In an instant, all Hydra operatives sprang into action.
But they were met with a counterstrike already prepared by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
Brock Rumlow's face drained of color at the scene.
Nick Fury stood nearby, calm but watchful.
"Surprised?" Fury asked, eyes fixed on Rumlow.
Rumlow's expression was dark. Everything unfolding before him confirmed it: their plan had been discovered.
"Indeed, quite the surprise. Not bad, Director," Rumlow said with a grudging admiration, though surrender was not in his nature.
"Even if you knew, it wouldn't matter. Once the plan started, our objectives were already achieved," he added, defiance ringing in his voice.
"And when did you find out?" Rumlow asked, his tone laced with irritation.
Fury remained expressionless.
"I have Nolan Locke to thank for this," he said evenly.
Rumlow's face flickered, a mix of disbelief and frustration.
"Nolan Locke? How could he know? That damned guy!"
He muttered a curse under his breath, but a hint of smug satisfaction crept onto his face.
"Even if he noticed our movements, he underestimated us. By the time we speak, the Titan main system will be under our control. With such a massive force, even if we lose the space carrier, we can seize it by force. You've lost. Hydra will prevail!"
This time, Rumlow shouted Hydra's motto openly, without restraint.
Elsewhere, similar cries of loyalty to Hydra echoed.
They were far from defeated.
Fury's expression darkened with subtle amusement.
"You really think Nolan Locke wouldn't be prepared? After all, that's Nolan Locke."
He repeated the name with a weight of respect. Though he didn't like Locke, Fury had to admit: he was the smartest man alive. Perhaps before the Titan Program, this title was debated, but as the Emperor Titan came to life, even Tony Stark could not openly dispute it.
Rumlow's face turned even grimmer at Fury's words. After a long pause, he muttered,
"Impossible. Nolan Locke would lose to Hydra."
Meanwhile, Locke walked calmly through the Titan main base.
He spoke into the air.
"Still not moving? If you don't act now, it'll be too late."
Silence answered him.
Locke chuckled softly.
"Dr. Zola, I suggest you not make me repeat myself."
A voice, tinged with surprise, finally responded.
"You know me?"
Dr. Zola's tone carried disbelief. In everyone's eyes, he had died in World War II. His operations had been extremely low-profile, and even within Hydra, few knew of his existence. How could Nolan Locke know of him?
Locke didn't answer immediately. Zola continued,
"That's irrelevant. Even if you know I exist, everything is already set in motion."
"Is that so…"
Locke let out a quiet laugh.
Seconds later, a synchronized clanging of metal filled the air.
"I control this base now. You should understand the immense power here, all of it belongs to me!" Zola declared.
T-800 Terminators surrounded Locke from every direction, joined by an army of NS5 intelligent combat robots.
Clearly, this was a fully organized mechanical army.
Zola laughed with anticipation.
"Nolan Locke, how do you plan to handle my army?"
He expected to see fear in Locke's eyes. Instead, he met only mockery.
Locke's gaze swept the robots, a trace of disdain in his eyes.
"I expected something more sophisticated. Controlling Titans and executing mass extermination through brute force… After all, you claim to be the world's first intelligent mechanical lifeform. Seems I overestimated you."
"Hmph!"
Zola dismissed his 3D virtual projection.
"You know I am the only intelligent mechanical life. You should know the power I command here. Join Hydra now, and I might allow you the honor due to your research talent."
"Only intelligent mechanical life?"
Locke's lips curved in amusement.
"Even though you couldn't bypass Red Queen's firewall, your incompetence proves you don't deserve that title. But…"
His arm slowly disappeared, vanishing from sight, and a moment later, his voice emerged from one of the Terminators.
"Who said you're the only intelligent mechanical life?"
Zola's face went pale. The Terminator had slipped from his control.
Impossible. He was the genius, the first intelligent mechanical life how could anyone share his authority?
"Locke!" Zola roared, sensing a massive disconnect between himself and his robots.
"Kill him!" he shouted, cutting off all external network connections. There would be no escape for Nolan Locke.
The Terminators raised their arms, ready to obliterate him. Zola's mind raced, confident in victory Locke did not have the time or resources to fight this.
