his demolition ball, which ended up smacking Wrecker in the face and putting him out of the fight. "Guess not."

If Iron Fist could hear his friends words he could give no response as he struck Thunderball with chi amped nerve strikes that incapacitated the magically enhanced criminal. When Thunderball dropped to the floor Iron Fist turned to his friend and rubbed the back of his neck.

"You say something?"

"Naw, I was just talkin' to myself."

"Is that something new?" asked Iron Fist.

"Forget it. Let's just git this over with."

"I second that."

--

Sable and the Wild Pack entered through the front entrance finding bodies every where they looked. Corpses that were too unsightly for any of the weaker constitution to look at. Spider-Woman stood at the side holding one of her hands over her mouth. Such mayhem was beyond what she expected or even experienced. It was like all the criminals either turned on the weaker sheep among them or killed any innocent bystanders around. She looked to Sable and called out to her.

"All of this deaths - were they all super-villains?"

"No," was all she said. But that left the question of what in god's name were these mutilated corpses.

Many of them appeared to be mutations or mutants. Yet, Jessica couldn't discern because her lack of scientific ability. Whatever they were. She hoped that they didn't end up next. As she walked in line behind Battlestar, Crippler happened to grope her butt causing her to yelp. But Sable was already too far ahead to notice. That however didn't preclude Spider-Woman from grabbing and lifting him off the ground.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" she said in quiet, but discernable threatening manner.

Crippler held up his hands while staring at her chest. Which resulted in Spider-Woman dropping him rather roughly on the ground.

--

In the center of the Raft Venom and Carnage finally meet face to face. And the mere appearance of the other caused them to roar an inhuman pitched wail before assaulting each other. It was certain that by the hatred expressed by how violently they tore into each other. That this was a battle to the death and only one would be the victor.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Author's Notes: Slowly events are building - a world is taking shape and you all are beginning to see the stages of a World that is without heroes. What awaits beyond the glandered door for the people of New York and the world at large? What shape will the new breed of heroes take? And how does the remains of the old guard adapt to the changes that happening quicker and quicker? Find out in these very pages and I promise you will not be left behind as I create a new Marvel Universe!

-Mimick

8/23/08 - 9:39 p.m.