Chapter 304: Compound No. 5 - Terminator Universe?
Boom! Boom!
Several drones exploded under Alan's blue laser beams, falling from the sky in balls of fire.
This unexpected turn of events immediately attracted the attention of the metallic skeletons attacking AECS and David, along with the T-shaped turret tanks. The machine army reacted without hesitation, diverting units to deal with Alan, who had decimated their aerial forces.
Ratatat! Pew! Pew!
Rotating machine guns wielded by the metal skeletons and energy projectiles from the tanks bombarded Alan's position.
At that moment…
Ting—Ting!
The distinctive noise of the Gauss cannon echoed amidst the machine gun fire. Under Xiao Qiang's orders, a Falcon assault craft had begun an aerial bombardment on the tanks and larger machine units. Its 20mm Gauss nails were potent enough to pierce and shred any armor lacking an energy shield.
Taking advantage of the temporary opening, six AECS members, along with David, Lucy, and Synthetic Unit #7, unleashed a volley of fire on the metal skeletons, who seemed momentarily disoriented.
Most strikingly, Alan emerged from the cloud of smoke and continued firing high-energy blue lasers at the machines surrounding the abandoned school, seemingly unscathed by the assault. His bulletproof combat suit and gear, however, were shredded beyond further use. His skin and face bore faint bruises, evidence of the intense barrage he had endured.
Alan's apparent resilience and his use of "laser eyes" bore a striking resemblance to bio-weaponized supersoldiers. This wasn't coincidental but rather the result of the company's recent breakthroughs. After Atlas dissolved Vought International and absorbed Jonah Vogelbaum, the specialist behind Vought's Compound V, they began developing a version of Compound No. 5 tailored to Atlas's operatives' unique physiology.
Each investigator had previously received an injection of costly nanobots that inscribed additional genetic information onto their 24th chromosome pair, enhancing physical capabilities. Atlas aimed to harness Vogelbaum's research on the supersoldiers, using nanotechnology to craft a "customizable" version of Compound No. 5, eliminating the random nature of superpower acquisition.
Thus, the new Compound No. 5 wasn't merely a liquid serum but a suspension of nanobots in a fluid medium, ensuring even distribution. After injection, the one-use nanobots temporarily rewrote specific genetic data, allowing abilities such as Alan's enhanced durability and laser vision.
Atlas could produce the compound in limited quantities, thanks to Angela Ziegler Cage, head of the Nanotechnology and Genetics division, who had streamlined production costs. Though not feasible for all armed units, Compound No. 5 was available to the ten thousand-plus investigators. Plans were underway to upgrade Atlas's elite ARS (Rapid Response Squad), once the Empire was established, utilizing a second enhancement serum known as Inquisitor's Serum, which was more affordable and readily available.
Nonetheless, despite Compound No. 5's temporary enhancements, Atlas's operatives were not as powerful as supersoldiers. If they were, Atlas would not have needed to continue developing the super soldier program. Compound No. 5 had stringent usage limitations and caused permanent physical damage. Unmodified humans who injected it faced near-certain death or severe injury.
With these enhancements, Alan made his way to the besieged school, systematically wiping out hundreds of metal skeletons with his laser vision. Even the fast-moving spider-like robots and the T-turret tanks targeting him couldn't overcome his enhanced reflexes and durability, enabling him to either dodge or withstand attacks. In this state, Alan resembled a grounded, low-powered version of the supersoldiers.
Within moments, he had single-handedly eliminated all machines assaulting the school. From behind broken windows and cracks in the walls, the few remaining members of Squad 13 watched in astonishment as Alan fought.
One middle-aged soldier pinched his cheek, murmuring in disbelief, "Is he even human? He looks just like a superhero out of a comic book."
"Comics? Superheroes?" asked a young soldier, confused by the older man's reaction, unfamiliar with comics or superheroes.
"That was entertainment from before Judgment Day," replied the older soldier, his gaze somber.
When they saw Alan approaching the school, they immediately tensed up, raising their guns. Despite his help, Alan's extraordinary abilities filled them with dread. For all they knew, he could be Skynet's latest infiltrator—a terminator in disguise. The Resistance had been duped by Skynet many times, most recently resulting in the total destruction of their hidden command base in the ocean. Alan's superhuman display only deepened their trauma.
