Chapter Text
Eduardo hasn’t been to New York City enough to not notice the loud whir of helicopters each time they rove over the cityscape. They weren’t around that summer in 2004 when he was living in the city, talking to middle-aged men about the benefits of advertising their products on Facebook. Well, that was only two years after Spider-Man disappeared. Those psycho monsters he kept at bay took a while to come out at full force and terrorize everyone.
Eduardo’s cell phone chimes. It’s a text from Sean, saying he’s arrived at the hotel’s restaurant. Eduardo’s shocked. Sean told him he’d be at the restaurant seven o’clock, and it’s actually seven o’clock.
He straightens his suit, confirms to himself that he looks presentable, and exits his hotel suite.
He has to wait for the elevator. Above the door is a flat-screen television, turned to a news channel.
“In the past three years, enrollment to all major New York colleges and universities have plummeted by a whopping 21%. The most major drops are for Columbia University, and Empire State University. Most experts agree that the rise in crime and the Six’s numerous attacks on New York over the past five years has made the city one of the most dangerous to live in...”
Like most, Eduardo believes Spider-Man must have been killed. Wishful thinkers believe he simply quit, which makes Eduardo imagine a superhero retirement home in space. In the case that Spider-Man did quit, Eduardo’s sure he would have come out by now. He hasn’t come out though. That’s why he’s dead.
The elevator arrives.
“Hey,” Eduardo says to Sean at the restaurant’s bar. He doesn’t bother to smile.
The last time he saw Sean was sometime after the deposition. Dustin and Chris invited Eduardo to a party -- Dustin unofficially dubbed it the “No Hard Feelings” Party -- and Sean bounced in and yelled, “Eduardooo, my man!” like he wasn’t the guy who loaded the gun Mark fired at him. Fortunately, another pack of people were in need of his magnificent presence and he was gone in two minutes.
A couple week ago, Sean e-mailed Eduardo and said he was going to be in New York City for a few months, and that Eduardo should meet up with him. Eduardo ignored it, but the e-mails were persistent and the words inside patient: “Would really like to talk to you... Give me a call,” and “Eduardo, give me a chance. It’s important.”
As opposed as he was, Eduardo agreed to meet up. He needed to be in New York anyway. Today, he had a meeting in Manhattan about a new project he wants to invest in, and tomorrow he’s going to have dinner with his father. It’s their biannual dinner. It’s all the time each of them is willing to allot to each other.
“Hey. Don’t sit down because I’m taking you somewhere,” Sean says with that annoying combo of sharpness and charm.
“I’m sure whatever it is you have to say can be said right here.”
Sean raises his eyebrows. “No, man, it can’t.”
“What’s this about, Sean?” It’s a question Eduardo’s been asking since the first e-mail. Sean’s kept him in dark and it has worked because Eduardo’s come to him in person, wanting the answer.
Sean turns to the nearby bartender. “Sorry, something came up and I gotta head out. Beautiful place though! First class.” He thumps his fists lightly on the tabletop and springs up.
“Why did you want to meet?” Eduardo asks.
“One step at a time,” Sean says and pushes Eduardo to the exit.
“Don’t bother with being charming and mysterious,” Eduardo says.
“Damn, Eduardo. Relax,” Sean says. “I asked you to meet me because something huge is going on, huge, and I can’t tell you because there’s no way you’d believe me yet. It has nothing to do with Facebook, by the way. Now let’s go for a drive in my car, my friend. We’re going to Forest Hills.”