17 Inner Demons

With keen instincts, quick calculations, and a small map at the corner of his vision, Felix shot web-line after web-line and coolly glided through the city. He might not have been a good runner but he was certainly good at web-swinging. It was like his equilibrium was made for it.

"Speed?"

"A hundred miles an hour."

"Web cartridge?"

"Sixty-nine percent."

Excellent. Oscorp Tower was smackdab in the middle of Midtown Manhattan, south of Central Park and between the various landmarks like the Empire State Building and the Flatiron Building. His mission was to follow the trail of EMPed cameras. The local buildings had precise timestamps indicating when they shut down, which he then had the computer use to figure out where the mercenary group went. The later the time, the more recent the path.

He went from Midtown Manhattan all the way down to the Financial District. The home of Wall Street and newer skyscrapers, it was a phenomenal place to web-sing and a better place to hide.

"Very last EMP coming up ahead."

"Huh?"

Thwip!

He sent a web-line to a building to the left and brought himself up to the top. He glanced down at the road. It was sort-of since, ya know, it was New York though nothing like what it was supposed to be. Still, he had never been here. He was on Franklin Street, south of SoHo and north of City Hall, just outside China Town.

On the road were cars, sketchy and normal people on the sidewalk, and a manhole cover.

"This is a dead end," Felix stated.

Herbie hummed to life and used his advanced lenses to zoom in on the manhole. "Perhaps they went into the sewers."

"The sewers? Seriously? Yeah, I'm not going in there, not after all the hard work I put into this suit." Felix put a hand on his hip and sighed. He started walking on the ledge, going left and right.

"But for the mission…"

"I'm just joking, Herbie. I would go if I had to." A half-truth. It would be done with a lot of complaining in all honesty. He stroked his chin. "Unfortunately, I think we hit a dead end. I did an essay on New York's sewer system in high school. The mercenaries aren't there. No, given the number of exits in the sewers, they're long gone."

"Loading…loading…loading…" Herbie was determining whether he was correct, likely accessing public sewer records.

"Oh, and there's the chance they didn't go through the sewers at all. They were setting off large-scale EMPs left and right." His gaze shifted over to the street he had just traversed. "It's possible that in all the chaos Crossbones took his group through another path and used this last EMP as a distraction."

"Midtown Manhattan sewer systems are indeed complex," Herbie admitted. "Understood. Next course of action?"

"We only have one last course of action to pursue: where did they get the EMPs, how did they set them up, and who set them up? Correct me if I'm wrong but Crossbones is not from New York, right? He's foreign, right?"

"Correct. From readily available information, Crossbones began and conducted his work in Italy. He is the greatest mercenary in their history."

Way to hype him up…

Felix proceeded to walk down the building, feet firmly planted and ignoring gravity as he walked down a window panel. "So how did an Italian-based mercenary know exactly where to put the EMPs? Who gave him the route that let him escape from both the NYPD and SHIELD? It's becoming clear that either Crossbones' employer supplied that info or he had to hire someone else to help him. To be honest, it could be either or, we don't know. That's why I said it's our last course of action. We just have to hope that he hired a local criminal."

"Shall I pull up all criminal gangs within New York that fit that expertise?"

"Do it." Pause. "Is it possible for us to hack into the NYPD's criminal database? Given the fact that he invaded Oscorp, a mission that would bring unnecessary attention, Crossbones was paid good money. He would only choose the best of the best."

"Yes, but not all information will be readily available to us. Classified information is protected by Oscorp's firewall systems. Thus, accessing those files will require hacking of an authorized device."

'Oscorp has their hands in everything, huh? I shouldn't be surprised.'

He stopped and looked down at the floor, at the window of the building he was instinctively climbing. There was a family inside, all sleeping in a single miserable room. He squinted.

'Shouldn't the Financial District be better off than this? Why is a five-person family cuddling together for warmth?'

He looked up and down at the building. From the outside, it was an office building covered in shiny glass panes. In the night, it shined with the light of New York and the moon. It was beautiful. At least it should have been.

