บท 150: Visitor
"The facial recognition program is finished."
As Friday's voice echoed softly in Charlie's earpiece, his eyes flickered to the side of his screen where a series of photos and brief introductions materialized. The detective mode function had identified their target.
"The target is identified as Larry Wade, an agent of The Ninth Special Service Division, and one of the candidates for the 'Ultimate Power' project, the Phantom Driver..."
"I remember," Charlie cut her off, his fingers drumming on the console. "You showed me this morning. My memory isn't that bad."
The Ultimate Power file displayed earlier that day had provided crucial details: Larry Wade was the second agent, after Fana, to master the mysterious power of the Phantom. But Professor Miyazaki's personal evaluation noted something curious—Larry had received a slightly higher grade than Fana. Why? Charlie couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to Larry than just skill in combat. The phrase "extremely dangerous" etched in the file played on his mind. Maybe that danger wasn't limited to his physical abilities.
Larry was now approaching. His steps were steady, casual, as though the chaos surrounding them meant nothing. He waved toward Batman, his manner enthusiastic, almost too friendly for the grim setting. Charlie, hidden behind the Batman disguise, felt the tension building in his chest. Communicating wasn't his strong suit. Under pressure, he often found himself stammering or mumbling, and in a situation like this, his game-geek persona was at risk of being exposed.
But he wasn't alone. Friday, always the omnipotent problem-solver, had prepared a pre-written script for him, her words flashing across the screen in front of him like a teleprompter. All he had to do was read. His heart raced as he uttered the lines she had crafted.
Normally, he would have worried about his tone of voice betraying his nerves, but this time, there was no need. Batman's voice, low and commanding, emerged automatically. His facial expressions matched the words perfectly, all part of the master detective's toolkit—another skill Batman had mastered.
Under Friday's guidance, Charlie explained the scenario in brief: Snake, as part of the advance team, had ventured to retrieve critical evidence lost by their boss. But things went awry—the tomb cracked, teammates disappeared, and morale had crumbled.
Larry laughed, a loud, hearty sound that contrasted starkly with their bleak surroundings. He grabbed Batman's hand, shaking it firmly. "What a coincidence! I got lost, too," he said with a wide grin.
Charlie managed a weak smile behind the Batman mask. Something about Larry's carefree attitude in this situation unsettled him. As the two began walking side by side, Charlie noticed there were no other teammates near their landing point. It seemed they were alone, at least for now. Without much discussion, the two formed a temporary alliance and began exploring the ruins around them. The air felt heavy, almost oppressive, as if the very walls were closing in.
Instrument readings had previously indicated that the underground structure was stable, with no signs of a large-scale collapse. Yet something didn't add up. The ground beneath them seemed too solid, too calculated in its formation. It wasn't the typical aftermath of a structural failure. As Sonar had mentioned before, the entire place felt...alive. It was as though the ruins had merely been sleeping, waiting for an intruder to awaken it. Now, it was awake.
If this had been an ordinary archaeological expedition or tomb robbery, the team would have likely called it a day after what had just occurred. But Charlie's team wasn't ordinary. Every agent here was more than human, equipped with enhanced abilities and advanced gear. Their protective suits were built for resilience. As long as no one sustained a critical injury, the team's bodies could heal quickly, allowing them to push through.
"Did you find anyone else?" Charlie asked, his voice low as he trailed slightly behind Larry, letting Batman's cautious demeanor match his own apprehension.
"Sorry, sir," Friday responded, her voice calm despite the circumstances. "I'm still unable to locate any signals. There seems to be something underground generating interference, blocking communication channels. However, I was able to retrieve some sonar data before we lost connection. Based on the analysis, I've created a partial model of the ruins."
"Go on," Charlie said, keeping his eyes trained on the path ahead.
"The data is limited, but the structure is unlike any human design I've seen. Rooms and platforms are scattered vertically and horizontally, resembling gears in a clock. Each room functions independently, yet they're all interconnected. The space may extend far deeper than expected."
Charlie frowned, his mind racing to picture what Friday was describing. "So, it's like...a giant clock?"
"Or," Friday offered, "you can imagine it like your Iron Man armor, the MK5. In its suitcase form, it's compact, but once activated, it transforms into full armor. Each part of the suitcase represents a room in this building. When the transformation happens, we're like tiny bugs caught in the mechanism."
Charlie nodded slowly, the analogy starting to make sense. If Friday's theory was correct, then the ruins weren't just static—they were capable of shifting and evolving.
Rather than an enlarged MK5 armor, Charlie's mind drifted to another image. He pictured the massive transforming fortress from Transformers, a city that could morph into a towering robot. Except here, they weren't on the outside looking in. They were trapped inside the mechanisms.
"What was your name again?" Larry asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
"Snake," Charlie replied after unmuting the mic.
"Oh, you look pretty young. A newcomer?" Larry laughed again, his voice friendly, as though they weren't standing in the middle of an ancient ruin with potential danger lurking behind every corner.
Charlie forced a chuckle. "Yeah."
"The assessment for the action team is tough, isn't it?" Larry continued, his tone casual, as if they were having a coffee chat.
"Yes," Charlie replied, his words brief.
Larry seemed to sense his hesitation, so he continued talking, perhaps to ease the tension. "Man, when I took the assessment, the fighting part was easy. But guns? Man, I was terrible at that. I thought about quitting halfway through, but I pushed through. Then, after I joined, I realized it wasn't as glamorous as it seemed. Sure, the money's great, but running around the world, day in and day out? It gets exhausting. It's like a siege…"
"A siege?" Charlie echoed.
"Yeah, you know what I mean," Larry said, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "People outside a siege want to get in, and the people inside just want to get out."
Charlie blinked, bewildered. "Uh, sure…"
Larry's laughter echoed through the ruins, and for a moment, Charlie felt like he was dealing with a madman rather than an elite agent. But Friday's voice pulled him back to reality. "Sir, I have to remind you that you have visitors approaching."
But, without needing her reminder, Charlie had already switched on detective mode. The scans revealed a figure lurking in the shadows, moving behind a wall. The outline was twisted and unnatural, the limbs unnervingly long, the bones jutting out at odd angles.
Charlie's breath caught in his throat as he saw the figure. It wasn't walking. It was crawling. The grotesque creature had four elongated limbs pressed against the ground, moving at an unnaturally fast speed, like a predator stalking its prey.
Charlie gripped the controls, his heart pounding as the tension mounted.
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