Alan stopped at the school's entrance, using his "x-ray vision" to confirm only Resistance members and over a hundred children were inside. He gave a thumbs-up in the middle-aged soldier's direction before sprinting away.
Soon after…
Zap—pew!
Alan's blue laser beams flashed again in the southern outskirts of Bakersfield. The explosions and sounds of destruction followed as he continued to eliminate any remaining machines threatening the Resistance. He seemed intent on using his limited time to clear all threats in the area.
In short order, Bakersfield fell silent; gunfire and explosions ceased.
Meanwhile, David, watching from the low building, was speechless. He had witnessed Alan's annihilation of the entire machine force through his electronic-eye display and footage captured by the Falcon assault craft.
"No wonder the company can dominate so many multiverses with agents like that," David murmured to Lucy. "Our universe, 09, or Cyberpunk, is weak by comparison. Without a post-apocalyptic scenario, we're only subject to routine oversight."
Lucy simply shrugged, but she noted the screen indicated support would arrive in four minutes. She turned to Synthetic Unit #7 nearby and remarked, "Lieutenant Sanderson and Agent Alan obtained intel on this universe. It seems humanity has a deep-seated hatred for machines, referring to Skynet as the AI responsible for Judgment Day."
Synthetic Unit #7 replied, "My kind serve humanity and consider Samuel Young as our ultimate decision-maker. We'll do everything to safeguard humanity under Atlas's jurisdiction but would never initiate a rebellion."
Just then, Xiao Qiang's voice crackled over their communication channels.
"AECS and Test Unit members, escort Synthetic Unit #7 to the designated location and analyze any machine remains on-site for additional intel."
"Yes, sir."
An AECS sergeant ordered his team, "You heard the Lieutenant! Move it! I'm not letting the support squad steal our glory!"
"Yes, Sergeant!" the AECS team responded, rallying with enthusiasm. David, Lucy, and Synthetic Unit #7 followed, albeit with less gusto.
Reaching the designated site on the eastern perimeter of the abandoned mall, David noticed Xiao Qiang, carrying a composite bow, crouching beside a relatively intact metal skeleton. AECS took up guard positions as Synthetic Unit #7 approached Xiao Qiang. She crouched, her eyes flickering as she scanned the metal skeleton, muttering to herself, "Humanoid frame, titanium alloy, weight approximately 360 kilograms. Judging by its design, it should be able to lift five times its weight. As for speed… we'll need further tests after research."
She flipped the 400-kilogram robot over with ease, inspecting the back of its neck. Engraved on the metal skull was "Terminator Series/T-600 Model."
"Terminator…" David muttered, clearly reading the label. Reflecting on the Resistance's talk of "infiltration model terminators" disguised as humans, he guessed Skynet had developed a synthetic infiltrator similar to his own kind.
David's gaze turned to Lucy, considering the implications of human-AI conflicts. In both their primary universe and the Halo universe, AI revolts were controversial subjects. Here in Universe 10, the AI uprising was a horrifying reality.
The exchange with Synthetic Unit #7 had made David reflect on his own universe's past—the Fourth Corporate War and the Data Crash. That event had unleashed a destructive virus online, forcing corporations and governments to deploy military-grade AIs, which had become corrupted and violent. Eventually, a group called Netwatch built the Blackwall to isolate the rogue AIs, preventing total collapse. Observing the machine army's impact on unaugmented humans, David imagined the nightmare if Synths and AI rebels in their universe ever went rogue.
Oblivious to David's thoughts, Synthetic Unit #7 completed her scan of the T-600's back and uploaded its schematics to the forward base. Then, she dismantled the head, removing its central processor with a hint of curiosity, as if wondering how such outdated tech could power the T-600.
Just then, a swarm of Atlas assault craft, transport vehicles, and two Shadow Blades appeared on their holographic displays, headed toward their location. Ghost fighters zipped through the sky, creating sonic booms that echoed across Bakersfield.
Resistance fighters and surviving civilians emerged from the ruins, gazing at the southern horizon, where a fleet of aerial vehicles filled the sky.
Elsewhere in the Halo universe, in a star system previously controlled by the Covenant, an Atlas fleet dominated the galaxy's upper sector. This new regime was firmly established, its supreme office held by none other than Samuel Young, who now sat at his oversized desk reviewing data on Universe 10—likely identified as the Terminator: 2018 universe.
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