On the training ground, Nolan's tall figure moved like a ghost, his form blurring with speed.
The metal floor was littered with obstacles and training dummies constructed by David from various materials. Nolan wove between them with fluid grace, his enhanced body responding to his commands with startling precision.
His hand brushed against a metal dummy almost casually as he passed.
The sharp claws tipping his fingers dug deep gouges into the surface effortlessly. Metal parted like clay beneath his touch, leaving parallel furrows several centimeters deep.
Eventually, Nolan's skin flushed red from exertion, and he gradually slowed to a stop. His fangs were slightly exposed as he drew in deep breaths, his chest rising and falling rapidly beneath his shirt.
The Heart of Leman Russ provided far more than simply a redundant cardiovascular system.
First and most obviously, the accelerated blood circulation throughout his body had increased his stamina significantly. He could maintain peak performance far longer than before without tiring.
His explosive power had increased dramatically as well. Movements that would have required conscious effort now came naturally, muscle fibers responding with enhanced strength.
But most importantly, his sharpened five senses gave him what could only be described as perfect environmental awareness. He didn't need to rely on sight alone anymore. Smell and hearing were sufficient to pinpoint a target's exact location and strike with precision.
Of course, mastering this ability would require extensive practice with whatever weapons he chose to use.
Nolan drew a deep breath and walked toward David, who stood observing near the edge of the training ground.
Before he could speak, his nostrils twitched involuntarily. A strong floral fragrance reached him, distinct and clear despite the distance.
Nolan turned his head slightly. His enhanced vision caught sight of movement hundreds of meters away.
Jessica was walking toward the training ground, carrying a potted plant in her hands. Even from this distance, he could identify the blooms as peonies and camellias, their colors bright and healthy.
As the distance between them closed, Jessica got her first clear look at Nolan's transformed appearance. She blinked several times in rapid succession, her eyes widening.
She raised her eyebrows, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. "Boss, your look today is... very unique, I'll give you that."
The gray-haired Nolan smiled slightly. His nose twitched, sampling the air, and his fangs showed briefly. "Nice flowers. The person who gave them to you was a black woman, over thirty years old. Based on the disinfectant scent clinging to the petals, I'd say she's a nurse or doctor?"
Jessica's eyes went wide. She rubbed her short hair unconsciously, staring at Nolan's cyan wolf eyes with open shock. "Boss, did you develop superpowers or something?"
"Not superpowers. Just some special capabilities." Nolan shook his head slightly. He narrowed his cyan wolf eyes and continued, "Anyway, since you're back, let's have a meeting. All of us together."
The metal round table at the center of the base was laden with delicacies from across the Warhammer universe, a spread that would have seemed impossible just weeks ago.
Grox leg steaks sizzled on David's improvised grill, filling the air with a mouth-watering aroma. The meat was massive, each portion large enough to feed three normal people.
Beside the blooming peonies and camellias that Jessica had placed as a centerpiece, she poured cup after cup of Green Taurox, a popular drink among the Astra Militarum, down her throat with evident enjoyment.
Nolan held a glass of a mellow wine from the Paragon satellite and sipped it slowly. The vintage was excellent, smooth without being overpowering.
"Jessica, first of all, thank you for handling our health situation." Nolan smiled slightly and raised his glass toward Jessica, whose face had begun to flush from the alcohol. "How did the contact go?"
Jessica, seated across the round table, quickly swallowed a piece of Grox meat she'd barely had time to chew. She wiped the grease from her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Claire's a friend I've known for years. She's a skilled night nurse with a really enthusiastic personality and excellent bedside manner." Jessica paused, her expression becoming slightly more serious. "However, her mother's been paralyzed and bedridden for years, and her daughter's reached school age. Her nurse's salary just isn't enough to support the family anymore."
Nolan narrowed his cyan wolf eyes slightly. He swirled the wine in his glass, watching the liquid catch the light. "Problems that can be solved with money aren't really problems. Have you discussed price?"
"Uh..." Jessica hesitated, her confidence wavering slightly. "Boss, I made an executive decision and told Claire it would be five thousand a month, with on-call availability required. She's not a frivolous person and she can keep secrets, so I thought..."
She trailed off, watching Nolan cautiously for his reaction.
Nolan's smile never wavered. His fangs showed as his grin widened. "Jessica, I trust your judgment completely. Tell your friend her salary is doubled. Ten thousand a month."
Jessica's reddish skin brightened with a genuine smile of delight. She raised her glass enthusiastically toward Nolan. "Boss, I'm thanking you on Claire's behalf! I'm drinking this one! You do whatever you want!"
Before anyone could respond, she'd already drained another cup of Green Taurox in a single go.
Nolan wore a helpless expression as he took a small sip of his own wine. Then he raised his chin toward David, who was currently serving as chef. "David, please give us a briefing on the current Roxxon Industries situation."
"As you command, my lord." David's metal head turned slightly toward them.
While continuing to tend the grilling steaks, blue light projected from its optical sensors. Chemical formulas and various documents appeared in holographic display above the round table.
"Following the infiltration operation at the Red River Institute, our primary acquisitions consisted of Compound V samples and numerous data storage devices. However, since that facility was merely an abandoned early research laboratory, the information contained on those drives is limited."
David paused, allowing the holographic documents to scroll past. "Some early human experimentation data. Various chemical formulas whose specific functions remain unclear. I speculate they're related to compound variants, but proper analysis requires examination by qualified experts."
The servitor's optical sensors focused on Jessica, who continued drinking enthusiastically, then shifted to Nolan, whose cyan wolf eyes had widened slightly at the implied criticism.
