4500 words. Hope you enjoy reading.
Quentin lightly touched the holographic panel with his fingertip, and the projection displayed all the information he had collected over the past two weeks.
Peter's daily routine, his sources of stress, the anxieties hidden in the boy's heart, and the underlying logic of the SSC base's hierarchical access control system were all categorized and organized one by one.
Since moving into the base, Quentin has maintained a gentle and composed demeanor.
The rest of the staff at the base had long since let their guard down, and when they spoke of this newcomer who was still in the probationary period, their evaluation was always reliable, low-key, and knew how to conduct himself.
Quentin's real focus, however, is on Peter.
He knew very well that Peter's trust was the most crucial key to gaining a foothold in the SSC and obtaining higher authority.
Peter a tough time lately.
Upon returning from his studies abroad, he finds himself caught in a web of academic responsibilities, base reports, and Spider-Man duties, compounded by his newly established relationship with MJ, often leading to internal struggles and inner turmoil.
He was under a lot of pressure, but he couldn't confide in MJ, nor did he want to bother Tony was traveling far away. He had nowhere to put the frustration that had been building up in his heart.
Quentin hit that nail on the head.
Most of the time, he wouldn't actively approach to inquire, only slowly walking up to Peter when Peter was alone on the terrace lost in thought or exhausted in the training room. Like a wise and experienced older brother, he would quietly stay by Peter's side.
That evening, the lights in the training room were dim. Peter had just finished training, removed the outer layer of his combat uniform, and sat on the metal steps, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, rubbing his aching forearms with his eyes downcast.
Quentin walked over slowly, holding two bottles of electrolyte replenishment solution prepared by the base's medical area. He handed one bottle to Quentin, then sat down beside him, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far, without speaking rashly.
Peter took the bottle and thanked him quietly.
You seem to have something on your mind lately. Is something bothering you?
Quentin's voice was calm and gentle, "During my years of wandering, it was often like that too. Even when you were giving it your all, new troubles would always come one after another, making you doubt whether you could handle it."
Peter looked up at him.
Peter sighed softly, "I want to protect everyone, balancing my studies, SSC, and MJ, but many things don't turn out the way I wanted. These things are overwhelming me, and sometimes I wonder if I'm not good enough."
This was exactly what Quentin wanted to hear, but his face showed no sign of surprise, only empathetic understanding.
No one can be perfect in every aspect.
Quentin spoke slowly, his gaze fixed on the floor-to-ceiling windows in the distance of the training room, where the setting sun streamed in. "I used to be obsessed with proving myself, desperately seeking recognition, believing that as long as I was strong enough, all problems would be solved. Later, my home was destroyed, and I wandered from place to place until I realized that courage doesn't mean forcing yourself to shoulder all the burdens. You've done very well."
During this time, he gradually guided Peter. He would listen attentively to Peter's worries about trivial matters, help him organize his thoughts for the report, and even give him sound advice when Peter was struggling with how to schedule his date with MJ.
Peter's tense defenses gradually relaxed.
In his eyes, Quentin is a senior who has endured hardship yet remains gentle and strong, a close brother to whom he can confide his troubles.
Once trust takes root, many things are no longer said with caution.
During casual conversation, Quentin would subtly steer the conversation toward base access.
Once, while the two were having a meal in the cafeteria, Peter complained that he wanted to access an old file about an alien creature, but was unable to do so due to insufficient permissions.
Quentin put down his fork, his tone calm, as if making a casual remark. "SSC's access control is indeed very strict. I've been organizing the battle logs from the previous fights against the Elementals, and I need to cross-check some details, which requires consulting some battle archives. However, I'm currently only in a probationary period, so my access is limited, and I can't access a lot of information. If my access could be slightly increased, I could make faster judgments when we encounter similar threats in the future, helping to relieve some of the pressure on you."
He phrased it very tactfully, without making any forceful demands, but rather presented the request for increased authority as a way to better assist Peter and share the crisis.
Peter didn't think much of it and nodded subconsciously, "I understand. Once half of the three-month observation period is over, I can submit an evaluation report to JARVIS and apply for a promotion to a higher level."
Quentin maintained his humble smile, "No need to rush, I was just mentioning it casually. Following base rules is the proper thing to do, I just want to learn more so that I can play a greater role when a crisis arises."
Similar conversations repeated themselves in the days that followed. Quentin would always use the pretext of research to subtly mention permissions, always striking the perfect balance.
Peter trusted Quentin more and more, and would proactively discuss many trivial matters at the base with him, and occasionally even take Quentin with him to the lab.
The silver-gray mechanical fragment that MJ found wasn't given much attention; it was kept separately in a storage box in his dorm room.
Everything at the base appeared calm, but the unseen surveillance never ceased.
