Chapter 62: Kate

You stride toward Watson Tower on foot, reflecting on the lengthy discussion you just had with Susan.

Convincing her not to accompany you on this mission was a challenge. You had to make her understand that this battle would likely be far more intense and violent than any you'd faced before.

It has been more than two weeks since the Doom fight, and many things have changed since then. First of all, your superhero persona managed to avoid the limelight because the Fantastic Four had taken center stage as the heroes who dealt with the madman.

Thanks to Doom's electrical attacks and D.A.I.S.Y.'s intervention, there's hardly any footage of the battle. You permitted only a few images of the Fantastic Four in action and aiding civilians, deliberately omitting any shots of yourself.

This had inadvertently aided not only you but also Doom. It dawned on you that there was scarcely any evidence to confirm that the masked man was Victor von Doom, the renowned CEO of von Doom Industries. Although the company is being shut down and the CEO is missing, you still needed concrete proof to throw accusations.

So in the end, you and the Fantastic Four decided to name it as a terrorist attack and keep it that way. Although you warned them that Doom had not died and would definitely come back, as your Bio-probe did not find anything beneath the Hudson River seabed.

Only Susan and Reed heeded your warnings, while Johnny and Ben maintained a dismissive attitude, believing it unlikely that Doom would return.

On the news, the Fantastic Four explained that the intruder was caught attempting to steal cutting-edge technology from the Baxter Building and had violently retaliated when confronted.

There were still many people present at the scene, so rumours and questions were flying around. Some people even coined the metal-masked man as Doom. People were also curious about the fifth member of the Fantastic Four, another masked man whose identity had not been disclosed.

Susan downplayed the incident in the news, describing the mysterious man as a passerby who had lent them a hand. She expressed gratitude for his assistance but noted that he had disappeared shortly after the fight without revealing his identity.

You pass the busy crowd of people making their way to their jobs and lives. You were taking this walk not just to observe people but to calm your nerves. This upcoming mission was important, and you didn't want to mess it up.

You look up with a smile at the renovated Watson Tower, a new landmark of New York City.

The appearance of Watson Tower had undergone a complete transformation. For years, you had been planning changes, with teams working behind the scenes and even conducting construction on the tower for months. However, over the past two weeks, you accelerated their progress, culminating in the completion of the new tower.

It was also partially due to Penny's new invention of Microbots, which were a major help in construction. After you updated D.A.I.S.Y., she was able to help Penny tremendously in her project.

When Penny heard from Aunt May about the reconstruction of the Tower, she went straight to you, asking permission to test out her new gadget. From then on, she practically lived here for the last two weeks, even getting a sick leave from her school. Well, you were the biggest donor of her school, so she was able to get the leave easily.

According to you, the Microbots were already operational, but out of respect for Penny's decision, you agreed to keep them under wraps and continue testing for a few more months.

You reached the main entrance of Watson Tower and passed through all the automatic security checks, going inside towards the luxurious reception area.

Several people recognized you and offered cheerful good mornings, to which you responded in kind as you made your way to your personal elevator. There, you noticed someone who appeared to be waiting for you.

"Good morning, Lucas," she greets, her smile warming the space between you.

"Morning, Kate," you return the greeting with equal warmth.

This was 'Kate,' the new head of the M&A department at Watson Ventures. She had been trying hard to get close to you for the past two weeks, and you knew why.

It's because Kate is just her alias; her real name is Sharon Carter, the great-niece of Peggy Carter and a S.H.I.E.L.D. spy.

In the future, she may also be known as Agent 13 and could even become the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., or she might turn evil and become an underground Powerbroker.

Anyways, she was nothing but trouble for you right now. You were not ready to get into the S.H.I.E.L.D. mess so soon. So, you have been trying to stay polite with her, not pushing her away but not letting her get too close either.

"Did you need something from me, Kate?" you ask with a smile as you pressed the elevator button.

"Actually, I wanted to go over the acquisition of von Doom Industries with you," Sharon mentions, stepping closer as the elevator arrives.

Looking at her cleavage from her deliberately opened buttons, you could definitely tell she was related to Peggy.

You mentally chastised yourself for falling into the honeytrap and allowing her inside the company even after knowing she was a spy. But you had to admit that if she were not a spy, you would have devoured her whole already.

"Let's hear it," you invite, stepping into the elevator with her. "Your office is on the 49th floor, right?"you ask, as the first 50 floors were for corporate business, while the rest were for your current and future superhero endeavours.

