Captain Uni
Eddie Brock
Master Bruce
Sep
Cyberlad
The truck bounced to a stop, and Nomad took a peek out of the back of the truck. She found that they had stopped outside the Hub City Motors warehouse and factory. Behind them stood a tall security gate that had a few guards milling about it, none of which were paying attention to the truck now that it had passed. Taking the opportunity, Steph slipped out of the truck and into the shadows next to the warehouse. She had the card key, that’s all she needed to gain egress and find what she needed. That weapon was built here. That much Nomad was sure of. If she could find out what it did, maybe she could find out how to stop it and where they planned on using it.
“Nomad,” Question’s voice came into her ear, “I’ve got your information on Roxxon. A few locations of no note, but one stuck out to me. It’s in a disputed zone near Wakanda, but not inside the country. Roxxon and their mercs have moved in recently under the guise of a local warlord looking to expand their territory. They’ve run into stiff resistance from the Wakandans protecting the innocent people in the region. It’s the only location that fits the need for a specialized weapons.”
It made sense, Steph thought to herself. Wakanda was a technological powerhouse. Roxxon and a group of mercs wouldn’t stand a chance against their military might if they really wanted that land and that oil. Wakanda could wipe them off the map if need be, but they weren’t a cruel people. They’d only attack when necessary. AIM would take the opportunity to gain any tech from the Wakandans that they could.
“Thanks, Q,” Steph smiled. “My ride?”
“Ready and waiting,” Question responded. “Find out what the weapon is, get back here, and we can send you on your way.”
“Copy.”
Spotting a drainpipe to her right, Steph sheathed her shield on her back and began to shimmy up to the top of the building. It was never easy to do this, but that’s what made it an effective strategy. Fire escapes and ladders would draw a guard’s attention, but few ever considered someone shimmy up the side of a building like this.
Of course, when Nomad made it to the top of the warehouse, she found it completely unguarded, “Always making it hard on yourself, Carter.”
She stayed low along the roof as she made her way towards the lone door on the level in order to stay out of sight of any guards on the ground. The door doesn’t even set off an alarm, which slightly worried the super soldier. AIM was either really dumb or really cocky in this location. Did they think no one was going to find this place? Or did they believe Roxxon’s money could mask their activities?
It didn’t matter much, in reality. In a few minutes this place would be shut down, and another of AIM’s processing facilities would be no more. What they thought they were doing here would be irrelevant.
She pushed on down into the warehouse, traversing the hallways quietly and carefully. There was a chance the place was rigged with silent alarms, and there could be guards on the way. She had her tranq gun out and at the ready, and listened intently for any sign of approaching footsteps. Luckily she was, because a pair came towards her. She ducked into a darkened hallway and allowed them to pass.
“I still can’t believe we get to build these things,” one of the AIM scientists commented. “You know where the design came from? No one could tell me.”
“I heard it was from some prodigy the bosses were able to dig up,” the other responded and took a sip of coffee. “Beats me though. All I know is it’s gonna make us rich.”
“But what about the technological domination of earth?” the first asked sarcastically.
“The higher ups can spread their ideology all they want,” the first chuckled. “I’m just here to make some scratch.”
The voices continued as they passed by Nomad’s hiding spot, and she continued on her way. Windows in the elevated hallway peered over the production floor, giving her an idea of what their operation was like. To be frank, it was staggering. A high tech assembly line controlled by robots stretched from wall to wall. Sparks flew as bomb casings were welded together, and further on complex looking machinery was inserted. The bombs at the end were unlike anything she had ever seen. Nomad needed to find the plans to these weapons.
And then she’d make sure no more of them could be built.
She followed the hallway the scientists had come from, which led to a lab. For what had to be a fairly quick setup, Steph was impressed at how thorough AIM had been. The robotic workers below and this lab were both on the level of something SHIELD could put together with sufficient time, let alone in a few months.
In the center of the room was a workbench with what looked like a prototype of the bomb. She made her way over to it, while simultaneously slipping a bug onto one of the computers. It would siphon anything it could out of AIM’s system and send it straight to SHIELD. Sure, she wouldn’t see what it got, but it could get the info into good hands.
The workbench was fruitful enough as is. The bomb, if it could be called that, wasn’t meant to kill. It was a sonic device that could incapacitate a large area. In theory, it could be used to neutralize a hostile force peacefully and without civilian casualties. In the right hands, this could revolutionize warfare and take death out of the equation. Somehow she doubted AIM and Roxxon would be using it that way. For them, all they’d have to do is fire this off and exterminate the incapacitated people.
“Question,” she reported in, “the bombs are nonlethal, but AIM and Roxxon could use them to wipe out anyone who stands in their way. I’m on my way back now.”
