章 59: The Hostage Crisis at Grand Central Station
Mister Negative, or Martin Li, was in an especially foul mood. Silver Sable International's mercenaries had somehow found powerful reinforcements, ambushing his Inner Demons. As a result, most of the remaining Inner Demons forces were caught in the trap, leaving him with very few operatives.
However, no matter how dire the situation, Li's subordinates wouldn't dare neglect reporting valuable intel, especially when it involved Dr. Morgan Miles.
In an abandoned factory in the Bronx, now a temporary base for the Inner Demons, one of Li's men delivered the news.
"Boss, we've received intel that Silver Sable International plans to transfer Dr. Miles and the Devil's Breath later today."
Li frowned slightly, not expecting this sudden move from Silver Sable International.
"They plan to use Grand Central Station to move him via subway to the airport this afternoon. We haven't been able to gather any information on their final destination after the airport."
After hearing the report, Li waved his hand, dismissing the subordinate from his office in the factory. He began to ponder what had prompted Silver Sable International to act so quickly. With the transfer set for this afternoon, time was running out. Both Dr. Miles and the Devil's Breath would be moved together.
The reasoning didn't matter at the moment. If Martin Li wanted to seize the Devil's Breath, this was his only chance. If he missed it, the Devil's Breath would leave the city, and he would lose all hope of acquiring it—along with his chance for revenge.
Understanding this, Martin quickly stood up from his desk and picked up his phone.
"Gather the men. We're going to Grand Central Station. We must stop them and take the Devil's Breath."
In truth, the Devil's Breath wasn't just a means of revenge for Martin Li. He wasn't a purely anti-social figure, but he did want to use the deadly power of Devil's Breath to exact vengeance on society. His plan was to acquire the serum and unleash a bio-terror attack.
Besides the Devil's Breath, there was another crucial piece of equipment he needed: a dispersal device that would allow him to spread the virus over a large area. Coincidentally, OsCorp Industries was holding a technology exhibition at Grand Central Station.
OsCorp, currently on an upward trajectory, sought to expand its brand through public exhibitions. With the help of city officials—largely thanks to Mayor Norman Osborn—they had secured Grand Central Station as the venue.
Grand Central Station was more than just a landmark; it was the heart of New York, built on a foundation of history and infrastructure. The station featured 44 platforms, 67 tracks, over a thousand stores, restaurants, and cafés—making it the city's central hub, traversed by hundreds of thousands of people every day.
Li had originally planned to steal the Devil's Breath first, then return later for the dispersal device, known as the "Gaia Dispersal Unit," which was on display. But now, with Silver Sable International choosing Grand Central as the transfer site, both targets were in the same place at the same time.
Li saw an opportunity and wasn't about to let it slip. The Inner Demons would attack in full force to steal both the Devil's Breath and the dispersal unit.
What Li didn't realize was that this entire operation was a trap. Silver Sable International had coordinated with S.H.I.E.L.D. to lay a carefully prepared ambush. The station was already fortified, and once the Inner Demons arrived, they would be caught like rats in a cage.
In the western wing of the exhibition hall in Grand Central's underground level, Miss Stark stood by one of OsCorp Industries' displays, blending in as an ordinary visitor. She wore casual sportswear paired with jeans and a light-blue baseball cap, pretending to admire the exhibition.
Beside her, arm-in-arm in the guise of close friends, was Agent Natasha Romanoff, who had recently arrived to assist the operation.
Every agent involved in the mission was stationed throughout the four levels of Grand Central, monitoring the situation closely.
"All units, get into position. I'll run through the plan one last time before we begin," Miss Stark said, seemingly disinterested as she idly held her phone.
However, the phone in her hand was connected to the station's surveillance cameras, allowing her to access all the security feeds.
Each member of the team was communicating via a secure S.H.I.E.L.D. Bluetooth frequency, which linked the entire operation together.
"Dr. Miles and the Silver Sable security team are acting as bait. Keep moving, do not stop," she continued.
At the mention of his name, Dr. Miles, who was resting in the central seating area of the hall, nervously raised his head.
Turning a middle-aged scientist into bait for a dangerous operation had been no easy task, and Miss Stark had paid handsomely for it.
Dr. Miles wore his usual lab coat, his wrist handcuffed to a silver alloy briefcase. Four fully armed Silver Sable mercenaries flanked him at all times, providing constant protection.
After confirming that Dr. Miles and his security were in position, Miss Stark swiped her phone's screen, switching to another camera. The feed displayed Steve Rogers, Captain America, posing as a traveler, standing in the busy commercial area of the station's lower level. He was casually pushing a suitcase.
