Spider-Man of Earth 65

Felix sat across from Rio Morales at a small, cozy table in her apartment. Home cooked did wonders for his mind. He had stopped by for lunch, since, well, this had everything to do with her. Everything.

Rio smiled warmly as she placed a plate of rice and pigeon peas and chicken stew. "I hope you like it, Felix. So far, you haven't seemed like a picky eater."

Felix grinned, picking up his fork. "Oh, no, I'll eat anything. Especially if it smells as good as this."

Rio heaved and crossed her arms. "That's good to hear. I don't like seeing people leave my place hungry."

Felix took a bite. "Mm, this is amazing, Rio. You didn't have to go all out like this."

She waved off his comment, her smile widening. "It's nothing. I'm just glad you're here. You don't get too many quiet moments in this city."

Felix swallowed a bite before speaking. "Mhm. It's a nice break from all the craziness."

"Oh, I can't imagine. Every other day, there's something with Oscorp. I don't know how you handle it all, Felix. Those Osborns... they seem to attract trouble. A whole factory blew up, you hear about that? Oh, I'm sure you did." An exhale from the older woman. "I'm always worried for you."

Felix chuckled, but it felt forced. "Just how it is. You make money, you pay the risk that comes with it." He took another bite. "Everything is blowing up. Stocks are going down. Not fun."

"Is your job safe?"

"Fortunately, yes. Even if I were fired, I have the money to stick back and relax for the rest of my life."

Rio was taken aback. "S-seriously? That much?"

As a consequence of Oscorp's crashing stocks, half of their stockholders were dumping money into start-ups and rival companies. Stockholders were fickle people, after all. After so much trauma and destruction, there was a large sect that believed the whole company was a lost cause.

Felix noted many were jumping over to Frost International.

All Felix had to do was follow where the money was going and voila! Right now, his net worth was probably nearing the hundred million mark.

"If you or your family ever need anything, just ask," Felix said. "I don't mind pinching in for a good friend. Your parents, your siblings, if you ever need anything, just ask."

"Thank you." Rio looked quite relieved as she leaned back in her chair. "My family…well, thank god they're okay. They're as good as they can be. You know... after everything." She paused, clearly thinking about her late husband, Jefferson, and his brother Aaron. Neither were dead but she didn't know that. "My Mami is getting older, but she's still sharp. She'll smack me with her cane if I don't visit often enough."

Felix laughed, picturing it. "What about your sister?"

"Ah, my sister Maria is still in Puerto Rico. We talk on the phone every week. She's a stubborn one—won't leave the island no matter how many hurricanes hit. But I admire that about her. That's home, you know?"

"I get it. It's hard to leave a place that means so much."

"Exactly," Rio agreed. "I miss Puerto Rico sometimes, but New York... it's home now. It's where I raised Miles."

Talking about Miles was always a bit easier. "How's Miles doing, by the way? He's gotta be keeping you busy."

Rio laughed softly. "Oh, he's a handful, but he's growing up so fast. He's got a good head on his shoulders, though. Sometimes I can't believe how much like his father he is."

'Like his father, huh?' 

Felix looked down at his plate, taking another bite as Rio's words hung in the air. He knew what she meant—Jefferson had been a good man. To her.

But to the world, to everyone else, he was the Scorpion. And Felix was going after him today. He forced a smile, trying to push the guilt away. "Miles is lucky to have you. You're raising him right."

Rio smiled, her eyes bright. "Thank you, Felix. That means a lot." She leaned in slightly, her voice quieter now. "You know... it's hard sometimes, raising him without his father. But we manage."

Felix smiled back, his chest tightening. "I can't imagine."

There was a moment of silence before Rio continued. "It's funny... I think about all the people I've lost. My husband, my dad, Jaime... they're all gone now. But I've still got memories. I've still got the good stuff to hold on to."

Felix looked up, sensing an opening for the question that had been on his mind since he walked in. He took a sip of his water, choosing his words carefully. "What if... one of them came back? A family member, I mean. How would you feel?"

Rio blinked rapidly. "What do you mean?"

Felix shrugged, trying to sound casual. "You know... in this world, with all the crazy things happening, people coming back from the dead doesn't seem so impossible anymore. How would you feel if that happened?"

Rio looked thoughtful for a moment, her fingers lightly tapping on the table. "That's…" She laughed. "...still absolutely ridiculous. What, is Oscorp cooking up a recipe for immortality? Or to come from the dead?"

"Haha, I wish. That's magic, not science. Like Spider-Man. He defies everything we know about science."

"Ah, so now you're becoming more skeptical? You believe in god?"

"Not…necessarily."

Rio laughed. "I'm just teasing. But…someone coming from the dead, hm?" She thought about it, fiddling with her thumbs. "Death comes in stages. First, there's despair, then sorrow, anger, and eventually... longing. Right now, I'm in the longing stage."