"I believe we currently lack personnel proficient in chemistry or biological sciences among our present company. Therefore, I shall merely describe what we have and move on to more actionable topics."
Faced with David's gentle mockery, Nolan bared his fangs in a slight grimace. He glanced at Jessica, who was becoming progressively more intoxicated, then his sharp claws tapped thoughtfully against his chin as he fell into contemplation.
His combat proficiency was exceptional. Even Jessica's training had eventually focused primarily on fighting skills. While they commanded numerous gang members who could serve as cannon fodder, they didn't have a single independent scientific research specialist on their payroll.
The deficiency was glaring.
While Nolan remained lost in thought, David continued its briefing.
"According to my recent investigations, Dario Agger, the CEO of Roxxon Industries, travels constantly between the Americas and Europe throughout the year. He rarely remains in one location unless absolutely necessary for major corporate meetings. He uses a large cruise ship called the Minotaur as his mobile headquarters and primary office."
A holographic model of an enormous luxury cruise vessel appeared above the metal round table, rotating slowly to display all angles.
"Furthermore, due to the decentralized structure typical of large multinational corporations, simply eliminating one CEO would not meaningfully disrupt their operations or prevent their planned activities. If we attempted successive decapitation strikes targeting board members scattered across the globe, we would face two critical problems: insufficient manpower and the strong probability of severe retaliation from official government forces in multiple countries."
The display shifted, showing a web of connections between various board members and their locations worldwide.
Nolan's thoughts returned to the present. His cyan wolf eyes narrowed as he tapped his cheek with a sharp claw. "What's most important to a large multinational corporation like this?"
Jessica, her eyes slightly unfocused, raised one hand eagerly like a student in class.
At the same time, David's voice provided the answer. "My lord, it is profit."
"David, if we attempted to manipulate the stock market and significantly suppress their stock price, could we force the board members scattered around the world to gather on Agger's cruise ship?" Nolan's tongue unconsciously licked across his fangs as he considered the possibilities. He narrowed his eyes further. "It's impossible that Roxxon Industries hasn't made enemies, right? The nature of capitalism doesn't allow for monopolies without competition or grudges."
"My lord, this appears to be a remarkably clever approach." David's mechanical voice carried what might have been approval.
News reports began projecting from its optical sensors, one after another cascading through the holographic display.
"Hammer Industries, AIM, Pym Technologies... Oh, their latest opponent is Stark Industries, which has recently committed to developing clean energy solutions. Roxxon Industries has far more enemies than initially apparent. There are also numerous mid-sized enterprises attempting to escape prosecution from Roxxon's legal teams."
David catalogued them methodically, allowing Nolan to absorb the scope of opposition facing their target.
"As long as the board members of Roxxon Industries gather in one location, we wouldn't necessarily need to take direct action ourselves." David's tone remained neutral, but the implications were clear. "After all, among so many hostile parties, several are weapons developers. An experimental weapon accidentally going out of control, resulting in the tragic destruction of the Minotaur cruise ship and all aboard... such accidents do happen."
Hearing the plan gradually taking shape through David's analysis, Nolan unconsciously narrowed his cyan wolf eyes. He considered the approach from multiple angles, weighing risks against potential gains.
Finally, he raised his chin slightly in a gesture of decision. "David, proceed with this plan."
"As you wish, my lord." David ceased its holographic projections.
The servitor retrieved the grilled Grox steaks from the cooking surface, stacking them into a pile easily a foot thick, and carried them to Nolan.
Nolan smiled at David appreciatively. Then he began eating with single-minded focus and impressive speed.
Perhaps Nolan's eating performance was too compelling to watch. Even Jessica, who'd already consumed several steaks herself, found her appetite returning with renewed vigor. She waved off David's offer to continue cooking and took over the grill herself, determined to prepare her own food.
By the time Nolan had finished replenishing his energy reserves, Jessica's additional steak remained uncooked. Not because she'd failed to grill it properly, but because she'd consumed too many alcoholic beverages.
Jessica had entered a state of being sprawled across the metal round table, mumbling incoherent drunken statements that might have been words or might have been simple sounds.
Nolan stood slowly, his expression shifting to one of mild exasperation mixed with amusement. He raised one hand and gestured for David to carry Jessica to her bedroom.
David seemed to hesitate slightly, which was unusual for the servitor. It approached Nolan and spoke softly, its voice pitched for privacy.
"My lord, perhaps Ms. Jessica would prefer if you personally escorted her to the bedroom."
"Why would I do it myself? She's just drunk, not dying." Nolan widened his cyan wolf eyes in genuine confusion. He glanced at David with an expression that clearly questioned the servitor's reasoning. "By the way, David, please inform my aunt that I won't be coming home for a while. I need to remain here to continue adapting to these changes."
The words had barely left his mouth before Nolan, in an obviously good mood, began humming an unfamiliar tune. He turned and walked toward the lounge area, his steps light.
David watched until Nolan's back had completely disappeared from view.
Then the servitor turned its metal head slightly. The blue light in its optical sensors focused on Jessica, who'd been reduced to a drunken puddle on the table.
David's voice emerged in a low murmur, speaking to no one in particular.
"As I suspected, the scenarios depicted in those classic romantic films are entirely fabricated."
The servitor's tone suggested profound disappointment in humanity's lack of adherence to cinematic conventions regarding romance and interpersonal dynamics.
With a mechanical sigh that shouldn't have been possible from a servitor, David bent to lift Jessica carefully and carry her toward her quarters.
Some social education, it seemed, would need to come from sources other than old movies.