Daxter Lab was an underground laboratory that could easily be expanded. It was intended for long-term use and thus creating a new section did not require too much digging. Reed had invented a special component within the walls of the laboratory that automatically dug toward a certain side, circumventing the need to dig manually. The process was simple: dirt was dug up, then replaced with metal. It was a very strange aspect of the laboratory that he did not fully understand until he commanded it.
Last week, while at work, this happened:
'So think: what can I do in the meantime? I'm working on the chamber for Project Rebirth. Once results start coming in for animal testing, the project will probably enter its last stages, whether that means success or failure.'
Chamber…
He ate his sandwich.
'A chamber…' He stopped chewing. 'Oh! I mean, it's nothing special but it's an excellent way to pass the time!'
This was it. This was what he had been working on for the past week during his nights. And tonight, it was finished and bathed in the soft glow of LED lights. Whenever Felix wasn't around, Herbie the robot worked on it. And since the robot didn't require rest of any capacity, it was essentially working on it twenty-four-seven.
"Herbie, increase the brightness in the central chamber by 20%," Felix commanded, his voice echoing slightly in the vast space.
Herbie responded promptly. "Brightness increased by 20%. Is this satisfactory, Dr. Faeth?"
"Perfect, thanks."
The chamber was a training ground—a place where he could push his spider powers to their limits without fear of causing damage or injury. The tiles were red and a grand central control unit was at the center.
"Run a structural integrity analysis on the chamber walls again," Felix instructed, his eyes scanning the plans for any potential weaknesses. The chamber was designed to withstand extreme forces, from his superhuman strength to the intense impacts of his webbing.
"Analysis complete," Herbie reported. "The current design can withstand up to 30 tons of force per square inch and temperatures up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there is a 0.5% chance of structural failure under prolonged exposure to repetitive high-impact forces."
Felix frowned, considering this. "Not good enough. We need to eliminate that 0.5%. Can we reinforce the walls with an additional layer of Vibranium mesh? Do we have enough or do we need to buy Vibranium?"
Vibranium cost ten thousand dollars per gram. Therefore, one kilo of Vibranium would cost a billion dollars alone. There was a reason T'Challa was worth ninety trillion dollars. Vibranium was royalty.
"Updating design now," Herbie said. "Reinforcement will increase overall durability by 15% and reduce the chance of failure to 0.1%. Two kilos of Vibranium will be necessary. Dr. Faeth's funds are insufficient."
"Which means we have to downgrade. Adamantium is definitely out of the question. That shit is manufactured by the government."
"How about Carbonadium?" Herbie suggested.
"I think I've heard of it. Hmmm…what was it…ah, yes! It was the USSR's response to Adamantium! Said to be nearly indestructible but second to True Adamantium. Something like that anyway."
During Project New Element, he did quite a lot of research on metals. Probably too much considering how much he had to dive through to find that tidbit.
"Correct. Carbonadium is produced by Russia and identical to Secondary Adamantium in strength. It is also more malleable. Due to lack of buyers, it is a common replacement for Adamantium in black markets and much lower in price. Two kilos of Carbonadium cost twenty million US dollars."
Felix smiled, satisfied. "Much better. When will it arrive if you make the purchase?"
"Two weeks."
"Then do it."
"Purchase confirmed," Herbie said with a ding.
"Let's move on to the internal systems," Felix said. "I'm sure you've already developed the automated training modules I requested for?"
"Holographic opponents, adjustable gravity fields, and dynamic obstacle courses," Herbie stated. "Any other training modules to be added?'
"Make sure the holograms can simulate various martial arts styles, not just one at a time. I need to expand my combat skills and learn from realistic opponents."
"Understood. Updating internal systems design," Herbie responded.
Felix glanced around the lab, his eyes lingering on the various pieces of equipment and projects in various stages of completion. The week of work felt short. With Herbie, every day felt like he was moving through months of work.
"Let's start finishing things up then," Felix said, rolling up his sleeves. "You ready, Herbie?"
The robot flew over instead of answering him through the lab's speakers. Herbie's monitor emoted a smile, exchanging looks with him, and they got to work.
Hours passed in a blur of focused activity. Felix lost himself in the work, his mind fully engaged in the task at hand. He checked and rechecked each connection, each weld, ensuring that everything was exactly as it should be.
"Herbie, run another structural integrity analysis," Felix ordered as the final panel was put into place.
"Analysis complete. The chamber is now rated to withstand up to 36.2 tons of force per square inch and temperatures up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. All systems are functioning within optimal parameters," Herbie reported.
Felix let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Good. Now let's test the internal systems."
