The pursuit of the "Wolverine" consumed a significant portion of Elias Thorne's strategic bandwidth, even as the intricate dance of power continued in Montreal. Finding a near-mythical figure in the vast Canadian wilderness was a far cry from manipulating urban gang politics. It required a different set of resources, a different mindset.
Dr. Finch, with his enhanced intellect, continued to be the linchpin of the information-gathering phase. He devoured every available map, every obscure journal, every trapper's tale, creating a surprisingly detailed probability matrix for potential sighting locations based on terrain, reported resource availability (game, fresh water), and historical patterns. The area west of the Manicouagan Reservoir remained the most promising, specifically a rugged, largely unexplored region known colloquially as the "Serpent's Spine" due to a series of jagged, interconnected ridges.
"If he exists and maintains his preference for isolation, Mr. Thorne," Finch concluded, tapping the highlighted region on a topographical map pinned to the wall of his dedicated research room, "this area offers the densest cover and the fewest incursions. The last credible, albeit anecdotal, sighting aligns with migratory animal patterns leading towards these highlands for the summer months, which are now approaching."
Elias understood this was a long-term, high-risk, high-reward endeavor. He began to quietly divert funds, not from his property income which was carefully accounted for, but from the less traceable proceeds Mickey O'Halloran acquired – a small percentage of which Mickey now "voluntarily contributed" to Mr. Thorne's "special projects fund" out of a mix of Goblin-esque desire to please and sheer terror of Thomas MacIntyre.
The first step was reconnaissance. Sending a team blindly into the Serpent's Spine was foolish. He needed aerial observation. Commercial flight services were available, but expensive and too conspicuous for his purposes. He needed his own eyes in the sky, metaphorically speaking, or rather, someone who could guide such eyes.
He thought of Anya Petrova. Her Archer-enhanced vision was unparalleled. If she could be positioned to observe, even from a chartered bush plane making legitimate-seeming survey flights, she might spot something others would miss – an unusual heat signature, a non-natural shelter, disturbances in the foliage inconsistent with animal activity.
But Anya was an urban operative, an artist turned marksman. The deep wilderness was another beast entirely. He needed someone with wilderness survival skills, someone who could potentially lead a small ground team if aerial reconnaissance yielded a promising lead.
This brought him back to Thomas MacIntyre. Before becoming a groundskeeper in Montreal, Thomas had served in the British Army, seeing action in some of the Empire's more rugged colonial frontiers. He knew his way around the wild, knew how to track, how to survive. His Barbarian strength would be an asset in such terrain, but it was his forgotten soldiering skills Elias was now most interested in.
"Thomas," Elias said one evening, as they reviewed security reports for his properties. "Your time in the King's service… did it involve much… wilderness work?"
Thomas, who rarely spoke of his past, looked surprised. "Aye, Mr. Thorne. A fair bit. Highlands of Scotland during training, of course. But then… the Northwest Frontier, some parts of Africa. Learned a thing or two about living rough, tracking when you need to, and keeping your head when all around are losing theirs." His eyes held a distant, knowing look.
"I may have need of those particular skills soon, Thomas," Elias stated. "A… sensitive acquisition project. In a very remote, very rugged part of northern Quebec."
Thomas's brow furrowed. "Northern Quebec, sir? Not exactly prime real estate."
"Not for property," Elias conceded. "For something… unique. Potentially invaluable. It would be a difficult, perhaps dangerous, undertaking." He wouldn't reveal the "Wolverine" aspect yet, not even to Thomas. Just the operational need.
Thomas met his gaze squarely. "If you need it done, Mr. Thorne, and you think I'm the man for it, I'll do it. You know that." His loyalty, verified and absolute, was a comforting constant in Elias's increasingly complex world.
So, the plan began to crystallize.
Phase 1: Aerial Reconnaissance. Elias would charter a small floatplane, ostensibly for a wealthy investor (himself, under an assumed identity) interested in surveying potential mining or timber claims in the Manicouagan region – a plausible cover. Anya would accompany this "investor" as his "geological assistant" with remarkably keen eyesight. Dr. Finch would provide detailed flight paths based on his probability maps, targeting areas where sightings had been clustered or where the terrain suggested ideal solitary habitation.
Phase 2: Ground Team Insertion (if warranted). If Anya spotted anything credible, a small, highly specialized ground team would be needed. Thomas would lead. He would need an assistant, someone also capable and trustworthy. Elias didn't have another empowered individual suitable for wilderness work readily available. Mickey was out of his element, and Finch was an academic. This was a gap. He might need to empower someone new, someone specifically chosen for survival skills and loyalty, should the need arise. This was a future consideration; for now, Thomas might have to suffice, or identify a non-empowered but reliable individual he trusted from his past.
Elias began procuring equipment: high-quality binoculars for Anya (to supplement her already incredible vision), durable outdoor gear, concentrated rations, advanced first-aid kits (more comprehensive than usual, given the potential quarry), and communication equipment more suited to wilderness than city alleys – though reliable radio in such remote areas would be a challenge in 1930. He researched the best bush pilots, men known for their skill and discretion.
The System interface, when he focused on these preparations, displayed a new sub-category under 'Operations': [Project: Ursus Minor (Status: Preliminary Planning & Resource Allocation)]. 'Ursus Minor' – Little Bear. A typically cryptic System designation, perhaps hinting at the Wolverine's animalistic nature or the Canadian wilderness setting. The allocation of funds and resources was logged. No energy was consumed yet, as no new empowerments were being made specifically for this project.
Meanwhile, Montreal simmered. Angie Trapani remained a question mark. Scarelli grew more erratic. Fitzpatrick continued his methodical consolidation. Elias kept a watchful eye on these urban games, but a significant part of his strategic thought was now thousands of kilometers north, focused on the rustle of leaves in an ancient forest, the glint of something unnatural in the deep wilderness, and the almost unimaginable power a creature called Wolverine might bring him. This Canadian landlord was no longer just playing for control of a city; he was reaching for a power that could reshape his world on a far grander scale. The cost of failure would be high, but the lure of a Prime Conduit was too potent to ignore.