ONE YEAR LATER - Wakanda, Birnin Zana, 9:08 p.m.
Wakanda was one hell of a country, that much Felix could agree. Birnin Zana, the smartest city in the world, scholars and tourists called it, and it was true. The heart of Wakanda — its capital, its pride, and its most stunning contradiction. Nestled between lush hills and fed by the River Jubari, the city was a fusion of ancient tradition and cutting-edge technology unlike anything else on Earth. They were so many merchant streets that it made his head dizzy.
Felix Faeth didn't think he would be here but here he was: waiting for a Nobel Peace Prize to be handed. The ceremony was held in the Great Assembly Hall, a sweeping structure of vibranium-laced glass and woven vibranite wood, sunlight pouring through the high canopy.
The world had gathered. Presidents. Activists. Scientists. Monarchs. And somewhere among them, in an unremarkable black suit and tie, sat Felix Faeth.
He sat toward the middle of the crowd, posture casual, eyes unreadable behind dark glasses. His badge identified him as a "Technical Consultant – New York Recovery Initiative," nothing more. He clapped as the announcer took the podium. He didn't shift in his seat when the words came.
"…And the Nobel Peace Prize goes to… Norman Osborn."
The applause was instant. Polite. Then swelling. A few stood. Felix didn't.
Norman Osborn walked across the stage with his usual practiced humility, the tailored green suit, the wave, the smile—the version of Norman the world accepted now.
He did it. He won it. Norman Osborn won the most astute award of their generation.
Norman's voice cut through the hall. "Last year, New York faced an unprecedented crisis. Not just a monster—Creature Z—but a test of our resilience, of our will to change."
He gestured grandly, almost preacher-like.
"The destruction was terrible. But from it, we built new systems. Clean energy infrastructure. Reclaimed urban spaces. Air quality across the tri-state area is cleaner than it's been in fifty years."
Applause again. More than polite this time.
Norman smiled. "And this is only the beginning. By 2030, I pledge that New York City will run entirely on green energy. We'll set the standard—not just for America, but for the world."
Felix didn't clap. His eyes flicked up to the screen above the stage, where Norman's face beamed.
No mention of the lab teams. No mention of the quiet genius who helped stabilize the city's power grid in the aftermath. No mention of Felix Faeth. He didn't expect it. He didn't want it. So he smiled and applauded like everyone else.
This was good. This was great. This would take the heat off him.
The after party began. At this point, Felix had grown accustomed to these kinds of parties completely.
The Great Garden Terrace buzzed with conversation and carefully curated luxury. Waitstaff moved like shadows with trays of spiced lamb skewers and golden glasses of Wakandan champagne.
Felix stood near the edge of the crowd, a flute in hand, sipping slowly. The warm lights from above bounced off his glass, his face still unreadable.
People laughed. Toasts clinked.
Across the terrace, Norman held court with a circle of diplomats and tech moguls. He looked relaxed. Comfortable. Triumphant.
'Herbie?'
'FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE LOADING…'
Unbeknownst to anyone, he was wearing a special type of contact lens. Really, they weren't contact lenses at all. Like the Advanced Glasses, these were Advanced Contact Lens. A hidden phone designed to resemble contact lenses, capable of recording both visual and audio footage of anyone or anything the wearer happens to be observing at the time.
Compartmentalising a phone into contact lenses was not easy. The biggest issue was always energy efficiency. It took a good six months to find a combination of Vibranium that could last for more than ten hours. The Advanced Contact Lens 3.7 model operated for forty-three hours at a time.
'BANK ACCOUNTS ANALYZED. ALL ACCOUNTS OF FRAUD AND SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE SPIDER'S WEB.'
The Spider-Web's was a codeword for the list of large-scale crimes he had to get to. See, with SHIELD, Norman Osborn, and the Defenders at his beck, Felix could only go as Spider-Man sparingly. Specifically, when Emma Frost came around and used her mind hacking abilities. Without her, it just wasn't possible.
"Felix?"
"Ah, Luke. Sorry, just gonna go get some fresh air."
"I'll be chilling out then. Can't fuck up on my last assignment."
Felix tapped on the shoulder, smiling, and walked forward. "If someone is creative enough to kidnap me from the terrace, I think we should the kidnapper a medal."
Luke chuckled. "Funny."
Over the past year, Luke Cage had become a great friend. However, the Defenders were to soon disband. No attempts had been made on his life and with Norman getting all the attention and praise, if anybody was interested in the behind-the-scenes "trivia", they would gun for Norman, not him. Norman had been careful in making Felix normal and discrete. Someone that didn't hold too much influence. Partially to bolster his power in the company and also to protect Felix.
