The study tour group's plane landed smoothly at New York Airport.
The heatwave in Europe was replaced by the cool breeze from across the ocean, and the familiar cityscape of New York unfolded outside the porthole. For Peter, this short study abroad trip felt like an eternity.
The raging fire in Prague Square, the two-way confessions in the streets late at night, the mysterious silver-gray mechanical fragment in the backpack, and the scene of Quentin Beck fighting desperately to defeat the Fire Elemental —each and every one of these events is still vividly etched in my mind.
I said a brief goodbye to MJ at the airport exit.
A subtle atmosphere filled the air between them. After a few simple words of advice, as they parted, MJ clutched the black dahlia pendant in his pocket.
After their brief time together, Peter turned and got into the SSC vehicle that had come to pick him up. The car drove away from the bustling airport and sped towards the base.
Stepping back into the SSC base, the familiar metal corridor, the walls gleaming with a cool white light, and the faint smell of machine oil in the air filled the air. The base was still operating, but there was a desolate atmosphere everywhere, unlike before.
Tony and Pepper are still away on a long trip, Thor has wandered off to some unknown corner of the universe, and Carol is constantly traveling between stars. The group that used to crowd the corridors and meeting rooms arguing about missions are mostly no longer at the base.
Peter put down his backpack and went back to his temporary dormitory to tidy up his belongings.
He carefully took out the mechanical fragment that MJ had picked up and placed it in a storage box on the table. His mind had been filled with memories of his time with MJ the whole way, and only now that he had calmed down did he remember to properly study this strange part. However, after several days of continuous combat and the fatigue of the journey, his head was foggy and he simply didn't have the energy to disassemble it immediately.
He planned to put it aside for now and wait until he recovered his composure.
As he left his dormitory, he instinctively headed towards the intelligence analysis room.
In the past, this was always the liveliest place in the base.
The screens lit up one after another, with various intelligence data streams scrolling by. People came and went, and the sounds of discussion and keyboard typing mingled together. But when you pushed open the door to the intelligence room, most of the screens in the huge room were in a dormant state. Only two or three staff members sat at the far end of the room, engrossed in processing documents, speaking in hushed tones.
The air conditioner was blasting cold air, which seeped up my trouser legs and amplified the silence in the empty room.
Peter stood at the door for a few seconds, a lingering chill settling over him.
The once lively group of people is now scattered in different places. The crisis has temporarily come to an end, but the atmosphere of gathering together side by side seems to have vanished as well.
He didn't go in and disturb the staff on duty. Instead, he turned and walked to the rest corner by the window in the corridor. Leaning against the cold metal windowsill, he brought up JARVIS's contact information on his communicator.
JARVIS, where are you now?
With almost no delay, a warm and steady electronic voice sounded in my ears.
"Mr. Peter, I'm currently in Mr. Tony's lab working through legacy project data. Is there anything I can help you with?"
Peter ran his fingertips along the communicator casing, gazing out the window at the trees outside the base, and slowly began to speak.
"I'm planning to invite Quentin Beck to join SSC. What's the procedure?"
There was a brief silence on the other end of the communication line; JARVIS must have quickly retrieved the entire set of regulations and files regarding SSC member recruitment.
"According to the SSC standard recruitment process, candidates need to complete three basic reviews: a full background check, a psychological and personality assessment, and a practical ability test."
JARVIS explained clearly, "But based on the information we've gathered, Mr. Quentin is not a native of Earth; he comes from a destroyed Afterlife. Conventional background checks on Earth are completely ineffective, and there are no verifiable identity files, past experiences, or social records."
"Under these special circumstances, if we want to recruit him into the organization, we cannot directly grant him formal membership. The system settings require an observation and testing period. The testing period is initially set at three months. During this period, he will only have access to the lowest level of base privileges, and he can use the public rest area, medical bay, and basic supplies. He will not be able to access the core database, Infinity Stones -related files, or mobilize SSC combat units and heavy weapons."
