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Chapter 10– A Life of Crime.
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"Why the fuck would you do that, Ben? What fucking drove you to fuck everything up?" Felicia screams at me as she paces back and forth across her apartment while I am calmly seated on her sofa, not knowing why she is so bothered. as far as I can tell, I haven't even done anything wrong.
"I don't know why you are so angry, Felicia. You said I could do it. I remember your exact words, take everything you can and burn the rest for all I care. That's what you said, wasn't it?" I state calmly, a vast contradiction to her frantic mood and her fidgeting self. I followed her letters to the order, so I don't get why she is panicking so much.
"I was talking about the cash, the MONEY! It was a stupid figure of SPEECH! You can take what you can of it and burn the rest for all I care. The money, nothing else, certainly not everything in the fucking WAREHOUSE!" She screeches, pulling at her own hair as she stops pacing and looks at me with a fearsome look in her eyes.
"So what if I burnt it down, you went and got whatever it was that you wanted, and I dragged all of those guys outside before lighting the place up? I truly don't understand, so what if I burnt the rest of it? We were stealing stuff anyway, so what has got you so damn worried?" Honestly, what is her problem? After beating up all those thugs and knocking them out, we got to ransacking the place. Felicia disappeared inside to take whatever it was that she had come for.
I started loading up a few duffel bags with cash for myself, and when they were all filled, I realised how little of an impact I had on the warehouse. The whole place was still full of stuff, and I had barely managed to even take half of the loot inside of a single crate.
I had opened a few boxes of drugs before finding this one chock full of money, and then I had to leave all this stuff here and run away with what I could carry. That pissed me off. The point of me robbing bad people was so that I could get away with it easily, as they won't report it to the police. But also so I would be stopping the bad guys in some way, although profitable, which would appease the parts of Peter in me that didn't want to hurt anyone innocent.
But I would hardly make a dent in them if all I could carry and take with me was a few duffel bags of cash, not when I knew how much merchandise was in this warehouse that was going to go out there and cause damage and bring in even more money. So it is all just in front of me, and I am just going to let it go.
I decided to take Felicia's words to heart, and I dragged all of those guys out of the warehouse, and then I piled all of those crates in the middle of the warehouse and took whatever drugs and shit I could find and poured it all over the containers in the hopes that it is flammable, the stuff certainly was toxic at the very least.
When Felicia came back from wherever she was, I opened a zippo lighter I had found on one of the thugs and chucked it on the pile without hesitation the moment I saw her, and then we quickly ran away, the warehouse going up in flames with all of its contents, with Felicia freaking out until we got back here where she has continued to berate me for a while.
I know it was probably a rash idea to set all that stuff on fire, especially the drugs, because that stuff going up in flames can not be suitable for the environment. I probably just caused a lot of pollution. But you know what, I don't care. I could give a fuck about pollution and the environment, not when people like Tony Stark and Reed Richards exist. They probably already have a solution to it and just haven't implemented it yet, so that sort of stuff isn't my problem. It is theirs.
"Why am I so worried? Why? Because you just blew up the warehouse of a very powerful man and burnt up all his stuff, he is the sort of man that will hunt us for this and make sure we die gruesome deaths, do you not UNDERSTAND!" Again she screams at me, making me very confused since events are contradicting each other now.
"But, you were the one that decided to rob that place. If he was such a powerful man, then why would you choose to rob him and risk such a gruesome death? It makes no sense." Why would she choose to rob this guy if he is so dangerous? Felicia doesn't really kill people, so she should have known that the thugs would report our attack, but she wasn't so worried about that. she only started panicking after I set the place on fire and destroyed everything.
"People as influential as him have a bottom line, but in a world like this, he has to have various bottom lines for multiple people, and the line depends on who you are. With so many powered people in the world and so many dangerous people, he has to adapt to each of them and allow them to get away with a certain level of stuff, or his organisation will be driven into the ground if he bites off more than he can chew. So you and me, we just crossed our line." She says, losing some of her heat and flopping down on the couch next to me.
"Who is this guy then? And why didn't we just rob some other gangs instead of this guy, so we wouldn't have to worry about some dumb bottom lines?" I ask because we shouldn't have been going near this guy at all. If Felicia says he is as powerful as he is, even if we are allowed to act to a certain degree, there is no point in risking it.