Progress had been made on the Super Soldier Serum, although not as much as certain people hoped. Felix was called to and fro due to his responsibilities for the city. Felix managed to help create a new method of efficient and long-term green energy.
Project Web War had been a smash, so Norman asked for his advice. He wanted to know how he kept prices low and energy-costs equally low. So he explained. He applied it to the city grid.
Suddenly, New York City was healing, Norman Osborn got the Nobel Peace Prize, and Felix was heading out to the terrace sipping on the world's most expensive champagne.
The terrace smelled faintly of jasmine and heat-polished stone, the stars beginning to wink into view above the skyline. He heard the footsteps behind him before he turned.
"Still brooding at the edge of the party, Felix?" said a familiar voice, dry and teasing.
He turned with a rare smile. "Shuri."
Princess Shuri of Wakanda, dressed in a midnight blue formal wrap, grinned at him. "You haven't changed. As handsome as ever, I see. Is that why Queen Ororo gushes about you as she does so?"
Queen Ororo, not Princess. Her father, the king, passed away six months ago. Felix had been invited to the coronation. He attended and spent the night. Ahem.
"I don't think I was able to tell you but I LOVED your Web Ware project. Very ambitious."
"I hope it was a hit in Wakanda."
"Ha, you jest. We're a rich country, of course we love. Every man and their child has that stupid thing on their wrist. Tell me, are you planning to release a second model? I've made a breakthrough in hologram technology."
"Oh? Do tell."
"It's not quite miniaturised yet," Shuri said, "but I've got the principles down. You specialize in nanotech, so I've been trying to do the same."
"Ahh, so you want a hint, is that it?"
Shuri winked. "Is it too much to ask for, my American friend?"
"Hmmm…I'll think about it. Sorry, but you know about the whole thing with trade secrets in this industry."
"Ah, yes. Completely understandable. Perhaps I can convince you, however." She brushed shoulders with him. "There's a hot spring in Mount Asoba. Private. Very relaxing. Be there tomorrow. Midday."
Felix raised a brow. "Alone?"
"I'll have Okoye joining me."
"So not alone."
"Haha, not for people like us, my friend."
"Fair enough." Felix looked over his shoulder. Okoye was right there. He gave a little wave. She waved back with a polite smile.
"Where's the address?"
"There's only one hot spring up there. And trust me, not just anyone can walk in there."
"I see…well, thank you, Shuri. I appreciate it. I'll definitely come. I haven't gotten the time to do as much sight-seeing as I wanted to."
"Then you're in luck." Following that remark, Okoye came up behind Shuri and whispered in her ear. Shuri's smile faded and she sighed dramatically. "As much as I'd like to say, I have some busy men to talk to. See you later," Shuri said.
"See you."
Their fingers brushed just long enough to mean something, then Shuri turned and disappeared back into the garden crowd like a ghost in silk.
'Herbie? Can we leave?'
'IT APPEARS THE DIRECTOR OF SHIELD IS WAITING FOR YOU.'
Sigh. God dammit. 'Where is she?'
'POURING FRUIT PUNCH AT THE SMALL TABLE IN THE WEST.'
SHIELD was a massive organization with influence all over the world. A classic telltale sign of them was scrambling and hacking into the facial software of local cameras whenever high-profile missions were occurring. In this case, as his Advanced Contact Lens showed him, they were indeed scrambling the Director's presence here.
The noise returned when Felix exited the terrace. He moved toward a quiet corner adjacent where a few middle-tier guests mingled—ambassadors, executives, intelligence advisors.
'Oohhh, chocolate.'
Felix smiled in his head and took the slice of chocolate cake. In three bites, he ate the whole thing and the Symbiote consumed the nutrients.
That's when he saw her. Moving slowly but deliberately across the room, cane in one hand, presence unmistakable.
Peggy Carter.
Most people here had no idea who she was. Just another elegant older woman, dressed sharply in navy with a SHIELD pin on her lapel. Only a few noticed how the agents near the doors subtly straightened as she passed.
She stopped beside him.
"Mr. Faeth," Director Carter greeted, voice weathered but sharp. "How's Oscorp treating you?"
Felix gave her a sidelong glance. "Like any company does. Like an employee."
Director Carter was not amused. They both faced the crowd, speaking without looking at each other.
"And the serum?" she asked.
Felix's tone cooled. "On schedule. Stable, finally. Last test worked."
"Good." Director Carter eyes scanned the room. "I trust you remember why this matters."
