OBSOLETE Part II

By 2021, the EXOFRAME—a consciousness-controlled general-purpose humanoid robot distributed by the alien entity known as the Peddler—has proliferated across the globe. This rapid expansion persists despite the Sankt Gallen Arrangement, a restrictive treaty spearheaded by the United States and other industrialized nations to contain the technology. Amid this shifting landscape, Bowman and his intelligence unit, who have been tracking EXOFRAME activity worldwide, uncover a disturbing development: someone is actively planning to weaponize the machines on the battlefield. All evidence points to Raila Reshep, the president of the emerging Republic of Azania. Operating as the de facto leader of a newly formed African Union, Reshep is also the mastermind behind the Outcast Brigade, a mysterious special operations unit. By exploiting the nearly free availability of EXOFRAMEs, the Brigade champions technological independence for developing nations. When Bowman and his team attempt to report these findings, their superiors deliberately destroy the intelligence. Undeterred, Bowman’s unit pivots to Gavial, a classified Marine Corps EXOFRAME development project hidden within Area 51, preparing to counter the rising threat from Azania.