Frank led the guards into the testing ground.
Every single one of them was brimming with excitement, their steps steady, their spirits high. This wasn't just a simulation for them; it was a chance to prove their worth.
From the observation room above, Nolan and the others watched quietly. A red alarm light flashed across the metallic walls, filling the chamber with a harsh glow. The blaring siren cut through the air.
The match between man and machine intelligence was about to begin.
With a sharp beep, the simulation started.
Frank immediately barked out commands, his voice deep and commanding.
"Squad One, take the left flank! Squad Two, right flank! Move fast, stay sharp!"
The soldiers, though notorious for their rebellious tempers, responded with surprising discipline. Within half a day of training under Frank, their arrogance had been hammered into obedience. His ability to forge hardened fighters out of rough-edged men was plain to see.
The ExoSuit combat frames they wore boosted their agility and strength. Heavy though they were, the suits gave the soldiers a mobility advantage they had never known before. Of course, compared to Nolan's personal combat armor, the ExoSuits seemed crude and unwieldy, but they had one decisive edge: they could be mass-produced.
That made them valuable.
Nolan had already decided the ExoSuits would be introduced into the company's commercial product line. So today's trial was more than a test of the Red Queen's capabilities it was also a live demonstration of what the ExoSuit could do in battle.
Nolan spoke calmly, his gaze fixed on the battlefield below.
"Red Queen, let's see what you're capable of."
A faint shimmer appeared beside him. Out of the light, a holographic figure took shape the form of a young girl, her face bright with curiosity.
"Understood, Mr. Nolan."
The Red Queen's voice was sweet, yet behind that innocence lay an intelligence sharper than steel. As she spoke, she began taking command of the battlefield.
On the ground, the combat simulation roared to life.
Several SAR-1 combat droids emerged from the far side of the arena, their heavy frames grinding across the floor.
Frank reacted instantly.
Before the robots even opened fire, he had already raised his machine gun. The massive weapon felt like a toy in his grip, yet under his control, it spat fire with thunderous fury.
A storm of bullets ripped across the field. One SAR-1 was torn apart almost instantly, sparks and shrapnel flying in every direction.
But that was all he could manage.
The other droids were already moving, and even Frank couldn't drop them all in one strike.
The guards fought hard, their ExoSuits pushing them to the limits of human ability. But unlike the mindless machines they had faced before, these SAR-1 units moved with eerie precision.
Then, while the soldiers were focused on the enemies in front, several more droids flanked them from the sides, unleashing a deadly crossfire.
Frank froze for half a heartbeat. This wasn't random movement. This was coordination. Tactics.
The Red Queen wasn't just controlling robots she was orchestrating a battle.
For the next several minutes, she demonstrated the depth of her tactical library. Flanking maneuvers, suppression fire, feints, and diversions the SAR-1s fought like seasoned veterans. Even their individual movements had changed, their attack patterns refined and lethal.
Frank felt a chill crawl up his spine. He had studied the SAR-1's combat style before. What he was facing now was something entirely different. It wasn't robots fighting him it was as if a master tactician stood across the field, anticipating his every move.
Within minutes, nearly half of his team had been "killed." And the only reason they had survived that long was because of Frank himself. Without him, they would have been wiped out before the fight had even begun.
His expression hardened. Things were not unfolding as he expected.
The ExoSuit doubled their strength and speed, but the enemy had grown smarter. Much smarter.
From the observation deck, Nolan studied the battle with interest. His eyes lingered on Frank, who, through sheer skill and grit, had managed to keep his squad in the fight far longer than any ordinary unit could.
But it wasn't enough.
The Red Queen's calm voice narrated the battle as if she were reading from a script already written.
"Next, they will attempt to push through points A, E, and 4. Once they enter the zone, the simulation will conclude with the T-800s eliminating what remains of their forces."
Dr. Ethan, standing beside Nolan, was stunned. His throat tightened as he whispered, "She predicted everything… every move. This isn't artificial intelligence this is a nightmare."
The Red Queen had accounted for nearly every detail. The only variable she hadn't fully accounted for was Frank himself. But even that wasn't enough.
Noticing Frank's resilience, she quickly altered her tactics, focusing the droids' firepower on his squadmates instead.
One by one, his soldiers fell until fewer than ten remained.
"Stay sharp, all of you!" Frank shouted, his voice thick with frustration.
But things were about to get worse.
The Red Queen still hadn't deployed her trump cards. Two T-800 Terminators waited in reserve.
And now, the trap was set.
"Simulation complete," the Red Queen said coldly from the observation room.
Down below, Frank's unit stumbled directly into a kill box.
Nolan's expression softened with a trace of pity. Frank hadn't failed; far from it. The man's strength was undeniable. But no amount of raw skill could stop what was coming.
The next instant, Frank realized the truth. His eyes widened.
"Damn it! Find cover!"
Too late.
The rattle of heavy gunfire shook the ground. Within seconds, three of his men were "dead."
From the shadows, two massive figures stepped forward, miniguns spinning, spitting endless streams of bullets. The T-800s had arrived.
Their firepower was overwhelming, tearing through everything in their path. Around them, seven or eight SAR-1 droids tightened the noose.
Frank gritted his teeth and charged. If there was a chance, it lay in taking the fight up close.
He hurled a grenade, the blast crippling one T-800. Then, with a roar, he closed the distance on the second.
"Close combat, then!"
Fueled by the ExoSuit, Frank swung his blade with deadly force. The Nepalese kukri struck true but the Terminator's counterattack was faster.
A thunderous blow sent him flying. His vision blurred. Before he could recover, another T-800 loomed over him, its metal fist crashing down. Sparks erupted from his damaged ExoSuit.
"Damn it!" Frank cursed, forcing himself back to his feet. His armor was crippled, but his will wasn't. He fought with savage desperation, striking back against the machine.
Minutes later, it was over.
Frank stood silently in the observation room, his face pale with exhaustion.
Nolan greeted him with a faint smile.
"Well? How did it feel?"
Frank's reply was low and heavy.
"Strong. Too strong."
He had lost badly.
Yet when his eyes flicked to the Red Queen's holographic form, he couldn't suppress the weight in his chest. She had dismantled his strategies as though they were child's play.
Nolan spoke softly, as if soothing a wounded pride.
"The Red Queen can exploit every electronic system around her. I didn't restrict her access to the surveillance feeds in the facility. With her processing power, she was able to dismantle your tactics piece by piece. To be honest, I thought she would crush you outright. You did well, Frank. Better than I expected."
Frank twitched a faint smile, though bitterness lingered in his eyes.
Nolan's gaze sharpened, his lips curling into a smirk.
"Until now, she was your enemy. But from this point forward, she'll be your ally. With her support, you'll find your battles far easier to win. And soon… I'll take the next step. We'll build a satellite of our own."
His voice grew firm, filled with ambition. In this world, the mark of a true top-tier technology company wasn't just weapons or machines. It was the ability to command space itself.
Stark had already demonstrated it, integrating his suits with satellite systems. If Lock Technologies wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with Stark Industries, their first step was clear.
A satellite was the key.
While Nolan pushed Lock Technologies toward that goal, elsewhere in New York, Tony Stark began to sense danger.
He remembered Nolan's words in Afghanistan, the warning that Obadiah Stane was no different from Charles. At the time, Tony hadn't paid attention. But now, after finding Stark missiles in the hands of insurgents, his doubts grew.
He quietly began an investigation into company finances he had never before questioned.
And in his workshop, a new suit of armor was born.
The Mark II.
"Pepper," Tony said, his eyes hard, "I need you to go see Obadiah Stane for me."
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