"Not particularly." He took a sip of champagne, watching her reflection in the glass. "There's no such thing as immortality. As invincibility."
"I used to think that," Director Carter said, "until I saw Spider-Man. That was when I realized that immortality is not beyond my reach."
"..."
"You've seen him. Studied him. Nothing works on him. Nothing kills him. My best men say only the blast force of our best nuclear weapons could potentially kill him. He has somehow achieved something all of human history has not. I refused to be with the rest. I refuse to not be on the same level as him. I gave up too much to let my body decide when it ends."
War World II, the Chinese Civil War, the Korean War, the Greek Civil War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and everything in between. Felix had a tight grip on SHIELD's database, yet rarely did any of them mention Peggy Carter. She was a shadow. She was a footnote in the history books, mentioned as a secretary but never more.
There was a silence between them.
Felix set the glass down. "Once it's done, I'm leaving Oscorp. Retiring."
"That's fine," Director Carter said, adjusting her cane. "Just finish it first."
She didn't wait for a reply. She walked away with slow but steady grace, agents subtly forming a path ahead of her.
Felix remained where he was, the music swelling around him. 'Spider-Man…he's had much more of an effect on the world than I expected.'
Publicly, Spider-Man had not made an appearance since Creature Z. Rumours constantly sparked of his appearance. None were conclusive. None could say, "It's him! The hero in black who saved our city!" It was always with confused mutters. Some believed he was gravely injured from his battle with Creature Z.
SHIELD agreed with this sentiment. Peggy Carter and Captain America did not.
Felix wanted it to be that way. Ambiguous. The next Spider-Man made a public appearance, it would be for something big. He existed in the public conscience, that much could not be denied or stopped. At the same time, too much attention was never good. It was best to balance it out.
"Yo, Felix." Luke raised a hand. "That old lady…I swear I know her."
"From where? Ororo's island?"
"Jesus Christ, don't make me imagine that." Luke sipped on his champagne. "Bleh, this tastes too thin. Not intense enough."
"Agreed."
'Although in my case, I can't get drunk at all.'
'You're welcooome.'
A hilarious incident occurred four months ago. An assassin hired by Cindy Moon attempted to poison him and Captain America. Felix noticed, Samantha didn't, so Felix didn't point it out. They drank at a cafe and the assassin was left scratching his head wondering what went wrong. Two hours later, Spider-Man webbed him up and hung him from a lamppost for the NYPD to find. The assassin was wanted in two other countries for terrorism. Point for Spider-Man.
"Wanna head out?" Felix asked, adjusting the cuff of his suit.
Luke Cage, towering beside him, gave a grunt of approval and rolled his shoulders. "Finally. I was going to ask when you wanted to leave this shitshow. Wakanda's got some nice stuff, don't get me wrong, but not in this room with these rich folk sipping self-importance."
"Agreed."
The two slipped out through a quiet side exit—no need for a spectacle. The air outside was cooler, cleaner. A sleek black limo waited at the curb, matte-finish body gleaming under the soft lights. The door was already open.
Luke held it for Felix. "After you, Mr. Faeth."
"Don't start with the titles now," Felix muttered as he ducked inside.
Inside, the limo was dimly lit, classy but lived-in. Monitors showed looping security feeds from the event, audio muted. A compact fridge was stocked with drinks—both bottled and stronger.
Felix barely had time to settle in before he was greeted by the team.
Samantha Wilson, first to raise her glass, was in a suit. "Look who finally decided to leave his own coronation."
Carol Danvers was lounging across from her, her hair tied back in a no-nonsense bun, sipping whiskey neat. "Was starting to think you were enjoying the attention."
"Attention? From who?"
"Aw, come on, we saw you and Princess Shuri. Are you two going on a date?" Monica Rambeau offered Felix a drink without asking—he took it. Her smile was tired but genuine. "Surprised it took you this long."
"As if it's a date. I would be killed. It's professional courtesy."
"About…?" And Rogue—Agent Shadowcat—leaned back in her seat near the fridge, boots propped up, playing with the edge of her glove. Her accent, normally buried under a crisp federal tone, snuck out as she said, "To me, that looked a wee bit too much like fuck-me eyes."
Felix shook his head, sipping his drink. "I seriously think you need to socialize more, Rogue. Your social cues are all messed up."
She winked. "More like my insides~"
"What was that?"
Luke slid in next to Carol and the door shut with a soft hiss behind him. The city lights blurred past outside, reflected in their glasses.
Rogue just cackled and sung out, "Nothing."
"So," Samantha said, setting her drink down, "as you all know, this is our last night running detail on Felix."
