Within the black mask of Spider-Man, emotion swelled up. To burst in there and torture those men personally was both redundant and useless.
Detective Mode was an advanced interface that maximized the processing power of the Fantastic Computer with the interconnectedness of the world. He could see their incomes, their jobs, and their political affiliations, and he could empty their bank accounts with a simple command.
But sometimes it was better to listen than to fight. Fighting was but one part of the world.
"I hate being her personal delivery man."
"Shut it. You know how much she pays us to never speak of it."
"Relax, we're in the back room. No one is gonna hear—oh, shit he's here."
The crooks were in a steel room. A secret room. Even though Spidey was fifty meters away on a rooftop that was way up, through Detective Mode, he was able to attain technological omniscience. They weren't lounging for fun. Access to this room was difficult to comeby too. They were waiting for someone.
Hammerhead.
There was one specific note Detective Mode had about him.
AS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE MAGGIA, HE MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED OTOMO'S MAGIA.
'His entire upper skeleton…it's not normal. It's made of Adamantium! But who…'
AFTER HAMMERHEAD WAS SHOT, HE NEEDED TO UNDERGO INTENSIVE RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY. MISTER NEGATIVE OFFERED TO REPLACE HIS ENTIRE UPPER SKELETON WITH A BRAND NEW CYBERNETIC ONE MADE OF ADAMANTIUM.
THIS WAS MISTER NEGATIVE'S FIRST INVOLVEMENT WITH THE MAGGIA AND OTOMO. ALTHOUGH HAMMERHEAD WOULD STILL LEAVE THE MAGGIA AFTER THIS, IT WAS ON RELATIVELY GOOD TERMS.
A heavyset man with a square jaw and a distinctive flat, skull-like forehead entered the room.
His presence alone was enough to make seasoned criminals quake in their boots. Hammerhead took a seat at the steel table, his eyes boring into the two crooks.
"So, yer Elektra's cronies?"
"Y-yeah," one crook said, trying to hide his nervousness.
"Good. I've got business to discuss." Hammerhead's voice and soul was like gravel, rough and uncompromising. "The Big Man needs Elektra's services. We need a special set of EMPs to take out the Rivals and Diablos gangs. They've been encroaching on our territory for too long."
The other crook nodded. "We can get in touch with her. She handles the money negotiations herself."
Hammerhead's expression darkened. "She better be quick about it. We're offering two million upfront and another two million for the success of the mission."
One of the crooks pulled out a flip phone, his hands shaking slightly. He dialed a number and held the phone to his ear. "Elektra? We've got Hammerhead here. He wants to discuss a job."
Spider-Man listened intently, his Detective Mode feeding him real-time data from the phone call. Elektra's voice was robotic on the other end. Probably to prevent people from identifying her from voice alone. "Put him on."
'This phone…it has a program that almost prevents tracking.'
Luckily for Spidey, the program was like child's play for Herbie.
The crook handed the phone to Hammerhead, who took it with a scowl. "Elektra, the legend. My request is simple: I want pocket-sized EMPs that can disable anything from a building to a phone when set."
"Making it is my job. Offering a price to buy it is yours."
"Oh?"
Elektra's voice was smooth, almost seductive. "Hammerhead, you know my services don't come cheap. For what you're asking, it's going to be three million upfront, and three million on completion."
Hammerhead's square jaw tightened. "That's steep, even for you."
"You know my work is worth it. If you want the Rivals and Diablos gone, you'll pay my price," Elektra replied firmly.
There was a tense silence before Hammerhead relented. "Fine. Three million upfront, three million upon completion."
"Good. I'll have the EMPs ready in 48 hours. You know how to reach me for the drop-off."
'That fast!?'
Even Hammerhead seemed surprised, though not unhappy by any means. "The Big Man sends his regards."
Click.
The call ended.
As Hammerhead handed the phone back, Spider-Man's Detective Mode had been busy scanning the phone's signal, triangulating Elektra's location. He had an address.
1524 West 47th Street, Hell's Kitchen.
He launched himself off the rooftop. Thwip!
