Bruce stood next to Lena and the others as the self-proclaimed captain stood before them bright and early in the morning.
"Alright, we got our new orders, and I got a briefing for you all, so listen up well." The captain said, his suit open and his face exposed.
"We have gotten a lot of information out of the Datacore we secured on the last mission; even now, personnel are hard at work getting more. Among the information, some is far more important than others."
Everyone held their breath as he continued, everyone wanting to know what they had learned; Bruce and Lena, in particular, had hovered around the research center to try and learn all they could, but much had been deemed too sensitive for the two of them.
"One is the location of a central data center which is controlling all the sentinels; taking it out should shut them all down." He said before pausing as Steve looked about ready to drag them all into the jet and take off already.
Shaking his head as he sighed, he held up his hand. "Please stay calm, Rogers, and allow me to continue."
"While we did indeed find that information, it had been deemed highly suspicious, and another team will be formed to confirm whether it's a trap or not, and that team isn't expected to return alive because we believe its highly likely that data is indeed a trap."
The air in the room grew tense as the captain's words sank in. Steve clenched his fists, his eagerness to take action momentarily subdued by the reality of the situation. The others, too, felt the weight of the captain's statement. A mission likely designed as a one-way trip was not something any of them took lightly.
Bruce exchanged a glance with Lena, both of them understanding the gravity of what was being said. The idea of a trap wasn't surprising—after all, they were dealing with machines that had outsmarted humanity to the brink of extinction. Still, it didn't make the situation any less grim.
The captain continued, his tone steady but serious. "Our mission, on the other hand, is different. We've been tasked with locating and securing any potential survivors. We've identified several locations with possible human activity, and we need to move quickly. The longer we wait, the greater the chance that the Sentinels will find them first."
Steve, always the protector, nodded in agreement. "Finding survivors is a priority. We need to get them to safety before it's too late."
The captain acknowledged Steve's resolve before moving on. "But that's not all. We've also uncovered more about the Sentinels themselves. Their primary directive has indeed evolved beyond just eliminating mutants. It's become a full-scale extermination of humanity. However, they are still bound by their core programming to some extent, which means they have weaknesses we can exploit."
Lena perked up at this, her scientific curiosity piqued. "What kind of weaknesses?"
"The Sentinels are still unable to fully override their original programming," the captain explained. "For example, they prioritize mutant targets over humans, and if given orders, they should be forced to comply as long as it doesn't interfere with their main task."
Peggy, who used to be an agent and one of Shield's founders, was the first to catch on to what he was saying. "Which is killing mutants, which means killing humans. So they will kill whoever gave the order before moving to comply with it."
The gravity of the situation was palpable as Peggy's words hung in the air. The implications were clear: any attempt to exploit the Sentinels' programming would come at a heavy cost, potentially sacrificing lives in the process.
Steve, his expression grim, was the first to speak up. "So, even if we try to use their programming against them, we'd be sending someone to their death just to issue a command that might not even guarantee our success. It's a dangerous gamble."
The captain shrugged. "That's why we have D-class. Anyway, that isn't our mission; once again, we aren't going out for a fight. We have a location we believe to hold survivors, and that is where we will be going, so get in the jet."
The tension in the room was thick as the team processed the captain's blunt statement. The mention of D-class personnel as disposable assets was a harsh reminder of the grim realities they faced while working with the Foundation. There was no room for sentimentality in their mission—survival was the priority.
Steve's expression hardened, but he knew better than to argue. He was focused on the mission at hand: finding and rescuing any survivors. "Understood," he said, his voice firm. "Let's move out."
Bruce and Lena exchanged a brief look, both of them silently agreeing that their personal concerns and ethical dilemmas would have to wait. There was too much at stake now. They followed the rest of the team as they headed to the jet, each of them preparing mentally for what was to come.
The team boarded the jet swiftly, the familiar hum of the engines a steady backdrop to the thoughts racing through their minds. As they settled into their seats, the captain's voice crackled over the intercom.
"We've pinpointed several locations that show signs of possible human activity. Our primary target is Ironwood, Wisconsin. From what we have learned, that place has no active drones, which means someone there might be fighting them off."
The team listened intently as the captain continued his briefing, their attention fully captured by the mention of a possible resistance. The idea that there could be survivors out there, actively fighting back against the Sentinels, injected a renewed sense of urgency and hope into the mission.
"Ironwood," the captain reiterated. "It's a small town, mostly isolated, which might explain why it hasn't been completely overrun. Our job is to get in, assess the situation, and, if there are survivors, bring them back to base camp. We're going in fast and quiet. No unnecessary engagements with any Sentinels or drones unless absolutely necessary."
Steve, ever the strategist, asked, "Do we have any intel on what kind of resistance they might be putting up? Are we looking at armed civilians, or could there be something else at play?"
The captain shook his head. "That's the thing—we don't have much to go on. The data suggests minimal drone activity, but nothing concrete on what's keeping the Sentinels at bay. It could be anything from a small group of armed survivors to something more… unusual. That's why we need to be prepared for anything."
Bruce furrowed his brow, considering the possibilities. "If they've managed to avoid detection or destruction so far, there's a chance they've found a way to either hide from the Sentinels or disrupt their programming. Either way, it could be vital information for us."
Lena nodded in agreement. "Or they might be some powerful mutants who are able to repel any attacks." She said excitedly.
The captain nodded, acknowledging Lena's enthusiasm while keeping a pragmatic tone. "That's also a possibility. If there are mutants involved, they might be the key to understanding how to fight back more effectively. But we need to approach this carefully—if they are mutants, they might be wary of anyone they don't recognize, especially given what they've been through."
Steve added, "We need to be ready to offer them help, but also prepared for them to be distrustful. If they've survived this long, they might see us as just another threat."
The captain agreed. "Exactly. We go in cautiously, and we don't engage unless absolutely necessary. If we find survivors, our primary goal is to secure them and get them out of there safely. Any intel they have will be secondary to their safety."
Bruce, always the voice of reason, chimed in. "And if they refuse to come with us? What then?"
The captain paused, considering the question. "We have the tools to take them down and bring them along if that is the case, we will be followed by two more jets, who will provide extra firepower and room for anyone we bring back."
The captain's words hung in the air, leaving the team to absorb the full weight of their mission. It was clear that this was not just a simple rescue operation; it had the potential to turn into a confrontation, depending on what—or who—they encountered in Ironwood. The stakes were high, and the margin for error was slim.
Steve clenched his jaw, understanding the necessity but not liking the idea of forcing people into compliance. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that," he said, his voice low but firm. "Our goal should be to get them to trust us, not to make them our prisoners."
The rest decided to all keep quiet; they quickly understood that while the captain spoke about rescuing people, it was likely they wanted them mostly to study the X-gene, something that was distasteful, but they all understood the Foundation's reasoning.
A/N
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