F.E.A.S.T. remained much the same as always, yet there were subtle shifts. As the saying goes, the kind are often preyed upon; ever since Martin Li became the superhero "Mr. Negative" of the Defenders, it seemed more people were bold enough to come to F.E.A.S.T. looking for trouble or a free ride. Unfortunately for them, Martin Li was no ordinary superhero—Mr. Negative also harbored severe mental instability and violent tendencies.
Consequently, there were actually fewer troublemakers now than before.
"Good afternoon, Peter. And... this is classmate Stacy, right?"
Even though they had met before, Felicia maintained a facade of unfamiliarity. Gwen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the display; the way Felicia addressed them wasn't just differential treatment—it was a clear marking of who was close and who was distant. Was the relationship between these two actually that good?
Gwen looked at the two of them with suspicion. Was there some story here that she wasn't privy to?
However, Felicia clearly didn't care about Gwen's little suspicions. Wearing an apron and heat-resistant gloves, she pulled a baking tray out of the oven and slid the contents onto a plate in one quick motion.
"Let them cool for a bit, then take them out to everyone."
As Felicia spoke, she began preparing the next batch of cookies. Looking at the tray full of treats, Gwen had to admit they smelled wonderful.
"We'll go grab some aprons, wait a second."
A moment later, she and Peter were delivering cookies to the homeless residents living at F.E.A.S.T. At the information desk near the entrance, quite a few people were waiting for news regarding employment. They were a group eager to support themselves through their own abilities—it was a heartening sight.
After Peter finished delivering the cookies, he returned to the kitchen to find Felicia rolling out dough. Without even looking up, she said, "Help me press the molds."
Peter spotted the cookie cutters nearby, picked them up, and began pressing shape after shape into the flattened dough. Felicia was actually somewhat surprised by his level of strength control.
"What made yo think of coming to F.E.A.S.T.?"
"Hmm? Mostly because I didn't have much else to do. Kingpin, Tombstone, Hammerhead, Silvermane—they're all in prison. There are no big players left in the New York mobs, just a few small-time crooks."
Without the presence of all-powerful mob bosses, there was naturally no need for Felicia to hunt for evidence to expose their crimes. In fact, Felicia had been bored enough lately to consider following in her father's footsteps and seeing if there were any worthwhile artworks she could get her hands on.
Fortunately, it was just a passing thought; she hadn't acted on it yet.
"Jessica's situation is looking less and less optimistic. I know Uncle Jonathan is researching a way to treat her, but I'm not sure if there's enough time."
Felicia naturally shifted the topic to Jessica, asking uncertainly, "I was thinking, if time really does run out..."
"It'll be fine. Have faith that she's strong enough, and have faith in Dr. Jonathan."
Felicia didn't press further. She wasn't entirely sure why Peter Parker had such absolute confidence in Jonathan's ability to cure Jessica; in her eyes, the success rate didn't look high.
With a helpless sigh, Felicia shook her head and continued.
"I obviously hope Jessica will be okay, but if something does happen... could you go see her? After all, she's been searching for Spider-Man this whole time."
At this, Peter stopped what he was doing and asked tentatively, "Do you think Jessica really knows nothing?"
"...What do you mean?"
Felicia paused, listening to Peter's analysis.
"She's always been very confident in her deductions, hasn't she? And during the trip to Europe, she narrowed down the identity of Spider-Man quite significantly. In that case, I don't think it would be strange for her to suspect me."
Yet she hadn't. This could only mean that, for some reason, Jessica had chosen to stop her investigation.
Felicia fell silent for a moment and sighed. Just then, Gwen walked over. Peter stepped aside perfectly, taking the tray of cut cookies to the oven to avoid any awkwardness.
Unfortunately, it seemed the two girls struck up a conversation quickly. It started normally enough, but the topic soon drifted. Felicia even began rewriting history.
"I love it here, of course. Actually, Peter was the one who recommended F.E.A.S.T. to me," Felicia said with a smile. "He said this place is very good for students, and helping others is very meaningful."
Peter felt Gwen's gaze on him. He had no choice but to ignore it for the moment. Once Gwen had walked away again, he looked at Felicia helplessly.
"If I recall correctly, you came to F.E.A.S.T. on your own. It had nothing to do with me."
Felicia raised an eyebrow matter-of-factly. "What's the matter? Isn't it interesting to see girls who like you getting jealous over things like this?"
This girl has a truly wicked personality, he thought, shaking his head. He stepped aside, intending to explain the truth to Gwen later.
At that moment, Peter's phone rang. He asked if help was needed, spoke for a bit longer, and then hung up.
"What is it?" Gwen asked curiously from nearby.
Peter said "nothing much" before explaining what had happened.
"Cap and the others found a lead on the Winter Soldier's movements, so the Avengers are heading out to investigate. He told me to stay in New York to handle any other situations."
Peter shrugged. Doubtless, Cap was concerned for Peter's safety and thought it was better for Spider-Man to remain in the city. However, this gave Peter an uneasy feeling.
One major point was that the Winter Soldier belonged to Hydra, and there was a high probability that Otto was connected to Hydra—especially considering the lead involving Electro.
If Otto had enough intelligence to plan an operation, the Sinister Six might be ready to strike at any moment.
He wasn't sure what the exact situation was...
Peter took a deep breath and continued his work at F.E.A.S.T. It wasn't until the afternoon that they all left together. He remained on high alert for any sign of the Sinister Six, but those villains truly hadn't made a move.
Perhaps he was just being overly paranoid?