Chapter 22 - Skynet

As the sun set, the sky turned a brilliant red, hinting at secrets concealed within its hues.

Eight police cars surrounded Frank's building, their flashing lights illuminating the grim scene. Chief George emerged from his car, leading his team. He gazed up at the structure, noticing smoke billowing from above. The situation was worse than he had anticipated.

Normally, George would avoid Frank's territory, a den of corruption and vice, unless it was to bring the drug lord to justice. But today was different. Residents had called the police after hearing gunfire, and George, expecting a gang war, had not anticipated this level of devastation.

As they entered the building, the sight was horrific: blood-stained floors and bodies strewn everywhere, victims of gunshots, cuts, and more. On the fourth floor, it looked as if a high-energy explosive had gone off, yet there was no sign of shrapnel.

They continued up, finding evidence of a brutal battle. It seemed that Frank's forces had tried to defend the building, but were ultimately overwhelmed. On the top floor, Frank himself lay dead, his eyes vacant, his face a mask of despair. The violence of his final moments was etched into his features.

"Chief, all the surveillance cameras are down. We have no footage," a technician reported.

"Chief, look at this!" another officer called out, pointing to a series of cracks in the wall. George examined them, puzzled.

"What could have caused this?" he wondered aloud.

"These cracks are the same as the ones on the fourth floor," the officer explained. "But they don't extend around, which means the force that caused them wasn't applied to the ground."

A young officer, his eyes bright with enthusiasm, speculated, "Could it be an air blast, like a shockwave hitting the floor?"

The idea was met with skepticism. "Don't confuse fantasy with reality," another staff member countered.

"Some wounds are recent," an investigator noted. "It seems the killers made sure no one survived to identify them. And there weren't many of them."

George moved to the body of a red-clad ninja. "These aren't gang members. Are they...ninjas?"

The situation had taken a strange turn. What had initially seemed like a gang conflict now appeared to involve foreign agents. This could spark international repercussions.

Just then, an officer approached, saying, "Chief, there's a detective here to see you."

George's expression soured as several men in black entered the scene. At the front was a taller, middle-aged man with a kind face and neatly combed hair.

"Chief George, I'm Agent Coulson from the CIA. Here are my credentials," the man said, offering his ID with a friendly smile.

George glanced at it. "Oh, I saw you earlier today. You showed your credentials to another police chief, claiming to be from the FBI."

At this, Coulson's expression remained unchanged, though the officers around him subtly moved their hands toward their holsters. The agents behind Coulson narrowed their eyes.

George paused, then waved a hand dismissively. "Whether you're FBI or CIA, the document is legit. But why take over this case?"

George's frustration was clear. The police had already had their work interrupted earlier that day, and now it seemed they were being sidelined again.

Coulson remained unfazed. "We appreciate any information you can provide about this incident."

George knew better than to push further. This was a deep and dangerous pool, and he preferred not to wade into it. He signaled for his team to leave, and soon the police were replaced by the agents.

"Report this to the director," Coulson instructed, glancing over the police report. "New York is getting more dangerous by the day."

"I'm back," Xu Mo announced as he entered his home, setting down his keys. He frowned, seeing Jia Li lounging on the couch, devouring a pizza. "I'm out there working hard, and you're sneaking food?"

"Why did you order three meals?" he demanded.

Jia Li didn't even look up, continuing to munch. "I made the surveillance probe. This takeaway is my reward," she retorted, her tone laced with disdain. "Xu Mo, you're so useless."

"..."

Xu Mo sighed and slumped onto the sofa, grumbling as he grabbed a slice. As they ate, he pondered his next move. Should he draw a "Terminator" comic next?

The idea intrigued him. Skynet, the AI that achieved self-awareness and dominated the world, could be a powerful ally or enemy. It was leagues ahead of Tony Stark's JARVIS, and could potentially rival Ultron. A Terminator army could serve as an excellent line of defense or even be employed in a company, with the added benefit of mass production.

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. Finishing his meal, he rushed to his study to start sketching his ideas.

Meanwhile, Jia Li changed the channel. The news anchor reported: "An explosion occurred in a military laboratory. Witnesses claim to have seen a massive green monster amidst the billowing smoke..."