Chapter Summaries

Luke used ultraviolet light and Holy Light-coated silver weapons to overpower the Bloodkin attackers and defeat the Old Antique. He pinned the Old Antique to the ground, intending to take him for research.

• Luke activated his black armor and fired an ultraviolet capsule into the battlefield, injuring or killing many Bloodkin.
• Luke absorbed dark energy through his light shield, converted it into Holy Light, and formed silver blades coated with the energy.
• Luke slashed the Old Antique, whose dark barrier and healing were suppressed by the Holy Light.
• Luke activated Overload Mode and severed the Old Antique’s arms and legs.
• Luke drove a Holy Light-coated blade into the Old Antique’s chest and abdomen, pinning him to the ground.

Luke interrogated and experimented on the old vampire, learning about vampiric origins, the Darkhold, and Ophelia Sarkissian’s role in hiring him. He advanced his device for converting Dimensional Power and continued draining Chthon’s energy through the vampire, keeping him alive as a test subject.

• Luke learned that Atlantis wizard Varnae had become the first vampire through a Darkhold spell, while Dracula inherited Varnae’s power.
• The old vampire revealed that Ophelia Sarkissian had hired him and offered Luke information about her forces, Chthon, and other vampires.
• Luke continued experimenting on the old vampire despite his changing pleas, resistance, and offers to cooperate.
• Luke’s research on an Energy Conversion Device progressed, and he used the old vampire to draw power from Chthon’s dimension and convert it into Energy Crystals.
• After Luke saved the vampire from nearly dying, he declared that the valuable test subject could not be allowed to explode before the research was complete.

Luke heard Snoke’s report on the pursuit of Ophelia Sarkissian, whose mysterious power let her overpower his team and escape. He ordered Snoke to withdraw for now and planned to enlist Nick Fury’s help in finding her.

• Ina Sandra interrupted Luke’s research to remind him about the Stark Expo, and Luke put on a black ring before asking the White Queen to connect him to Snoke.
• Snoke reported that his team had found Ophelia Sarkissian using information from the old vampire and had repeatedly pursued her.
• Snoke explained that Ophelia’s mysterious energy let her rapidly heal Holy Light wounds and force his team back, though she withdrew rather than simply escaping.
• Luke ordered Snoke and his team to return, then considered asking Nick Fury to help locate Ophelia.

Nick Fury examined Luke’s intelligence and discovered evidence that Hydra was still active and concealed within the intelligence apparatus. Meanwhile, Gwen brought Peter Stark Expo tickets, and Peter nervously asked her about the field-practice invitation he had received.

• Nick Fury opened Luke’s encrypted file and found extensive information about human experiments, illegal organizations, and enhancement technology.
• Nick Fury asked Agent Hill to investigate Ophelia Sarkissian without relying on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s internal resources.
• Nick Fury recognized Ophelia Sarkissian as a Hydra higher-up and suspected that people inside the intelligence apparatus were hiding Hydra’s activities.
• Gwen Stacy gave Peter Parker two Stark Expo tickets, and Peter excitedly thanked her.
• Peter Parker asked Gwen Stacy whether she had heard that he received an invitation from Hebron for extracurricular field practice.

Peter Parker received a ticket from Gwen Stacy and arranged to join her on a visit to Hebron, while Justin Hammer confronted Ivan Vanko over his unfinished Iron Soldiers. The chapter left Justin heading to an exhibition and his bodyguards beating Ivan.

• Gwen Stacy told Peter Parker that her father had secured her a chance to visit Hebron, and Peter said he would likely visit Osborn Industries with Harry Osborn.
• Gwen gave Peter a ticket and invited him to meet her the next day so they could travel with her father, who was helping maintain order at the venue.
• Justin Hammer went to the Core Laboratories, believing Ivan Vanko could help him compete with Stark Industries and Hebron using Arc Reactor technology.
• Justin demanded to know how far Ivan's Iron Soldiers had progressed, and Ivan said they could raise their hands and salute.
• Justin said he had prepared other military technology for the exhibition and left his bodyguards to deal with Ivan, who was then beaten.