***
Felix perched silently on the rooftop of the building opposite to where Elektra was staying. The address, 1524 West 47th Street, was a nondescript apartment building in Hell's Kitchen, white and with the ladders New York balconies were known for.
Activating Detective Mode, Felix's vision shifted, casting the world into a high-contrast overlay. He focused on the fourth floor, where Elektra resided, and began his scan. The walls of her apartment became translucent, revealing a detailed blueprint of her living space.
His gaze fixed on Elektra herself, lying on her bed in a state of deep meditation. 'Her brain…that's weird.'
HER BRAIN APPEARS TO SUPPORT HEIGHTENED COGNITIVE AND SENSORY ABILITIES.
Felix's Detective Mode scanned further, mapping out the structure of her muscles. Each muscle fiber was conditioned to perfection, a testament to years of rigorous training. She was a living weapon, every part of her body honed for lethal efficiency.
Detective Mode highlighted various objects within the apartment. Hidden compartments in the walls and furniture contained an arsenal of weapons: katanas, sai, throwing stars, and other blades. Concealed in the kitchen was a stash of firearms and ammunition. On a workbench in the corner of her living room were the materials for EMP devices.
This was it. This was who was responsible for Crossbones' legendary infiltration.
"Herbie," Felix whispered. "Make a list of everything we're seeing. Figure out how she's making those EMPs and try to see if we can copy the blueprints."
COMPILING DATA, DR. FAETH.
"In all likelihood, she's an assassin or a former assassin that has turned to building gadgets."
Specifically, EMPs which were used to help Crossbones infiltrate Oscorp Tower.
"I see a laptop. Can we access it?"
NEGATIVE. IT IS COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. IF IT WAS IN CHARGING, THEN THAT WOULD NOT BE THE CASE.
'I have two options then. Beat the shit of her and get what I want, sneak inside and do something with the laptop, or…I go in as a civilian.' His fingers stroked his chin.
"In forty-eight hours, Elektra is going to hand off her EMPs to her cronies to give to Hammerhead. She's already gotten paid three million and will get paid another three million."
His detective senses were tingling.
'What is she doing with all that money anyway? A quarter probably goes into supplies. EMPs of her calibre aren't sand castles, I can see that they're expensive. Is she really just saving up the other millions?'
Actually...did it matter? How she spent her money was wholly relevant. From his understanding, she was just a simple criminal. Not everything had to have some underlying reason.
'Stop overthinking. That's a good lesson to know.'
He took a deep breath, the cool night air filling his lungs, and prepared to swing away. Elektra's operations were now within his sights, and he had the evidence he needed to disrupt her plans. But confrontation would come later. For now, he had to strategize, to ensure that when he did make his move, it would be decisive.
"Herbie, find me a nearby electronic store. We're going to set-up a camera here that possesses thermal vision."
AFFIRMATIVE. NECESSARY EQUIPMENT AT GAMESTOP.
"Perfect." With one last glance at the building, Felix launched himself into the night, his web-shooters propelling him through the night.
***
Twenty-four hour surveillance of Elektra. His plan was to get a sense of her schedule, then make a move. Ultimately, he wanted to find an opening before her deal with Hammerhead. Whoever this Big Man was, he was dangerous and completely anonymous. Felix couldn't find a thing on him digitally. However, the fact that he was gearing up for war was enough. Felix was going to stop Elektra, Hammerhead, the Big Man, and every other gang involved.
Spider-Man intended to maintain the peace he created by defeating the Mister Negative and Otomo. He wasn't going to be like Gwen and leave things up to chance. He wasn't going to be reactive, he was going to plan ahead and do what no one else could.
Felix himself didn't keep watch of the camera, he had Herbie do that for him, letting the man under the costume to go to work without a hitch.
Felix stood at the base of Oscorp Tower, his eyes scanning the stream of employees exiting the building. The day's work had left him with a slight ache in his brain muscles. He leaned against a lamppost, waiting for someone specific.
