'So the Vibranium is fucking up some of our sensors. I thought I anticipated it with the upgrades but it seems not.'
Felix's intellect was not omniscient. Minor miscalculations were expected, no matter if one was a supergenius or a supercomputer. The spider was in a huge tub, relaxing with his arms spread. The thick, white bubbles were pleasant. From Herbie's analysis, this was probably among the most expensive bathtubs in the world. Princess Ororo sure threw her money around.
Felix glanced at the window. He heard grunts and claw marks stabbing into metal. Seconds later…
"Dr. Faeth, good to see you're still alive.
Rogue climbed inside the bathroom, this time in her skintight black SHIELD uniform. Felix himself remained where he was.
"I was half-expecting you to be a skeleton," Rogue joked. "I've heard a LOT of stories about the princess. Then again, you're you."
Felix laughed. "Thanks. Any news?"
"Plenty, and you were right. I think Luke noticed it too—there's way too many scientists. Okay, sure, they're packing or whatever but it feels off. So, I did some digging and smelling and following and I got us a lab."
"Where?"
"Remember that nightclub? There's high-tech shit that leads to an underground laboratory. Too much Vibranium to break through."
'Ohhhh. I seeee...'
'So much Vibranium that it stopped us from immediately detecting it. Must be something down there for there to require that much.'
'Agreeeed.'
'AGREED.'
'Then again, Ororo does use it willy-nilly.''
'Agreeeed.'
'AGREED.'
"Did you get inside?" he asked.
"Nope! See, the scientist guy I followed—forget his name—he took M'Baku down there, like he was forced to. I'm betting on experiments, like you mentioned before. He's a Super Soldier of some kind and since he won't verbally tell them, they have to analyze his body to find out."
"Torture hasn't worked?"
"Probably don't want to harm their prime specimen."
"Not to mention the device on his heart…it might respond to torture," Felix murmured.
"Oscorp aren't the only ones trying for another Super Soldier, eh?" Rogue remarked with a wink.
"Mm."
In human history, the number of Super Soldiers could be counted on two hands. Wolverine, Rogue herself, the Chameleon, and potentially others. Many were not documented and a majority either did not match the genuine article's speed and strength, merely being strong to a supernatural degree, or possessing terrible defects that eliminated them from being true Super Soldiers. What was the point of enhanced strength if the person died due to an enlarged heart? Felix remembered the documents Nick Fury showed him. It was horrific.
The main point and evaluation was figuring out to make a Super Soldier that could turn a skinny, weak woman into bulldozer capable of kicking tanks over.
'Even the Director of SHIELD wants me to make one for her. She wants it less for its strength and more for its longevity. Luckily, I've been able to buy time for myself but sooner or later, she might pester me about it.'
"What next?" Rogue asked. "We chilling? Killing? M'Baku's still down there and I have a feeling he's going to stay there. What about you? What about your deal with the princess?"
"Done. Princess Ororo will be sponsoring Webware. New York and Nairobi will be the first two cities for primary testing. Expansion to other rurals areas will soon follow. People won't necessarily have to wear it. There's one type we've devised can work as a light AND internet. Oh, and a normal wireless modem. Three types of Webware in order to satisfy the current market's demands."
That was Hobie's idea. The engineer was quite creative.
"Free internet everywhere, huh?"
"That's the intention."
"What's the starting price? You could make a boatload of money from this."
"I think I've figured out a way to make it cheap in terms of manufacturing. Starting price won't be high at all. Maybe a hundred bucks up front." His supercomputer devised twelve types of factories to maximize efficiency. "Internet for everybody means more knowledge. More schools. In the next six years, if everything goes according to plan, literacy rates should increase exponentially in developing regions. The worldwide economy should boom too and the effects won't be limited to the richer countries."
Again, theoretically, if everything went according to plan and the economy boomed in the correct intervals and regions, he could end world hunger in ten years.
Webware was just one product. Others were waiting in line and after today, Princess Ororo was more than happy to spend her whole economy on his products and businesses.
"Great. Excellent. That also means people are gonna want to assassinate you," Rogue pointed out. "Even if you don't plan to be the figurehead."
"I know. I was hoping to leave that to Osborn or Ororo, but you're right. There's no way I won't be a target in some way." Felix inhaled. "Anyway, everything is set and planned. Me and Ororo will be meeting up with the others. You should probably take off your clothes."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. See ya." Rogue back-flipped and disappeared from view. Felix continued to relax in the bathtub.
From the room, he heard a room. Princess Ororo was waking up.
***
The east wing of Ororo's castle was a stark contrast to the regal, historical west. Here, sleek glass panes replaced ancient stone, soft uplighting curved along the ceiling edges, and marble floors reflected the lush greenery from outside.
Then there was the place where her harem hung out.
A long, minimalistic lounge area anchored one side of the open room, where the Defenders had taken seats—Luke looking perpetually annoyed, Monica smiling and feeling confident about herself, Carol seated in silence with her military posture, and Samantha leaning casually against a wall, her arms folded.
