Chapter 10: Protocol
Sentinel Gear X Maintenance Hangar
5 Hours to Deadline
Solid Spider had made his way forward into the hangar prepared for anything… except for what his eye now beheld. Looking up at the bipedal behemoth before him Spider finally grasped exactly how deep underground he was. In his life he had faced two different models of Sentinel Gear. Genosha had mass produced and painted their model TX-55 though they looked ungainly with all the armaments where the arms on a human would be. Two years later the Wakandaland borders were defended by the more upgraded model-D type of Sentinel Gear. Though smaller than its predecessors it also possessed an almost comical klutzy nature as they lumbered around. What stood before Solid Spider chilled his blood to match the temperature outside. This Sentinel Gear model had been designed to resemble a giant human being complete with arms and legs. Its chest area was connected many stories up to a platform which led to the cockpit area. The unit itself was a hodgepodge of metal plates welded together. Spider thought it was to keep the armaments concealed prior to deployment. A Codec call brought him back to reality.
"So what do you think of X?" Miggy asked.
"You designed it to look almost… human!"
"Well yeah." He sounded hurt. "I wanted it to stand out from the previous models! I also kind of considered it an homage to all the Anime's and cartoons I watched as a kid!"
"Hey. Fanboy! Focus! This thing can launch nuclear weapons, remember?"
"Oh right." Spider swore he heard Lyla Kravenoff say something disapproving in Russian.
"I'm a little unnerved. There's no one here! No guards, no one patrolling. It's almost… too quiet!"
"Perhaps they are ready? They did say they had input both PAL codes." Lyla replied chillingly matter-of-fact like. Miggy spoke again. "That reminds me… the reason I called. I finally accessed President Osborn's confidential Sentinel Gear file."
"So you know about the override he was talking about?"
Miggy hesitated. "Well… no…"
"That's what I need to know!"
"But Spidey I found something else! The secret behind the new nuclear weapon!"
"What is it?"
"The missile is designed to be like a bullet from a gun. Rather than rely on normal propulsion it's designed to be fired from the forearm rail gun. Since it doesn't use fuel it isn't considered a missile thus getting around all kinds of international treaties!"
"Huh. Sneaky and effective!"
"Oh that's not even the scariest thing about this thing!"
"Can't wait to hear this…" Spider grumbled.
"It's a stealth weapon!"
"Oh you're joking!"
"I wish. They've been trying to develop a stealth missile since the 70's. But due to propulsion they couldn't make it work. Now thanks to my advancements with the Optic cammo BOTH the nuke and Sentinel are invisible to the naked eye AND radar!"
"The ultimate weapon eh, Colonel? Are you listening?"
"Yes. I'm listening." Colonel J. Jonah Jameson replied.
"If word of this leaked not only would it delay the signing of the START 3 treaty, but would cause an international incident!"
"True!" Miggy replied. "The United States would be denounced by the U.N., it could even bring the President down!"
"And you knew about this all along… didn't you!"
At first Jameson did not reply he then said "I won't make any excuses!"
"You've changed, Colonel!"
The call grew silent until Miguel spoke once more. "This weapon has never been tested outside of a virtual environment!"
"You mean they only conducted a computer model?" Spider asked.
"Exactly! They were conducting this exercise to get actual data to back up the simulation!"
"So what were the results?"
"It looks as though it went better than they'd hope for however the data isn't anywhere on this network! I've scoured this thing."
The disc Harry gave me! Spider realized as he began to rummage through his supplies for the disc he received.
"You won't find it Spider." Lyla replied.
"What! Why?"
"Think back. You know why."
Spider thought back a few hours and then it hit him.
"He took it. Ocelot took the disc, didn't he?"
"Da, Spider. Well done. I saw him pocket something out of the corner of my eye before I left. That must've been it."
"Damn!" Jameson growled.
Miggy continued "The terrorists have managed to replace the dummy warhead with an actual nuclear warhead. If they've input the detonation codes they should be ready to launch."