"All permissions will be gradually adjusted upwards based on task performance and behavior records, after periodic evaluations. Once a dangerous tendency is observed, permissions can be locked directly, and the corresponding isolation plan of the base can be activated. In addition, during the probationary period, he is not eligible to vote in high-level decision-making meetings. Only after fully passing all observation and evaluations can he be converted into a formal SSC member."
Peter listened attentively as JARVIS explained each rule, slowly sorting out the pros and cons in his mind.
This plan is reasonable. After all, all their knowledge of Quentin comes from his one-sided account. Even if Quentin takes action against the Elementals, they cannot reveal all of SSC's trump cards to him without reservation.
"I understand." Peter nodded. "Then how are logistical support and the obligations to be undertaken defined?"
"During the observation period, SSC will provide Mr. Quentin with accommodation, basic food, medical care, and all logistical resources necessary for his daily survival, without paying him a high salary. Regarding his obligations, he is not required to be on call at all times. Only when a large-scale disaster-level threat occurs on Earth or in a related dimension, and SSC issues a summons, will he be required to participate in crisis management, provided his own conditions permit. Ordinary criminal cases and small-scale local conflicts are not within his scope of responsibility. He has the right to refuse, but repeatedly avoiding major crises without justification will directly terminate the observation process."
JARVIS has finished supplementing.
"If either party feels it is not suitable, the cooperation can be terminated at any time during the trial period."
"Okay, let's go with these terms." Peter finished speaking, he operated the communicator, switched channels, and dialed Quentin's contact number.
The signal was connected, and Quentin's slightly hoarse voice came through the receiver, mixed with the sound of a gentle wind, indicating that he was in an open area in the suburbs.
" Peter?"
"It's me. I've returned to the SSC base." Peter carefully chose his words and spoke slowly. "The crisis with the Elementals has subsided. I remember you told me that your home was completely destroyed, and now you have nowhere to go. SSC has a plan, and I'd like to ask for your thoughts."
He reiterated in full the inspection period rules, logistical support, and responsibilities that JARVIS had just explained.
"Simply put, the base can provide you with a place to stay and solve your living and medical problems. However, there will be a three-month observation period, during which your access will be restricted. We hope you can intervene in the event of a major disaster threat. If you find this acceptable, I will send you the location coordinates of SSC. You can come and see it in person before making a final decision; you don't need to reply immediately. If you feel that this place is not suitable for you, that's perfectly fine too."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the communication line.
Quentin seemed to be weighing his options, and only replied after a moment.
"I understand the conditions. Since losing my homeland, I've been wandering around without a fixed place to stay. I'll go and take a look, confirm the environment here with my own eyes, and then give you an answer. Send me the coordinates."
"No problem."
Peter sent the location of the SSC base and the perimeter access password, then ended the call.
After putting down the communicator, the corridor remained quiet. Peter felt a vague sense of anticipation, but also a subtle, almost imperceptible, concern. He trusted Quentin, who was fighting alongside him against the Elementals, but JARVIS's cautious observation rules constantly reminded him that he didn't truly understand this man.
The next two days passed uneventfully at the base.
While processing the pile of ordinary reports that had accumulated since his return from his study abroad trip, Peter also took some time to go to the lab, intending to study the silver-gray mechanical fragment that MJ had picked up. But a strange thing happened: whether it was ordinary testing instruments or the lab's scanning equipment, the data was always chaotic and the results were completely uninterpretable when scanning the fragment. The fragment itself was quiet and showed no energy fluctuations, yet the instruments simply couldn't analyze its structure. Peter spent most of the day trying, but still came up empty-handed, and could only temporarily put the fragment away again.
Besides that, there are other trivial matters at the base.
The logistics department sent a report saying that the various alien debris left over from the previous battles was piling up, and the warehouse storage space was running out, requiring classification, archiving, and sealing. Peter helped sort some of it, but while working, he couldn't help but drift off, glancing from time to time toward the base entrance, waiting for Quentin's arrival.
The following afternoon, the base's perimeter security system sent a notification that a visitor with a matching password had arrived at the gate.
