Wednesday afternoon, Felicia called him. "Coffee? I want to talk to you about something."
They met at a café in Greenwich Village. Felicia looked different. Less makeup. Simpler clothes. Her whole energy had changed since their conversation at the party.
She ordered a latte and sat across from Alex. "I've been thinking about what you said. About building my own reputation."
"And?"
"I want to start a business. Security consulting. Who better to design security systems than someone who knows how thieves think?"
Alex smiled. "That's actually brilliant. There's definitely a market for it."
"Right? Rich people are paranoid about being robbed. I can help them feel safe while making legitimate money." Felicia stirred her coffee. "But I need to understand emerging security technology. What's coming that thieves will need to bypass? What innovations should I be watching?"
"Biological security is the next big thing. DNA locks. Retinal scanners. Fingerprint analysis at the molecular level. Stuff that can't be faked or bypassed with traditional methods."
Felicia's eyes lit up. "Can you get me information on that? Research papers or technical specs or whatever?"
"Probably. I have access to Oscorp's research database. I can pull some papers on biometric security systems."
"That would be amazing." Felicia paused. "Is this okay? Me asking for favors? I don't want to take advantage of our friendship."
"It's fine. We're helping each other. That's what friends do." Alex meant it. The relationship was mutually beneficial but also genuine. "Your mom's connected to investors, right?"
"Yeah. She knows basically everyone in New York's money circles. Why?"
"I might need introductions eventually. When I'm ready to start my own ventures. Doors I can't open myself."
"Done. Just say when." Felicia grinned.
"We're going to run this city someday, you know. Legally, of course."
"Of course."
They both laughed. Both knew they were bending the truth. Legal was relative in their world.
Felicia mentioned she was looking at office space. Had already talked to her first potential clients. Was taking online courses in security system design.
Alex was impressed. When Felicia decided to do something, she committed completely.
They talked for another hour about business strategies and market opportunities.
Then Felicia had to leave for a meeting with a potential investor her mother had arranged.
Alex walked back toward the subway thinking about connections.
Felicia's network plus his Oscorp access plus his future knowledge created powerful synergies. He just needed to leverage everything carefully.
...
End of week two at Oscorp, Norman called Alex to his office again.
"Your work continues to impress me," Norman said without preamble. "Dr. Kumar says you think like a scientist, not just an analyst."
"I try to understand the underlying principles, not just the applications."
"Good. That's exactly what I need." Norman leaned forward. "I'm moving you to a special project. Cross-species genetics. I want fresh eyes on our research. Someone who isn't buried in the technical details."
Alex's pulse quickened. This was exactly what he wanted but it was happening fast. Too fast, maybe.
"What would my role be?"
"Analysis and recommendations. You'll work directly with Dr. Connors. He's brilliant but sometimes too focused on pure research. I need someone who can identify practical applications."
Dr. Curt Connors. The future Lizard. Another dangerous person to be near.
But also exactly who Alex needed to learn from. Connors understood genetic modification better than almost anyone alive.
"I'd be honored to work with Dr. Connors, sir."
"Good." Norman's expression was unreadable. "There's a school field trip next week. Midtown High. Your school, actually. You'll assist Dr. Connors with the presentation. Good opportunity to see the labs and understand our work better."
Alex's mind was racing. Norman was putting him right where Peter would be when the spider bite happened.
Was that coincidence? Test? Did Norman somehow know something?
No. That was paranoia. Norman couldn't possibly know about Peter's future or Alex's plans.
"Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Osborn. I won't disappoint you."
"See that you don't." Norman's eyes were cold. "I have high expectations for you, Mr. Carter."
After Alex left, Norman picked up his phone and made a call.
"Security? I want surveillance on Alex Carter. Not intrusive. Just monitoring. I want to know where he goes and what he does. Send reports directly to me."
Norman ended the call and stared at his monitor showing Alex's employee photo.
Smart kid. Very smart. Maybe too smart for a teenager who should be focused on homework and dates
.
Norman would watch him. Test him. Figure out if Alex Carter was an asset or a threat.
....
The weekend passed. Alex prepared his equipment. Sterile swabs. Sealed containers. DNA preservation solution. All ordered online and delivered to his apartment.
He practiced collection techniques until the movements were smooth. Natural. Unnoticeable.
Created a cover story about documenting the field trip for a school project. Brought his camera with a telephoto lens. The kind serious students used for journalism or science clubs.
Hidden in his camera bag was the sample collection kit. Everything he needed to gather biological data covertly.
He rehearsed the scenario mentally. Spider bites Peter. Everyone panics. Alex helps by checking the bite. Swabs the area while pretending to examine it. If possible, captures or kills the spider. Claims he was protecting the other students.
Photographs of everything. The bite location. The spider itself. Peter's initial reaction.
Then following up over the next week.
Visiting Peter to "check on him." Collecting more samples. Hair. Saliva. Skin cells. Tracking the DNA changes as the transformation progressed.
Peter would never know he was being studied.
Sunday night, Alex couldn't sleep. He lay in bed staring at the ceiling.
Tomorrow Peter's life would change forever. He would become Spider-Man. One of the greatest heroes the world would ever see.
And Alex would become... what? Someone who studied his friend like a lab specimen? Someone who used people to survive?
'Peter will be fine,' Alex thought. 'Better than fine. He'll save thousands of lives. Maybe millions. I'm just trying to understand how it works so I don't die when aliens invade.'
The justification felt hollow but he pushed forward anyway.
His alarm was set for 5 AM. He needed to get to Oscorp early. Meet with Dr. Connors before the students arrived. Get positioned perfectly for when everything happened.
Alex finally fell asleep around 2 AM.
Three hours later, his alarm went off.
Field trip day.
Everything was about to change.
For Peter Parker and for Alex Carter.
Read more on Patreon marvelstark