"Herbie, take note of this office building." He had his lens look around. "Franklin Street. Something's up."

He had a couple of hours to investigate. Should he quit here? Or stop crimes and risk exposing himself?

'Maybe I can stop crime without anyone knowing. I have a stealth mode for a reason,' Felix thought to himself.

Felix activated his stealth mode, blending seamlessly with the shadows. He moved silently along the rooftops, his enhanced senses alert to any signs of trouble. The distant sounds of the city were muted as he focused on the task at hand.

At an alleyway that screamed crime, a group of masked individuals emerged from the door carrying guns and wearing black and white Chinese-style masks. Felix's eyes narrowed behind his own mask.

"These are the Inner Demons, based in Chinatown," Herbie chimed in. "They are led by a mysterious leader."

"Do you think they have a connection to Crossbones or anything else we are investigating?"

"Unlikely."

"Can we rule them out as conspirators with Crossbones?"

"They do not and have never specialized in EMPs in their brief history. The Inner Demons may be in the area but there is an eighty-eight percent of no association with Crossbones. They are likelier candidates according to my calculations."

'Alright.' He inhaled. All three members wore a suit and were carrying heavy guns. They weren't a run-of-the-mill gang. 'Let's observe for now. What are they doing?'

Felix crouched on a nearby rooftop, surveying the scene unfolding in the alleyway. The Inner Demons gathered around a nondescript parked car. Despite being so high up, his enhanced senses caught a faint scent. The trio unloaded crates from the vehicle, revealing a stash of mysterious vials and packages.

Felix's keen eyes zoomed in as he observed what seemed to be a drug transaction. The Inner Demons meticulously went about their business, exchanging hushed words and carefully inspecting the merchandise. It was evident that this wasn't their first foray into the world of organized crime.

"Can we analyze the drugs or is that a detective mode thing?" Felix asked.

"Detective mode," Herbie replied. "The zoom feature is not enough to identify the substances."

"Does it look like a crime?"

"Carrying F2000 assault rifles with a license is allowed."

"Do you think these gang members have a license?"

"Highly unlikely."

The Inner Demon gang members entered their car. The engine revved up and they moved.

"Hm. Let's follow them."

Thwip!

He trailed the Inner Demons' car from above, maintaining a careful distance to avoid detection. Not that there was any suspicion that a spider-ling was following them. The night air rushed past him as he swiftly swung through the city, his eyes fixed on the moving vehicle below.

The license plate on their car was probably not registered to any legitimate owner.

Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!

The Inner Demons' car eventually approached the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, its majestic structure looming in the distance. Felix adjusted his trajectory, anticipating the need to cross the bridge.

'Brooklyn Bridge? Why are we going to Brooklyn?' Felix asked himself. 'Nevermind that. Focus!'

Thwip!

With a well-timed swing, Felix soared through the night air, his web connecting to the cable above. As he gracefully crossed the span of the bridge, the city lights reflected off the water below, casting an ethereal glow.

The Inner Demons' car moved steadily beneath him, now traversing the intricate lattice of the bridge's cables and towers. Felix's acrobatic skills were on full display as he seamlessly swung from one web line to another, maintaining his pursuit.

He could do this. No, he was doing this. He might have been amateurish compared to Gwen Stacy but he was still gifted with power, dexterity, and agility. As long as he focused his senses, he could do anything.

The wind rushed past him and the distant sounds of traffic merged with the rhythmic thwip of his web shooters. The chase continued.

The Inner Demons' vehicle navigated through the narrow streets, finally pulling up to a large, nondescript series of warehouses. According to Herbie, this was where the Pier 2 Roller Rink used to be. '150 Furman St Pier 2, Brooklyn, NY 11201,' Felix cited to himself. 'It's not too public or too private. Do they have a front business in the daytime?'

The area was quiet, with only the distant sounds of the city's nightlife and the occasional passing car.