He stepped into the chamber, feeling a thrill of anticipation. The door closed behind him with a soft hiss, sealing him inside. The walls were smooth and featureless, designed to provide no advantage or leverage. The floor tiles were red and checkered, double-protected for the wiring underneath. This was a place where he could test his limits and hone his abilities.
"Activate training module one," Felix said. "Boxing and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu."
The chamber hummed to life. A single holographic opponent materialized in front of him. Felix moved into a fighting stance.
The opponent charged and struck. Felix dodged easily but not for long. A flurry of precise, calculated blows followed. Felix imitated his opponent and the footwork, his movements instinctive yet effective in avoiding.
It was his Spider-Sense. That was the biggest factor. Even though Herbie calibrated the holograms to match the likes of Captain America, it wasn't enough to touch him.
So to even the playing field…
"Activate 2Gs of gravity!"
To say he felt the difference was an understatement. Almost immediately, his legs felt like they slammed into the floor and he very narrowly dodged the punch. He wasn't so lucky with the second.
"Contact made!" Herbie announced. "Scanning for faults…too much reliance on Spider-Sense. Ignore the sensation and focus on your own movements."
"That's gonna be hard. The Spider-Sense is practically stuck to me."
"Continue training?"
His legs were trembling. Luckily, it wasn't painful because of his healing factor. Whatever the gravity was doing to his muscles, it merely manifested as being tough to move in.
"Continue," Felix said.
That was the start of his training. By the time an hour went by, he was getting a proper grasp of martial arts.
"Continue."
"Contact made!"
"Contact made!"
"Contact made!"
With every contact made was a brief explanation. With every movement, Felix's brain adjusted slightly.
"Contact made!"
"Contact made!"
"Contact made!"
Two long, frustrating hours went by. X-marks signified exactly where he was hit. His opponent was a hologram so there couldn't be physical damage dealt. To compensate, he had holographic X-marks to show where precisely the attack landed and how to rectify his mistake.
Sweat dripped down his face as he pushed himself harder, faster. He could feel his muscles straining, his reflexes sharpening with each passing second. This was what he needed—a place where he could train without holding back, where he could become the best version of himself.
"Adjust gravity to two and a half times Earth standard," Felix called out.
The weight increased, and Felix felt the burn in his muscles intensify. He pushed through it, abusing his healing factor to keep up with the relentless pace of the training module. If speed was leveled out and he only had his Spidey-Sense, then he also needed martial arts. Boxing was going to be the first. The footwork and basic striking principles were easier to grasp.
After another four hours, Felix finally called a halt. "Deactivate training module."
The hologram vanished, and the chamber returned to its inert state. Felix stood in the center, breathing heavily but feeling a profound sense of accomplishment.
"How was the training, Dr. Faeth?" Herbie asked.
Felix smiled, wiping sweat from his brow. "Exactly what I needed. This chamber is going to be a game-changer. But, uh…" He glanced over his shoulder. There was a dent in the wall, courtesy of his fist. "Be sure to have Herbie fix it up after every session."
"Understood, Dr. Faeth. Initiating further refinement protocols."
***
The sweat and odour that typically happened with exercise occurred with Felix but on a far smaller scale. Extremis was all about adapting and that included the need to sweat. His body did perspiration so efficiently that the hours of training ultimately amounted to a couple drops and no foul odour. Coming back home, he saw Miles again. This time, even though he was sitting on the stairs, he was also on his phone.
Felix stopped in front of him. "What's up this time, kid?"
"Woah!" Surprised, Miles nearly dropped his phone. Chuckling nervously, he put it into his back pocket. "Nothing! Nothing at all!"
"It's the weekend. You should be chilling with your friends. Unless..." Felix smiled. "What, are you texting your girlfriend?"
"No, no, no, nothing like that. It's a school thing."
"On a weekend?"
No answer, just a guilty look.
Felix put a hand on his hip, chuckling. "Let me guess: you failed a test and you were messaging your friends on how to get out of it?"
Miles pursed his lips, then buried his face in his hands. "My mom is gonna kill me…"
"What subject? I mean, if it's math or something, then maybe you can—"
"Spanish."
Felix was flabbergasted. "...don't you speak Spanish?"
"It's different, man!" Miles made wild gestures. "Like…it's super formal and stuff."
Felix wasn't quite convinced, tilting his head and scanning the teen. "Wait, did you fail it or…skip it?"
Miles grimaced. "...I might have done some skipping."
Felix held in a disappointed sigh and crouched down to his level. "What was your midterm grade?"
"...B."
Finally, the sigh escaped. "Your grade is going to nosedive."
"I know, I know! B-but it wasn't my fault, I had to chase that bastard!"
"Who?"
"Remember that day I got beat up? The dude that did it was a college guy and I saw him on the street and well…I ran after him."