Felix tilted his head. "Longing?"

"Sí. You get to a point where you stop being angry, stop feeling the sharp pain of loss. But you still long for the people you lost. For the good memories. If they came back? Of course I'd be glad. I'd welcome them back with open arms." She smiled faintly. "But I've learned not to expect miracles. I've made peace with it."

She had no idea what he was planning to do—no idea that her husband wasn't just alive, but also dangerous. And yet, here she was, speaking with such grace about loss and love. It made what he had to do even harder.

Especially because what she said rang true. Felix himself was in the stage of anger over Reed.

He set his fork down, the food suddenly tasting like ash in his mouth. He was lucky he had eaten his portion. "Rio, I... I really appreciate this. The food, the conversation. It's been great."

Her smile brightened again, the warmth returning to her eyes. "You're always welcome here, Felix. Anytime."

He stood, forcing a grin. "Thanks. I'll definitely take you up on that."

As he headed for the door, Rio called out, "That suit looks amazing on you, by the way."

"Ah, thank you." Felix glanced back over his shoulder. "Ahem. Gracias por la comida."

"Ooh, you've been practicing?"

"I do my best." 

Rio laughed. "De nada! Practica más, Felix."

'You are welcome! Practice more, Felix. That's what she said, right? Right.' 

He gave her one last look before stepping out the door. 

Across the hall, leaning on the door was Yelena Belova. She was dressed in a suit. "You took your sweet time," said the blonde. "You ready? Eleanor is outside in her limo."

"Aaron is already inside?"

"Yep." Yelena flashed a badge from her waist. "Me and Aaron Davis are officially your security guards."

Security guards. Right. Like he needed them.

If he had Master Control, he could have hacked through every phone in the world and found what he wanted. Alas, Master Control was still not within his grasp. The Spider-Man suits weren't ready yet. That meant…

'I'm really going to have to do this as Felix.' Felix glanced at his wrists discreetly. He was wearing a watch on the left hand and a bracelet on the right. 'I don't need web-shooters anymore. However…portable 3D printers are a whole other game.'

He recalled when he infiltrated the NYPD base and how he had to go to the nearby school to get the key he needed. Felix couldn't let such a situation happen again.

He had a 3D printer at home and miniaturised it to be compatible with his natural web-shooting. With practice, he could create simple objects, sure. But what if he needed a key? Then what? 

Well, that was where this 3D printer bracelet and watch kicked in. It would adjust according to the specifications on his Advanced Glasses. From his left pocket, he put the Advanced Glasses on.

WELCOME, DR. FAETH. ALL SYSTEMS FULLY OPERATIONAL. 

Everything was prepared. Everything was good to go.

"Let's go then," Felix said. 

***

The limo glided through the city streets with the kind of smoothness that only the ultra-rich experienced, the dark-tinted windows keeping prying eyes from seeing inside. Felix sat beside Eleanor Bishop, her posture as perfectly composed as ever, though the tension in the air was thick. Across from them sat Yelena Belova and Aaron Davis, both dressed impeccably, playing the roles of her "security team".

She really was a CEO. She couldn't even recognize the fact that Yelena and Aaron weren't apart of her team. Eleanor had no idea they were working with Felix either, that this whole outing was part of a much bigger plan.

Felix adjusted his Advanced Glasses. He was wearing a suit too, the top button a camera for Maria and Kate to observe from in their trailing car. It wasn't just him, everyone had the camera button.

Eleanor glanced at Felix. "You're lucky," she said, cool but with a trace of bitterness. "Today's a major auction day. They don't come around often."

Felix gave her a tight smile. "Lucky," he repeated. Eleanor was trapped, under his thumb, so this wasn't exactly great news.

Aaron caught Felix's eye, a subtle signal exchanged between them. Earlier, they had discussed the plan: Felix needed to press Eleanor for more information. Aaron, sitting across from Eleanor, played the part of a disinterested bodyguard well, but his sharp gaze was watching everything.

"So," Felix started, keeping his tone casual as he adjusted his tie, "it was Kingpin who brought you here, wasn't it?"

Eleanor's gaze flickered to him briefly, then back out the window. She sighed, a small, tired sound. "Yes," she admitted. "Wilson Fisk has been supporting Club Scorpion since the start. I would say he's behind half of the high-end auctions in New York and a quarter of the items in Club Scorpion. If it's rare, dangerous, or priceless, he's got his hands on it."

Felix put his hands in his pockets, casual. "What about the Scorpion?"

Eleanor paused, her fingers brushing the edge of her coat as if the conversation made her uncomfortable. Still, she answered dutifully. "The Scorpion... he was arrested once before, by Gwen Stacy. But he got out, partially because of the Kingpin. He used the Sanctum Sanctorum as his new base of operations. Word is that this was the Scorpion original base. That that is where he gets those items."

