"Uh... FBI?" Liam feigned ignorand asked.

  "Yes. He spoke highly of you, so we had to e and see what this is all about. We've already looked through your patent. The gover would like to i in you," Rumlow said.

  "You mean Hydra," Liam thought to himself but didn't say aloud. It was fine if SHIELD ied in his pany, but he would o ehe tracts wouldn't e back to bite him once Hydra was taken down.

  Even though Liam wasn't thrilled about SHIELD showing i in his tech, there was nothing he could do. Remaining professional, he gave Rumlow a rundown of his iion.

  "So your code is what's important for the whole device. Did I get that right?" Rumlow asked. Liam wasn't surprised that Rumlow knew what was truly essential. One could easily make a sonar device, but processing the information and projeg it was the challenging part.

  "Yes," Liam admitted.

  "The authorities will get in touch with you soo yourself a wyer," Rumlow said after iing the setup.

  "Dude, he was jacked," Chris ented, noting Rumlow's visible biceps and abdominal muscles through his tight-fitting shirt. Liam only smiled, knowing he was almost as fit—though not as bulky. Liam was more on the leaner side now, thanks to the new game.

  The Sce Expo sted over four hours. By the time they returo their hotel, it was evening. Though exhausted, they were overjoyed. Numerous people had promised iments and taken their tact details.

  They would sooablishing a pany and couldn't wait to be rich. Chris and Boer vinced Liam to celebrate with a small party at a local pizza shop. By the time they returo their rooms, both of them crashed onto their beds, leaving Liam awake.

  "Take me to Er Debs Park."

  "Eh, so te? You won't find a taxi back at this hour," the taxi driver said.

  "You don't have to worry. I have a friend waiting for me there," Liam replied. He had ventured out te at night to catch a taxi.

  "Okay," the driver said, deg not to pry. It was LA, after all, and asking too many questions could be unwise. In about half an hour, the taxi reached the destination. The park, located oskirts of LA, ur tourist attra.

  But at night, the entrance was closed.

  "Are you sure you won't need a ride back?" the taxi driver asked, noting Liam's generous tip.

  "No. You should head back. This pce isn't safe," Liam reminded him.

  "Where does this teenage kid get the audacity to say such big words to me?" the taxi driver thought but kept his thoughts to himself.

  It was easy for Liam to sneak into the park, as he was now wearing his pilot suit. Though BT wasn't with him, he was capable enough to hahings alohanks to the new game world he had been thrust into.

  "I should have brought a sword. My hands feel empty," Liam thought as he found an open area suitable for his operation. It was te at night, and the elevation allowed a clear view of the glowing city below. The stars shone brightly in the clear sky, away from the light pollution.

  But Liam didn't have time for stargazing. He proceeded to summon his first ally.

  A hor—a sleek, angur aerial craft with twin rotors on its sides resembling butterfly wings. Its fusege, painted in muted tones of iron and shadow, was equipped with rapid-fire ons along its underbelly and missile pods tucked beh its sharp wings. The Hor was both hunter and harbinger.

  Liam climbed into the cockpit.

  "I'm home."

  He started the engine, and thanks to its VTOL capabilities, the pook off. Within seds, it picked up speed. Fortunately, the system allowed him to refill the fuel tank oored in his personal space; otherwise, refueling would have been a hassle.

  His destination was far, so he asded high into the sky. It took him two hours to reach his target.

  Gulmira, Afghanistan.

  The same pce where Yiony's ally, had been held captive and where Iron Man first debuted. Liam didn't nd the pne directly in Gulmira. Instead, he hovered mid-air and jumped out of the cockpit. Wearing his pilot suit, he easily nded using its thrusters.

  He nded oskirts of the town, where no one from the devastated area could see him. The location was surrounded by hills, making it easy to stay hidden. After nding, he proceeded to summon BT.

  "Hello, BT."

  [Hello, Liam. It's o meet you.]

  "o meet you too. Do you have any previous memories of me?" Liam asked. This was the first time he had summo, so he o uand its programming.

  [ive, Liam.]

  "Hmm. What is your mission?"

  [My first mission is your safety and support in times of need. My sed objective is to safeguard humanity.]

  "What if I want to end humanity?"

  [Then I will prioritize your safety and security. The first objective will always take prece.]

  "Good. Stay here. I'm going to infiltrate the town. By the way, you speak all human nguages?"

  [Yes, I am well-versed in all human nguages.]

  "Perfect. Stay put. I'll be back soon."

  The first rays of dawn peeked over the rugged hills, casting long shadows across the dipidated town of Gulmira. The pce was a shell of its former self, with crumbled buildings and burnt-out vehicles scattered throughout. It was a town that had fallen to a band of militants— The Ten Rings.

  From his cealed position on a ridge outside the town, Liam watched through the enhanced optics of his Pilot suit. The HUD highlighted movement patterns: armed men patrolling in sporadic shifts, some half-asleep and others carelessly chatting. These weren't trained soldiers but opportunistic thugs who had taken advantage of chaos.

  Liam's target was the leader of this group—a man holed up in what remained of the town's administrative building.