Just as Riot led a large number of Symbiotes into the battle between Spider-Man and The Lizard, another conflict involving Symbiotes unfolded in a corner of New York City.
In the United States, where private military and security consulting companies legally existed, private companies' security teams could possess a certain level of weaponry and legally use it within designated areas as long as they applied through proper channels.
For instance, in certain more chaotic cities, even night-shift security guards at shopping centers were allowed to carry guns. One could imagine just how disorderly those cities were.
The Life Foundation, once Vampires' white glove, had a security team equipped no worse than the police, and most of its members were veterans. Their formidable combat capabilities were obvious.
Moreover, their actual work was not limited to protecting the company and its employees. They often kidnapped homeless people off the streets as well. Naturally, the members of this security team did not possess particularly noble morals.
Now, this group had gathered in a district of cheap apartments in Brooklyn, where New Yorkers without money tended to congregate. The security was only slightly better than in Hell's Kitchen.
More than a dozen people were scattered among different SUVs, keeping in contact through radio communicators.
"Boss, who are we catching today?"
Sitting in the lead black SUV, the team commander spoke into the radio. "Didn't you watch the news about the Williamsburg Bridge a few days ago? The person the boss wants us to catch is that reporter who fell from the bridge into the water. That guy once offended our boss."
"Hey, boss, do you really need to feed us that line? Eddie Brock, the reporter who got investigated into obscurity, offended our big boss Carlton Drake nearly half a year ago. Why would