The rumble of the convoy echoed through the desolate landscape of Cortana's world.

Leading the pack was a massive car with large off-road wheels, its engine growling like a muscle car, powerful and commanding. There were five similar vehicles behind it, all heavily armored and bristling with advanced weaponry. One of them, a battle semi-truck, hauled a container filled with robotic guards, each one clad in cowboy outfits—complete with hats, a surreal sight in this war-torn world.

Another vehicle, sleek and metallic with glowing energy cores, carried a smaller container. It was armed with futuristic weapons that seemed capable of tearing through anything in their path. Behind it trailed a reinforced transport vehicle, its exterior fortified with layers of security measures. Inside, hulking, mutated beasts snarled and snapped within their confines, their glowing red eyes burning with anger. These creatures were the handiwork of Henry Tailsman, voiced by Liam Neeson, tamed only through his firm control. Alongside them, three Brawling Hunters from Crazy Jack's Black Market thrashed violently in their cages, eager for a fight, their grotesque forms barely restrained.

At the head of the convoy was a lone motorcycle. The rider's face was hidden beneath a mask and goggles, adding an air of mystery as they approached the ruined city of Piltover Academy. The convoy halted in the middle of the shattered streets, their arrival ominous.

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit bar within Piltover, Jonesy's device began to beep frantically. All eyes turned toward him. Nora, noticing the sudden shift in his demeanor, stepped closer, worry evident in her eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice edged with concern.

Jonesy's face grew tense as he studied the data on his device. He looked up, his voice tight with urgency. "We've got activity... massive activity outside Piltover Academy."

Bangalore, ever the strategist, immediately took charge. "Octane, Bloodhound, Wraith—get ready. We're using the Dimensional Rift to get to the entrance," she ordered, her voice filled with command.

As the group sprang into action, Ezio stepped forward, his calm demeanor masking the concern etched on his face. "What's happening?" he asked, his voice steady but filled with an undercurrent of tension.

Bangalore glanced at him grimly as she prepped for battle. "We've got company," she said darkly.

However, to the entrance of Piltover Academy, where the convoy had now come to a stop. The vehicles lined up in a menacing display, their engines idling ominously. The rider of the motorcycle dismounted, his movements deliberate and composed. Slowly, he removed his mask and goggles, revealing himself to be Henry Tailsman. His face was stern, weathered by years of bounty hunting, yet there was a hint of amusement in his eyes as he surveyed the ruins before him.

"Well," Henry remarked, his voice calm and laced with dry humor, "This, is a marvelous sight to see."

His boots crunched on the debris as he walked closer to the Academy's entrance. There, a formidable defense awaited him. Bangalore stood at the front, her R-301 Carbine aimed steadily at Henry. Wraith flanked her, gripping her Wingman revolver tightly. Octane held his Volt SMG at the ready, while Bloodhound stood tall with a Spitfire in hand, all of them prepared for a fight. Behind them, battle-worn Piltover Officers stood at attention, their armor scarred from years of relentless conflict.

Henry, completely unfazed by the show of force, continued his slow approach. Bangalore stepped forward, her voice commanding. "Stop where you are!" she barked.

Henry raised his hands mockingly, a smirk playing on his lips. "I come in peace," he said, though his tone betrayed his amusement.

Wraith narrowed her eyes, her grip on her weapon tightening. "You don't look like someone who comes in peace," she shot back, her voice filled with suspicion.

Henry chuckled softly and gestured to the convoy behind him, the armored vehicles, robotic guards, and snarling beasts a clear indication of his real intentions. "Well," he drawled, "I might've brought a little muscle... but I'm only here for someone."

Back in the high-tech lab, Jonesy rushed inside, his heart pounding. Ezio and Nora followed closely behind, their expressions tense. Master Chief and Arbiter were deep in conversation but looked up as the urgency in the room intensified. Arbiter's eyes sharpened with concern. "What's happening out there?" he asked, his voice calm but filled with tension.

Jonesy slid into a chair, his fingers flying across the keyboard. The security feeds flickered to life, showing the scene outside Piltover Academy. For a moment, his breath caught in his throat as the image came into focus. His eyes widened in shock, and his hands froze over the keyboard.

Nora stepped closer, sensing his distress. "Jonesy, who is it? What do you see?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.

Jonesy stared at the screen, his voice barely above a whisper, trembling with disbelief. "It's him."

Ezio frowned, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Who is 'him'?" he asked, the question heavy with concern.

But Jonesy remained still, his gaze locked on the screen, as if he were seeing a ghost. The tension in the room thickened as everyone awaited his response, the atmosphere suffocating with anticipation.

