Chaptere 28: First Task

[Rohan's Perspective]

After the Ancient One agreed to help, I got down to business. First, I moved to the New York Sanctum because most of my stuff was gonna happen in America. Then, I got a computer with the internet. Now came the tricky part.

I sat in a small room at the New York Sanctum, surrounded by a bunch of electronics. What I was trying to do was connect my phone to this era's computer. That way, the AI could use the computer to go online. But, I wasn't dumb enough to directly link the unknown AI to the world.

In theory, based on what I learned about the AI in the past month, it should work but very difficult. Still, I was determined because it was crucial for my plans. I spent the whole day at it. I'm no expert in soldering or electronics, so it was getting pretty hard. It was my 22nd try, and I was losing my cool. "Come on, work, damn it!" I smacked the table in frustration.

Then, a miracle happened. I heard a sound from the computer. I rushed to check, and the Device Manager recognized a device. "Ha Yes!" I cheered. I did it. I looked at the phone on the table; it was open with its parts exposed, just the screen connected to the motherboard loosely still not a big deal; the phone would be fully restored if I summoned it back to me. The only drawback was I could not take it anywhere as this connection might not work next time.

"System, are you connected to the computer?"

The screen lit up, and a voice said,

{A stable connection has been established}.

I clenched my fist in excitement.

"System, start assimilation."

{commencing...}

The phone screen showed a spinning gear, and the monitor flickered. The computer then restarted and now, there was a new icon on the desktop called sys.ai. Once clicked, a popup opened and now the system could do things on the computer when i asked it do do something.

"System what about the internet? can you open google?"

{affermitive}

Internet Explorer opened automatically on the monitor, URL was also typed and opened automatically. I looked at all this and smiled we were in business.

For the next 3 days, i collected all the data i needed from the Internet. The only limitation was I could not search for any classified information as hacking would need more powerful hardware. There were places and people I needed to find. After that i talked with the ancient one and planned for everything i needed to do.

===

Today i was finally going to do the first task i had planned. This was very important as it would not only be integral in getting the philosopher's stone but also be my first actual superpower. The ancient one said she would sent someone to help me with that so i was really excited to see who comes.

A sudden knock echoed through the room, drawing my attention. As I swung the door open, I found Wong standing on the other side.

"Wong, what brings you here ?"

"The ancient one has sent me here to help you." he declared formally

So the ancient one sent Wong of all people to help me. I was expecting an adult to come but not him. Wong was close to my age and was not a master yet. I did talk to him before, it was mostly small talk really . 

Of what i found out about him, he has been in Kamar Taj since birth and really interested in the outside world. He plans to live as normal person for a few years in the normal world after he becomes a master. 

The current Wong still has a few years till he becomes a master but that does not means he is weak. The ancient one sending him should speak to how much she trusts his abilities. 

"Why so formal, Wong? We're friends, right? Lighten up a bit."

"Hmm… so, what do you need my help with?"

"What did the ancient one say before sending you?"

He paused, "She told me to assist you in any way I can. She also mentioned potential danger and emphasized the need to protect you—oh, and not to harm or kill anyone."

"You dont need to worry Wong, we are not doing anything dangerous so relax. Its going to be a fun adventure "

"Just wait here; I'll be back in a second." I dashed into my room, emerging with a sizable backpack. I handed Wong a stack of papers.

"Our first stop is Buena Vista Park in San Francisco. There's an old Victorian house I'm searching for."

Wong scrutinized the pages, pulling out a picture. "You already have a picture. I can just open a portal right in front of the house."

"Sure, give it a shot."

Wong donned a sling ring and focused on the image, attempting to open a portal. Sparks flickered, but no portal materialized. He tried again, this time closing his eyes, yet the outcome remained unchanged. He looked at me in bewilderment "this does not make sense, i have done this many times, why is the portal not opening ?"

"Dont overthink it. The ancient one said there were some interferences" i reassured him. Ofcourse it didnt work. It was not a photo but a screenshot from a movie. Normally for Portal travel, you needed to know the exact place or for talented portal users, a picture to visualize the place's surroundings. Wong was especially talented in portals and was just disheartened to see it fail.

"Well, you could have said that earlier"

"Yeah but i wanted to see for myself "

"Now let not waste anymore time and go. Buena Vista Park was it ? "

With determination, Wong conjured a portal to Buena Vista Park in San Francisco. Stepping through, I felt the immediate shift in the air. Now beneath a tree in the park, the surroundings changed, joggers passing by, oblivious to our presence.

We strolled out of the park, and Wong, looking at me, asked, "Now what?"

"Now we head to this address" i handed Wong a piece of paper. with the address situated on the west side of the park, making it a short 15-minute walk.

During our short walk of 15 minutes we talked. Wong said he heard the ancient wanted an experienced sorcerer to help in the outside world, so he was the first to jump to the opportunity. He also said how most sorsorers are not allowed to go outside so often. The ones who come from outside chose to exile themselves from the world and always tells him that he is better off this way but all he has ever experienced is Kamar-Taj so he wants to experience the world for himself. Not as a sorcerer but as a normal person. 

From what i heard from him. Sorcerors in Kamar-Taj were different from Wizards in the Harry Potter world. They do not think they are superior to normal people because they can use magic but that magic itself is just a means to enlightenment. They dont use magic in every fasset of life but use it when necessary. That is why the ancient one always prepares Tea by hand and not just conjure it out of thin air. It is the experience of making a cup of Tea that matters not the tea itself. 

"By the way, why are we here? Who lives in that house?" Wong inquired.

"Do you know a scientist named Dr. Hank Pym?"

"Hank Pym? I think I read that name in a magazine somewhere."