"Because this is WILSON FISK, THE FUCKING KINGPIN! EVERY TWO-BIT CROOK IN THIS CITY WORKS FOR HIM IN SOME WAY. NO MATTER WHICH CRIMINALS WE ROBBED, WE WOULD BE STEALING FROM HIM AT THE END OF THE DAY!.. It's why we were only supposed to rob a little from the warehouse, and I said you could burn the cash, things like that are not that much in the grand scheme of it all, and they are below Fisk's notice. But you set fire to the merchandise, and not only that, but you burnt down an entire warehouse, which will disrupt his operations in that area. He won't let things like this go." She starts heatedly before burning out and finishing with a sigh.
Wilson Fisk, huh? I have a few memories of going up against him and his crooks, fighting them all, and even having a slugfest with the big man himself. And being the big meaty man he was, he managed to hold his own, though, against Peter, that isn't much of an accomplishment since he is always holding back. But even after all those fights, Fisk still remained in his position unfazed. It's like all those fat jokes didn't even get through his beefy exterior. Peter really is a bit too innocent and naive for this world, thinking that a fistfight will be enough to stop a man like that.
Even though I knew his title was The Kingpin, and he was a big deal, I never knew that he was the head of basically all organised crime in the city. With the amount of crime that happens in this city, it is hard to believe that most of it is committed under the orders of a single man.
"Wait, what about The Maggia? Couldn't we have stolen from them instead of Fisk? The Maggia is split up into twelve different families who own their own turf. If Fisk owns most of the city, then we could have gone after one of those families. They are much less powerful and dangerous."
"Haa, Ben, you really have a lot to learn about the gritty side of New York. Fisk owns seventy-five percent of this city, with the other twenty-five percent being owned by The Maggia. And that twenty-five percent is further split up between the twelve Maggia families, which is why we robbed from Fisk, understand?" She explains out for me like I am an idiot, except I still don't understand. She clearly sees that from the expression on my face and rolls her eyes before continuing her explanation.
"You see, Fisk owns seventy percent of New York's underworld, which means he has a whole lot on his plate, and he can't oversee every little thing. So as long as no one makes too many big waves, he will let the little things go and not waste time. However, Fisk sometimes seeks retribution for some of those little things, which sends a message, which is why most people don't risk it. But he doesn't go for people like us because we are not worth the hassle, especially for so little. Plus, he can hire us for jobs in the future, and this is the sort of thing he can reveal in a negotiation to get a better deal. So you get where I am going with this, right?" I shake my head no.
"I get why we robbed from Fisk. It was because we were beneath his notice, and he wouldn't have bothered with us if we didn't do anything too big. But I don't get why that rules out The Maggia. the consequences of robbing them instead of Fisk would surely be less." Felicia shakes her head at this.
"The Maggia only own twenty-five percent of this city, and that is further divided between the twelve families giving each family approximately just over two percent each, give or take a few percent since the families aren't all equal. This not only means that all of their manpower is contained within their small turf, but it also means that they only have a little to lose, and they are going to hold on to it for dear life, afraid that they will lose it. So they will fight to protect what little they have. Even the smallest slight will bring down their full wrath as that faction of The Magia will be scared of the other factions and other gangs thinking they are weak and taking their turf, which is why we didn't steal from them." She explains, and it makes perfect sense now.
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"Alright, alright, I get it. I understand why it was the best option to steal from Fisk and not anybody else, okay."
"It was a good idea to steal from Fisk, but not anymore. Burning down his warehouse is like a declaration of war. Fisk has to retaliate now. Otherwise, everybody is going to think he is weak, and when you are at the top, you will fight even harder to keep it and get even more than you would if you were at the bottom. We are going to be hunted constantly by Fisk and his men non-stop every time we go out. I hope you are prepared for that." She says pointedly, showcasing her frustration and annoyance.
"Hey, don't worry about it. Fisk and his men will only be looking for us when we are out on the prowl for more loot, at which point we will be stealthy, and anyway, since we will be dressed in our costumes. Not to mention I am with you, and I am super-powered, and together, we can fight off any firepower he sends after us." I try to reassure her because this is my fault in the end, and I don't want her to decide to lay low because I still need to amass money for my future. Plus, I need some proper identification, as accurate as it can get. That sort of authenticity is going to cost the big bucks, and she will lead me to that.