"Miles…" Felix put a hand on his shoulder and forced him to look him in the eye. "Did you at least win?"
Miles blinked, surprised. "Err…I got a punch in before a cop came by and broke it up. Oh, but don't worry, he promised not to put it on our records."
"From now on, if something like this happens, then talk to me. I'd feel bad if something happened to you."
"Are you good at fighting or something?"
"Really good."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
A moment passed where Miles looked into his eyes to see if he was lying. He wasn't. Felix stood back up, hands in his pocket.
"W-what about the FEAST thing?" Miles asked, also getting up. "I feel bad that you're doing so much for me."
Felix winked. "You'll see."
"You've been saying that all week…"
"Give me a month and keep an eye on the news—"
"Wait! Oh shoot!" Miles face-palmed. "Never mind that! The test."
"Right, you skipped it—"
"No, no, the thing I was nervous about was that my teacher was going to call my mom for it," Miles said hurriedly. "My teacher said she was going to call the parents of the kids on Saturday afternoon. We have only one home phone and it's in the kitchen, and my mom isn't going to leave that area. She's always there, cooking and cleaning and watching stuff in the living room."
Which was nearby.
"Damn, okay. Okay, that is bad." Felix paused. Quickly, Herbie checked the Morales family's home phone and whether the teacher had called. Nope, not yet. "I'll be the distraction then."
"Huh? Really? You'd do that for me?" Hope was rekindled once again.
"Come on, let's get going. Rio isn't stupid, she'll know something is up sooner or later."
They began to go up the stairs and into the complex. Miles tried to give him some advice. "There's this drama she's been watching. Talk about that."
"What is it called?"
"I don't know."
"Great help, Miles."
He was lucky Herbie was there to save the day. In moments, his glass hacked into her television and received cliff notes of the show he was watching.
'Perfect.'
As Felix and Miles climbed the stairs to their apartment, Felix could sense the nervous energy radiating from the teenager. Miles fumbled with his keys before finally opening the door. The familiar scents of home cooked food and the soft hum of a telenovela greeted them. Rio was in the living room, very close to the kitchen, sitting casually on the couch.
"Hey, Mom!" Miles called out, trying to sound casual.
"Hola, mijo!" Rio greeted. She blinked when she saw the man accompanying her and stood up. "Ah, Felix! Nice to see you."
"Rio," Felix responded with a smile. "Something smells amazing."
"Oh, just making some chicken and rice. Nothing special. You boys hungry?"
"Not right now," Felix said, stepping inside. He turned to Miles and gave him a look.
Miles understood. Going directly into the kitchen would arouse suspicion. First, Miles had to go back and change. Do his usual thing. So that was what he did. He ran off and left Felix alone with Rio at the entrance.
Rio crossed her arms. She seemed almost apologetic. That made sense considering what happened the last time they met. Her gaze lingered on his crotch before flicking up his face.
Felix tilted his head to look over to the television and pretended that he was surprised. "Oh, you watch 'El Amor de Mi Vida' too?"
"Wait, you've seen it?" Rio asked, puzzled.
"The woman who falls in love with a man she thought was dead. Unless that scene I'm seeing is the wrong one," Felix said, reading the notes given to him by the glasses.
Rio lit up like the stars in the night. "Yes, that's the show! Wow, you've really seen it!?"
"I just finished season 1."
"Ah, so you're a bit behind me." Rio's eyes twinkled. "Trust me, it's great."
"Last episode plot twist?"
The smile on her face was infectious. "Maaaaybe."
"Who's your favorite character?"
Miles' door creaked open but at this point Rio didn't care. She didn't notice as her son tip-toed past her and went into the kitchen. Felix was slightly impressed. The kid could have been a ninja.
"Well, there's Alejandro. He's just so... complicated, you know? He's got this dark past but he's trying to do the right thing."
Felix nodded, pretending to be deeply interested. "Super sweet and badass. Remember the thing with the rose flowers?"
"Oh god, that was so badass!"
Miles, in the meantime, had slipped quietly into the kitchen where the home phone lay. He mouthed a silent "Thank you" to Felix before disappearing. Felix, aware that the call could come in seconds, minutes, or an hour, kept Rio engaged.
"Maybe we could watch an episode together sometime?" he suggested.
Rio's eyes widened, and she gave a small, nervous laugh. "That sounds... nice. But only when Miles is out, you know? Wouldn't want him interrupting."
Felix smiled warmly. "Of course. Just let me know when you have some free time."
At that moment, the phone rang, a shrill sound cutting through their conversation. Rio turned her head toward the hallway. "Oh, the phone—"
"Oh, by the way," Felix said, getting out his phone. "Do you know about FEAST?"
"Ah, yes, I used to volunteer there," Rio said, immediately turning back. The phone, which had been ringing, stopped as Miles picked up. "Did something happen?"
