The laboratory doors slid open.
Julius walked inside.
"Tell me what?"
I immediately felt a headache coming on.
Alex slowly lowered his datapad.
Cleopatra froze.
The cybernetic cat was currently floating three feet off the ground while surrounded by magical circles, holographic displays, and enough power to make most Foundation thaumaturges cry tears of envy.
Unfortunately, Julius noticed all of it.
His eyes widened.
Then a grin slowly appeared.
"Oh no."
I knew that grin.
Cleopatra knew that grin.
Alex knew that grin.
Every O5 member knew that grin.
It was the grin Julius got whenever he was about to become a nuisance.
"What happened to Cleopatra?" he asked.
"No."
"What do you mean no?"
"No."
"I didn't even ask anything yet."
"You were about to."
Julius looked offended.
Then he looked at Cleopatra again.
The cat's new cybernetic eye glowed faintly.
Her adamantium skeleton allowed her to sit with a posture that somehow radiated annoyance.
Several holographic screens floated around her.
Ancient magical runes continuously rotated through the air.
She looked like a supervillain's final boss.
She was also still a cat.
Julius immediately burst out laughing.
The sound echoed throughout the laboratory.
Several researchers quietly evacuated the area.
They knew what was coming.
"You're a cat!"
Cleopatra's tail twitched.
"I am aware."
"A cybernetic cat!"
"I am aware."
"A cybernetic magical cat!"
"I AM AWARE."
Julius leaned against a nearby table.
He was laughing so hard he nearly fell over.
This continued for several minutes.
Eventually he managed to regain control of himself.
Then he made the mistake of speaking again.
"Can I pet her?"
"No," said Cleopatra.
"No," I agreed.
"No," Alex added.
Julius looked disappointed.
Then he moved anyway.
The moment his hand approached, Cleopatra reacted.
A magical circle appeared.
A second later Julius was launched through a laboratory wall.
The wall exploded.
Several researchers screamed.
Silence followed.
Then Julius casually walked back through the hole.
Completely unharmed.
"Okay," he admitted.
"That's pretty impressive."
Cleopatra looked smug.
I wasn't helping.
Neither was Alex.
The project had been a complete success.
Even Julius had to admit that.
"So what exactly did you do?" he asked.
Alex immediately launched into a detailed explanation.
"Cybernetic enhancements. Neural optimization. Adamantium skeletal replacement. Magical amplification. Enhanced sensory processing. Database integration. Advanced computational assistance. Regenerative improvements."
Julius blinked.
Then looked at Cleopatra.
Then looked at Alex.
Then looked at Cleopatra again.
"You turned her into a Terminator."
"A scientifically optimized thaumaturgical platform."
"You turned her into a Terminator."
"Essentially."
Julius nodded.
"Fair enough."
He walked over to Cleopatra.
This time he stopped a safe distance away.
"So how strong are you now?"
Cleopatra considered the question.
Then she casually punched a nearby reinforced testing block.
The several-ton piece of Foundation-grade alloy launched across the laboratory.
It smashed through three walls before disappearing into the distance.
The entire building shook.
Everyone stared.
Alex checked his scanner.
"Approximately eight times stronger than before."
Julius stared.
Then he began laughing again.
"Oh my god."
"I don't see what's funny."
"You spent thousands of years becoming one of the most powerful women in history."
"Correct."
"And now you're a cyborg cat."
"..."
"A cyborg cat stronger than most super soldiers."
"..."
"A cyborg cat with a robot eye."
"..."
"A cyborg cat who can probably bench press a tank."
The silence lasted several seconds.
Then Cleopatra picked up a wrench with telekinesis.
Julius immediately took three steps backward.
Experience had taught him caution.
"Okay, okay," he said. "I surrender."
The wrench continued floating.
"Wise choice."
At that moment Julius seemed to notice something.
His eyes narrowed.
Then he pointed.
"Wait."
Everyone froze.
"What?" I asked.
Julius pointed toward Cleopatra's cybernetic eye.
"Does that thing have a camera?"
Alex nodded.
"Yes."
A terrible realization appeared on Julius's face.
Then an even worse smile appeared.
"No."
"Oh yes."
"No."
"Oh yes."
He reached into a Gate of Babylon portal.
I immediately recognized what he was grabbing.
"Julius."
The camera appeared.
"Julius."
SCP-978.
The Desire Camera.
Cleopatra froze.
I froze.
Alex slowly backed away.
Julius held the camera triumphantly.
"You are not using that."
"I'm absolutely using this."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
A magical circle appeared around Cleopatra.
Several dozen appeared around me.
Alex quietly activated emergency shields.
Julius looked around at all of us.
Then slowly lowered the camera.
"...Maybe later."
"Good answer."
Julius nodded.
Then a second later he snapped a normal photograph instead.
The resulting image captured a floating cybernetic cat glaring murderously at everyone in the room.
Julius immediately saved it.
"I am framing this."
"Julius."
"I'm absolutely framing this."
"Julius."
"I'm showing the entire Council."
A wrench struck him in the face at Mach 3.