Chapter 49 - Of Ancient Enemies
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Samael61
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Hello there,
If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.
To the attention of the readers who enjoy reading an intelligent main character like Miles will definitely like my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.
—
Metropolis
Green Lantern, Flash, J'onn, and Hawkgirl had just disappeared, following the League's fight against a robot secretly controlled by Lex Luthor.
Which meant the time for Luthor's cancer diagnosis and gathering a gang to attack the Justice League.
Except he had recently discovered a tiny issue.
Unlike his show counterpart, this Lex Luthor was not carrying kryptonite in his breast pocket, preferring to keep it in a special compartment in his belt.
The discovery itself was rather by chance when he had Luthor scanned for the kryptonite from a short distance using one of Morrow's latest devices. The breast pocket was empty, but a small part of his belt was made from lead, an unusual choice.
Which meant Lex was playing safe, and without his fatalistic view of life, he would continue to operate behind the scenes.
That was fine too, and it left him in the position to gather more dirt on Luthor.
For now, he had a more delicate matter to deal with. The travel to the alternate dimension by the heroes, Morgaine le Fay, and Metamorpho was the next threat the League would face, but they were nowhere near as dangerous as Vandal Savage and his plan to time travel to World War II and aid the Axis in a bid to take over the world.
Which is why he was searching for the laboratory where the time travel machine was, to stop this plan before it could be enacted.
The League would stop Savage, but it presented an existential problem for Miles.
If the timeline changed so significantly and he still arrived in 2003, it would be in a world controlled by the Nazis, and his current knowledge would be rendered useless.
In a world ruled by totalitarian fascists with a population of genetic zealots supporting the Aryan race's superiority, Miles would be hard-pressed to exist, much less work as he had in this world.
Vandal Savage had to be stopped.
—
There was nothing he could do to help the missing heroes, since he did not have an expert on dimensional travel on hand, but he knew they would succeed. Miles left the cleanup to the League to pursue the time travel machine.
He considered that the research lab might be in Metropolis, since the League would find themselves in a city occupying the same location, but for all he knew, it could have been moved there. That episode wasn't clear on the exact location, only mentioning Grünstrasse, a very generic German street name.
Going around searching for time travel projects would only tip Vandal off, but there was another avenue he could pursue.
Constructing a machine capable of time travel would need funding and uncommon materials.
Miles wanted to know what those uncommon materials could be, and to that end, he needed the greatest scientific minds of Earth.
—
Los Angeles
Finding Michael Holt, a.k.a. Mr. Terrific, was simple, since he was either in New York or Los Angeles, and it was the latter where he found the smartest person on Earth.
Setting up a meeting to discuss possible fields of cooperation, Miles would act as Mary's assistant. It wouldn't take Michael to figure out who he actually was, and then they could discuss the actual matter at hand before leaving Mary to carry out the business.
"Ms. Lorein, it's a pleasure to meet you." Michael Holt looked exactly like his show counterpart, except he was a real human being without his Mr. Terrific costume.
"You as well, Mr. Holt."
After the pleasantries were exchanged, Michael escorted them to the meeting room, with his own assistant in tow, and after giving Miles a rather long look, they spoke business.
Miles, as the dutiful assistant he was, recorded everything of importance.
—
Both sides agreed on a break, and they were directed to an open buffet. Miles was making himself a modest plate when Michael Holt came for the crab quiche next to the ravioli near him.
"The owner acting as the CEO's assistant? Why not directly contact me?" Holt asked, taking a slice of the quiche.
The man had chosen to wait until the proceedings were over to speak, in a place where it wouldn't be out of the norm for the two to speak. "Because the matter I wished to discuss is rather sensitive, and secrecy is of utmost importance."
"Dangerous business then." Michael didn't know if he was about to be offered an illicit business deal or the chance to stop one.
"If I don't stop it, yes."
The latter it was. "I am listening."
"If I were a several-thousand-year-old human from the Cro-Magnon era with enhanced intelligence who had ample time to dabble in science, build connections all over the world, and concoct a plan to take over Earth, what would I need to build a time machine?" Miles Beckett asked him, taking a glass of orange juice.
The question itself was so specific and weird, it took Michael more than a couple of seconds to connect the dots.