Felix swung to a nearby rooftop, carefully observing the car as the warehouse garage opened. For a brief minute, he was able to see what was inside.

It wasn't good. He spotted over a hundred masked men inside, all carrying swords and guns.

"This is where the Inner Demons are rendezvousing," he murmured. "I bet they have other bases but this must be the main one."

"Agreed," Herbie said. "Further investigation is unadvised."

A hundred guys with swords and guns…Felix was just starting out with his powers. Until he gained more fighting experience, diving head-first was stupid.

Felix checked the time. It was almost two. The darkness would begin to lift in a couple of hours. His current web cartridge was at fifty-three percent, though he did have a whole belt of cartridges remaining. Might as well bounce.

'Next time,' he said to himself. 'Next time, I'll be better equipped.'

He swung his way to Daxter Labs and landed on the side of the building close to an open window. Seven floors up, it was impossible for any normal person other than Felix to climb through. The elevator was connected to each floor, so all he had to do was go to a specific wall, enter in the code words, and voila! Elevator open!

"Biometric clearance, Faeth Alpha-Three-Nine."

The brick walls split apart and the elevator door opened up, just as he said it would. He went back down to Daxter Labs, walked into the capsule meant to hold the suit, and let the suit open in half. After that, he walked out and let the machine do its work to put it into its proper place.

"Phew!" He wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Worked up a bit of a sweat, didn't I?"

"Negative," came the voice of Herbie through the lab's speakers. "The suit is perfectly regulating your temperature. That is simply oil produced by surface lipids to keep your skin hydrated."

Felix chuckled. "Thanks for the correction, Herbie."

"It is what I do, Dr. Faeth."

"Don't forget about the criminal database thing. Narrow down the conspirator as much as you can." A hand raised, he left Daxter Labs and went home to his apartment in Harlem.

***

The next morning, Felix woke up to the sound of a phone ringing. Not his phone, his mind groggily told him, but someone else's.

Maria Hill's phone.

"Oh shoot," Felix muttered to himself. He quickly sat up in bed, his senses sharpening as the implications of Maria Hill's call registered. He fumbled for his own phone, glancing at the time. The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow across the room.

He then opened up the drawer and pulled out the pre-paid phone. Yep, it was coming from there. He promptly answered.

"Maria, what's going on?" Felix asked, his voice cutting through the lingering fog of sleep.

"I'm coming over," Maria said on the phone.

"Huh?"

"I've found a lead regarding Dr. Octavius."

Beep!

Just like that, Maria ended the call.

Sighing, Felix swung his legs out of bed, already thinking about what to wear. The events of the previous night and the information from Herbie lingered in his thoughts. The dead end regarding Crossbones, the potential New York conspirator, the Inner Demon gang, and now whatever was going on with Maria and Dr. Octavius.

His life was getting hectic fast. It was like he wasn't allowed a break. Seriously, it was six in the morning! Six! He had less than five hours of sleep. If it weren't for Extremis fueling his body with supreme efficiency, dark bags would have appeared under his eyes. 

Getting up and stretching, he told himself, "Time to make breakfast, I guess."

After brushing his teeth and a quick five minute shower, Felix swiftly moved to his modest kitchen. He decided on a hearty breakfast. Something big that would get even Maria's lips to flap.

He started by cracking a few eggs into a bowl, whisking them with a pinch of salt and pepper. Meanwhile, the savory scent of bacon sizzled in a hot skillet. Felix's agile movements were almost dance-like as he expertly flipped the bacon with a spatula.

Next, he diced colorful bell peppers and onions, adding them to the eggs. A handful of grated cheese went in, creating a vibrant and flavorful mixture. Felix poured the egg concoction into the skillet, creating a sizzling symphony of breakfast delights.

As the omelet cooked to perfection, Felix toasted slices of whole-grain bread. The aroma of the combined ingredients filled the air, making the kitchen an enticing haven of morning flavours. He poured two cups of steaming coffee as the cherry on top.

