Tony had been working for weeks to find the young Peter Parker that had got sucked up in the T.A.P.E.D. Machine. He had called in every favor he could; Reed Richards, Stephen Etrange, Beast. He had even tried to make contact with the Mad Titan Thanos. That train of thought had been promptly ended by Rhoady and Nick Fury.
Reed opened the door to Tony’s lab in time to see him take a deep swig from an intricate bottle. Reed had to alter his nose with his rubber like skin to block out the strong smell of alcohol from the various bottles that littered throughout the lab. Reed had known that Tony cared for Peter, but to be this distressed, to return to alcohol.
Tony slowly turned his head to the door, his bloodshot eyes and dark circles that encompassed them, obvious markers of his lack of sleep. His eyes widening as he almost seemed to look through Reed to the guest behind them
“What do you want, you fake!” Tony blabbered, taking another drink. Reed opened his mouth to speak before a red gloved hand stopped him. The Scarlet Spider pushed past Reed, walking up to Tony and hoisted him up by his collar.
“While we may look the same, Peter has saved me in more ways than I can even begin to count. I owe it to him to try and save his ass because I know he would do the same. The Scarlet Spider pushed Tony away from him. Scarlet’s mask’s expressive eyes squinted into Tony’s. “I got a new toy courtesy of future uhh Spidey. This can let me piggyback off of dimensional signatures and follow them.”
“Give me the thing, I’ll find him, I’ll save my kid” Tony’s words slurred together, his breath filling the air with the scent of expensive liquor.
Scarlet slowly shook his head, “ I’m sorry but this is integrated into my suits regeneration tech. It’s made specifically for me.” Tony tried to lunge at Scarlet Spider, but in his drunken stupor, he pathetically tripled and fell. Scarlet took off his mask, revealing a face nearly identical to Peter Parker’s. The only clear difference was that Kaine sported a beard and that his skin was in a constant state of decay and regeneration thanks to Miles Warren, aka The Jackal. Kaine knelt down next to Tony and Tony himself got onto his hands and knees and looked up at Kaine.
“I’ll find him Tony. I promise you I will” Kaine put his mask back on and started to leave the room. Passing Reed who just watched all of this unfold, Kaine gave a curt nod. “Take care of him.” Reed nodded back. Kaine donned his mask again and walked into the hallway towards the elevator. Stretching his neck Kaine sighed heavily, trying to ready himself for a journey he probably isn’t prepared for.
“J.A.R.V.I.S.?” Kaine asked as he watched the doors close behind him. A face appeared on the monitor in the elevator that gave a polite smile and nod.
“How can I help you Master Kaine?” J.A.R.V.I.S. asked.
“Guide me to the T.A.P.E.D please”
“It would be my pleasure, Master Kaine” The elevator whirred to life, the sounds of Stark's repulsors slowly started up. Kaine felt the elevator begin to drop into the floors below the Stark Tower. The machine had been moved into the basement for safety so that no one else would be sucked up within it like Peter had. The elevator stopped and, and the doors opened to reveal a long hallway with multiple doors along its walls. Kaine followed lit faces of Tony (because of course it is) to a set adamantium doors to the very back. They were bolted shut with no visible hand or Key card scanner. Only a single microphone and a projector that pointed to the door.
“J.A.R.V.I.S Clearance code ‘S S Kaine’” Scarlet was met with an eerie silence. “J.A.R.V.I.S? Are you there?” The Scarlet Spider took a slight step back, looking for any possible traps despite his spider-sense not going off. With a click the projector flickered, showing a new face on the doors. An old holographic man materialized from the wall. He wore a pointed hat, and a long mustache and beard that connected, draping down and almost touching the floor. The wrinkles that were etched in the AI’s skin portrayed great wisdom and age but the next few words that came out of its mouth were anything but.
“YOU SHALL NOT PASS”