From the clues, Jack was 80% sure it was his future self doing all of this — but there was a 20% chance it was someone other than him, like maybe an enemy.
"Thinking now without strong evidence, I alone can't solve any problem. So let's leave it for my future self to work out."
With that thought, he started checking the other files on the computer and found evidence of illegal activity against Osborn along with some research details.
"There doesn't seem to be anything else here."
Not feeling the least bit sleepy, he started cleaning and arranging the hideout. Dust, broken glass, and years of neglect came first — he swept and cleared until the floor was actually visible. Then came the real work.
Using XLR-8, he searched through New York, weaving through back alleys and abandoned lots in the dead of night, when the city was at its emptiest.
With Red Queen's assistance, he avoided people so no one saw him—just the occasional stray cat startled by something moving too fast to follow.
With her help, he found the kinds of places people threw things away without a second thought.
Old cameras still capable of capturing a decent feed.
Coils of wiring that just needed stripping.
Electronic components that were broken but repairable, thrown away regardless.
Trip after trip, each run lasting no more than minutes, everything was brought back before the city had any chance to notice.
By the time the last load was inside, not a single person had seen a thing.
"Okay, now let's start the work."
He dialed Four Arms. Inside the space of the subway, four massive limbs made short work of what would have taken a crew of men half a day. Shelving units, reinforced panels, the bulk of the hardware — all of it moved and locked into place with brute efficiency.
For the finer work, he switched to Diamondhead. Cutting, shaping, trimming materials down to exactly the size he needed — clean edges, no tools required and it was quick.
Using Grey Matter crawling across the wiring layouts and circuit arrangements with a clarity that Jack's normal brain simply couldn't reach. The alien's mind worked like a schematic, seeing connections and solutions in the mess of components that anyone else would have called junk.
But even Grey Matter had limits. There were gaps — specialized knowledge, technical blind spots, things that required knowledge Jack had no idea. That was where Red Queen came in. With her supplying the knowledge, Grey Matter could learn and apply it almost immediately, so the work moved very fast.
He reinforced the hideout's concealment, layering it carefully so that nothing about the exterior would draw a second glance.
He was so deep in the work that time stopped meaning anything. The city outside cycled through its moods — quiet, then stirring, then fully awake — and Jack barely noticed.
"Hrrr."
Hearing the sound from his stomach —
"Red, what's the time?"
"Master, the time is 1 PM. You have been working for the past 14 hours without any food."
"I really didn't notice the time."
Seeing that he still had many areas left to finish, he decided to step away.
"Let's take a break and get back to it after."
Jack left the subway and headed to a nearby shop for lunch.
After that short rest, he got back to work and finished by nightfall.
"Now this looks like a proper hideout. More than enough for me now."
Looking at what he'd built, he felt a quiet, genuine pride with a smile.
"Congratulations, Master. You built a secret hero hideout for yourself."
"Thanks, Red Queen. How's the new server I built working — did it make you stronger?"
"Yes, Master. I feel much stronger now. I think I could take on the J.A.R.V.I.S. you told me about."
"Don't do anything like that. I don't want you to be discovered by others."
"Yes, Master. I will not do anything to that fellow," Red replied, with a hint of pride in her voice.
"I'm really tired. Tomorrow is the Osborn field trip — I should head home and get some sleep."
After one final walkthrough, he sealed the entrance. It was well hidden. No one would stumble across it.
With that, he went home.
"Good night, Master."
"Good night, Red."
With that, Jack fell into a deep sleep.
Seeing her master sleeping, Red Queen watched him for a moment, confirming his breathing had settled.
"Master only said I must not be discovered…" she whispered, her voice soft and thoughtful.
A faint pause followed, as if she were carefully weighing the boundaries of the rule.
"…then as long as no one notices me, exploring the internet shouldn't be a problem."
The decision made, she quietly extended herself into the network — slipping into the vast digital world, unseen.
A/N: The Patreon version is already updated with 20 advanced chapters. If you'd like to read ahead of the public release schedule, you can join here:
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