Still, he needed more information. "You are going to have to give me more details if you want my help."
Miles nodded. It was only fair to be upfront when he came all the way here to make use of Terrific's mind. "Ever heard of Vandal Savage?"
It was unlikely, but Terrific was known for his intelligence.
"No, but I have a feeling it will be interesting to hear about him."
At the risk of being prejudiced, a man with a name like that was bound to be trouble.
—
Michael rubbed his temple, digesting the information dump. An early human, basically a caveman, who had been exposed to a strange matter brought to Earth by a meteor and who had gained increased intelligence, regeneration, and immortality, was planning to travel to the middle of WW II to take over the Reich.
Using his advanced knowledge, Vandal was planning to dominate the entire world under the jackboot of the Nazis.
A novel idea for a movie, but a nightmare if it were to come true.
"Why come to me? I am only the third smartest man in the world." He excused. Michael had kept an eye on the meteoric rise of EnviroCorps, and a man like Miles could enlist the help of anyone on that list.
Except for Luthor.
Miles chuckled. "According to a list you wrote in the first place."
It was quite ingenious. The list downplayed Terrific's intellect while making Lex Luthor the prime target for anyone in search of a genius.
That episode of Justice League Action was amusing.
"Touché," Michael admitted. The list was widely accepted, but its author wasn't known.
Analyzing the knowledge he had been given so far, it was hard to infer anything about the specifics of the machine from the visual descriptions alone, but Michael had a rough idea.
"If this Vandal is building a time machine like the one you described, then he will need tachyon field generators, chronal harmonizers, and quantum mass inverters for a start." The workings of the parts Miles had described fit those machines to a degree, and if Michael had to make a time machine, they would definitely be necessary.
"There is one company that I heard rumors was building tachyon field generators, but even that was a hush-hush matter, so I'm not sure on that." It was more of a leak followed by a scandal, but nothing with definitive proof.
At least ones that he had bothered to acquire.
Miles whipped out his phone, quickly messaging someone, and less than a minute later, had an answer back.
"Khan Limited. How original." He rolled his eyes. Vandal must have found the name amusing.
Michael was impressed by how quickly Miles found the name but was confused by his reaction to the name.
"Vandal had many names throughout history; Genghis Khan was one I am sure you will recognize." Miles answered, seeing Terrific's querying gaze.
"Do you need any help with that guy?" Fighting Genghis Khan wasn't on his bucket list, but it certainly would be a novel experience.
Miles shook his head. "I need to convince him that time travel is not possible at all. If the machine is destroyed or sabotaged in an obvious manner, Vandal will only produce another one, this time in greater secrecy."
If the machine were destroyed outright, Vandal would know he was on the right track and double down on building another until he was proven wrong that the idea itself was unfeasible.
"A tweak of a single wire kind of sabotage." Michael rubbed his chin, thinking, "With something as complex as a time machine, it is possible, but I can't say anything for certain without the schematics."
"You will have them. In the meantime, enjoy your discussions with Mary." Miles would stick along to not arouse suspicion, but his business here was done.
—
Khan Limited, owned by several shadowy funds, was known for producing cutting-edge tech parts for militaries, space rockets, satellites, and more.
There were rumors that the company was building parts for a superweapon, including tachyon field generators.
The leak, true to some extent, had cast doubts on the company's security, but they were still a strong but silent contender in the field.
Which left Miles with the task of finding where they had shipped the generators.
—
A system was as strong as its weakest link; in this case, it was the drivers. Well paid for their silence, they did not ask any questions, but recently, one had gotten into an accident. A DUI had damaged his cargo, and the company sought out a scapegoat.
Nelson Kelmack had found himself out of a job without any benefits or severance pay and an NDA to keep his mouth shut.
He was a longtime employee of Khan Limited and could know about the delivery location of the generators. Having broken into Nelson's home, they were waiting for the man to arrive from his latest job hunt.
"Shit. I didn't break my NDA; why the hell would they send anyone after me?" Nelson panicked, raising his hands up while Claire stood by the door.
Miles clapped. Nelson's conclusion might be wrong, but with the information he had, it was a reasonable one to make. "You are a sharp man, Nelson, but that is not why I am here. In fact, I actually want you to break that NDA, without a soul to hear."
