16: Chapter 16: S.H.I.E.L.D.
Agents 16: Chapter 16: S.H.I.E.L.D.
Agents Kara picked up the exquisite invitation.
The wording was polite and thoughtful, yet it still carried the forceful style characteristic of Tony Stark.
The signature was a flamboyant “TS” abbreviation, accompanied by a scrawled smiley face drawn in pen.
“It’s probably because I reported on Stark Industries’ transition,” Kara said in a calm tone.
“Hmph!
I think he’s trying to buy off the media to sugarcoat those shady, dangerous weapons of his!” Jameson glared at her, his finger nearly poking her glasses.
“I don’t care what method you use, Danvers, I want you to dig up something real!
Is there really collusion between Stark and that flying woman?
Does that green monster have something to do with his secret weapons testing again?
Also, those Stark weapons that vanished from the market—where exactly did they go!” He leaned in closer, lowering his voice, though it became even more piercing due to his excitement: “I’ve heard whispers that the government is getting increasingly dissatisfied with Iron Man.
They’ve privately summoned Justin Hammer of Hammer Industries several times.
There’s a big story here, Danvers.
I want an exclusive, understand?
A real exclusive!” “Understood, Editor-in-Chief.” Kara pushed up her glasses, her gaze sweeping over the scattered posters on Jameson’s desk—’Iron Man: Stabilizing the East and West’.
“The Expo opens tonight in Flushing.” Jameson sat back in his chair and waved a hand.
“Go prepare your questions.
Remember, you’re a reporter for the Daily Bugle.
Don’t be fooled by Stark’s sugar-coated bullets!” Kara turned and left the office, feeling Jameson’s burning gaze behind her, along with several equally inquisitive looks from the editorial department.
This was a place hungry for explosive news.
She returned to her workstation, opened her computer, and began organizing public information for the Stark Industries Expo.
Data scrolled across the screen, but her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
Since the great battle in New York six months ago, Tony seemed to have been traveling the World fighting terrorist organizations and insurgents.
Even the U.S.
government had to admit that Iron Man’s existence had saved many soldiers from sacrifice.
As for Kara, after helping Tony completely clear out the leaked weapons, she had been staying quietly in New York.
For the past few months, she had been pondering the same question: did she really want to become a “superhero”?
Although the awakening of her Kryptonian memories had gradually allowed her to understand the meaning of “hope,” her experience living as an ordinary person for the past twenty years was still pulling at her.
She had once been an international student from China and wasn’t particularly keen on legendary stories like “Captain America.” This World was far more complex than she had thought during her student days—Mutants, sorcerers, and various extraordinary beings, including no shortage of opponents who could threaten her “Man of Steel” body.
But the Kryptonian memories and her experiences over the past half-year were always on her mind: the House of El’s precepts, those imprints of “hope” and “protection”; and Tony Stark’s transformation—how a once-cynical man was willing to risk his life to protect others.
Kara rubbed her temples with some irritation.
Possessing power is one thing; risking oneself to use it for the sake of protecting others is another.
She took a deep breath and pulled her attention back to the reporting outline in front of her.
Since she couldn’t figure it out for now, she would focus on the task at hand.
A day passed in the blink of an eye, and night quietly fell over New York.
Kara organized her materials, slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked out of the newspaper office.
She had to go to the Stark Industries Expo to dig up the “big news” Jameson wanted.
She got into the expensive sports car gifted by Tony and drove toward Flushing in Queens amidst the complicated gazes of her colleagues.
She hadn’t seen Tony in months.
She wondered how he was doing—probably still tinkering with those “iron toys” at home.
As the sports car rounded a corner, Kara glanced at the rearview mirror, her brow furrowing slightly.
Those S.H.I.E.L.D.
Agents from earlier in the day had quietly followed her again.
“They really are persistent…” she muttered softly, a faint flush of annoyance rising to her cheeks.
Annoying as it was, she didn’t want a direct confrontation with S.H.I.E.L.D.
for now, but when Kara saw a familiar small, thin figure at the intersection ahead, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
Perhaps…
she could give them a little payback.
Kara pulled over, activated her Super Speed, and in an instant, found a “little something” from the roadside bushes and put it into an empty cardboard box she found in the car.
She got out and quickly called out to Peter Parker, who was heading home with his backpack.
“Hey, little Peter, remember me?” “Miss Danvers?” Peter’s eyes lit up, then he looked a bit confused.
“What are you doing here?” “I’m going to the Stark Expo for an interview,” Kara lowered her voice and mysteriously shook the cardboard box in her hand.
“Could you do me a favor?
Give this to the people in the car behind me.
In exchange, I’ll get you an autograph from Iron Man.
Deal?” Peter nodded immediately, a bright smile breaking across his face.
“Really?
Thank you, Miss Danvers!” Kara returned to her car and stepped on the gas.
As the sports car sped away, she couldn’t help but imagine the expressions that would appear on the Agents’ faces.
Peter, holding the organic eggs Aunt May had told him to buy, was wondering how to complete the “mission” when the door of the gray van opened on its own.
A man and a woman, both dressed in black and looking very capable, stepped out.
“Hi there, kid,” the female Agent crouched down, showing a gentle smile.
“What did that lady just give you?
Can I see it?” “Miss Danvers just said to give this to you.” Peter honestly handed over the cardboard box.
“Give it to us?” A flash of surprise crossed the female Agent’s eyes, and she whispered to herself, “That shouldn’t be…
the surveillance process is very discreet; even professionally trained people might not notice…” The male Agent beside her didn’t think much of it.
He took the box and examined it carefully—it looked ordinary, with nothing unusual.
He then lifted the lid.
A pitch-black little spider suddenly jumped out and bit him precisely on the webbing of his hand.
“Ow!
Dammit!!” The male Agent jerked his hand away, and the spider hit the ground, where he crushed it with a step.
“Black Widow!” The female Agent was stunned.
“Clint?
Why are you calling me?” “No!
Natasha!
It’s a spider!
That spider was a Black Widow!” Clint clutched his hand, grimacing in pain.
Natasha quickly grabbed his hand; the area was already visibly red and swollen.
She turned and ran back into the van, took out a S.H.I.E.L.D.
standard multi-purpose antivenom, and deftly injected it into Clint’s arm.
The swelling gradually subsided, but two tiny puncture marks remained clearly on the skin.
“Didn’t you say you have eyes like a hawk?
Why didn’t you react?” Natasha teased.
“That ‘Black Widow’ jumped too fast; I didn’t have time to catch it!” Clint shook his still-aching hand.
“The famous Hawkeye couldn’t catch a jumping Black Widow.
Hahaha, this will be your lifelong regret, Clint!
I’m going to laugh at you for a long time!!” Natasha said with a slight curl of her lips, continuing to tease Clint.
Clint’s face darkened.
He would definitely be able to catch it next time.
He had been careless this time, not expecting that blonde girl to have a child deliver a spider.
“A child’s prank,” Clint shook his head helplessly.
Clint looked at Peter; the boy was still standing there holding the eggs, looking completely innocent.
Clint finally sighed and turned to Natasha.
“Resume the mission.
The target has entered the Expo area.” The van quietly drove away from the street corner.
Peter watched the vehicle disappear, scratched his head, and muttered softly, “I should be able to get Mr.
Stark’s autograph…
right?” Little Peter hugged the eggs in his arms tightly and walked quickly toward home.