Sunlight came through the blinds in Tony's small dorm room at MIT. Books, pns, and unfinished gadgets were scattered everywhere. It looked the same as always. The quiet sound of his servers and the soft beeps from Hermes, his computer, filled the room as it worked on his test task.

  Tony sat at his desk with a cold cup of coffee next to him. His fingers kept tapping on the keyboard, even though the headache he felt made it feel like nails scratching gss. He stopped for a second, rubbing his temples.

  "Hermes," he said, his voice rough. "Give me an update on Reed Richards' activities."

  The AI's smooth voice responded instantly. "Reed Richards has been spending an increasing amount of time at a private boratory located on the outskirts of Manhattan. The b was established three months ago under the guise of an independent research facility but is funded through anonymous donors, likely shell corporations tied to advanced tech firms."

  Tony's lips curled into a humorless smirk. "Anonymous donors? Cssic Reed. He's always hiding behind someone else's money."

  "There is more," Hermes continued. "Surveilnce logs indicate irregur energy signatures emanating from the b during night hours. Patterns match theoretical models for transdimensional energy manipution."

  Tony's smirk faded. "So, he's closer than I thought."

  The headache surged, sharp and relentless. He winced, gripping the edge of the desk as pain radiated through his skull. His vision blurred, the screen in front of him dissolving into meaningless patterns.

  "Hermes, medication reminder," he grunted.

  "Reminder: You have not yet taken the prescribed painkillers for the day."

  Tony grabbed the small bottle of pills sitting on the corner of his desk, popped two into his mouth, and washed them down with the lukewarm coffee. The bitter taste made him gag, but the relief that followed was worth it.

  It was now morning, and Tony had an exam to get through. He shoved his tablet and a few notebooks into his bag before heading out the door. The walk to his lecture hall was short, but every step felt like a marathon with the headache pounding away at his senses. His mind wasn't on the exam but on his survival.

  By noon, Tony was back in his dorm, staring at a detailed blueprint of Reed's b. Hermes had managed to scrape the schematics from obscure municipal records. It was a fortress of cutting-edge tech and security systems, but it was still a building—it had weaknesses. Tony studied the blueprints for several hours, mapping out potential points of entry, blindspots in the security grid, and areas that could be disabled without triggering the entire system.

  But what if he hacks into the main system and destroys everything? Maybe a freak accident to kill Reed without physically getting his hands dirty. Hermes can do that. No one will ever know.

  Tony paced the length of his dorm room, the tension in his shoulders palpable as he mulled over his options. He wasn't a killer... not directly. Engineering solutions, subverting systems, and leveraging technology were his weapons. Taking a life was different. But if Reed Richards became the Maker in this world, it wouldn't just be Tony's life at stake; it would be countless others.

  He stopped pacing and sat down, his hands gripping the edges of his desk. "Hermes, refine the analysis. If I disable Reed's b, what are the probabilities of colteral damage?"

  The AI responded almost instantly. "Simutions show that sabotaging the b from a distance by targeting its power supply and containment systems has a 92% probability of complete destruction of the facility. However, there is a 67% probability of a critical energy discharge causing harm to surrounding areas. Fatalities cannot be ruled out."

  Tony frowned. That margin for colteral damage was too high. He needed precision, not chaos. He ran a hand through his hair, the throbbing in his head making it hard to focus.

  "Alright. Let's scale it back. Find me a way to isote the energy systems without blowing the pce sky-high."

  Hermes processed for a moment before speaking. "Solution: Disruption of the primary containment field. The b's energy maniputions rely on an uninterruptible power supply from a custom-built quantum generator. Disabling the generator would cease all transdimensional experiments without the risk of a catastrophic chain reaction. This requires physical access to the generator."

  Tony's eyes narrowed as he considered the risk. Breaking into the b wasn't ideal, but it was starting to feel unavoidable. If he wanted precision, he'd have to do it himself. He leaned back in his chair, staring at the schematic on his screen. The generator was housed in the sub-basement, heavily shielded from external interference. It was Reed's pride and joy, no doubt.

  "Hermes, start designing a disruption device. Something portable that can emit an EMP strong enough to temporarily disable the generator. Make it compact and fast-acting."

  "Acknowledged," Hermes replied. The screen filled with schematics as the AI began designing the device.

  Meanwhile, Tony began to design a mini robot the size of his palm. The robot would carry the EMP disruptor into the b and pnt it near the generator.

  [1 month ter]

  The past month had been a whirlwind of preparation. Between bancing his csses, keeping up appearances, and evading the growing pain in his head, Tony had poured every spare moment into his pn. If Reed Richards was on the cusp of a breakthrough that could lead to disaster, Tony needed to act before it was too te.

  Hermes's voice broke through the hum of machinery. "Disruption device prototype completed. Ready for testing."

  Tony stood at a central workbench, a holographic blueprint of the EMP disruptor hovering in front of him. The device was compact and small enough to fit in his hand, yet powerful enough to overload Reed's custom quantum generator. Beside it sat a sleek, spider-like robot, designed to infiltrate the b and deliver the disruptor to its target.

  Tony picked up the disruptor, examining it closely. "Nice work, Hermes. What's the estimated success rate for deployment?"

  "Simutions indicate an 87% probability of successful delivery and activation. The remaining 13% accounts for unforeseen variables, including human intervention or mechanical failure."

  Tony frowned. "Not perfect, but it'll have to do. Let's run a live test. Cue up the simution environment."

  The b transformed as holographic walls rose around him, creating a virtual replica of Reed's b. Tony activated the spider-bot, watching as it scurried across the floor, navigating the holographic obstacles with precision. The bot reached the simuted generator, attached the disruptor, and activated it with a soft click. A pulse of light spread through the room, signaling a successful EMP discharge.