"Do you know what they will do to me if it gets out?" Nelson lowered his arms. Khan Limited had doubled down on security after the leak, and breaking an NDA was one way to get on their bad side.
"Not even if I offer half a million dollars for your trouble?" The unknown man waved a lottery ticket in his hand.
Half a million dollars was too sweet to pass up, but Nelson was unconvinced. "I…"
"You know, you remind me of a man that worked for my father, Rudolph. Brilliant man, not one that should have been doing menial work under anyone. Do you know what his problem was?" Miles had always found it such a weird situation as a child, only to later realize why.
"Fear, hesitation. What if I fail? What if a problem arises and I can't solve it? It was that doubt that kept him from reaching his potential."
A mistake Miles had promised to never repeat.
"I investigated you. You are too intelligent to be a mere driver, yet your self-doubt keeps you chained down. Now, this ticket has the winning numbers for one million dollars. Take a lump sum and invest that money in stocks and bonds, or choose an annuity and have a great passive income for the next twenty years." Miles held out the ticket, and Nelson's throat bobbed.
The words had hit too close to home.
Nelson reached for the ticket, but Miles pulled it back. "I just need you to answer some questions. No one will suspect you if the money is earned from the lottery. What do you say?"
"I want to check those numbers." Nelson demanded, and Miles chuckled, handing the ticket over.
—
Of all the deliveries made, only one had stood out. Two devices, each the size of a motorcycle, were packed extremely carefully and escorted by security in inconspicuous vehicles.
The delivery address was in Metropolis, and no driver had ever been made to drive there more than once.
Nelson had heard his superiors talk about the devices being some sort of generators, but as he was paid well for his secrecy, he did not deign to listen more than that.
A quick search for the location had resulted in images eerily similar to Grünstrasse, without the red and black of the Third Reich.
Now, what he needed was a discreet means of infiltrating the lab.
—
EnviroCorps Robotics Research Center
"An infiltration bug?" Miles certainly kept Thomas busy with his constant needs for high-tech solutions.
"Yes, something that will get through all conventional and unconventional means of detection. I want to have one walk inside the most heavily secured place on this planet and give me a visual on what they are eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."
The specifications made the android stop to consider his past actions. With the knowledge at the tip of his fingers, the original Thomas could have done much more than androids to destroy the Justice Society.
"Where are we infiltrating?"
"The laboratory of a megalomaniac with control issues who wishes to change history and bring the world under the boot of Nazi Germany." That was the perfect way to describe Vandal Savage, in his opinion.
The android's face scrunched up as if he had seen a particularly nasty sight. "Transdimensional demons, evil gods, and now the Nazis? You certainly find the most disgusting of enemies to fight."
"Someone has to. I want them mass-produced for deployment across the planet." Infiltrating Vandal's laboratory would also serve as a field test for Morrow's drones.
"Ambitious." More than his initial promises of making the world a better place.
Miles put his hand on Thomas' shoulder to punctuate his point. "The Chinese are building a nuclear-powered robot to protect their country, the Russians are scrambling to recruit metahumans to build their own Justice League, and the Middle East is a mess. If I am to unite this planet, I'll need to force everyone to the table, because they sure as hell won't sit down willingly."
The Chinese robot was canon; the Russians were known to create state-sponsored superhero teams in the comics, and the Middle East was the same as back on his world, plus the high-tech and metahumans.
Thomas started the work with all haste.
—
"Should we not kill this Vandal?" Claire asked as they were riding to scout the outside of the laboratory.
Miles was like-minded, but it would have to be a clean operation. "Preferably."
"We should take a vacation after this." She wanted to lie down on a beach and enjoy the sun while sipping something cold and refreshing.
"Couldn't agree more."
—
In the next chapter:
Taller, with three scars on his face, Vandal had the looks of an ancient and brutal Cro-Magnon warrior rather than the suave mastermind style.
The android quickly took off before the door could be closed and barely made it inside. The force of the door closing had sent it stumbling through the air, but the NEXTINSECT righted itself, scanning the room.
It was large and well lighted, with a hole in the middle surrounded by futuristic machinery.
