Marvel Cybernetic Girl

Chapter 79: 79 Everyone Has a Duty to Take Down Hammer

Aboard the Halo transport ship, Kagura, Bucky, and Natasha arrived at the Rhodes Island Industries headquarters.

They quickly gathered in a meeting room to exchange intelligence and map out their next steps.

Regardless of whether Natasha would eventually join Griffin, both she and S.H.I.E.L.D. had already become deeply involved in the investigation of Whiplash, Ivan Vanko.

And the group behind Ivan?

The ever-looming threat of Hydra—the shadowy organization constantly at odds with S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Alright, let's go over what we know so far."

Kagura activated the room's holographic display.

"Natasha, did you uncover anything at Hammer Industries?"

"Yes." Natasha nodded.

"Justin Hammer is indeed developing his own version of Iron Man suits, but they appear to be remote-controlled rather than piloted."

"He's also acquired arc reactor technology from Ivan Vanko."

"Considering Hydra agents ambushed me, it's safe to assume that Hammer Industries is working with Hydra."

"And since Hydra knew about my mission ahead of time, that means there's a mole inside S.H.I.E.L.D."

"I completely agree." Kagura frowned.

"That means you'll have to be extra cautious moving forward, Natasha."

"No doubt." Natasha sighed.

"I hate this—being unable to trust anyone. But that's the life of a spy."

She continued, "As for Ivan Vanko himself, he's nowhere to be found in Hammer Industries."

"At least, I didn't find any trace of him there."

"He's probably under Hydra's protection," Bucky speculated. "Working with Hammer remotely, sharing his tech from the shadows."

Kagura folded her arms in thought. "So we still don't know where Ivan is, but we can safely assume Hammer Industries is a hostile entity."

"That sums it up." Natasha agreed.

"But do we have a way to track down Ivan?"

"There is one way," Kagura said after a moment.

"But I'll need to run it by Mr. Stark first—and we'll have to plan carefully."

"Tony Stark?"

"Exactly."

She pulled up a new holographic projection.

"Justin Hammer's goal is to showcase his unmanned Iron Man suits at the Stark Expo, hoping to embarrass Stark."

"Meanwhile, Ivan is out for revenge. That means the most likely place for him to make a move is…"

"The Hammer Industries Exhibition," Natasha concluded.

"You're planning to use Stark as bait, to lure Ivan into revealing himself?"

"Precisely. Even if Ivan doesn't appear in person, he'll have to control the suits remotely."

"And if he does, I can use Rhodes Island Industries' satellites and tracking tech to pinpoint his location."

"It's a risky plan," Natasha admitted.

"We'll have to account for the safety of the Expo attendees and Stark himself."

"Exactly. We need an evacuation plan in case things go south. Also, can we disable the live weapons on Hammer's suits?"

"Unlikely." Natasha shook her head.

"We have no authority over Hammer's exhibition."

"In that case, we'll have to be extra careful," Kagura said.

"Hold on," Bucky interjected.

"What about Justin Hammer? He could just deny any connection to Hydra or Ivan, then keep making weapons with the stolen tech."

Kagura chuckled. "You're sharper than I expected, Mr. Barnes. I figured you'd be more… direct."

Bucky glanced at Natasha. "Was that a compliment?"

"Just take it as one, White Wolf," Natasha smirked.

"But Bucky has a point," she continued. "We don't have anything solid to take down Justin Hammer."

"Oh, but we do."

Kagura grinned playfully, twirling a USB drive between her fingers.

"What's that?" Bucky and Natasha asked in unison.

"Before picking you two up, I sent a drone loaded with a hacking program into Hammer's research facility."

"It infiltrated their servers and… well, let's just say I found video evidence of Hammer meeting with Hydra."

Natasha's expression turned to disbelief. "You're telling me that Justin Hammer, a CEO, actually recorded himself discussing illegal activities with Hydra?"

"Not exactly," Kagura corrected.

"Based on the metadata, it looks like this footage was from a security camera in a conference room."

"There's no audio, but the visuals are more than enough proof."

Natasha pinched the bridge of her nose. "So you're saying Hammer sat through a top-secret meeting without disabling the security cameras?"

"Or," Kagura shrugged, "he just never thought anyone would hack into his servers."

She inserted the USB into the holographic display.

"With this evidence, Hammer Industries is done."

"We don't even need the law—Rhode Island Industries and S.H.I.E.L.D. can wipe them off the map. And Hydra won't risk exposing themselves to protect a mere pawn like Hammer."

"The Hammer Industries exhibition is in three days," Kagura continued.

"I'll be handling the tracking operation on-site. Natasha, you and Bucky will take down Ivan once we locate him."

"Got it," Natasha said. "But what if Ivan shows up in his own upgraded suit?"

"Good question. If he's already suited up, don't engage—fall back immediately. Your safety is the priority."

"Understood."

"But if he does bring out another electrified-whip suit, are we calling in Iron Man for backup?" Natasha asked.

Kagura smirked. "Don't worry, Natasha. When the time comes, you can leave it to the charming and deadly Flashblade!"

After deciding how to deal with Hammer, Kagura Hitomi sent Natasha Romanoff on her way, returned Bucky Barnes to his residence within the Rhodes Island industrial complex, and then headed home alone.

After a shower and some quiet time, the silver-haired girl sat on her soft bed, hugging her knees as she sank into deep thought.