“Copy,” he responded. “Head to Outer Hub Airfield. That’s where your ride is.”
“Self destruct sequence, activated,” the computers in the room said in a mechanized voice in unison. Carter cursed her sloppiness. She had forgot that the bug she planted had an automatic sabotage function. Once it wiped the information it could it would initiate any failsafe it could find in the target system, and of course AIM just had to of installed a self destruct.
Nomad scooped up the plans she could and burst through the doors back to the roof. From the windows, she could see the few human workers inside escaping as the robotic workers began to seize wildly. She burst back onto the roof, and somersaulted off onto a lower, adjacent roof. Explosions began to rock the factory and surrounding area as AIM scientists and soldiers scrambled to a safe distance.
As the Hub City Motors plant burned behind her, Stephanie Carter slid into the darkness, disappearing out of the light of the flickering flames.
**********
Triskelion
March 23
315
Bobbi Morse woke up to the shrill ringing of her personal cell phone. She hated the volume level and the damnable ring tone, but SHIELD had insisted on it. They knew Steph would get in touch with her eventually, and they wanted her to pick up when that happened. Bobbi didn’t think they were actually going to do anything about it, not after the incident with Barnes, but they still wanted to keep tabs on Carter.
“Hello?” she answered groggily.
“Mockingbird,” Steph’s familiar voice came through the other end in a surprisingly happy tone, “sorry to interrupt your beauty sleep.”
“Are you seriously calling at this hour? Fury’s guys will be bothering me for the next five hours now.”
“Sorry,” Steph giggled. “This is just getting you back for that stunt you pulled on our flight back from Madripoor that one time.”
“Please, with your super genetics your eyebrow grew back quick,” Bobbi grumbled. “Why are you calling? Seriously.”
“SHIELD’s going to be getting some info about an AIM weapons plant from Hub City,” Steph got down to business. “I’m on a lead to HYDRA, and came across this. Tell Fury you want to be the lead agent on this.”
“Are you kidding?” Morse’s voice was tinged with some anger. “After the stunt you pulled I’m barely allowed to do combat drills.”
“Fury will let you, because you’re going to tell him I’ll give him periodic info drops. Through you.” Bobbi shook her head. Steph had thought of everything, as she always did. Bobbi hated how her best friend was always one step ahead. “I’ll transmit anything I find directly to you. Fury will get caught up, you get back in the game, and I get to stay independent.”
“Fine,” Morse softened. “How is being on your own?”
“It’s going well,” Steph was confident and proud. “I’m going to bring these bastards down, Bobbi. I’m gonna take down HYDRA, and make my dad proud. I’m gonna do it and make all of you proud. You have my word. Nomad out.”
The connection clicked off, and immediately, Bobbi had a knock at her door.
**********
Outer Hub Airfield
March 23
330
The light of Steph’s motorcycle illuminated the lone figure of the Question standing stoically and alone at the end of the runway, his hand deposited deeply in the pockets of his trenchcoat. She slid off the bike and handed Question the plans of the missiles, “Here you go. This probably makes more sense to you than it does to me. Electronics and engineering weren’t really my thing.”
“I’ll take a look,” he grumbled and deposited them into a large pocket in his coat. “There’s your ride.”
A small dot of light swung down towards the airfield, growing bigger as it approached. Steph squinted, attempting to spot what the aircraft was. It set down and came to a stop, and the breath was taken away from Stephanie. In front of her was one of the old Blackhawk squadron fighters. The legendary WWII battle group had flown dozens of incredibly heroic missions during the war in the most advanced jets of their age. After the war, the Blackhawks went rogue, becoming vigilante Nazi hunters until they disappeared. This one had been heavily modified since then, but there was still plenty of proof of where it had started.
The enlarged cockpit slid open, and a tall, slender blond in a black flightsuit hopped out and onto the tarmac. She was stunningly beautiful, but a clear strength shone through. On her head was a ratty old flight cap, very clearly one from the great war. She smiled at Question, “Q, long time no see.”
“Blake,” Question nodded. “Thanks for the help.”
“Well, it’s not every day you get to help out someone who carries Steve Rogers’s shield,” she outstretched her hand to Steph. “Zinda Blake.”
“Nomad will do for now,” Steph smiled wryly. “How’d you get a Blackhawk jet?”
“My grandfather’s,” Zinda smiled proudly. “People may think the Blackhawks are gone, but I’m carrying on the legacy the best I can. I figure helping to stop AIM fits in with that.”
“An honorable goal,” Steph smiled. She liked this one. There was a lot of good in her. “So how long until we can go?”
“I’m ready when you are.”
“Zinda, let’s hit it.”
