Chapter 82

"Are you from the hospital?"

"Yes, we are here to pick up the injured. His name is Zeke!"

"Zeke? Although he is seriously injured, he is also one of the culprits who survived this time. We will send two police officers to assist you to ensure your safety and that there will be no problems."

"Of course, that should be fine."

After the handover was completed, two paramedics exited the ambulance immediately. They used a stretcher to carry the severely injured Zeke, whose body was mostly scorched and blackened. He was placed in the ambulance, and the paramedics and two police officers followed him inside to ensure his rescue. The back door of the ambulance was closed, and it drove away from the scene.

About three or four minutes after the ambulance left, another ambulance arrived.

The back door of this ambulance opened, and two paramedics and a nurse quickly jumped out, seeking the police officers from earlier to prepare for the handoff of Zeke.

"You came from the hospital? Didn't someone from your hospital just arrive?" one police officer asked.

"Has anyone been here? No, we're the only team from our hospital. Are you sure the ambulance that came earlier belongs to us? You might have contacted another hospital," one of the paramedics replied.

"This is a very important suspect. Our police only cooperate with your hospital. As you know, we cannot go to another hospital. You…"

Suddenly, the police officer's expression darkened. He picked up the walkie-talkie and issued an order: "There's a problem with the ambulance that took Zeke earlier. Tell the nearby police to find that ambulance. We must stop it!"

Meanwhile, in the previous ambulance, as the doctor and the bodyguards worked on Zeke, the two paramedics sat next to the police officers, discussing Iron Man, the terrorists, and the chaos from earlier.

The two police officers gradually relaxed their vigilance, engaging in conversation with the paramedics.

At that moment, the doctor tending to Zeke exchanged glances with the two nurses. They nodded subtly and, in unison, reached out to subdue the two police officers, preventing them from resisting or drawing their weapons. Both nurses produced injections and forced the officers into unconsciousness.

Once the two officers were incapacitated, one of the caregivers, nursing an arm injured during the scuffle, turned to the doctor still attending to Zeke and asked, "Why don't we just kill them? If you allow it, it would be easier to eliminate them."

"The United States is Hydra's territory. There's no need to expose our existence over such trivial matters."

"Just killing two policemen—would they even find out?"

"The Hydra operatives are crafty and hard to spot in direct confrontations, but you must acknowledge that their espionage and counterintelligence capabilities are impressive."

"Pioneer Technology, Shouhehui, Hydra—they have significant reputations in the underground world. It's impossible for them to be entirely incompetent. There's nothing wrong with exercising caution."

The doctor treating Zeke held the highest command in this operation. Known as "the Doctor" in the organization, he was exceptionally skilled in both medicine and assassination, having honed his biological transformation techniques for nearly a century while maintaining the appearance of a young man in his twenties.

He had not taken part in many minor operations recently; this time, he was leading the task simply because he was on vacation in New York.

After completing treatment for Zeke, the ambulance drove into an alley and entered a concealed dark passage. Outside, machinery sounds and the whirring of equipment could be heard. When the ambulance exited the passage and emerged in another alley, it transformed into an ordinary black truck. The license plate changed as well, and it drove off in a different direction.

Inside the vehicle, the doctor removed his outer clothing, rolled up his sleeves, and took a sip of water from a glass. As he lifted the glass, a tattoo on the inside of his right arm became visible: two crossed scimitars encircled by a ring of ten.

Ten Commandments!

After finishing his drink, the doctor packed his belongings into a backpack, tapped on the glass of the front cab, and said, "Stop on the street in front. There are no cameras there. I'll take these two police officers with me."

"Okay!" the driver replied.

Hearing the answer, the doctor settled back into his seat and began to organize his clothes.

At that moment, one of the paramedics disguised as a nurse asked the doctor, "Are you going back immediately after your vacation?"

"I won't be going back for a while. Actually, I have another mission after my vacation."

"Alright, then we'll see you at the base."

Nodding, the doctor exited the vehicle with a police officer already stuffed into a black cloth bag. He nodded and smiled at the newspaper seller on the street, then walked toward a side alley and discarded the two bags next to a trash can. He pressed a finger to his face, revealing a thin human mask that he tore off, then flipped his jacket and donned a wig before emerging from the other side of the alley.

Stepping out of the alley, the doctor put on a pair of earphones and activated his mobile phone player. The earphones immediately provided him with mission details.

Seated outside a restaurant, the doctor ordered some food he liked and listened intently to the information relayed through his earphones. The message was automatically deleted after playback. The doctor stored his earphones and mobile phone away, focusing on his meal while contemplating the information he had just received.

He was tasked with investigating the magician accompanying Iron Man, Tony Stark. The individual had suspected ties to Kamar-Taj, which complicated matters considerably.

As the doctor pondered these thoughts, a woman with long, curly red hair suddenly sat down across from him.

Looking at each other, the doctor took a sip of coffee and smiled. "Natasha, it's been a long time—probably five or six years, right?"

"Doctor, I don't want to meet with you, and please don't act rashly. Barton is nearby!"

"Barton?" The doctor shook his head. "Barton is in New Mexico now; he isn't here. Natasha, you don't need to worry. I'm just here in New York for a holiday this time."