Network

"Testing, testing. Friday, how are the drones holding up?"

"Flawlessly, sir," Friday's calm voice answered. "The first batch of 108 drones is fully operational and responding as expected."

Charlie couldn't help but smile. The drones, streamlined from Stark's original design, had been meticulously modified for mass production. While Stark's drones in the movies could mimic an entire army and were equipped with advanced holographic capabilities, these drones had been customized to serve a different purpose. Gone were the elaborate illusions and complex weaponry; Charlie had focused on enhancing their stealth, agility, and surveillance functions instead.

The flashy elements didn't interest him. He didn't need drones that could project illusions of giant monsters or conjure fantastical holograms like Mysterio's tech had done. No, Charlie's design was about precision—an invisible presence, silent watchers that could blend seamlessly into any environment.

"How's the app coming along?" he asked, pulling up the map of Wendelani on his screen.

"All programming is complete, thanks to Miss Gwen Stacy," Friday confirmed.

"Perfect. Let's put them to work, then."

With the tap of a button, the Watchtower's systems whirred to life. Mechanical doors slid open, and drones launched from their holds, each leaving a faint streak of propulsion flames before activating their stealth modules. Within moments, the 108 drones appeared to vanish into thin air, their optical camouflage rendering them almost invisible to the human eye. The energy field surrounding each drone warped the light, creating an eerie effect as they disappeared, one by one, into the night.

The drones were practically undetectable. Their small size and anti-radar coating shielded them from any conventional detection systems, making them akin to ghosts. Only Charlie could see each one on the app Gwen had developed, which displayed the location of each drone as they moved throughout Wendelani.

Once deployed, the drones spread across the city, each covering a designated zone. They soared above rooftops, slipped through alleyways, and circled high-traffic areas, patrolling every corner of their assigned sectors. These drones were his eyes and ears across the city, monitoring everything from potential crimes to everyday accidents. The moment they detected a fire, a car accident, or any sign of suspicious activity, an alert would ping Charlie's app, allowing him to dispatch the nearest hero or call for emergency services if needed.

In this test phase, Charlie had assigned just two heroes to patrol Wendelani. But he hadn't chosen lightly—he had sent in Hawkeye and Green Arrow, the most accurate archers in their respective worlds. Watching them team up was almost surreal, as they'd activated a special team buff called "The Strongest Archer in History." Despite being from different universes, these two moved as if they were born to fight together.

Within an hour of deployment, one of the drones pinged an alert. A hidden assassin's den had been uncovered inside an unassuming laundromat, likely run by a local gang.

In seconds, the archers had moved into position, approaching quietly before smashing through the windows in a shower of glass. Hawkeye's first arrow flew true, hitting the wall and activating a miniature EMP that plunged the room into darkness, cutting off all power. The assassins, now stranded in the pitch-black room, scrambled for their bearings.

Unseen in the shadows, the archers readied their positions. Green Arrow moved to the high ground on the left while Hawkeye took the opposite side. Both fired in quick succession, their arrows whistling through the air as the killers below stumbled and fell, unable to spot their assailants.

"They're up there!" one of the gang members shouted, finally spotting a trail from one of the arrows. Guns were lifted, aimed upwards, but by then, the archers had already moved, disappearing and repositioning themselves like ghosts in the rafters.

Hawkeye now hung upside-down from a ceiling beam, his next arrow primed and ready. With a swift release, he launched an arrow across the room, where it hit the ground and exploded in a cloud of purple gas. Within moments, several assassins collapsed, their lungs filled with the potent knockout fumes.

At the same time, Green Arrow struck from his position, aiming directly at a thug's chest. The arrow struck with a satisfying thud, and blue sparks of electricity burst from the point of impact, electrocuting the target and catching several others in the shockwave. The archers descended, donning respirators as they waded into the chaos, arrows nocked and bows held like clubs.

Hawkeye struck with the blunt side of his bow, swinging it in wide arcs as he incapacitated several thugs with rapid, calculated strikes. Green Arrow, meanwhile, wove his way through the crowd, using his bow in one hand and firing precise shots with the other. The two worked together seamlessly, knocking down enemies as they moved in perfect synchronization.

Charlie watched, entranced, as his view toggled between the two archers. The scene on his screen was nothing short of cinematic, each move delivering a visual punch. Their arrows flew with lethal precision, their every movement choreographed, each exchange building on the last. Charlie found himself grinning; there was something oddly satisfying about seeing archers go full melee, bringing down enemies with their fists and bows in a wild, fluid dance of combat.

"Sir, I have another situation to report," Friday's voice cut through the scene.

Charlie blinked, jolting back to the present. "What's up?"

"One of the drones has detected a fire on Ninth Avenue," Friday reported smoothly.

"Just a standard fire?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then notify the fire department," he replied, turning his attention back to the archers.

This was exactly how he'd designed the system to work. With only two heroes assigned to Wendelani for the trial phase, not every alert could be handled by them. Lower-priority cases, such as fires or routine car accidents, were best left to the appropriate city departments. By handling the division of labor efficiently, Charlie's system allowed heroes to focus on higher-risk threats without being bogged down by minor incidents.

The real brilliance of this setup lay in its ability to preemptively identify and respond to threats before they escalated. With real-time surveillance, Charlie's network could pick up on potential crimes as they were happening, alerting him immediately and allowing for a rapid response. It wasn't just about heroics; it was a holistic approach to safety that integrated existing departments, enhancing their capabilities and creating a seamless alliance between city services and superheroes.

This test run in Wendelani was just the beginning. As he watched his drones and heroes respond to every signal, Charlie felt a swell of pride. Soon, this system would reach beyond Wendelani, expanding across the entire planet. A network of invisible watchers, an unfaltering force for good—a protective web spanning the world.

[Swb is fully translated on p@treon]