It was night-time at this point. His, ah, negotiations with Ororo took quite a while. She was not an easy woman, after all.
Felix stood beside Princess Ororo, both composed but with an undercurrent between them that only Monica seemed to catch—a flicker in Ororo's gait, a light smile on Felix's face.
Felix was focused elsewhere. On the men and on the space itself. 'So this is her harem? Or would it be reverse-harem?'
Felix received a lot of glares and figurative daggers pointed at him. A whole day and a half of waiting for the princess. A whole day of lewd noises. They must have overheard some of it, right? At the very least, Craig must have told them. He was here too, surrounded by the most men. He was like the harem's leader or something. Felix wondered if this was how the harem in the Abbasid Caliphates and Imperial China functioned. Felix suddenly felt like an up and coming concubine.
"Felix Faeth," Ororo announced, her voice calm and authoritative despite the faintest hue of flush on her cheeks, "and I have agreed to a partnership. My kingdom will support him in all endeavors, starting with his revolutionary project—Webware. Universal access to the internet, secure and open. It will begin here, on Lamu."
"Internet for all, huh?" Luke glanced at Carol, then Monica. "So job is done, huh?"
Everyone in the room noticed the slight inconsistency: Ororo, famously a nudist, was wrapped in an elegant robe. She said nothing about it, and neither did anyone else, but a single, mutual thought echoed silently:
Must be the hickeys.
Ororo looked across the east wing toward the gathered men lounging across from the Defenders—her harem, in full presence. With a graceful raise of her hand, she spoke: "All of you may leave. Except my dear scientists."
The room shifted. Most of the men stood and filed out, only four remaining behind.
First was William Foster, broad-shouldered and cool in demeanor, wearing round glasses perched perfectly on his nose. His expression was hard to read.
'WILLIAM FOSTER. PH.D. IN NUCLEAR PHYSICS. EXPERT IN QUANTUM COMPRESSION FIELDS. CURRENTLY STUDYING ENERGY MINIATURIZATION TECHNIQUES FOR MEDICAL DEVICES.'
'Hm, I think I've seen his name here and there. Mostly as an editor, if I recall.'
Herbie gave him information in real-time, the same as always. The Vibranium might have prevented a complete analysis of the island, but that didn't mean facial analysis and profiles were off the menu.
Next stood Henry McCoy, already in the middle of adjusting his glasses with a contemplative frown.
'HENRY MCCOY. SIX PH.D.S INCLUDING GENETICS, BIOCHEMISTRY, AND LINGUISTICS. WORLD-RENOWNED FOR EARLY STUDIES IN METAHUMAN BIOLOGY AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE. KNOWN FOR BRILLIANT MIND AND ECCENTRIC HABITS.'
'Oh, shit, that's THE Henry Mccoy!? I read all his published papers in college! Ah, man, so much of his work I used for Extremis!'
Felix wasn't a fanboy. Rather, Henry felt more like the coworker he had never met or knew. It was a commonly shared feeling in the field of someone. Knowing someone solely through their work, like it was some sort of long-distance relationship.
'He's, uh, hairier than I thought.'
Third was Dr. Craig Marshall, a NASA scientist and among Storm's most loved concubines. Felix recognized him as Ororo's most loyal harem member, never late to hand water bottles and food when they needed it. Felix gave a small hand wave. Craig forced a smile and waved back.
And then there was the last one—the vibe shift was apparent.
Mid-twenties. Wiry. Skin smooth and dark like polished obsidian. His massive wicks made Felix think at first it was an afro. He wore shorts and sneakers, a single chain glinting against his collarbone. His smile was like sunshine filtered through old vinyl records—chill, warm, and unbothered by anything at all.
A dude, to put it simply.
"Felix here is a scientist himself," Ororo explained. "I figure some communication and proper analysis of his work will be necessary."
"You don't trust me, princess?"
"Men like you, I never trust." Ororo gave a wink. "Perhaps if you stay another week, I'll—"
"Unfortunately, my time here is limited," Felix said, easy-going. See, the princess wanted him to stay. Forever. Felix, however, had other obligations.
The dude stepped forward first and held out a hand, grin broad. "Yo. Hobie Brown here."
Felix clasped the hand, firm but easy. In that moment, his Spider-Sense went off—only to simmer down in a strange way.
'Thisss one. He…he is a spider,' the Symbiote whispered, low and sharp in Felix's mind. 'He is a spider! Like you!'
'What!? A Spider-Man!? Here!? How—!?'
The Multiverse. Another spider could only come from another world. At this point, he shouldn't be surprised. Although to completely confirm this…
'FACIAL RECOGNITION ERROR.'
No facial record. Yep, his guess practically shot up to certainty. Like Felicia, like Czarina, Hobie Brown came here and managed to slip into this new society with a fake, botched up past. Why the hell was another Spider-Man in Ororo's harem? Wait, well, he was here too, so...
