The message Anna sent was very simple.
Just a name.
Betty Ross.
When Hawk saw the name, a quick thought brought to mind its origin.
Thaddeus Ross's daughter.
Bruce Banner's wife.
Yes.
Wife.
This was back when school started.
Horn Daily, focused on various gossip news, published it, and also posted a photo of Bruce Banner and Betty Ross registering their marriage at New York City Hall.
That newspaper was brought by Peter.
Because Peter worked part-time at Horn Daily, he could bring one copy each day, which was a rare benefit from the paper.
Hawk only glanced at it back then and didn't pay it much mind.
After all...
The person opposing him was Thaddeus Ross, not Betty Ross.
Just like the Hulk.
He killed the Hulk but didn't kill Bruce Banner.
There's a head for every grievance, a master for every debt.
Hawk didn't engage in collateral damage.
Hmm.
At least, he used to think so.
Now?
He understood.
As he was thinking this, the phone rang; it was Anna, following the text message she sent.
Answered.
"Hello."
"Hawk, sorry, it took some time, the account that transferred to Davin Simmons is also known as a black market informer. Our people took some time to find him, but he eventually revealed the employer's information."
"Betty Ross."
Hawk wasn't concerned about how Anna found it, but rather the result.
"Is it confirmed?"
"Confirmed, Betty Ross's bank account transferred a sum of two hundred thousand to the informer five days ago, then the informer contacted Davin Simmons. By the way, our people also found the call recording between Betty Ross and the informer, do you need it?"
"No need, as long as we didn't find the wrong person."
"Absolutely not wrong, as it's easy to find, Betty Ross's New York address has been sent to you."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Hawk thanked Anna again, then hung up, looked at the address in the text message, and put the phone back in his pocket, expression calm.
He's good at learning.
After all, learning is the ladder of human progress.
This time is the same.
Previously he adhered to the idea of a head for every grievance, a master for every debt.
Then Betty Ross pulled this stunt.
If it wasn't for him coincidentally lighting up 'Dragon,' his Little Cosmos elevated with the presence of 'Dragon' and 'Phoenix,' he stumbled upon the gate of 'Sixth Sense' because, at the moment Gwen left, Sixth Sense warned him.
If Sixth Sense hadn't warned at that moment, what would happen next?
Hawk doesn't dare to think about it.
Though even if the worst happened, he could go to Hell to save Gwen back.
But...
If he couldn't?
Therefore!
Past experiences serve lessons for the future.
To mend the pen after losing sheep isn't too late.
This was an experience and a lesson.
In the future...
This kind of thing won't happen again.
Hawk's thoughts shifted, replacing the 'head for every grievance, master for every debt' idea with 'a family must be whole,' then walked out of the office building behind him.
Outside, Peter saw Hawk coming and just as he was about to approach, suddenly felt the surge of killing intent emanating from Hawk. His Spider Sense caused his hairs to stand, involuntarily halting.
Hawk looked at Peter, retracting the killing intent: "Peter? You haven't left, where's Mary?"
Peter regained his senses.
"Mary went to find Gwen."
"And you?"
Hawk walked down the steps, then followed Peter towards the school gate: "Something up?"
Peter nodded: "Originally wanted to ask if you need my help, but now you probably don't. You should already know who was about to kidnap Gwen, right?"
Hawk hummed.
Peter saw this: "Alright then, if you need me, give me a call. I'm going to find Harry; Harry called me yesterday, felt his state seemed off."
Hawk heard and was curious: "Harry? Didn't he say last time he successfully took over Osborn Biotechnology?"
At the start of school, Harry Osborn also came over, but it was to take leave.
Because Norman passed away, he needed to quickly take control of Osborn, Hawk remembered back at school Harry said with Felicia Hardy's help he successfully took over Osborn Biotechnology.
"Who knows."
Peter shook his head and then said to Hawk: "Then I'll head off now; call me if you need anything."
Hawk smiled and nodded.
"Okay, we'll stay in touch."
"Stay in touch."
Peter waved goodbye to Hawk, then ran into the nearby woods, after a while, Spider-Man came online, with a swoosh, pulling webs shot somewhere unknown, and with another swoosh disappeared from sight.
He didn't bother asking Hawk how he planned to deal with the kidnapper.
Because there was no need to ask.
Hawk would definitely kill her.
Without a doubt.
He was sure about it, and he understood—if someone tried to kidnap his Aunt Mei, he would kill them too.
