revivalproject | Meanwhile...

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Meanwhile...

WHO: Act I: Beck and Lord Felwinter and a Spider; Act II: A Spider, Three Metal Men, a Mediator, A Victim and A Culprit
WHERE: Here
WHAT: Winter is coming...
WHEN: In that nebulous timeframe between the end of the storm and now
WARNINGS: Felwinter

There are only so many people who have made exclusive use of the communications data point. There's only one other than himself that has actively delved deeper into what the expertise had to offer. And then 'mysteriously' that person's data-trail has vanished. Except not.

It seemed pointless for someone like Tony Stark to try to erase his own existence. The man would probably trace his name on the moon to show his name to the world. He wouldn't destroy his own hard work in the forge, and Felwinter couldn't deny that when he'd seen what the other Exo had reported for his own eyes, for once he'd felt the burn of some stirrings of true emotion within his metal frame. Someone will pay for their crimes. Someone will be brought to justice.

And he knows who that someone is.

He'd seen him come to the foot of his tower. It's not really his tower, but no one has chased him off or ever comes up- perhaps no one knows it's where he's chosen to dwell. But it's where he is, and in the wake of the storm he stood by the large windows and looked upon the quiet, empty city below. And there came a man. His purpose was clear, his path unhesitant as he made his way towards the data point below. It was done without fanfare, and then the man was off again. And Felwinter thought it strange.

Now the warlord comes to Beck's dwelling place in the eastern quarter. It seems only fair to visit in turn.

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Expertise with a capital 'E' would have been the implication. Felwinter pulled the communications tablet out, flicking through to bring up a window of code. He held it out towards Beck.

"I've found an aberration in the network's coding. It is unfamiliar, but seems to be blocking access to certain information," he replied. "It is most strange."

Beck frowned, attempting to feign seeing the familiar code for the first time.

"Really?" he reached to take the table, wondering how long they would keep up this charade of pretending. "And you...want me to fix it?"

The warlord betrayed nothing, not that it would change even if he wore no helmet. He was practically a statue, still as the previous storm, shifting with neither breath nor anxiousness.

"I wanted your insight," Felwinter said. The code was familiar, yes, but Beck would see that there's been an additional 'target' worked into things. His own name.

"..." Recognition slowly washed over Beck's face, and he swallowed, expression stiff as his mind raced to the next steps. The Soldier was supposed to keep a general eye on him, but there was no guarantee he was nearby. The drones weren't programmed for this sort of security detail...

He pushed the tablet back towards Felwinter, and attempted to duck back inside the relative safety of the shop - turned house, without a word.

His other hand shot out like a viper to grasp at Beck's wrist before he could fully retreat, a grip as firm as a metal clamp should he grab hold, stepping after him to close the distance. The shop wouldn't have kept him out, but Beck didn't need to know that. He quite casually tucked his tablet away.

"Your very response condemns you," Felwinter said quietly. "What have you against a single man that would prompt you to act so viciously?"

"Nn-" Beck gave a single tug against the grip before he stilled, eyes narrowed, knowing there was no way he was going to get himself out with brute force.

"You can't prove anything," he growled softly.

"Your own words are enough to suggest that I am not wrong." The Exo's words were devoid of any anger. It was probably that calmness that made it even worse as his grip tightened, if only to hold Beck fast as he moved to grab the man's collar with his other hand, hoisting him up with ease.

"You know what you have done. That makes you a threat. I will take care of the matter here and now."

None of Beck's planning had accounted for someone like Felwinter deciding to play judge, jury and executioner, and there was a momentary look of panic in his eyes as he was hoisted up into the air.

"...Peter!" he called, pulling a desperate move with little time to think through the consequences.

"You would drag others into this? Coward."

Felwinter swung his arm and Beck out to hurl the man outside where he could not hide behind walls. He wasn't sure if the man possessed any supernatural capabilities as some here, but he wasn't going to allow him to hurt anyone else. He raised his hand, a ball of black and violet voidlight building in his palm as he stepped towards Beck.

Peter had been in the back and resting because he'd early accused someone of murder and then realized how crazy and outlandish his accusation had sounded. There was a reason he was a superhero and not a detective, he supposed.

He's woken up by noises he doesn't place immediately and just waits a moment to try and get an idea of what's going on. And then he hears some alarming sounds and scramble out of bed. He's just yanking the door open when he hears Beck call for him. It spurs him to move faster.

"Hey!" Peter calls out, more in attempt to get Felwinter's attention off Beck than anything else. He fires his webs, aiming quickly for his hand and yanking back sharply so he'll miss the target.

"What the fuck is going on here?" The confused fifteen year old demands.

Beck had a witty retort all lined up, but lost it somewhere between being hurled outside and scrambling to right himself.

His eyes widened at the light in Felwinter's palm, and he didn't need much exaggeration to twist his that fear into something coloured with confusion for Peter's benefit.

"He's crazy!" Beck accused.

Within his helmet comms Felspring shouted a warning, but Felwinter remained focused despite the interuption. The throbbing ball of negative energy went wide, erupting in swirling violet streams once it hit the ground some distance away. The warlord turned his head to look at his hand and the webbing that had caught it.

"I am not the one who went through such lengths to erase a man's presence," he replied, his helmet tipping back towards Beck. "Do you defend a guilty man?"