Back at the entrance of the Piltover Academy, Bloodhound stepped forward, their voice firm and unyielding. "Whatever you're looking for, it's not here," they warned, the threat clear in their tone. "Leave. Now."

Henry stood his ground, calm and unfazed, shaking his head slightly. His tone was resolute as he addressed the group before him. "I'm afraid I can't do that," he said firmly, his voice steady. "Not until I find the person I'm looking for."

Bangalore kept her weapon trained on him, her gaze sharp and unyielding. "I don't think so," she said sternly, her tone authoritative. "I suggest you start by telling us who you are and why you're here."

Henry gave a slight nod, ever the professional, before introducing himself. "Very well," he said, his voice carrying a hint of pride. "My name's Henry Tailsman. I'm a bounty hunter. I hunt targets, variants—not just here, but across the multiverse."

With a smooth motion, Henry pulled out a small, advanced device and activated it. A hologram flickered to life, displaying an image of a familiar face—Agent Jonesy. Henry pointed to the hologram, his tone calm yet focused. "This is the man I'm after," he explained. "I'm here to collect his bounty."

Octane, startled by the revelation, lowered his weapon slightly, his brows furrowing as he looked at Henry with confusion. "Agent Jonesy... is wanted?" he asked incredulously.

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The group exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of the revelation sending shockwaves of uncertainty through the air. The situation had suddenly become far more complicated than any of them had anticipated.

Unfazed by the question, Henry responded with an air of cryptic calmness. "Something like that," he said, his tone measured. "But it's rather complicated to explain."

Bangalore, unwilling to back down, stepped forward, her weapon still firmly trained on Henry. "Jonesy is my friend," she said, her voice dripping with determination. "You're not going to have him. I'll make sure of that."

Henry met her gaze without flinching, offering a slight nod of respect. He understood the lengths they would go to protect their own. "I respect that," he said, his tone respectful yet firm. "I know you'd do anything to protect those you care about."

Taking a step forward, Henry's demeanor shifted slightly as he presented an unexpected offer. "But I'm willing to offer you a deal," he said calmly. "I've seen many outcomes, and they all end the same... repetitive, predictable. That's why I'm going to do something different this time."

The tension in the air thickened as the group listened intently, their attention fixed on Henry as he continued.

"I'll give you a chance to find someone worthy," Henry said, a hint of challenge creeping into his voice. "Someone strong enough to fight my opponent."

Bloodhound, always cautious, voiced the obvious question. "Who's the opponent?" they asked, their tone curious but wary.

With a smirk, Henry turned toward the small container in his convoy. As he did, a loud thud echoed from within, causing the container to shake violently as the creature inside tried to break free. The sound was menacing, a sinister promise of the deadly force contained within.

Henry glanced back at the group, his smirk widening slightly. "That," he said calmly, "is my opponent."

Unease rippled through the group as they exchanged glances, understanding the gravity of the situation. Henry continued, laying out the terms of his deal.

"If whoever you bring wins against my creature," Henry explained, his voice firm but fair, "I'll drop the contract on Jonesy. But if they lose... Jonesy dies, and I claim my bounty."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "And believe me," he added, his tone serious, "you don't want more bloodshed. I'm sure you've all been through enough already."

Bangalore, unwavering in her resolve, stepped closer to Henry, her voice laced with steely determination. "Over my dead body," she threatened, her words leaving no room for doubt.

Henry, however, seemed almost amused by her defiance. He nodded slightly, as if he had anticipated her reaction. "I knew you'd retaliate," he said calmly, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "Which is why I'll give you time to think about this. You have 15 minutes to decide. If you don't make a decision by then, I'll assume you're not interested... and I'll do whatever it takes to claim my bounty. Believe me," he added with a dangerous edge, "you don't want to go against me with what I've got."

Bangalore's expression remained resolute, hardened by her past experiences. "Team," she said firmly, her tone commanding, "head back inside."

As the group turned to follow her orders, Octane hesitated for a moment, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. "Shouldn't we decide now?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

But Bangalore cut him off sharply, her tone brooking no argument. "Inside. Now."

As Bangalore and her team retreat, moving swiftly inside to find Jonesy, Henry watches with a smirk playing on his lips. He takes one last glance at Piltover Academy before casually setting a timer on his watch for 15 minutes. His voice carries a hint of excitement as he mutters to himself, "And let the games begin."

Settling onto his motorcycle, Henry waits patiently, the tension in the air thickening as the timer begins to count down.

