The Vankos followed Luthar down a narrow corridor that spiralled deep into the earth. The air grew cooler, tinged with a faint metallic taste, like the breath of some ancient machine. Soft red lights traced patterns along the walls, illuminating reliefs of cogwheels and alien script that seemed to shift when not directly looked at.
"Welcome to the workshop," Luthar said, his voice carrying easily in the enclosed space. "This will be your world for the foreseeable future."
The corridor opened into a cavernous chamber, larger than any workshop they had ever seen. Platforms hovered silently on magnetic rails. Robotic arms moved in precise synchrony, welding plates to skeletal frames of machines Anton could barely comprehend. Suspended across the room were half-formed battlesuits, each in a different stage of assembly, hanging like metallic corpses from gravitic harnesses.
Ivan stopped in his tracks. "…This is a workshop?"
"A nursery," Luthar corrected. "A place where machines are born."
Anton, regaining some composure, asked, "And… what exactly is our part in all this?"
"You will develop the Mark I frame," Luthar said, hands clasped behind his back. "You will combine your engineering knowledge with the data I provide. Just make sure not to create any autonomous artificial intelligence—only pilot-assisted functions. I do not allow soulless machines to think."
Ivan frowned. "So, no AI. Got it. And the power source?"
"A new one," Luthar said evenly. "I will finalise it within a few days. I already possess several prototypes. Your task is simple: build a functional, stable frame. If you succeed, you will be the first humans to create something that is 1000 years ahead of this planet's technology."
Anton nodded slowly, more intrigued than intimidated. "And if we fail?"
"Then your usefulness ends," Luthar said without a hint of hesitation.
Lily bounced past with a datapad nearly as big as she was. "Don't worry~! He says that to everyone. Mostly."
Ivan muttered, "…Comforting."
Luthar gestured toward a hexagonal-lit workstation. Two half-complete exosuit torsos rested there, humming softly.
"You will start by redesigning the skeletal frame and stabilising the core housing. Schematics will arrive in stages. Complete each step to my satisfaction."
Anton examined the alien blueprints hovering above the workstation. "This… is nothing like anything I've ever seen."
"These designs come from my family's collection," Luthar said, his tone almost reverent. "Some of this technology is older than every nation on your maps."
The soft whirring of servo-skulls filled the chamber.
"Have fun building your doomsday toys!" Lily clap. "And maybe build a tiny one for me!"
With a mischievous wink, she followed Luthar out, leaving the Vankos to their new reality. Anton was already sketching modifications in his notebook, while Ivan leaned on a railing, trying—and failingngngngngngng—to ignore the floating skulls that occasionally circled him.
Outside the workshop, Luthar walked alongside Lily through the observation corridor. The hum of the base followed them like a mechanical heartbeat.
"I need you to monitor them," Luthar said quietly. "Anton's loyalty will hinge on gratitude, but Ivan will resist as long as he thinks he still has control."
"You want me to babysit?" Lily tilted her head, eyes sparkling.
"Monitor," Luthar corrected. "I have embedded nano-bombs during their treatment. Which would be useful when the time comes."
Lily blinked, then grinned. "Wow, didn't expect somebody would put boom inside a medicine."
"Just keep an eye on them," Luthar said, voice cold and certain. " Let them believe they are safe ."
"I can do that!" she said cheerfully, hopping ahead. " I would make sure to watch over them like a cat who watches over the milk."
Luthar's gaze turned distant. "Good. I have other matters to attend to. My attention will soon return to the dungeon world."
SHIELD HQ – 03:40 AM (Earlier)
The air in the command room was heavy with unease. Screens projected stills of Brock Rumlow—once a trusted field commander, now part machine. Black alloy traced his arms and neck; synthetic servos twitched beneath his skin.
Maria Hill's voice was clipped. "He's enhanced. Extensively. And he hasn't reported a single thing."
Nick Fury leaned forward, his one eye narrowing. "If Rumlow was still ours, he'd should have asked for approval. No agent takes that kind of upgrade without clearance. Not unless they are ready to betray."
"Kara hasn't reported either," Hill said grimly. "No pings. No exfil requests. It's like they don't care about shield anymore."
"Then they're not ours anymore. The question is—what made them switch?"
A second monitor lit up, showing the Drop-Wing Skimmer streaking through Russian skies.
Hill tapped the screen. "The same one that brought Tony Stark back into America now, the craft brought the Vankos out of Russia. The only people besides Stark who can build an Arc Reactor."
Fury's expression hardened.
"That's men now, they would have technology to build armours which is similar to Tony Stark."
While Fury was misunderstanding Luthar's action, there was a place where Paranoia spread like a disease. In a dimly lit room, Hydra's inner circle watched encrypted feeds.
Rumlow walked through a battlefield with machine-like precision, captured by distant cameras.
"He doesn't answer," hissed one operative.
"which means Hydra has been compromised"
Another operative shook his head." This is going to be a big problem."
The room went silent.
The third said, finally. "Maybe this is a good opportunity to recruit a new member, since that person hasn't revealed or information, it means we still have a chance to become friends with him…" A smile curved his lips. "Once he joins, all are goals would be easier, regardless of taking over the world or protecting the world from other forces, everything would become easy."
Listening to this, everyone's as started to eyes started to shine, completely ignoring the fact that Luther had no reason to join them.
Please help me by joining on where you can also get 45 advanced chapters
/Silvervir?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink