Chapter 23: Submitting the Intel

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Soon, Link identified several targets and noted them down. He then said, "Great, I'll rent a box, and tomorrow I'll come back to store my items."

"No problem," the manager quickly responded and arranged the rental, registering only the key's serial number.

Link left the bank with the key in hand, knowing he would return the next day to check out the situation. The next challenge would be how to open the safety deposit boxes. Breaking them wasn't an option, so he would have to pick the locks with wires. Fortunately, these boxes weren't connected to any alarm system, nor were there security cameras inside, due to client confidentiality.

Given this, Link knew he could pick the locks with wires, and speed wasn't a problem for him. As for what he would store, Link had already decided: cash, weapons, and documents. As a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, having safe spots with backup supplies was essential.

He left the bank and drove directly to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New York division to obtain a standard FBI badge before heading home, where Jessica was out visiting Trish.

…

The next day, Link carried a briefcase containing $50,000, a Glock 19 with four extra magazines, and an FBI badge. He returned to the bank, where the manager once again led him to the vault, leaving him alone inside. After confirming again that there were no surveillance systems, Link swiftly went to work.

Using his super speed, Link opened all the deposit boxes he had scouted the day before. If they weren't what he was looking for, he immediately locked them back up. In just a minute, he found his target, extracted the contents, and began photographing the files.

As expected, these were documents proving Langley's involvement in laundering money for multiple organizations—not just one or two but a large network. Link used his super speed to take photos of the paper files.

Five minutes later, his time was up. Typically, clients weren't allowed to stay too long in the vault.

Link exited the bank, holding an empty briefcase, and headed home. Once there, he extracted the memory card from his digital camera and reviewed the images on his laptop. Most of them were financial transaction records.

He pulled out the records relating to United Construction Company, noting several problematic entries.

Link extracted these specific files and sent them to Coulson via email.

Before long, Coulson called, sounding pleased. "Link, impressive work! You've gathered such detailed information so quickly."

"Wilson Fisk himself might be difficult to investigate, but United Construction Company isn't," Link explained. "But I don't think Fisk's backers are just in it for money laundering. If it were purely about profit, they wouldn't need this level of support."

"Agreed. Keep investigating," Coulson urged.

"By the way, I've got evidence of Langley Osley laundering money for other crime syndicates. Should I send that over too?" Link asked.

"Sure, send everything. S.H.I.E.L.D. could use the extra leverage," Coulson responded after a moment's thought.

"Aren't we a global organization?" Link said, sounding surprised. "How are we short on funds?"

"Precisely because we're global, budget approvals come from multiple places," Coulson admitted, clearly not fully informed on the funding situation.

Link couldn't help but chuckle internally. Nick Fury had been secretly diverting funds to establish safe houses and bases worldwide, so it made sense the budget was tight.

"Alright, I'll send it all over. By the way, does this count as a big win for me?" Link asked.

"Absolutely, though since you were promoted to Level 6 early, don't expect any rewards this time," Coulson warned with a laugh.

"Fair enough. I'll keep at it," Link replied. He knew agents like Hawkeye were also Level 6. He and Black Widow were both trusted by Nick Fury, though she hadn't always been. Initially, she was a target for elimination, but Hawkeye chose to recruit her instead.

Though Black Widow was an excellent intelligence agent, it took time for her to earn Fury's trust, and Link was in a similar situation. He wasn't homegrown by S.H.I.E.L.D., so this mission was part of an extended evaluation period.

Even though Wilson Fisk seemed like a mere crime boss, the true reason S.H.I.E.L.D. was involved ran deeper.

After sending the rest of the documents to Coulson, Link wiped his computer clean, saving only a backup of the photos. However, he didn't intend to keep them at home; they would be safer stored in his safety deposit box at the bank.

He felt a sense of satisfaction. His safety deposit box had already proved useful, and this work added a touch of excitement to his life.

…

The following day, Link asked Jessica to dress up, and the two headed to the art gallery once more.

Vanessa, who had recently experienced an unsettling dinner with Fisk, was feeling uncertain. But as always, she greeted them with a smile. "Mr. Link, welcome back."

"Please, just call me Link. This is my girlfriend, Jessica Jones. Last time was a bit rushed, and I didn't get a chance to introduce her properly." Link shook hands with Vanessa and introduced Jessica.

After exchanging pleasantries, Vanessa asked, "Are you here to continue where we left off?"

"Yes, but I'm in no rush. The decorations in our home will be around for a long time, so I want to take my time. It's important to us, and we've got plenty of time," Link replied.

"Of course, shall we pick up where we left off?" Vanessa led them through the gallery again, quietly observing the other patrons.

Link already had a sense of the paintings' value. The gallery displayed works by the same artist, and Link had done his homework. The artist, though still relatively unknown, was highly talented and starting to gain recognition. His paintings, generally priced under $100,000, had significant potential for appreciation as he matured.

Several of the pieces on display were particularly noteworthy.

Link paused before one painting, gazing at it thoughtfully. It had a strong sense of spatial depth and would be perfect for their living room.

"Vanessa, I'll take this one," Link said, turning to her.

"Link, you never cease to amaze me!" Vanessa said, clearly impressed by his discerning eye.

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