"Summon."
A few seconds later, Lynn's nose twitched.
A trace of fragrance had filled the air.
He swiveled his office chair around.
In the shadows of the office, another person had appeared at some unknown moment.
A slender figure leaned casually against the bookshelf, like a black cat grooming its fur under the moonlight.
Elegant, lazy, yet brimming with danger.
The tight black leather suit outlined every curve of her body with breathtaking precision.
The cat-eared cowl on her head didn't look ridiculous; instead, it added a touch of wild allure to her.
She showed none of the confusion or fear typical after being summoned.
Those green eyes hidden behind the mask were sizing up Lynn, as well as every escape route and potential weapon in the office, with great interest.
That gaze was that of a thief assessing the value of a piece of art, while simultaneously calculating the success rate of killing The Collector.
"New boss?"
Selina Kyle spoke.
"You don't look like those fat-bellied generals and bankers I've seen before."
She licked her lips and walked with silent, feline steps from the shadows to Lynn's desk, her slender fingers lightly tracing the surface of the expensive mahogany.
"I should thank you, actually. I was just being hunted by that psycho Black Mask. If it weren't for you, I'd be meeting God by now."
Selina stared intently at Lynn, observing every micro-expression.
She was curious about how she had arrived here; the wounds on her body and the tears in her clothes were all repaired as if new, and her physical condition had returned to its peak. This was definitely beyond human capability.
Judging by the floor-to-ceiling window behind the man, this was certainly not a place she was familiar with.
"So, what vault do you want me to help you open after going to all this trouble to bring me here? The Fed? Or Fort Knox?"
Lynn didn't know exactly what Selina was thinking, but he smiled.
He liked this wildness.
This woman was very smart.
A tame cat is certainly cute, but only a wild cat with sharp claws can catch the most cunning prey in the dark jungle.
"A vault?"
Lynn leaned back in his chair and shook his head.
"No, that's not challenging enough."
He took a photograph out of a drawer and gently pushed it to the edge of the desk.
The photo showed a woman of heroic bearing.
With a resolute gaze and wearing a military uniform, she was the ace Agent of the Strategic Scientific Reserve, Peggy Carter.
Selina's gaze fell on the photo, and she raised an eyebrow.
"Peggy Carter, a core figure of the Strategic Scientific Reserve and one of the Allied Forces' top Agents."
"I want you to steal something from her without alerting anyone."
"Oh?"
Selina's interest was piqued.
"What is it? Her sidearm? Or classified documents hidden in her underwear?"
Lynn raised a finger and wagged it gently.
"No."
"I want you to steal the photo she carries with her—the one of Steve Rogers before he enlisted."
"..."
A brief silence fell over the office.
Selina thought she had misheard.
What?
A photograph?
What kind of mission was this?
Was she, Selina Kyle, the Catwoman of Gotham City, the most elegant phantom thief of the night, really being asked to steal a lousy photo?
This was practically an insult to her professionalism!
Lynn saw through her thoughts, took a file out of the drawer, and pushed it over.
"Decide after you've read this."
Selina picked up the file suspiciously and skimmed through it quickly.
Peggy Carter's life story, combat record, fighting techniques, psychological profile...
The more she read, the more the disdain on her face faded.
Until she reached the last line, the description of the photo: "...This item is regarded by Peggy Carter as her spiritual sustenance, kept in a silver locket worn close to her body, and has never left her person."
He was testing her abilities in the most direct way possible.
Who was Peggy Carter?
The ace of the Strategic Scientific Reserve!
A woman who had fought through battlefields and intelligence lines, with a level of alertness that bordered on the insane!
To steal a personal item she treasured and certainly kept on her person from such a woman, without being discovered...
This difficulty... how interesting!
This wasn't just a test of stealth and thieving skills; it was an all-around challenge to her psychology, observation, and adaptability!
Once she realized this, Selina's slight annoyance vanished into thin air.
"Can't do it?"