JARVIS has been adhering to the instructions Tony left behind before he left, continuously monitoring the dynamics of the personnel inside the base, with a focus on observing Peter Parker's growth.
On the surface, Quentin's actions were all in accordance with the probationary member guidelines, and his public statements and behavior were impeccable. But AI cannot be blinded by emotions or pretense. JARVIS continuously compared data from various sensors, communication frequencies, and thermal imaging records at the base, and slowly detected the anomaly.
The miniature holographic device that Quentin activated late at night in his dorm room would generate fluctuations in a specific frequency band.
Some encrypted communication signals were transmitted outwards from room B-217.
It's almost certain that Quentin wasn't acting alone; he has a small team behind him maintaining covert communication.
JARVIS didn't rashly alert Quentin, nor did he directly inform Peter. Instead, he activated an encrypted communication channel to contact Tony and Lynn.
A distant exoplanetary region.
A habitable moon orbiting a pale blue gas giant, its surface covered with vast expanses of soft, silvery-blue moss, the air warm and humid, with naturally formed Crystal pillars standing in the distance.
This was their temporary resting place.
Pepper, wearing a light sun-protective jacket, sat on a flat rock, holding a cup of lightly scented beverage made from local herbs, quietly watching the Nebula slowly drifting in the distance.
Natasha leaned against a rock pillar, toying with a strangely shaped short blade in her hand—a gift Lynn had bought for her during their previous trip.
Tony was squatting on the ground, observing with great interest a group of small, translucent alien insects. Every now and then, he would reach out and gently wave his hand, watching the insects scatter. He was also muttering to Lynn about the ecology of this planet.
Lynn stood beside him, her gaze calmly fixed on the distant Nebula, quietly listening to Tony's rambling.
Just then, the portable terminal on Tony's wrist lit up, and the JARVIS encrypted communication notification tone sounded softly.
Tony raised an eyebrow and tapped on the communicator. JARVIS's steady voice rang out in the quiet alien wilderness, giving a complete report on Peter's every move since contacting Quentin, as well as the preliminary analysis results from Quentin's team.
After the report was completed, JARVIS awaited instructions on the communication screen.
After listening, Tony turned to look at Lynn beside him, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "You know that?"
"Um."
Lynn responded calmly, his gaze still fixed on the distant Nebula. " JARVIS, you don't need to interfere. Necessary growth and its costs are things no one else can bear for him. You maintain real-time monitoring; the highest system privileges remain with you. You decide for yourself when necessary precautions and intervention are warranted."
"Received, sir." JARVIS paused for a moment, then calmly replied, and the communication channel was immediately disconnected.
The terminal screen went dark. Tony stood up, brushed the fine moss off his hands, and looked at Lynn with curiosity in his eyes.
"Alright, now tell me, what's the situation at the base right now, and what's this Quentin thing all about?"
Lynn slowly withdrew his gaze and began to speak in a detailed manner.
"Besides us, few people can stand your personality. You've offended quite a few people before. They don't stand a chance against you individually, so they've gradually gathered together and formed a small group."
" Quentin is probably a small-time boss. He gathered these people together to take revenge on you, but he didn't expect Quentin to hide his ambition so well that the others didn't realize it, causing the whole thing to get a bit out of control now."
" Quentin, the scientist who invented the real holographic projection solution back then. You should still remember him. We were initially full of hope that the project would come to fruition, but after your evaluation, you concluded that the technology was too risky. If misused, it could fabricate reality, create fake disasters, and cause incalculable damage. Therefore, you restricted its use, limiting it to medical applications only."
Tony was taken aback by what he heard, and long-forgotten files from the depths of his memory were awakened.
"Oh, I remember that person. His name should be... oh, right, Beck, Quentin Beck."
"Yes, that's him. He's packaged himself as a hero from a destroyed world, exploiting Peter's kindness and trust to infiltrate the SSC. His goal is probably to gain access to the SSC. He wants to use the SSC's resources and Spider-Man's fame to create a hero image that saves the world, replacing the SSC in the public's mind."
In the distance, Pepper heard the conversation, turned around, and looked over with a serious expression. Natasha stopped playing with the short blade in her hand, her eyes sharpening.
"Letting him continue to get closer to Peter is not a small risk."
Natasha spoke, her voice calm, "Young people's trust is most easily exploited. Once Quentin makes a move, Peter will suffer a severe blow."
"Setbacks are part of the growth process."
Lynn calmly responded, " JARVIS is monitoring the situation throughout, and the base's isolation plan is on standby. As long as the bottom line isn't crossed, let things continue to develop. Peter needs to learn to understand himself and others. He needs to grow; we can't always be there for him. He needs to be able to stand on his own."