That doesn't explain anything and Peter's left to try and piece things together on his own. What? Guilty? Of what did he say? Erasing another man's presence? Was this guy accusing Mr Beck of the very thing Peter had accused him over hours ago?

Shit! He forgot to message Cayde! Is this his fault?

"Oh my god!" He rushes forward to help Beck back to his feet if he needs it. "There's been a misunderstanding." Peter blurts out quickly. "It wasn't him-I accidentally jumped to conclusions- he barely knows Mr Stark, why would he want to hurt him?"

Cursing, Beck watched the energy erupt with wide eyes, unsure what that would do to a person.

He resisted the urge to push Peter away and make a run for it, knowing for the moment he was safest with the kid since Felwinter seemed to have such a noble sense of honor. At least as long as he could keep Peter from hearing what the Exo had to say.

"Let's get out of here," he encouraged.

The warlord calmly stepped towards them. He shook his head at Peter's words.

"That is an excellent question that he should answer for himself. I too am most curious as to why someone who barely knows someone, as you say- would go to such efforts to erase his presence from the network."

He brought out his tablet again. "I merely came to ask him about the codework I found. It took some unraveling and tracing." Felwinter turned his head towards Peter. "Did you know that Quentin Beck came to take on the communications data point not long after the storm's breaking? Curious timing, I should think."

Edited 2022-03-30 22:09 (UTC)

Didn’t he just have this conversation and they determined that a coincidence does not make someone a murderer? Still it does ping as a little odd to Peter that the timing lines up so neatly. Beck’s done a good job of muddling his thoughts though and he stays his ground.

“So, just because the timing is coincidental doesn’t make him a murderer. It just a coincidence.” He states as firmly as he can manage. “I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding.”

He stays poised to shoot another web if he has to, no one is getting hurt under his watch.

"Why are you so concerned with some witch hunt instead of looking for Stark?" Beck pressed, pleased to see Parker on his side and aiming to keep in that way. "No one elected you judge, jury and executioner. That's not how things work here."

A misunderstanding. That was all. And it was Felwinter who was bringing violence to the table.

A shrug. "A coincidence, perhaps. If that were so, then he should not have reacted as he had. I merely came to ask him about the encoding I found. I believe I'm close to restoring Stark's information- it is all still here, after all. He refused to look into it the moment I showed him. In fact, he rather quickly aimed to retreat back into the building once he saw what I had brought up." Felwinter tilted his head at the two. "If there is a good reason for such a response, I would like to hear it."

To Beck he turned. "How do they work here then? There is no established law. But then perhaps that's convenient for you. Why aren't you looking for Tony Stark?"

Peter narrows his eyes when Felwinter turns to beck and stays stubbornly in the way. Again, something is telling him that he needs to get as far away from Beck as possible but it could also be Felwinter that's making him want to run.

"He's been looking after me." Peter points out as a reason for why Beck wasn't looking for Tony at this very moment. "You can't just come to our house and accuse someone of murder without any proof. If you're that convinced it was him then you have proof right? Proof that's not just circumstantial? I think you should leave." Peter tells him.

Beck briefly allowed his lips to quirk into a smirk behind Peter, and gave Felwinter a pointed look.

"...You heard the kid."

The helmet did not show the slight narrowing of his optics. He kept an eye on Beck, even as he turned his head towards Peter. "You aren't listening. I have never once accused this man of murder." He had not even said the word once since he arrived. "I came as one who possesses the communications data point, to another who I know has it, as from recent observation. So I ask again- will he not give his insight? He can help restore the missing data."

The warlord remained at ease as he spoke these things, with no intent to attack further. He had abandoned such tactics since Peter's arrival. He would not harm an innocent, even if one so misguided.

"What the Hell was that glowy thing you did with your hand? That didn't look like your were just asking for information. I'm pretty sure you were trying to kill him." Peter points out. There's a prickle at the base of his neck again and he has to pause to to take a look around. What the hell was that?

"It's really up to him if he wants to help." Personally, Peter is hoping that Beck will help because if if can lead them to finding Tony he'd really appreciate it.

"He doesn't want my help, Peter. He's all ready made up his mind," Beck said, playing on those emotional ties he'd spent so long investing in. He didn't need to argue with Felwinter at all, he just needed to convince the kid that the Exo was out to get him.

"Why do you even need me if you have the communications data point? We have the same information in our heads."

"You tell me not to jump to conclusions and yet do so yourself in not having witnessed the beginning of things," the warlord informed Peter. "I hope that you survive to see the end of them. I advise you stay away from this man before he attempts to threaten another."

He wants to sigh. Why are humans so circular in their thinking? He could easily just shoot the man there but that would not help convince the child of how dangerous Beck was.

"It would go faster with two. I see no reason why you would refuse, other than because that would force you to undo your own work. Also, boy- I do not know why you have jumped to such conclusions as murder. Certainly Quentin Beck has tried, but thankfully it appears Tony Stark has been found."

Peter's mind is racing and trying to piece together the information as he's getting it. What did he mean by Peter wasn't here for the beginning? He was in the back room the whole time-sure he was asleep at first but the commotion woke him up.

And why is he so convinced is was Mr Beck? Enough so to try and kill him? Mr Beck's not dangerous, he's been looking after him the last couple of months and helped him through a massive panic attack. Dangerous people don't do that kind of thing.

"I just.." the words are coming out before he can really consider the statement. "have seen a lot of people die."

He pauses as that last bit registers.

"Is-is he okay?"

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