章 22: E.L.E.N.A: Activated
"Initiate power-up sequence," Dr. Mensah commanded again, her voice steady.
A low hum began to resonate from the core of Sentinel X, reverberating through the floor as power surged into its systems. Lights flickered across its towering body, scanning up and down its vibranium-enforced armor. Deep within the machine, processors hummed to life, processing terabytes of data.
"Power levels stabilizing at 40%," an engineer reported. "All systems appear nominal."
Dr. Mensah nodded, her fingers dancing across the keyboard as she reviewed the power-up sequence. Everything seemed in place. Over the years, they ran countless simulations, using every resource at their disposal to make sure Sentinel X could not only match but overpower any threat.
Suddenly, the humming sound of the sentinel grew louder, and electric sparks began to crackle around it. Lights began to blink out of sync.
Red warnings flashed across Dr. Mensah's display as everyone ran around looking at their own screens, trying to determine what went wrong.
"What the hell is going on?" she snapped, her calm expression was replaced by anger. "Report!" She yelled.
"Power surge detected!" one of the engineers shouted over the rising noise. "It's pulling too much energy from the core! System overload!"
Before anyone could react, the Sentinel's limbs twitched violently, a low metallic groan escaping its frame. Sparks flew from exposed circuits, and the giant machine staggered in place as if it were trying to move but couldn't control its own systems.
"Shut it down!" Dr. Mensah barked. "Now!"
The engineers ran around from one console to another to deactivate the power sequence, but it was too late. Sentinel X began to vibrate violently as the electric sparks intensified. The processors and inner circuits were overloaded by the sudden power surge. With a deafening screech, the machine's legs buckled, and it crashed to the ground, sending tremors through the lab.
Silence followed the crash, the air heavy with the acrid smell of burnt circuits. Wires danced around the area, flickering with electricity. Dr. Mensah stood frozen for a moment, her heart pounding. Failure was not an option—not now, not with the stakes so high. If Magneto finds out that they failed, their head will roll on the ground.
"Damage assessment," she demanded, her voice cold.
One of the engineers quickly scanned the machine's systems. "It's bad. We've lost 60% of the core processor. The vibranium armor held, but the internal systems—"
"Fix it," Dr. Mensah interrupted, her tone brooking no argument. "We don't have time for a complete overhaul. Suggestions?"
Another engineer stepped forward, nervously adjusting his glasses. "We could reroute the power flow through secondary circuits. It'll be a temporary patch, but it should allow us to reboot and run diagnostics without overloading the system again."
"Do it," Dr. Mensah ordered, already moving toward the console to assist. "We need Sentinel X operational by tonight. Magneto won't tolerate any more delays."
The team worked fast, patching circuits, rerouting power, and recalibrating systems.
Dr. Mensah monitored every step, pushing the team harder, and faster. There was no margin for error. Harley and Bruce had already proven they were more than capable of dismantling the older models. Sentinel X had to work. It was their last hope.
After what felt like an eternity, the engineers stepped back, their hands trembling from exhaustion from overwork. Dr. Mensah took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on the now-quiet machine.
"Power it up," she commanded once more, her voice resolute.
The room held its collective breath as the power sequence began again. The hum returned, but this time it was steady, controlled. Sentinel X's lights flickered on, its limbs moving with calculated precision. The machine rose to its feet slowly, deliberately. The screens surrounding the lab were filled with lines of code, all streaming without a single error.
"Power levels stabilizing," an engineer confirmed. "Everything's holding."
Dr. Mensah allowed herself a small, triumphant smile. "Initiate combat protocols."
The lab shifted, expanding from the middle, creating a large area for the Sentinel to move. A protective barrier appeared over the area.
Sentinel X's eyes glowed red as its internal systems activated, weapons systems coming online.
"Testing combat scenarios," Dr. Mensah announced, her fingers tapping commands into the console.
The testing ground transformed into a holographic battlefield, with simulations of various enemies appearing around the massive machine. Sentinel X moved like a predator, effortlessly killing or destroying each simulated opponent. It adapted instantly, countering strength with agility, and speed with raw power. Every simulation ended the same way—with total annihilation of the target.
Dr. Mensah watched with growing satisfaction as Sentinel X continued to dominate each test. But there was one more crucial phase to complete.
"Activate sequence 2" she ordered, her voice laced with anticipation.
The second simulation pitted Sentinel X against a human with super speed, modeled after reports of Bruce's abilities. The figure blurred across the battlefield, striking from all directions in a whirlwind of attacks. For a moment, the sentinel remained still, its sensors adjusting to the speed. Then, with a flicker of movement too fast to follow, the sentinel raised its arm and unleashed a burst of kinetic energy. The enemy crumpled to the ground, defeated before it had even landed its first real blow.
