Chapter 13: A Walk in the Park (with Explosions)
"Alright, team bonding exercise!" Adam announced cheerfully, as he, Fitz, and Simmons walked through a seemingly innocuous industrial park on the outskirts of Washington D.C. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and Adam had a very strong feeling that within the next fifteen minutes, something was going to explode. "Today's agenda: a leisurely stroll, followed by a light lunch, and possibly, if we're lucky, a rogue prototype or two trying to turn us into paste. Character building, you know?"
Fitz, clutching a tablet that was already beeping ominously, looked around nervously. "Adam, are you quite sure this is a 'leisurely stroll'? My readings are indicating… significant energy fluctuations. And a rather large, rapidly moving heat signature approaching from Sector Gamma."
Simmons sighed, adjusting the strap of her small, discreet S.H.I.E.L.D. medical kit. "Given Adam's track record, Fitz, I'd say 'leisurely' is a relative term. And 'explosions' are practically guaranteed."
"See? Simmons gets it. She's learned to embrace the chaos," Adam said proudly. "Besides, it's good for you two. Get out of the lab, get some fresh air. And maybe, just maybe, learn how to dodge something that isn't a poorly aimed coffee mug."
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: THREAT DETECTED. 'ROGUE AUTOMATON' ANALYZED. IMMEDIATE DANGER RESPONSE PROTOCOL ACTIVE. RECOMMENDATION: PROTECT TARGETS 'LEO FITZ' AND 'JEMMA SIMMONS'.]
Suddenly, a wall of the abandoned warehouse next to them exploded outwards, sending shrapnel and dust flying. From the gaping hole emerged a hulking, metallic automaton, its optical sensors glowing red, its multi-jointed limbs whirring menacingly. It was clearly a military prototype, gone rogue, and it looked very, very angry.
"Well, speak of the devil," Adam muttered, pushing Fitz and Simmons behind him. "Looks like lunch is cancelled. And so is the leisurely stroll. Everyone, meet our character-building exercise!"
The automaton roared, a guttural, metallic sound, and charged. It was fast, powerful, and utterly relentless. Fitz yelped, fumbling with his tablet. Simmons drew her small S.H.I.E.L.D. pistol, her face grim.
Adam met the charge head-on. He didn't just dodge; he flowed around the automaton's massive fist, his body adapting to its immense strength, its combat programming. He felt its raw power, its mechanical precision, and the System immediately doubled his own attributes, making him a perfect, superior counter.
He slammed a fist into the automaton's armored chest, a blow that should have crumpled his bones. Instead, the automaton staggered back, its internal mechanisms grinding, a dent appearing in its reinforced plating. Adam followed up with a lightning-fast flurry of strikes, targeting its joints, its optical sensors, its power conduits. He was a whirlwind of precision and power, moving with impossible speed and grace.
"Stay behind me, you two! And try not to get yourselves incinerated!" Adam yelled over the din of grinding metal and his own impacts.
Fitz, wide-eyed, watched Adam's impossible movements. "His kinetic energy output! It's fluctuating wildly! It's… it's doubling every time he makes contact!"
Simmons, ever the quick thinker, saw an opening. "Fitz, the power conduit! It's exposed on its left arm when it cycles its primary weapon! If you can disrupt the energy flow…!"
"On it!" Fitz, despite his fear, snapped into action. He pulled out a small, specialized EMP device he always carried, his fingers flying over its controls.
The automaton recovered, its red eyes locking onto Fitz. It raised its arm, a plasma cannon charging. Adam saw it. He moved. He intercepted the plasma blast, not by blocking it, but by subtly altering the air currents around it, diffusing its destructive force just enough so that when it hit him, it felt like a strong punch, not an incineration. The System had adapted his body to temporarily absorb and disperse energy.
"Nice try, tin can! But you're going to have to do better than that!" Adam roared, slamming another powerful blow into the automaton's leg, buckling its knee. He then created a momentary, localized burst of kinetic energy, sending the automaton stumbling back, giving Fitz the precious seconds he needed.
Fitz, with a grunt of effort, launched his EMP device. It hit the automaton's exposed arm with a flash. The automaton shuddered, its lights flickered, and then it seized up, its limbs locking, its red eyes dimming. It stood motionless for a moment, then toppled over with a deafening crash, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Adam landed lightly beside it, not even breathing hard. He turned to Fitz and Simmons, a triumphant grin on his face. "See? Teamwork makes the dream work. And also, prevents you from becoming robot chow. You're welcome."
Fitz stared at the fallen automaton, then at Adam, his face a mixture of awe and disbelief. "You… you took a plasma blast! And you barely flinched! And your strength… it was incredible! You were literally doubling its power!"
Simmons, always the one to cut to the chase, walked over to Adam, her gaze intense. "Adam, what you just did… it defies every known scientific principle. You absorbed energy, you doubled your strength, your speed… you're not just 'adapting.' You're rewriting the rules of reality. What exactly are you?"
Adam met her gaze, his smile fading, replaced by a serious expression. This was it. The moment. He had proven his reliability, his power, his protective instincts. They had seen him in action, seen him save their lives. Now, it was time for the truth. The whole, impossible truth.
"That, Simmons," Adam said, his voice low, "is a conversation we need to have somewhere very, very private. Somewhere S.H.I.E.L.D. can't hear us. Somewhere I can show you exactly what I am. And what you two could become."
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