Chapter 174: Arc 5: Chapter 18: Necessary Caution

"Vroom"

A deep yet powerful engine sound resounds on the street, a black Classic Dodge Challenger speeds across the street, and while it was already moving very quickly, it was also very agile, as if it wasn't being driven by a driver at all.

It sped across the street and crossed cars like fish in the water in the tightly spaced streets.

The car did not have a driver.

Merlin leaned against the driver's seat and held his lunch with both hands, the steering wheel was turning itself like it was being held by a pair of invisible hands.

"The destination you're headed for is 17 intersections away, I've already set up the best driving route."

Cliffjumper's typical metal voice resounds in the car, a light blue projection then appears in front of Merlin; a red line was drawn on the accurate map of New York.

This was the best driving route calculated by the mechanical lifeform that had transformed into a muscle car.

Merlin glances at the projection, he skillfully picks up a piece of chicken using chopsticks and says while eating:

"You decide, just deliver me safely to where I want to go."

"Mmm."

Cliffjumper responds, and as the green light lit up, the black and red muscle car quickly sped p and turned a beautiful 90-degree turn into the next corner.

It all happened so steadily, that Merlin did not even feel a vibration, there wasn't even any change of the Cola soda he placed on the bridge.

To be frank, the level of comfort while riding in this car was top-notch.

Merlin was certain that his car was unique, and the technology of this mechanical lifeform was at least centuries ahead of this world.

The only imperfection was that there was a large chunk missing from its lower chassis and it greatly affected the overall beauty of the car.

After all, Cliffjumper had lost its right arm in its previous battle, and some parts were bound to be missing as it transforms.

Merlin finishes his lunch as Cliffjumper drove speedily, as they passed a street, he throws the lunchbox out and it perfectly lands in the trash bin under the effect of Wingardium Leviosa.

Cliffjumper sees this through its information collector, a few seconds later, the quiet and cold mechanical lifeform asks:

"Merlin, is this the magic you spoke of? Is this how you repaired my body?"

"Yes, magic."

Merlin says:

"A very unscientific power, unfortunately, you didn't bring along your destroyed right arm, as Reparo cannot fix missing parts. Speaking of which, have you not seen magic from the aliens as you battled through the stars?"

"We rarely come in contact with carbon-based lifeforms."

Cliffjumper says directly:

"Carbon-based lifeforms are completely different from we silicon-based lifeforms, be it in terms of civilization or religion. Especially after the destruction of Cybertron, every remaining Cybertronian is implicated in the cruel war of exile...we had no time for diplomacy."

"Alright, quite a pity."

Merlin shrugs and tells Cliffjumper:

"Play a song."

"Hang on, the network speed of your world is terrible, I need a few seconds to download them. Oh, your world sure does have many categories of music, what kind of it would you like to hear?"

"Something soothing."

Merlin closes his eyes and leans on the driver's seat, moments later, a melodious night tune begins to play.

"I'll take a nap, call me when we reach our destination,"

Merlin says so to Cliffjumper, he then closes his eyes and begins to meditate.

After learning magic, Merlin had rarely slept, wizards meditate to sense the mana in their body, which was a good way for them to relieve their exhaustion.

Magic was indeed spectacular.

Cliffjumper did not interrupt Merlin's rest, it even lowered its speed and reached SHIELD's office building 5 minutes later than expected.

"Merlin, wake up."

Cliffjumper perfectly stops on the parking spot of the open parking lot in a drift before calling to Merlin in a low tone. The latter opens his eyes and looks at the building in front of him, he stretches his body, tidies his clothes, and tells Cliffjumper:

"Wait for me here...don't try to connect to SHIELD's internal network, it's a special network and you'd be discovered if you forcibly hack in."

"Mmm?"

Cliffjumper lets out an emotionless yet confused sound, a projection with dozens of SHIELD's secret files then appears before Merlin.

The mechanical lifeform tells Merlin:

"The network encryption of your world is too outdated, all I need to do is split a program line and I can easily break through your networking defenses. Are you sure that your organization is the best at keeping secrets in the world?"

Merlin did not know how to answer Cliffjumper's question.

Cybertronians were mechanical lifeforms, the information technology is just a means to the people of Earth, but to them, they're instinct. A Cybertronian infant that's fresh from the assembly workshop could easily overpower the best information tech specialist on Earth in terms of utilizing information technology.

Merlin looks at the flashing data projection in front of him and hesitates, he then lowers his voice and tells Cliffjumper:

"Open the database of the highest authority."

"What are you doing? Merlin."

Cliffjumper did not immediately comply, instead, it asks:

"From what intel I've seen, you've got level-5 authorization, and you have no rights to browse the most secret intel of your organization...you're disobeying protocol, Merlin, this is dangerous."

"No, Cliffjumper."

Merlin squints his eyes, he looks at the data projection in front of him and says:

"This is...mmm, a type of necessary caution. I received some intel before that some dark secrets may be hidden within my organization, I need to find it."

"I cannot do that."

Cliffjumper rejects:

"This conflicts with the protocol of the Cybertron Rebellion, acts that challenge the order must be condemned."

"You've seen the intel, Cliffjumper."

