ตอน 63: Chapter 63: An Agent's Close Call with the Divine
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"You have the power but not using that power is a sin."
– Nyx, (Neo Angelique Abyss)
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<(Atem POV)>
"Such a waste of resources! The drones are really well made considering they were mass-produced by a lone human engineer within a limited time frame... However, the AI and ML algorithms used in them are subpar at best. Even the targeting systems are not up to the mark, much less the self-learning protocols or fluid movement programs. The man who made them, Ivan Vanko. He is more of a mechanical engineer rather than a programmer. Even the average programmers we hire can do a better job than him when it comes to the software side, although I have to admit the self-destruction mechanism is quite well made." Zoya commented after scanning the drones around her. "Should I take control of them and get this over with?" She calmly asked for my permission.
Zoya was right. The drones even though matched the initial Ironman armor models in their complexity and function, were nothing close to what Tony had achieved by now through his newer models. If one were to compare Ironman with a seasoned Mandalorian like Boba Fett, then, these drones could be compared to the clone troopers or the basic B1 droids who were never able to hit their targets when they really needed to.
'Also, I didn't receive any notification from the system about any quest or mission which means this shouldn't be that much of an important event for this timeline... even though this is quite serious since it can claim hundreds of lives if Vanko succeeds.' I pondered to myself.
"You know what, don't. Although resolving this situation by taking control of the drones will be quite easy for you, Zoya, the others don't know that yet. They are in mortal danger and need help, but nobody appreciates free aid if they are not made to work for it... You know what, take control of all the drones and minimize public death. You can destroy as much public property as you want to show how dangerous the drones truly are but try to only kill people with previous criminal backgrounds or serious criminal records. I'll see if I can gather some non-metahuman believers till then." I ordered.
"As you say, master." Zoya exaggerated the last word as she flew higher in the sky to take control of all the drones in the area.
Now, let's see. How should I go about this? The classic version where I make a huge golden image of myself in the sky, or should I do it more subtly?... I feel like a grand godly illusion in the sky would be too cringe in this case especially since this is not too much of an emergency or too big of a hopeless situation for victims. So, a subtler manipulation and more targeted marketing it is.
<(Omniscient POV)>
"Quick Miss Potts, we have to quickly get out of here. This place might come down anytime, even without the drones self-destructing." Coulson warned as he did his best to escort the female CEO of Stark Industries out of the establishment.
*Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat* Suddenly one of the drones intercepted their escape route and started shooting the machine gun attached to its back at them which would have made all of them into an unrecognizable paste of flesh had the aim of the drone been better.
[{(Image in Discord)}]
However, fortunately for them, the drone failed to hurt any of the people who were escaping..., well all, save for Justine Hammer who got about a dozen bullets lodged in his chest. The billionaire was probably the unluckiest in the group. He had already given up any hope of revival of his business career and was only focusing on making it through the night, but a random drone's bullets were all it took to end him just like that. He died before he could even realize what went wrong with his life.
"Oh, fuck. Why me?" were the only words Justine Hammer, the second biggest weapon maker in America could say before he fell down while the others took that opportunity to hide from the shower of bullets.
"Shoot it down," Coulson yelled as he and the other defense personnel of Stark Industries emptied all the clips of their guns on the drone, aiming at different parts of the drone in a frantic attempt to find its weak points.
"I am having Deja Vu right now." Pepper Potts muttered to herself as she remembered that she was again in the same situation that she was in when Obadiah got his hands on the Iron Monger's Armor.
But just like last time, this time too, they failed to make even a single crack on the tech powerhouse with all their guns while the drone just silently stared at them, almost like it was mocking them by waiting for their bullets to run out.
In a few seconds, their bullets did indeed run out after which the drone finally moved. But this time, it was the large missile launcher mounted on its right shoulder that was aimed at them.
"Of course, Hammer had to give every one of these drones a missile launcher in addition to a machine gun as well." Coulson sighed in frustration with a bitter smile on his face. "We will have to make a run for it everyone. We will be running in different directions to confuse its tracking and targeting algorithm." He guessed by using his decades of experience in surviving weird stuff while working for Shield.
They were currently on the porch, outside the main building, so they weren't exactly restricted by a closed space. Even though coming out unscathed from a missile explosion might be difficult for them, they should still at least be able to survive as long as they weren't directly hit by the payload. Coulson was even prepared to lose a finger or two as long as it enabled him to actually live through the event.
"Target locked," announced the drone, as small autonomous clamps emerged from its feet, which it used to root itself to the ground to make sure that it didn't get blown away by the rocket-propelled grenade that it was going to launch soon.
"Shit, it's an RPG 29 Hammer Shaw, a portable anti-bunker unit. It will demolish all of us, no matter how fast we run or how far we run. We are done for." A Shield defense personnel yelled in desperation after he noticed the weapon on the drone's shoulder. It was like he had almost given up any hope of escaping alive the moment he noticed the rocket launcher.
But Coulson and the others weren't able to reply to the man's words as the drone had already fired the mini missile at them. They had already started running in different directions in a desperate attempt to escape the destruction that would be soon caused by the rocket even though they knew that their chances of survival were really low.
However, none of them were able to escape too far because, in just a few seconds, the rocket had almost completely reached their location and was on the cusp of explosion all the while, they couldn't do anything except wait and shut their eyes, waiting for their deaths while running. But still, the blast they were expecting never came. There was no booming sound or burning sensation on their bodies. Hell, they didn't even feel like they died.
Instead, it was like time slowed down around them as they all found themselves floating in separate dark spaces, away from the frightening situation they were just facing.
"Where the hell am I?" Coulson muttered to himself as he glanced around him. He could not recognize this place, but he knew that something was wrong, otherwise, he shouldn't have been here.
"Hello there." A golden light suddenly illuminated the darkness of the space before him as a massive figure exuviating a divine brilliance towered over Coulson's ordinary appearance.
Coulson could not believe his eyes. He couldn't understand if he was truly seeing God or if was it just a trick of the mind to calm him down during his last moments. Also, if this truly was God, did that mean he was already dead?
"No, you aren't. You are perfectly healthy my friend. However, I have no idea how long you will remain so. You were just going to die if I had not saved you and pulled your soul here" The figure revealed. "But don't worry, you are safe now." There was a hint of a smile in the golden figure's words which made Coulson feel a sense of warmth and safety.
"I-I see. Who... who are you?" Coulson asked with a shaking and stammering voice.
"Me? Oh, I didn't introduce myself, did I?... I am God, nice to meet you."
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