The Quinjet made a turn in the air, leaving Coulson with a lifeless expression.
Forty-five minutes later, the Quinjet landed vertically on the grass by the Hudson River.
A black car was already waiting.
"Officer."
The driver was a handsome young man named Grant Ward, an Agent Coulson had high hopes for, a Level Six Agent.
As long as he didn't make mistakes, Grant would become S.H.I.E.L.D.'s youngest Level Seven Agent before he turned thirty.
"Why are you here?" Coulson was a bit surprised; usually, a new Agent would be temporarily pulled in to be a driver.
"It was Kurt's job originally, but I volunteered to come."
"And then?"
"What then?" Grant was a little confused.
"I mean, you need to explain why you volunteered to come." Coulson was a bit speechless; even if others wouldn't, most people would proactively explain, right?
Grant's skill assessments were all top-ranked, but he wasn't good at teamwork, and his fiery temper often led to excessive force during missions.
"Oh, I was injured last time and rested for a week, so I wanted to get out and move around.
Officer, is the next mission a combat one?" When it came to combat missions, Grant's eyes clearly lit up, perfectly fitting his persona.
In reality, Grant was discovered and trained by Level Eight Agent John Garrett.
John Garrett's true identity was a HYDRA spy, and Grant naturally became a HYDRA Agent.
Of course, Grant couldn't have simply wanted to move around.
He was ordered to get close to Coulson, and currently, he was in the stage of building favorability.
"Alright, drive." Coulson didn't think too much; firstly, he was too tired, and secondly, Grant's impression on him was that he was relatively straightforward.
Coulson gave Mike's address, and he was preoccupied throughout the drive, thinking about what Mike had told him earlier.
"Does Mike have a trouble-attracting constitution? How come he never has a moment of peace?" Coulson muttered, a headache throbbing.
"What did you say, Officer?"
"Nothing, I was talking to myself, don't mind it."
"Oh." Grant, however, kept the name Mike in mind, intending to investigate the situation when he had time.
A dozen minutes later, Coulson arrived outside Mike's supermarket in Hell's Kitchen.
"You wait for me in the car…" Coulson instructed.
"Yes."
Grant replied, thinking: If Mike were just an ordinary person, Coulson would have brought him along.
He became even more serious about Mike.
Opening his laptop, Grant searched for Mike's file in the S.H.I.E.L.D. database, but found that he didn't have enough clearance.
"Damn it, if the file I'm searching for doesn't have enough clearance, it will not only leave a search record but also trigger an alarm." After a moment of hesitation, Grant contacted his adoptive father, mentor, and superior—John Garrett, explaining the specific situation.
John Garrett was a Level Eight Agent, but as an important HYDRA Agent within S.H.I.E.L.D., he could do far more than a Level Eight Agent's clearance allowed.
"Mike…"
Garrett muttered the name, "I've been hearing that name quite frequently lately.
It seems I need to try to make contact.
If he can be recruited, that's best; if not… at least he can't be used by Nick Fury."
Ending the communication, Grant looked through the window and noticed the street was quiet.
Thugs were peeking from a distance, but no one approached: "Strange, didn't they say Hell's Kitchen is very chaotic at night?"
Mike saw Coulson looking haggard and said with concern: "Dark complexion, bloodshot eyes, dark circles, pale lips… Tsk, tsk, Coulson, you're not in good shape, showing signs of sudden death.
You need to pay attention to rest.
Alas, a man at forty, indeed can't do without goji berries."
Are you sure this is concern and not a malicious curse?
Besides, whose fault is it that I can't get proper rest!
Skye walked over, "Coffee, or tea?"
Coulson immediately put away his angry expression and became courteous: "Coffee, thank you."
After Skye left, Coulson asked: "New employee?"
Mike rolled his eyes: "Stop pretending, you keep pretending.
Someone suddenly appeared by my side, and you guys didn't investigate? What kind of international joke is that!
Skye has cracked S.H.I.E.L.D.'s RSA encryption system; you've actually been observing her all along, haven't you?"
"Cough, cough!" Coulson's face showed the embarrassment of being exposed.
Mike continued: "If S.H.I.E.L.D. wants to recruit Skye, give up on that idea.
I won't agree."
Coulson: "Skye's situation is quite complex… and whether or not she joins S.H.I.E.L.D. depends on Skye's own wishes.
Are you a male chauvinist or something?"
Mike didn't argue with Coulson, just sneered.
"Alright, alright, we'll talk about Skye's matter later." Coulson also didn't want to fall out with Mike, "Tell me about what you mentioned earlier?"
"Do you know about the Continental Hotel?" Mike asked.
"I do."
"How much do you know?"
"Everything that needs to be known and can be known.
Don't underestimate S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence capabilities…"
"That's best; it makes explanations simpler."
Next, Mike told him about killing Bullseye at the Continental Hotel.
Coulson knew Bullseye; Hawkeye, Clint Barton, had once pursued him, and the two were equally matched.
He didn't expect Mike to have killed him.
Coulson wisely didn't say anything like "murder is illegal."
"So, Bullseye was the assassin who tried to kill you?"
"That's right.
He gave himself away when he tried to assassinate Pepper."
"He can't possibly stay in the Continental Hotel his whole life; you could have waited."
"A gentleman's revenge is not too late in ten years; a petty person's revenge is from morning till night.
The longer he lived, the more uncomfortable I felt.
Do I look like the kind of person who gives himself grief?"
Since he called himself a "petty person," what could Coulson say?
Mike continued: "These assassins are definitely not good people; most of them are wanted criminals.
I thought, you helped me once before, so I owe you a favor, and that's why I thought of you.
Pretty loyal, right?"
Coulson squinted: "You just wanted someone to clean up your mess, don't make it sound so good."
He checked the database and, sure enough, all these people had serious criminal records, and some were even currently wanted criminals.
"These two are the most troublesome." Coulson pulled up the files of two Mutants, "They are from the Brotherhood.
The Brotherhood…"
"I know the Brotherhood." Mike didn't let Coulson continue.
The Brotherhood, a Mutant organization established by Magneto, had its biggest problem in its mixed quality; it accepted any Mutant.
Many criminals were mixed in, leading to a very poor public impression of the Brotherhood.
Finally, Coulson asked: "Do you need support?"
"No." Mike said seriously: "I'm not being polite; it's because I'm afraid your people will hold me back.
Just clean up the aftermath properly."
Coulson: o(｀ω′*)o.
My good intentions were taken for granted!
Angry, trembling, cold!
However, there was one thing Coulson couldn't miss: the opportunity to observe Mike's abilities.
He heard from Black Widow that Mike seemed to have used a new ability again.
He hadn't even figured out the previous abilities, and now there was a new one… It was too much.
Suddenly, Coulson asked, seemingly casually: "Mike, what's your superpower?"
"Want to know?"
"Mm."
"I can tell you."
"Ah!"
Coulson was stunned, completely not expecting Mike to be so straightforward.