"I want to pour some money into it. Big money," Felix clarified. His words were genuine, but he was also keenly aware of the ticking clock. He needed to keep her distracted just a little longer. The phone call was currently happening so he switched topics to something serious.
"How much are we talking?" Rio raised a brow and threw a shrugging hand. Suddenly, he could really hear the accent in her voice. It was almost feisty. "Big as in thousands? Tens of thousands?"
"I'm talking millions."
Rio blinked twice, hand falling. "Are you pulling my leg?"
"Nope."
"Wait, wait, wait." Rio laughed a little, then made a face. "I thought you worked for…" Oscorp. All of a sudden, Rio seemed to understand how he could have that much money. "But you're…I mean, you look young. You're probably not even thirty."
"You can't be much older either, no?" Felix teased.
"Oh, come on, I'm not the type to obsess over her age."
"Twenty-nine maybe? Thirty?"
"Ha. Ha. I'm forty-three," Rio said.
According to Herbie—yes, she was.
NAME: Rio Morales
OCCUPATION: Middle School Teacher, Former Nurse
GENDER: Female
AGE: 43
MARITAL STATUS: Widow
HEIGHT: 5′6 / 1.70 m
WEIGHT: 141 lbs / 64 kg
IRISES: Brown
HAIR COLOUR: Brown
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (State University of New York)
PARENTS: Unknown father, Gloria Morales (mother)
SIBLINGS: Maria Morales (sister), Aaron Davis (brother-in-law)
CHILDREN: Miles Morales (son)
SPOUSES: Jefferson Davis (ex-husband, MIA)
SPECIAL NOTE: Unknown to Rio Morales, her husband did not die in a shootout during the Kingpin Operation. According to top-secret NYPD records, Jefferson David betrayed the NYPD, stole the Kingpin's riches, and disappeared. Years later, he was discovered to be Scorpion, a member of S.I.L.K. The codename Scorpion was known for overseeing actions at the V.I.P. area of Club Scorpion for million-dollar items obtained on the black market. He was apprehended by the police with the help of Spider-Woman, AKA Gwen Stacy but escaped. Scorpion/Jefferson Davis has been missing ever since.
'Excuse me—what?'
From the corner of his eye, he saw Miles give him a thumbs-up. He was done with the call. Felix wasn't sure if he was supposed to smile. He did it solely out of necessity.
'Silk…to think she was connected to Silk of all things.'
Calling the world a small place was an understatement. To think he would meet the ex-wife of a member of Cindy Moon's anti-SHIELD organization. Being Spider-Man was fucking weird.
"Felix?" Rio asked, laughing. "Is it really that shocking?"
"Huh? No—I mean, yes, obviously." Keep calm, Felix. The report said she didn't know. "You look like you're in your twenties."
Rio rolled her eyes playfully. "Don't get too chummy. I know what men usually say after something like that."
"That they'll donate money?"
Rio paused. She leaned forward and said in a low, almost husky voice, "Okay, so you said millions but how many millions? Like…could you spare a couple thousands? You know, for...local charity. Very local."
With an amused smile, Felix leaned down closer. "Hmm, I did say I owed you for the dinners. But...say, when did home-made dinners cost thousands of dollars?"
"Hey, how would you know, Mr. Rich Guy?" At this point, they were quite close. They were teasing, joking, but the eye contact made it something more. It wasn't until Miles turned on his PS5 that they jolted and the moment broke.
"So, um, do you want to stay for dinner?" Rio suggested, hands folded behind her. Dark brown skin, dark brown hair in a braided ponytail, gold hoop earrings, and plain blue PJs with orange stains on the waist and breast.
Felix thought about it. He really did. But given this new revelation, his training, and his need to work, he had to decline. "Work is unfortunately not letting me off easy. We're in the final stages of something big."
For both Project New Element and Project Rebirth II.
"Okay." Rio took a small breath and wore a big smile. "You do that then. I will…well, I'll be here."
Felix retreated three steps back, opening the door behind going, and getting out. Rio followed him, standing at the door and watching him take three more steps to reach his door. He looked over his shoulder, nodding, before using his keys and going inside.
In regards to FEAST, he did have a plan. He only needed a bit of time, that was all. He didn't actually need Rio's help, although it would speed the plan up. Felix put his back to the door, sighing.
The Scorpion...is her ex-husband...'
Felix collected himself and walked to his room. "Herbie," he called out. "Investigate Jefferson David. Pull up every bit of information on him. If someone of his calibre is still around, then he could definitely gain a huge footing in this current power vacuum."
Because while the Inner Demons and the Hand were defeated, that didn't mean crime was. In months time, someone was going to take their place. The question was who.