Hydra Yet Again

(A/N)

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Laurent started explaining the plan,

"We can use public opinion and propaganda to spread the news of this heinous crime, painting Brian as the heinous murderer. Thus stirring the emotions of the masses. We'll then rally a few people to organize demonstrations, protests, and marches, putting pressure on the authorities to catch the criminal and seek justice for the innocent victims."

The young man listened thoughtfully and nodded, "It sounds like a good plan. If the criminal is caught, it'll be a huge win politically. And even if they aren't, with all the publicity, the public will believe our side of the story."

Sam also nodded in agreement but voiced his concern about manipulating public opinion.

Patrick, on the other hand, was confident. "Don't worry about public opinion. It's easy to manipulate the masses, who are ignorant. All we need to do is mobilize their emotions." He spoke with contempt and confidence.

As a team player, Sam nodded and agreed to the plan. However, he knew that even the best plan would fail if the people executing it were divided. On the other hand, Patrick seemed oblivious to the possibility of internal conflict. He was just a pawn sent by their superiors to gather information and report back.

With the plan tentatively approved, the four of them returned to their homes, waiting for the final word from their superiors. It didn't take long for them to receive the news that the plan had been green-lit, and they were encouraged to work together for a successful outcome. The plan was set in motion with the promise of rewards for a job well done and consequences for failure.

Patrick was known for his cunning tactics of using both carrots and sticks to achieve his goals. However, he recently faced a situation where his secrets were leaked, and someone he trusted turned against him. He had taken all the necessary precautions to keep his identity hidden, but within half an hour of the secret meeting, all the details were known to his rival.

"As expected," thought Alex with a hint of amusement as he listened to the conversation through his headpiece. He had been laying the groundwork for this moment and controlled two key players. If things didn't go as planned, he suspected someone was targeting him, like the powerful and mysterious Ancient One.

However, the Ancient One appeared too busy with the multiverse and its endless affairs to pay attention to Alex. The once ambitious and promising mage now seemed to have fallen into a passive state of idleness, constantly thinking about retirement.

This was good news for Alex as he was still weak compared to the Ancient One. Although he had the ace up his sleeve, the ability to modify people's attributes, he needed to determine whether the current red crystals were enough to mess with someone of Ancient ones caliber.

In his mind, Alex envisioned himself as the mastermind behind the scenes, carefully plotting his moves like a chess player. But he knew the game was far from over, and the stakes were high. He was determined to stay one step ahead and come out on top.

As Alex's thoughts drifted, his plan was ready, and all he had to do was wait for the perfect moment to execute it. However, he was surprised that the attribute [Trouble Magnet] was silent for a while. Has it gone haywire? Does it need a trigger or something like "Ah, everything is going according to plan!". He wondered.

"Hmmm..." Alex pondered over a popular belief that many professions have similar superstitions. For instance, cops never utter the words "Such a good day," and doctors never say, "not many patients today." Saying such things often leads to a surge of trouble.

"It's just so boring lately..." Alex sighed with a frown, playing with his phone.

"What do you want to do?" asked Brian, eyeing Alex suspiciously.

Brian was in awe of Alex's ability to make things happen and was always amazed by his antics. He had never met someone who could turn anything into a fun-filled adventure, killing scums or just playing a game on the phone. But now such a guy is saying that he is bored.

"I'm just whining because I'm bored," replied Alex, shrugging his shoulders. "Such a lame day with nothing to do..."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Alex's phone rang loudly, snapping him out of boredom. He answered without looking, saying a lazy "Hello?"

But the next moment, Alex was wide awake, sitting upright and energetic. Laurent was on the other end of the line, speaking on a special mobile phone with exciting news.

"The Hydra contacted me." And just like that, the trouble came knocking on the door!