By Sunlight (P.P + M.J)

38. The Waiting Game

"I'm sick of this failure!" Marc Spector roared as he furiously flipped a table. His tactical white suit hung limp over a chair, for he had changed into his dark shirt and trousers, sport coat rumpled on the floor, upon arriving at the Osborn Manor. As he paced, Norman Osborn watched him quietly. "If your contraption hadn't malfunctioned, I would be halfway to San Fransisco right now with Russoff!"

"Well, the glider wasn't built to withstand... animal attacks," Osborn pointed out evenly, adjusting his tie, "And I thought you were based out of Los Angeles?"

"The Life Foundation just opened up a new facility, and I'm supposed to spearhead the lab experiments with the lycan there," came the angry reply as Spector paced the penthouse floor. He then slammed his fist down on a table he hadn't flipped before sitting in a chair, intertwining his hands. "This ends now. I don't care what you have to do. I want him here. I will no longer be chasing him. I want him brought to me."

Norman sighed, "And how do you propose I do that?"

"Russoff has friends. I presume you use them."

Norman laughed harshly. "You want me to kidnap some teenagers to use as leverage against your werewolf? I don't know if you recall, Marc, but you're much more akin to kidnapping than I am."

"I suggest that roommate of his, or the girlfriend, or the other one they hang out with. I'm sure Harry can help," Marc muttered, pretending to go deaf to Norman's comments, "Collateral damage, that's all they are."

"As much as I'd love to participate-," Normal began, but Spector cut him off as his phone starting to ring, waving his hand for silence. He walked swiftly into a hallway, putting his phone to his ear.

"What is it, Drake?" Spector asked through gritted teeth.

"I just shipped the more volatile assets the new labs in San Fransisco, especially the one that lashed out last time, yet the advanced one remains in containment in your private lab like you asked. Its levels are normal but we don't know how long it'll survive without the proper tools..."

"Carlton, what are you telling me exactly?" Spector was impatient as ever, and his CFO's droning explanations were shortening his already tiny fuse.

"We need you here in San Fransisco as soon as possible," Carlton said, "We can't afford to put this off any longer. There are plenty of suitable hosts here for us to use."

"Get everything prepared for my arrival. I will be there with the last asset in less than two weeks. I want everything up and running as well as some starter hosts so we can see what we're dealing with," Marc stated, running a hand over his short hair, "I never asked about this before, but did everything go well with the clean-up when the rocket crashed? No evidence was left, was there?"

"Damage Control showed up, but we were gone by then. Stark should have found nothing, even though he contacted me regarding it. I said it was a test flight and a tragic accident."

Spector nodded to himself. He remembered the call he got from Tony Stark regarding the incident, days before he arrived in New York. But he had ignored the Avenger, passing him off to his CFO. "Good, we don't need him playing detective." Marc looked around the hall. "Be careful, Drake. If the press gets wind of this, it won't be easy to go forward."

"Already on it, sir. You can count on me."

With that Spector hung up, leaning against the wall. He had so much to do but so little time to do it. He couldn't leave. He just couldn't. Not while that beast was still at large, masquerading as a superhero. While he was a businessman, he was predominantly a hunter, and hunters didn't give up in the middle of the fight.

But it was becoming too dangerous now. He couldn't afford another public display like the one today. Now with Iron Man flying around anyway. It was have to be stealthier, more discreet next time. No more attention could be drawn to the flying white-caped figure in the sky, who randomly attacked superheroes and kidnapped teenage girls. If anything else like that were to happen again, an Avenger would be sent after him, and that was something that Spector absolutely did not want.

"I'm sorry to interrupt." Norman then walked into the hall, and Spector straightened up, "I've been thinking about this whole "kidnapping" thing. What if Spider-Man should show up again? Or that other fellow you ran into? And what of the police? Let's be rational here."

Marc crossed his arms over his chest, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. His evident look of frustration was enough to silence Osborn. Marc thought for a few moments, using the quiet to assemble his thoughts. A glimmer of an idea floated to the top of his mind, and a small smile grew on his face.

"I think we should talk to your boy again," Spector stated, looking up and clapping his hands together, "I can tell he's been itching for a chance to get rid of the lycan ever since I talked about it with him."

Norman lifted his hand to his chin. "True, but it would be risky."

"Who knows? He might have discovered something with his newfound resolve."

"You're right." Harry himself then appeared in the hallway, his backpack slung over his shoulders. Norman and Marc both looked at him expectantly. "Peter Parker knows Jack is Werewolf. They both ran off when the news came about the bus. I bet he helped him leave, to get out of the building."

Marc's expression darkened. "So he's become a liability."

"So the girl doesn't know? It was Peter all along?" Osborn questioned.

Harry shook his head, slipping his backpack off. "I'm still sure Michelle knows. She's just good at hiding it."

Marc and Norman stood in silence, processing the new information, until Marc snapped his fingers, an idea quickly forming in his mind.

"You want to play a key role in bringing down the lycan, Harry?" He asked the boy, and Harry answered with an enthusiastic nod, "It might involve me giving the idea that I'm holding your friend hostage in exchange for Russoff's surrender."

Harry's excited look left him.

"All you have to do is host a little get-together, or whatever it is you teenagers do in your spare time. No harm will come to them, of course. Nothing too dramatic. Besides, I really only need one," Spector clarified with a wave of his hand.

"Which, uh, friend are you thinking of using, sir?" Harry asked hesitantly, as if he was afraid to know the answer. But Spector didn't care. He had a goal that had just appeared within reach. He smiled kindly at Harry, yet his smile did not mirror his heart, which contained only malice.

"The one he'd give his life for."

Let the waiting game begin.

Now it's a party.

Quick add: Don't hate me for making you wait. I've just been having a rough time (school's a bit overwhelming). But I didn't forget about this book! So here's a shortish chapter for all those who've been still waiting! There's more to come after this! <3

~Fargone5