บท 81: Factory Tour III
It was a corpse—no, more like a husk. The body was unrecognizable, the features distorted beyond identification by time and decay. The flesh had shriveled, the skin clinging tight to the skeleton in some places and peeling away in others. The clothes, once perhaps a uniform, were now tattered rags clinging to the body. But what caught Felix's attention the most was the hair—a few strands of blonde, tangled and matted, yet distinct enough to stand out against the dark earth.
Felix leaned closer, plucking a few of the brittle strands between his fingers. Blonde hair, pale and lifeless, but unmistakably human. His heart pounded in his chest as he stared down at the remnants of what had once been a person. A person who, by the state of the body, had been buried here at least a month ago.
He tapped at his Advanced Glasses, but since it was not equipped with detective mode, it couldn't analyze it in real-time. He sent the footage over to the Fantastic Computer. When he came back, everything would be processed there.
"Jesus, that's…"
The white-haired woman put a hand to her mouth and stepped back. The stench was aggravating. It was near impossible to linger.
Felix didn't respond. He was thinking. If Herbie couldn't give the answers, then he had to do it himself. He took up plenty of biology courses and while that wasn't a substitute for forensics, it did give him a basic grasp on things.
'The body is old, but…the soil has been disturbed recently, maybe a month ago at most. Someone dug here, possibly moved the body, or worse—had plans for it.'
He looked over at Ashley, who was avoiding Felix and the corpse. Her earlier bravado had faded, replaced by disgust. She was just as out of the loop as he was.
"What do we do?" she asked.
Felix exhaled. He found it, he was responsible.
"Leave it here. Someone will discover it and report it. Either that or…"
"They'll cover it up," Ashley finished.
'If it gets covered up, then someone high-up at Oscorp is behind this. If not…'
His Spider-Sense buzzed stronger. He snapped his head toward the door. He waited, he listened…
False alarm. Someone must have just walked along. His Spider-Sense seemed to pick up even potential dangers.
'But...seriously? What the fuck is this? Who is this?' Felix kneeled down to check again, to see if he could glean something with his own eyes. He shoved the little bits of hair into his pocket and then grabbed the hand.
"Do you have wipes?"
"On it."
Ashley went down to the hand he was holding and wiped it of all potential fingerprints. As she wiped, the skin became thinned out and wreaked.
"It's almost like...someone stole the top layer of skin from this corpse," Ashley muttered.
'Actually,' he looked the body over, 'I think you're right on nose. Someone did steal the top layer of flesh for this thing.'
"We have to get out of here," Ashley said the moment she as done. "I don't want to stick around and have someone see me with this thing."
"Agreed."
For Felix, it was worse. He had to get out of here before anyone noticed he was gone. If he went the normal way, then there was a chance of just that. People would see him. Catch him. Testify that he was here.
They needed another option.
'There.'
Luckily, the second option wasn't too far. It was high up on the wall, almost at the ceiling, but conveniently near an old metal ladder bolted into the wall. He could feel the chill of the air conditioning humming through it.
Ashley followed his gaze, her expression shifting from disgust to determination as she quickly sized up the situation. "The vent, huh?"
Without waiting for a response, she strode over to the ladder. Felix watched as she climbed up, her hands deftly gripping the rungs. There was something almost feline in the way she moved—silent, confident, and utterly precise. She reached the vent in seconds, crouching down as she pulled a small metallic gun-like device from her pocket.
The device clicked softly as she activated the four-headed gun-device, and Felix saw its tiny, powerful magnets spring to life. Ashley placed the device against the vent's screws, and Felix heard the faint whirring noise as the screws were pulled out with minimal effort.
"Nice going," Felix remarked, genuinely impressed by her skill. Whoever she was, Ashley clearly had experience with this sort of thing. "What else do you have in that utility belt of yours?"
Ashley shot him a smirk as she tossed the screws aside and pulled the vent cover free. "A girl's gotta have her secrets."
He caught the vent cover as it fell, quickly and quietly setting it down on the floor. The opening was just big enough for them to squeeze through.
Ashley looked down at him, her smirk fading as she became serious again. "Before you and I get squeezed together, I want to know: how did you know where that body was buried?"
Skepticism. Fair enough.
"If I was the killer, why would I show it to you?" Felix replied evenly. "I could have just walked out with you and left it there. No one would have been the wiser."
Ashley didn't answer immediately, clearly weighing his words. The tension between them was palpable, and Felix knew he had to tread carefully.
"I have a talent," he said finally. "Call it a super-sensitive nose. I picked up on the scent of blood and decay the moment when I was nearby."
