Chapter 24: Teasing Barbara! Don't Shiver!
Boom!
Dark clouds suddenly loomed over the North Building, and in an instant, a fierce wind swept through. Heavy rain poured down in torrents, accompanied by loud, rolling thunder.
Strangely, the downpour seemed to be concentrated on a single area.
Before Barbara could react, she was completely drenched. Her golden hair clung to her face, and her casual clothes stuck to her body, outlining her graceful figure. If not for the thin combat uniform concealed beneath her outfit, the situation would have been even more revealing.
Unfortunately, there was no one around to appreciate the view.
"Damn it!" she muttered under her breath.
With a swift motion, she pulled out a small, compact handle. The device quickly extended and unfolded into a sleek black umbrella—one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s advanced gadgets, designed with bulletproof capabilities.
"Are those idiots seriously incapable of getting the weather data right?" she grumbled.
Just as she managed to shield herself from the relentless rain, a deep rumbling echoed above. Looking up, she saw faint flashes of lightning flickering within the storm clouds, like tiny tongues of electricity.
A bad feeling crept over her.
Wait… could I get struck by lightning again?
Crack!
A thin bolt of lightning shot down, striking just inches from her feet. The ground sizzled from the impact.
Barbara froze, staring at the scorched mark in shock.
"What the hell!?"
---
Inside the building…
"Why are you smiling so much, Ethan?"
Skye stretched out on the massive bed, propped up on a pillow, lazily typing on her laptop. She was wearing a simple vest and shorts, her posture anything but proper for working.
"Just thinking about something amusing," Ethan replied, leaning against the headboard with a sketchpad in hand, pencil gliding effortlessly across the paper.
"What's so funny? Are you sketching it?" Skye asked curiously, shifting to peek at his work.
On the page was a drawing of a familiar figure—a woman flailing as small lightning bolts struck around her. Her expression was one of sheer panic.
Skye gasped. "Did you just hear the thunder and get inspired that quickly?"
Ethan smirked. "Not really. Just doodling."
With a flick of his wrist, he turned to a fresh page and started sketching again. Within moments, another figure emerged—a beautiful woman lying on a bed, propped up on one elbow, peeking curiously.
It was unmistakably Skye.
Except… she wasn't wearing any clothes.
Skye's eyes widened. "Ethan!"
She lunged for the sketchpad, but Ethan swiftly pulled it away, laughing. "Relax! I always start with the basic form. The clothes come next."
He could've just drawn her fully dressed from the start—but where was the fun in that?
The two wrestled playfully on the bed until Ethan added a few strokes, finally dressing the figure. "There. Now stop trying to bite me."
Skye snatched the sketch and glared at it. "You better not show this to anyone! Especially not other guys!"
Ethan chuckled. "Of course not. Here, take it. Do whatever you want with it."
She huffed but carefully folded the sketch and tucked it away. It was, after all, a piece of Ethan's art—her own keepsake.
---
"How's your progress?" Ethan asked, glancing at her laptop screen.
Skye grinned. "Already in."
Ethan leaned closer, tapping a few keys. "Military database? You're bold."
Skye blinked, watching his fingers fly over the keyboard. "Wait… since when were you this good at hacking?"
Ethan skimmed through the files, spotting something interesting—a classified database code-named "The Hulk."
He smirked. Banner's probably still hiding out in Brazil, dodging General Ross… interesting.
---
"This place is amazing," Skye mused, stretching as she gazed out the window at the clear skies following the storm. "Why don't we set up a branch for our club here? Maybe that way, Ghost Spider will find us easier."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You just want a free penthouse."
Skye grinned. "Well… yeah."
Ethan leaned back, considering. He had wealth, but even he had limits. Maybe it was time to find a way to generate more income—without lifting a finger.
If only Norman Osborn weren't just a mindless fighter now. The Osborn Group would have been a goldmine.
His phone buzzed.
Jessica had sent a message:
[Brother! I contacted Ghost Spider! She agreed to meet with our club! I decided to give this important task to you, the vice president! You should be prepared—and bring a gift! ]
A dozen exclamation marks followed.
Ethan sighed. Did I spoil her too much? Where does she even get this much energy?
Still, this was intriguing. Gwen's meeting me as Ghost Spider?
A smirk tugged at his lips.
This was going to be fun.