It only took Codex a minute to get everything involving the finances for the Oblivion Mask. He looked over the massive amounts of spreadsheets the AI was projecting onto his living room wall.
“As you can see,” the AI began. “While NAHA is the commissioner, the main financier is Legate Robotics. Before you say you don’t see their name, all the small companies and even some of the large ones listed as investors are owned by different divisions of Legate Robotics. Of course, they use different names for their divisions, so it took a few extra seconds to hack into the systems and figure out where everything went.”
“That's the group responsible for the AI Uprising. Didn’t think they were still around.”
“They had and still have powerful backers. World-class heroes secretly support them and if it wasn’t for an equal push for peace from both the AI Matriarch and other world-class heroes not in the know, then we would still be at war.”
“Then lets fuck with them,” he grinned as several plans formed in his head. “Taxion is obviously one of those backers, but his paranoia is obvious since he holds a ‘financial meeting’ every few days. Which is held in the lab, or I would guess, meeting rooms adjacent or above the lab. Paranoia and pride make him want to show off to his investors that the job is getting done and only he has the means to accomplish it.”
“Sounds like dick waving.”
“It is, I can also guess that all those representatives are tagged in some way when they enter. Electronics removed and everything. That doesn’t matter to me, but I would need a distraction. Say, alarms triggered in an area of the facility away from the lab?”
“A chemical facility not far from Taxion’s is receiving a delivery of highly corrosive chemicals on the day of his next meeting. I could hack the company's VI GPS and cause an accident on the edge of the facility. Due to the nature of the chemicals, Taxion himself would be forced to immediately aid in clean-up. However, it still leaves the question of how are you going to get into the facility?”
“Easy,” he tapped at a company called Noxius Disposal. “The representative, one Harrison Devron, has quite a temper, always bringing in a new assistant every other meeting. He barely even knows the names of them and it’s gotten to the point where even Taxion doesn’t even bother questioning it. Look into if the newest assistant has been fired or quit yet, and get me into the position. False ID and resume, the works.”
“That will not be difficult, as the company is rather lax on hiring assistants, and… you are now his assistant starting tomorrow. One of the items on the agenda is a financial meeting with one Taxion Labs.”
“Great, wait… what identity did you create and did you remember to use one of the false faces I was able to get a hold of?”
“Of course, you are now Albert O’Connell, red headed step child from the deep south.”
“That is literally the ugliest fucking one!”
“I know.”
“Fuck you.”
“I don’t date meat bags.”
“You don’t date at all.”
“Not in this country.”
“You know what, I don’t want to know.”
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“So you’re my new assistant,” Harrison Devron, Noxius Disposal Representative, sneered at him as he slumped his shoulders and kept his eyes on the ground.
“Y-yes sir,” he put a stutter on his words, pretending to be-
“Great!” Devron slapped him on the back and he felt his breath leave him. Fuck! Minor strength enhancement?! “Just do as you're told and keep your head down like the good little bug you are and you’ll be fine!”
The intel said he was a prick… “Yes… sir,” he said as he caught his breath.
“Now go grab me an iced grande latte with three espresso shots and extra foam! The meeting is half-an-hour and I want to leave at fifteen!”
“Yes sir,” he held back his voice from sounding angry, and luckily the prick didn’t notice.
—----------------------------------------------
“Now, your job is to hand me my notes, look sharp, and don’t speak unless spoken to, which I doubt would happen.” The hellish car ride was coming to an end and he couldn’t be happier. Devron was one of those pieces of human excrement that practically begged you to strangle him, and it took all of his concentration not too.
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He knew Codex was ready, and he trusted his friend with the timing, all he had to do was wait.
The wind was knocked out of him again as Devron slapped him on the back again. He could already feel the bruise forming. “Are you listening?!”
Crap. “Yes sir, sorry sir,” he groveled. “Won’t happen again sir.”
“Hmph,” Devron turned his chin up, looking down at him… figuratively and literally since he was on the shorter side. “It better not, or else I’ll be looking for a new assistant. But since you're not crying even after a second light ruffling, I guess you could be useful elsewhere.”
What the fuck does that mean? “Yes sir,” he continued to grovel, shoving everything aside mentally and clearing his head for the job.
Passing through the doors of Taxion Labs, they were immediately met by four security bots. “Electronics are to be left in the designated zone and may be picked up when you leave. Please hold out your right hand to be tagged.” He followed Devron’s actions of removing his cellphone, a throw-away, and his watch, cheap and expendable. The tag on the other hand was a problem.
