"Aaand done."
Five hours later and the phone was fixed. The repairs went faster than Felix expected. The damage had been centered around the exterior of the miniature arc reactor battery and the screen. Everything else was fine, including the high-tech modifications that Reed installed. As always, the prodigy's ingenuity was flawless.
"Hello, Dr. Faeth."
Earbuds plugged in, Herbie's voice echoed loud and clear.
"Hey, Herbie," said Felix. "You remember me, right?"
"Of course I do. All H.E.R.B.I.E software share a core memory."
'Not what I meant. Before you were glitching out.' The issue was that Reed's phone was completely original. As in, it wasn't a Samsung or an Apple product; it was a Reed Richards original. Unless a person was into tech like Felix was, telling one smooth smartphone apart from another was difficult.
That made fixing it harder too. Luckily, because of how much time he spent with Reed, he was able to recognize his tech and adjust accordingly. The phone was powered by a miniature arc reactor, a type of energy source that was several degrees above his pay grade. He didn't understand it but he was able to fix its exterior.
Leaning back, he sighed and looked up at the ceiling. He had pulled an all-nighter but admittedly he wasn't that tired.
'Either it's super stamina or Extremis kicking in. Regardless, I can do all-nighters like this, no issue.'
He went to the bathroom to check if there were bags under his eyes. As expected, no, there was nothing. He was totally okay from the outside and inside.
"I am hungry," Felix admitted. "All things considered though, I'm super efficient."
Coming back outside, he noticed his phone—his actual phone—beeping.
> Dr. Octavius: Reminder! Meeting in an hour!
> Dr. Octavius: Just in case! You better be on your way!
'Oh shoot!' He face-palmed and ran back to the bathroom. 'I gotta go!'
He took a shower, brushed his teeth, quickly combed his hair, scooped up Reed's phone, and rushed out of his apartment unit. Somebody bumped right into his chest.
"Ah, Felix, apologie—"
He grabbed Rio by the shoulders and put her to the side. He sent an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, Rio, I'm super late!"
"Bye then—"
Felix hurried down the stairs of his apartment building. He checked the time on his phone and realized he was cutting it close for his visit to Oscorp Tower.
As he reached the platform of the subway, the train doors slid shut just before he could step on board. 'Crap!'
He let out a frustrated sigh, watching as the subway car departed with a whooshing sound. It was a missed opportunity that added unwanted pressure to an already tight schedule.
'Okay, okay, calm down. Remember, you have to be there to get the information from Dr. Octavius' computer. You have Reed's phone, you have Herbie.'
Felix took a deep breath, his mind shifting gears. He remembered the capabilities his newfound powers afforded him—the enhanced speed, agility, and wall-crawling ability. 'Screw it!' With a surge of determination, he decided to rely on his own abilities rather than depending on a cab or public transport.
Pulling out his new phone, he accessed the H.E.R.B.I.E software and, with a few swift taps, he activated the route-planning feature, inputting his destination—Oscorp Tower. Herbie's familiar voice spoke again as he wore his earbuds.
"Accounting for newly acquired speed and agility…destination set."
In a flash of a second, the installed H.E.R.B.I.E in his new phone processed the information and calculated a route optimised for his enhanced abilities. A digital map materialized on the screen, highlighting the quickest path that utilized his superhuman speed while navigating through New York City's landscape.
Felix scanned the route, mentally visualizing the path laid out. He tapped his shoes against the ground, then set off.
He almost tripped.
'Man, I'm still not used to running!'
His strides were swift and purposeful as he sprinted through the bustling streets, his movements guided by the calculated route. He manoeuvred through the city's terrain with the precision of an Olympic athlete, when really, he was relying on his superhuman equilibrium to do all the work for him.
Occasionally, he scaled walls or took shortcuts through alleys, utilizing his newfound wall-crawling abilities to bounce off buildings and navigate obstacles that would have otherwise slowed him down. Fences were small stones for him to leap over.
"Camera on route!"
"Rush hour on the street! Go left!"
Herbie kept advising and commenting on where to go.
Glancing at his phone intermittently, Felix tracked his progress, noticing the estimated time of arrival steadily decreasing as he covered ground with remarkable speed. The AI's calculations proved accurate, guiding him through a route that maximized his powers and minimized travel time.
In fifteen minutes, he had run from Harlem all the way to Midtown Manhattan. Over eight miles in fifteen minutes, faster than the fastest man in the world and that was ignoring how unconventional his run had been.
Felix approached Oscorp Tower, his pace steady as he navigated through the lingering police presence from the recent incident. Patrol cars lined the area, officers maintaining a watchful eye on the surroundings.
Among the officers, a familiar face caught Felix's attention—Officer Grimm.