Twenty minutes later, with the breakfast spread out on the table, there was a knock on the door. Felix, wearing a hint of a satisfied grin, opened the door to Maria Hill. The woman in the dark trench walked in without saying a word.

"Good morning," Felix greeted, following her.

Maria arrived at the kitchen and stopped to take in the inviting scene – the aroma of coffee, the sizzling omelet, and the morning light casting a warm glow over everything. "You cooked?"

"Yep."

Maria looked over her shoulder and gave him a nod. "Thank you. I could use it." Unlike Felix, she had bags under her eyes. She must have been doing something important. He gestured at her to sit down, which she did.

"I did some digging around Dr. Octavius. Since she's the most public, she's the easiest to find information on. Specifically, her contacts. She has a lot of them, partially because she had a brother—Otto Octavius. He was a well-regarded scientist who was hired by SHIELD and then left and was jailed for crimes against them."

Felix ate his omelette in slow bites. "Okay…"

"The chances of both siblings being criminals is statistically high, though nothing more than that—a statistic. Fortunately, there is another commonality between the siblings: their contacts. They put a lot of trust into their contacts."

"Why?"

"Because they are poor. Throughout their long careers, they have bounced between companies in order to secure funding," Maria explained. "I am sure a scientist like yourself understands."

Felix gave a nod. Sometimes, the job wasn't so lucrative. If he wasn't working at Oscorp of all places, he would have been broke.

"So who else would know about her pet project? Her Project New Element?" Maria knew the answer and promptly gave it. "High-level investors. People who know how to keep their mouth shut. Princess Shuri of Wakanda is one of those people."

"The…princess from Wakanda?" Felix repeated. "What?"

Wakanda was the richest African country by far. It stood alongside America, Russia, and China as the international top dogs. They had an impressive military, a strong economy, and amazing PR regarding humanitarian aid. Their homogenous society and their monarchy have led to criticisms, similar to what other countries like Japan, Korea, and the Gulf nations receive.

Generally speaking, on the world stage, they were well-liked. They weren't innovators themselves. Rather, they invested in innovation and took it for themselves. The benefits of a state ruled by their monarchy.

"Princess Shuri of Wakanda will be coming to the Oscorp charity event on May 12th," Maria elaborated. "All the big executives of New York are coming, Oscorp-related or otherwise. After all, this is the first big event since the incident in April."

"On Friday, I'm actually going to talk to Dr. Octavius…" Felix trailed off, now understanding what his boss wanted.

"Yes, and on the Friday after, she's going to the party. She's talking to you because she needs you. Princess Shuri is a genius, you see. She's the beloved princess of Wakanda with more brains than political power, which is saying something given how much political power she has. She's young, wealthy, intelligent, egotistical, and, most of all, a woman that enjoys challenges."

"Okay." Felix chewed on his food. "Okay, so…what do I do?"

"Seduce her."

"...huh?" He blinked twice.

"You have a big dick. Use it and seduce her," Maria said plainly.

He blinked again and pointed at himself. "You want me to seduce the princess of a state. The younger sibling of a king. You want me to seduce her?" Felix was flabbergasted. "Are you okay? Are you sure the late-night investigating hasn't gotten to your head?"

Maria calmly ate her omelette and drank her coffee. She inhaled, closing her eyes to relax, then turned stern once again. "This event is for the biggest of the biggest. I can't get in there, but you can. Unfortunately, you're not a spy. You'll be caught in an instant if you try anything."

Felix sipped on his coffee. "Right, right, there's probably bodyguards scouring every inch of the place." He put the coffee cup down on the table and sighed. "Where is the charity event taking place?"

"The top of the Empire State Building," Maria answered. "I can't train you to be a world-class spy in a week, but I can train you to properly fuck a woman. Are you ready?"

"W-we're starting today?"

A calm sip of coffee. "No time like the present."

Felix drew in a breath. Seriously, first the spider powers, now this!? Seducing an African princess!? What was happening to his life!?