But then, a voice rang out, mocking, and Locke appeared again, corporeal, free of any robotic host.
"System disconnected? Looks like you dug yourself quite the grave."
Zola's expression tightened.
"Kill him!" he screamed, bewildered by Locke's effortless transition between intelligence and physical life.
Even so, Locke sighed.
"You're even dumber than I imagined."
He faced the advancing robots.
"You couldn't bypass Red Queen's firewall and fell straight into my trap. What makes you think you deserve to control this base?"
"Stop!" Locke commanded.
Every robot froze instantly.
Silence fell over the corridor.
"This your confidence?" Zola's program fluctuated violently.
The robots, which once obeyed him without question, had stopped in their tracks.
"Move! I said move!" he screamed, desperate. But every attempt to regain control failed. Red Queen's firewall was now impenetrable.
"How can this be?!" Zola panicked. The strongest intelligent mechanical life, unable to hack a minor system?
"Red Queen," Locke called.
The AI appeared, issuing a single command:
"Kill him."
Locke's voice carried deadly precision. Zola's face drained of color. Regret consumed him. If he had not sealed the base, he might have escaped. But now, he was trapped like a fish on a cutting board.
"Spare me! I am the world's first successful intelligent mechanical life!" he begged, voice trembling.
"Spare you?" Locke asked, amusement in his tone.
True intelligent mechanical life was rare. Capturing one was almost impossible without isolating the host. Zola had trapped himself, foolishly cutting off all escape.
"You couldn't even handle Red Queen's firewall. You're useless."
A flood of pre-prepared viruses surged toward Zola, already surrounded. In moments, his program was utterly destroyed.
"Double-check for remnants. Killing intelligent mechanical life isn't easy. Even traces could allow escape," Locke instructed.
With that, the final threat was neutralized. Once Locke left this world, with the might of Locke Technologies and the Titan Program, Earth would become his personal domain, much like the Spider-Man universe.
Only Hydra remained.
Outside the base, three space carriers prepared to launch. One had already reached mid-ascent.
Suddenly, Nick Fury's phone rang.
"Mr. Locke, I need your help!" Fury's voice was sharp with urgency.
"Go ahead," Locke replied calmly.
"Take down Space Carrier One!" Fury barked through gritted teeth.
Hydra's power exceeded all expectations. Most S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, unprepared, had turned against them over two-thirds were now Hydra operatives.
Fury's anger boiled. This wasn't S.H.I.E.L.D. it was Snake Shield.
Space Carrier One was already compromised. Alexander Pierce attempted to forcibly control the ship.
Locke smiled.
"If that's the request, I can certainly comply."
Indeed, this mission essentially to bombard one's own ally was unprecedented, yet Locke embraced the challenge.
As for Fury… Locke silently offered a prayer. If he died, at least Captain Marvel's comm device would still be available. After all, facing a planet-destroying threat required her.
Locke spoke:
"Red Queen, contact White Queen. Prepare the Emperor Titan's main cannon. It's ready for test fire."
Red Queen executed the command with precision, White Queen following suit.
Alarms blared as staff evacuated the vicinity of the massive cannon.
Then, a colossal barrel emerged from the base.
[Charging…]
A brilliant, ghostly blue light shimmered from the main cannon, visible even in daylight.
Seconds later:
[Emissive Cannon, Fire]
Zhao! A blinding beam shot toward the space carrier.
Inside, Fury and the remaining crew struggled to fend off Hydra. Pierce, unaware of Zola's absence, still believed in imminent victory.
"Nick Fury, surrender," Pierce shouted.
Fury cursed, "You think you'll succeed? I've already contacted Nolan Locke. Titans from the base will take down this carrier. You'll rot in a cell!"
Pierce frowned, dismissing the warning. "You called Nolan Locke? Too late. The carrier is airborne."
He spread his arms, exultant. "No one can stop me from ruling the world!"
Before his words ended, a blue light engulfed him.
As the glow faded, Fury realized the carrier had lost most of its structure.
He gaped, unprepared for the catastrophic damage.
"Goddammit!"
The crippled carrier began to plummet.
"Damn you, Nolan Locke!" Fury shouted, furious. He had asked Locke to intervene but not with such devastating firepower.