Eventually, Herbie informed him that she was here. Tall, with an athletic build, and her no-nonsense demeanor was softened by the genuine smile that spread across her face when she spotted Felix.
"Felix," Jessica greeted him, warm with familiarity. "Been waiting long?"
"Not too long," Felix replied, returning her smile. "Ready for that coffee date we talked about?"
Jessica's grin widened. "Absolutely. I know a great place just a couple of blocks from here."
They walked side by side through the bustling streets, the neon signs and streetlights flickering to life as night fully descended. The coffee shop Jessica led them to was a cozy, hole-in-the-wall place with a rustic charm. They found a table near the back, away from the buzz of other patrons.
They settled in with their drinks, sipping quietly.
"So…"
"So, tell me," Jessica said, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in her eye, "you're one of those guys that went to those big colleges. What's it like?"
"I went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. It was nerdy and collaborative and kinda depressing. The material was definitely not work for the weak. Six days out of the week, I would sleep for four or five hours."
"Real tough, huh?"
"The big issue is that everyone there is smart. Everyone has something going and it makes you feel…ordinary."
Research was happening everywhere and everything was cutting-edge. It was why Felix kept to himself, especially with Extremis. Either he was going to be peppered with questions he couldn't answer or he'd be considered a joke.
"So…you failed," Jessica joked.
"As if. I was at the top of my class in everything to do with biology. Engineering and computer science though…eh, yeah, I failed a couple classes."
"No, shit?"
"Luckily, I had summer school so I could make up for it. Did waste a lot of money though."
"How much?"
"...a lot."
Jessica laughed, the sound genuine and infectious. "How many jobs did you work?"
"I had a couple scholarships so only one."
"Damn, you must be a serious genius, huh?"
"Not really. I was probably on the upper echelons in terms of grades but I definitely wasn't the smartest guy around. There was this one guy, Amadeus Cho, who is the current expert on gamma radiation. No one is better than him. Well, actually, there was this one guy—Bruce Banner—but he disappeared."
"Do I need to be worried? I am a security guard so if there's a serial killer scientist, I need to toughen up."
"Definitely not. He just disappeared off the grid from my understanding."
"If you say so." Jessica sipped and then glanced over at the cashier. "They're playing Dazzler."
Dazzler, a famous musician who played both solo and with her band "The Uncut Gems". She was the biggest pop star in the country, selling out albums and trending on social medias without effort. She specialized in country, pop, and indie folk. Felix didn't hate her music, being neutral to it. He recognized he wasn't the target audience and respected the woman-oriented music and otherwise didn't think much about it.
"You like her?"
"Hate her," Jessica said.
"So what do you listen to?"
"I hate music."
"Now that's an opinion I haven't heard before."
Felix felt a rare sense of relaxation in Jessica's company, her straightforwardness a refreshing change from the complexities of his double life. At the corner of the lenses of his glasses, Herbie reported that Elektra had ordered pizza.
'Interesting. Elektra orders pizza from the store closest to her. I bet she knows that place well. Probably not an opening.'
Analyzing for a plan while also talking. Felix could do both things at once without issue. His conversation with Jessica was interrupted by the arrival of Maria Hill. Felix's smile faltered for a brief second as he saw her approaching. Maria was in her typical detective trench coat.
"Maria," Felix said, nodding in greeting as she reached their table. "Didn't expect to see you here."
"A friend?" Jessica asked.
"Jessica meet Maria. Maria meet Jessica."
Acknowledgment was passed with nods. "Mind if I join you?" Maria asked.
Felix glanced at Jessica, who shrugged and nodded, and gestured to an empty chair. "Sure, have a seat."
Jessica leaned back in her chair, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp. "So, Maria, what brings you to this part of town?"
"Just finished a meeting nearby," Maria replied smoothly, her eyes flicking to Felix. "Thought I'd grab a coffee and saw you two here. What a coincidence."
'Yeah, right.' Felix narrowed his eyes. 'She's planning something.'
Felix, her ally, and Jessica, a security guard. Two puzzle pieces, one picture. Both leading to Oscorp Tower.
'She wants Jessica as her new informant.'