He had found it.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.
To the attention of the readers who enjoy reading an intelligent main character like Miles will definitely like my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.
—
Metropolis
Green Lantern, Flash, J'onn, and Hawkgirl had just disappeared, following the League's fight against a robot secretly controlled by Lex Luthor.
Which meant the time for Luthor's cancer diagnosis and gathering a gang to attack the Justice League.
Except he had recently discovered a tiny issue.
Unlike his show counterpart, this Lex Luthor was not carrying kryptonite in his breast pocket, preferring to keep it in a special compartment in his belt.
The discovery itself was rather by chance when he had Luthor scanned for the kryptonite from a short distance using one of Morrow's latest devices. The breast pocket was empty, but a small part of his belt was made from lead, an unusual choice.
Which meant Lex was playing safe, and without his fatalistic view of life, he would continue to operate behind the scenes.
That was fine too, and it left him in the position to gather more dirt on Luthor.
For now, he had a more delicate matter to deal with. The travel to the alternate dimension by the heroes, Morgaine le Fay, and Metamorpho was the next threat the League would face, but they were nowhere near as dangerous as Vandal Savage and his plan to time travel to World War II and aid the Axis in a bid to take over the world.
Which is why he was searching for the laboratory where the time travel machine was, to stop this plan before it could be enacted.
The League would stop Savage, but it presented an existential problem for Miles.
If the timeline changed so significantly and he still arrived in 2003, it would be in a world controlled by the Nazis, and his current knowledge would be rendered useless.
In a world ruled by totalitarian fascists with a population of genetic zealots supporting the Aryan race's superiority, Miles would be hard-pressed to exist, much less work as he had in this world.
Vandal Savage had to be stopped.
—
There was nothing he could do to help the missing heroes, since he did not have an expert on dimensional travel on hand, but he knew they would succeed. Miles left the cleanup to the League to pursue the time travel machine.
He considered that the research lab might be in Metropolis, since the League would find themselves in a city occupying the same location, but for all he knew, it could have been moved there. That episode wasn't clear on the exact location, only mentioning Grünstrasse, a very generic German street name.
Going around searching for time travel projects would only tip Vandal off, but there was another avenue he could pursue.
Constructing a machine capable of time travel would need funding and uncommon materials.
Miles wanted to know what those uncommon materials could be, and to that end, he needed the greatest scientific minds of Earth.
—
Los Angeles
Finding Michael Holt, a.k.a. Mr. Terrific, was simple, since he was either in New York or Los Angeles, and it was the latter where he found the smartest person on Earth.
Setting up a meeting to discuss possible fields of cooperation, Miles would act as Mary's assistant. It wouldn't take Michael to figure out who he actually was, and then they could discuss the actual matter at hand before leaving Mary to carry out the business.
"Ms. Lorein, it's a pleasure to meet you." Michael Holt looked exactly like his show counterpart, except he was a real human being without his Mr. Terrific costume.
"You as well, Mr. Holt."
After the pleasantries were exchanged, Michael escorted them to the meeting room, with his own assistant in tow, and after giving Miles a rather long look, they spoke business.
Miles, as the dutiful assistant he was, recorded everything of importance.
—
Both sides agreed on a break, and they were directed to an open buffet. Miles was making himself a modest plate when Michael Holt came for the crab quiche next to the ravioli near him.
"The owner acting as the CEO's assistant? Why not directly contact me?" Holt asked, taking a slice of the quiche.
The man had chosen to wait until the proceedings were over to speak, in a place where it wouldn't be out of the norm for the two to speak. "Because the matter I wished to discuss is rather sensitive, and secrecy is of utmost importance."
"Dangerous business then." Michael didn't know if he was about to be offered an illicit business deal or the chance to stop one.
"If I don't stop it, yes."
The latter it was. "I am listening."
"If I were a several-thousand-year-old human from the Cro-Magnon era with enhanced intelligence who had ample time to dabble in science, build connections all over the world, and concoct a plan to take over Earth, what would I need to build a time machine?" Miles Beckett asked him, taking a glass of orange juice.
The question itself was so specific and weird, it took Michael more than a couple of seconds to connect the dots.