"Will it work Shade?"
"Well Solid the dummy was designed to be identical to the real deal so I think so."
"Anything about the override?"
"Not yet. I think it may be in a separate file. Am currently looking through all of Osborn's files!"
"Keep at it. We're counting on you." Spider then ended the call. With a deep breath in and an exhale Spider fired a line of webbing from his web shooter and began to web sling around the legs and further up around the knees of Sentinel and then further up to the waist.
After a few moments web slinging Spider was now clinging to the underside of the cockpit entry catwalk of Sentinel Gear. Climbing slowly he could begin to hear voices. He moved slowly to get a better view and sure enough he saw the source. In the control room was none other than the black masked Liquid Spider and Shocker Ocelot wearing a new long duster jacket to make up for his damaged suit. Huh. Guess he survived the crash of the Hind. Spider thought.
After a few moments of hearing typing Spider heard Ocelot's voice. "I've input the detonation codes and disengaged the safety device. We're ready to launch at anytime." "Since we've no response from Washington it's time to make our presence known." The voice of Liquid replied.
"Shall I target Chernoton, Russia?"
"Not exactly the target I had in mind. No we'll be launching on Lopnor, China."
"Why China Boss?"
"Simple. I'm sure you and your comrade Hammerhead would not approve of a nuclear bomb detonated on your motherland. Instead we'll be targeting a nuclear test site!"
Spider moved slowly to get a better view of the duo to see Ocelot tilt his head. "Map doesn't show anything being there."
"Exactly! If we were to nuke a major population area the game is over… but a nuclear explosion at a classified nuclear test site can be concealed from the public. This will make Washington worry over a retaliatory strike from China, which leads to talks between the nation's leaders. Thereby forcing the President to divulge the existence of this new destabilizing nuclear weapon to the Chinese. Imagine what the reputation of the United States would be thing? Let alone the President!"
Ocelot nodded. "And with the CTBT China and India… I see."
"Once other countries have heard of this new nuclear weapon everyone will be clambering for it! Washington will be less than thrilled when we start the bidding of their new nuclear weapons system." Spider saw Liquid clench his black gloved fist tight. "Oh yes. The President WILL break! He will accede to our demands!"
"The Mighty Tarantula's remains and one billion dollars…" Ocelot mused aloud.
One billion dollars? Spider thought. The man must be certifiable! Slowly Spider maneuvered himself from under the walkway around the cockpit and on top of the control room to the point where he could peek in through the open door.
"That money will be used to cure the Next Gen soldier's mutations. I also made a point of adding the Successor deactivation code to our list of demands." Deactivation code? Now what is he talking about? "Successor? It killed Urich and Osborn. It didn't seem to affect any of the other members of the Sinister Six either."
"Perhaps but better safe than dead. Any chance you've heard from Comrade Colonel Joseph Gurlukovich?"
The name struck a chord with Spider giving him an epiphany. Gurlukovich? The Spetznaz Colonel. They call him Hammerhead if memory serves. There's the connection with the Hind D!
"He said he still has his doubts about Sentinel Gear and that we'll talk after a successful launch."
Liquid laughed. "Oh he's a prudent one! I see no problem considering the Colonel wants this new nuclear weapon system so bad he can taste it."
"If Russia wants to gain first strike capability over the other nations of the world Sentinel Gear will provide us with just that!"
"Their regular army is in shambles and they think they can restore their nation's military might with nuclear weapons? Gurlukovich is no warrior, he's a POLITICIAN!"
"Say what you will boss but he did give us the Hind along with the bulk of our heavy firepower."
Spider heard steps being taken then Liquid spoke again.
"He did, didn't he? I've given it some thought. If we joined forces we could put up quite a resistance here it'd also serve as a boost of our men's morale!"
"What are you saying, boss?"
"We're not going anywhere. We're going to dig in here!"