At the Stark Expo, Tony told Luke he had created and shared his father’s New Energy blueprints. Justin Hammer unveiled his armed Iron Soldiers, but they malfunctioned and attacked the exhibition hall before Luke disabled them with a data breach.

• Tony thanked Luke indirectly and told him he had uploaded his New Energy blueprints to the technology-sharing database.
• Tony and Luke watched Justin Hammer unveil the All-Arms Iron Soldiers, with James Rhodes piloting one of Hebron’s Iron Titan Series.
• An Iron Soldier malfunctioned, fired into the ceiling, and turned its weapons toward the crowd and Tony.
• Tony summoned his Mark 7 Armor and tried to contact James Rhodes as panicked attendees fled the hall.
• Luke threw a small black metal device, freezing the out-of-control Iron Soldiers, and told Tony he had caused a data breach.

Tony and James stopped the Iron Soldiers’ rampage at the expo, while Justin Hammer was arrested for his role in the attack. Tony and James then went to Hammer Military Industries’ East Coast factory to confront Ivan Vanko.

• Tony dodged the malfunctioning Iron Soldiers’ gunfire as Luke tried to regain control of their systems.
• Tony destroyed several rogue Iron Soldiers, and James Rhodes destroyed the rest after Luke restored control of his armor.
• Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy escaped the venue, and Gwen worried after seeing her father enter it.
• Ina and Pepper identified Justin Hammer, and Captain George Stacy’s officers arrested him.
• Luke told Pepper that Tony and James had gone to Hammer Military Industries’ East Coast factory to face Ivan Vanko.

After Justin Hammer’s downfall devastated Hammer Military Industries, Luke and Ina negotiated with Nick Fury over new serums developed from an old Vampire. Nick agreed to help handle clinical trials and official channels, leaving the choice of test subjects to the underground world.

• Justin Hammer faced public condemnation, worsening charges, and a collapsing company as senators distanced themselves from him.
• Doctor Tilda Johnson showed Midtown High School students, including Gwen Stacy, Hebron’s biological research laboratory.
• Luke demonstrated a Healing Factor serum to Nick Fury and revealed a Longevity Serum that could slow aging and restore deteriorating organs.
• Luke explained that the serums came from research on an old Vampire from the Sphinx Family, alarming Nick about the consequences for the underground world.
• Ina and Nick negotiated a preliminary deal that gave Nick the Healing Serum at half price in exchange for handling orders and official channels.
• Nick said the underground world would provide test subjects for the human trials.

Nick monitored the first human trials of Luke’s Healing Serum after selling ten doses to underworld buyers. The tests showed rapid healing and temporary physical boosts, while the Longevity Serum remained untested.

• A black-suited man sold two Healing Serums to a gang leader at a New York Harbor dock, where a gunfight broke out shortly afterward.
• Nick Fury tasked Clint Barton with tracking the ten people who used the injections and recording every detail of their lives.
• Nick watched footage of the gang leader using a serum to recover from gunshot wounds and regain his strength.
• Luke reviewed Nick’s reports, which described the Healing Serum’s effects and noted that one test subject experienced unusually strong aggression around blood.
• Luke read that the Longevity Serum was still awaiting a test subject.

Peter told Gwen Stacy that he was studying under Dr. Connors, while Luke and Nick Fury discussed the Longevity Serum’s successful trials and plans to sell it. The chapter ended with Nick preparing to secure buyers for Luke’s serums as demand for vampire-derived products grew.

• Peter told Gwen Stacy that he had been helping Dr. Connors solve research problems using his father’s old notes and was now studying under him.
• Gwen told Peter that she had earned a work-study internship in Hebron’s biology department under Tilda Johnson.
• Nick Fury reported that the Longevity Serum had greatly improved an elderly test subject’s health, with doctors expecting his organs to function for another six years.
• Luke agreed to sell the Longevity Serum for two hundred million dollars per dose and let Nick handle preparations and customers in exchange for an eighty-million-dollar service fee.
• Nick said the Healing Serum was nearing its third testing phase and that he would seek large orders, while Luke warned that production capacity was limited.

