They had about six hours to prepare the plane and to gather everything. The plane itself was no issue. The Norfolk International Airport was twelve kilometers away and the Norfolk International Airport welcomed private planes and offered full services for them. So yeah, it was no issue at all. Herbie could just hack afterward to wipe records of his flight and the transmission too.
His eyes flicked over to Felicia and M'Baku. The white-haired thief was trying to come up with ways of infiltration while "carrying a huge log of meat" like M'Baku. The revolutionary was mostly silent. Espionage wasn't unknown to him, but he was no Felicia. Like any good former leader, he listened to her wise words with crossed arms.
Yelena was taking a shower. The plan to steal the submarines was the first thing they had come up with and something they had memorized to a tee. Felix sat on a rolling chair with a laptop in front of him.
'You seem…distracted.' Rash's voice came as a slither. As a Symbiote resting in his cranium, he was either asleep or buzzing. He taught him to keep quiet when he was in important conversations. In moments of introspection, the Symbiote would speak up. Felix didn't mind it.
'I was just thinking about Fury. He probably has the information I need too.'
'Annnnnd?
'He's the kind of man that would rather die than tell. Hell, I wouldn't even know how to explain it. Do I just say, "Hey, Nick! I need to talk to Cindy Moon! She knows something that I need!" And the first thing he'd do is point a gun and ask where I found him.'
Fury was officially off-grid. Meaning, Felix Faeth should not be able to find him, even though he knew exactly where he was right now.
'But you've committed. And grandmother awaits…!'
'Grandmother? Is that what you call her?'
'Dr. Elsa Brock…was our mother so to speak. But the one to bring the hivemind to Earth…the one who created the first spiders…it was Cindy Moon. She caused you. She caused US.'
He exhaled. In a manner of speaking, sure. Cindy Moon was the grandmother of all of this. The architect. Everything from the attack on Oscorp Tower to the attacks on Felix to perhaps even the creation of the Auction Master. Everything stemmed from her.
'Kill her.'
'I should, shouldn't I? She's far too much trouble.' He glanced over his shoulder without actually physically looking over. 'I can do it too and it's not like they'll notice. Yelena will be with me along the way but I could easily knock her out. It'll be no trouble. I get my answers, I'll kill her, and I'll move onto the Auction Master.'
Yes, even things like getting through the prison cell and deactivating the alarms were mostly taken care of. Why? Because of a certain program Herbie and the laptop were uploading onto the USB.
The underwater prison was too deep for Herbie and the satellites to penetrate. Not to mention there was no internet, only local servers. Assuming Felix and Yelena got inside, Herbie still wouldn't be able to do anything unless he did something from his end.
The USB currently plugged into the laptop was going to do that "something". Specifically, it was going to eat away at the forgotten data in the local servers and then build a mini version of Herbie for him to access.
Perched next to the laptop were the Advanced Glasses. Dark shades that were connected to the Fantastic Computer and the Herbie AI. Once that connection was gone, there was nothing but a basic AI. Only simple calculations. But as soon the USB did its job, the Advanced Glasses would attach itself and regain power. The power needed to navigate through the whole facility and their cameras without getting caught.
The others weren't aware of the specific details. He told a different version: that the USB would hack into the systems and cause footage loops for all the cameras as well as unlocking all the doors discreetly. Yelena was mildly skeptical but Felix assured her it would work. She was no techwiz. Neither was Felicia or M'Baku. They had to take the genius' word for it—and why wouldn't it? If this didn't work, it wouldn't help Felix's mission at all.
Everything was fine. Everything would be fine.
'Once the USB plugs in and the Advanced Glasses are operational, I can do what I want.'
Although getting to that first computer was key and required stealth and caution. Felix ran a hand down his cheek. He was feeling stressed. Every tiny detail was accounted for, or at least he hoped so.
'We hattteee water.'
'I know, I know.' Taking a shower or drinking water was nothing compared to being in the deep-sea. 1100 meters or 3600 feet, the literal abyssal zones of the ocean. No sunlight at all and near-freezing temperatures. Only the best of military submarines could go down there.
The alert chimed softly. Felix flinched and his eyes snapped to the laptop screen. He ended up letting out a sigh. 'I'm way too jittery. What's wrong with me?' It was nothing much, it was a proximity flag tied to the café's exterior camera. It confirmed an identity that he had been longing to see.
"Everyone stay put," he said as he stood up, sighing and smiling a little.
Felix stepped out into the main café, letting the door close softly behind him. He waited near the counter, hands in his pockets, posture deliberately relaxed.
The front door creaked open. The woman entering wore black from head to toe—coat, boots, gloves—and carried two massive duffel bags slung over her shoulders in grunts. Her hair fell to her shoulders and her eyes immediately scanned the room for threats that weren't there.
"Yuri," Felix said, a genuine smile breaking through.
His butler stopped, then exhaled. "You always pick the worst meeting places."
"You found it," he said. "That's what matters."