"But we can still escape…"
"You must be joking! We've got the most powerful weapon ever made and we're about to ally ourselves with Gurlukovich's foces!"
"You planning on taking on the entire world?"
A chuckle of derision and then Liquid spoke. "What's wrong with that? We can launch an invisible nuclear weapon on any target on this planet… an invisible weapon and platform that can't be seen by any radar… and this base is stocked full of nuclear warheads! Once we have the DNA and the money… the world will be ours!"
"What of your promise to Comrade Hammerhead?"
"I have no interest in the revival of Mother Russia!"
"What are you thinking?"
Another burst of laughter and Liquid replied evenly. "From this moment forward let this place be called NEW GENOSHA!"
Genosha? Sinister's former base! Spider thought.
"Boss aren't you worried about the PAL being overridden?"
"Not really. Urich and Osborn are both dead. What of my brother? You interrogated him. Does the Solid Spider know how the override works?"
"He didn't say anything and he didn't have anything on him."
"Good. Nothing can stop Sentinel Gear now."
"Incidentally boss what should we do with the woman?"
After a few moments thought Liquid replied. "We allow her to live… for now. She's Jameson's niece and Spider cares for her. For now she's our ace-in-the-hole!" Lyla called it right. MJ is alive! Spider's Codec then beeped.
"Spidey I did it! I've got Osborn's top secret files!"
"Great job!"
"How are things going there?"
"Oh you know the usual… insane ranting, cruel henchman, world on the cusp of Armageddon and only a handful of people willing to stop it. You know… Tuesday!"
"Okay been going over the files and something is inconsistent. It doesn't say anything about an override. But it does mention a safety protocol in the event X is compromised."
"What protocol?"
"Well in the event X is about to fall into the wrong hands a security protocol can be activated."
"By any chance did they initiate the protocol during the uprising?"
"Wish I knew!"
"You mentioned that this Sentinel Gear operates using an interactive system that mimics the pilots movements, right?"
"Yeah but what bothers me is we don't know where the suit is or what these protocols are! I'm almost there now! Make sure nothing happens to that disc!" The Codec call ended before Spider could object.
What happened next was inexplicable to Spider for the disc itself seemed to come alive within the pouch it resided it. First it began to vibrate but after a few moments it began to emit a tone. Sentinel Gear X itself echoed the tone throughout the hangar.
"PROXIMITY PROTOCOL VERIFIED. AWAITING SECONDARY PROTOCOL ACQUISITION." A loud feminine voice boomed.
Spider rolled away from the entrance but the damage had been done. "Welcome Spider! Thank you for finally fulfilling our plan for you!" Spider stood knowing full well there was no point in concealing himself at this point. He looked down into the face of Liquid Spider. He no longer wore his black mask, gloves or jacket. In fact he stood bare-chested in front of the entrance to the Sentinel gear cockpit. "Now if you'd be so kind hand over that disc!" Spider scoffed. "You must be insane! There is no way in hell I am handing this over to you!" "Perhaps your computer hacker friend told you a little about the emergency protocols, however since we were fully briefed allow me to enlighten you: Once Sentinel is locked down by the security protocols no one may be able to access or activate the unit without fulfilling two requirements. The first as you just heard was proximity to the device itself. The second is the input of the disc to deactivate the security lockout. However there is a time limit. If the disc is not inserted within two minutes of the proximity protocol going active the unit will self-destruct. I should probably mention this Sentinel Gear is nuclear powered. If that card is not inserted in the next minute-and-a-half then we're standing at ground zero at of nuclear fallout that could accelerate the melting of the ice caps even further!" "Maybe. But there'd be one less maniac with his finger on a nuclear button!" Spider countered. "Ahh. But can you do that? Can you sacrifice yourself and your comrades for the safety of the world? Especially when you know for a fact you could be dooming the world in the process? I think not!" Liquid laughed.
