Chapter 16

A/N: Three chapters today! You've helped me make it to the main ranking, and I'm thrilled. While I haven't hit 100 stones yet, I'm really happy with the effort everyone is putting in. Thanks so much for your support!

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The shopping went smoothly, and leaving the city was just as easy. After spending the night at a hotel, the three of them checked out early the next morning. They loaded their purchased supplies into a pickup truck and slowly drove out of the city.

Due to recent bombings and shootings, road inspections were stricter, with patrol cars already out in the early hours. However, Leon, Wanda, and Sergei, being young and with no issues regarding their identities, were allowed to leave without hassle.

After driving about ten kilometers out of the city, Leon pulled the truck to a stop. In the driver's seat, he tapped the steering wheel and exchanged silent nods with Wanda and Sergei before stepping out of the vehicle. The supplies and equipment they bought were packed in the back.

Sergei patted the side of the truck bed and called out, "Alright, it's time to get down. This is as far as we can take you."

At that moment, the corner of the plastic sheet covering the cargo shifted, and a woman emerged, pointing a pistol at Sergei. Both he and Wanda were momentarily stunned by her appearance.

The woman was strikingly beautiful, with delicate features, brown hair, and a figure that radiated confidence. Her mature, alluring presence was enough to capture any man's attention, and Sergei, being only fifteen, felt his throat go dry.

Noticing Wanda's subtle but curious expression, Sergei shivered and quickly coughed to regain his composure.

"Look, we don't know who you are, and we don't want any trouble," Sergei said, trying to stay calm. "We've done our part getting you out of the city. This is where we stop."

The woman sighed, her tired face still captivating despite her weariness. "I understand, and I'm grateful. But it's not safe yet. We could be caught at any moment. My safe house is still a ways off. I can pay you if you help me get there."

Her voice was soft, tinged with exhaustion and a faint rasp, making her seem even more vulnerable.

Leon stepped out of the driver's seat. When he saw the woman's face, his expression remained calm, but inside, his thoughts raced. He hadn't expected to meet her here. Calculating the timeline, it made sense. Interesting, he thought.

His ears twitched slightly as he scanned the road. Though his eyes couldn't see past the horizon, his heightened perception and hearing had already detected an approaching vehicle. After a brief moment of consideration, he knocked on the car door.

"If you need something, get in the car. That includes you," Leon said, addressing the woman.

He slid back into the driver's seat, Wanda resumed her place in the passenger seat, and Sergei settled into the back. The woman, still perched in the cargo bed, hesitated. She furrowed her brow, realizing something was off. These three were too calm. They had noticed her presence earlier, yet still allowed her to join them. Even when she pointed a gun at them, none showed fear. Their behavior didn't match their age at all—they were far from ordinary.

After a moment's contemplation, trusting in her own abilities and the gun she held, she jumped down from the cargo bed, opened the back door, and got in.

With a bang, the engine roared to life, and the pickup continued down the road. Leon glanced at the woman in the backseat through the rearview mirror, his mind still calculating.

Her expression remained calm, but beneath the surface, she was on high alert—like a rose with thorns. Beautiful, yet dangerous.

"Looks like someone's caught up to us, armed and ready. Don't worry, it's taken care of," Leon muttered casually, one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting on the door.

His words startled the woman. She quickly turned to peer out the rear window but saw nothing. Just as she was about to speak, her eyes widened in shock—two people had vanished. Sergei, who had been sitting beside her, and Wanda in the passenger seat, were both gone. They had disappeared so silently and swiftly that even her highly trained senses hadn't registered it.

Her heart sank. She gripped her pistol tightly, staring at Leon's back. This man was now an enigma—full of danger and mystery.

Boom!

A faint explosion echoed in the distance. The sound was far away, almost imperceptible, but the timing of it sent a chill through her. Recalling Leon's words and the disappearance of the boy and girl, she pieced it together.

Lowering her head, she spoke cautiously, "Who are you?"

"Generally speaking, I'm not a bad person and have no ill intentions toward you," Leon said, glancing at her through the rearview mirror.

Bang!!

Another explosion echoed. The woman, wide-eyed with shock, saw the rear door suddenly swing open. A gust of wind accompanied the return of Wanda and Sergei, who reappeared as if they had never left. Their speed was beyond anything humanly possible.

"Are you mutants?" she asked, though her tone revealed she was already certain.

Leon chuckled softly and shook his head. "We were just a group of poor souls abandoned by the world."

As he spoke, Wanda added softly from the passenger seat, "I read their memories. They're working for a man named Dreykov, chasing a defector—Natasha Romanoff."

The woman's heart sank. Her identity had been uncovered, and her scalp prickled with tension. She wanted to reach for her gun, but instinct told her that doing so would only lead to disaster.

"Ha, who's Dreykov?" Leon asked, his tone curious. He seemed to direct the question to Wanda, but before she could respond, the woman—Natasha—answered for herself.

"Dreykov is the leader of the Red Room, a secret organization that trains children to become elite spies. Only those who survive the brutal training make it out as his most powerful agents, carrying out covert missions for him."

"Interesting," Leon replied, already familiar with the story. He asked merely to gauge Natasha's response—the future Avenger—but she didn't flinch. She was sharp, and within ten seconds, had made up her mind about them.

"Wow, spies? Like the ones on TV?" Wanda and Sergei asked, clearly fascinated.

Natasha, however, was bewildered. Not only were they unafraid after learning about a powerful spy organization, but they also acted so casually. Who are these three people? she wondered.