Yuri dropped the bags with a heavy thud that rattled the counter. "Everything you asked for is here."
"Thank you, Yuri. Really."
Yuri straightened, rolling her shoulders. "Took time. Elektra doesn't advertise. And she doesn't like being found."
"But you found her."
"I used to be a cop," Yuri said dryly. "Had to infiltrate deep for this."
"You'll be paid adequately." Felix crouched and unzipped one of the bags just enough to confirm what he already knew. The contents were dense, carefully packed, and powerful.
"Submarine-grade EMPs," he said softly. "Exactly what we need."
Yuri watched him closely. "You're doing something dangerous."
He met her gaze. "I know."
She studied his face for a long moment, then nodded once. She probably assumed it had to do with Oscorp. It didn't.
Felix straightened and reached into his jacket, producing a slim envelope. "This is for you. And this—" he handed her a second, thicker one, "—is a vacation. Long. Somewhere warm. No questions asked."
Yuri took them, surprise flickering across her face before she masked it. "Thank you. I do appreciate it. But are you sure you don't need my help?"
"I don't. You've earned more than that," Felix replied. "You served me well. And I'm not old, so I can live a couple months without you."
Yuri hesitated, then gave him a rare, small smile. "Don't get yourself killed, Felix."
"I'll try not to," he said.
She turned and headed for the door. The van stayed. She didn't look back.
The door closed behind her. A moment later, footsteps approached from the back room.
Felicia emerged first, eyes lighting up when she saw the bags. "Ooooh. Back-up is here!"
"It's just insurance," Felix said. "I doubt we'll actually need them since our plan to nab the submarine is pretty non-violent."
"Pretty but not completely."
The only risk was that Felix had to be Felix. He could be athletic and competent, but using his invisibility and webbing was a no-no.
M'Baku's gaze was immediately drawn to the doorway and then to the van right out there.
Felix nodded toward the window. "Van's ours. M'Baku, I'll need your help unloading. Some of it's heavy."
M'Baku nodded. Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C were all swirling into completion. Soon enough, it would be time to leave.
***
There was the public side of the Norfolk International Airport and the private side. At night, the airport had a very specific kind of calm to it. It felt bigger and had this dauntless to it, when really, it was like any other airport.
The main terminals were still alive a few hundred meters away, visible through glass and distance: rolling suitcases, glowing departure boards, tired families, late flights. But the private aviation side of the airport existed in a different rhythm entirely. Here, the lights were softer and more purposeful, washing over clean concrete and wide hangar doors without ever flaring too bright. Security was present less so. The guards understood who was supposed to be here.
Felix's jet sat at the edge of the private apron, nose pointed toward the runway like it was impatient. His private jet was pretty flashy, admittedly. State of the art and modified with engines that made it among the fastest in the world.
Ground crew moved efficiently around it, loading the last cases without conversation. Everything had already been cleared. The flight plans were filed with fakeness and the passengers logged under provisional identities that would be quietly erased by Herbie later. By the time the engines spun up, the airport's records would already be forgetting them.
Most rich people would still be chilling inside. Not them. They were on the runway and counting down every second. To be honest, the ground crew shit was mostly just formality. Felix was mighty but even he couldn't hack his way through stopping protocol.
"A jet on a scientist's salary…" Felicia murmured. "Can I say that's weird?"
"Unless Norman gifted it?" Yelena suggested.
Felix just chuckled. "Keep guessing."
M'Baku didn't seem to like or dislike it. It was what it was. With the four of them looking moderately well-dressed, they waited.
"Come on, you definitely didn't buy. Wait, unless you inherited?" Felicia gasped. "Were you born wealthy?"
"It was pretty up and down, to be honest. Some years we were rich, other years we were broke."
"Hrn." M'Baku snuck a look. "Let me guess, terrible father?"
"Woah, how'd you guess!?"
"...same with my own father is all."
"Damn, so BOTH of you have daddy issues. That's great. Real great." Felicia nodded along, smiling, and then frowned. "Although I suppose I can't talk either. I've got daddy issues."
"I never had parents," Yelena added, "does that count?"
Silence. They boarded without ceremony.
Felicia stretched upon entering. "Nice stuff! Anybody who says money doesn't buy happiness is delusional. Delusional, I say."
The cabin felt insulated from the world. Plush arranged around a central table and dark wood panels. It was a good-looking place, indeed.
"I don't think the quote is as simple as money equalling happiness," Felix said. "Money buys the minimization of certain categories of problems. Money buys convenience, comfort, loyalty and respect. But as a person, if you're unhappy today, you'll probably still be unhappy with a bunch of money—"
"Pfft, you really believe that? Really?" Felicia scoffed and turned, hands on her hips. "Come on, Felix! Money fixes everything! You got mental issues? Everyone's got 'em! Difference is that with money, mental issues turn into a quirk."
M'Baku actually snorted from that. "Agreed. Money does proliferate and change anything the middle-class do."