"I've heard rumours. That they are not from our world."

Eleanor let out a dry laugh. "No one's calling it that, not exactly. It's all rumor, of course. Magic, another Earth, who knows? And who cares? But given what I've seen over the years, I wouldn't be surprised if some of it was true."

The limo slowed as they approached a grand building, tucked away from the main streets, its façade imposing and elegant. It wasn't the kind of place most people could afford to step foot in—let alone know about.

"We're here," Eleanor said, her voice smooth as velvet. Yelena was already out and opened the door for her. Eleanor stepped out with the grace of someone who'd been doing this her entire life. Felix followed as her date.

The Sanctum Sonctorum was not the typical venue for the elite. To the untrained eye, it looked like a relic of a bygone era.

But like all things, appearances could be deceiving. 

Felix wrapped an arm around her. Eleanor accepted.

When in reality, she had no choice but to accept.

They walked through the gilded double doors of the Sanctum Sanctorum, into a grand foyer where chandeliers hung like frozen drops of gold. Waitstaff moved through the crowd offering champagne, and the murmur of polite conversation filled the air. 

'Okay, so…where do we go next, Eleanor Bishop?' 

Yelena and Aaron Davis were off to the side. Guards did not stay with their VIPs, they watched from a distance so that they could intermingle. 

At the center of the grand foyer, dressed in a striking white gown, stood Pepper Potts. Her red hair, sleek and straight, fell just below her shoulders, and she was in the middle of conversation with several notable business figures. Despite her past with Anthony Stark—whom she had famously left to establish her own tech company—Pepper had carved her own empire and was widely respected, if not feared, in these circles.

'Wait…' Eleanor's heels clicked faster. 'We're talking to her?' 

Yes, they were. 

Eleanor smiled as she approached Pepper Potts, her voice honeyed. "Pepper, darling, it's been too long."

Pepper turned, her eyes lighting up with recognition. "Eleanor," she greeted warmly, though there was an edge of formality to her tone. "Always a pleasure." They leaned in for the customary air kiss.

Eleanor turned to Felix, placing a hand gently on his arm as she introduced him. "This is Felix Faeth. He's the new proponent for FEAST. Maybe you've heard of it: it is a wonderful organization helping those who need it most."

'Wait, huh—?'

Out of instinct and formality, Felix extended a hand, and Pepper took it with a gracious, feminine grip. "FEAST is doing incredible work," Pepper Potts said with sincerity. "I've read about the initiatives, especially with the homeless and at-risk youth. It's exactly the kind of project we need more of in this city."

Felix did threw quite a bit of money over to FEAST. The announcement for at-risk youths was said this morning.

"We're trying our best. The city's got its challenges, but we're making progress."

"I'm impressed by what you've accomplished in such a short time, Felix, especially after what went down with Martin Li. It's not easy to continue to be affiliated with evil."

She spoke...sympathetically. 'Ah, right. She used to be Anthony Stark's secretary and is allegedly the primary source for the expose on his war crimes.'

She assumed Felix was in the same boat as her. That they were kindred spirits.

Felix smiled. "It isn't but I don't have room to complain. It's the people that matter."

Pepper Potts really liked that answer. "I'd love to stay in touch. Maybe there's something we can collaborate on. My company supports a lot of community outreach programs, and FEAST seems like the perfect fit."

"I'd love to discuss it further. Any support is always appreciated."

Pepper's smile widened and she placed a light hand on Felix's shoulder, nodding, before stepping back. "Count on it. I'll have my assistant reach out. And please, Eleanor, don't be a stranger."

"Of course," Eleanor replied smoothly. "I wouldn't dream of it."

With that, Pepper glided away as she moved on to the next group of elites. That was…wow.

'A whirlwind,' Felix thought, glancing at Eleanor. 'Should I thank her or...?'  

Eleanor turned to Felix, her smile fading slightly as the business of the night took precedence again. "Come," she said. "It's time."

'Oh, I get it. That wasn't on purpose. If we just came and disappeared, people would get suspicious. We had to talk to someone and then leave.'  

Eleanor guided him to a large, sweeping staircase on the other side of the hall. They climbed together, the steps plush beneath their feet, until they reached the second level—a quieter, more secluded area of the building.

At the top of the stairs, a solitary door stood, guarded by an attendant dressed in a black, perfectly tailored suit. He was tall and imposing, his expression blank but alert. As Eleanor approached, she stopped just in front of the door and said softly, "Lux et tenebrae."

The attendant's expression didn't change, but he gave a slight nod and moved aside, opening the door for them.