Blade learned that government forces were hunting Vampires to obtain a life-extending substance. Meanwhile, Dr. Matilda Johnson proposed creating Werewolf Soldiers to track and capture Vampires, and Luke sent her to present the project to Ms. Ina.

• Blade cornered Morin in his safe house and asked who was hunting Vampires and why.
• Morin told Blade that government forces were likely responsible and that they sought a substance extracted from Vampires that could extend life.
• Blade left through Morin’s window after offering him a favor, while Morin complained about the broken window.
• Dr. Matilda Johnson presented Luke with her Werewolf Project proposal for creating soldiers equipped to track, fight, and paralyze Vampires.
• Luke approved the proposal and told Tilda to take it to Ms. Ina.

After Uncle Ben’s death, Peter Parker withdrew from his friends, while Gwen Stacy discovered that a symbiote had entered her body and could read her thoughts. Gwen remained uncertain whether to trust it and decided to get a medical examination.

• Peter Parker avoided Aunt May, Gwen Stacy, and Harry Osborn as he grieved Uncle Ben’s death and blamed himself.
• Aunt May told Gwen and Harry that Peter needed time alone, and Harry drove Gwen home.
• Gwen heard a voice insisting that she liked Peter, though Harry denied speaking to her.
• The voice introduced itself as a symbiote living inside Gwen and explained that it fed on her emotions, especially happiness gained through knowledge.
• Gwen decided to seek an examination despite the symbiote’s assurances that it was harmless and could keep her healthy.

Luke discussed what to do with Quiet, the symbiote removed from Gwen, and let Gwen decide whether to keep her. Quiet rejoined Gwen and resisted Luke’s research offer until he sprayed her with Synthetic Agent, after which she agreed to negotiate for room and board.

• Gwen explained that Quiet was an alien symbiote that fed on emotions and could enhance its host, while Tilda and Luke considered its scientific value.
• Luke told Gwen she could decide Quiet’s fate, and Gwen asked to take Quiet with her.
• Gwen opened the jar, and Quiet leaped onto her arm and merged with her before emerging to correct Luke and Tilda about her pronouns.
• Quiet refused Luke’s research proposal and suggested he find other symbiotes, whom she described as bad guys.
• Luke sprayed Quiet with Synthetic Agent, and she enjoyed its taste before agreeing to discuss research in exchange for room and board.

Gwen Stacy signed a research agreement with Hebron on Quiet’s behalf while Nick Fury used Longevity Serum to secure funding and place huge orders for Healing Potions and serum. In California, Carlton Drake’s experiments at Life Foundation continued to kill symbiote hosts, and Dora Skirth remained afraid to defy him.

• Gwen Stacy met the alien creature inside her and signed an auxiliary research agreement with Hebron on Quiet’s behalf.
• Nick Fury used Longevity Serum to bargain with senior officials for funding and subsidies for S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Nick placed an order for Healing Potions worth 20 billion dollars and tens of billions of dollars’ worth of Longevity Serum.
• At Life Foundation, Carlton Drake declared Symbiote A02 a failure and ordered his security guard to bring in more Experiment Subjects.
• Dora Skirth told Carlton Drake that they had no more candidates, while fearing his demands and the consequences of refusing him.

Carlton Drake pressured Dr. Dora to continue Life Foundation experiments on homeless people, while Quiet urged Luke to seek out the captured symbiotes. After Gwen left Luke’s laboratory, he had White Queen search for information on the Life Foundation.

• Carlton Drake dismissed Dr. Dora’s concerns and ordered her to find a way to prevent symbiote rejection in human hosts.
• Quiet told Luke that the Life Foundation had captured her former companions and urged him to go after them.
• Luke gave Gwen Quiet’s emotion-supplying spray and sent her out of the laboratory.
• Quiet suggested that Gwen pursue Luke instead of Peter, but Gwen rejected the idea and sprayed her with the agent.
• After Gwen left, Luke ordered White Queen to search for news about the Life Foundation.

Dr. Dora Skirth enlisted Eddie Brock to expose the Life Foundation’s deadly experiments, and Eddie broke into its laboratory to gather evidence. He freed Maria, triggering the alarms, and she attacked him as black liquid seeped into his body.