Still, he needed more information. "You are going to have to give me more details if you want my help."
Miles nodded. It was only fair to be upfront when he came all the way here to make use of Terrific's mind. "Ever heard of Vandal Savage?"
It was unlikely, but Terrific was known for his intelligence.
"No, but I have a feeling it will be interesting to hear about him."
At the risk of being prejudiced, a man with a name like that was bound to be trouble.
—
Michael rubbed his temple, digesting the information dump. An early human, basically a caveman, who had been exposed to a strange matter brought to Earth by a meteor and who had gained increased intelligence, regeneration, and immortality, was planning to travel to the middle of WW II to take over the Reich.
Using his advanced knowledge, Vandal was planning to dominate the entire world under the jackboot of the Nazis.
A novel idea for a movie, but a nightmare if it were to come true.
"Why come to me? I am only the third smartest man in the world." He excused. Michael had kept an eye on the meteoric rise of EnviroCorps, and a man like Miles could enlist the help of anyone on that list.
Except for Luthor.
Miles chuckled. "According to a list you wrote in the first place."
It was quite ingenious. The list downplayed Terrific's intellect while making Lex Luthor the prime target for anyone in search of a genius.
That episode of Justice League Action was amusing.
"Touché," Michael admitted. The list was widely accepted, but its author wasn't known.
Analyzing the knowledge he had been given so far, it was hard to infer anything about the specifics of the machine from the visual descriptions alone, but Michael had a rough idea.
"If this Vandal is building a time machine like the one you described, then he will need tachyon field generators, chronal harmonizers, and quantum mass inverters for a start." The workings of the parts Miles had described fit those machines to a degree, and if Michael had to make a time machine, they would definitely be necessary.
"There is one company that I heard rumors was building tachyon field generators, but even that was a hush-hush matter, so I'm not sure on that." It was more of a leak followed by a scandal, but nothing with definitive proof.
At least ones that he had bothered to acquire.
Miles whipped out his phone, quickly messaging someone, and less than a minute later, had an answer back.
"Khan Limited. How original." He rolled his eyes. Vandal must have found the name amusing.
Michael was impressed by how quickly Miles found the name but was confused by his reaction to the name.
"Vandal had many names throughout history; Genghis Khan was one I am sure you will recognize." Miles answered, seeing Terrific's querying gaze.
"Do you need any help with that guy?" Fighting Genghis Khan wasn't on his bucket list, but it certainly would be a novel experience.
Miles shook his head. "I need to convince him that time travel is not possible at all. If the machine is destroyed or sabotaged in an obvious manner, Vandal will only produce another one, this time in greater secrecy."
If the machine were destroyed outright, Vandal would know he was on the right track and double down on building another until he was proven wrong that the idea itself was unfeasible.
"A tweak of a single wire kind of sabotage." Michael rubbed his chin, thinking, "With something as complex as a time machine, it is possible, but I can't say anything for certain without the schematics."
"You will have them. In the meantime, enjoy your discussions with Mary." Miles would stick along to not arouse suspicion, but his business here was done.
—
Khan Limited, owned by several shadowy funds, was known for producing cutting-edge tech parts for militaries, space rockets, satellites, and more.
There were rumors that the company was building parts for a superweapon, including tachyon field generators.
The leak, true to some extent, had cast doubts on the company's security, but they were still a strong but silent contender in the field.
Which left Miles with the task of finding where they had shipped the generators.
—
A system was as strong as its weakest link; in this case, it was the drivers. Well paid for their silence, they did not ask any questions, but recently, one had gotten into an accident. A DUI had damaged his cargo, and the company sought out a scapegoat.
Nelson Kelmack had found himself out of a job without any benefits or severance pay and an NDA to keep his mouth shut.
He was a longtime employee of Khan Limited and could know about the delivery location of the generators. Having broken into Nelson's home, they were waiting for the man to arrive from his latest job hunt.
"Shit. I didn't break my NDA; why the hell would they send anyone after me?" Nelson panicked, raising his hands up while Claire stood by the door.
Miles clapped. Nelson's conclusion might be wrong, but with the information he had, it was a reasonable one to make. "You are a sharp man, Nelson, but that is not why I am here. In fact, I actually want you to break that NDA, without a soul to hear."
