21 Operation blue: Conclusion.

After ensuring Abomination was consigned to his final resting place, I returned to the battlefield. Hovering in the air, I surveyed the scene below.

The Hulk was nowhere to be found, while law enforcement and military personnel swarmed the area.

Suddenly, a sense of alarm spread through the crowd as I descended once again from the sky.

I noticed a group of military personnel securing the perimeter around Abomination's severed limbs, preparing to load them onto a vehicle. Disregarding their presence, I made my way toward the crater where the limbs lay.

My mask retracted, and my eyes emitted a piercing heat vision.

Thunderbolt Ross, sensing the gravity of the situation, cried out in an attempt to halt my impending actions.

"No, stop" He pleaded for me to stop.

but I disregarded his plea and proceeded to turn the limbs and the ground surrounding them into a searing molten state.

"Someone, stop him!" Ross bellowed, giving orders to his men to intervene.

His men opened fire, their bullets proving futile against my impervious armor and skin. Gradually, the crater transformed into a pool of molten slag, eradicating any remnants of the Blonsky's existence.

Once the task was complete, I turned my gaze towards Ross, his face contorted with anger. He yelled at his soldiers, demanding they take action against me.

Undeterred, I advanced towards him, his troops attempting to shield him from my approach. However, their efforts were in vain as I effortlessly made my way through their ranks.

Finally, I stood before Ross, who trembled with a mix of fear and defiance.

He stammered, attempting to assert his authority despite the circumstances. "While I may thank you for putting an end to that monstrous threat, it is important to note that the remains belonged to the government even if he was a renegade soldier. You had no right to take matters into your own hands," he declared with a strained, yet determined tone.

"A monstrous threat, huh? Well, let me enlighten you, Ross. The true monster here is none other than yourself. The blood of all the innocent lives lost today stains your hands. Both Hulk and Emil are products of your actions, and everything that unfolded is a direct consequence of your choices," I retorted, my words dripping with contempt.

"How many more of your men will you send to the meatgrinder before you admit your own incompetence? How many lives must be sacrificed to sweep your failures under the rug and cover them up? Yet, here you stand, obstinately pursuing your own agenda as if nothing has happened," I questioned him, his glare intensifying as the soldiers who had lost their comrades nodded in agreement.

"So, let me pose this question to you, Ross. Who, in reality, embodies the true definition of a monster? Is it, not the one responsible for orchestrating such devastation?" I asked rhetorically.

"to hell with you whoever you are. you know nothing" he yelled trying to intermediate me.

"oh I know a lot," I said without adding any context as I launched myself into the sky.

I ascended to the ship hovering above the chaotic scene, and there I found Sterns engrossed in observing the unfolding events through the hologram feed from the drones I used to track my targets. As all their paths had led to this location, he had a front-row seat to the spectacle taking place outside.

The moment he noticed my presence, fear gripped him, causing him to jump in surprise.

"Yo-You...How...why...and who are you?" he stammered, his eyes reflecting the genuine trepidation he felt.

"You sure know how to pile on the questions, Sterns. It's a bit overwhelming," I teased him lightly, trying to alleviate some of the tension.

"Well, my apologies for my curiosity. I am a scientist, and questioning is second nature to me. Now, can you explain what exactly is happening here? Why did you save me? And most importantly, who do you work for?" he said, his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm, while still bombarding me with a barrage of queries.

"I'm a friend, Sterns. I see the potential within you, and I'm here to help you realize it. So, refrain from any tendencies toward world dominance. it's limiting. Instead, cast your gaze above—look at the vast expanse of stars. Sometimes, it's crucial to focus on what lies ahead rather than fixating on your immediate surroundings, when you're walking, you should look ahead rather than look at your feet unless you want to hit a wall," I responded, offering a cryptic yet intriguing answer without divulging too much information, but I know he's smart and can figure it out.

"Also I am independent" I declared firmly, swiftly placing a nerve jammer on Sterns's neck the nanites start to seep into his nervous system and began to take effect, making him drowsy and eventually causing him to fall asleep.

With Sterns peacefully slumbering, I wasted no time and made my way directly to the Fortress of solitude.

"Ordis, prepare a somatic reconditioning pod," I instructed my trusty companion.

"As you command, boss," Ordis replied cheerfully, ready to fulfill my orders.

Upon arriving at the mountain, I proceeded towards the Somatic Reconditioning Chamber, carefully placing Sterns inside one of the pods as he became enveloped by a crystalline substance.

"Hello, Ordis. I need you to delve into his mind, eliminating any elements that might foster independent thinking that will lead him to try to take over or whatever he's into. Make it his utmost directive to serve my goals and enhance his intuition and loyalty," I commanded.

Curious about the duration of this process, I inquired, albeit uncertain of what to expect.

"how much would this take, Ordis?" I asked.

"A cognitive Somatic Reconditioning cycle of this magnitude typically takes one week," Ordis chirped in response.

My decision to proceed with this course of action stemmed from a need for caution. While I recognized Sterns's remarkable abilities and potential, I couldn't overlook his propensity for betrayal and his inflated sense of superiority, which would prove challenging to manage. Thus, it was imperative to eradicate any potential issues at their core.

With Operation Blue having reached a successful culmination, I now urged Ordis to move forward with the final step: the release of all files pertaining to General Ross's illicit dealings, including the incriminating videos captured during his last mission. These materials were bound to cast him into an inescapable abyss. Additionally, I requested the creation of a swarm of bots programmed to shape public opinion, ensuring a negative perception of Ross that would ultimately compel the government to disavow him, and ideally subject him to a martial court.

Now, I find myself eagerly anticipating the name that the public will bestow upon me, as it is the moniker that will become synonymous with me and my actions.

I sincerely hope that they do not assign me a lackluster or uninspired title. However, based on the psychic impact I have made, I highly doubt that will be the case.

[choose a name here]