Bab 67: Aftermath of the Battle!
With the battle over, the sky above New York City finally became relatively clear. With all the Chitauri dead due to their mothership destroyed by the nuke, various civilians and public services slowly came out of their hiding spot, examining the world.
Various injured civilians were swiftly carried away by public services. Still, damage had been done, the dead bodies of various Leviathans and other Chitauri soldiers lay all around the street, some of them scattered into pieces.
Many buildings were completely destroyed, cars totaled and smoke still rose from the streets below into the air. During all of this, Maxim currently stood on top of Stark Tower alongside the other Avengers, waiting for the unconscious Loki to awaken.
However, unlike them whose eyes remained on Loki, Maxim looked into his Shadow, where the true Scepter already lay. After coming up with the others, he had easily managed to complete the swap, and now Natasha was carrying around a fake Scepter.
~GROAN~
As this was happening, a sudden groan echoed in Maxim's ear, and he looked over, spotting Loki slowly coming to his senses. He walked over silently alongside the other Avengers, watching as Clint slowly pulled on his bow string.
"If it's all the same to you," Loki muttered with a painful groan, "I'll have that drink now."
***
~Sometime Later~
The group had gathered in Central Park, all to see Loki being shipped off to Asgard with Thor alongside the Tesseract.
Maxim stood not too far from the group, leaning casually against a wall in a dark attire and stared at the blue cube, chuckling as he thought of his future with the item and his plans with Hela.
Then, his attention returned to a tablet that he had A.N.G.E.L create with him, browsing through the various news broadcasts talking about what happened.
"Despite the devastation, what has been confirmed as an extra-terrestrial attack, the extraordinary heroics of the group known as 'The Avengers' has been a cause to many not only for hope but also for celebration. Across the globe, people are hailing these individuals as the defenders of Earth."
"I love you Thor!!"
"Did you see Iron Man, I saw Iron Man, he actually saved my life. Tony Stark saved my life."
"The devastation left in the wake of the alien invasion has left New York City reeling. Estimates suggest damages will reach the billions, with countless families displaced and entire neighborhoods leveled."
"Superheroes in New York? Give me a break." A certain old man said.
"These so called heroes must be held responsible for their actions and the destruction done to New York City. This City is our countries main economic hub, and they have done irreparable harm and have vanished into the wind. Where are they now? Where is the justice?"
"They saved all of our lives. The guy with the dark hood saved mine and my daughters, I owe them my life."
Maxim continued swapping through various channels, though his expression remained impassive. He swiped to another channel, this one hosted by an energetic young woman standing in front of the rubble of a Leviathan.
"I mean, just look at this! Thor's lightning fried this thing. And that shadowy guy, what do we call him? Omen?, he cut one of these monsters clean in half! Did you see the way he saved people from all those Alien monster thingies? People are saying he's the scariest Avenger, but honestly, I'd feel a lot better with someone like him on my side."
Maxim smiled, continuing to browse through various channels when suddenly,
"Maxim!"
Steve's voice called out, drawing him from his thoughts. He looked up to see the Avengers gathered around Thor and Loki, with Bruce placing the Tesseract in some sort of technological container held by Selvig.
Maxim pocketed his phone and walked over, his steps purposeful yet unhurried. He stopped just short of the group, crossing his arms as he observed the scene.
Thor placed a heavy hand on Loki's shoulder, who stood shackled and glaring at the group with his usual disdain, his mouth still blocked, "I will ensure he faces justice in Asgard," Thor declared, his voice firm yet carrying a note of weariness.
"Try not to let him escape this time," Stark quipped, though his smirk softened the jab.
Thor nodded solemnly, "Farewell, my friends. Should you need me, I will return."
Thor twisted the technological innovation and with a surge of power, the Tesseract activated, enveloping the brothers in a swirling vortex of energy. A moment later, they vanished, leaving only silence in their wake.
As the portal's light faded, Stark sighed, "Well, that's one less headache."
Stark went alongside Steve whilst Clint went to fetch a bag of things for Bruce, and Maxim walked to a corner with Natasha to chat.
During that, Natasha approached Maxim who had begin leaning against a lamp post. Her expression was calm, but Maxim could see how the fatigue and stress of the past new days taking a toll on her.
She crossed her arms as she stopped beside him, glancing briefly in the direction where Thor and Loki had vanished moments ago.
"Never a dull moment with you around," she said, her tone teasing but warm.
Maxim chuckled, shaking his head, "I could say the same about you."
Natasha smirked at that, tilting her head slightly, "So, what's next for you? I'm guessing you're not the 'stick around and sign autographs' type, although Tony definitely is."
Maxim's gaze drifted toward the horizon, "No, not my style. I've got a few loose ends to tie up. Hydra's still out there, a-lot of unfinished business with them. I might reach out to S.H.I.E.L.D. when the time's right—assuming they don't come knocking first."
"Hydra," Natasha echoed, her voice losing its playful edge, "We've done some work trying to root them out, but it seems like if we cut three of them down, a couple more agents pop up. Make sure to be safe."
