While the elaborate preparations for "Project: Ursus Minor" progressed, Elias Thorne couldn't afford to neglect the simmering cauldron of Montreal's underworld. Lou Scarelli, increasingly isolated and paranoid, was becoming a wounded animal – unpredictable and dangerous. Desmond Fitzpatrick, smelling blood in the water, began to make more overt moves, not against Scarelli directly, but by poaching his disgruntled underlings and subtly encroaching on his territories.
Angelo Trapani, the capo Elias had targeted with his cryptic gift, was a key domino. Dr. Finch's analysis, combined with Mickey's street-level intel, suggested Trapani was on the verge of making a decision. He was distancing himself from Scarelli's increasingly erratic inner circle and had been observed in hushed, clandestine meetings with men known to be affiliated with Fitzpatrick.
Elias decided it was time for another gentle nudge. He didn't want Trapani to fully commit to Fitzpatrick, which would merely consolidate power under a different, potentially more formidable, rival. He wanted Trapani weakened, perhaps independent, or at least owing a debt to an unknown benefactor – Elias himself.
He dispatched Mickey O'Halloran with a new task. Not infiltration or theft, but a carefully orchestrated piece of misinformation. Mickey, using his Goblin-enhanced stealth and his network of pliable low-lifes, was to spread a rumor within Scarelli's ranks: that Angie Trapani had already secretly cut a deal with Fitzpatrick, selling out Scarelli for a prominent position in Fitzpatrick's new order. The rumor was to be insidious, appearing to come from multiple unreliable sources, designed to further fuel Scarelli's paranoia and force his hand against Trapani.
"Make it sound like street gossip, Mickey," Elias instructed. "The kind of thing whispered over cheap whiskey in back alleys. Plausible enough to worry Scarelli, but deniable enough that Trapani can't easily refute it if Scarelli confronts him."
Mickey, despite his inherent nervousness, reveled in this kind of subtle sabotage. It played to his Goblin strengths of stealth and spreading discord. "They'll be at each other's throats like Kilkenny cats, Mr. Thorne," he cackled, his eyes gleaming.
And so it proved. The rumor spread like wildfire through Scarelli's already jittery organization. Scarelli, in a fit of rage and suspicion, publicly accused Trapani of treason during a tense meeting of his remaining capos. Trapani, caught off guard and outraged by the false accusation (though he had been exploring options with Fitzpatrick), furiously denied it. The confrontation, according to Mickey's later excited report (gleaned from a terrified busboy hiding in the kitchen), devolved into a screaming match, culminating in Scarelli striking Trapani and ordering him confined to his house under guard, effectively under arrest.
This was precisely the outcome Elias had hoped for. Trapani was now completely alienated from Scarelli, his pride wounded, his safety threatened. Fitzpatrick, seeing one of Scarelli's most senior capos so publicly humiliated and neutralized, would see Scarelli as weaker and more irrational than ever.
Dr. Finch's assessment was succinct: "You've driven a fatal wedge, Mr. Thorne. Trapani, if he escapes Scarelli's immediate wrath, will have no choice but to fully defect or attempt to carve out his own territory. Scarelli has just lost one of his most experienced lieutenants and further destabilized his own command structure. Fitzpatrick benefits in the short term, but the overall situation becomes more chaotic – which, I presume, serves your long-term interests."
Indeed, it did. Elias's [Influence (Factional Destabilization – Scarelli Org): +2.5%] saw a significant jump. His overarching 'Reputation' shifted subtly to [Master Manipulator (Methods Unfathomable; Fear and Respect Growing)]. The city was a chessboard, and he was maneuvering pieces without ever showing his face.
While this urban drama played out, the logistical preparations for the northern expedition continued apace. Elias, under the carefully constructed alias of "Mr. E. Silas Blackwood, Investor," chartered a de Havilland Fox Moth floatplane from a discreet but reputable air service based out of a remote lake north of Montreal. The pilot, a grizzled, taciturn veteran named 'Mac' MacReady, asked few questions as long as the payment was good and the manifest (listing "geological survey equipment") looked legitimate.
Anya Petrova was to accompany "Mr. Blackwood" as his "personal assistant and archivist, Miss Anya Sharma." Elias had procured plausible, albeit slightly outdated, academic credentials for her from a forger he'd used in the past for minor property deed adjustments. She looked the part – intelligent, observant, quietly efficient. She'd also spent hours with Dr. Finch, memorizing key geological formations and mining terminology to lend credence to her cover. Her true purpose, of course, was to use her Archer-enhanced vision to scan the vast wilderness below for any sign of their quarry.
Thomas MacIntyre, meanwhile, was assembling a minimalist kit for a potential ground excursion – focusing on durability, practicality, and quiet operation. He'd also, at Elias's suggestion, reached out to a former army acquaintance, a quiet Ojibwe man named Joseph 'Joe' Tomah, who lived a semi-reclusive life as a guide and trapper further north and possessed unparalleled wilderness skills. Elias authorized Thomas to offer Joe a generous sum for a "short-term, highly confidential tracking and consultation contract" if needed. Empowering Joe wasn't part of the immediate plan – Elias preferred to use existing loyal assets where possible – but having a truly skilled native guide available was a prudent contingency. Joe Tomah, being from a marginalized community and possessing valuable niche skills, was exactly the type of individual Elias looked for - potentially high loyalty for fair treatment and opportunity.
The System showed [Project: Ursus Minor – Status: Phase 1 (Aerial Reconnaissance) Imminent. Resources Allocated. Personnel Mobilized.]
Elias felt the familiar thrum of anticipation, but it was different this time. This wasn't about outwitting street thugs or manipulating gang leaders. This was a quest into the unknown, chasing a legend, a Prime Conduit. The risks were immense – financial, logistical, perhaps even physical if this "Wolverine" was hostile or the wilderness proved too unforgiving. But the potential gain... the power of a true Marvel-level entity, mirrored in himself... it was a prize worth almost any gamble.
As he stood on the dock of the remote northern lake, watching MacReady perform his pre-flight checks on the sturdy Fox Moth, the scent of pine and damp earth sharp in the cool morning air, Elias felt a profound sense of stepping onto a larger stage. Anya, beside him, her gaze already sweeping the distant tree line with an unnatural clarity, was a picture of calm focus. The urban chessboard was momentarily left behind. Ahead lay the vast, untamed wilderness of the north, and somewhere within it, a creature of myth and immense power. The landlord of Montreal was about to become a hunter of legends.