"Yes," she confirms. You press the button and the elevator doors closes.

Sharon opens her files, sharing her progress. "I just want to confirm we're steering clear of their weapons division," she clarifies, handing you the papers.

You scan the documents briefly. If nothing else, she was a very competent employee, so you were not very worried. "The military has its eyes on that sector; it'd be tough to snag it anyway, and frankly, it's not worth our effort," you hand back the files, adding a supportive nod. "You're doing great, Kate. Keep it up."

Her smile turns bashful. "Thank you, Lucas. Um, are you free for dinner this evening?"

Regrettably, you shake your head. "I'm tied up for the next few days. How about next week?"

Her expression falls slightly. "Alright," she replies.

"Believe me, I'd relish the chance to dine with someone as bright and lovely as you, but it's just chaotic right now. I promise it'll be worth the wait," you assure her, stepping a bit closer to her face.

"Okay, umm, s-sure," Sharon stutters bashfully as her face turns red. You can tell that she is not faking it.

'Ding'

Just then, the elevator doors opens at her floor, and she steps out quickly. "See you then, Lucas," she manages, more composed now.

"Absolutely," you say as the doors close.

Sharon sighs in frustration, patting her forehead as she looks at the closed doors.

Your phone rings just as the elevator starts going up. You pick it up.

"Yes, General Hale?" you ask into the phone.

"Is the operation still on?" a female voice sounds from the other side.

"Yes, it will be executed in just a few hours," you respond with a calm breath.

"I pray for your success, Lucas. I'm sorry that the U.S. military cannot help you much," General Hale expresses regretfully.

"It's fine, don't worry, General. I have it under control; the operation will definitely be a success," you assure her confidently.

"That's good to hear. And about our deal?" General Hale asks with interest.

"Yes, it's still on," you reply with a hidden smile.

"Wonderful, then I will await patiently for your good news," General Hale remarks with a smile.

"Thank you, General," you conclude, cutting the call with a sigh.

That was General Hale, a high-ranking officer of the U.S. Air Force, but you were sighing because she was also a HYDRA leader. First S.H.I.E.L.D., then HYDRA; it feels like the days forward will not be so peaceful.

The elevator reaches the rooftop, and you are greeted by a beautiful, annoyed face.

"Bobbi, even if you try to persuade me, I'm still going," you assert, looking at Bobbi, who is wearing a full combat suit.

"I know, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it," she retorts with an annoyed look.

"You don't want me to come, but you're okay with her tagging along?" you remark, pointing toward the girl standing beside Bobbi.

The girl is also wearing a full combat suit and is playing with her gun right now.

"If your mind was a supercomputer like our little Sage, then I wouldn't stop you either," Bobbi comments with a wry smile.

Indeed, this girl standing there confidently in her tight combat suit is Tessa, now known by everyone as Sage. Her transformation over the past 20 days is nothing short of astonishing. It's as if she's a sponge, effortlessly soaking up every bit of knowledge you offer her.

"Are you sure you want to come? These aren't the same terrorists who attacked your village, and things will get pretty bloody this time," you inquire seriously, looking Sage in the eyes.

"Yes, Boss. These abilities of mine, I want to make them of use to you!" Sage exclaims enthusiastically.

"You don't need to; you're just 16. You should go to school and have a normal, carefree life," you remark with a sigh.

"But that sounds so boring and so slow. I like these kinds of exciting things," she says with a wide smile as she twirls her gun in its holster.

You can't fathom the implications of possessing a computer-like mind. While you're undoubtedly a super genius, your brain operates within normal parameters. In contrast, Sage's brain constantly collects and processes data. She claims that since arriving here, absorbing vast knowledge across various subjects, her ability has only intensified.

"But there is no need for you to—" you start worriedly.

"Don't worry. She has aced this scenario in the VR training at least 10 times, each with perfect scores. She can even beat me sometimes now, so she'll be fine. You should worry about yourself more," Bobbi states in annoyance.

You all walk up to the hangars while you ask Sage about her daily life.

The previous hangar could only accommodate one helicopter, but this expanded one can house multiple helicopters and Ghostwings.

Just as you reach the Ghostwing, you see a striking figure waiting for you there.

"Hello, you must be Mr. Watson. I am Silvija Sablinova, but you can call me Sable."