The next day.
Agent Sharon Carter parked her car, stepped out, and sighed inwardly as she looked at Hawk's house. She walked over and knocked on the door.
Originally, she had packed her luggage yesterday and was even waiting for her flight at the airport.
After all, Christmas was just around the corner.
Sharon decided not to return to London today because she didn't want to consume expired dog food. So she had already bought a ticket and planned to go to Texas to watch the recently popular motorcyclist Johnny's stunt show.
She had managed to snag a ticket with great difficulty.
But then...
The commander called.
Waiting for the door to open, Sharon felt a bit of regret. If she could turn back time, she would definitely not have followed Hawk from Quantico back to New York City.
Just as Sharon was contemplating, the door opened.
Sharon quickly composed herself, looked at Gwen who opened the door, and greeted her with a smile.
"Good morning, Gwen."
"Sharon."
Gwen's eyes lit up upon seeing Sharon at the door. She stepped forward and hugged Sharon, then apologetically said, "Sorry, I've troubled you again, but there was a reason for it yesterday."
She enthusiastically invited Sharon in, then quietly explained what happened to Carrie last night, keeping it brief.
Being bullied.
Being drenched in pig's blood at the school dance.
Oh God!
Last night, while changing Carrie into her spare pajamas, Gwen couldn't help but be shocked as she heard about Carrie's ordeal.
After all, she thought the worst type of school bullying was the kind by Midtown High School's bully Flash Thompson.
But even Flash Thompson would never bully any classmate at a school dance.
Because every school dance becomes a monumental memory in a student's life.
Yet...
Gwen never thought a girl could be this vicious and ruin another girl's memorable school dance.
Last night, after hearing everything, she returned to the bedroom to tell Hawk about it and learned that Hawk had already summed up the school queen bee's life, then commented immediately.
Well done!
Even the gentle and kind-hearted Gwen felt that if she had been treated like this, she too would have unhesitatingly done in the school queen bee.
Pardon?
Forgiveness?
Forgiveness is for God; Gwen would send her to meet God!
After Gwen's brief rundown, Sharon's expression was filled with disbelief and incredulity.
"There are women this cruel?"
"Yes, very cruel."
Gwen nodded and agreed.
At this moment, Hawk also came down the stairs, smiled, and greeted Sharon, who was already seated on the sofa, invited by Gwen.
"Good morning, Sharon."
"Good morning."
"Here for last night's issue?"
"Yes."
Sharon nodded, glanced at Gwen, then turned towards Hawk and said, "But everything's fine now."
Hawk nodded.
The next second.
He looked at Sharon: "Perfect, I have something to ask."
Sharon, just about to head to the airport, was slightly stunned when she heard Hawk's words and looked at him.
Hawk didn't play any guessing games.
"I remember back in Africa, Commander Hill mentioned that your S.H.I.E.L.D. has a Witch, right?"
"...Yes."
"What's her character like?"
"Uh..."
Upon hearing this, Sharon blinked, seemingly confused by Hawk's question.
Hawk sat down beside Gwen and continued, "Carrie, a newly awakened Witch; last night, a friend sought my help to rescue Carrie and then asked me to find a Witch to guide Carrie. Her abilities don't have to be too strong, just teach Carrie some basic Witch knowledge. Once Carrie's magic powers stabilize, she'll inherit knowledge from the Salem Witch Dimension. That's when I remembered what Commander Hill told me last time."
Witch.
Newly awakened.
Self-inherit knowledge.
Entrust her to us.
Sharon quickly grasped the key points from Hawk's words.
She couldn't help but let her eyes brighten.
At this moment, she even threw away her plans of going to Texas.
Please.
This is a Witch, and not just any Witch, but one with a self-inherited Extraordinary Dimension knowledge.
Such Witches are few and far between.
And then...
Because the pleasant surprise came so unexpectedly, Hawk seemed about to entrust this Witch to S.H.I.E.L.D. for care.
Goodness.
Sharon was so excited she could barely speak, yet she tried to remain calm and nodded enthusiastically at Hawk.
"We have one, we indeed have a Witch."
"What's her character like?"
Hawk looked at Sharon: "Though my friend didn't mention it, I imagine they wouldn't want Carrie to be led astray."
Originally, he thought to ask his good friend Anna about it.
But it seemed like Anna was busy and didn't answer the phone.
Besides, it struck him that Anna was with Hydra. What if Carrie went over there and was taught to become a world-destroying witch by Hydra?
So he thought of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Because besides Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D., he didn't know any other witches or organizations that might know witches.