"Do you know what they will do to me if it gets out?" Nelson lowered his arms. Khan Limited had doubled down on security after the leak, and breaking an NDA was one way to get on their bad side.
"Not even if I offer half a million dollars for your trouble?" The unknown man waved a lottery ticket in his hand.
Half a million dollars was too sweet to pass up, but Nelson was unconvinced. "I…"
"You know, you remind me of a man that worked for my father, Rudolph. Brilliant man, not one that should have been doing menial work under anyone. Do you know what his problem was?" Miles had always found it such a weird situation as a child, only to later realize why.
"Fear, hesitation. What if I fail? What if a problem arises and I can't solve it? It was that doubt that kept him from reaching his potential."
A mistake Miles had promised to never repeat.
"I investigated you. You are too intelligent to be a mere driver, yet your self-doubt keeps you chained down. Now, this ticket has the winning numbers for one million dollars. Take a lump sum and invest that money in stocks and bonds, or choose an annuity and have a great passive income for the next twenty years." Miles held out the ticket, and Nelson's throat bobbed.
The words had hit too close to home.
Nelson reached for the ticket, but Miles pulled it back. "I just need you to answer some questions. No one will suspect you if the money is earned from the lottery. What do you say?"
"I want to check those numbers." Nelson demanded, and Miles chuckled, handing the ticket over.
—
Of all the deliveries made, only one had stood out. Two devices, each the size of a motorcycle, were packed extremely carefully and escorted by security in inconspicuous vehicles.
The delivery address was in Metropolis, and no driver had ever been made to drive there more than once.
Nelson had heard his superiors talk about the devices being some sort of generators, but as he was paid well for his secrecy, he did not deign to listen more than that.
A quick search for the location had resulted in images eerily similar to Grünstrasse, without the red and black of the Third Reich.
Now, what he needed was a discreet means of infiltrating the lab.
—
EnviroCorps Robotics Research Center
"An infiltration bug?" Miles certainly kept Thomas busy with his constant needs for high-tech solutions.
"Yes, something that will get through all conventional and unconventional means of detection. I want to have one walk inside the most heavily secured place on this planet and give me a visual on what they are eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."
The specifications made the android stop to consider his past actions. With the knowledge at the tip of his fingers, the original Thomas could have done much more than androids to destroy the Justice Society.
"Where are we infiltrating?"
"The laboratory of a megalomaniac with control issues who wishes to change history and bring the world under the boot of Nazi Germany." That was the perfect way to describe Vandal Savage, in his opinion.
The android's face scrunched up as if he had seen a particularly nasty sight. "Transdimensional demons, evil gods, and now the Nazis? You certainly find the most disgusting of enemies to fight."
"Someone has to. I want them mass-produced for deployment across the planet." Infiltrating Vandal's laboratory would also serve as a field test for Morrow's drones.
"Ambitious." More than his initial promises of making the world a better place.
Miles put his hand on Thomas' shoulder to punctuate his point. "The Chinese are building a nuclear-powered robot to protect their country, the Russians are scrambling to recruit metahumans to build their own Justice League, and the Middle East is a mess. If I am to unite this planet, I'll need to force everyone to the table, because they sure as hell won't sit down willingly."
The Chinese robot was canon; the Russians were known to create state-sponsored superhero teams in the comics, and the Middle East was the same as back on his world, plus the high-tech and metahumans.
Thomas started the work with all haste.
—
"Should we not kill this Vandal?" Claire asked as they were riding to scout the outside of the laboratory.
Miles was like-minded, but it would have to be a clean operation. "Preferably."
"We should take a vacation after this." She wanted to lie down on a beach and enjoy the sun while sipping something cold and refreshing.
"Couldn't agree more."
—
In the next chapter:
Taller, with three scars on his face, Vandal had the looks of an ancient and brutal Cro-Magnon warrior rather than the suave mastermind style.
The android quickly took off before the door could be closed and barely made it inside. The force of the door closing had sent it stumbling through the air, but the NEXTINSECT righted itself, scanning the room.
It was large and well lighted, with a hole in the middle surrounded by futuristic machinery.
He had found it.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