"Felix, good to see you again," Officer Grimm said.
Felix nodded, retrieving his ID card and offering it for inspection. "Good to see you, officer. Hopefully everything is okay?"
"In a manner of speaking. Repairs are happening so keep on your toes." Officer Grimm inspected the ID card before nodding in confirmation. "You're good to go," he said, stepping aside to allow Felix access to the building.
"Thanks," Felix acknowledged with a grateful nod, slipping his ID back into his pocket. He understood the heightened security measures following the incident.
However, the situation wasn't so tense that phones and earbuds weren't allowed. Good. Given his task, Felix couldn't help but feel a sense of relief at smoothly navigating the security checkpoint.
The receptionist area was empty. Oscorp Tower was a barren tower. Czarina and the opposing secretary weren't around. Inhaling sharply, Felix went over to the elevator.
So colour him shocked when he saw Czarina coming out of the elevator.
After all, Czarina was a perfect secretary in every way. She wore a smart suit that showed her cleavage and red lipstick that begged for kisses. She looked up at him, blinking once.
"Felix?" Czarina said in a soft voice. But behind the name was something else. There was some kind of tension in the air. One of those situations where nothing needed to be said because they both knew what happened.
"Czarina, it's good to see you." His own smile was of relief. She came out of the elevator and there was a brief moment of silence. "Um, you look good."
Czarina raised a brow, then smiled gently. "You too. I'm glad you're okay."
"Yeah. So, um, I'm going to Dr. Octavius'." The elevator door had remained open as if sensing his presence. "I'm surprised they got the elevator fixed so fast."
"It's Oscorp," Czarina said as if it explained everything. It did. The company was rich. Give them a week and Oscorp Tower would be back to normal. Slight exaggeration but you got the message.
"See you later then," Felix said, nodding. Czarina nodded back. It wasn't like the two of them were super close but after what had happened it would be strange for them not to be closer. They hadn't seen each other since the incident, despite seeing each other's face nearly every single day at work. It was…humbling, almost.
As the elevator doors closed, he was able to see her pretty face. 'So many people got hurt. I'm glad she wasn't one of them.'
The began its descent to B3: Dr. Octavius's office. His thoughts swirled with the anticipation of the impending meeting, yet amidst the anticipation, there was an underlying sense of relief to finally be making progress in his investigation.
As the elevator chimed and the doors opened to Dr. Octavius's floor, Felix stepped out, his gaze fixed on the office entrance.
"Cameras inbound," Herbie noted.
'I know.'
Calmly, he walked and opened the office door. Standing in the middle of the office was Dr. Octavius. The brown fuzzy hair and white lab coat could not be mistaken.
Despite the real intention behind his visit, he couldn't help but feel relieved. It was good to see a familiar face.
It was the same for her. Upon seeing Felix, her eyes widened with genuine warmth. Without hesitation, she hurried towards him, her arms opening wide in a welcoming gesture. "Felix!"
Felix was momentarily taken aback by the sudden embrace but reciprocated it warmly, enveloped in Dr. Octavius's comforting hug. Her genuine concern and affection washed away some of the tension he carried, even if briefly.
"I'm so glad you're okay," she murmured, holding onto the embrace for a moment longer before stepping back, her eyes searching his face. "More than okay! You look great!"
Felix smiled. "Eh, I think you're exaggerating," he said.
"Haha, maybe!'
"Local computer found," said Herbie, speaking into his earbuds. No matter how close Dr. Octavius was, she wouldn't be able to hear the AI. "Proceed with infiltration?"
"Yes," Felix replied as if speaking to Dr. Octavius and covered it up by adding, "well, uh, enough about me, doctor. How about you? You got taken away, remember?"
"Jeez, please don't remind me of that." Dr. Octavius turned and went back to her desk, plopping into her seat like a sack of bones.
"Why not? I remember you didn't look worried at all. I was seriously impressed," Felix said. "I know I was scared as hell."
"Call it experience. You don't get to where I am without getting threatened here and there," Dr. Octavius said. "Speaking of threats, I heard some private detective was bothering you?"
Ah, so she knew about Maria. Oscorp really shouldn't be underestimated.
"Yeah, but I ignored her," Felix assured.
"And got that extra reimbursement money." Dr. Octavius smiled. "Not bad."
A small smile in return. "How's Alistaire doing?"
"Recovering from surgery," she replied. "He'll live. He's too stubborn to die."
Felix's smile widened. "That he is," he said, before losing his smile. "And funeral arrangements?"
"Don't worry, I have it under control. Actually, it was one of the reasons I called you over. Do you want to make a speech? You and Reed were close, so…I understand if you do or don't want to be there."
A speech, huh? "I don't know," Felix said. "I…I've never been good with that kind of thing."