"See?" Felix shrugged her shoulders. "Big guy agrees. Two-to-one, I win the argument." She raised a hand. "High-five."
M'Baku walked past her, ignoring her high-five. Felicia scoffed and walked after him. Yelena rolled her eyes.
The moment the door sealed and the jet began to taxi, Felix didn't bother with the cockpit. Autopilot was already engaged. The course was set.
The group took their seats around the table.
Felicia kicked off her boots and folded her legs up onto her chair, immediately reaching for one of the bottles tucked into the side compartment. She didn't ask, just poured. Yelena accepted a glass without comment, sitting with her back straight, eyes sharp despite the relaxed setting. M'Baku took his seat more carefully, the furniture clearly not designed with someone his size in mind, but he made it work.
Felix sat last and next to M'Baku, setting his tablet down but not opening it yet. Boys were with boys, girls with girls.
"Drinking before a mission," M'Baku remarked, staring right at Felicia.
"Sorry, it calms the nerves. Haven't you ever drank before a mission before, Mr. Revolutionary?"
"No. The stakes were too high."
"And you failed, so looks like one method works, the other doesn't."
M'Baku blinked slowly. "You sure talk a lot."
"Do I? Thank you."
"As though nobody has ever told you to shut up in their life."
"As a matter of fact..." Felicia sincerely pondered over it. "Nope. No one has."
"Hm."
The jet was starting to go down the runway. It was smooth. No rumble or anything, that was the calibre of jet Felix owned.
Felicia raised her glass. "Alright," she said, tone light but eyes focused. "Last drink before the mission. All aboard?"
Felix looked around, chuckling a little. Yelena sighed and had her glass filled. Felix was up next. M'Baku was stoic and still.
"Come on." Felix nudged him. "You're superhuman, aren't you? You'll be fine."
"...fine."
The thrill in Felicia's eyes was a fun one as she poured M'Baku's glass. Together, the four of them clinked glasses—not celebratory, more ritual than anything.
Felix took a sip, then leaned back slightly. "All aboard."
"All board," Yelena added.
"...all board," M'Baku said with dull finality.
"We're locked into the timeline, people!" Felicia declared. "Once we split in the UK, there's no room to improvise the big pieces. Only the small ones. So I better not hear complaints from you, Doctor Scientist Felix."
Oh, right, Felix was the only non-athlete here. There was probably some tingle in the back of the thief's head saying he wasn't up to snuff.
Yelena snorted. "You should worry about what you do. The White Card comes first. Everything hinges on that."
Felicia pointed to the bulky man. "You mean hinges on him."
M'Baku folded his arms. "Indeed it does."
"Are you sure you're up for it?" Yelena asked, looking over her drink and at M'Baku. "I know you fought Captain America but come on. Three minutes?"
M'Baku stared back. "I'll do it. You only need to be ready to print it."
"Yeah, you sure you can do that in a submarine full of enemies, Felix?" Felicia questioned. She already knew the answer, she knew the plan, she was just teasing and prodding out of amusement.
Felix tapped at his wrist. There was a certain wrist-mounted device with a cylindrical button nearing the palm. "I have this 3D portable printer." Which was originally for Spider-Man and his web-shooters. Not that they knew. What did they think?"
"I still can't believe you invented a 3D printer on the fly," Yelena remarked. "Every spy agency in the world could use something like that."
Felix shrugged. "I needed it."
The mission really hinged on this 3D-printer-web-shooter. Without it, he couldn't reconstruct the White Card and therefore not make it into the underwater prison. Then again, every step mattered. Every piece had to act with perfection.
The jet hummed steadily around them, cruising higher now, the city lights of Norfolk shrinking into distant clusters below.
Yelena drank and sighed. "Well, once the card is ready, you and I are already in the submarine. We then board the prison under supply transfer credentials. Black Card gets us through intake. Your USB program gets rid of the cameras. White Card unlocks everything else. Then you talk to Cindy Moon and get what you want."
Felicia lifted her glass again. "So no pressure."
"Plenty of pressure," Yelena said. "Literal and otherwise."
M'Baku finally took a sip of his drink. "Amen."
Felix snickered. "Amen, brother."
There was a brief silence. Not tense, just heavy with understanding. They were doing all this for money, for a debt, and ultimately…for a conversation.
Felicia broke it with a grin. "Well. Here's to Felix the great genius of our era."
But it wasn't any conversation. Felicia, Yelena, and M'Baku, with or without knowing it, gave this glance toward Felix as they drank. This man was no mere man. Their eyes drifted toward someone special. Toward the man that saved New York. Toward the man that, in their eyes, had invented 3D printing and a new kind of AI. A man that was ushering in a new era.
Cindy Moon was gatekeeping something from this genius. From this man that was seemingly capable of anything and everything good. He needed help in order to find some sort of medical marvel, no doubt, and they believed it. They believed in it. In some way, deep in their hearts, they thought they were working toward some sort of greater good.
But was he?
Felix didn't know—and he wasn't sure what to make of their glances.
He simply drank.