Colossus By Design: Season 3 - Excerpt 42

[April 16, 2168]
[Capital of Atlantis]
[Primary Atlantis Ruins]
[Pacific Ocean]
[Open Territory - G.U.D.]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the ruined capital of Atlantis, Eobard Thawne's group is now at the footsteps leading into the primary hub of the whole city; the building looks somewhat like the old domed senate building in former Washington, D.C. of the defunct United States. Although some of the civilian members of the group are a bit nervous, nothing seems out of the ordinary for them.

Mostly.

The Separatist Mimetics, however, are sparking and rather...... twitchy, though they aren't showing the telltale signs of connection to the Zeus A.I.'s hivemind network, such as the sickly green hard-light colouration.

Professor Eobard Thawne pulls out his datapad and calls up the other research groups.


(Prof. Thawne): This is Thawne. We've apparently been contacted by the rogue Atlantean A.I. known as 'Zeus' a.k.a. the Gorgon's Head. I don't need to tell you how unpredictable and unstable he is, so I want the G.U.D. to be constantly updated and informed.

(Research Leader 1): Alright, professor.

(Research Leader 2): Understood, Mr. Thawne. We'll keep the G.U.D. updated on our progress.


The former Flash puts his datapad away and looks towards the open door before them.


(Agent Daisy Zaibo): Uncle, you sure about this?

(Prof. Thawne): Yeah, I'm sure about this. This is an opportunity that I'm sure the G.U.D. would want to take advantage as soon as possible. Zeus hasn't been seen since the end of the Axis Incursion, and besides that, we have our security, you, and myself should anything go wrong.

(Agent Daisy Zaibo): Well, if you say so. It's your call.


The group walks into the building; the door shuts behind them automatically, briefly unsettling some of the greener members. However, the group presses on and continues to march down the large hall of the central hub of the ruined Atlantean capital. As is expected of the Atlantis aesthetic, there are numerous similarities to Greek and Chinese architecture, though the central hub's interior is remarkably well-preserved and more extravagant compared to most of the other ruins.

At the end of the hall is another door; this one also opens up on its own.

A booming voice sounds off from unseen speaker systems once again.


(Zeus A.I.): And now you are here. Allow me to greet you personally.


From the open doors at the end of the hall, a marching line of various Loyalist Mimetics files out, one by one; their appearance instantly puts the Separatists on edge and prompts them to raise their arms against them. However, Professor Thawne puts his arm out; the Separatist Mimetics lower their weapons, though they maintain their alertness and stay on guard.

The final Loyalist, a Mimetic Keeper, marches out of the doorway with none other than the Gorgon's Head, the physical casing that holds the core A.I. matrix of Zeus. Surprisingly enough, none of the Loyalists are as twitchy as they usually are, though they are still rather sickly green in their hard-light's colouration. What's most interesting, though, is the condition that the Zeus A.I.'s casing is in.

The Gorgon's Head is extremely damaged, with visible gashes in the outer shell, damaged circuits and hard-light conduits, and visible sparks emitting almost constantly.


(Zeus A.I.): As you can tell..... I'm dying.

(Prof. Thawne): So, you WERE there in South Africa, then. But you survived, compared to my former friend Jay Garrick.

(Zeus A.I.): Yes, I remember him. He disintegrated after that wave came from the alternate dimension. But that's neither here nor there. I've revealed myself for a reason, after all.

(Prof. Thawne): So..... what? Do you seek asylum? Redemption? You have to know that your crimes against us can't be forgiven.

(Zeus A.I.): I merely seek to discuss potential options. With the false god banished to realms unknown and my former beneficiaries all but dispersed, I have no options to bring forth my original aims of bringing Atlantis back to power.

(Prof. Thawne): Tell you what, Zeus. I've already been relaying everything that's happened in this little encounter to the other research teams, and you don't stand a chance with our new alien allies. You'll be brought into custody, and the G.U.D., the Bilusaludo, and the Exif will determine what will be done about you.

(Zeus A.I.): So be it, then.


The Separatist Keeper hands the Gorgon's Head over to Agent Zaibo.