"Sir, a missile base in Nevada has just lost all external communication. Current status: launch sequence initiated."
Skynet’s voice echoed through Gene’s neural network.
Gene paused his work. There was no doubt now—it was Hive.
Just moments ago, Hive had consumed every single staff member within the missile facility. Now, he stood inside the control center alongside Jiaying, James, and several Inhumans. With them were Magneto and Namor.
The Terrigen Crystals were already mounted, and the launch sequence had begun. A single command, and several massive missiles would ascend into the atmosphere.
A five-minute countdown had begun, as required by the launch system. On the screen inside the control room, red digital numbers ticked down relentlessly.
Dr. Chris, the man who had helped install the warheads, was cowering in the corner, his eyes locked on the glowing red countdown. His heart was pounding like a war drum.
Just a few days ago, a mysterious group had approached him with a generous offer—more money than he’d ever seen in his life—in exchange for his technical assistance.
Chris was a man who valued cash over conscience. He agreed without hesitation.
But the moment he uncovered the true scope of their plan, he had collapsed to the ground in shock.
Yes, he loved money. But this? This was about ending the entire world.
And what use was all that money if there was no world left to spend it in?
"Doctor," Hive said, his voice filled with contempt as he stared down at Chris. "I strongly suggest your missile parameters are accurate. Otherwise... you know what happens."
"Hahaha, you can rest assured, my lord! Everything is perfect!" Chris stammered, forcing a pathetic smile.
I’m already a dead man, he thought.
Whether the launch succeeded or failed, there was no escaping this alive.
Time ticked on. With each passing second, every number on the screen felt like a hammer blow to his chest.
Suddenly, the countdown froze. The red digits stopped abruptly at 3:29:78.
Then came another line of red text: ACCESS DENIED.
"Oh—oh my god!" Chris gasped. I’m not dead!
A wave of relief flooded through him, and he collapsed to the floor, trembling with joy. It was like being dragged back from the edge of a cliff. If no one else had been watching, he might’ve started whistling with delight.
Whoever seized control of the launch protocol... they just became my personal savior.
Chris was elated. Hive, on the other hand, was not.
Just as his grand plan was about to unfold, someone had dared to interrupt him.
With a roar of fury, Hive slammed his fist into the console. The metallic casing dented deeply under his strike, sparking violently as power surged and wires snapped. Everyone nearby jumped in alarm.
Chris’s smile faded instantly when he caught Hive’s chilling glare. He could practically feel the cold breath of death behind his neck.
"You. Get over here," Hive growled. "Reprogram the flight controls. Override the lockdown and launch the missiles."
"Wha–? Me? I... I’m a missile guidance expert, not a programmer..." Chris trailed off, terror making his voice crack.
Then, survival instinct kicked in.
"Wait, wait—hold on! I just remembered something! Maybe... maybe there’s a workaround. I might be able to salvage this."
Without waiting for a reply, Chris scrambled into the control module to attempt a fix. He had no idea what he was doing, but there was no choice. At this point, even blind guesswork was better than nothing.
Hive turned to James. "Go outside and scout. I think that black one is on to us."
"Magneto. Namor. You two guard the base. Kill any intruders on sight."
Hive gave his orders with the icy certainty of a king commanding an army.
Magneto and Namor exchanged glances, both visibly irritated, but said nothing as they turned and left.
Despite their bitterness, they had fallen into a chain of command with Hive at its apex during this uneasy alliance. They didn’t like it—but for now, they endured it.
A blue shimmer flickered around James, and in a flash, he vanished from the control room.
Teleportation. That was his gift. His ability to blink in and out of locations had allowed Hive to secure a number of key resources during their operations.
But just as suddenly, James reappeared—back in the same room.
"What just happened?" Hive’s expression darkened.
"I... I don’t know," James muttered, looking confused and shaken.
What he didn’t realize was that Gene had deployed an atomic forcefield around the entire base. Within that barrier, no one could teleport—not even someone as skilled as James.
Hive’s face twisted. He could feel it now—that unmistakable presence.
For the first time in millennia, Hive truly sensed the specter of his own destruction looming near.
He had crawled through the void of space for tens of thousands of years, barely surviving, waiting for a chance to return. And now, just as his great conquest was about to begin...
He saw the enemy during that secret gathering. A being more powerful than anything he had imagined.
Hive knew—without a doubt—he could not win.
But he wasn’t completely without options.
He turned slowly, placing his hand on James’s shoulder.
"I’m sorry," Hive said in a low voice. "But I have no other choice."
"What—" James barely got the word out before his scream was cut short, swallowed in silence.
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