"No worries. I was close with Reed too, you know. He used to help me all the time with my own project." She let out a sigh. "Such a shame that he died so young."
Blink, blink.
Squint.
'…Reed helped you with your project?' He flashbacked to the first time he ever saw Reed, back when Felix was doing his interview and Reed was behind him, working on…something. 'Is it possible you were having Reed help you with Project New Element? Wait, that…that makes sense! It was her life's work but up until Reed came into her life she didn't make a lot of progress.'
It couldn't be…did she have Crossbones kill Reed because he knew too much? No, no, that…that was…ludicrous!
…right?
When Reed was fifteen, he split his first atom. At the age of sixteen, Reed Richards was regarded by the government as a super genius with an IQ clocking at 267. That number would have been higher if IQ tests weren't written on paper.
Robotics was what Reed enjoyed. That didn't mean it was his limit. No, far from it, he was an expert in all fields of science, from electrical, mechanical, aerospace engineering, electronics, chemistry, physics, biology and beyond.
"Loading…loading…"
Herbie's voice snapped him back to reality. Felix looked around and locked onto the cardboard box on her desk. "So about the stuff I have to take…"
"All here." Dr. Octavius gestured at the box. "The higher-ups aren't too pissed at us, so we should be fine if progress comes to be slow."
"But…you'll be taking the blame, no?"
"Trust me, they won't fire me," Dr. Octavius said, smirking. "Don't underestimate your boss."
He smiled back. "Thank you, Doctor."
"It's the least I can do."
"Oh, by the way, can I ask about Project Oscorpeus? Were the stolen spiders taken back?" Felix asked. There was no harm in asking.
"We…" Dr. Octavius bit her bottom lip, torn between telling. "...lost it. But don't worry, the mercenaries don't have it either. I can't go into detail but the police managed to intercept them. Unfortunately, things got hectic and the spiders were lost to an explosion."
'The NYPD intercepted military-grade mercenaries? Why do I feel like that's a lie?' Then there was the second part. 'The spiders are lost? Is that really true?'
"Good to know," Felix replied, pretending to be convinced. He went to pick up the box, an easy task given his super strength.
Too easy.
Her eyes widened slightly and the doctor laughed. "Look at you! It took me some time to lift that up, you know that?"
Felix snickered. "Doctor, you have the thinnest arms I have ever seen in my life."
"I resent that!"
Laughing, he bid her goodbye and stepped outside. Walking through the hall, his earbuds buzzed him with an alert—a notification that caught him off guard.
"Proceeding with text-to-speech," Herbie announced.
'Huh?' His earbuds were suddenly flooded with the robotic readout of an email.
> Subject: Re: Project New Element Progress Update
From: Dr. Octavius o.octavius@oscorptower.com
To: Dr. Elsa Brock e.brock@oscorptower.com
Dr. Brock,
I wanted to provide you with an update on our progress regarding Project New Element. The mercenaries did little damage to the device and though they left with its schematics it was heavily encoded. It will take time for them to decrypt it.
However, they will break through it. We must finish the New Element before they can.
Our recent breakthroughs in the fusion reactor prototype have shown promising results, albeit with certain challenges in stabilizing the energy output. I believe we are coming closer to a viable solution.
Additionally, I've observed some anomalous data readings that correlate with our recent adjustments to the molecular structure. I'm enclosing the reports for your review. Your insight into the matter would be greatly appreciated.
Best Regards,
Dr. Octavius
'Okay, so Maria wasn't lying. Project New Element IS real and Dr. Octavius is working on it.' Inside the elevator, he listened to the next email.
> Subject: Re: Project New Element - Anomalous Data
From: Dr. Elsa Brock e.brock@oscorptower.com
To: Dr. Octavius o.octavius@oscorptower.com
Dr. Octavius,
Thank you for the update and the data reports. I'm glad nothing happened to your work. Give Alistaire my best regards.
I've gone through the readings and it appears our modifications have indeed triggered some unexpected fluctuations. This aligns with the theoretical framework your employee suggested.
I suggest conducting further simulations to comprehend the implications of these fluctuations on the element's stability. Perhaps integrating the latest algorithm adjustments might shed light on resolving the destabilization issue.
Sincerely,
Dr. Brock
The elevator door opened and the text-to-speech ceased. Felix had so many questions, yet he could ask none as he was still in the building.
"These emails were sent on the day of the incident—April 3rd. However, it was sent from Dr. Olivia Octavius' phone, not her computer," Herbie explained. Meanwhile, Felix sent Czarina a curt nod. She nodded back. "According to the forty thousand logged emails, Dr. Elsa Brock possesses tenth level clearance within Oscorp, yet she has no listed position in Oscorp's public records."
