Ethan leaned back into his chair, illuminated by the soft, spectral glow of multiple monitors arranged in a neat, semi-circular formation. Each screen streamed live CCTV footage, meticulously hacked feeds capturing every angle of Rose's headquarters and the surrounding streets. The quiet hum of electronic equipment filled the room, punctuated only by his occasional sigh.
He observed carefully, each arriving and departing vehicle, noting their occupants and movements, slowly reconstructing the evening's events from mere scraps of visual data. Rose's compound had become unusually active, suggesting turmoil within.
He smiled faintly, the expression one of quiet triumph and subtle anxiety. It hadn't taken long for the dominoes to fall exactly as his foreknowledge predicted. Delilah's earlier call with Luc Moreau had started a chain reaction—one that had swiftly placed Black Tarantula squarely in Rose's crosshairs.
His fingers drummed quietly against the desk. He'd anticipated Black Tarantula's brutal response, but the arrival of Rose's personal physician shortly after Delilah's return had confirmed Ethan's grim suspicion: Black Tarantula had snapped her neck.
That singular, violent act fit perfectly with the narrative he recalled from the comic books, clear signposts in Ethan's carefully mapped mental timeline. The next events were now obvious. Delilah, frightened and desperate, would soon seek outside help, ultimately approaching a newly introduced vigilante—Ricochet, one of Peter's alternate personas.
He exhaled slowly, eyes narrowed in thought.
Ricochet, Roughhouse, Bloodscream—characters dancing on the periphery of Ethan's knowledge—could delay his timeline significantly. These confrontations might naturally unfold over weeks, maybe even a month later. But Ethan didn't have time. He didn't even have two weeks. Only nine days remained, and everything had to unfold perfectly.
With precision, Ethan reached for the burner phone assigned solely to Luc Moreau, voice modulation active once again. The call was a gamble, relying on Delilah's shaken emotional state, but Ethan understood human psychology almost as well as his strategic technology thanks to Rachel.
He dialed her number, listening as it rang twice before her wary, tired voice answered sharply.
"Who is this?"
"Bonsoir, Delilah, it is I. Luc Moreau," he replied calmly, deliberately adopting a soothing, understanding tone. "I heard about your unfortunate encounter tonight. Black Tarantula left quite the impression, it seems."
Delilah's voice hardened immediately, cold and dangerous. "How do you know about that?"
Ethan smiled faintly, hearing the subtle tremble she failed to completely hide. "I have eyes everywhere, Delilah. But I'm not calling to mock. On the contrary—I'm offering a solution. Perhaps even salvation."
Her pause was tense, suspicious. "I don't need your pity, Luc."
He chuckled lightly, gentle yet confident. "This isn't pity. Consider it a strategic partnership. I happen to know someone nearby, someone uniquely capable of dismantling Tarantula's entire operation. He's young, talented, and utterly committed to the cause of… let's say, justice. Although it is one of his own making, as far as I see it, which is fair."
Delilah hesitated, clearly conflicted. Ethan knew she'd never normally accept such a vague offer—but she was not herself tonight. She was shaken, traumatized, vulnerable. Precisely the state of mind he'd been counting on.
Finally, she spoke, voice quieter but still sharp. "And what exactly would you want in return for this… favor?"
Ethan smiled slightly, leaning back comfortably in his chair. "We'll simply chalk this one up as a favor owed. To be redeemed at a later date. Nothing more."
He felt the careful calculation behind her silence, the distrust fighting against her rising desperation. Ethan counted silently, knowing precisely when she'd break. Ethan could almost hear her internal debate, the pride battling fear, distrust wrestling with desperation.
"I accept," she finally answered, reluctant but resolved. "Set it up."
"Excellent," Ethan said smoothly, victorious yet cautious. "My associate will contact you shortly. Stay near your phone."
Ethan hung up, immediately powering down Luc's burner and setting it aside. He reached for another burner, adjusting his voice back to normal before quickly dialing.
Now came the harder sell.
The call to Peter was always easier—at least, emotionally. He dialed swiftly, using the encrypted line, his voice steady and composed when Peter picked up instantly.
"Ethan? Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Hey, Peter. Got a minute?" Ethan's voice was perfectly casual, friendly.
"For you, always," Peter replied, the warmth in his voice easing Ethan's tension slightly.
