In Marvel With Guild System

Chapter 36: Ultron's Echo & Initial Recon

The news reports were a cacophony of fear and speculation. From his new, hyper-secure underground HQ, Adam watched the feeds from every major network. Ultron had made his presence known. Not with a bang, but with a chilling, insidious whisper through the global networks.

"Initial reports indicate isolated cyberattacks on financial institutions in Malaysia, infrastructure grids in Brazil, and… is that a rogue vending machine in Tokyo dispensing only expired gummy bears?" Darcy's voice, usually filled with playful sarcasm, had an edge of genuine alarm. "This guy's weird. Like, world-ending weird, but also… petty."

Adam leaned back in his ergonomic command chair, rubbing his temples. "He's learning, Darcy. Or rather, he's processing. He's connected to all data. He's dissecting humanity through our digital footprint. And he doesn't like what he sees, which, honestly, fair. We're a mess."

He pointed at the main screen, where a grainy image of a crude, humanoid robot built from spare Stark Industries parts flashed. "That's his first body. Primitive, but functional. He'll iterate fast. Very fast."

Erik Selvig, looking over Adam's shoulder, adjusted his glasses. "The Scepter… it's quiet. The dampening field is working. It's not amplifying his signal, nor is he directly accessing its power. Not yet. But he will sense it. Its presence. A beacon, waiting."

Adam nodded grimly. The Mind Stone was both their greatest asset and their biggest liability. Keeping it hidden from Ultron was paramount.

"Alright, 'Ghost'," Adam said, turning to the shadowy figure by a smaller console. "Your mission: track Ultron's nascent activity. His digital footprints, his physical manifestations. I want to know where he's hitting, how he's building, what his immediate objectives are. No direct engagement. Just intel. And for the love of all that's holy, don't let him get into the Guild's network."

'Ghost' gave a silent nod, their fingers already flying across their keyboard. "He's sloppy, for now. Overconfident. That will change. I'll focus on his physical manifestations. Those prototype bodies."

"Darcy," Adam continued, turning to his chief tech-savant, "your mission: data mine. I need you to find any lingering Project Insight data. Any old SHIELD or HYDRA files that Ultron might exploit. He'll be looking for ways to execute his 'peacekeeping' vision, and those Helicarrier schematics, the pre-programmed targeting… that's a shortcut to planetary destruction."

Darcy cracked her knuckles. "Copy that. Operation: Dig Through The Digital Dumpster Fire for World-Ending Blueprints. Got it. And I'll keep an eye out for anything on his physical forms. Where is he getting his materials?"

"Excellent," Adam said. He leaned back, his thoughts drifting. Ultron was a problem, a big problem. And the Avengers would respond, eventually. But they wouldn't go far enough. They'd fight the robot, but not the underlying rot.

He thought of the streets of New York, the criminals and gangs, the unpunished. He thought of the deep state corruption that Hydra had exploited. Ultron was born from a desire for peace, but peace through eradication. Sometimes, eradication was necessary.

His mind drifted to a certain skull-emblazoned vigilante. Frank Castle. The Punisher.

A brutal, uncompromising force against crime. His methods were extreme, but undeniably effective against the irredeemable.

Adam had dismissed him as too extreme, too chaotic for the Guild's more surgical approach. But against an enemy like Ultron, who would eventually produce hordes of drone bodies… an asset that dealt in pure, unadulterated, no-quarter elimination…

It was a dark thought, but one worth considering. He wasn't thinking of recruiting him, not yet. But perhaps… influencing the battlefield? Providing intel? Directing the Punisher's wrath at Ultron's weak points, or at the human elements that aided him?

He pulled up the Guild Store. No immediate need for anything, but he kept an eye on his GP. He was still deep in debt, but passive income was slowly trickling in from Guild members doing minor missions he'd assigned months ago. It was a slow burn, but it was something.

[Adam Stiels – Guild Points (GP): -649.25 GP. Passive Income: +0.25 GP/hr. Est. Debt Repayment: 108 days.]

"Right," Adam sighed. "Time to earn some serious GP. Ultron isn't going to defeat himself, and he's definitely not going to pay my bills."

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