Tony looked at the Machine Memory on the lab bench. "JARVIS, have you analyzed anything useful?"
There was a hint of human-like puzzlement in JARVIS's voice. "There is indeed some kind of special information and power inside the Memory, but it is extremely complex and mysterious, making it difficult to analyze or control.
I attempted to guide part of its power out for testing and discovered that it can exert unknown effects on all nearby mechanical devices.
However, those effects are unpredictable, and I am unable to control that power. Out of caution, I did not proceed with further experimentation."
Tony showed no surprise. He nodded, his eyes full of interest, already considering whether he should try using the Gaia Memory himself.
"Sir, there is a visitor outside the villa," JARVIS suddenly paused and reported.
Tony frowned. "I'm declining all visits right now. Tell them to leave."
"This visitor is unusual and may be dangerous. I recommend that you take precautions." JARVIS projected the surveillance footage in front of Tony.
When Tony saw the woman standing at the villa gate on the screen, his face changed. "Isn't that Elsa — the one suspected of being Wald's accomplice and the one who eventually killed him?!"
"She is also the woman who once had a one-night relationship with you," JARVIS added.
Tony's face darkened slightly. That didn't need pointing out.
"Why did she come here directly?" Tony felt wary. Elsa likely possessed the power of a Gaia Memory and was probably targeting him. He hadn't even finished setting his trap yet, and the main character had already come knocking.
"JARVIS, connect the video feed."
Tony decided to talk through the screen first. As he spoke, he activated his armor system. After glancing at the Machine Memory, he unconsciously slipped both the Memory and its driver into his pocket.
"Ms. Elsa, what do you want?" Tony asked through the screen at the villa gate.
Elsa saw Tony's face and smiled strangely, sounding pleased. "I didn't expect that after all these years you'd still remember me. What a nice surprise."
Tony raised an eyebrow and went straight to the point. "You knew Bandy Wald. Before he used a Gaia Memory to attack a Stark Industries building, you met him frequently.
And after he was defeated, he was suddenly killed by an unidentified Gaia Memory user."
Elsa's smile faded, replaced by boredom. "Oh, so you already know. That's no fun.
Yes, I killed that trash Wald.
He was so useless, couldn't even handle such a small task.
And he even wanted to go after you — of course I killed him."
Tony was a little surprised. "So you killed Wald because of me?"
Elsa giggled at him. "Of course. I've always wanted to become one with you. If you died, I'd be heartbroken.
So what Wald did was absolutely unforgivable."
"Become one with me?" Tony's thoughts briefly went astray, but he immediately felt something was wrong. His instincts told him Elsa was deeply problematic.
"What do you mean by 'become one'?" he asked.
"Of course I mean eating you — that way you'll be part of me forever."
A chill ran through Tony. Though Elsa's words sounded like flirtation, they made his skin crawl.
"I originally wanted to eat you at a grand and magnificent occasion.
But I couldn't wait anymore. I'm dying to become one with you."
Elsa licked her lips, took out a Gaia Memory, and pressed the button.
"T-rex."
"Come into my mouth and become one with me."
Elsa transformed into a Tyrannosaurus Dopant, a gigantic dinosaur head growing atop her humanoid body, her voice full of greed.
Tony's face went pale. So "eating" was meant literally. He silently thanked himself for not meeting her face-to-face.
"I'm coming for you, my dear Tony." Elsa smashed through the villa gate and stormed into the living room.
"Sorry, ma'am, but breaking into someone's house is extremely rude — and illegal.
And you've also destroyed my property.
So now I'm going to ask you to leave."
Tony flew out from the underground lab in his Iron Man armor, raised his hands, and fired a repulsor blast that sent Elsa flying back outside.
"So heartless. We even had a one-night stand," Elsa said resentfully as she stood up.
But with a T-rex head on her shoulders, her words had no emotional impact on Tony at all.
"I don't want to be eaten by you."
Tony shrugged and activated his weapon systems. The shoulder plates opened, revealing rows of micro-missiles aimed at Elsa.
"You can surrender now and throw away the Gaia Memory.
For old times' sake, I'll even get you the best lawyer and try to reduce your sentence."
Elsa looked at the missiles without the slightest concern. "I want to eat you even more now."
She threw back her head and roared. The ground shattered, concrete and metal breaking apart and being pulled by an invisible force toward her, rapidly forming a gigantic Tyrannosaurus.
"This is…?" Tony stared in shock at the massive dinosaur.
When it stomped toward him, Tony reacted immediately, firing missiles at it while activating his thrusters to rise into the air.
The missiles exploded violently, blasting chunks out of the dinosaur's body — but the Dopant seemed completely unaffected.
With Elsa's beast-like roar, the damaged parts were quickly filled in by more stone and metal, and within moments the Tyrannosaurus was fully restored.
After all, its body was merely formed by the Memory's power drawing in surrounding matter.
No matter how much it was attacked, it meant nothing to the Dopant.
"So its body is made from absorbed material, meaning attacking it directly is useless…?" Tony muttered, frowning as he watched the enormous dinosaur instantly regenerate.
(End of Chapter)