FATR: Thank you for the review, LadyKayoss! Your faithfulness uplifts me! CATgrl: That episode came on Jetix recently, actually. I have seen it before, I recognized it when I saw it, but I had originally seen it when we were living in Holland like, five years ago. My brain blocked out a lot of that period of time. The reason why is a long, depressing story. Though I don't completely understand why all those Spider-Man episodes were blocked out. The human brain is just weird like that. Hm... Yes, now hazelstarr: I don't think I would put that kind of thing below Ultimate Ock, either. In fact, I have a mental story involving the Ultimate graphic novel universe that deals in that kind of thing but the chances are slim I will ever develop it enough to get it on this site. I just have too many story ideas and not enough hours in the day to write them all. As it is I only actually finish about two percent of the stories I start. Maybe someday, in the future. This story is really popular (in relation to my other stories). Gee wiz! Well, I guess I'd better update it then. If I take days in between updates, it is only because I want to make sure that when I do update, it is a chapter worth your while. I don't own shit. I figured that it was a given, this being a fanfiction site and all. Spider-Man, if he appears at all, will only appear very briefly and much later. I'm sorry. But, hey, this is really supposed to be a Felicia-centered fic, so what can I do... anyway, on with the chip chip!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Things were uncomfortably silent around the table. Felicia wished someone would say something, because if she allowed herself to think all of her thoughts drifted towards Michael, or Jason. Her two very recent and very unfortunate love affairs. The former had been in a horrible neogenics accident and had been mutated into a vampire. The latter, and most devastating because she had been so close to marrying the jerk, had turned out to be none other than the Hobgoblin. He had only loved her for her looks and her social status, but that was trivial compared to the ultimatum he had given her when she discovered his secret. 'You know too much, marry me or die.' That had been the basic gist of it.

"Miss Hardy," Fisk broke the silence. "Perhaps you would like to regale us with an account of the past twelve or so hours?"

"Well..." Felicia glanced from Fisk to her Father and back again. "Is there anything specific you want to know? Otherwise there's not really much to say. I mean, the costume fitting was interesting. Abigail and Rachel were nice enough. That guy with the gun, the one you saw me snap at, kind of ticked me off. Kept poking me and stuff."

"What about Octavius and Landon?" Fisk asked.

Felicia shrugged. "I don't know. What about them?"

"You were telling us about the people you have interacted with so far during this process."

Felicia thought about Ock's questionable behavior just long enough to decide she didn't want to think about it. "Octavius really ticked me off, too, actually, but I guess that's hardly unexpected. It isn't the first time he's abducted me, so..."

Fisk nodded. "I realize. That's partly why I sent him to get you."

"Partly?" Felicia asked with a glance at her father. She wondered why he was being so quiet. Felicia herself would rather wait until they were alone again to talk, at least about the more personal family business, but still...

"I had to use him for something. He was interfering with my plans to spring your father from prison, and I had to make sure I could trust him as an ally."

"Villains enter into trust based deals with each other?" Felicia didn't try to disguise her incredulity.

Fisk put down his silverware, leaned back in his chair, and elegantly wiped his mouth on his napkin. He did this leisurely and with an air of pompousness. "That is a rather harsh choice of words, Miss Hardy. Do you really hate me all that much?"

Felicia took a bite of her eggs and didn't answer.

"I understand completely. I imagine I would feel the same way if I were in your position. Speaking of which, Landon informed me this morning that they are proceeding with phase two after breakfast."

"Yes, Doc Ock told me." Felicia sent her father an uneasy look.

"Are you afraid? As I understand it, phase two is not nearly as intense as phase one."

"Good," Felicia muttered and kept eating.

"Was phase one painful?" Fisk asked.

Felicia snorted. "Why? Do you care?"

Fisk chuckled. "At the risk of sounding completely insensitive, no, I don't care. You see, my dear, you are our test subject. We need to know everything about your experience with the process so that if something does go wrong, we will know what to look out for and adjust next time."

Felicia suddenly felt even more frightened than she had before. She had just assumed that they had known what they were doing. She began to imagine all things that might go wrong. There was the possibility that she would die some horrible, torturous death like... Okay, so maybe I shouldn't be thinking about this now. "Yes, it actually did," she finally answered.

Fisk nodded slowly. "I see." The heavy wooden door opened and one of his men leaned into the room.

"Pardon me, sir, but you have a..." the man shot a glance at Felicia and her father. "You have a client is on line two and it seems... I really think you should take it."

Fisk stood up. "Do excuse me. Business calls."

As soon as they were alone and the door was closed, John leaned forward and whispered, "I was worried sick when you didn't come back last night. Are you okay, kitten?" His daughter didn't answer. She stared into her plate and poked at the remains of her food with her fork. "Felicia..."

"No, I'm all right, fine. The y wanted to keep me in the lab last night, but I'm okay. Really..." Her voice cracked and a lump rose in her throat. No, she didn't want them to see her so distressed. Didn't want to give them the satisfaction. "Oh, God..." She threw down her fork with a loud clatter and buried her face in her hands. "My life is falling apart! My... my boyfriend turn into a vampire and... and..." She took a deep shuddery breath and raised her head to look at her father. The concern in his eyes made her want to break down again, have a pity party. When she spoke again, she was more composed, though her voice was barely above a whisper. "I've been having such horrible luck lately, like a black cat..."