Ashley's eyes narrowed, but she didn't press further. She seemed to accept his explanation, at least for the moment. "So, you're some kind of human bloodhound?"
"Can't believe it?"
"Honestly, it's not the freakiest thing ever, so no."
Felix let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. "Look, are we getting out of here or what?"
Ashley gave him one last assessing look before nodding. "Alright. I'll go first. Just try to keep up."
With that, Ashley hoisted herself into the vent, her body moving with the same fluid grace that had marked all her actions so far. Felix followed closely behind, pulling himself up into the narrow metal tunnel. The space was tight, but he had enough room to maneuver, his Spider-Sense on high alert as he crawled after her.
It had never been this way. So constant, so meek, yet warning him nonetheless. What was wrong?
'Only way to find out is to keep going.'
The vent was dark and cramped, the only light coming from the small openings at regular intervals where the vent covers allowed a sliver of illumination to slip through. The hum of machinery filled the air, vibrating through the metal around them. Felix could feel the cool draft of air conditioning on his skin.
They crawled in silence for a few minutes, the only sound the faint scraping of their movements against the metal. He tried not to look up, focusing on keeping his breathing steady and his Spider-Sense sensitive.
As well as the panic and questions swirling in his head. Ashley, whoever she was, was experienced. The way she moved, the tone of her voice, she had been doing this for years. Felix on the other hand? Half a year at best.
So he was thinking. Maybe thinking too much. His instincts as a scientist were what pushed him first, not as a spy or a superhero. A scientist. A thinker.
There were theories. So many theories. But he couldn't voice them or linger on them because he had a job to do.
As they continued, they passed over a larger vent opening, and Felix could hear the faint murmur of voices below. He slowed his pace, gesturing for Ashley to do the same as they peered down through the narrow slats of the vent.
"It's the tour," he muttered.
Below them, the tour was still in progress. The voice of the scientist carried up to them.
"—and so if we go by estimates, our lizards will—"
Felix spotted Eleanor Bishop in her striking red dress, standing near the front of the group. She seemed to be paying close attention to everything the scientist was saying. She didn't seem to notice he was gone.
Behind her, Emma Frost was more aloof, her expression one of mild interest but with an air of detachment. Felix knew enough about her to know that appearances could be deceiving, and Emma was likely processing everything around her with her telepathic abilities. But what struck him as odd was that she didn't seem to notice them in the vent above. Either she was distracted, or somehow, they were shielded from her telepathy.
Ashley, meanwhile, was eyeing the group with a different sort of interest. Specifically, Eleanor and the sparkly square ring on her index finger. "Look at that…Asscher cut diamonds. Could never mistake that."
Felix glanced over at her, noting the way her eyes lingered on the jewelry. Not one was spared from her greedy eyes.
"Emerald cut diamonds too. Ooh, and white sapphire. That's just delicious…"
"You know your way around diamonds, don't you?"
Ashley smirked, her gaze still fixed on the glittering stones below. "You could say that. Some people collect stamps. I prefer things that sparkle."
Felix snorted but didn't comment further. "Don't get too dreamy. They might notice."
And by they, he meant Emma Frost. To their fortune, she hadn't noticed them yet.
They needed to keep moving though and this wasn't the time to get distracted. He motioned for them to continue, and after a pout, they resumed their crawl through the vent, leaving the investors and their tour behind.
His Spider-Sense was quiet now, a low hum in the back of his mind, but it was enough to keep him on edge.
'Seriously, why aren't you going away? What's wrong?'
After what felt like five minutes, they reached another vent opening, this one leading into a massive open-space office. Felix saw the nameplate—this was Michael Morbius' office.
"Who?" Ashley whispered, turning to face him. Somehow, what was supposed to be an awkward, tight turn was simple and fast for her.
"Dr. Michael Morbius is the head manager of this facility," Felix replied slowly, "and a top researcher. Although, to be honest, a lot of us kinda consider him a joke."
"Why?"
"I don't know, he just kinda is."
"That's bullying, you know."
"Does Oscorp look like a place of saints?"
"Touché." Ashley glanced down and then up at Felix with a serious expression. "This is my stop."
"I thought you were after a lizard?"
"I never said that, you did."
"Luckily for you, I'm also stopping here."
'Only because I need to get some information on this place. Even though emails were exchanged on the Oscorp servers, I have a feeling something else is going on here.'
The exit vent was directly above Dr. Michael Morbius' desk. Felix gestured toward it, and Ashley nodded. With a quick, practiced movement, she removed the cover and slipped through the opening, landing silently on the floor below. Felix followed, landing lightly beside her as she immediately moved to the computer terminal on Morbius' desk.