  Tony smiled faintly. "Good. Now, let's make it smarter. Add adaptive algorithms so it can reroute if it encounters unexpected resistance. I want it thinking on its feet—or legs, in this case."

  "Acknowledged," Hermes replied, beginning the reprogramming process.

  Tony sank into a nearby chair, rubbing his temples. The headaches had worsened over the past month, and the painkillers barely took the edge off anymore. He knew the tumor was growing, pressing against his brain, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. Not now.

  "Progress on Richards?" he asked.

  Hermes dispyed a report on the nearest holographic screen. "Reed Richards' b has increased its activity. Energy signatures indicate he is nearing a breakthrough in his experiments. Estimated timeline for success: two weeks."

  Tony's jaw tightened. "Then we move tomorrow night. I'm not giving him two weeks."

  [The Next Night]

  Tony crouched on a rooftop overlooking Reed's b, the spider-bot in his hand and the EMP disruptor secured in its payload. The cold night air bit at his skin, but he barely noticed. His focus was on the task ahead. Through a pair of high-tech binocurs, he observed the b's security systems.

  Reed had spared no expense. Cameras covered every angle, motion detectors swept the grounds, and drones patrolled the perimeter. It was impressive but not impregnable.

  "Hermes, activate drone-hacking protocol," Tony whispered. 'Fucker got advanced drones? Ha, but the security program is a joke.'

  The tablet strapped to his arm dispyed a live feed as Hermes took control of the patrolling drones. One by one, they froze midair, their systems overridden. Tony smiled. "Step one: complete. Step two: infiltration."

  He set the spider bot on the roof's edge. "Alright, little guy. Show me what you've got."

  The bot came to life, its eight legs moving with mechanical precision as it descended the side of the building. Through its onboard camera, Tony watched as it approached a vent near the b's main power conduit. The bot slipped inside, navigating the ducts with ease.

  Inside the b, the bot moved swiftly, avoiding detection as it approached the generator in the sub-basement. Tony's heart pounded as the bot reached its destination. The quantum generator was an imposing machine, humming with barely contained energy.

  "Deploy the disruptor," Tony commanded.

  The bot extended an arm, attaching the EMP device to the generator. A countdown appeared on Tony's screen: 30 seconds to activation.

  Suddenly, arms bred. The b's security systems detected the bot's presence. Tony cursed under his breath. "Hermes, what triggered it?"

  "Unknown. Security override detected. Likely manual intervention."

  On the screen, Tony saw Reed Richards entering the room. He looked younger than Tony had expected, his face lit with curiosity rather than fear. Reed approached the generator, his eyes narrowing as he spotted the spider-bot.

  "What the hell is this?" Reed muttered, reaching for the bot.

  "Activate EMP, now!" Tony barked.

  The bot emitted a high-pitched whine as the EMP device activated. A burst of energy rippled through the room, cutting power to the generator and plunging the b into darkness. Reed stumbled back, shielding his eyes from the sudden fsh.

  Tony didn't wait to see the aftermath. "Hermes, quick. Take control and crawl up to Reed's head and self-destruct."

  He watched as the spider-bot surged forward in the darkness, its eight legs glinting in the faint emergency lights that flickered on. Hermes' adaptive algorithms took over, guiding the bot with precision. Reed Richards, still disoriented by the EMP bst, barely had time to react.

  The bot leaped onto Reed's shoulder, its legs gripping tightly as it crawled toward his head. Panic fshed in Reed's eyes as he swatted at the mechanical invader, but his movements were sluggish, his body still reeling from the electromagnetic shockwave, and the metal legs of the bot pierced through his skin, sitting on his head.

  The bot's metallic legs cmped down with brutal efficiency, anchoring itself atop Reed's head. Sparks danced from its compact frame, a harbinger of the destructive power it held within. Reed filed, his arms cwing at the invasive machine as panic took hold.

  "Get... off me!" Reed gasped, his voice cracking with desperation.

  But it was too te.

  "Hermes," Tony whispered coldly, his voice steady despite the pounding in his head. "Do it. Make it clean."

  "Command acknowledged," the AI responded, its tone devoid of emotion. The countdown was instant, the mechanism precise. A high-pitched whine crescendoed as the bot discharged its payload—a focused burst of energy that overloaded Reed's neural pathways, silencing his thoughts and body in one swift, catastrophic pulse.

  Reed crumpled to the ground, his body lifeless before it hit the polished floor. The spider-bot sparked and twitched, its own systems fried by the controlled detonation. Smoke curled from its frame, the only evidence of the lethal encounter.

  Tony exhaled sharply, his hands gripping the edge of the rooftop as he stared at the live feed on his tablet. For a moment, the room on the screen was still. Only the faint hum of backup power systems and the quiet crackle of short circuits broke the silence.

  "Hermes, status report," Tony demanded, his voice low and rough.

  "Primary target neutralized. No external breaches detected. Lab systems remain non-functional. Local authorities have not been alerted."

  Tony nodded, his expression unreadable. He leaned back against the rooftop wall, the weight of the moment pressing down on him.

  "Copy the data from the main server. Erase the footage," he ordered. "Scrub everything. No trace. Then blow up the pce."

  "Affirmative."

  As Hermes worked, Tony closed his eyes, the throbbing pain in his skull momentarily eclipsed by the enormity of what he had done. Reed Richards was gone, his brilliant mind extinguished. The potential threat he posed, one that could have unraveled dimensions, had been averted. Yet, the air around Tony felt heavier, the victory hollow. 'Was it the right choice...?'

  ---

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