I'll be fine," Maxim assured her. "I've got my own methods, and I'm not exactly the easiest guy to catch off guard. Didn't you see me out there?" He said with a chuckle.
Natasha nodded, "Well, I'm sticking with S.H.I.E.L.D. for now. We've got our hands full cleaning up the mess from all this." She gestured vaguely to the city around them, her lips curving into a small smile, "And someone's got to keep Stark in check."
Maxim smirked. "Good luck with that." He reached into his pocket and handed her a small slip of paper. "By the way, check your deliveries in the coming weeks. I'll be sending some new gadgets your way. Things I've been working on,prototypes, upgrades, stuff for field-testing. And a new combat suit. Consider it my way of saying thanks."
Natasha raised an eyebrow, a genuine smile spreading across her face. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"
"Wouldn't be any fun if I wasn't," Maxim said with a wink. His expression softened as he added, "Take care of yourself, Natasha."
Natasha's smile faltered, replaced by something deeper and more personal. She reached out, pulling Maxim into a brief but firm hug, "You take care too, Maxim. And don't forget, you're not alone in this. Call me if you need backup."
Maxim nodded as she stepped back, "Always. And tell Clint not to lose another arrow betting against me."
Natasha chuckled, throwing a wave over her shoulder as she walked toward Clint, who was waiting at the car,"Will do. Stay out of trouble, Omen."
Maxim stood there for a moment, watching as she joined Clint and climbed into the vehicle. Then, with a quiet exhale, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows of the city as the Avengers began to go their separate ways.
By time Maxim returned home in Madripoor, he took time to relax, finally being able to check his system status.
[ Name - Maxim Novikov ]
[ Race - Radiant Nephilim ]
[ Character Integration:
- Astra: 99%
Fully Integrated Characters:
- Omen: 100%
- Killjoy 100%
- Astra 100%
- Dante 100%
- Vergil 100%
[ New Character Selection Available! ]
***
It's that time again, vote for the next game and characters.
- Injustice
- Genshin Impact
- League of Legends
- Other Suggestions!
Bab 68: The Choice!
Maxim stepped off the discreet jet onto Madripoor's private airstrip. Instead of just teleporting back, he decided to relax himself for a bit while pondering which game he'd choose for the future templates.
As Maxim moved through LowTown and HighTown, he could spot how the lines were continuously being blurred between the two. Access to HighTown was no longer restricted for the LowTown folkes.
Paired with that was the fact that reconstruction was occurring all over. Maxim could hear the chatter of workers and the changing of tools as many buildings were in the process of being torn down while others were being reconstructed using the workers and the help of the NanoBot Swarm.
Plus, the integration of a new energy system and energy shields had come to fruition, meaning Madripoor no longer needed to rely on the rest of the world for their energy, and were another step towards being fully self-sustainable.
As he spotted all this change made in just around a week already, he smiled, walking before spotting an unmistakable cluster of activity near the Northern District.
A newly constructed building bore a faintly glowing "X" emblem near its entrance. The X-Men had fully moved in, creating a facility here as a sign of the alliance, finally not needing to be under the constant watch of the US Government.
Outside the facility, he saw Logan barking orders at a group of young mutants who were unloading equipment from a truck. Nearby, Ororo Munroe, or Storm, was guiding a team as they worked on planting greenery along the building's perimeter.
Maxim approached, drawing Logan's attention. The older mutant straightened and crossed his arms, his usual gruff demeanor softened by a nod of acknowledgment. "Took your sweet time getting back, kid. We all saw what you did" Logan said, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Yeah I had to help them out," Maxim replied with a slight smile. His eyes swept over the bustling scene. "Looks like things are coming together."
"Yeah," Logan said, his gaze following Maxim's. "Still a lot to do, but having a base here helps alot. Those US Rats finally out of our way."
After exchanging a few more words, Maxim excused himself, his thoughts already shifting to the next task at hand. He left the X-Men to their work and made his way toward lab at the High Table Headquarters.
The soft hum of A.N.G.E.L. greeted him as he entered, "Welcome back, Maxim," she said in her calm, mechanical tone.
"Thank you," Maxim replied, shedding his jacket and settling into a chair by the main console, "Give me updates on the key projects. Start with Project TikTok."
A.N.G.E.L.'s holographic display shifted, showing graphs and global statistics. "Project TikTok has exceeded all projections. It's release was already massively successful, with the algorithm manipulation, we already had tens of millions of downloads and daily users."
"The alien invasion caused a massive surge in activity, an 1100% boost in content creation and a 500% increase in user registrations and daily retention within days. The platform's rapid dissemination of information, paired with subtle device integration, has cemented its dominance internationally. Millions continue to join daily, daily users are continuing to increase."
Maxim smirked. "Good. How is it doing monetarily?"
"Fantastic." A.N.G.E.L responded before continuing, "Advertisers from all over the world are flooding our emails to sell them ad space. Some businesses have already registered and paired with the TikTok store, providing another revenue stream, and Virtual Gifts are making slightly higher than predicted level."
"That's good. What about the other two Projects?" Maxim asked.