The office was a stark contrast to the sterile brightness of the rest of the facility. Shelves lined the walls, filled with a mix of scientific journals, binders, and what appeared to be personal mementos—photographs, awards, and odd trinkets from various parts of the world. A large window behind the desk offered a view of the darkened factory floor below, the machinery dormant for the night. The desk itself was cluttered but organized, with stacks of papers, a few open notebooks, and a sleek computer terminal at the center.
Ashley wasted no time. She reached into her uniform pocket, pulling out a small USB drive. Without a word, she inserted it into the computer and began typing furiously, her fingers flying over the keyboard with practiced ease. Felix watched her, his curiosity piqued by her apparent expertise.
"What are you looking for?" he asked quietly, standing close enough to peer over her shoulder but careful not to crowd her.
"Information," Ashley replied curtly, her eyes focused on the screen as she navigated through the computer's files.
Felix felt a knot form in his stomach as the files flashed across the screen. Detailed plans for various research initiatives scrolled by—projects that were both impressive and terrifying in their scope. One caught his eye: the Emily-Peter Foundation. It was a name that didn't quite fit with the rest of Oscorp's portfolio.
"The Emily-Peter Foundation?" Felix muttered, reading the file's summary. "What's that?"
Ashley paused, glancing at him before clicking on the file. She scrolled and checked several of the involved documents, never lingering for longer than three seconds.
Felix was able to read everything anyway. "Huh. It's one of Harry Osborn's new ventures. Sustainable, open-source, editable crops that can withstand anything. Click that one. Scroll down." Ashley did as requested. "Hmm…Dr. Morbius is leading the project and…wow, aiming to end world hunger by 2035! Ambitious!"
Ashley blinked, taken aback. "That sounds… noble."
"It's not unfounded either. Go on that file? Yeah, see these crops? They're talking about cassava plants—they grow very slowly, but with genetic modification, they could be sped up. It's a breakthrough in bioengineering."
"Right, Oscorp," Ashley muttered. "Then you handle the scrolling."
"Sure." Felix took over and grabbed the mouse. "What do you need?"
"My boss," Ashley said, "wants something specific. They want information on the spiders."
Felix's eyes snapped to hers. "Spiders?"
"Yeah," Ashley replied, her tone careful, as if gauging his reaction. "I was told to find and take whatever I could on the spiders. Steal it all if it's been successfully made. Delete all the files across every server if it's on the computers. All of it has to be wiped away."
'Her employer wants the spiders to go?'
Felix's thoughts whirled. Oscorp had dabbled in genetic research involving spiders, the very research that had inadvertently created him. But why would someone want that information now?
Who was Ashley really working for?
Before he could ask more, his Spider-Sense flared up, tingling at the base of his skull. He heard...not footsteps but something else approaching the office, the sound faint but unmistakable. His heart raced as he quickly scanned the room for a place to hide. "Someone's coming," he whispered.
Ashley didn't hesitate. She yanked the USB drive from the computer and slipped it back into her pocket. Felix grabbed her arm, pulling her toward—
Beep!
"I thought I heard something."
Alistair Smythe had entered the room.
Just his luck. Out of everyone that could possibly come, it was Alistair Smythe that rolled into the room. His wheelchair made that distinct wheelie sound, one that was louder now that everything was silent.
Felix could feel Ashley's body pressed against his, their close quarters making it impossible to avoid contact. He could hear her breathing, slow and controlled, but he knew she was just as tense as he was. They were so close that he could smell the faint scent of her perfume.
Alistair came closer.
Felix could feel the cool surface of the desk against his back.
Alistair's sharp eyes scanned the room with the meticulousness of someone used to finding things others wanted to keep hidden. Felix closed his eyes in tense silence, his heartbeat echoing in his ears, as Alistair's gaze moved from the door to the vent above the desk, and then down to the computer terminal.
For a moment, Felix thought they might have gone unnoticed, but then Alistair's brow furrowed, and he rolled closer to the desk.
Fuck! Shit!
Alistair was heading straight for the computer.
The scientist was going to notice the recently accessed files, the signs that someone had been there before him. Felix's mind raced, searching for a way out, but in their confined space, there was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide if Alistair discovered them.
The air felt heavy, every second dragging on as Felix's Spider-Sense buzzed at the base of his skull, warning him of the imminent danger.
It grew stronger, stronger, stronger, until—
"Hm…"
Alistair's wheelchair was right there! Three inches away! His knees in view! All Alistair had to do was look down—
His Spider-Sense went off harder than it ever had.
"ATTENTION, ALL PERSONNEL. THE SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. T-MINUS FIVE MINUTES UNTIL DETONATION."
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