Merlin says:

"You don't have SHIELD's authorization, and you broke your protocols...open that database, and I'll support your search for B-127; you don't know anyone here, and if your friend is as skillful with information technology as you are, then you won't find it even if you use all the satellites in the world, as for me...I can mobilize all the resources I can use to help you."

"This is something that will benefit us both, Mister Second Lieutenant of Cybertron. If you're truly fighting a battle, then victory is what you seek!"

Merlin says softly:

"What I'm curious about now is, how much are you willing to pay to achieve victory? In the face of victory and loss, are the rules you stand for worth the sacrifice of you and your brothers?"

Cliffjumper hesitates briefly.

A few seconds later, its emotionless voice resounds in the car:

"Decrypting database encryption, ETA, 58 seconds."

Merlin smiles and waits patiently, a minute later, limitless secret documents appear before the projection in front of him. Merlin quickly browses through the content of those documents, and a few minutes later, he points to a cash flow file and says:

"Track the source and whereabouts of these cash flows...something's wrong with them, I've never received those fundings to SDOLD! Hell, something is wrong!"

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Merlin clenches his fingers.

Merlin has a bad premonition as the data symbols in front of him flickered.

The reminder that the mysterious Old Steve gave him was true.

There's a shadow he'd ignored in the organization he was in.

A few minutes later, under the support of Cliffjumper's powerful data tracking and calculating abilities, the complex transfer process of those cash flows could not be hidden from Merlin's eyes.

"The 'AVENGERS' Initiative?"

Merlin looks at the where the cash flow eventually ended up and rubs his forehead:

"Fury...are you using me as cover? Is this your true goal?"

"There's an irregularity with the last cash flow."

Cliffjumper's voice resounds:

"It's gone..."

"Gone?"

Merlin frowns, he looks at the millions of dollars that went missing and says deeply:

"List out every operator related to that cash flow!"

"Shwa"

The data on the projection changes, names one after the other appear before Merlin, including the names to match the images; amongst them was Fury's image.

"You again?"

Merlin clenches his fists.

"Fury...what the hell are you doing?"

"A portion of the document can't be unlocked, Merlin."

Cliffjumper's search and decoding program stop, and the mechanical lifeform says helplessly:

"The first parts of the documents have multi-layers of decryption, there's nothing I can do about it."

"Then find out what you can about these people first."

Merlin opens the car door and tells Cliffjumper:

"When I come back, show me the results of your search."

"Merlin."

As Merlin left, Cliffjumper's voice resounds in the car:

"Don't forget B-127!"

"Relax."

Merlin unbuckled the first button on his shirt, he looks at the SHIELD building in front of him with a gloomy expression and says without looking back:

"I'll do what I promised you I'd do."

---

"Pa"

A few documents are thrown on Fury's table.

Fury, who was working on public work on his computer, glances at the documents before looking at the indifferent Merlin.

He did not see any emotion on Merlin's face, he then reaches out and picks up the documents; moments later, Fury's expression becomes serious.

"Where did you learn of this intel? A bunch of mechanical lifeforms is soon to invade Earth? Why didn't I receive news of this? And how did you collect this intel on the Cybertronians?"

"I have a special way."

Merlin looks at Fury's eyes, seemingly trying to see all the secrets hidden in Fury's mind; he then says:

"I can't verify the validity of this information either, so I brought it here to you. You'll be the judge of whether or not SDOLD should intervene with this affair."

"Mechanical lifeforms..."

Fury did not suspect Merlin's words, because Merlin was a wizard, and many know that wizards have a lot of weird methods to collect intel. At least, Fury knows some wizards would judge how something would go through with prophecizing magic.

Perhaps Merlin knew of this intel using those fascinating magic.

He carefully observed the documents Merlin brought him, and moments later, he puts down the documents, crosses his hands, and begins to contemplate as Merlin waited.

"Remember the secrets Keller revealed to us?"

A minute later, FUry stands up, he takes out a dusted file from the data drawer behind him, hands it to Merlin, and says:

"Keller told us that the DoD had a special plan that was related to mechanical lifeforms."

Fury points his finger at the document and says:

"The name of that project is 'Sector Seven'."

"Sector Seven?"

Merlin opened the document file, and in it were only a few pieces of paper. He then asks in confusion:

"Can the validity be verified?"

"Yes."

Fury nods and tells Merlin:

"The old generals in the DoD kept this secret well hidden, I found some traces only after pulling a lot of strings. That project does exist, but we don't know the exact location; though from what intel we've collected thus far, the DoD indeed had a temporary contact with some special mechanical lifeforms during the Cold War."

"1 year ago, the disconnected signal reawakened and we'd detected the special data signal a multitude of times. Through tracking that signal, we confirmed the existence of Sector Seven."

"You're saying that we have a way to identify the data signal of mechanical lifeforms?"

Merlin's expression changes slightly, he takes the document and walks to the window, seemingly looking at the fuzzy image using the light.

Where Fury wasn't noticing, Merlin secretly gestures a 'stop' sign to Cliffjumper at the parking lot below, who then ceases its decoding of SHIELD's database.

At the same time, the door to Fury's office is opened.

An anxious agent Hill tells Fury:

"Sir, those special data signals are back! They hacked into our database a few minutes ago! But they were blocked by the physical encryption wall."

"Pa"

Fury slams his hand on the table and growls:

"Those b***es!"

"They're trying to peek at our secrets!"

 

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