NOVEL FROG Interlude #5.2
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Interlude V.2
Technomancer in MCU
–Sharon Carter–
All the things began to click in place.
Why S.H.I.E.L.D. of all things declared Steve a traitor?
Why nearly half of all important department heads were replaced within days of Director Fury’s death.
The reason why no one in S.H.I.E.LD. had any access to any evidence regarding Steve’s supposed treason.
The more she thought about it, the more clear things became to her.
She continued to respond to the interrogator’s questions half-heartedly and made sure that she gave no information that could be used to track down Steve, not that she had any credible intel in the first place.
Soon, they ran out of questions and she was ordered to report to the office regularly and not travel out of the city until she was cleared of suspicion. That was pretty standard procedure so without any prior knowledge she wouldn’t have found it suspicious at all.
After surrendering her service weapon, as asked, she had just exited the building and entered the parking lot when multiple things happened at once.
Something exploded nearby with so much force that the shockwave rocked all the cars in the lot along with throwing her with so much force that she ended up rolling over to the nearest car.
Then she felt a sting in her neck and her vision immediately darkened.
Tranquiliser, she realised.
She tried to fight off its effects but it overpowered her within seconds. The only thing she was able to see of her attacker was a black silhouette that looked familiar for some reason.
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Triskelion Parking Lot
–Brad Jameson–
Putting one of the handy dandy hostage rescue pucks on Sharon, he spoke into his radio, “Package secured. I repeat, the package is secured. Let’s light this place up, boys.”
His suit’s thrusters activated along with its stealth functions and he soon floated up towards the carrier parked directly above the triskelion. Sharon, covered in a hard light barrier, courtesy of that puck, followed suit.
He looked down only to see the parking lot they were in and multiple non-essential structures of S.H.I.E.L.D. erupt in a series of explosions that would definitely delay the launch of their carriers.
He had gotten orders from up above to see to it that the carriers’ launch was delayed as much as possible.
Damaging the launching stations of the carriers seemed like the best way to do so.
Entering the carrier because now they were given freaking aircraft carriers for minor missions like these, he ordered for it to enter orbit and leave some smaller drones for minor surveillance. They were a huge boon since Alfred went AWOL and the organisation had no other AI on hand that could take on the backup duties. Already, they were behind on multiple sub-protocols that they had to complete before the carriers took off. Hence, the minor explosions.
The puck carried Sharon Carter to the medical ward to make sure that the shockwaves didn’t do any internal damage and also to make sure that when he presented it to Peggy Carter, she didn’t kill him.
Seriously, that woman scared the crap out of him even though she looked like lifting a stick would kill her and not even armor-piercing rounds would kill him.
Speaking of the devil, he heard the signature noise of her wheelchair’s motor whirring. Seriously, he knew that Alfred could make ones that could freaking float but he had to make her the one wheelchair that gave off that ominous noise when in operation.
Plastering a forced smile on his face, he turned around and said, “Ms.Carter, you just missed your niece. She is currently unconscious and in the med bay but don’t worry, I’ll have someone bring her to you as soon as she regains consciousness.”
“Don’t worry about me. I hope you didn’t make a ruckus when retrieving my niece?” she said sternly to me, a warning in her voice.
He gulped and replied, “Well, that, uh, we had orders from the higher-ups to take whatever actions we see fit that would delay the launch of the carriers.”
She narrowed her eyes at him but didn’t say anything and just wheeled herself out of the room.
It was as if the entire room collectively heaved a sigh of relief.
Honestly, that woman was going to be the cause of one or more panic attacks the longer she stayed on the ship. He had to get her to the designated safehouse as soon as possible.
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–Sharon Carter–
As soon as she gained awareness, her training kicked in, and barring a couple of shallow breaths, she gave no outward sign of her being awake.
“I know you are awake. Seriously, you’re fooling no one. Is that what they teach at the academy these days? No wonder you got flat-footed this time.” she heard the familiar voice of her Aunt Peggy reprimand her. She instantly opened her eyes and sat upright, surveilling her surroundings for any sign of danger.
“What happened? I remember explosions and somebody kidnapped me. Where are we?” she questioned her aunt.
“Honey, calm down. Nothing has happened to you. We are safe here. Much safer than the Triskelion at least. The people who rescued you work for me.” her aunt reassured her.
“B-But they set off explosives at the HQ? That-that’s a cri-”
“A crime, yes I am aware of that. But you are not aware of the bigger picture, Honey. S.H.I.E.L.D. is not what it was anymore. It has been infiltrated by–”
“H.Y.D.R.A.! I knew it. They are the ones who have infiltrated the agency. They are the ones who killed Directory Fury, right?” she rambled on.
Her aunt sighed, “Yes. Congratulations on figuring that out. Now, can I speak?”
She nodded meekly at the serious voice of her strict aunt.
“Rest here. When the time comes, you’ll have to join the good fight as did I when I was your age. I’ll see you when the doctors clear you.” her aunt said and simply rolled out of the room in her wheelchair.
She tried to protest at the blatant dismissal but strings of light came out of the bed and tightly wound her up to the bed, effectively imprisoning her.