"Hobie Brown?" Felix repeated. "I think I recognize the other names, but you're.."
"New in town," Hobei replied with a smile. He hadn't noticed—or had he? The Symbiote adjusted his Spider-Sense so that Hobie wouldn't notice. However, the Spider-Sense in of itself was impossible to control. Especially now after he decided to keep his powers forever.
"Came about a year ago," Henry said. "New guy for us."
"I see."
Last year, hm? Around the same time as Felicia and Czarina...
Felix's eyes subtly narrowed. He felt it too—a strange resonance. A familiarity in movement, posture, even stillness. Hobie's handshake wasn't just casual—it was instinctive. Balanced.
"Pleasure," Felix said aloud, as Hobie rocked back on his heels.
"You got one hell of a project goin'," Hobie added. "Webware. I'm into that, real into it, though I'll have to check the shit for myself first."
"Dreams can't always be dreams. I did my best.
"Good on ya." Hobie smiled and glanced down. His eyes widened. "Brother, you are hung like a horse! Bloody hell!"
"...thanks."
Ororo clapped her hands together. "Excellent, my dears. I'm glad to see some friendship because I want all of you to work together to work up a draft while I…" Ororo stretched her arms high in the air and yawned. "...will go for a long bath and a long sleep."
"You slept all day yesterday," Samantha pointed out.
"She sleeps a lot," Craig explained.
Samantha was unconvinced. "Hm."
"Well, I can draw out a schematic pretty quickly. Do you have a pen and paper?"
***
Two hours later and all the details were laid out. Craig had his own mini-laboratory for minor demonstrations of science. Between the four men, Henry McAvoy struck Felix as being the smartest. His wide array of degrees made him a super smart guy all around, even if he didn't specialize in technology or engineering. Henry asked the most questions, specifically pertaining to the logistics aspect.
Hobie being the engineer was left with the actual criticism and questions of the Webware. There was quite a bit of back and forth.
"This is real pretty, bruv," Hobie said, his London drawl laid-back but focused. "But mesh networking across multiple rural zones without a satellite fallback? I'm not buying the latency numbers."
One thing about Craig's lab: there were NASA computers and holograms too. Technology Felix had only previously seen at Stark's. So with every remark came an actual illustration. Whatever AI these guys built here was quite advanced. Not remotely as advanced as Herbie or JARVIS.
"That's because you're looking at the civilian-side interface. I've got two embedded layers underneath the top OS. One handles delay-tolerant routing, the other stores predictive cache bundles in micro solid-state memory banks."
Hobie whistled. "You got edge caching and neural latency prediction in this little biscuit tin?"
"4D printed silicon. Dynamic expansion based on data flow. Nanotech for efficiency."
"Alright, alright, big brain," Hobie said, spinning an apple in his palm and eating it to buy time to think. "But what's your backhaul? Even if you bounce signal peer-to-peer, you still need to plug into something global eventually."
Felix nodded. "That's where the Ororo deal comes in. Satellite access courtesy of Kenya's new Wakandan-linked orbital system. They supply the satellite bandwidth, I make it local and portable."
Hobie raised a brow. "You trust Wakandan satellites?"
"I trust that I made the encryption for the endpoints myself," Felix said. "No one's getting in unless they crack triple-layered quantum lattice keys."
Which meant nobody could hack through Herbie. Herbie was doing this shit, not him.
Hobie chuckled. "Alright, fair. But you're still dealing with node instability. What happens if half your mesh users go dark? Power outage, jungle storm, you name it. Battery will be fried at some point."
"Nothing is invincible but I've modeled worst-case scenarios," Felix replied, flicking a hand over the hologram. It took his illustration, scanned it, uploaded it, and showed off the voiced details and angles. A new schematic glowed to life. "Webware clusters have kinetic backup charge units. Movement-based energy. You wear it? You power it."
Hobie blinked. "You're charging these things with walking?"
Felix shrugged. "Jogging, running, dancing, vibrations from motorcycles… I figured if I'm building tech for the world, it should run on what the world does."
"What if someone doesn't move?"
"Nothing is ever not moving, technically. Plus, there's manual charging. Both are equally effective."
"You would need to invent new types of batteries."
"Which I already did and will have Oscorp mass produce soon."
Hobie crossed his arms, whistling again. "You're a madman."
"I'm an optimist."
"Same thing, really."
The wind rolled through the trees as both men stood in silence for a beat, watching the projections hover above the table.
"So..." Henry asked, arms across his hairy chest. "The verdict, Hobbie?"
Hobie finally answered, tapping a finger on the table of the hologram. "This thing… this could actually change the game. Like, really change it."
Felix smiled faintly. "That's the plan."
"No more data monopolies, no more gatekeeping access in rural places, and no more paying twenty quid a month to watch someone's cat fall off a counter," Hobie muttered. "Beautiful."
Hobie stared at him for a long moment.
Then he said, "If you ever need someone to help you build more of these…"
Hook, line, and sinker. Webware was an international go.