บท 25: Chapter 25: The Secret Room
Noah swiftly navigated through the corridors of the Helicarrier, taking several sharp turns along the way. Upon arriving in the infirmary lobby, he looked around. The place, aside from the S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia displayed prominently, resembled an ordinary hospital with shelves stocked full of medical equipment and supplies.
"Where's Quicksilver?" he asked briskly.
"Room 4, Bed 2. Make way! Move your feet!"
A nurse, momentarily halted by Noah's inquiry, quickly pointed the direction before pushing her medical cart and rushing off.
Following her directions, Noah soon found the room. Inside, Quicksilver lay on a medical bed, his wounds already stitched up. His eyes were shut, feigning rest, but his wrists, ankles, and neck were all bound by specialized restraints. These were no ordinary shackles—they were designed to suppress mutant abilities, ensuring Quicksilver couldn't use his super speed to escape or cause trouble.
Though killing Quicksilver was no longer necessary, S.H.I.E.L.D. clearly didn't trust him entirely and added these "precautions" for safety.
Approaching quietly, Noah patted Quicksilver's shoulder gently, a gesture of concern. Quicksilver opened his eyes and glanced at the restraints on his wrists. With a sigh, he muttered with a mix of frustration and resignation:
"This is humiliating. I get why you're doing this, but these things? They were used in mutant concentration camps. Do you even know what that feels like?"
Though his tone carried a hint of anger, his expression also conveyed understanding.
Quicksilver had regained consciousness about ten minutes ago and already learned from Wanda that he might have unwittingly become a carrier for spreading the virus. Knowing this, S.H.I.E.L.D. had considered extreme measures to contain him.
Compared to turning into a zombie or being shot in the head, his current predicament wasn't the worst outcome.
Noah met Quicksilver's gaze and responded earnestly:
"I understand this feels unfair, but we have to ensure the safety of the Helicarrier. This is just temporary. Once we resolve the crisis, you'll be free of these restraints."
"Let's hope you're right." Pietro forced a faint smile, his bitterness still lingering.
Just then, a knock came at the door. Both men turned to look as the door slowly opened, revealing two figures.
The first was Wanda, and the second was clad in a gold-and-red armored suit. Its metallic surface gleamed under the light, reflecting dazzling brilliance. The faceplate was open, revealing a face unmistakably familiar to the world:
A confident gaze, a playful grin, and a swagger in his every move—this was none other than the ultimate genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist: Iron Man.
Tony Stark first nodded in greeting to Pietro before extending his hand to Noah with an affable smile:
"So, you're the big hero Wanda and Fury keep raving about. Noah, was it?"
"Well, they might've exaggerated a bit, but yeah, that'd be me," Noah replied, shaking the armored hand briefly before pulling back. He wasn't about to press hard against cold metal.
Noticing Noah's glance lingering on the suit, Tony stroked his goatee with a smirk:
"Don't worry, this baby's delicate enough to pick up tofu without squashing it."
Wanda walked up beside Noah, her gaze warm and grateful.
"Noah, I must thank you again. You saved Pietro's life. He's my brother, and I can't imagine losing him. We owe you everything."
"Yeah, yeah, thanks a lot!" Pietro chimed in hastily, noticing Wanda's sharp glance at him. Though he found all the thanking a bit excessive, he didn't dare go against his sister.
Noah smiled, accepting their gratitude, then turned serious.
"Where's Wong? How's he doing?"
"Oh, his injury was a bit complicated. They sealed his blood vessels with magic earlier, but he's in surgery now. They're also fitting him with a prosthetic hand," Wanda explained.
"Let's hope he pulls through. By the way, Stark, Fury mentioned a meeting. Do you know what it's about?"
With small talk over, it was time to address pressing matters. While the Helicarrier provided temporary safety, the zombies below wouldn't forget about the vessel hovering above them for long.
The infected heroes, realizing the Helicarrier's role in thwarting their carnage, would undoubtedly launch an assault sooner or later. It was only a matter of time.
At Noah's question, Tony's expression shifted, all traces of his usual levity disappearing. He nodded solemnly, his faceplate snapping shut:
"Follow me."
After bidding farewell to Wanda and Pietro, Noah and Tony took an elevator to the fortieth floor, stopping at a seemingly ordinary restroom. At first, Noah assumed someone desperately needed a break. But when Tony walked straight through the wall, he realized it was a hologram. No wonder the restroom door was half a meter thick and made of alloy.
Once inside, Noah's breath caught at the sight. The secret room was far larger than he anticipated, nearly half the size of a football field. The walls were smooth and sturdy, and the bright lighting gave the space a futuristic feel.
In the center of the room stood a metallic structure resembling an incomplete archway. Its gleaming surface was intricate, a testament to advanced craftsmanship. Approaching closer, Noah noticed an inscription that made his lips twitch:
Made by Stark.
"This is the project I've been working on since the crisis began—a device combining energy conversion and spatial distortion. It's still under construction, but I believe it holds immense potential," Tony said proudly, patting the machine, the clang of metal reverberating.
"And what exactly does it do?" Noah asked, though he already had an inkling. In the original storyline, this machine was an unfinished portal device. It was discovered by an infected Reed Richards, forcing Fury to have Thor destroy it to prevent the zombie virus from spreading to other universes.
Still, Noah decided to let Tony explain it in his own way.
"A portal device! A multiverse gateway! Call it whatever you want. It can transport us to other realities, away from these zombies," Tony declared dramatically. "Of course, it's only half-finished. Banner bailed on me—he said he'd 'Hulk out' and smash things if he didn't get some sleep. Reed went to work on a cure, though let's be honest, we all know what he's really up to. That guy's planning to turn us into zombies!"
"I knew something was off when he agreed to split up so quickly," Tony continued, his faceplate retracting as he spoke animatedly. "Honestly, I never liked Reed. Genius rivalry and all that. Oh wait, he's dead now, so I guess I win. Proof he's a dimwit."
Finally, Tony turned to Noah and gave him a sly wink.
"Noah, Fury told me you can see the future. So tell me—do we make it out of this alive?"
At this distance, Noah could even spot crumbs in Tony's goatee. Sandwich? Or burger?
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