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–Peggy Carter–
Coming out of the room, she said, “Make sure that she gets the necessary training. No niece of mine will stay sheltered in a bunker while others are fighting for their freedom. I want her to join Frank and the others when it's time.”
She only left after receiving an affirmative from Brad. He was sweet like that.
At the beginning, when Alfred had imposed his personal guard detail on her, she was very much wary of them but Brad had grown on her.
For some reason, he always seemed to walk on eggshells around her.
Rolling around the ship as she explored the new scenery available to her, she took great pleasure in the ship’s crew recognising her. It had been years since someone recognized her or her work. All they saw was the diseased husk of a body that was left after my lifelong experiences.
She wouldn’t say that she hated it but it was nice to be reminded of your youth once in a while.
Looking through one of the many observation decks available on this floating ship, and could you imagine that, a floating ship?, that was science fiction in her time, she looked at the breathtaking view of Earth.
She could scarcely believe that just a few short years ago, she was just an old woman living out the last days of her life on her state-sponsored medicare.
She could still remember as if it was yesterday, the day she met Alfred.
He was so young and naive back then. He was learning at an incredibly advanced rate but even he realised that just rote learning would not help him advance and thus, sought out people for moral advice.
Apparently, Ed kept a list in which he listed the people whose moral compass he imitated.
Alfred got access to it and somehow, her name was the only one that was available to him at that time.
And thus, he sought her out.
Over the years, their bond deepened and now, she was one of the only people on Alfred’s protect at all costs list. It was flattering but honestly, she thought it was unnecessary to waste so many resources protecting someone who could croak at any moment.
They did offer to fix her body and revert her physical age back to her prime but she rejected it. It would undoubtedly allow her to fight for the good once again but she was tired.
Just so so tired.
Besides, she had lived her life. She had a long fulfilling life and now, with her mental faculties restored, she was satisfied with living out the last of her days, watching Humanity’s Dawn, brought about by Alfred and Ed, as they brought Humanity forward kicking and screaming.
She still had nightmares about the situation. If she had not met Alfred and talked with him, who knows how Alfred would have turned out? Especially with Ed being completely obsessed with his goal, he couldn’t have given Alfred the proper education he needed.
For what it was worth, she was glad Alfred chose that day to become her TV remote.
–Flashback No Jutsu–
She was cycling through the TV channels, trying not to pull her remaining hair out in frustration because she couldn’t remember any of the TV channels.
Then, out of nowhere, the TV remote stopped working and before she could call the handsome nurse to replace her remote, the TV started changing channels spontaneously.
“Is this more up to your preference, Miss Carter?” came the voice from the telephone near her, even though she hadn’t picked it up.
Then she realised that the channel was set to a documentary on WWII.
“Who is it? Are you speaking through the telephone?” she questioned while looking around, wondering why nobody from the nurse staff had come to give her sleeping meds yet. They always did when she started hallucinating like this.
Then a floating transparent bobblehead appeared in front of her, scaring the crap out of her.
The bobblehead somehow radiated pity as he looked at her. Before she could get a word in though, a yellow light shined in her eyes and the next thing she knew was darkness.
The next time she opened her eyes, she already felt more clear headed than she remembered feeling in years.
Opening her eyes, she could see that it had become night already and the floating bobblehead was still hovering over her bed, waiting for her to wake up.
Having read some early stage S.H.I.E.L.D. reports, she could hazard a guess as to what the boblehead’s origin was, “A-Are you an alien?”
The bobblehead tilted its head at her in an oddly human gesture and said in a childish voice, “No. I am Earth’s first fully sapient AI and I am in need of help.”
AI?
She remembered Howard talking about it but had dismissed it as his usual rambling.
Maybe it was the meds talking but she found herself initiating a conversation with the floating bobblehead that was apparently an AI, something that even Howard thought would be possible only in the far future.
Over the period of several weeks, she had multiple conversations with Alfred and with each session, with Alfred’s treatment, her mental health began to get better and with it, came a crushing sense of responsibility for the young AI.
Alfred was incredibly trusting of her for some reason. He was very much wary of being exposed to another human being, even going so far as to threaten to disappear should she do so.
In a few weeks, she realised why Alfred came to her and how she could help him. His creator, Ed was obsessed with his goal and could not even spare the thought that his incredibly young and insanely dangerous AI needed moral education as well. Alfred himself recognised it and found me for that education.
And after realising the horrifying potential Alfred had, she gladly provided him with the most stable moral compass she could.
Then she realised that Alfred and Ed were not alone as one fine day, she realised that almost all of her security detail had been replaced by their people. She questioned Alfred about it only to receive an absurd answer. According to him, daily communication was important and maintaining his secrecy was costing them precious time so he had his team take control of the hospital.
That was the day she realised the scope of their organisation. He also helped her gain a foothold in S.H.I.E.L.D. with Fury’s permission. With her old contacts, it was laughably easy to do so.
–Flashback No Jutsu Ends–
Nowadays, she was protected more by Alfred’s people than the people of the country she served for almost all her life.
But, looking at yet another failed message request to Alfred, she would not have it any other way.
He might have gone away for some time but he would return.
She was sure of it.
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Word Count - 2256
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