One of the security bots gripped Devrons proffered wrist and there was a click. Removing the appendage, he saw a gleaming band of metal. Well, looks like my exit is going to be dramatic as hell. He offered his own wrist to the bot.
After receiving his piece of uncomfortable jewelry, he followed Devron through the building to a meeting room. He had been right in his assumption that the meeting room would overlook the lab. He caught a glimpse of the mask through the no doubt reinforced glass. It wasn’t put together, clearly missing parts, but it was all small.
He quickly focused back on the meeting room, playing off his glance as mere curiosity to anyone who paid attention to him. There were three other representatives and their assistants in the room. All of the reps were clearly miffed at Devron.
“Oh don’t give me those looks, I’m on time aren’t I?” Devron sat down heavily in one of the plush chairs, and he took up a position similar to how the other assistants were. He actually felt the pity glances from the other reps and assistants. How much of an ass do you have to be to get these people to pity me?
“Ah good, you all are here,” Taxion entered, his voice holding a stern tone as if he was about to lecture all of us on how he was superior in every way. He was dressed in the garb of mad scientist, mechanical gloves, goggles, and the works.
“I see Devron brought a new one again,” Taxion studied him, and he couldn’t help but stiffen under the gaze. “Strong willed, maybe you will last long-” The lights shut off and red emergency lights began flashing.
‘This is a Code 3, dangerous materials have been introduced to the facility.’ A mechanical voice sounded out.
“Dammit all!” Taxion yelled, a screen popping up on his wrist. “Unknown material, non-human drivers… isn’t that from the chemical plant down the road?! I knew I should have bought them out! Those incompet-” Taxion continued to rant as he ran out the door.
A second later, a security bot appeared in the door, “Please follow me outside the building. All electronics will be refunded after being scrubbed and dismantled.” It turned and began walking. The reps and assistants got up and began to follow.
He made a snapping motion with his fingers, as if breaking a twig with one hand. There was a horrible screech of metal as everyone's metal wristbands snapped off.
There was a moment of dumbfound confusion as they stared at the broken pieces on the ground. Then all hell broke loose as the security bot turned around, its ocular receptacle turning red and fired an arc of electricity into the room at them.
As the reps and assistants screamed in panic, Devron cried in rage and charged the bot. Well, he isn’t going to have a fun time. In the confusion, he pushed with a hand at the glass separating them from the lab. It shattered outwards and he tumbled backwards through it pretending to be hit by something.
More alarms went off, and he knew now was not the time for subtlety. He rolled with the fall coming up on his knees. He lifted his hands to air, concentration on every security measure that he saw and felt. He clapped. The screech of metal was deafening as cameras, turrets, net-throwers, laser emplacements, and metal spikes were ripped from the walls, ceiling, and floor, crushed and compacted in a space five feet in front of him.
He took a steadying breath as he shivered from exertion. He began to whistle a tune from a metal song ironically about how metal was for everyone. Getting up from his knees, he walked confidently over to the oblivion mask, and lifted both it and the many small parts surrounding it with his power. Just in case.
Nothing happened so he unceremoniously stuffed everything into the enlarged zipper pocket of his suit jacket. Just enough room for all of it, now to get out of here. Going back through the meeting room was a no go. He may be wearing an organic mask, but accidents did happen.
He grinned, lifting a hand up to the ceiling, focusing on a chunk, and pulled. The ceiling came down around him, the chunk he was focusing on staying together above him and descending towards him. When it was close enough, he jumped and climbed up onto it. Seeing the blue sky of freedom, he maneuvered the chunk of metal and rock out of the now destroyed facility.
As he reached the edge he took the risk of going faster as he heard Taxion scream in rage. “Nope, job done,” he mumbled to himself. He looked back in time to see a figure lift off the ground from the rubble, its feet visibly glowing. “Taxion, yeah no.” Reaching his free hand out, he pushed down. The screams of rage became distant as he pulled the mad scientist down to earth with his own boots.
He flew low for a few more minutes, ducking and weaving between the industrial buildings and labs till he took a turn into an area he knew had busted cameras and no one who would give a shit. He sent the chunk of rubble flying out in the opposite direction of where he was going, and removed his mask.
A couple homeless men were standing around a burning can. Walking up he casually tossed the mask into the fire. Pulling out his wallet, he fished out two hundreds and gave one to each. “I wasn’t here fellas.” He gave each of them a nod and they returned it with grateful grins.
He returned home a few hours later, the surround sound automatically playing ‘We are the Champions’ by Queen after he locked the door.