John reached across the table to squeeze her hand. "As soon as this experimentation business is over we'll begin your training, and Kingpin made it clear that I'm going to be in charge of that. All you have to do is get through the first half of the day."

Alone in her father's presence, Felicia could finally let her shield down, show her weakness and fear. "I don't know if I can..."

"We're in this together, for better or worse. I can take care of you, I will take care of you. All you need to do is keep up your strength for a few more hours. I know you can do it. You have Hardesky blood in you."

Felicia sniffed and nodded. "Okay... Okay, I'll try..."

John patted her hand and leaned back in his chair. "If you can slap Doc Ock, you can do just about anything."

"You heard about that?" Felicia smiled. "He deserved it. I also hit him with a floor lamp."

John laughed. "Oh, I would have paid to see that." The door opened again to reveal Fisk and Octavius. "Speak of the devil..." John muttered and winked at his daughter.

"It is time, my dear," Fisk informed ominously.

Felicia stood slowly, dabbed her lips with her napkin, and left it next to her plate. She cast one last unsettled glance at her father. He gave her an encouraging nod and a thumbs up. Felicia stood tall, tossed her hair, and breezed past the two villains in the doorway. I have Hardesky blood in me. I am strong. If my dad can sneak into a military base, out run and outsmart the Nazis twice, and keep a secret for so many years, I can do this. Whatever this is... God, what is that freak's problem? She sensed Ock behind her, close behind her, ready to grab her if she tried to run. Her sense of smell had returned to normal, apparently, but now her hearing was acting up. She could hear both of their foot steps too clearly and sharply. The clicking of her shoes drove into her head like an ice pick. She slowed her pace a little, trying to step lightly. There were voices in some of the rooms they were passing, but she could only snatch bits of what was being said.

"...new colors..."

"...it was all over the news, man..."

"...I gave her a fifty, so..."

"...I almost lost my lunch..."

"...It was the coolest thing..."

And under all of this there was a steady rhythmic sound, as regular as a heart beat. Felicia found her brain zoning in on that obnoxiously evenly measured sound. She tried to shake her concentration away from it but to know avail. It had minutely increased in speed, but it was still that insanely steady 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2.. beat. She had to fill the air with noise, noise that actually meant something. "Fisk has turned you into one of his lackeys, too? I thought you had more pride than that."

Otto was mentally transported back to yesterday. He remembered the feeling of gravity tugging on his back as the wind whistled past his ears. He could almost see Kingpin's face grinning down at him through the square opening in the belly of the jet. Ock remembered being angry that there was nothing he could do but hold on with his tentacles. Hold on for his life. Hold on and acquiesce to Kingpin's authority. 'Your choice Octavius. Either fall in line, or fall seventy stories.' He finally responded, "He presented me with an offer I could not refuse. Besides, I took it upon myself to be your escort."

Felicia stopped and faced him with her arms crossed. "What game are you playing, octopus?"

The octopus cocked his head. "Game, my pretty? I assure you, I am not playing any kind of game. I take my work quite seriously." He grabbed her arm with a tentacle and led her to the elevator door.

He pressed the button and Felicia heard the elevator whine into life somewhere below them. As it neared she could hear the car grating against the metal shaft. It made her grit her teeth. On top of that, the 1, 2, 1, 2 beat was making its way back into her head, only this time it was slightly faster than before. She set her jaw and resisted the urge to grab her head.

Ock looked down and sideways at the young woman. "What is it, now?"

Felicia didn't even glance at him. "My hearing."

"Perhaps we are rushing into phase two prematurely." The elevator dinged to a stop and the doors slid open. Ock let go of her arm and herded her inside. "I will have to discuss it with Landon."

"Discuss what?"

"Postponing phase two." He pressed the button for their floor, leaned on the bottom tentacles, and watched as the numbers began to go up.

He had spoken with a condescending 'duh' undertone in his voice. "What exactly are you expecting to happen?"

"Patience, my pretty. I doubt you would understand all of the technical inner workings, anyway."

"I am not your 'pretty,' and I think I have a right to know what you are doing to my body." She winced inwardly as the obsidian lenses fell on her face again. Felicia could sense him making eye contact with her even though she couldn't see it. The friction of the elevator against the shaft was almost deafening to her in while inside.

"Your so-called 'rights' were forfeited upon your entrance of this building."

"I'm a human being."

Otto chuckled. "Ah, yes. The high and mighty Ms. Felicia Hardy: Young, single, a member of the elite class, heiress to the Hardy Foundation, et cetera. In here, you are a mere lab rat, and your 'rights' have been adjusted accordingly... my pretty."

"You're the one being high and mighty, you arrogant, son-of-a-" She was hushed by his hand over her mouth. He didn't say anything to her, and she couldn't read his expression. He just covered her mouth and gave her a look. It might have been a scowl. After a second or two his hand slowly left her mouth and dropped back to his side. He looked up at the numbers, remaining silent. The elevator jerked to a stop and the doors opened. He gestured her out first and followed her down the now all too familiar hall.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FATR: Oh. My. God. I was writing the second sentence of the this chapter, and I just had a serious revelation. Felicia dated Michael and Jason. Michael and Jason! Okay, I feel like a geek for having my world shattered by a coincidental slasher movie reference in Spider-Man. /Gasp!/ Wait, no! Spider-Man mentioned Freddy Krueger in the first Kraven episode! OMG! I feel all floaty! SQUEAL! /closes eyes and breathes deeply/ Okay. Must type fic. Yes. Okay.