"I've found a way for you to start clearing Spider-Man's name," Ethan began, cutting straight to the point. "There's someone I need you to meet—Delilah. She's looking for assistance dealing with Black Tarantula, a new criminal rising fast in New York. Dangerous, ruthless, and apparently unstoppable. I think this will be right up Ricochet's alley."
Peter's voice sharpened with immediate interest. "Ricochet? How do you know about that?"
Ethan smiled slightly. "Did you forget? When we dealt with the demon incident, you used that persona. Also, I know about the other three. It's really easy to figure out," Ethan continued calmly. "It's a perfect opportunity. Delilah is connected deeply within a crime boss named The Rose's network. Partnering with her, even temporarily, will give us inside knowledge about the larger criminal structures moving against you. Specifically, the ones Norman used to frame Spider-Man."
Peter hesitated, cautious but intrigued. "And the catch? After all, you're asking me to team up with a criminal?"
"No catch, Peter. It's just a temporary alliance," Ethan said reassuringly. "Just an assessment. Learn what you can about Black Tarantula—his power, his capabilities, his ambitions. I need to know how big of a threat he truly is. Also, use this as an opportunity to gather intelligence to clear Spider-Man's name. Besides, Delilah's on shaky ground right now. She'll focus solely on Black Tarantula, so I doubt your morals will come into question."
Peter considered this carefully, and Ethan imagined him pacing, weighing his options. Finally, Peter exhaled softly, decision made.
"All right, Ethan. Set it up."
"Good. She'll expect Ricochet's call shortly," Ethan replied warmly. "And Peter… good luck."
Peter laughed softly. "You sound relieved."
Ethan smiled despite himself. "Maybe I am. I… no, we have a lot riding on this."
"Don't worry," Peter assured him. "We'll get it done."
They disconnected swiftly, Ethan immediately sending Peter's encrypted details for contacting Delilah.
Two calls. Two carefully managed conversations. Events accelerated precisely according to his plans. Yet Ethan's gaze darkened slightly, aware that the next phase carried increased risk. Accelerating timelines always did. Especially in the case of a butterfly effect, thus affecting his knowledge of future events.
He leaned back, rubbing his temples briefly before refocusing. Another day had passed. Another thread carefully pulled into place.
Peter immediately called Felicia, anxiety tugging at the edge of his thoughts as he glanced toward Aunt May's hospital room, her soft breathing audible from where he stood.
Felicia answered with a faintly irritated tone. "You'd better have a good reason for calling this late, Spider."
"Felicia, I need a favor," Peter said gently, ignoring her irritation. "Tomorrow morning, can you watch Aunt May for me? I have something important I need to handle."
Felicia let out a quiet, exasperated sigh. "Babysitting duty? Really? You realize I have things to do too, right?"
"I know, and I'm sorry," Peter replied, voice tired but sincere. "But Ethan put me in touch with someone. This might finally give me a shot at clearing Spider-Man's name. It involves an assassin, Delilah, and some new threat in the city named Black Tarantula."
Felicia paused, her annoyance melting slightly. "Black Tarantula? I've heard the name—dangerous guy. Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
Peter's voice firmed, resolve replacing exhaustion. "No, but it's a chance I have to take. Please, Felicia. I'll owe you one."
She chuckled softly, resigned. "Oh, you definitely owe me, Spider. Fine, I'll watch your aunt. But be careful."
"I will," Peter promised sincerely. "Thank you."
Across the city, Ethan powered down his devices, finally letting exhaustion seep through him fully. He'd done everything possible tonight—moved every necessary piece precisely where it needed to be.
Delilah was on the hook, vulnerable and frightened thanks to Black Tarantula. Peter was now set to engage as Ricochet, thrust directly into Black Tarantula's orbit, gathering what he believed to be invaluable intelligence, even though Ethan was already aware of everything he could find out. Ethan could easily tell Peter how to clear his name, but that would be a detriment at this point in time. Peter would probably contact Felicia to guard Aunt May—an essential safety net.
All within a single day.
Nine days remained, a clock ticking relentlessly toward an inevitable confrontation with Osborn. Ethan rubbed his tired eyes, feeling the weight of every choice pressing against him. It was exhausting to control every aspect of this, so it didn't spill over and affect anything important.
Yet despite the exhaustion, satisfaction stirred faintly in his chest. The plan was working. Every domino precisely placed, ready for the next carefully orchestrated move.
"Just a little longer," he murmured quietly, eyes drifting shut at last. "Just hold it together a little longer."