Finally, he was outside. The police security checked the box in his hands, but other than that, they did not care. Felix was out and about in a minute.
He flagged over a taxi and waited to get inside the yellow car. After giving the cab driver his address, he asked in a low whisper, "And privately?"
"Loading…loading…Fantastic Computer analyzing emails…" Ten seconds passed. "Dr. Elsa Brock is the head of Project Symbiosis."
***
He was home. He was safe.
So what was this gnawing feeling in the back of his head? The hack was successful. No one could possibly have known it was him either.
'So calm down, Felix.' Felix clenched his fist. 'Stop being so jittery.'
He sat on his bed, the Oscorp box in front of him. Earbuds inserted, he listened to Herbie and the emails he extracted. There was so much information to skim through.
"Alright, stop," Felix said. "Is everything saved on the main computer?"
"Yes."
"Instead of reading it out to me pointlessly, send it over to the Fantastic Computer. Have it filter out relevant stuff."
"Key words?"
"Project New Element, Project Oscorpeus, Project Symbiosis, and Project Rebirth II." Felix thought about it some more. "Spiders, mercenaries, attack, and…hm, what else? Ah, Maria and Reed too."
"Dr. Octavius' account holds forty thousand emails. The entire Oscorp email network has upwards of one hundred million emails. Connection with Olivia Octavius's PC is still maintained. Begin hacking the Oscorp email network through the Fantastic Computer?"
"The whole email network?" Felix put his cheek in his hand. "Hm. I need to think for a second."
"Understood."
His head fell onto his pillow, sighing. 'Maria, Dr. Octavius, Dr. Bobbi, Crossbones and the mercenary group, Dr. Elsa Brock…so much to research. Where do I start?'
It wasn't like he didn't trust Maria but…better safe than sorry, right?
As for the Oscorp server, if he wanted to ascertain the truth, hacking would have to happen.
"How long will the connection last?" Felix asked, getting up to pace around his room.
"Until the servers refresh. From our estimates, that will occur in an hour."
Pace, pace, pace. He went in circles.
"So not long." Felix clicked his tongue. "It's Oscorp, of course security is thorough. How long would the hack take?"
"Forty to fifty minutes."
"Cutting it close," he murmured, putting a hand to his head. "Do it. Divert eighty percent of processing power to it."
The AI responded with its characteristic robotic tone. "Loading... loading... new estimation: twenty-eight to thirty minutes."
Felix clenched his jaw. Without thinking, he placed a foot on the wall. "A narrow window of time. Okay, begin."
His phone sent the signal and the Fantastic Computer commenced the hack. Felix's anxiety mounted. His thoughts consumed by the critical task at hand, he began to pace around the room faster, unaware that his subconscious control over his newfound spider-like abilities had kicked in.
Mid-stride, Felix blinked in surprise, realizing that he was now walking on the ceiling.
"Whoops." He dropped down to his bed and bounced to his feet. "That was weird. Anyway, what to do next? I'm going to work at home, so I don't really have an excuse to go to Daxter Labs everyday. It'll be suspicious. For now, I should build the computer through the parts that were given to me."
Felix examined the array of components laid out in the box, each bearing the distinctive mark of Oscorp's cutting-edge technology. First was the central piece, the Quantum Core Processor, which boasted unparalleled processing power that leveraged quantum computing principles to achieve computational speeds far beyond conventional systems. Accompanying the Quantum Core was the Oscorp Nano-Optic GPU, an extraordinary graphics processing unit with nano-scale architecture, capable of rendering intricate visual data with astounding clarity and speed. Its revolutionary design leveraged light manipulation at a molecular level, ensuring unparalleled performance in graphical processing.
'Damn. Good thing there's a manual here. Otherwise, this would have taken some time to crack.'
Underneath the manual were the storage modules—Oscorp's Quantum-Rapid SSDs. All in all, it was high-quality stuff. It didn't come close to the Fantastic Computer but it was a great system for home.
"Herbie," Felix called out, pointing the phone's camera at the Oscorp products on his bed, "can you scan it to check if there's malware?"
His earbuds buzzed in confirmation. "Scanning…scanning…scanning…no malware or spyware detected."
"Oh, uh, man, what about the rest of my place—"
"Dr. Faeth's unit has already been scanned due to protocol. If there was spyware in the vicinity of the area, you will be informed."
Felix let out a sigh. Damn, that would have been one HELL of a blunder. "Thanks, Herbie. One last thing, how long will it take for the emails to be filtered after the hack is complete?"
"Loading…confirmed. Sixty-eight minutes."
"Not too shabby for one hundred million emails." Felix rolled up his sleeves. "I should get to work too. New PC, here we come!"