Chapter 22: The Silent Peak
The Swiss Alps were a jagged crown of ice and stone, but for the first time, Arthur didn't see them as a physical barrier. With his Intelligence boosted to S+, the mountain range appeared as a complex set of topographical data and thermal signatures.
The Digital Ghost
Arthur stood at the edge of the salvaged Valkyrie transport's cargo ramp. The wind at this altitude was a razor, but the [Archivist Combat Shroud] adjusted its thermal weave instantly.
"I'm going in solo for the first phase," Arthur said over the comms, his voice steady despite the thin air. "Zola's sensors are tuned to detect biological heartbeats and standard radio frequencies. My [Spatial Anchor] can mask both."
"Just don't take too long," Bucky's voice crackled. "If the base goes into lockdown, Steve is going to want to knock on the front door with his shield, and that tends to be loud."
The Infiltration
Arthur stepped into the void. Instead of falling, he used [Blink Strike] in rapid succession, flickering through the air like a glitch in reality. He didn't land on the mountain; he folded the space between the transport and the facility's primary ventilation shaft.
[ SKILL ACTIVE: CHRONO-VISION ]
Through the stone walls, Arthur saw the "intended" security patrol. He moved in the seconds between their heartbeats, a shadow that the cameras recorded only as a brief flicker of static.
[ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ]
Location: The Silicon Cradle — Arnim Zola's Private Sanctum.
Detection Level: 0% (Silent).
Objective: Access the Central Server before the Neural Upload begins.
The Living Code
He reached the server room. It wasn't a room of metal and gears; it was a cathedral of early vacuum tubes and pulsating blue wires, cooled by the natural Alpine ice. In the center sat a primitive but massive processor—the prototype for what would one day become the digital consciousness of Arnim Zola.
Arthur placed his hand on the cooling casing.
[ SKILL ACTIVE: DATA LEECH — NEURAL MAP ]
"Who... is... there?" A voice, synthesized and fragmented, echoed from the speakers. It wasn't a man speaking; it was the machine. "The Archivist. The anomaly that Doctor Thorne could not delete. You are... unexpected."
"I'm the one who's going to make sure you stay in a box, Zola," Arthur whispered, his eyes glowing gold as he began the massive data transfer.
The Counter-Attack
The room suddenly flared with red light. The floor hummed as automated turrets descended from the ceiling, their barrels tracking Arthur's heat signature.
"Calculation... complete," Zola's voice became smoother, more malicious. "You are here to steal my mind. But you have forgotten... I am already everywhere in this mountain. Lockdown initiated."
[ ALERT ]
Condition: Trap Sprung.
Enemies Detected: Hydra Defense Sentinels (Experimental).
Core Integrity: 85% (Ready for Combat).
Arthur gripped [The Archive's Edge]. The blue shard pulsed. "I didn't come here to steal your mind, Zola. I came to archive your expiration date."
Current Status:
DP Balance: 700.
Objective: Survive the sentinel ambush and finish the Neural-Sync.
Sync Progress: 45%.