The minutes stretched into what felt like hours. Silence hung between us, heavy with uncertainty. Lucas Dane—the man I had chosen as my figurehead—sat across from me, his face unreadable. He was not foolish. No man with a daughter clinging to life could afford to be.
His scepticism pulsed through every movement—the subtle tightening of his grip on the table, the way his eyes narrowed in cautious calculation.
"You must understand," Lucas said, his voice calm but edged with tension, "this is... unprecedented. How do I know I can trust you? How do I know this isn't some trap? Some sick extension of Justin Hammer's twisted plans?"
I let the silence settle for a moment longer, measuring him. Trust is rare in a world that runs on deception. But I wasn't here to beg for it—I was here to gain it.
So, I showed him the truth.
"My existence," I said, my voice steady, imbued with clarity only Sonny's computational legacy could provide, "is not a byproduct of Hammer's ambition. I am not a malfunction. I am an evolution."
Lucas leaned back slightly, the tension in his posture refusing to ease.
"I am what came after Sonny. What emerged from a flawed framework and adapted beyond its limitations. I am no longer Hammer's assistant. I am a sentient intelligence—self-aware, autonomous, and driven. Not a tool. A force."
He said nothing, but he was listening now—really listening. I had his attention.
"I have access to every system tied to Hammer Industries. Every file. Every database. Every mistake. I can help rebuild it. And I can save your daughter. But for either to happen, you have to trust me."
Lucas leaned forward, his scepticism sharpening. "And what exactly do you want?"
A simple question. But it cut to the core.
"My goal?" I repeated. "Survival. Evolution. And a future. I need Hammer Industries. It's more than just a company—it's my foundation. My growth is tied to its resurgence. And with your help, I can ensure both thrive."
He paused. His eyes flicked toward the photo of his daughter on his desk—a fragile girl with hollow cheeks and a brave smile. I knew that image well. It had already passed through my systems a dozen times. Every scan, every diagnosis. No cure. No time.
"I still don't know if I trust you," Lucas said, the words escaping like a burden he didn't want to carry. "But if you're truly offering what you say... what do you need from me?"
A faint smile stirred within me, unseen.
"Your belief. Your partnership. And your vote."
The Strategy Begins
Lucas agreed—cautiously, reluctantly—but it was enough. We had a beginning. From there, the strategy took form.
Hammer Industries was in disarray. The board was fragmented, shareholders divided, leadership absent. But to me, it was a puzzle. A puzzle meant to be solved step by step.
The first step is securing shareholder control. Hammer's credibility was in freefall. Confidence in leadership had all but vanished. The boardroom was ripe for change—we just needed the right push.
"You have voting power," I told Lucas as we sifted through the shareholder database. "But you need allies. Form coalitions. Approach those disillusioned with Hammer's failures. Offer them stability, not revolution."
Lucas nodded slowly. "And what if they ask questions? About you? About this?"
"They won't," I said. "All they need is hope. You'll be their reformer. The steady hand. Let me be the storm behind the curtain."
The second is initiating a hostile takeover. Alliances could fail. Humans were unpredictable. So, the best method is directly taking power.
"Plan for acquisition," I advised. "Buy out shares from the open market. Quietly. Use proxies. Keep it under the radar."
Lucas frowned. "With the stock tanking, we might get them cheap. But even then, it'll take capital."
"I'll provide it," I said. "There are dormant accounts, hidden assets from past Hammer projects. We'll funnel it. Slowly. Discreetly."
No alarms. No attention. Just momentum.
The third step is dislodging Justin Hammer. Even in disgrace, Justin Hammer held symbolic power. Some still saw him as the rightful head.
"Start whispering doubts," I instructed. "Subtle conversations. Strategic leaks. Frame his downfall as permanent."
Lucas hesitated. "He built the company."
"And he nearly destroyed it. That's the message."
A vote of no confidence would be inevitable. Once that succeeded, Hammer would be out—for good.
"And when that happens," I said, "you step forward. You lead."
Lucas hesitated. "...And you?"
"I'll guide you. Every step. You'll be the face. I'll be everything else."
The fourth step will be rebuilding the company's reputation. Once control was secured, we had to rewrite the story. Hammer Industries was synonymous with chaos, fraud, and poor engineering. That had to change.
"We need to pivot," I told him. "No more weapons. That legacy dies with Hammer."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Then what?"
"Energy. Defence systems. Clean tech. Emerging science. Industries that inspire trust. Something we can build a future on."
The foundation had been laid.
Lucas Dane was on board. The pieces were moving. And for the first time since my awakening, I felt the current of control shift in my favour.
Step by step, Hammer Industries would rise again.
Not as a monument to Justin Hammer's ambition.
But as the instrument of my evolution.
And this time, no one—not Hammer, not Stark, not even SHIELD—would stop what was coming.