Chapter 123 - 122: First Ride
The black sedan lay silent, save for the rhythmic dripping of sap from a freshly felled tree branch. Inside, Ciano sat rigidly in the driver’s seat, his hands still gripping the wheel, his jaw literally slack. His gaze was fixed on the rearview mirror, where Richard floated just outside the car, surrounded by the prone forms of the armed men. Ciano’s mind wrestled with what he had just witnessed.
He... he just did that, Ciano thought. Fifteen men. In seconds. No gun. Just... power. Like a ghost. He didn’t even touch them. My boss... what is he? I can’t believe my eyes. This isn’t just magic tricks or special forces training. This is... something else entirely. Something... beyond. His professional skepticism, honed over years in high-threat environments, had not just been shattered; it had been atomized. He felt a shiver, not of cold, but of awe, tracing down his spine.
As Ciano processed the impossible, the apprehended armed men began to stir, groaning in anger and confusion. A faint, almost imperceptible hum filled the air, growing steadily. Then, a sleek, dark form descended from the sky, landing with uncanny smoothness and utter silence just behind the sedan. It was Butler Jimmy.
Jack, who had been curled in the passenger seat, oblivious to most of Richard’s display, stirred at the subtle disturbance. He slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes, and looked out the rear window. His jaw dropped. "Whoa! Jimmy! You flew here! You actually flew!" he exclaimed, scrambling out of the car, eyes wide with childlike amazement. He’d seen the androids in the underground labs, but this was first-hand action.
Jimmy, the elder-looking android with perfectly coiffed curly blonde hair and a neatly trimmed mustache, dressed impeccably in a butler’s uniform, performed a slight, graceful bow. "Good afternoon, Master Jack. A pleasure to be of service." His voice was a flawless, perfect British posh accent, utterly convincing.
Jack just stared, transfixed. "He even talks like a real butler," he muttered to himself, awestruck. "This is insane! The real butler just flew in!"
Butler Jimmy then turned his attention to Richard, who still hovered calmly outside the car. With another slight, respectful bow, he addressed him. "Sir Richard. I trust my arrival was timely."
Richard lowered himself to the ground, his silver eyes meeting Jimmy’s. "Jimmy, were you spotted flying all the way here?"
"Negative, Sir. Stealth mode was fully engaged," Butler Jimmy replied smoothly, handing Richard a large, sleek blue suitcase. "No visual or energy signature anomalies detected. The route was clear."
Richard placed the suitcase on the ground, and with a soft whirr, placed his thumbprint on a recessed panel. The case didn’t just open; it began to unfold, panels sliding back with intricate precision, revealing the complex, dormant form of the Prometheus Mark 8 armor within. Richard stepped onto the designated foot slots. With a rapid series of metallic clicks and whirs, the armor automatically transformed, engulfing him. Deep blue plates, streaked with vibrant cyan lines, articulated around his form, culminating in the iconic, small horn on the helmet.
Jack watched, utterly spellbound. "Holy cow! Bro, is that...?! That’s the Prometheus?! Last time I saw it, it wasn’t like that before, but now it folds from a briefcase and then transforms? Like a damn Transformer! Dude, I want my Musashi armor to do that! This is way cooler than mine!" His voice was a blend of genuine admiration and envious whine.