Peter Parker knew next to nothing about the Wild Pack, and what little he'd gathered about Silver Sable was essentially limited to her role as the CEO of a high-end private security firm. When Fury first mentioned the "Wild Pack," Peter hadn't once associated the name with Sable.
So much for Fury's insistence on "secret operations." It was all smoke and mirrors. Peter realized with a jolt that if he was standing here, clearly exposed to the Wild Pack's leadership, then Fury's definition of a "secret mission" was essentially a suggestion. At least it seemed clear that Silver Sable herself didn't know the secret identities of the three high schoolers standing in her breakroom.
After Peter had made his grand proclamation about wanting to "save the most people in the world," Silvija stared at him. Her expression was a masterclass in skepticism. She clearly didn't buy that a freshman was going to do anything of the sort.
Peter just shrugged. If she wanted to underestimate him, he'd let her.
"Regardless of your personal history, I need your skills to finalize the tactical layout," Silvija said, her voice brisk. "The Wild Pack has been tracking the Elementals for a long time. We have confirmation that the Hydro-Man and Sandman will surface in Madrid. My team's plan is locked, but I'll have to integrate you three into the flow."
"So..." Felicia leaned against a locker, a feline smirk playing on her lips. "If you've already got the Elementals in your sights, what exactly do you need us for?"
Silvija's glare sharpened.
Felicia didn't flinch. She just waved a hand dismissively. "Comprehensive physical enhancement. I'm not sure of the exact baseline system of measurement, but it's a standard package."
"Super Soldier Serum, then," Silvija concluded, her eyes shifting to Cindy. "That makes sense."
Cindy stepped forward and handed over a sanitized dossier detailing her capabilities. Peter watched, a pang of envy hitting him. He'd asked Fury for a dossier on himself, but the Director had just looked at him with an expression of weary disappointment.
Figure it out yourself, Parker. How many times have you actually leveled up since the bite?
Silvija scanned Cindy's file, her brow furrowing. "This ability set... it's remarkably similar to Spider-Man's." She looked up at Peter. "And you?"
"I'm Spider-Man."
Silvija blinked. She looked at Peter. She looked at the file. She looked back at Peter, then pressed a palm to her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut. She held the silence for a full three seconds, clearly recalibrating her entire worldview.
"You're Spider-Man," she repeated, the words tasting like ash. "You're a high school freshman. You've fought off twenty superhumans in the last six months, dismantled a cyborg army in a single afternoon last month, and managed an alien invasion... and you're a highschool freshman?"
She let out a long, ragged breath. "How much is Tony Stark paying you?"
"I'm not doing this for a paycheck," Peter said, feeling a bit defensive. "I'm doing this to help people."
"Join the Wild Pack," Silvija countered, her voice hardening. "I can guarantee that the entirety of Symkaria will pay you. Tony Stark is rich, yes, but he doesn't have an entire nation-state's worth of resources behind him."
"I don't need the money," Peter said, feeling like he was caught in a loop. "I still have school. I have a life."
"You have the talent to change the world, and you're wasting it in a classroom?" Silvija stepped into his personal space, her eyes intense. "Every second you spend sitting at a desk is another second a criminal spends tearing the city apart!"
It was a hell of an argument. Peter felt his resolve wobble for a fraction of a second, but he pushed back. "I think... aside from being Spider-Man, I'm allowed to have a life. I'm planning on college, eventually..."
Peter trailed off. Silvija looked genuinely embarrassed for a moment, her eyes softening in pity.
Does she think I'm a mercenary because I couldn't get into college? Peter wondered.
"...Just graduate university first," Silvija muttered, looking away. "Doubt you'll get in anyway. I put everything into this life, and I never had the time to crack a book."
Peter stayed silent.
But the exchange had given him exactly what he needed. The Wild Pack was definitely hunting the Elementals—they had a roadmap. Fury had effectively slammed them into this group, whether they were a perfect fit or not. And since Silvija didn't know their identities, she treated them like some high-school interns Fury had foisted on her to "gain experience."
The whole operation felt rushed. If Hydra was as embedded as he suspected, they were likely already watching the move. Fury's cover story was paper-thin.
"If they're from the same organization," Peter asked, pivoting back to the mission, "there has to be a hub. A base of operations. Has the Wild Pack found a lead on where they're being housed?"
Silvija shook her head. "No. All we can confirm is that they're running a massive, coordinated looting campaign. They're hitting high-value targets—labs, S.H.I.E.L.D. depots, secret Soviet-era outposts. Whatever they're harvesting, I haven't tracked it to a final destination."
She looked at her watch and sighed. "I need to coordinate our entry into the theater. Madrid is the target. I'll contact you when we're in position. Until then, try to act like you're on vacation."
A few minutes later, the three of them were back in the terminal.
"I don't like her," Felicia declared, heels clicking sharply against the floor.
Peter glanced at her. Is this just a classic case of two silver-haired alpha women realizing they're too similar to ever get along? he thought, though he knew better than to say it out loud.
He stopped and turned to his teammates. "Look, the Wild Pack is hunting the Elementals. Which means, as far as they're concerned, this is just another job. But Fury? Fury isn't playing the same game."
Felicia and Cindy exchanged a look.
"Exactly," Felicia whispered, a sharp, dangerous smile curling her lips. "What is the truth Nick Fury is so desperate to bury?"