Tony nodded and let out a long breath. His gaze drifted to the distant depths of space. New York, the SSC base, Peter, and that conman who had hidden his fangs were all on that blue planet.
JARVIS will be keeping an eye on everything. Let's continue to enjoy this rare vacation.
Inside the SSC base, Peter, completely unaware of this, still trusted Quentin.
That evening, Peter, carrying the battle debriefing document he had just finished compiling, walked to the door of dormitory B-217 and gently knocked.
After spending half a month together, he had already let down all his guard against Quentin.
In Peter's mind, Quentin was no longer the outsider who needed to be observed and evaluated, but a steady and reliable friend who could listen to his troubles and help him share the pressure.
During this period, whenever he felt tired, anxious, or struggling to balance his studies, tasks, and relationships, it was Quentin's patient guidance that made him feel a little relaxed.
Quentin never lectured him; he simply comforted him with his own tumultuous experiences and helped him sort out his chaotic thoughts.
Compared to Tony and the other SSC members, Quentin's companionship was gentle and reassuring, allowing Peter, who was feeling pressured, to experience relaxation for the first time.
"Please come in."
A gentle, steady voice came from inside the door.
Peter pushed open the door and entered. The dormitory was clean and tidy, with simple and plain furnishings, without any fancy decorations, exuding a low-key and unassuming atmosphere.
The room was softly lit, and a gentle evening breeze flowed in through the half-open window, dispelling the afternoon heat and creating a quiet and soothing atmosphere.
Quentin was sitting at his desk, looking at the SSC basic files on the screen. When Peter came in, he immediately closed the page, turned to him gently, and asked, "Finished with work?"
"Um."
Peter walked to the table, projected the electronic document onto the wall screen, and said in a relaxed and sincere tone, "Thank you so much for everything during this time, Quentin. I don't know how I would have gotten through this without your help."
Quentin smiled faintly, "Friends should support each other. You don't need to keep it to yourself. You're already good enough; you don't need to force yourself to shoulder everything. It's normal to feel tired and confused occasionally."
Peter scratched his head, his eyes full of sincerity. "To be honest, I had some concerns about the observation period before, but after spending time with you, I'm completely at ease. You're trustworthy."
After saying this, he looked directly into Quentin's eyes and revealed the true purpose of his trip.
"I processed your expedited access upgrade request, and it just got approved."
"I've increased your access privileges and removed some basic data and battle saves... From now on, you won't be restricted when assisting with daily tasks at the base."
A fleeting glint of barely suppressed joy crossed Quentin's eyes, quickly concealed by a gentle smile, his expression a mixture of surprise and gratitude. "No need to rush. I'm still in the observation period; just progress steadily according to the rules."
Peter smiled calmly, his tone exceptionally firm, "I've witnessed your abilities and character firsthand. You're capable of helping the base share more of the burden, so an upgrade in privileges is well-deserved. As for higher-level privileges, I'm not qualified to unlock them yet; I'll apply for them for you gradually later."
His trust was unconditional, pure, and sincere.
Quentin nodded gently, his eyes warm, and his tone sincere. "Thank you for trusting me, Peter. I will not let you down."
Throughout the entire process, JARVIS remained silent and monitored the situation from the backstage.
The moment Peter confirmed the upgrade permissions and access to the database, he activated the highest level of privacy blocking. All sensitive content involving Stark's core technology, Infinity Stones files, and SSC high-level operational plans was completely blocked.
Although Quentin has unlocked Level 2 access, seemingly granting him a significant boost in privileges, all he can access are harmless public information and basic combat data. The truly core secrets remain firmly locked away.
JARVIS followed Lynn and Tony's instructions, neither interfering with Peter's choices nor exposing Quentin's pretense, but simply letting things unfold naturally.
The conversation ended, and the sky grew completely dark.
Peter felt relieved, all his worries gone, and smiled as he said goodbye to Quentin: "It's too late, I'll go back and rest now, otherwise Aunt May will worry."
"Okay." Quentin stood up to see him off, his tone as gentle as ever.
Watching Peter's figure completely disappear at the end of the corridor, the dormitory door closed gently.
The next second, all the pretense of gentleness in the room vanished.
Quentin's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a cold indifference in his eyes.
He downloaded all the newly unlocked level 2 access data, base infrastructure data, battle saves, and alien debris analysis records in one batch with a single click.
With lightning-fast fingertips, he remotely transmitted all the compiled data to the team members hidden behind the scenes through multi-layered encryption and cross-frequency spoofing signals.
His fingertips tapped the terminal at lightning speed, his eyes calm yet sinister, completely devoid of the humility and gentleness he displayed during the day.
After sending the brief instructions, Quentin stared at the team's analysis data continuously being transmitted back to him on the screen, a cold smile curving his lips.