"Hades explain these changes in your code." Adam asked as he skimd through the new code that had popped up since he last tinkered with Hades.
"There have been no detected changes to the code of this unit." Hades said.
"Run a level 1 diagnostic of your programming." Adam ordered.
"Running… running… complete. There are no detected changes in the coding of this unit." Hades repeated. Was… was Hades lying now? This was far too weird. And honestly a bit dangerous. What was happening? It was as if Hades was gaining consciousness? But that is… far too weird… At this point Adam was skeptical to even bring Hades along. If he couldn't control him he might go haywire and kill his friends, their allies, or who knows who else. It would be a dangerous proposition to bring a robot he can't control. But Hades was a big part of his plan. His firepower was being counted on for this attack. To lose out on him was…
"Hades…" Adam began slowly. "Explain to why you asked the reason for my order." He asked slowly.
"Request for clarification ca from desire to understand the motives for the order." Adam paused for a mont looking at Hades skeptically.
"Hades… The order ca from the desire to load you up into the APC I have top side. Once loaded we will et with other mbers of the outgoing attack force and march on an enemy stronghold." Adam explained. Deciding to see what Hades might do if he had all the information.
"Request information on 'the enemy'." Hades replied back.
"They are a cult who worship a long dead bio terrorist who tried to forcibly convert all humans on the planet into another creature. As of now this cult is actively kidnapping people and experinting on them to try to fulfill their leader's vision from long ago."
"A threat to public order and safety?"
"A threat to every single person living in Chicago, yes." Adam said with a nod.
"This unit understands. Hades will comply with orders. Protection is in line with this unit's programming." Hades said back now, finally moving towards the door.
"Hades." Adam called out, stopping him before he went very far. "I need to have your promise that you will cooperate with us on this mission. That you will not target friendlies, and that you will comply with orders as they co without questions. I cannot have you running around doing as you please. There are too many lives at stake."
"This unit understands concern. Baseless worry unwarranted. Hades will comply with orders. Hades will protect Chicago." Hades then, once more, began to walk towards the door leaving a very confused and stunned Adam. What was happening. This was not at all how a sentry bot was supposed to act. A sentry bot, let alone a Mark I, had very simplistic AI compared to a Mr. Handy or even an assaultron. It was designed for war, after all. But this… this felt like a robot with a personality. Or… rather one that was still forming… Why was this happening? How is he going to handle this sentry bot with enough firepower to take out a military base alone but now with the start of morals forming.
Unfortunately Adam was pressed for ti and there was too much to think about to co up with a solution to this right now. The issues with Hades would have to wait. If this truly was an erging sentence then maybe he could seek advice from Eve. She might have so pointers. Or, hell, she could ntor Hades. They are the sa class of robot, after all. One designed for war. Maybe they could bond over that? Who knows. Right now he needed to focus on the battle to co, this had to be put out of his mind for now. In the worst case wherein Hades seed untrustworthy in the fight to co he could bench him. But he really hoped he wouldn't have to do that.
With his mind made up to ignore the potential issues for now, he loaded up his APC with everyone. Hades, Sgt. Fyre, Eve, Mira, Deccanus, Buddy, Rae, and Pearl all load themselves inside. The back was a little bit cramped, but not nearly enough to be an issue. If needed he could even fit in a few more. If he had ti before the battle he would have liked to fix up the power armor to bring it to the fight, but after his adventures when he got ho he needed to rest, so he will have to be content with his regular combat armor. To make use of all the available space Mira and Deccanus sat up front with Adam while the rest sat in the troop transport in back.
Once everyone was loaded up he set off for the parking garage that he had set as the eting place. The sa place he had hid the APC away last ti when he infiltrated the cult with Mira.
Adam had made sure to actually pack a few bedrolls into the underseat storage in the transport section just so, if he ever needed to camp out again like last ti, he wouldn't need to sleep on the cold hard tal floor. Between that, so spare ammo, a gun, so MREs, and a few other tools, he had built himself up a small stockpile of things in case he couldn't make it back to sowhere safe. He would not make the sa mistake twice.
The trip was quiet for the most part. Each person up front seed to have their mind on sothing. So little conversation was shared.
However the trip did not take too long and, before they knew it, they had arrived at the parking garage where the others would et them. Apparently they were the first to get here since no one else had shown up yet so Adam simply disembarked with everyone else and waited.
They ended up waiting for another 3 hours before people began to show up. And it was not a small number of people. War had co. Behind War was an army of warfighters too nurous to quickly count. However it was not just the warfighters that were here. There were a few people who looked much less suited to combat along too, including the doctor he had seen in War's camp.
War walked right up to Adam, his gaze never breaking with him as he did.
"I have co, as promised." Adam nodded to him.
"Glad to see you made it." Adam offered a slight nervous smile, simply due to the intensity of War's stare. "We have a few more people coming if you do not mind waiting."
"Fine. Wait we shall." He said before sauntering off to take a seat on one of the few bombed out cars that still remained in this partially hidden parking garage.
Now, however, they did not need to wait long. Next was Colonel Harrison, bringing with him what might be his entire group. He simply nodded to Adam on his way in and had his n take a short break. Notably separated from the rest of the warfighters. Actually closer to Adam's group but with enough separation that there was so privacy. Which is to say not much since the parking garage was already feeling cramped due to how many warfighters were actually here.
Then ca the ranger, in tow with him were a number of other rcenaries from Midway, from ghouls he recognized from last fight to new folks he had never seen before. It seed Mr. Cantelli once more spared no expense. That was good.
"Well, it seems like the party is all here." The ranger said as he walked over to Adam, his gasmask helt covering his head and his voice being filtered through a microphone.
"Not-" Adam literally started to say before Baxter ca walking in, his group warily looking around at all the others as Baxter himself sported a big cocky smile.
"Not quite everyone~. Is what I think mini over there was gonna say." He chuckled. Adam frowned but decided to not address it .
"Alright, now everyone is here. Assuming no one needs ti to rest, I think we are good to begin the operation."
"Which is?" The ranger asked, clearly still not having been inford on the mission. Which, perhaps, is for the best until now.
"Alright, I'll start at the beginning." Adam began as he made sure he had mostly everyone's attention. "We are going to be fighting remnants of the Cult of the Master." He said with a serious tone.
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