Chapter 417: Prelude to Civil War II
"Besides your wages, I have about $100,000 left," Beck stated honestly.
"That's enough. The material cost for an N247 drone is roughly under $1,000," Joseph chuckled.
And so, with Quentin Beck as their leader, this team began to assemble with grand ambitions. They were ready to set their plan in motion.
Abandoned Suburban Warehouse
Mason was hunched over his computer, designing a new blueprint for a flight suit. Since Adrian Toomes had been arrested, Mason had stopped dealing with gangs to avoid being double-crossed. However, the allure of money was a constant itch. He had begun refining equipment for Schultz (Shocker). The Shocker suit's capabilities were impressive, but its defensive rating was too low—it was far too easy for bullets to pierce.
Ding-dong!
Mason stopped typing and opened an email.
"I heard you have alien tech. We need some materials." Mason read aloud from the screen. Usually, people who had his encrypted email were past clients, but he had no memory of this sender.
After a moment's thought, Mason replied: How much can you pay?
Ding-dong! The response was almost instantaneous.
"I only need a small batch. No face-to-face meeting. Ship it directly; we'll handle the transaction online."
Mason adjusted his glasses. An online transaction? After modifying the suits for Toomes and Schultz, his stockpile of Chitauri technology was running low. But since the buyer only wanted a small batch, he could probably fulfill it.
Mason messaged back: What do you need? Send me a list. I'm running low on stock.
Ding-dong!
"I need these." Below the text was an image detailing specific components. Mason checked the image against his digital inventory. He realized he had exactly what they needed, but selling it would effectively clear out his warehouse.
Mason leaned back, taking a sip of coffee. If this was all he had left, it would be a crime not to overcharge them. After a few more messages to test the buyer's budget, he sent his final offer.
"Flat rate: $100,000!"
Snap! Mason hit the Enter key. This time, the reply didn't come as quickly. The other side seemed to be weighing the cost. After about a minute, the message finally arrived.
"OK." Simple and clear.
"Done." Mason grinned and turned to shout, "Schultz! Get ready for a delivery!"
"Ugh~" Schultz stood up from the sofa, looking annoyed. "What gives, Mason? A delivery run?"
"A client doesn't like face-to-face meetings. You're playing courier to save on shipping costs," Mason snickered.
Schultz scoffed. "What am I delivering?"
"Here's the manifest." Mason handed him the printout.
Schultz scratched his head and headed for the door.
"Oh, and Schultz! Remember to bring the gauntlets!" Mason chased after him. Just in case the deal was a setup, he didn't want his partner going in unprotected.
Night, Queens
Silas Parker's brother, Peter, returned home after another long day. He had stopped by the hospital to check on Gwen and found that her temperature had finally dropped. While she still had a fever, it was no longer dangerously high.
"Gwen's finally showing signs of improvement. It's such a relief," Peter said happily.
"Yeah, look at how worried you were," Silas teased.
Peter rubbed the back of his head sheepishly before adding, "I noticed the public safety in Hell's Kitchen seems to have gotten much better lately."
"Really?" Silas feigned ignorance.
"Definitely! Crime used to be everywhere there, especially at night. But when I passed by just now, it was actually peaceful."
As Peter shared his disbelief, Silas just smiled. Of course it was peaceful; that was the area with the highest concentration of Shadow Generals.
New York City
The Avengers, who had once gone their separate ways, were now reassembling in New York—their old battleground.
"Long time no see, Cap," Natasha Romanoff said, leaning against a counter.
"Yeah." Steve Rogers nodded. After a pause, he added, "Thanks for last time."
"Don't mention it." Natasha sat beside him. Noticing his appearance, she asked, "Are you growing a beard?"
"I am," Steve chuckled, rubbing his scruffy chin.
Whoosh!
A silver blur appeared beside them. Pietro set Wanda down and looked at Steve. "Sorry about last time, Captain."
"It's fine. It's in the past," Steve replied. Differing opinions during a crisis was normal.
"Cap, whose side are you on this time?" Wanda asked bluntly. Both she and Pietro were already in their combat gear, ready for action.
Natasha turned to look at Steve, curious about his answer to such a sharp question. Steve looked down and smiled softly. "I owed him from last time. This time, I'm standing with him."
"Then we are teammates again, Captain," Wanda said, the chaos magic in her hands dissipating.
"Am I the last one?" Clint Barton walked in through the door.
"No, I'm here too." Sam Wilson (Falcon) retracted his wings and landed next to Clint. Aside from Banner, the core team had arrived.
"You all know the situation, right?" Steve asked.
"Of course. We wouldn't be here otherwise," Clint said. He had intended to stay retired as Stark suggested, being there for his kids. But this was too big; no one could risk another Ultron incident.
"How are things at home?" Natasha asked Clint.
"Alright. Same as always," Clint shrugged before joking, "You said last time we were still friends."
"Of course. I don't break my word," Natasha smiled.
"I'm glad you all came." Nick Fury walked in slowly, his single eye lending him a grave, serious aura.
"Wait! Me too!" Suddenly, a tiny red figure jumped off Fury's coat and grew to normal size.
"Sorry, sorry. I had to dodge a grumpy old man, so the trip was a bit tricky. But I made it," Scott Lang said. He had decided to come for one reason: his idol, Captain America.
Fury brushed off his shoulder, making sure there were no more "pests."
"There are fewer of you than last time," Fury noted, pacing before the group. "I'm pleased you've become friends again after your last fight. However, your target this time is just one man: Stark. Yes, that egomaniac. What are your thoughts?"
"Contain him and find the Scepter," Steve answered immediately.
The answer drew everyone's eyes. Wanda started to protest, but Pietro grabbed her hand, signaling her to stay calm. The others remained quiet; as Steve's long-time teammates, they knew him best.
"Is that so? Do you really think that?" Fury's lips curled slightly. His piercing gaze made the atmosphere feel unnatural. "We've located Stark. Today at 1:00 PM, we move to apprehend him."
Fury turned and left without looking back.
"Does he know?" Natasha asked.
Steve looked up toward the corner of the room. Everyone followed his gaze to where a small, blinking red light—a bug—was planted.
Outside the door, Fury muttered to himself: "The Avengers have all picked the wrong side."
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