The mechanical girl crouched in front of her and asked with concern, "Are you okay? Daddy's so mean..."
"I'm fine..."
Rachel turned her head to look at the women on the couch.
Those snowy white swan-like necks were still unconsciously swallowing...
Admiration filled the girl's orange eyes as she looked at Gwen and the others...
…..
'There's definitely something wrong with Pierce…'
Inside an elevator with three glass walls.
Captain Steve Rogers was lost in thought.
Among the Avengers———
[Hawkeye] Barton was on vacation at home...
[Iron Man] Tony Stark was busy tinkering with something recently…
[Thor] had returned to Asgard...
[Hulk] would only make things messier…
The only one who could help him now…
Was [Black Widow] Natasha.
So.
Steve gave Natasha the USB drive entrusted to him by Nick Fury, just in case it was taken from him during his visit to S.H.I.E.L.D.
'Hill and Natasha said they'd go ask President Ye for help. I wonder how that's going...'
'If they succeed, it'll be a big boost for us.'
As Steve was thinking—
"All strike team members, prepare to move."
Rumlow yanked open the nearly-closed elevator doors and stormed in with his strike team…
"Captain."
"Rumlow."
They exchanged a fake greeting.
The elevator slowly descended.
Ka-chunk———— (elevator door opens)
The doors opened to let in a group of suit-and-tie agents…
The elevator continued descending.
Ka-chunk————
Three more people entered…
After a moment of silence—
Rogers glanced at the now-crowded elevator and said calmly:
"Before we start, does anyone want to get off?"
…..
Sunnyvale.
"You wicked thing… You just finished with Barbara and your little girlfriends… and yet you're still this..."
Natasha clung tightly to Ye Li, whispering through gritted teeth, her beautiful eyes glistening with moisture.
On her graceful, smooth collarbone, a silver USB drive bounced gently…
"Isn't it obvious?"
Ye Li didn't answer her rhetorical complaint. Instead, he grabbed the silver USB and asked, "What's this you're wearing around your neck?"
"Captain Rogers asked me to keep it. He said Director Fury gave it to him…"
Natasha answered truthfully, "It should be something really important."
"Oh yeah? Something from Nick Fury?"
Ye Li took the USB off and casually tossed it aside, "It's getting in the way."
...With zero respect for the so-called dead man's belongings.
But he knew.
Fury was just faking his death.
…..
Bang!
Pow!
Szzzzzt…!
"Ughhh—!"
Steve took a jab from Rumlow's stun baton to the abdomen—even with his superhuman endurance, he still felt that shock!
Boom!
He slammed Rumlow hard into the glass—crack!
The reinforced glass cracked in ripples…
'That was the last one...'
Just as Steve thought that—
Ka-chunk! The elevator doors opened.
"Drop the shield! Hands up!"
Outside, the hallway was filled with armed S.H.I.E.L.D. tactical units...
Wham—!
Steve instantly swung his vibranium shield and cut the elevator's cable! (The elevator was locked—no conventional exit.)
Whoosh—Whoosh—Whoosh!
The elevator plummeted downward at high speed!!
But then...
Clang~!
As the safety system activated, the elevator slowly ground to a halt...
"Surrender, Rogers! Open the door!"
The soldiers outside the elevator shouted.
Steve hesitated for a second, then resolutely smashed through the elevator glass and leapt from high above!
BOOM!!
…..
Bang!
One corner of the couch slammed into the wall suddenly…
Natasha's delicate body went limp, and she murmured weakly, "Can we let Hill in now…?"
"Mm… Since you worked so hard… I'll give her a chance."
Ye Li contacted Silvija and had her let Agent Hill, still waiting at the manor gates, come in.