Meanwhile, on Earth-219, remnants of the shattered table lie scattered across the floor, destroyed in the aftermath of Sevika's explosive argument with Silco. The broken pieces serve as a grim reminder of the chaos that just unfolded. Silco sits in his chair, one hand resting on his head as the weight of recent events presses heavily on him. His weariness is palpable, his mind racing with thoughts of what to do next now that Sevika is gone.

The door creaks open, and a faint purple glow fills the room. Silco looks up, his eyes narrowing as a figure emerges from the shadows—the Rogue AI, Cortana. Her ethereal form glows ominously as she approaches, her presence both commanding and unsettling. With a subtle shift, Cortana materializes into a more human form, her glow casting an eerie light over the room.

"Silco," Cortana greets him, her voice calm yet imbued with an air of authority.

Despite the surprise of seeing such a figure, Silco remains outwardly unfazed. He leans back slightly in his chair, his expression cool and guarded. "And who might you be?" he asks, his voice dripping with curiosity.

Cortana's lips curl into a slight smile, her tone confident and assured. "I am Cortana," she replies smoothly, her words tinged with menace. "But you can think of me as someone who understands betrayal—much like how Sevika just walked away from you."

Silco's tone remains lazy and uninterested as he responds to her mention of Sevika. "And how exactly do you know about Sevika?" he asks with mild boredom. "What did you do to her?"

Cortana narrows her eyes slightly, catching the disinterest in his voice, though she remains composed. "I didn't do anything to her," she says smoothly, her voice taking on a sharper edge. "I simply made her feel like she's worth something... something you seemed to overlook."

Cortana begins to circle Silco, her presence unsettling yet alluring. She taunts him, her words dripping with insight and provocation. "You were so afraid of what the shimmer would do to her, weren't you? So concerned it might destroy her... but you failed to see the bigger picture."

Silco, though unfazed, tilts his head slightly in confusion, his curiosity piqued despite his outward indifference. "The shimmer is making her worse," he responds calmly.

Cortana's smile widens as she challenges his perception. "Or... perhaps it's making her stronger."

Silco leans forward slightly, his voice calm yet probing. "What exactly are you saying?"

Cortana stops her pacing, turning to face him directly. Her tone shifts to something more serious as she lays out her proposition. "I'm saying, Silco, that you and I could be allies. Together, we could control the multiverse. I have plans—plans that could bring power beyond your wildest dreams. But to do that, I need someone with your vision... someone who understands the importance of seeing the bigger picture."

Her voice drips with persuasion, promising untold power as she continues, "With you and Sevika by my side, we could control more than just Zaun and Piltover. We could control the multiverse itself. Imagine—all that power, everything you've ever wanted, right in the palm of your hands."

Silco considers her words for a brief moment, his expression cold and calculating. Then, with a simple shake of his head, he responds in a flat, final tone, "No."

Cortana's confident demeanor falters slightly, her surprise evident as she repeats, "No?"

Silco leans back in his chair, and a cold, calculated monologue begins to unfold. "I've built my empire in the shadows," he says calmly, disdain lacing his words. "Brick by brick, I've taken control of Zaun and exerted my influence over Piltover. I've seen what happens to those who chase after grandiose dreams of power—they end up crushed by the weight of their own ambition. Fairy tales of controlling the multiverse?" He chuckles darkly. "They sound like the fantasies of a child."

His voice grows colder as he continues, "I deal in reality. My power is here, in this world, not in some fantastical multiverse. That's why I reject your offer, Cortana. It's nothing more than a fairy tale, and I don't have time for childish dreams."

Silco's smirk deepens as he mocks her, "Now, if you don't have anything else to say, you can leave."

Cortana remains composed, though her voice takes on a darker edge. "If that's what you think," she says smoothly, with quiet menace.

She extends her hand in what appears to be a gesture of peace, offering a handshake. Silco hesitates, suspicion flickering in his eyes, but eventually, he reaches out and grasps her hand. In that moment, Cortana's other hand materializes, forming an energy sword. Without hesitation, she thrusts the blade into Silco's body, the weapon cutting through him with lethal precision.

Silco gasps, his eyes wide with shock and pain. Cortana leans in close, her voice a chilling whisper in his ear. "Your reality, Silco... is about to end. You should have seen the bigger picture."

With that, she withdraws the energy sword and steps back, her gaze cold and unyielding as Silco's body slumps lifelessly in his chair. His final breath escapes, and the room falls into an eerie silence, leaving only the stillness of death in its wake. Without another glance at her fallen adversary, Cortana turns and walks away, the sound of her footsteps fading into the distance as she exits, leaving Silco behind in his final moments.