Part 2: Silent Returns
Location: Avengers Tower, Later That Evening
Back at the tower, Riven stood in his room with the window open. The wind pushed gently against the curtains, a soft rustle breaking the stillness. He sat at the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, eyes fixed on the floor.
The quiet wasn't peaceful. It buzzed in his skull.
Wanda hadn't said much after they returned, and neither did he. But her silence had weight. He felt it even now, like a shadow pressed against his back.
A soft knock came at the door.
He looked up.
Tony leaned inside, holding a sleek black drive in one hand.
"Got what you asked for," Tony said. "Intel. You'll find files on known Hydra remnants, safe house pings, suspected movement, and a few ghost entries the others missed."
Riven stood and accepted the drive.
"I assume you're not sharing this with the class?"
Tony smirked. "You got it. Steve and the rest think you're still figuring out where to hang your coat. Far as they're concerned, this is a... psychological recovery tool."
Riven gave a short nod. "Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet," Tony replied. "Some of these leads are dead ends. Some aren't. Be careful."
Riven looked back toward the window. "Always."
Tony paused, then left without another word.
Riven sat back down and plugged the drive into the nearby console. Blue light spilled across his face.
Names. Places. Coordinates. Unknowns.
Ghosts.
And Riven Dax had never been more ready to haunt them.