Chapter 8 (Continued): Foundations of Darkness and Hope
A few weeks later...
In the shadows of New York City, in a basement that has now been secretly cleaned and renovated, Kent stands in the middle of his team. Before him are transparent screens projecting various data: virus designs, robotic blueprints, and human genetic structures.
He is joined by three other people—a scientist known for being fired from a government project for being “too ambitious,” and an ex-DARPA AI expert.
“Welcome to the Umbrella Corporation,” Kent says solemnly. “Here, we don’t just create the technology of the future. We create the future itself.”
> [System: Nice name. Not scary at all. And of course... it doesn’t remind anyone of zombies and the end of the world, does it?]
Kent ignores it, pointing to two large pods that are now lit up at the far end of the room.
“Introducing. The Red Queen and SkyNet.”
Two artificial intelligences—one with a holographic interface of a young red-haired girl, and the other speaking only in a cold mechanical voice. The Red Queen smiled innocently.
> [Red Queen: Hello, Kent. Initializing mission protocol: Guardian and Overseer.]
> [SkyNet: Integrating primary command. Operational level 2 unlocked. Military production: Locked pending clearance.]
“The Red Queen is in charge of general corporate operations and public disguise. She also has a public face as an AI healthcare assistant for our medical products. As for SkyNet…”
Kent turned to the camera’s hologram with a red glow.
“…oversees defense infrastructure and secret experiments. She will manage our military projects, robot development, and PMC-clone forces.”
> [System: Wow, so you have a sweet, friendly kid on the surface, and her brother who likes to hack satellites and build killer robots? What a cute family combo.]
“Focus,” Kent said. “Red Queen, activate General Cloaking Protocol. I don’t want any data leaked to SHIELD or HYDRA. We’re a medical company. Period.”
> [Red Queen: Understood. All public-facing departments will operate under U.Corp — Umbrella Healthcare. Initial product lines: regenerative nanogel, adaptive exoskeleton for rehabilitation, and Baymax-model caretaker droid.]
Onscreen, a design resembling Baymax from Big Hero 6 appears. “This is our friendly face,” Kent says. “It’s commercially available. It looks cute. But its internal sensors can detect illegal biological materials, and the unit can be remotely controlled in an emergency.”
> [System: Jason Bourne’s version of Baymax. Cute.]
SkyNet chimes in.
> [SkyNet: Hidden facilities 2% completed. Cloning chamber: Calibrating. Combat drone assembly line: awaiting core AI.]
Kent nods in satisfaction. “We’re still early. But it’s enough for basic defense. Now—next focus: protecting my parents.”
Red Queen displayed a map of Howard and Maria Stark’s home.
> [Red Queen: Establishing high-level surveillance protocols. Civilian infiltration unit dispatched for social integration. Two human-faced assistant androids dispatched to Stark’s home as new housekeepers and chauffeurs. They are directly connected to me.]
> [SkyNet: If a threat is detected, activate perimeter protection and auto-evacuate using underground vehicles.]
> [System: Your style… Kent Bond 007 meets Elon Musk meets Resident Evil.]
Kent walked slowly to the old window, watching the sun set over the New York skyline.
“All this… to protect them. Before the world finds out what’s really being built in the shadows.”
> [System: And you’re only 17. If this were a Japanese novel, you’d be titled ‘God of Technological Apocalypse’ in your first year of high school.]
Kent just laughed.
“And we haven’t even started making the virus yet.”
> [System: Oh great. Time to make the world regret underestimating a young man in a hoodie.]