"Ben, no offence, but you are a clone of Spider-Man, and I have seen him get his ass handed to him by The Vulture, the fricking Vulture. That is an old man, the guy is in his seventies, and he flies around thanks to a backpack that also boosts his strength a bit, and he has kicked Spider-Man's ass, so don't try to reassure me." Ouch, I know I am technically not Spider-Man anymore, but I still have those memories.
I can still remember the first time I met old Adrian Toomes when he popped out of a manhole cover and stool some jewels that were being transferred. The only way I could think to stop him without hurting him was to build a device to prevent his suit from functioning. I have since learned that Toomes is vicious and can give as good as he gets.
"Shall I let you in on a little secret? Spider-Man is a good guy, and the Vulture is, like you said, an old man in his seventies who is brittle and fragile. Spider-Man has to pull his punches, afraid he might snap the guy's bones in two or break his spine, so trust me when I say not to worry since I can handle myself against any of the super riffraff Fisk can hire since I am not going to be pulling my punches or holding back. Also, isn't this better? Since we already crossed the line, we can now steal as much as we want from Fisk." I assure her again, but this time based on my power to do violence rather than just avoiding Fisk, hiding and running away.
"Okay, okay, fine, I suppose you are right. And it was getting easy robbing all those small-time crooks. I could do with a challenge. But let's wait for Fisk to send people after us before we start robbing him blind, okay? Just in case he lets us off the hook or has some job he wants us to pull for him. In the meantime, how do you feel about rich assholes who gain all their riches through loopholes, backdoors and bribes, all the while stealing from the poor." Felicia laughs and seems to relax before asking me about possible targets we can go after while we wait to see how Fisk responds.
"Are you kidding me? I did say we could go after any criminals, didn't I?" I say, and she smiles at me.
"Alright, good. We will start on that tomorrow, for now, though. I am going to get changed. You get the snacks and some bowls of ice cream. We are going to watch a movie and get rid of some of this stress." She got up and walked off to her bedroom while giving me my orders, and the strange thing was there was not a single attempt to flirt or seduce me in that whole exchange. I can't say that I don't like it because I do. This just feels more genuine and less like I am in a cage.
I stand up and go to get dressed into something else as well, after which I will get the snacks and laze on the couch to watch a movie with Felicia. Even though I pissed off a big guy like Fisk, I feel better than I did this morning.
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"So, Cat, who have we got here today?" I question. The both of us sat on the edge of a New York skyscraper and peered down at one of the many windows across from us on another building. Felicia uses a pair of high-tech binoculars while I am just using my eyes, but even with my super-powered eyes, I have difficulty properly focusing on something that far away, even if I can see with disturbing clarity. Felicia removes her binoculars and hands them over to me, allowing me to peer through them to see today's mark.
"The thirtieth floor, five windows from the left. This is the study of one Ben Morris, a sleazy politician that is not only racist but homophobic and misogynistic. Today we are going to be breaking into his home and stealing from this dirtbag, who really deserves it." She says while I follow her directions and look in through the window to see a cliche study, which is basically just a wood theme with brown furniture everywhere and everything made out of wood. Really generic.
"Come on, Felicia. We both know that isn't the real reason we are here today. while he does sound like a real piece of work, people are allowed to have their own opinions and views, though this guy probably shouldn't have been allowed into the political game. So what did he do that made him one of our targets?" I remove the binoculars and hand them back to her, and she puts them in one of the pouches by her waist.
"This guy, like most politicians, is a greedy asshole, and he has been abusing his power, dipping into the community pot and stealing quite a bit of money from people who really need it. He just bought a diamond ring for his girlfriend, who is 24 years younger than him by the by, and it is worth around two million dollars, so we are going to steal it and teach this guy a lesson." She stands to her feet, starting to limber up and stretch. I work myself to my feet as well, but I don't stretch, being super-powered means my body is primed for action at any time, as long as I look after it properly.
"Or, having just lost a very expensive ring, he is going to start dipping even more into those funds and taking even more out of those people's pockets to make some money back. I don't know if this is a good idea, Felicia, we would be doing more harm than good, and I don't want to harm any innocents with my crimes." Felicia stops her stretches and turns to me.
