The silence that followed Alex's declaration—"That is the Fragments of Howard's Legacy"—felt thicker than the dust settling in the forgotten Stark Tower lab. Romanoff said nothing. She didn't need to. Her eyes, narrowed and sharp, were running complex risk calculations that Alex could practically feel. The unspoken deal was sealed: he would build his suit, and SHIELD would watch him do it.
Alex didn't wait for permission. He moved, channeling his fear and exhaustion into a furious, focused energy. He was no longer building a fantasy; he was constructing his only chance at freedom.
"I need materials," Alex stated, stripping off his ruined sweater and revealing the deep amber glow of the Arc Core. "High-tensile polymers, military-grade titanium alloy, and access to a cold forge. And a clear zone around a hundred meters. I need to test the output without shattering the rest of your lovely ghost tower."
Romanoff simply nodded to a pair of agents who appeared instantly at the doorway. "Anything he needs, he gets. Fast. But you don't leave this floor, and every piece of scrap metal goes through a level-three inventory check before disposal."
For the next thirty-six hours, Alex lived in a haze of technical delirium. The lab, previously a mausoleum, roared to life. He was surrounded by resources Tony hadn't even bothered to unpack yet—the cutting-edge of materials science, advanced milling machines, and plasma cutters.
The System, usually a calm, instructional voice, became a frantic torrent of data, demanding efficiency: [Warning: The Host is operating at 85% capacity. Maximize time allocation to the Kinetic Field Projector design. Minimize sleep.]
"Shut up," Alex muttered, wrenching a titanium alloy sheet onto a cutting table. He knew he was exhausted, but the thought of sleeping, of waking up to Romanoff standing over him, was a greater motivator than any system prompt.
The Kinetic Gauntlet
Alex's primary goal wasn't a suit of armor; it was a shield. The kinetic energy was a product of the Arc Core's stabilizing frequency, a residual wave that could perfectly apply force. To harness it, he needed a projector that was both sophisticated and durable.
He started with the right arm gauntlet. It had to be light enough for extreme agility but structurally perfect to handle the immense pressures of projecting and dampening force. He designed the gauntlet using interlocking segments of polished, black titanium, giving it a menacing, segmented look.
The true genius lay in the palm. Instead of a single, central repulsor emitter (as Tony would later design), Alex built a complex array of focused electromagnetic coils beneath a transparent polycarbonate layer. These coils would focus the Core's energy into a pure, directional kinetic wave—a silent, non-lethal push that could stop a speeding car or buckle steel.
As he worked, Romanoff watched, silent and unblinking. Her presence was a constant, suffocating weight.
"Why the palm?" she finally asked, her voice cutting through the hiss of the plasma cutter. "Why not a fixed shield? It's inefficient for defense."
Alex didn't look up, guiding the cutter with absolute precision. "The kinetic field is powered by intent, not just energy flow. It requires precise movement, a push." He wiped sweat from his brow. "And it's not just a shield. Howard's work on RUNE wasn't just about defense. It was about displacement. If I can push objects, I can push myself. Think of it as a tactical leap system."
He looked at the finished gauntlet. It was a masterpiece of lethal minimalism, pulsing faintly with the core's amber light. He strapped it to his forearm. The fit was perfect.
Trial by Fire
The designated testing zone was a reinforced section of the sub-level's loading dock, marked off by heavy SHIELD barricades. Romanoff stood twenty feet away, flanked by two highly trained agents, their faces impassive. The tension was suffocating.
"We start with dampening," Romanoff ordered. "Agent Myers, standard issue 9mm, ten meters. Fire."
Alex stood still, taking deep, ragged breaths. He focused on the energy in his chest—a steady, powerful hum—and channeled it to the coils in his right palm. The System offered a critical calculation: [Kinetic Field Projection required to neutralize 9mm projectile velocity: 1.12 Newtons.]
The gunshot was deafening in the enclosed space.
The instant the bullet left the barrel, Alex threw his arm forward. An invisible SHIMMER appeared an inch in front of his palm. The bullet, instead of hitting the gauntlet, slowed instantly, flattened into a coin-sized piece of lead, and dropped harmlessly to the floor.
Alex felt a spike of pure, triumphant adrenaline. It worked.
"Again," Romanoff commanded, her voice edged with surprise.
Pop. Pop. Pop. Three more rounds. Each one was met by the invisible field, stripped of its kinetic energy, and dropped as a spent slug.
"Now, the offensive," Romanoff said, her eyes gleaming. "The steel target."
Alex raised his arm toward a reinforced steel column. He focused the kinetic energy, not for dampening, but for projection. He thought not of a blast, but of a perfectly timed, invisible fist slamming into the column.
He unleashed the energy. There was a sound like heavy fabric tearing, and the steel column, designed to withstand tons of static weight, groaned. A deep, wide dent appeared where the invisible energy had hit.
"Remarkable," Romanoff admitted, walking over to examine the damage. "It's clean. No heat signature, no shrapnel."
The Price of Freedom
The success, however, came with a crushing internal cost. The System, analyzing the output, issued a warning that cut through his exhaustion: [Warning: Extended use of RUNE energy without full containment suit will induce severe neurological decay. Host capacity downgraded to 75%.]
He was building his weapon, but every test was killing him slowly.
Romanoff turned back, her professional curiosity replaced by a hard, calculating gaze. "Your armor is working. Now, tell me, Alex. Why did you insist on building the gauntlet first? You need core stabilization above all else."
Alex straightened up, forcing a confident stance. He hadn't built a full suit because he didn't intend to stay. The gauntlet gave him defense, attack, and, crucially, mobility.
"I built the gauntlet first because it gives me the thrust I need," Alex said, matching her intensity. "The kinetic push isn't just a shield. It's a massive burst of acceleration. I can stop a projectile, or I can throw myself across a hundred feet of space. Now that you know its power, you'll triple the guards."
He took a slow step back toward the open R&D area. "I know this tower better than anyone, Romanoff. And I'm not interested in being a black project. I'm building my escape."
Romanoff didn't reach for her weapon. She simply watched, a small, knowing smile touching her lips. "I figured as much, Alex. But the entire tower is locked down. Every exit, every vent, every elevator. You'll never make it past the roof."
Alex tapped the kinetic gauntlet. "You forget, Agent. I have the power of Howard Stark's legacy on my side. I don't need a door. I just need a precise point of displacement."
He spun on his heel and launched a blindingly fast, kinetic wave directly at a specific section of the concrete wall—a section his genius mind knew housed the main water conduit, right above a service tunnel entrance.
The wall didn't just dent; it disintegrated into a plume of dust and water
, revealing a narrow, dark escape path.
End of chapter :>
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