Suspicion filled Officer Carter's heart. If it weren't for the fact that she still couldn't verify the identity of the two people before her, she would have already arrested them for impersonating federal agents—because they looked nothing like actual agents. While recounting the madwoman's nonsensical ramblings in response to Solomon's questions, she kept urging Officer Fusco to stop gawking at the woman and hurry up the identity verification. At the same time, Carter carefully reviewed whether she had missed any signs from the madwoman indicating she had been harmed.
Solomon was fully aware of Carter's little tricks, as was Bayonetta. She wore a mischievous grin, clearly curious how Solomon would get himself out of this.
Since Solomon's return home, he had practically glued himself to Bayonetta's side, so much so that even Jeanne, armed with a gun, couldn't drive him away. Solomon had even suggested a three-person date, saying he had already reserved the restaurant and ordered formalwear, asking Dana to help drive them. If Jeanne refused to go, she'd be left eating Hawaiian pizza at home—thus the silver-haired witch reluctantly agreed.
However, Bayonetta's evening gown had a minor issue, so she wore a tailored suit instead. Unexpectedly, in a men's suit, Bayonetta's charm remained undiminished while exuding striking charisma, turning heads alongside Solomon wherever they walked.
Before their date, they had to settle a quick errand—ideally before the police shift change—so they could still make their dinner reservation on time. The slight earthquake hadn't affected New York's business activities; panic was just an instinctive East Coast reaction to their first real quake, and riots were just typical American chaos. Even with the National Guard deployed, it wasn't unusual enough to close restaurants. Bayonetta was convinced Solomon's lies would soon be exposed, and if he didn't find a way out, the date would be doomed. She trusted he wouldn't let that happen and was curious to see how he would handle it.
However, the FBI credentials Solomon presented were authentic—just like how S.H.I.E.L.D. and CIA agents could produce real-looking FBI IDs. His fabricated identity could even be found in official databases. Solomon hadn't used AI hacking; instead, he leveraged a backdoor S.H.I.E.L.D. had planted in the FBI's servers—a bargaining chip Nick Fury had traded him. This allowed agents of the Eternal City to assume cover identities within various global intelligence agencies. It was one of the reasons Solomon agreed to Fury's request to extend the Skrulls' evacuation period—the value of that backdoor far outweighed a few secret S.H.I.E.L.D. bases.
As Carter repeated the madwoman's words, Solomon's expression grew increasingly grim.
"We need an interrogation room, Officer Carter. Here. Now," Solomon said, inhaling the coffee-and-smoke-scented air deeply. He shot a glance at Bayonetta. "We must interrogate her immediately."
"She's insane! Are you seriously going to interrogate a lunatic?" Carter finally snapped. "Since when does the FBI have the right to trample human rights like this?"
"Officer Carter, I trust our mutual friend Mr. Finch can vouch for my character. I promise that her rights will not be violated... I can't explain more, and don't force me to invoke federal authority. This concerns the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands. I'm racing against time. I am not doing anything underhanded—if it comes to calling in an armed strike team, the situation will get ugly," Solomon said, his tone shifting from a polite request to a firm threat. For a moment, Carter felt as if she were standing at the base of a throne, listening to someone speak from on high.
Reluctantly, the kind-hearted officer agreed to vacate an interrogation room—but she would supervise the entire time.
"If you do anything outside the interrogation protocols, I will stop you immediately," Officer Carter said seriously, pointing at Solomon and Bayonetta. "I don't care what your position is in the FBI—this is the NYPD. Even if you call in a strike team, every cop here would kick your ass before they arrive. Got it?"
"You can't even convince an ordinary woman without magic? If I didn't like you so much, you'd be single for life, you little fool!" Bayonetta crossed her arms and teased Solomon gleefully, admiring the woman's courage and stubbornness. She raised an eyebrow and used magic to start a private conversation.
"This important?"
"The Ancient One believes it is. That madwoman predicted the Daughter of Chaos," Solomon replied mentally. "I believe she has crucial information to share."
"The Daughter of Chaos? Your precious little apprentice? Still planning to continue our date?" Bayonetta's laughter echoed in his mind. "If you cancel, Jeanne might blast the car roof off and start dancing and shooting on the streets!"
"I don't think Jeanne would get that childish," Solomon smiled helplessly. "I'll try my best, darling. I'll try."
Meanwhile, Victoria Hand faced Agent Natasha Romanoff's accusations and requests with a dry, emotionless tone.
"I've already shown them mercy," Hand said. "Only after confirming they weren't corrupted did I allow them to leave. But you need to understand, Romanoff: the Eternal City isn't the Avengers—it's not some vigilante group that can casually break the rules. Every rule of the Eternal City—and of Kamar-Taj—was written in blood. A moment's softness costs innocent lives. You of all people should understand that. Even if you've joined the Avengers, you haven't forgotten what S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Red Room taught you."
"And if Steve Rogers were corrupted?" Romanoff asked.
"Luckily, he wasn't," Hand said with a slight sigh of relief. "I wouldn't want to be the one to kill a seventy-year-old legend. He's a righteous man. But if he were corrupted, what lived inside his body would no longer be his soul. If you ask what I would do, I'd tell you: I would follow the rules."
"How many people will survive?"
"I won't lie to you, Natasha," Hand said with a heavy sigh. Her voice softened from its former hardness. "Even agents who didn't go insane aboard the carriers are undergoing brainwashing procedures. Those who did lose their minds were already executed. Even with improved techniques, not everyone survives the brainwashing phase. Be prepared—the outcome won't be pretty. No one wants to see it, but this is the consequence of Steve Rogers forcing himself into this matter. If we let a single corrupted agent go free, the future damage could be catastrophic."
"I understand," Natasha Romanoff muttered vaguely. She hung up the phone and shook her head at Nick Fury and Maria Hill standing nearby.
"Agent Hand won't budge," she said. "This probably came straight from Solomon."
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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