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One day later, S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, the office on the fifth floor.
Nick Fury was at his desk working with papers while scratching his hair now and then.
Dringring…
A sharp ringtone suddenly rang and Fury instantly placed the phone on his ear. Before he could even say something, a voice from the other side shouted, “Agent Nick Fury, almost a month has passed. Have you found Mr. Stark’s killer? Has the H.Y.D.R.A.’s base been found?”
Fury held the handset away from his ear with disdain and finally replied, “Director Pierce, I’m trying to find it. As you know, most of the agents in the bureau had been sent to ensure the safety of every executive and their families. I’m severely underhand right now.”
“You don’t have to give excuses. I gave you this task because I trust you and it’s a chance for you to be promoted. It’s for your future as I have high hopes for you. However, you used severely underhanded as a reason to placate me?”
“Director Pierce, S.H.I.E.L.D. now really is underhanded. How about you return the 20 agents you transferred away? I need them to help me collect intel.”
“Those 20 agents are for protecting me and my family. What should I do if I give them to you?”
“The others only need four agents, you are asking too…”
“Agent Fury, is this how you talk to your superior?! I will give you another month. If you still don’t have any news, you can go back and continue your clerical job!” Pierce angrily hung up after saying that.
Listening to the beeping sound from the handset, Fury helplessly shook his head and placed the handset back. He put his hands on his back while standing in front of the window while looking at the sunset.
After some time, the sunset was blocked by the tall building in the city. The lights in the office were automatically turned on under the control of light sensors.
Fury seemed to make a decision as he returned to his office. He picked up the phone and dialed it.
“Agent Romanoff, come to my office.”
Several minutes later, the Black Widow in casual clothes entered the office and asked, “Senior Officer Fury, are you looking for me?”
“I want your confirmation again, regarding every detail of your encounter at the cotton production factory.”
Black Widow was unsure why Fury suddenly wanted to hear this. However, she patiently explained everything that happened at the cotton production plant again.
Fury was jotting something onto a notebook while listening.
After Black Widow finished, the notebook was filled entirely up by Fury. He paused for a moment before asking, “Do you trust that man who called himself Dr. Zola’s assistant, Ivan Avatar?”
“Which part?”
“Every part!”
“His name probably is fake, everything else is real.”
“Why do you say so?”
“Instinct!”
Black Widow saw Fury frown and said in a heavy tone, “It’s a woman’s instinct!”
Fury shrugged nonchalantly and took out a small memory unit and a note with a bank account number from the drawer, then said, “I’m preparing to give this so-called Mr. Avatar one million dollars, in his word, the price to buy life. Do you think he will thank us?”
Black Widow’s eyes lit up and said, “You want to get the location of the H.Y.D.R.A. base from him?”
Fury smiled without saying anything. Black Widow was slightly shocked and guessed, “Do you want him to tell you who is the spy of Hydra in S.H.I.E.L.D.?!”
Fury finally smiled while saying, “Why? Do you think it’s impossible?”
“It’s not impossible, but I feel you are going to bleed out a lot. This information is not something one million can exchange for.”
Fury smirked, “Heroes have a similar vision, I’m prepared to bleed out!”
Black Widow smiled but soon her expression turned serious and asked, “Why are you telling me this? You already have a plan, you can just do it.”
Fury placed his hands on his back again while staring in a distance. He slowly said, “Sometimes, doing something requires someone’s permission.”
……
The next morning, Minnesota state TV’s morning news channel was broadcasting the news.
“From noon two days ago until yesterday night, there have been many armed robberies in towns and cities in our state, causing great panic among the residents of the state.
But what is puzzling is that most of these robbed people are local ruffians, gangsters, and even gang members.
Some gang members who possessed guns and were despised by local residents even had a shootout with unknown robbers. In the end, they were beaten to death by blunt weapons.
At the moment, the police have begun investigating. However, the local residents did not buy it. Not only did they not cooperate with the investigation, but they also called the robbers a knight.
After constant investigations by the police, some basic information about the robbers was obtained. The robbers were two men who appeared to be in their twenties.
Although the two did not show malice towards ordinary people, they are armed, robbed, and murdered unscrupulously.
We strongly advise everyone not to go out at night. If you find suspicious people, please call the police immediately…”
The two knights who robbed the mobs were naturally Leo and Bucky. By this time, they had left Minnesota in a black van.
Inside the car, Leo was wearing jeans, sneakers, and a blue bread jacket. Bucky was dressed similarly, but with a pair of grey gloves that cover his left metal hand.
“Bucky, in two days we’ve robbed a whole state. How do you feel?”
“Not that great, it’s not the America I know. Those gang members, how could they extort protection fees from a lonely granny? Even local police ignore it!”
Bucky was furious as he frowned and said, “Leo, if not for you stopping me, I would have taken down the entire gang and torn down the police station!”
“You can’t do this. You killed a group of people, and another wave of them will appear. It’s not only America the one have these situations, the whole world has”
“We fought hard and sacrificed our lives in World War II for the peaceful future of America and the whole world. Now, the world has changed for the better, and ordinary people are living rich lives. Why do some people go down the wrong path?! Why?”
Leo indifferently asked back Bucky, “In your age, was there no gangster?! There were! All of this was driven by interest. The gangsters are profitable since they can enjoy unearned wealth by being ruthless and willing to die. That’s why some still choose this path.”
“Is there no solution?”
“There is!”
“What solution?”
“When you become the boss of the whole American gang, you can simply change the system of the underground kingdom!”
Bucky thoughtfully nodded after listening to this. Then, he suddenly asked, “When I was in Minneapolis, I heard from their gang leader that the entire mob in America is controlled by a man named Kingpin. Then, according to the mob rules, can I become the new boss if I kill him? Leo, do you know where he is?”
“What? You have a new life goal so soon?!”
Leo saw Bucky remain silent and continued, “Of course, I know where Kingpin is! I’m bringing you to find him right now!”
Bucky finally replied, “Thank you, Leo. But why do you seem like you know everything?! How can you know so much?!”
Leo rubbed his nose and gave a perfunctory reply, “I’m more knowledgeable and well-informed!”