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On the Road Toward the Crater – New Mexico
Pepper watched Jack and Jane from the back seat of the black sedan, her eyes narrowing slightly.
An uncomfortable feeling slowly spread through her chest. It was not simple anger—she had already grown used to feeling anger toward Jack. This feeling was different, more complicated, something she didn't want to acknowledge.
Why was that scum treating Jane so kindly?
The way he spoke to Jane, the way he smiled at her, the calm tone in his voice—none of it resembled the cruel, mocking man Pepper had come to know. With Pepper, he was cold, sarcastic, almost inhuman. But with Jane, he seemed patient and polite.
Pepper clenched her fists slightly.
He has no humanity at all.
She kept reminding herself in her mind over and over.
Everything that scum does has nothing to do with me.
But no matter how many times she repeated those words in her head, the strange discomfort refused to disappear.
---
"Jane, you can't do this," Erik said worriedly. "It's too dangerous."
Jane shook her head firmly.
"These are the results of my life's work," she replied, her voice filled with determination. "I can't just abandon them like this. I must bring them back. Do you understand?"
"But—"
Jack suddenly spoke calmly from the side.
"Don't worry," he said lightly. "I will definitely protect her safety. If anything happens, you can come find me."
Erik looked at Jack for a moment.
Then he nodded with approval and patted Jack's shoulder.
"Tom, you are a responsible and brave young man. I trust you."
Pepper almost rolled her eyes hearing that.
Responsible? Brave?
Where exactly did you see those qualities?
Erik continued speaking.
"But I still cannot allow you to go," he added seriously. "It's too dangerous. I cannot let Jane take such a risk. Do you understand?"
"Erik!" Jane protested.
But Erik remained firm.
"No means no. I won't agree."
Jack nodded thoughtfully.
Then he secretly winked at Jane.
"Jane, since that's the case," he said, pretending to agree, "then let's not go. It really is dangerous."
Jane noticed the wink instantly.
After spending only a short time around Jack, she had already realized that this man liked playing tricks.
She understood immediately.
"Erik… you're right," Jane said after a moment.
"It's too dangerous. We won't go."
Erik smiled with satisfaction.
"That's better."
---
Twenty Minutes Later
About twenty minutes later…
Jane quietly ran toward Jack.
"Wu Yang—let's go quickly," she whispered hurriedly. "Erik went to the bathroom. I slipped away."
Jack nodded calmly.
"Alright. Let's go."
Then he glanced toward Pepper.
"Pepper, why are you still standing there? Come along."
Pepper glared at him but walked over anyway.
---
The Car
Jane looked at the black sedan curiously.
"This is your car?" she asked.
"Yes," Jack replied. "Get in."
The three of them entered the car.
The engine started with a low hum, and the sedan quickly drove forward along the quiet desert road.
The sky was slowly darkening, turning deep orange and purple as the sun began to disappear behind the distant hills.
Suddenly Jane pointed ahead.
"Wait! Wu Yang, stop the car."
Jack slowed down slightly.
"Look ahead," Jane said. "That's Thor. He hasn't left yet."
Thor stood alone on the roadside, staring toward the distant desert.
"Perfect," Jack said calmly. "Let's take him with us."
The sedan stopped beside Thor.
Jane rolled down the window.
"Hey, Thor! Do you want a ride?"
Thor turned around and looked at her.
After a moment, he walked toward the car.
"If you are willing to give me a ride," he said proudly, "I will be grateful."
He lifted his chin slightly.
"When I retrieve the Hammer of the God of Thunder, I will tell you everything you wish to know."
Pepper's expression suddenly changed when she heard those words.
"The Hammer of the God of Thunder?"
She stared at Thor.
"Is that hammer yours?"
Thor straightened proudly.
"If you are referring to the Hammer of the God of Thunder, then yes. It naturally belongs to me."
Pepper's eyes widened slightly.
"Can you lift it?"
Thor's face was filled with arrogance and pride.
"Except for my father Odin," he said confidently, "no one in this world can lift it except me."
A flash of excitement passed through Pepper's eyes.