"Don't worry. Right now, this guy is stealing just under the limit where he will be caught, and he just spent a large part of his money on this ring. Being the greedy pig that he is, he will start digging even deeper into those funds, which people will notice, and Morris will get caught, and maybe he might even be stripped of his position, though I would not hold out hope for that one, slippery bastard. I know how you work, Ben. I wouldn't bring you to a job that goes against your code or whatever, so chill." She reassures before jumping at me, and I hold her in a princess carry.
"Now, jump over there and stand on the side of the window so I can cut a hole in it, and we can get to work." There is no flirtation or seduction in this. We are actually getting along better after burning that warehouse. Though my position these days has just been demoted to being a scaffold, standing on the side of things so Felicia can stand on my stomach and use me as a platform to gain access to wherever it is she needs to go.
I am okay with it, though. I am actually quite happy with how things are going at the minute.
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John Mormon, Pastor. He is not as bad as some of those guys up in the church can be, what with their wandering hands, but he certainly is a piece of work. He has been claiming donations for a charity, which does not exist, and his wonderful church patrons have been more than willing to fork out for a good cause. He has been doing these kinds of scams for years, interspersing them with actual charities to stay hidden, though he is not as clever as he seems. The idiot has just been transferring the money straight into his account, and no one has ever checked since they are so trusting in their Pastor. And, of course, he has it all tucked away in his safe, so what do you say?"
"He still has all the records which show which charities the money was raised, so we will return the exact amounts to the charities or the closest thing. Even if we are stealing second-hand, I am not stealing from a charity. Let's go."
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"Right, this one is a Lawyer by the name of Patricia Evans. She has been very naughty as of late and has been forging multiple documents to help her clients, who are also very naughty. Not only that, but she points them in the direction of people who would benefit their case, and those clients will get their support by any means necessary. What do you think, Ben, she up to standard?"
"Yeah, let's get going."
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"Pretty little spoiled princess and the daughter of a state governor named Star Grayson. She had recently run over a homeless man, and he died on impact. The death was quickly covered up by her father and forgotten about, no one cares about the homeless after all, and little Star hasn't paid it another thought since. Coincidentally, Star is being courted by the rich son of a CEO who is head over heels for the little bitch, and he just gifted her a Faberge egg worth a cool twelve million. I don't think she deserves that, do you?"
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Bobby Burgham sells cars for way above their worth, slapping on some new paint and fabricating all sorts of documentation for them. Thankfully, more than one car has broken down in safe places because the cars never get very far, and by that point, it is too late. They are already sold. But unfortunately, Bobby also has a severe gambling problem and owes fifty large, which he has hidden away in his garage. If that money were to disappear, he would have to sell his business to repay his debts. I think that would be for the better, don't you?"
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"Janice Portman, an office worker that has been falsifying documents for her own benefit and..."
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"Jared Bowen, a proctologist that has a bad habit of taking photos and blackmailing his patients..."
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"William Forsythe, a gynaecologist...
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"Jane Hemsworth..."
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"Gary Gordon..."
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"Elizebeth Garrison, oh boy, this one is a doozy. You see, Ben, this woman has been-" Before she can finish her words, I quickly jump at her, grab hold of her, and tumble across the concrete top of the building we are on. We narrowly miss an RPG missile that goes straight past us and thankfully explodes in the middle of the sky, unfortunately alerting the masses below.
We both quickly leap to our feet, readying ourselves for the threat that just tried to blow us up into tiny little pieces. We face the direction in which the missile came from, and I can see two distant figures standing there, one with a fancy little hat upon his head and one a head above the other and holding a bazooka that is pointed directly at us.
"Cat, it's-" I try to tell her, but she cuts me off.
"Yeah, I know. Fisk has finally sent his men after us, and here I was thinking that he was going to let us off the hook." She says, tensing her fingers which is the trigger to unleash her claws.
"So, who do you want to take? Big, fancy or how-" I hop to the side, evading a lasso that shoots right past me.
"- about lasso?" I finish my sentence as a man wearing a cowboy hat steps around the corner, revealing himself.
"It's called a lariat, fool," Montanna says as he pulls his rope back to him.
I prepare myself as the man approaches. After all, we face The Enforcers.