No exceptions.
Just like when he killed the murderer responsible for Uncle Ben's death.
Once again.
This Peter Parker is a Spider Spirit, a Bully Maguire; he may be kind but is definitely not a saint.
Perhaps because of this, even when Venom bonded with him, the biggest evil desire was just to demand a raise and buy suits on sale.
Hawk watched as the Spider Spirit disappeared from view in the blink of an eye, smiled, retracted his gaze, and walked out of the school gates to hail a taxi.
"Jersey City."
"Lincoln Park."
"Alright."
The white driver glanced at Hawk through the rearview mirror, listened to the address, felt thrilled, nodded, and quickly set off.
Because this was a high-value order, and even delivering there without a return fare, he still profited.
The white driver thought happily, stepping on the gas and heading toward Jersey City across the Hudson River.
Sitting in the back seat, Hawk watched the scenery flash by outside the window, narrowing his eyes.
About forty-five minutes later.
Lincoln Park, located at the far east of Jersey City, arrived.
After paying, Hawk got out of the car, standing at the entrance of Lincoln Park, then spun around, his gaze immediately settling on an apartment building across the street from Lincoln Park's entrance. It wasn't luxurious but certainly upscale.
The next second.
The phone rang.
Hawk pulled out his phone, glanced at the caller ID, and put it to his ear.
The moment the call connected, a distinctly assertive female voice came through.
"Hawk, Victoria Hand, S.H.I.E.L.D., about this matter, we..."
"Fuck Off!"
Hawk interrupted before the voice on the other end could finish speaking, then hung up the phone and walked toward Lincoln Park Apartment across the street.
According to the information Anna provided, last month after Betty Ross married Bruce Banner, she moved from Washington to Lincoln Park Apartment in Jersey City.
Bruce Banner seems to have joined a Stark Industries lab.
As for Betty Ross?
She hasn't gone to work since marrying, staying inside Lincoln Park Apartment, keeping a low profile.
New York S.H.I.E.L.D Combat Command Center.
Wearing a S.H.I.E.L.D uniform, hands on hips, Victoria Hand, a retired military intelligence officer now with S.H.I.E.L.D, looked at the glaring red signal on the large screen showing the terminated call, her mouth twitching. She then pulled out her phone to call Maria Hill.
"Hello!"
"There's trouble; Hawk has already found Betty Ross."
"Already?"
At the S.H.I.E.L.D Three Feathers Headquarters, Maria Hill expressed surprise but frowned more: "Didn't the guys keep an eye on Betty Ross and stop her from doing anything stupid?"
Victoria Hand sighed: "We thought after two months, she had given up. Besides, since moving from Washington to Jersey City, she's stayed home, and her bank account is linked to the Stark Bank system. Tony is still recovering, and the latest authorization code hasn't come through."
Maria Hill heard this, feeling a headache.
"Where is Hawk now?"
"Already up the building."
"Hiss!"
Maria Hill gasped, rising swiftly from her seat, her voice breaking unexpectedly.
"Betty?"
"At home."
"Bruce?"
"He went to work in the lab."
"..."
Maria Hill fell silent, unsure what to say.
Victoria Hand was frowning: "What now, watch him kill Betty?"
Maria Hill shook her head with a bitter smile.
"Can we stop him? Moreover, since he's found Betty, it means he already knows she was the one who acted first."
"But he killed Thaddeus Ross."
"Ross acted first too."
Maria Hill inhaled deeply: "You kill me, I kill you, this issue keeps dragging without meaning."
Resolutely ending the discussion, Maria Hill paused, then decided!
"Forget it, let him do as he pleases; S.H.I.E.L.D won't interfere."
"Uh..."
"S.H.I.E.L.D maintains world peace, not family peace. Hawk has been living normally since returning from Quantico. Betty Ross instigated this incident. I won't use S.H.I.E.L.D to play a risky game with someone who won't trouble us unless provoked."
"..."
Listening to Maria Hill's reasoning on the phone, Victoria Hand opened her mouth but chose not to argue.
No matter how big this gets, Betty was the initiator.
Though the kidnapping attempt failed...
This was Gwen's luck, not Betty's.
At the same time.
While the two leading women of S.H.I.E.L.D were conversing, Hawk had reached the tenth floor, standing at Betty's apartment door.
Hawk raised his hand, ready to push the door open.
The next second!
The door swung open from the inside.
...