• After another test subject died, Dr. Dora Skirth sought out Eddie Brock and told him about the Life Foundation’s experiments, but Eddie initially refused to help.
• Eddie reconsidered and met Dora that evening, agreeing to photograph evidence inside the laboratory while she helped him get in and out.
• Dora secretly brought Eddie into the Life Foundation, where he recorded images and information about the dying and dead test subjects in glass compartments.
• Eddie found Maria, who begged him to free her, and smashed the glass after discovering he lacked authorization to open her compartment.
• The shattered glass triggered the security alarm, and Maria lunged at Eddie and choked him as black liquid seeped from her hands into his body.

Snoke identified Eddie Brock’s condition as a symbiote infection and persuaded Eddie to accept help protecting Dr. Dora Skirth. The chapter ended with Dora receiving a warning to leave the Life Foundation so Snoke’s allies could extract her.

• Snoke reviewed footage of Eddie escaping the Life Foundation and sent his findings to Snoke in California.
• Eddie returned home, ate frantically, and found Snoke waiting for him.
• Snoke told Eddie that a symbiote caused his bodily changes, and Eddie recalled the alien visitor from the Life Foundation.
• Snoke warned Eddie that Dr. Dora Skirth was in danger of being exposed, and Eddie confirmed she had helped him enter the Life Foundation.
• Dora received a message warning her to leave the Life Foundation immediately so Snoke’s allies could take her to safety.

Carlton Drake learned that Dr. Dora Skirth had helped Eddie Brock enter the Life Foundation and ordered his men to find them. Snoke removed the symbiote from Eddie and urged him to leave, then arranged for Eddie’s evidence against Drake to reach Nick Fury, who received Luke’s file at work.

• Terry told Carlton Drake that Dr. Dora Skirth had caused the disturbance and had already left the company, so Carlton sent men after her and Eddie Brock.
• At Eddie’s home, Dr. Dora recognized that Eddie was infected by a symbiote and urged him to seek treatment.
• Snoke used a sonic weapon to separate the symbiote from Eddie, and his subordinate sealed it in a jar.
• Snoke warned Eddie and Dr. Dora that Carlton Drake would pursue them and advised Eddie to send him the evidence and take a different approach.
• Nick Fury arrived at S.H.I.E.L.D. and received a compressed file from Luke.

After learning that the Life Foundation planned to bring millions of alien symbiotes to Earth, Nick Fury authorized S.H.I.E.L.D. to stop Carlton Drake and granted Luke permission to obtain some symbiotes for research. He sent Natasha Romanoff to prevent the rocket launch and secure the creatures.

• Nick Fury reviewed the footage of the homeless test subjects and focused on the symbiotes rather than their deaths.
• Luke told Nick that the symbiotes were intelligent alien lifeforms that could influence their hosts and were drawn to villains.
• Luke revealed that the Life Foundation had found millions of symbiotes on a comet and that Carlton Drake planned to bring them to Earth.
• Nick declared Drake’s plan a threat to world security and agreed to give Luke authorization to obtain a few symbiotes for research.
• Nick assigned Natasha Romanoff to stop the rocket launch and ensure no symbiotes escaped, directing her to consult Snoke and Dr. Dora Skirth.

Luke began studying Venom after Snoke returned with him, while Quiet worried that she would lose her laboratory privileges and rations. Snoke reported that S.H.I.E.L.D. had seized the Life Foundation and recovered five symbiotes and its data, including the location of the Symbiote Comet.

• Eddie Brock became a celebrated reporter after exposing the Life Foundation's scandals, and news broke that Carlton Drake had died in an accident.
• Snoke returned to Hebron with Venom, and Quiet protested when Luke said he would study Venom instead of her.
• Luke promised Quiet her usual rations, and she left with Gwen Stacy, who was going home to see her boyfriend, Peter Parker.
• Snoke told Luke that Carlton Drake had been parasitized by another symbiote and had caused casualties while resisting S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents.
• Snoke reported that his team helped S.H.I.E.L.D. seize five symbiotes and the Life Foundation's stored data, including the Symbiote Comet's location.