13 The Big Bad Wolf

`I got a project idea for us!`

"A friend?"

"Yeah."

I would have been happy with the text, genuinely happy.

But I wasn't allowed to.

"Good to see that you are doing well even after leaving me." A laugh, but it wasn't one I could be happy about.

"I am just trying to survive." I was. It was one hell of a task, but one that I thought I could enjoy.

"Don't tell me that it is all that you are wasting your life on, Mike." I despised that nickname, "You know that you are worthy of a lot more."

I didn't care.

I just wanted to live my life, normally, away from everyone and everything.

"I am doing fine." I said, "I don't need to do more, I don't want more."

The man continued to laugh, seemingly amused.

"That is a little disappointing, Mike." He said, "Look at this place, you helped build it."

He pointed at the glassy false ceiling, "Look at these brilliant designs, this was all you."

It was.

I made it, I designed it.

"And this is only one of many." He said, "You know that you can do so much more. Why are you wasting your time on meaningless studies? Architecture? You are already an architect, a genius visionary." His laughter faded, "Why bother with menial and meaningless things?"

He would never understand.

He never understood.

All that mattered for him was money, power and fame. And for him, the greater they were –the happier he was.

"Not for me."

This drew his attention.

"This," I pointed at the place, "I did design it, but I designed many things."

I did.

I designed more houses, more buildings, more places and more…

Nevermind.

"I have designed a lot for you, bigger and grander things." I looked at him, his face still the same, fat and ugly, "But I am tired."

I was.

"I just want to get a degree," I answered honestly, "Get licensed, design houses and public commodities and just… give back to people."

This made the man lean forward, "You are guilt-ridden." He deduced and he wasn't wrong,

"And guess who is to blame?" I asked without an ounce of emotion.

This however did not make him angry, instead he laughed.

"Me," He said but I shook my head.

"Both of us." I genuinely felt that, "I am equally to blame."

"Possibly," He said, "But does it matter?" He asked.

And in my mind, the answer was a strong yes.

"It is not like you can change your past."

I could have had a different future, one without guilt if I wasn't so desperate.

"I cannot." I said, "But I can work on my future."

This was the belief that helped me move forward even with the guilt that plagued me.

"Just remember that you are made for a lot more, Mike." He said, "While you are hoping for a better future, do not lose the gifts that you have."

This made me laugh, "Don't tell me that my 'gifts' made you look for me." A frown appeared on my face, "Do not break the promise that you made."

This made him laugh out louder, "Ah, do not worry boy." He said, "I might not be a good person, but I keep my promises." He smiled, "At least to you."

I said nothing and kept looking at him.

"But you possess gifts." He said, "Not just in designing things that most would not even think of but with learning at speeds that should not be humanly possible." He looked at me, "It took you barely a month to learn how to hold your own even against experienced adult fighters. You learn multiple languages on the fly and that is only the base of your talent."

I didn't need that 'talent.'

It had blinded me once, and I couldn't let it blind me again.

"Then why did you call me over?" I asked, genuinely curious why the man I never wanted to see didn't feel the same.

"I heard that you met with Jared and Shaun."

Shit.

"Did they tell you?" I asked, confused as they weren't the type.

"Of course, not." He laughed, "They are my trusted people but they still cared about you."

His expression turned sour, "But just as easily as I could figure out your adventures, there are many others that could too."

This alerted me a little.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you heard of the recent drug trails?" He asked, and that made me frown.

"I have."

They were loose, quite unprofessional yet abundant.

"There are a bit too many."

He nodded, and I knew that while he was a king of drugs, he wasn't clumsy to leave trails.

He never left any proof.

"There is someone else that is delving into this business." He said, "I do not the know the reason yet and he isn't selling it either."

"You mean…"

He nodded, "He is buying it."

"On this large of a scale?" I was baffled, which individual needed this big of a shipment? "For what?"

"I can confirm that he is not doing any business with it, but possibly experimenting on it."

As he said this, it finally clicked.

"He is trying to build something better." I understood.

If it was research and experimentation that you were after, you would definitely need drugs on that scale.

"He is." He affirmed, "But we still do not have any clue what he is trying to achieve."

This finally made me ask, "Who is this person?"

And the answer was beyond anything I expected.

"Norman Osborn," My eyes immediately went wide hearing this, "Father of the boy that goes to your university."

Norman Osborn, the one incharge Oscorp and the father of Harry Osborn. Peter's best friend and one of the kids that hasn't been to class in a long time.

Another being a girl.

"So, try not to get swept up in their ploy." He asked, "No matter what, you are still someone I care about."

Yeah right…

"Is that why you called me over?" I asked, "To tell me about this issue?"

He nodded, "I did."

"That…" I didn't know what to feel about it, "I see."

"And just another thing," He said. "This might be useful to you."

"Which is?"

"We know whom he is working on with for this 'experiment.'" He said, making me a little surprised.

"Oh."

But then again, he was always the king of information.

"He is working with a renowned scientist Dr. Octavius and another genius who is rather famous."

"Who is that?" Somehow, I was genuinely curious. Possibly because it was related to one of my classmates.

"Dr. Reed Richards." He said, "He is quite famous for his research as well as something else."

"And…" I raised an eyebrow at which he sighed.

"I forgot that you never bothered with the heroes and villains."

That I never did, even now that I have powers, I am still not interested in others with powers.

"He is a rather famous hero that goes by the name of Mr. Fantastic." He explained.

"Quite a narcissistic name," I remarked and he nodded.

"He is quite a narcissist but also someone that the people love." He leaned back, "So, not many would believe he is related to a drug case. But then again, he might just be experimenting on something."

Whatever the reason was, this had led to an influx in drug dealers walking around NYC and an increase in the general chaos.

"So… just be a little careful." He suggested finally putting on a calm expression.

And well… That was something I could.

"If that was all you had to say, then I will be going." I got up, a little relieved that the call wasn't for anything else.

He sighed, "It still feels good to have you around."

"Don't get used to it." I decided to go back home, I needed some rest.

"But…" But, at least there was something I could say. "Thank you. Thank you for the tip, Fisk."

This made him laugh –this made the Kingpin laugh.

"You will call me by everything except calling me dad, won't you?"

"Never."

I would rather die than to call him that.

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[[A/N: Read 100+ Advanced Chapters (summation of all stories) ahead of WN on Patreon.

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P.S. Boom, of course I am not going to explain the relationship and his past just yet. But this should give you all the idea about why and how he was a part of the crime world and you will also learn why he wants out.

–Why he walked out, but not yet. In the upcoming chapters.]]