Lynn added at just the right moment.
"Heh."
Selina smiled, her cat-like eyes narrowing into slits.
"Underestimating me?"
She extended a finger, hooked the photo, and pulled it toward her.
"Deal."
"But..."
She leaned forward slightly, getting close to Lynn, her breath like orchids.
"Once I do it, you have to agree to one condition."
Lynn looked at her with interest: "Let's hear it."
"I get to choose my own reward."
This was her counterattack, and also her gamble.
She wanted to use this method to seize the initiative for herself in this game dominated by Lynn.
Looking into the green eyes so close to his, Lynn suddenly found that this 'thief' sent by the system was much more interesting than he had imagined.
He liked deals with claws.
"Fine."
He nodded without the slightest hesitation.
His decisiveness actually made Selina pause for a moment.
She had thought she would have to waste a lot of breath, and had even prepared for the negotiations to break down.
She couldn't see through the man in front of her.
"Pleasure doing business with you."
Lynn raised the wine glass in his hand.
Selina picked up the other untouched glass on the desk and gave it a gentle clink.
"Ding."
A crisp sound—a certain contract had been made.
She drained the whiskey in the glass in one gulp, her movements clean and sharp.
"Wait for my good news, boss."
She set down the glass and flashed Lynn a smile.
...
Allied Forces Western Front Temporary Command.
On the map, the HYDRA symbols were being swallowed up piece by piece by blue arrows representing the Allied Forces.
Peggy Carter wore a crisp military uniform, her brownish hair meticulously pinned back.
Her finger traced a sharp line across the map, pointing to a certain HYDRA fortress.
"Our general offensive is set for forty-eight hours from now."
"CaptainSteve Rogers will lead his Howling Commandos as the first wave of the assault, tearing through the enemy's defensive line from the front."
"Soldier Boy and Human Torch will provide fire suppression from both flanks to destroy their heavy weapon positions."
Her orders were clear and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
The surrounding generals nodded one after another; no one raised an objection.
Steve's return was like a shot of adrenaline.
There was no longer any suspense as to which way the scales of victory would tip.
The atmosphere of the meeting was more relaxed than ever before.
Returning to her campaign tent, Peggy finally shed all her defenses and pretenses.
She sat down tiredly on the cot. As the sharpness of a Commander faded, the warmth of a woman slowly emerged.
She took off the locket from around her neck and gently rubbed it with her thumb.
With a 'click', the locket was opened.
Inside was a black-and-white photo that had already begun to yellow slightly.
In the photo was a young man so thin it was almost laughable, trying hard to puff out his chest to make himself look stronger.
It was Steve Rogers before he enlisted.
It was the original him in her memory.
Looking at the photo, a tender smile appeared on Peggy's face.
She placed the locket by her pillow and stood up to fetch a basin of water, preparing to wash off the dust and gunpowder from her body.
The towel brushed against her cheeks, taking away her fatigue. Outside the tent were the noisy sounds of soldiers celebrating victory; everything seemed so normal.
When she sat back down on the edge of the bed and prepared to hang the locket back around her neck, her movements suddenly froze.
She picked up the silver locket; it was empty.
The photo she treasured was gone!
Impossible!
No more than a minute had passed from the time she left the bed to wash her face!
Her heart began to race, but her years as an Agent allowed her to force herself to remain calm.
Peggy began to quickly check all her belongings.
The sidearm under her pillow was still there.
The classified operational plans locked in the document box were intact.
Not a single bill was missing from the cash in her wallet.
Nothing of value had been touched.
The opponent's target had been only one thing from the very beginning.
That worthless photo that meant everything to her!
This wasn't a robbery.
This was an infiltration.
A demonstration.
Someone had silently stolen her most personal item right under the nose of an ace Agent in a heavily guarded Allied supreme command!
Who was it?
HYDRA?
What was the purpose?
Was it a provocation?
Or was it to deliver some kind of message?
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