"Yes, that's the one. Hank Pym, the founder of PymTech. He's considered one of the greatest minds of our time. I'm looking for him because I need something from him."

"Wait, is that the house?" Wong pointed to a Victorian yet modern house in the corner.

"Yeah, it looks like it," I confirmed by comparing pictures.

"Look, someone is coming out," Wong interrupted me, pointing at an elderly man in his 60s discreetly leaving the house.

"Yeah, that's Hank Pym," I exclaimed, excited that we were in the right place.

"Why are we waiting? We should go and meet him before he leaves," Wong suggested.

"What? No, we're not here to meet him."

"Not meet him? But you said you needed something from him?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I have to meet him."

"..." wong looked confused

"I mean i am here to take something from him without him knowing"

"... you mean steal from him"

"...And you will help me" 

"..."

"..."

There was a brief pause between both of us. I was here to streal from Hank Pym the original Ant Man and i know how it looks, as someone who has seen the first Antman movie, i know it looks weird to follow the movie's plot but i have no other choice. Firstly, based on what i know about Hank Pym, he would die before letting me take Pym Particals. And based on my research, this was the easiest way to get a superpower as i am now. All i have to do was steal it. 

Wong ofcourse was not happy to hear i was here to steal especially with him as my accomplice. It then took a few minutes to explain to Wong why i had no other choice. 

 "But you should still ask him for help first, you dont know maybe he will agree to help you?" 

"No.. i am pretty sure he will not help me and on top of that i will be a suspect as not many people know about the Pym particles in the first place let alone Ant Man"

It was true, the only information i found was Hank Pyms address from the database. So maybe only SHIELD knows about Antman.

"Wong, we are not going to hurt anyone here, just as the ancient one said. Did you forget that the ancient one told you to help me? " I said to Wong

Wong hearing me mention the ancient one changed his face and looked at me in spite "the ancient one would not agree to this" 

"Oh she knows. I told her what i wanted to do and she agreed with me that stealing is the only option. " Of course i would tell her i was about to steal from Hank Pym.

After that he took a big sigh and said "So what do you want me to do?" 

"Simple, we will use the mirror dimension to break in. This should not trigger any alarms we then go in and steal the suit"

Wong then put fourth his arms and the air seemingly cracked, we walked forwards and i was now in the mirror dimension. The place looked like a dream. It looked like a shattered world in a prism and the busy street was now quiet. I could see the cars moving but there were no one in them, there was also no sound. 

"Lets go" Wong said in an ecco and i followed.

We approached the front door and Wong looked at me and said "I am still not able to control the mirror dimension. Only experienced masters are able to do it. So doors and walls are the same as the real one for me " Wong then smiled and said with confidence "But opening portals are my forte." he then opened a portal. The 2 portals were just a few feet apart from the door and so we walked right through the door without a problem.

After seeing just how broken portals were i really wanted to be able to do portals but i couldnt, atleast for now that is.

We walked in and looking around, it was the same as the house in the movie,Just mirrored as we were in the mirror dimension.

Wong was not sneaky at all. He walked in the open and i also followed. It was easy from here. The house was empty and i followed the same path as Scott took in the movie. Wong followed me without question. We walked to the basement. It was no issue as we were in the mirror dimension. Now the only obstacle infront of us was the black safe door.

The safe door had to be frozen by Scott to break it but for us, all it needed was to know the thickness of the door and Wong could open a portal behind the door.

We walked in and saw there was nothing in the room. There were only some blueprints and chemical jars in the corner. 

"Looks like this place is empty. Should we look somewhere else ?" Wong said looking around.

I on the other hand was not disappointed at all as i never expected to find the Ant man suit in the first place. The only reason Scott found the suit in the movie was because Hank Pym wanted him to find it.

But in day to day life Hank was not foolish enough to safely keep the antman suit full sized in the basement while he was away. He most likely keeps it shrunken in a wallet or something. Even if the suit was in the house, finding it would be impossible. 

Luckly, i was not here for the Ant man suit. " This room is just a decoy" i said with a grin and pointed at the empty wall infront of me and continued "there should be a door here. Thats the real safe"

Wong once again opened a portal and we were now in a dark room. Wong conjured a light that illuminated the room and there i saw it. The wasp suit. 

This was a gamble for me as i was not sure i would find it in the first place. Yes my goal all along was the Wasp suit and the Pym Particals neatly stored behind it. This suit was a new prototype for Janet van Dyne the original wasp but when she 'died' The suit was left unfinished.

As of this moment, it has been a little over a decade that Janet van Dyne the original Wasp 'died' so the memory must still be fresh for Hank Pym. So i believed that Hank would either not visit the suit at all because it brought bad memories of that day or He would visit but keep everything untouched, just as Jenet had left. But he would never move it away.

And from seeing the Pym particals still kept here, my first guess might be current. The there were a total of 36 cartridges here and only about 32 of them were full of red liquid, the rest 4 were empty. It seems the research on the suit was left unattended after she had 'died'.

I look at Wong and speak "This is the suit i will be taking with me alone with those red canisters on the wall over there"

"So should i take us out of the mirror dimension now ?"

"Yes but remember, we need to be quick. "

In an instent we were outside of the mirror dimension and we quickly got to work. We first collected all the Pym Particals and then focusied on the suit. The suit was hard t remove from its stand as there were lots of wires coming out of it but we were done packing it us in about 5 minutes.

After we were done Wong opened a portal to Kamar-Taj. In an instent, we traveled all the way to Kamar-Taj safely.

Taking a deep breath, I sighed in relief. I was able to get Pym particles and a suit, be it an incomplete suit. Now all i had to do was talk to the ancient one about it.