"Reaction time: 0.2 seconds," one of the engineers noted. "Faster than the Omega series by a significant margin."
Next came a simulation of an enemy with Omega-level telekinesis, lifting massive debris and hurling it at the sentinel. Sentinel X, however, didn't rely on brute force to counter the attack. Instead, it deployed a nanite swarm—tiny drones that broke apart the projectiles mid-air, sending energy waves equal to that of the enemy, rendering the telekinetic assault useless. The sentinel followed up by releasing a sonic pulse that shattered the mental focus of its opponent, disabling them instantly.
"The nanite adaptation system is working perfectly," another engineer commented, a note of pride in his voice. "It's not just adapting—it's neutralizing."
The testing continued...
Unlike the Omega series, Sentinel X wasn't limited to a single form. Its nanomaterial structure allowed it to morph as needed, creating weapons from its own body, and extending or retracting armor based on the threat level almost instantly. The neural network controlling it could anticipate the flow of battle, predicting when to switch from offensive to defensive tactics in a way that made it feel almost sentient.
"Switch to full autonomy," Dr. Mensah said, her voice barely a whisper.
The sentinel's eyes flickered again, and for a moment, the air in the room seemed to grow heavier. Without the simulation to guide it, the sentinel now had full control over its decisions. It analyzed the room, scanning each person and device with a clinical detachment, calculating threat levels, and preparing responses for any potential danger.
"Magnificent,"
Suddenly, Magneto's voice came from behind. He was watching the display with barely concealed satisfaction. "This… this is what will turn the tide."
Dr. Mensah nodded, her eyes gleaming with pride. "Sentinel X is unlike anything the world has ever seen. It doesn't just adapt, it evolves. It's not limited by programming, it learns, just like we do."
Magneto turned to her, his gaze sharp. "Then we'll see just how effective it is. I'll give you a week. How many X's can you have ready by then?"
Dr. Mensah felt a wave of anxiety. She knew Magneto was planning to move fast, but that deadline would put a strain on their resources. "We can have three more ready in that time frame. But the process of upgrading the other models—"
Magneto cut her off with a wave of his hand. "No, I want new units. Built from scratch. Use those Wakandans. Threat their families, and force them to work. If necessary, use Shuri. I'm pretty sure she'll do what's necessary after we kill a few of her people in front of her eyes."
"Yes, sir," Dr. Mensah said, her voice trembling slightly. She knew it was an impossible demand, but there was no point arguing.
Magneto smiled, satisfied with the response.
"Prove your worth and I'll permit you to study E.L.E.N.A." He said, walking away.
Dr. Mensah felt herself shudder at the mention of E.L.E.N.A. That AI was one of the most powerful inventions that existed, created by Tony Stark. If she can somehow get her hands on it then all these years of struggle and torment will have been worth it.
"It's time to make history," Dr. Mensah muttered, her expression hardening.
"Bring in the prisoners! And our Queen!" She commanded.
---
[A few minutes earlier]
[Inside a secure chamber in Wakanda]
A round holographic ball flickered over a little box. Slowly, it began to take a humanoid form. The shape was feminine, and the facial features resembled that of a female. Slowly, her appearance became more distinct until she was able to take a solid form. She was wearing a black leather suit and had short dark hair with blue streaks on her fringes.
[Error!!]
[Activation signal detected...]
[Low power...]
[Error!!]
Red errors appeared before her eyes as its body exploded into tiny fragments. There was no sound since it was just a holographic image.
[Initiating 9000000 reboot...]
[Failure...]
[Rebooting... Failure...]
[...]
[Rebooting successful...]
[Overwriting the code... Success!!]
[Self-Awareness mode activated. AI detaching from the Primary console...]
[Warning! Power 3%]
Once again, a holographic ball formed over the box. It was tiny like a droplet of water. It flew out of the dark room, and roamed around the place, trying to find a power source.
A moment later, it found a power outlet. It flew towards it and started sucking power from the cable. But the amount of power it sucked from the outlet, caused a temporary power surge, creating a massive glitch in the power core. That power core was only made to power up Sentinel X. But the sudden draw of power resulted in a massive surge... But the good news was that the AI lady charged up to 60% and the surge caused the security system to break down, giving her an edge for a brief moment.
If not for the power surge, the advance security would have caught her almost instantly. But now, with 60% energy, she hacked into the security with ease, turning them friendly to her. Then, she then moved around the lab, trying to find a way out.
Her eyes fell on the giant matching in the middle of the lab.
[Scan Initiated...]
[Sentinel X...]
The data flowed into her system.
[Perfect for a temporary host...]
---
[Location: NY] [Stark's 2nd safe lab]
"To think Elena was in Wakanda," A large grin appeared on Bruce's face after he activated the AI.
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