Wait a minute.
Hawke does know two witches.
Scarlet Witch Wanda.
But at this point in time, it's uncertain whether Wanda has awakened, and even if she has, Wanda at this time is still a rookie witch. Relying on her to teach Carrie isn't realistic.
The second is Witch Agatha.
But she's not suitable either.
Agatha is a witch herself, and indeed a good teacher, but Agatha also absorbs the magic power of other witches.
Hawke seriously suspected that if he entrusted Carrie to Agatha, it wouldn't take long before Agatha would return to him with just a skeleton.
The Hell Witch trusted him to find someone trustworthy for Carrie.
So...
After much thought, Hawke still felt that S.H.I.E.L.D. was more reliable.
Although at this point in time, S.H.I.E.L.D. is about to disband, they have a year left, and a year is enough for Carrie to learn witch basics and stabilize her magic power.
By that time, even if S.H.I.E.L.D. disbands, it won't matter. By then, Carrie should have already acquired the knowledge legacy from the Salem Witch Dimension, and finding a place to continue learning on her own wouldn't be a problem.
Sharon once again caught the key points in Hawke's words.
Bad?
She looked at Hawke, who was seriously questioning the character issue, and couldn't help but recall all of Hawke's various exploits since his debut.
He once wore a mask to Quantico to steal the Gamma Stone, resulting in the deaths of several soldiers.
At Calver Lake, he fought the Hulk, and the Hulk died.
Then again in Quantico, Quantico was destroyed, an armored vehicle that cost millions was destroyed, a tank that cost tens of millions was destroyed, a fighter jet that cost hundreds of millions was destroyed, many soldiers died, and General Ross also unfortunately perished.
And…
The more Sharon thought about it, the more peculiar her expression became, but she quickly snapped back and looked at Hawke, curious and confused, and asked, "Um, Hawke, can I ask what your definition of 'bad' is?"
Hawke was taken aback by the question and looked at Gwen sitting nearby.
"World destruction?"
"..."
Gwen opened her mouth, wanted to rebut, but the definition of world destruction indeed falls under 'bad,' so she swallowed her rebuttal.
Sharon was also slightly taken aback by Hawke's answer and then quickly said, "No worries, that will definitely not happen."
Alright then.
At least now she knew where Hawke's bottom line was, at least she didn't have to worry that Hawke would destroy the world.
Sharon spoke quickly while subconsciously reassuring herself.
Hawke looked at his fiancée, who was giving him an amused look, laughed, and said to Sharon, "Just joking. As long as they don't intentionally harm others, I think their character can be assured, right?"
Sharon returned to her senses and nodded.
"Yes."
"I'm taking this as your guarantee."
Seeing Sharon nodding, Hawke said with a smile, "If you guys twist Carrie's teaching, and my friend causes me trouble, I will find you guys for some answers."
Anyway, once again.
The Hell Witch entrusted Carrie to him. He ultimately had to be responsible for Carrie.
Sharon did not hesitate to nod again: "Of course, this witch who's working with us used to be a member of Captain Rogers' Howling Commandos, and is now our Extraordinary Consultant."
Hawke raised an eyebrow.
"Howling Commandos?"
"Yes."
"Then it's all good."
Upon hearing that, Hawke had no more worries.
One sentence.
He didn't know the witch's character, but he knew Steve Rogers' character.
And the Extraordinary Creatures who could join Steve Rogers' Howling Commandos back then.
Let's just say.
Their abilities aside, at least Captain America could once comfortably turn his back to those folks.
So…
A witch that even Captain America trusts is, of course, trustworthy.
Captain America's strict selection is worth trusting.
After a while.
Because Carrie had a long conversation with the Hell Witch last night, and was still somewhat confused about her future, she just woke up now.
When she came downstairs and learned that she would be leaving with Sharon shortly afterward, she did not have any extreme reactions or words.
Because the Hell Witch had already told her.
She was no Daughter of the Demon.
She is a witch.
The new generation of Salem Witches, and she can trust Hawke. Hawke would find her a witch teacher, who would teach her the basics of witchcraft and help her merge and control her magic power.
As for Maine?
It was not worth returning to.
Carrie recalled the predetermined future the Hell Witch had shown her with magic, a future where if Hawke hadn't taken her back to New York City, her mother, who had always seen her as the Daughter of the Demon, would try to kill her. This left her with no intention to return.
So…
Carrie obediently followed Sharon out of Hawke's house.
Hawke and Gwen also drove to Stacy's Apartment.
Helen had called them this morning, asking them to come back around noon.
...