The world around her had fallen into a hushed stillness—so silent that it was almost unsettling.

Humans are social creatures, and despite her mechanical nature, Kagura was no exception.

In front of others, she could be cheerful, playful, and effortlessly charming.

But when everything fell silent, when she was truly alone, even she couldn't help but feel a creeping sense of melancholy.

"Sigh..."

She let out a soft breath.

It had been over a year since she arrived in this world.

Most of that time had been spent rushing from one responsibility to another, leaving little room for true rest.

Whether it was working at Stark Industries or managing Rhodes Island, her life had always been driven by necessity rather than contemplation.

The "Infinite Concept Skill System" within her had always guided her actions, charting her course without her needing to question or choose.

But... was that really okay?

What was the meaning of her existence?

Could she truly steer this world toward a better future?

Was she being too idealistic?

Fear, uncertainty, confusion, loneliness—

A storm of negative emotions surged through her, threatening to drown her fragile heart in the depths of the night.

Indeed, automatons were strong.

They could act purely on logic, completely devoid of emotion.

But Kagura had a human soul.

She had a human heart.

And at the end of the day, she was still just a girl.

She wanted to believe that her presence in this world mattered.

That her actions carried meaning. That her kindness could make a difference.

But the early appearance of the Winter Soldier, Hydra's growing influence, and Ivan Vanko's disappearance were all shifting the future beyond her control, making her doubt herself more than ever before.

"Ugh..."

She tightened her embrace around herself.

"Is there anyone who can tell me if I'm doing enough? Should I be doing more? Have I made mistakes? I... I'm scared..."

The night remained silent.

There was no one to answer her whispers.

She sniffled, blinking away the tears welling in her eyes.

Even the strongest people have moments of vulnerability.

And she was just a girl walking this path alone.

If only someone were here to hold her, to tell her, "Everything will be okay"—

How wonderful that would be.

But no one was here.

And she didn't want to bother Tony Stark with her troubles.

In the end, she was alone.

Tears slipped down her cheeks, shimmering like strands of silver silk.

[Do not waver. Do not fear.]

[Do not doubt your choices.]

[Do not regret your decisions.]

A sudden stream of text appeared in her holographic UI.

"Huh? So you can talk like a person?" she murmured in surprise.

"Are you alive? Hey?"

But the words disappeared as quickly as they came. The UI returned to normal, quietly fulfilling its usual functions.

"Hmph. Ignoring me again, huh..."

She pouted, wiping away her tears.

"But you're right. I shouldn't doubt myself. I can't regret the past."

She bit her lip, determination flickering in her eyes.

"I just have to do my best. No matter what the future holds, I won't let others down. And I won't let myself down!"

The world is unpredictable, always shifting in ways no one can fully control.

If she faltered at every twist and turn, she would never reach her destination—even if she was on the right path.

She had to keep moving forward.

Kagura took a deep breath, steeling herself.

She couldn't afford to stop.

"As long as I keep walking, the road will keep extending—"

Wait... did I just say something weird?

She shook her head.

No matter. What's important is to be strong, to be confident!

Brushing away her lingering doubts, she picked up her phone and pulled up Tony Stark's number.

There was still work to be done.

She needed Iron Man to appear at Hammer Industries' upcoming weapons expo, drawing Ivan Vanko into remote-controlling the drone suits and exposing his location.

But after a moment of consideration, she hesitated and canceled the call.

Kagura had three different identities.

As Kagura, the administrative assistant of Rhodes Island Industries.

As "Bruce Wayne," the elusive CEO of Rhodes Island Industries.

And as "Flashblade," a superhero and member of the Avengers Initiative.

Her CEO identity was best kept hidden. There was no real downside to maintaining that secrecy.

As for "Flashblade," that would inevitably be revealed to other heroes. There was no need to hide it from them forever.

But now was not the time for Tony Stark to know that Kagura and "Flashblade" were the same person.

Which meant explaining Hammer Industries' connection to Ivan Vanko would be tricky.

From Tony's perspective, "adorable Miss Kagura Hitomi" hadn't been involved in any investigation regarding Vanko.

Personally, she wanted to talk to someone—to confide in family about her fears and loneliness.

But in the end, she resisted the urge to call Tony directly.

Instead, she switched to her CEO identity and sent Stark an encrypted message:

"Ivan Vanko is alive."

"Hammer Industries might be working with him. Keep an eye on their expo."

"There may be danger."

After all, "Bruce Wayne" was known for being mysterious and eccentric, never revealing his true identity.

A warning from such a "fortune teller" figure wouldn't seem out of place.

Besides, she and Tony were close business partners now.

Moments later, a reply came through:

"Message received. I have similar intel. Everything's under control. Iron Man will be there."

That was Tony Stark for you—always confident, always reassuring.

Kagura smiled softly, feeling a bit of warmth in her heart.

If Stark was this certain, then he had likely finished developing his new arc reactor—the one powered by an energy source akin to the Space Stone.

With that, neither Hammer's drones nor Vanko's electrified whips would pose a real threat.

The net was cast. Now, it was only a matter of time before the prey walked into the trap.

Letting out a deep breath, Kagura curled up under the covers.

She didn't know what the future held.

But she knew one thing:

She would keep moving forward—toward the future she believed in.

............................

[TL Note]

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