"Project Overwatch and Project Genshin Impact are proceeding flawlessly. Promotional trailers and materials have been widely acclaimed, creating substantial hype. Release dates are highly anticipated, with pre-launch merchandise already generating significant revenue."
Maxim leaned back, processing the information. "Excellent. Push forward with the release schedules as planned. Anything else I should know?"
A.N.G.E.L. immediately responded, "There is one development worth noting. As expected multiple companies and countries have tried to illegally access our private data and files seeing the success of our products. Most have quit after lack of success, but Hydra have continuously attempted to plant subversive elements within our framework and access our info, but obviously with no success."
"Good work," Maxim said, his tone resolute. "Keep Hydra on a short leash. If they get too bold, let me know. I'll be taking care of them soon enough."
A.N.G.E.L. inclined her head, her expression serene. "Understood. Is there anything else you require, Maxim?"
Maxim stood, a shadowy aura flickering around him momentarily. "Not for now. Just keep everything running smoothly. Oh, and prepare the schematics for the combat suit prototype I mentioned to Natasha. I want it perfect before she gets it."
"Of course," A.N.G.E.L. said, her tone carrying a hint of approval, "Welcome home, Maxim."
Maxim gave her a faint smile before heading deeper into the lab, his mind already spinning with plans for the days ahead.
***
Hydra Headquarters – Undisclosed Location
The dimly lit conference room was filled with the faint hum of advanced machinery. A large oval table occupied the center, surrounded by high-backed chairs. At the head of the table sat Alexander Pierce, his hands clasped and his steely gaze sweeping across the room.
Around him were Hydra's highest-ranking members, their faces cast in the eerie glow of holographic displays.
On one of the monitors, a global map of TikTok's user activity and influence pulsated like a living organism. The numbers displayed alongside it were staggering: Hundreds of Millions of active users, trillions of views, and an unprecedented reach across demographics.
The Content posted on the app varied, from News about the Alien Invasion, Tutorials for tasks like Cooking, Coding, Video Editing, to Vlogs about daily life, political content, video games, podcasts and so many more, all having a wide reach.
Pierce leaned forward, his voice cutting through the tense silence. "This," he said, gesturing to the map, "is the most powerful tool we have ever seen. Forget conventional espionage or propaganda; TikTok is the ultimate weapon. The question is, why isn't it in our hands?"
A middle-aged man with sharp features spoke up, his tone laced with frustration. "We've deployed every measure at our disposal, cyber-infiltration doesn't work, their security is perfect. Their Base is in Madripoor and none of our inside men can get close without their bodies washing up from the sea a couple days later. The security protocols on this platform are... unlike anything we've encountered. It's as if it anticipates every move we make."
"Anticipates?" Pierce repeated, his gaze narrowing.
"Yes," Strucker replied, "Our analysts believe the platform is not just protected by algorithms but by something far more sophisticated."
Pierce frowned, processing the information. "A.I.," he muttered. "That would explain the precision. We underestimated that bastard again. I can't believe we let him slip from our grasp. He's not just an enhanced individual; he's a visionary, and that makes him more dangerous than we anticipated."
A woman seated near the end of the table crossed her arms, her tone icy. "Dangerous or not, Novikov is not untouchable. Every system has its weakness. We simply haven't found his yet."
"We don't have time to find it," Pierce snapped, his patience thinning. "This app is reshaping public perception in real-time. It's not just a platform; it's a cultural phenomenon. If we control it, we control the narrative. And with it, the world."
Another Hydra member, a younger operative with dark circles under his eyes, spoke hesitantly, "There is... another option. We could attempt a hostile acquisition. Physical, not digital. If we locate the central server infrastructure,"
"No," Pierce interrupted sharply. "That would draw too much attention. The world is watching like hawks. A move like that would turn him into a martyr, and we'd lose any chance of salvaging this quietly."
Another guy leaned forward, her voice a calculated whisper, "Then perhaps we should turn our attention to the law. Those capitalists on Wall Street are salivating at the intense money making abilities of this app. Sanctions, anything possible, we have our men in the Government. Use them!"
Pierce shook his head, his expression grim. "You think I haven't considered that? Did you forget the massive Alien Invasion that occurred? Imagine the news, 'US Government targets Foreign App while tens of millions still homeless due to the attacks.' The capitalists are stupid, not that stupid."
The room fell silent, tension hanging thick in the air.
After a moment, Pierce continued, his voice low but resolute. "Here's what we'll do: We'll double down on our surveillance. Find his vulnerabilities, personal, professional, anything we can exploit. At the same time, we'll deploy our assets to infiltrate his business at the ground level. Employees, contractors, vendors, anyone with access, no matter how small. We'll plant seeds, and when the time comes, we'll use them to dismantle his empire from the inside."
***
Meanwhile, back in Madripoor, Maxim had finally made his decision,
"System, choose Injustice!"
***
Judging from the comments, most persons wanted Injustice, so time for another vote!
- Martian ManHunter
- Superboy Prime
- Raven
- Doctor Fate
- Doomsday
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