Chapter 44: Pulse Explosion

Compared to Adam, who was barely holding his ground, Tony Stark was in a far worse situation. He had been cornered by two experimental soldiers, their relentless attacks pummeling him. If not for the durability of his armor, Tony would have been dead by now.

Seeing the dire situation, Adam gritted his teeth, and the tips of his fingers glowed red. Ten laser beams shot out, slicing through the air. The energy reserves of his armor plummeted to half, but the impact was worth it. Three experimental warriors surrounding him were cut in half, and one of the subjects attacking Tony had its head split in two.

For a moment, Adam felt a glimmer of hope and prepared to push his advantage. But the experimental warriors didn’t stay down for long. Their bodies began regenerating almost immediately, the damage sealing up as if nothing had happened.

“Tony, any brilliant ideas?” Adam shouted, his voice tinged with desperation. “If this keeps up, we’re done for!”

“If I had one, do you think I’d still be getting my ass kicked?” Tony snapped back, managing to create some space by firing off his repulsors.

Thanks to Adam’s intervention, one of the experimental soldiers attacking Tony had fallen, giving him a brief reprieve. But it was still clear he was struggling to keep up.

Adam avoided a swing from one of the regenerating warriors and yelled, “Tony Stark, you idiot! Can’t you even take down one of them?”

Tony’s temper flared at the insult, but he had no comeback. “Shut up, kid,” he muttered, channeling his frustration into blasting the subject in front of him with his hand cannon.

The experimental soldier staggered, its movements jerky, and its body trembled.

Adam’s eyes lit up at the reaction. “Plasma beams… they work!”

He stopped his retreat mid-flight, planting his feet firmly on the ground. The arc reactor on his chest began to glow intensely, and a massive beam of energy shot forward. The experimental subject in his sights took the blast head-on, its chest nearly obliterated, exposing the silver-white metal skeleton beneath.

But even as it trembled, another subject stepped forward to shield it. Adam groaned in frustration as the damaged one began regenerating again.

“They’re healing faster than Extremis soldiers,” Adam muttered. “But the pulse works.”

His mind raced as he calculated his next move. Looking over at Tony Stark, who was being pinned to the ground by an experimental warrior, Adam suddenly had an idea.

“Tony, full power plasma beam! Aim it here!” Adam shouted, pointing at the space in front of him.

“Are you insane?!” Tony yelled back, struggling under the weight of the experimental subject.

“Just trust me!” Adam shouted as he dodged another swing.

“Crazy kid,” Tony muttered, but he complied. His plasma beam weapon powered up, emitting an intense glow.

Adam planted himself firmly on the ground again, mechanical claws extending from his armor to anchor him. A beam of energy erupted from his chest arc reactor, meeting Tony’s plasma beam mid-air.

The experimental subjects, sensing the danger, rushed toward Adam, but without their extreme heat, their attacks couldn’t penetrate his armor.

The beams collided, forming a massive, pulsing ball of energy.

“Brace yourself!” Adam shouted.

The laboratory was engulfed in blue light as the pulse exploded, sending an electric surge raging through the room. Sparks flew, and a searing wave of heat rippled through the space.

When the light faded, Adam surveyed the damage. The lab was a scorched mess, blackened fragments of equipment scattered everywhere. The experimental subjects lay motionless on the ground, their bodies charred and twisted.

“Kid, you’re absolutely insane,” Tony said as he moved his battered armor.

“Right back at you,” Adam replied, coughing but grinning. Internally, he thought, This move was your invention, Stark. Who’s the real madman here?

Adam scanned the room. Something was missing.

“Where’s the guy in the white coat?”

Tony turned toward the control room, only to find the scientist gone.

“He was right there,” Tony said grimly. “Must’ve slipped away during the chaos.”

Adam’s expression darkened. “Let’s check the lab’s exits. He couldn’t have gotten far.”

The two smashed through the tempered glass of the control room, opening the door to the lab. As soon as they stepped out, several of Adam’s steel armors flew in, and Adam quickly switched to a fresh set.

Tony looked at his energy-depleted armor, then at Adam’s shiny replacement, feeling another pang of jealousy.

“Skynet,” Adam commanded, “requisition all nearby military satellites. Track this guy down.”

Within moments, Skynet’s voice responded. “Master, a vehicle has been located ten kilometers south. A jeep.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “Got him. I’ll handle it.”

Before Tony could react, Adam activated his armor’s propulsion and blasted off.

“Wait for me, kid!” Tony shouted. He tried to follow but only managed a few steps before his armor sputtered, its energy reserves nearly depleted.

Frustrated, Tony sat down and muttered curses at Adam under his breath.