Peter receiving the notification, Peter immediately got up and headed to the main gate of the base.
The metal gates slid open slowly to both sides.
Quentin Beck stood outside the door. He wasn't wearing full combat armor, just a simple dark combat uniform. His clothes still bore the dust from his long journey, and his face showed signs of fatigue, but his mental state was still relatively good. He looked up at the SSC's buildings of varying heights, calmly surveying the base.
"You've come." Peter stepped forward.
"I've come to take a look as agreed." Quentin's gaze swept over the base's walls, towers, and the security robots patrolling back and forth. "It's larger than I expected."
I'll show you around.
Peter led Quentin into the base, passing through the public rest area, the canteen, and the medical bay area. He pointed out the single dormitories assigned to members in the testing phase, and then passed the outer perimeter of the laboratory and the glass exterior of the intelligence room. Peter did not take him into the core area; according to the rules, those places were not yet open to him.
Quentin spoke very little the whole way, quietly observing everything around him, occasionally stopping to take a closer look at the running equipment and the data flowing on the screen.
After walking around, the two came to the terrace of the dormitory area, where they could see the woods outside the base in the distance.
"These are the general conditions. A three-month observation period, and I've already explained all the restrictions to you in our previous communications." Peter looked at the man beside him, "What have you decided?"
Quentin gazed into the distance, remained silent for a few seconds, and then slowly looked away.
"I've had enough of this nomadic life. This place can give me a foothold, and I can step in when a crisis comes. I can accept this exchange." He looked up at Peter, his tone firm. "I agree to join and enter the observation period."
Peter breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving the reply.
"Great. I'll notify JARVIS to complete the registration and activate the corresponding permissions for you."
Peter immediately notified JARVIS to register Quentin as a visitor, activate the probationary member account, assign dormitories, and grant permission to use basic supplies.
Once the system process was complete, JARVIS's voice rang out from the terrace.
"Registration complete. Mr. Quentin Beck, your temporary status has been activated. Dormitory number B-217, access card has been sent to your communication terminal. Please remember that the relevant restrictions during the observation period are in full effect."
Quentin glanced down at the newly appeared permission icon on his bracelet and nodded slightly.
The matter was settled. The setting sun cast a warm golden glow on the terrace floor.
Peter looked at the new members who had just completed their registration and had a strange feeling. It was as if, after a series of disasters for the Elementals, the situation was gradually moving towards stability.
But he didn't notice at all that Quentin's hand, hanging by his side, had his fingertips twitch very slightly, and a fleeting, faint green light flashed beneath his sleeve.
The official start of SSC's entry into the platform has begun.
For the next few days, Quentin behaved unusually well, perfectly embodying the image of a fallen, powerful figure in a foreign land.
He maintained a regular schedule, never competed for resources, and never actively inquired about the base's secrets. Every day, apart from resting in his assigned single dormitory, he would go to the common training area to hone his skills.
The base's grassroots staff all had a very good impression of this new foreign aid worker, finding him to be calm, reliable, low-key, and sensible, without any arrogance of a strongman.
Peter would occasionally come over for a chat, talking about the previous battles against the Elementals, or briefly explaining the basic rules of the base.
Quentin listened patiently each time, speaking in a humble tone, always showing complete trust and a sense of security, which made Peter increasingly at ease and completely let down his last bit of guard.
Every night, when the base is completely silent, Quentin would quietly take out his miniature holographic device and silently review the details of each battle, recording the layout and structure of the SSC base, the security rotation patterns, access vulnerabilities, and even secretly probe various core devices of the base.
He appeared to accept the three-month observation period, but inwardly he scoffed at it.
He could see that Peter was simple-minded, valued the camaraderie of fighting side by side, and easily trusted his comrades.
As long as you continue to maintain your reliable and docile persona and gradually build trust, you will eventually be able to obtain higher-level permissions and touch the core of SSC.
At the same time, Peter did not let go of his doubts. The Silk that inexplicably missed its mark several times during the battle in Prague Square was not an operational error, but clearly caused by interference from external forces.