"If nothing unexpected happens, the product will go on sale at midnight tonight."
The quiet announcement had nothing to do with the chaos that had just occurred in the parking lot. It was merely a faint reminder of how ordinary the world still seemed, even as extraordinary events unfolded.
Ryan Cross, however, had no interest in that trivial matter.
His attention remained fixed on the Jeep in front of him.
"Ryan, are you certain?"
Howard Stark stared at him with intense excitement. His eyes sparkled as he waited for confirmation, almost as if he were a child about to unwrap a long-awaited gift.
"Yes," Ryan said firmly.
"I'm certain."
"YES!"
Howard clenched his fist in triumph.
Ever since Ryan had first discovered the mechanical lifeform, S.H.I.E.L.D. had invested enormous resources into investigating it. Countless personnel, funding, and research hours had gone into understanding the mysterious entity they called UB6.
And now, finally, there was real progress.
They had found another one.
"Mr. Stark," Ryan said thoughtfully, "I don't know if it's too late to ask this… but how much do you actually know about UB6's combat strength?"
Ryan's question was deliberate.
The last time he handed over evidence, it had been the corpse of a Decepticon. And from what he had observed during his stay at the hotel, S.H.I.E.L.D. had never encountered a living one.
Which meant they had never witnessed its true capabilities.
Ryan wasn't convinced they fully understood what they were dealing with.
"Ryan, are you underestimating us?"
Howard looked slightly offended.
"The UB6 research project is led by Arnim. We've already achieved remarkable progress!"
He waved his hand dismissively.
"Oh, right. Arnim is the one you met before when you nearly blew up half the facility during your last visit."
"He's the bureau's chief researcher. After me, he's the most brilliant scientist we have."
Arnim.
Ryan immediately knew who Howard was referring to.
Arnim Zola.
Ryan nearly rolled his eyes.
Zola was one of Hydra's most loyal servants. Loyal in life, loyal even after death. If Hydra ever held an employee-of-the-century award, Zola would win it by a landslide.
Hearing Howard praise him so confidently was almost painful.
"Mr. Stark," Ryan said slowly, raising an eyebrow, "you seem to trust this Arnim quite a lot."
"Of course I do."
Howard looked puzzled.
"But Ryan, you sound like you're implying something."
Ryan shrugged slightly.
"Just a personal impression. From what I've observed, that Arnim fellow looks like the type who might betray people."
"Betray?" Howard frowned.
"I don't follow."
Ryan waved vaguely.
"Call it intuition. His face gives off the kind of vibe that says he'd sell out his own side."
Howard burst out laughing.
"Ryan, maybe he's not as handsome as I am, but you can't judge a man based on his face."
He shook his head with amusement.
"I know you mean well, but you're overthinking things."
Ryan didn't argue further.
He had said enough.
If Howard believed him, good. If he didn't, there was no point pushing it.
"Alright," Howard said after a moment. "Since we've confirmed UB6, it's time we speak with General Ross."
He patted Ryan's shoulder and started walking back toward the hall.
"Stark?"
A voice suddenly interrupted them.
Both of them turned.
A tall, stern-looking middle-aged man stood in the nearby corridor. His expression was serious as he frowned at Howard.
Beside him stood a younger man in a suit who looked like a bodyguard or assistant.
Ryan glanced at the older man carefully.
The strong jawline, the sharp gaze, and the rigid military posture made the identity obvious.
General Ross.
"Sorry, Stark," Ross said coldly, "but why are you standing in front of my car?"
His eyes narrowed.
"Are you investigating me?"
He walked toward them with heavy steps, his tone clearly displeased.
Howard instantly looked a bit uncomfortable.
"General Ross, please don't misunderstand," he said quickly. "I can explain everything."
"You'd better," Ross replied sharply.
"The last time someone tampered with my vehicle, it was one of your people too."
He folded his arms.
"Are you suspecting something is hidden in my car?"
"General Ross, it's truly a misunderstanding," Howard insisted.
"Could we speak privately for a moment?"
Ross stared at him for a few seconds.
"You have three minutes."
"That's more than enough," Howard said immediately.
He gestured politely and led Ross a short distance away to a quieter corner of the parking lot.
Once there, he began explaining everything in a lowered voice.
He told Ross about the mechanical lifeforms.
About the Decepticons.
About their ability to transform.
To someone unfamiliar with the subject, the explanation sounded completely insane.
Ross's reaction was immediate.
"Ridiculous!"
He looked furious.
"You're telling me my car is alive?"
"You're saying it can transform into some giant robot?"
Ross stormed back toward the Jeep and pointed at it.
"Stark, you're supposed to be a scientist! Listen to what you're saying!"
"My thirteen-year-old son wouldn't come up with something this absurd!"
Howard panicked.
"General Ross, please keep your voice down," he whispered urgently.
"It might hear you."
According to Ryan's intelligence, mechanical lifeforms were fully sentient and capable of understanding human language. That was why Howard had used coded terms earlier instead of saying "robot" outright.
Ross snorted.
"Oh really? It can hear me?"
He crossed his arms and looked at the Jeep.
"Wonderful."
Then he spoke loudly.
"If you can hear me, why don't you transform right now and show us?"
Crack.
Crack.
The sound of heavy metal grinding suddenly filled the air.
Everyone froze.
The Jeep began to move.
Panels split apart.
Mechanical components slid and rotated with terrifying precision. The vehicle's structure shifted like waves of metal, parts rearranging themselves in a dizzying cascade of motion.
Within seconds, the familiar Jeep shape was gone.
In its place stood a massive robot nearly seven meters tall.
"God…"
"Jesus Christ…"
General Ross stood frozen, staring upward like a man who had just seen a ghost.
His earlier anger vanished completely.
All that remained was shock.
Even Howard Stark was stunned.
He had previously seen the corpse of a Decepticon, but he had never witnessed one transform in front of him.
The sheer visual impact was overwhelming.
For a moment, even the brilliant inventor couldn't say a word.
.....
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