Felix followed Eleanor through the threshold into a huge room. There were two large paintings on opposing ends with a man seated near each. Left and right.

Eleanor chose right. 

"Vinculum secreto."

The attendant spoke into the radio and the ground beneath them shifted almost imperceptibly. A soft, mechanical whirring filled the room as the painting slid open, revealing a staircase descending into the depths of the Sanctum.

Felix resisted the urge to exchange glances. This was literally straight out of a movie. 

'Good thing I did all this. Even as Spider-Man, I don't think I could have infiltrated this place.' 

Eleanor led him down the narrow corridor lit by recessed lights. The passageway felt impossibly out of place in the grand, polished sanctum, but Felix knew it was precisely the kind of hidden space that only the elite had access to. They walked for several seconds before stopping at a sleek elevator door made of dark, polished metal.

The Advanced Glasses scanned the elevator. No marks or identification of the creator or company.

Eleanor pressed her thumb to a biometric scanner. A soft beep followed, and the elevator doors slid open. She stepped inside. Naturally, Felix followed.

Yelena and Aaron were far, far away, still in the main part of the Sanctum. Felix adjusted the button on his suit.

'Well, Maria should be telling them that I'm in.' 

After all, while Felix could not afford to have comms on him, the security guards could. They were given constant updates.

The elevator ride was eerily silent. Felix could feel the tension building in his chest as the elevator descended—and kept descending. The ride felt longer than it should have been.

Finally, after what felt like a full minute, the elevator doors slid open with a soft hiss. The air was cooler here, with a faint scent of old stone and wealth. Rows of sleek chairs were arranged in front of a raised platform,. The auctioneer was not yet here. Several figures dressed in impeccable suits and gowns stood and talked between the rows of chairs.

The auction hall was a place where the super-rich didn't just come to spend money—they came to buy the impossible, the dangerous, and the forbidden.

"Welcome to Club Scorpion."

***

The chairs were assigned with letters. Letters that everyone had to adhere to. Eleanor's was EB. Felix's was EB-2. Felix took his middle-row seat, his Advanced Glasses automatically scanning the room, discreetly identifying the attendees. To his left sat Eleanor Bishop. She wasn't thrilled to be here. Duh, he blackmailed her. Moving on—

'Ah, shit.' 

At the very front was Emma Frost. That blonde hair and white dress was unmistakable. It wasn't the same dress but it was the same colour. That was what it was that made her immediately recognizable.

Felix was lucky that he sat in the middle. He didn't want to talk to her, not until he was Spider-Man again and he could finish her request. There were already a hundred people here, the richest of the richest. There were plenty of interesting minds for her to read.

'Who else, who else?' 

Another noted person at the front was Ororo Munroe, the slutty Princess of Kenya. At the seat directly ahead of Felix was a woman named Silver Sable, a mercenary and leader of Wild Pack from Symkaria. The NYPD kept a tight watch on her whenever she came to New York, which was often. She did trade with the old Kingpin, bringing the best weaponry from her country, or so they theorized. Nowadays, her movements were not known to them.

While scanning and reading, someone sat to his left. Felix discreetly glanced over.

He met green and white.

Surprise flashed him as did the newly seated woman. "You're…"

"Well, if it isn't the new face of FEAST," the white-haired lady in black purred. "I'm Ashley. Hopefully you didn't forget, darling."

Ashley…

That white hair, those piercing green eyes…

'Just my luck. It is her.'

No mistaking it. No false heart attack. It was the woman at the Oscorp explosion. The thief that he crawled vents with. She must have done research to have learned that he led FEAST. As a mercenary, well, it was to be expected.

"I don't think anyone could have any job if they forgot you," Felix replied, keeping his tone neutral. Her perfume was intoxicating. Her backless dress was the personification of sexy, especially with that ruby necklace and diamond-shaped earrings. Her hair was set into a ponytail. 

She was different from before yet somehow, he sensed the amount of prep was the same. 

The lights suddenly dimmed.

"It's starting," Ashley whispered, purposely coming close to his left ear. Talk about chills.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen."

He was here at long last.

Felix narrowed his eyes. 

Jefferson Davis—Rio's dead husband. He was alive and well. Felix could confirm it with both his eyes and the Advanced Glasses.

He walked onto the platform to host the auction, a hand in his pocket. Dressed in a sharp black suit, much like the one Felix wore but with a certain swagger, Davis surveyed the room through dark shades. He was absolutely in control of the situation. His face was sharp, with high cheekbones and an intense look, the kind of man used to making the final call on everything in his domain.

Jefferson Davis wore a smirk when he spotted the Princess of Kenya.

"Tonight's items are for those who know the value of power and discretion." The auctioneer's smirk widened when his gaze moved to the middle—to Eleanor, Felix, Ashley, and everyone in between. "Let us begin!"