𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐔𝐒𝐊

37. 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴

     "STOP HIDING, BECK!"

     Peter shoots his webs out at one of the drones, but he misses as the drone dodges his attacks. Suddenly, their cloaking devices activated and disappeared from Peter's line of sight, encasing his surroundings in a pixelated picture. Peter didn't expect the abandoned building to shift into an illusion, trapping the boy in a world that he couldn't maneuver around. Catching his attention, Peter glanced down at his hands when the pixels warped his body, turning his black suit into his original red suit.

     "I tried to help you walk away. To take Eszter with you," Beck's voice mocked a gentle tone, irking Peter. "Now, you're making me do this." A light fell from down the hall as the lockers fell in line with a loud clatter, making Peter flinch as he stumbles back in fear of being hit. The fog began to flood the ground, but when Peter glanced up, he froze at the sight of Mysterio walking toward him. "You told me you were just a kid--" Peter tried to attack Mysterio with his webs, but the only thing that came out with green smoke. "--you told me--" Peter punches Mysterio but grunts in pain when his fist collided with a wall. Curling away, the boy cradles his throbbing hand to his chest. "--you wanted to run after that girl."

     Somewhere in the distance, there was a cry. "Peter, help me!"

     Peter's heart skips. "Eszter?"

     Determined to find her, Peter rams into the door aggressively, knocking it back. He made a noise when his feet slid near the ledge of the building; balancing backward, Peter pulls toward the building. Taking in his surroundings, Peter realized he was standing on the top of the Eiffel Tower.

     "Peter?" Eszter's trembling voice filled Peter's ears, capturing his attention. At the other end of the tower, the enhanced was balancing on the ledge as the wind whips through her hair; Peter shifts on his feet, unsure how to react because although he knew this wasn't real, he couldn't deny the panicked feeling coursing this his veins. "What's going on? I'm scared."

     Eyeing the enhanced, Peter noted the cuffs linked around her wrist, but he hadn't thought too much about it. He stared at it when he noticed it blinking with a dim light, and he recognized the way it looked; it was similar to the dampener she once wore around her neck. It was hard for Peter to dismiss the situation because he couldn't decipher the difference between what's real and what wasn't, but deep down, Peter knew Eszter wasn't real. Eszter never joined Peter on his journey to reach out to Fury and Hill because the enhanced had taken off shortly after their situation--not that Peter likes thinking about it. Much to his dismay, Eszter had inflicted her powers onto Peter against his will, putting all of their friends in danger because she couldn't control herself.

     Clearly, things between Eszter and Peter were strained--no doubt. Never had they ever been in a fight, nor has she ever used her powers against him before. This type of anger and grief was new to Peter. For as long as Peter had finally caught on, he remembered always hearing Eszter claim that she was okay but was coping in her own way; turns out, Eszter had been bottling everything up and refused to let herself feel anything. Peter felt weird being around Eszter for some reason.

     "I know this isn't real," Peter says firmly.

     When fear struck Eszter's features, Peter felt doubtful.

     Mysterio materialized from the bright moon as his helmet replaces the planet, creating a mist of green smoke that swirled around him and snagging around Eszter's neck. Gasping in a desperate cry, Eszter yanked her cuffed hand up and clutching the invisible line, kicking her legs aggressively. The enhanced panicked as her body was pulled away from the ledge and dangled over the edge.