"End of an era," Monica said, clinking her glass against the wall.
Samantha nodded. "Our detail's been reassigned to Mr. Osborn."
"He's definitely going to be needing it more than me," Felix said.
"Agree to disagree," Carol said. "He already has the best security in the world."
"So adding the bestest of the best won't help," Felix joked.
"No."
"I give it a week before Carol body-checks him out of sheer frustration," Felix said.
"Three days," Rogue corrected, drawing a chuckle from the group.
Luke leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Can't believe a whole year's gone by. It was surprisingly fun."
He looked at Felix.
"Can we get a bonus?"
"Ha, I'll think about it."
"No need fro that," Samantha added. "You worked for our protection. Got your hands dirty. I've only met one other scientist before me that was equally human and genius."
Felix was touched. "Thank you, Captain."
"So no bonus?" Luke joked.
Rogue lifted her drink. "I'll drink to that. No bonus."
They all did.
There was a comfortable pause. Then Rogue leaned over slightly, voice dropping just for him.
"So what're you gonna do with all your free time now, sugar? No Defenders watchin' your every step. Gonna go rogue yourself?" She grinned at the pun.
Felix sipped his drink, meeting her eyes. "I'll try not to step on your brand."
She laughed. "Please do."
Monica rolled her eyes. "Please stop trying, Rogue."
Carol raised her glass again. "To the last night. No suits. No politics. Just good drinks and friendship."
"Friendship," Luke said.
Felix raised his glass. "To the drinks."
'To chocolate!'
And they drank and ate, the team laughing together like they weren't agents and soldiers and secrets stitched into the seams of government files—but just people. Just friends.
At least for tonight.
***
The elevator hummed softly as it rose, carrying Felix and the crew back to the penthouse suite of the Royal Wakandan Embassy Hotel. The lights inside were low, soft golden glows spilling over tired, buzzed faces.
Samantha Wilson stood near Felix, arms folded, back straight despite the late hour. Her expression was cool, controlled. Always the soldier.
Everyone else? Out cold or barely holding on.
Rogue was half-slumped on Felix's shoulder, mumbling something Southern and incoherent. Luke was snoring gently, head tilted back. Carol and Monica had already passed out leaning against each other in the back of the elevator, empty glasses still in hand.
Samantha sighed. "Next time, lower-proof."
Felix smirked. "That was the lower-proof."
"They're all going to feel this tomorrow."
"You and Rogue DID ask me to make it."
It took nearly half an hour, but Felix eventually got them all tucked in—Monica and Carol to one room, Luke to the couch (not that he'd remember walking there), and Rogue sprawled across the massive bed in the master suite, still in full gear, snoring softly.
Only Felix and Samantha remained in the quiet common area. The night had cooled, the city lights winking far below.
Samantha leaned on the balcony railing, braid pulled loose. She had grown her hair this past year. It looked nice on her. Felix joined her. They stood side by side, the silence stretching in the way it only does between two people used to tension but craving calm.
Samantha broke it first. "How's Rio? Still in Puerto Rico?"
Felix's face lit up. "Yep! Took a couple weeks to adjust but she's great now."
"I always see you messaging her."
"Back home and a new home, she gets excited. See?" Felix brought out his phone and showed the photos to her. Casual kitchen selfies, snaps of family, and scenes of her being happy.
"Must be nice," Samantha said, eyes fixed on the stars.
"She earned it. Right now, she's taking a pause on her studies, but once she's done, she'll be a doctor."
"I'm sure she can do it." Samantha nodded, quiet. Then, softly: "You love her?"
Felix turned to look at her. "Yeah. I do."
Samantha smiled—small, almost regretful. "Lucky woman."
There was a beat. They looked at each other a moment too long.
Bzzt.
Her radio clicked to life.
"Captain Wilson. SHIELD Command. You are to report immediately. Director Osborn is requesting you. Priority Alpha."
She closed her eyes. Just for a second.
Duty always came first.
Samantha straightened, reached for her helmet, and slipped it on. Her jaw clenched, unreadable behind the mask again.
"Tell Rio I said hi."
"I will."
She turned to go, paused at the door.
And looked back, just once.
"Good night, Dr. Faeth."
"Good night, Captain."
And then she was gone. The door whispered shut behind her.
Felix stood alone on the balcony, watching the stars. He smiled and checked the photos again. He bought Rio a mansion and sent Miles to the best boarding school in America.
Life was good.
He peered down at Samantha who ran to her motorcycle, swung herself on, and drove off.
Life could be better. It could always be better.