"SECONDARY PROTOCOL ACQUISTION TIME REMAINING: ONE MINUTE AND COUNTING." The female voice boomed.
"Benjamin Franklin once said my dear brother: 'You delay, time will not!'" Though he hated the untenable situation he now found himself he knew there were no options to weigh. The fallout would kill Liquid but also kill Mary Jane, Miguel O'Hara, and Lyla Kravenoff as well. Without another thought he took the disc out of his pouch and threw it towards the walkway. Liquid moved just as quickly to intercept it as Spider jumped from the roof of the control room and fire a web line to swing away. Ocelot attempted to fire electric blasts after him only to miss thanks to his spider sense.
Spider landed at ground level at the giant feet of Sentinel Gear X. Out of nowhere the Shade Spider also appeared. Before they could exchange words the female voice spoke again.
"SECONDARY PROTOCAL ACQUIRED. SYSTEMS INITIATED. THREE MINUTES UNTIL FULL ACTIVATION."
"What the hell happened?" Miggy asked. "Short version? Just by me having the disc and being near Sentinel Gear it activated partially. If I hadn't given Liquid the disc we all would be dead due to nuclear explosion." Before O'Hara could reply the ground beneath them began to move. "Oooh shock! The elevator is moving. We're heading straight to the surface! Once there we won't be able to stop it!" "Then we keep it in here! Let's move!" The spider-men moved quickly up to make their way onto the platform. Liquid meanwhile stood in the cockpit area as lights began to activate within the machine. Solid Spider now on a nearby catwalk stopped to use his lenses binocular function to see the black substance begin to ooze from a compartment above Liquid covering him completely. "It's the connection suit. It's beginning to attach to Liquid." "We still have time. It'll take the symbiote some time to bond with its new host." Solid Spider fired a web line and began to swing towards the cockpit. As he swung he pulled a sonic grenade out of his pouch and was about to pull the pin and throw it when the door slammed shut in front of him sealing the door tight. Spider then saw two red led lights activate in the head of Sentinel Gear X. He also observed the hands begin to flex as the symbiote suit continued to adapt to its pilot host.
"REJOICE GENTLEMEN! YOURS WILL BE THE FIRST BLOOD SPILT BY THE GLORIOUS NEW WEAPON! CONSIDER IT AN HONOR OR A GIFT FROM YOUR BROTHER!" "You're no brother of mine!" Miggy countered. "Why do you insist on calling me brother?" Solid Spider asked. "BECAUSE WE ARE! OUR GENETIC CODE IS IDENTICAL! BUT WE'RE NO ORDINARY TWINS! WE ARE LINKED BY CURSED GENES! A LINK I INTEND TO SEVER!" Liquid's voice was booming from the speakers provided through the area where on a human a mouth would be. Its red LED eyes seemed to begin to mimic the same look Liquid would have given them. It looked as if he was attempting to make the unit move but the calibration must not have been completed. Instead several compartments opened revealing hidden weaponry. The shoulders contained missile pods, the left arm had six Gatling turrets, while the right revealed the miniature rail gun, and finally the upper chest area revealed more missiles. Without hesitation Sentinel Gear X erupted into a cacophony of warfare targeted at the operative and the scientist.
Both men had made it onto the moving platform and took cover behind nearby metal containers as explosions began to erupt around them. "Okay Miggy you're on. How do we stop this thing?" After some thought O'Hara began to explain. "With the weapons we have we can't breach X's armor. It was designed using the latest in compound armor. We'd need an anti-tank round to at least make a dent!" "Okay. What're our options?" "Well the interface system creates a virtual environment for the pilot so we'd need to disrupt the sensor arrays. Only one problem though… they're in the head." "Okay. What happens once the sensors are knocked out?" "The cockpit door will open. He'll still be able to control it using the interactive suit but he'll be using his own eyes." "All right. You ready?" Miggy nodded and without another word the two Spiders leapt from cover heading in two different directions.