All day, Ben's mind had been exceptionally clear. Every piece of knowledge seemed to follow a logical path instead of being a tangled mess. He was completely immersed in his studies, forgetting all about Felicia.
After school, however, something far more important was waiting for him.
The moment he stepped out of the classroom, he ran into Peter, who was rushing out of another classroom down the hall.
"Hey, Ben!" Peter looked thrilled to see him. "Did you change your mind? Are you coming with me to see Dr. Connors?"
He thought Ben's hurry was to catch up and join him.
"Don't get your hopes up, Peter. I told you, I'm not interested in that," Ben said with a shrug.
He was actually interested in Connors' cross-species genetics work. Azmuth's creation of the Omnitrix was deeply tied to genetics. But the problem was, with his current human-level knowledge, he couldn't possibly understand the serum or the complex formulas behind it. Grey Matter could, but he couldn't just transform in front of Peter and Dr. Connors.
Just that morning, he'd killed a man in front of Tony Stark as Fasttrack. That alien would definitely be labeled a high-level threat.
If other aliens started appearing, especially ones all bearing the same Omnitrix symbol, it would raise major red flags. It wasn't just the aliens he had to worry about; Ben himself had to be careful not to draw attention to the weird watch on his wrist.
More importantly, he didn't need to go. The core knowledge of cross-species genetics was right there in the briefcase Richard Parker left for Peter. That was where the real精髓 (jīngsuǐ - essence) was.
"I just wanted to remind you, it's fine to go see Dr. Connors, but don't forget you have to pick up Aunt May tonight," Ben said seriously.
Peter nodded instinctively. "Okay, wait—how did you know I'm picking up Aunt May?"
He looked utterly surprised. Ben had left the house much earlier than him that morning. How could Ben possibly know he'd promised Aunt May he'd pick her up?
"Don't worry about it," Ben brushed him off. "And tell Uncle Ben and Aunt May I'll be home late tonight."
After parting ways with Peter, Ben left the school grounds and ducked into a convenience store.
He bought a large bottle of heavy-duty cleaner, then slipped into a blind spot away from all security cameras with his backpack.
"Alright then—" He pushed up his sleeve, and the core of the Omnitrix popped up.
"Fasttrack!"
—
"Fasttrack..." Tony stroked the short, prickly beard on his chin, instructing J.A.R.V.I.S. to create a new file.
A moment later, a holographic projection of the dragon-like humanoid materialized in front of him.
"He said his name was Fasttrack. What do you think he actually is? Did the dinosaurs not go fully extinct billions of years ago?" Tony mused. He didn't really expect a useful answer from J.A.R.V.I.S.
For him, J.A.R.V.I.S. was more of a convenient butler. He was the brilliant mind.
"I cannot say, Sir. I have searched all global databases and found no relevant data or reliable eyewitness accounts of a 'dinosaur man'," J.A.R.V.I.S. reported. "There is, however, a group of individuals who identify as 'Primordial Lizard People', though available data does not support the reliability of their claims."
"Forget those crackpot theories," Tony said, studying the scanned image closely. "He didn't just pop out of thin air. Create a database for him."
"Right away, Sir."
J.A.R.V.I.S. quickly established a file.
"File Name: Fasttrack..."
"No. Call him Dino-boy," Tony insisted. A data model materialized before his eyes. Based on the data collected during their brief fight, J.A.R.V.I.S. had already performed a preliminary analysis of Fasttrack's abilities.
"His lower legs feature a structure analogous to wheels," J.A.R.V.I.S. explained, breaking down a segment of footage frame by frame. "He moved his feet sixteen times within one second. Note, Sir, this was his casual movement speed, achieving at least three hundred miles per hour. His subsequent speed was significantly higher."
"During high-speed movement, the twin digits on these 'wheels' appear to secrete a lubricant to reduce friction."
J.A.R.V.I.S. pulled up another video. The playback was slowed down dramatically, making the environment appear almost static, though Fasttrack was still moving swiftly. It was at least visible now.
"A wheel structure..." Tony stared at the projection, thinking. "In that case, he must be more prone to slipping than a normal person..."
He had almost immediately identified a potential weakness.
For a high-IQ individual like Tony, the principles of friction were child's play, mastered by age four or five.
"It seems next time, I'll need to add some lubricant to the Mark IV armor. Or perhaps the opposite—a foam-based adhesive?"
Pleased with having thought of a countermeasure, Tony's mood improved slightly. But then, another question arose.
"What is that?" He pointed to the Omnitrix symbol on Fasttrack's chest. "That doesn't look like a natural part of his biology. It looks more like..."
It reminded him of his own Arc Reactor.
"What are the odds he's a bio-engineered creature?"
From Tony's perspective, Fasttrack seemed highly unlikely to be a product of natural evolution. The wheel-like feet aside, the faceplate that slid down over his face felt distinctly non-organic.
He was trying to analyze a being from a completely different paradigm using his existing understanding of biology, which was bound to lead to inaccuracies.
"Probability is zero percent, Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. stated. "X-ray scans detected no signs of internal cybernetic or biological augmentation. The wheel structure in the feet corresponds precisely with the bone structure visible via X-ray, indicating a naturally occurring biological formation."
"How is that possible!"
"While it seems fantastical, it appears to be the reality," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied, devoid of emotion. "This is likely a previously undiscovered species."
"No new species just appears with human-level intelligence, J.A.R.V.I.S. He spoke to me in English," Tony said, his expression grave. "If he's not engineered, then his species must have been evolving for millions of years!"
"Monitor all cameras in New York. The moment you spot Dino-boy or any similar creature, alert me immediately. Also, investigate the man he killed—"
"Sir, are you operating under the assumption that he is not a singular individual, but part of a larger population?" J.A.R.V.I.S. immediately grasped Tony's implication.
"Earth's environment couldn't naturally produce a creature like this. If he didn't escape from some lab, then the most likely explanation is that he's from outer space," Tony concluded.
"So, create another file for me. Call it 'Extraterrestrial'!"
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