If he really can lift that hammer…
Then maybe he can defeat Wu Yang.
"You must be very powerful," Pepper said carefully.
Thor nodded proudly.
"I am the God of Thunder."
"I possess the power of the gods."
Jane shook her head helplessly.
"Thor… your illness is acting up again."
"Please stop saying strange things."
---
Pepper's Suspicion
Pepper turned toward Jack.
"Wu Yang," she said coldly. "Is what he said true?"
Jane blinked.
"Wu Yang?"
She frowned slightly.
"That name sounds familiar."
She thought for a moment.
"Wait… isn't that the name of Humanity's Public Enemy?"
Pepper replied coldly.
"He is Humanity's Public Enemy."
Jane stared at Jack for a few seconds.
Then suddenly she burst into laughter.
"You're saying Tom is Wu Yang?"
She shook her head.
"That joke is terrible."
"How could Tom possibly be Wu Yang? They're completely different people."
Jack sighed lightly.
"Pepper likes comparing me with that Wu Yang," he said helplessly.
"She says I'm a terrible person."
He looked toward Jane.
"Jane, do I look like a bad person to you?"
Jane smiled warmly.
"Of course not."
She nodded firmly.
"You are clearly a good person."
"A very good person."
"Kind, righteous, and full of justice."
Pepper stared at her.
"You're blind."
Jane frowned slightly.
Pepper's words annoyed her.
"I can clearly see what kind of person Tom is," Jane said.
"You're the one who's blind."
Pepper turned her face away.
"You will regret it."
Her voice was cold.
"I will be waiting for that day."
---
Jack's "Kindness"
Jane turned back toward Jack.
"Tom, I don't understand how you can tolerate such an assistant."
She shook her head.
"If I were you, I would have fired her long ago."
Jack sighed dramatically.
"If I fire her, what will she do for work afterwards?"
Jane laughed softly.
"You're too kind."
Jack smiled gently.
"Maybe."
"But if I suffer a little loss, it doesn't matter."
The golden sunset light shone across Jack's face through the car window, making him look almost heroic.
At that moment, Jane truly believed he was a good person.
Pepper looked away in disgust.
Unbelievable.
The biggest devil in the world pretending to be a saint.
Inside Jack's eyes, however, a faint trace of dark amusement flashed.
He was already imagining the moment when Jane would learn the truth.
He could almost see the shocked expression on her face.
That moment would certainly be very entertaining.
Jack laughed silently inside his mind.
---
"You still haven't answered my question," Pepper said suddenly.
"Is what he said true? Is he really the God of Thunder?"
Thor snorted impatiently.
"You humans will understand soon enough."
"When I retrieve my hammer."
Jack glanced at Thor briefly.
"I believe what he said."
Pepper looked at him suspiciously.
"You believe him?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"No."
"You're lying to me on purpose."
"You know exactly what I'm thinking."
"You're trying to trick me so I will feel disappointed later."
Jane laughed again.
"Tom's brain hasn't gone bad like Thor's."
Thor looked pleased.
"Brother, you believe me."
Jack shook his head slightly.
"My brain is perfectly fine."
He looked ahead toward the darkening road.
"But we'll know the truth soon enough."
---
Arrival at the Crater
By the time they arrived at the crater, the sky had already turned completely dark.
Cold desert winds swept across the plateau.
Jack, Jane, Pepper, and Thor lay flat on the ground at the edge of a nearby hill.
Jane peered through a telescope toward the distant crater.
"That's definitely not a meteorite site," she whispered.
"If it were a meteorite, they would have taken it away."
"Not built a security fence around it."
Below them, bright lights illuminated the crater.
Guard rails surrounded the entire area.
Armed security guards patrolled constantly.
In only one day, a temporary base had already been constructed.
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources were clearly powerful.
Thor slowly stood up.
"I must retrieve my hammer."
Jane grabbed his arm.
"Wait! You're just going to walk in there?"
"There are too many guards!"
Thor smiled confidently.
"You will see."
Taking advantage of the darkness of night, he began walking toward the fenced base.