"Captain Rogers, your vibranium shield is hidden in the suitcase beside you," Miss Stark informed him. Given Captain America's abilities, she was confident that he could handle any emergencies in the commercial area and ensure that no enemies escaped through there.
As a precaution, Miss Stark had also stationed Brock Rumlow in the same area.
"Silver Sable International is stationed in the underground parking lot, while S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, disguised as civilians, are spread throughout the station. Once the Inner Demons show up, engage immediately to hold them off. Prioritize evacuating civilians and sealing off the exits. We aim to completely eliminate the Inner Demons," Miss Stark ordered.
The plan was simple yet effective, especially given that the Inner Demons, blinded by S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence blackout, had no idea what they were walking into. It was like adults taking advantage of unsuspecting children.
Of course, Miss Stark didn't come up with the plan alone. She had worked with tactical expert Frank Castle to design the operation.
Castle wasn't at the station but was stationed at Stark Tower, calibrating a heavy sniper rifle. Stark Tower, located near Grand Central, provided Castle with a perfect vantage point to monitor the entire station.
Despite his protests, Peter Parker had also been allowed to join the operation as Spider-Man, crouched in the rafters of the upper hall, watching the crowds below.
The operation had full support from S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, courtesy of Nick Fury's authorization. Numerous S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were deployed across New York to assist, disguised as travelers scattered throughout the station.
Miss Stark's personal Quinjet had also arrived, hovering invisibly above the station.
"Surveillance shows their vehicles have arrived outside the station. All teams, the operation begins now."
Everyone knew their role by heart. As the Inner Demons approached, each team member moved into position, blending seamlessly into the crowds.
Dr. Miles, at the center of it all, took a deep breath and pocketed his Bluetooth earpiece.
"Don't worry, Doctor. We may not be the best fighters, but we are the best bodyguards," one of the Silver Sable mercenaries said, reassuringly.
Dr. Miles, an ordinary man in an extraordinary situation, was understandably nervous. He had never been part of such a high-risk operation, especially one where he was the bait.
The Inner Demons stormed into Grand Central Station, smashing the fire alarms and sealing the doors. They weren't trying to infiltrate quietly—they were here for a full-scale assault and had no concern for attracting the attention of the NYPD.
The black-suited thugs, wearing their signature masks, brandished submachine guns, forcing panicked travelers into a corner under their watch. What they didn't realize was that many of the "terrified civilians" in the crowd were actually undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
The Inner Demons took control of the station, subduing the station's security guards and shutting down all exits.
Terrified passengers were herded into the center of the hall like sheep surrounded by wolves, guarded by the Inner Demons.
In the commercial district below, shop owners quickly pulled down their security shutters, trapping themselves inside with fleeing customers.
Just then, Martin Li, glowing with malevolent energy, swaggered into the main hall. He strolled confidently through the terrified crowd, making his way to the center of OsCorp's exhibition booth. Pulling out his phone, he called Norman Osborn.
"This is the mayor's office. The mayor is currently—"
"Tell Osborn he has 30 minutes to show up at Grand Central. Alone. If he doesn't, I'll kill every hostage here, and it'll all be on his head."
Li's words left the mayor's assistant pale with fear, realizing the gravity of the situation. She ran out of her office, bursting into Norman Osborn's mayoral suite to hand him the phone.
But by the time Osborn picked up, all he heard was the dial tone. Martin Li had already crushed his phone in his hand.
"Boss, we've got the target. His bodyguards tried to resist, so we took them out," one of the Inner Demons reported, dragging Dr. Miles before Li.
Thrown off balance, the elderly scientist fell to the ground in front of Li, his face full of terror.
The Inner Demons had brutally eliminated the mercenaries protecting him and taken Dr. Miles captive.
"Where did you think you could hide, Doctor? You made it hard for me to find you, but no matter," Li sneered.
Grinning, he accepted a pair of wire cutters from one of his subordinates and swiftly severed the handcuffs binding Dr. Miles to the briefcase.
"I didn't break your hand because I'm grateful you created such a useful weapon. Perhaps when you see its killing potential, you'll even feel a sense of pride," Li mocked, opening the briefcase to reveal the vial of GR-27—the Devil's Breath serum—sitting quietly inside.
"Oh, I forgot—you'll already be dead by then," he added with a twisted smile.
At the same time, his men delivered the "Gaia Dispersal Unit" from OsCorp's exhibit to his side. Without hesitation, Li loaded the vial into the device, setting the timer and activating it.
In 30 minutes, the deadly virus would be released, killing everyone in the station—including Mayor Norman Osborn, who would be arriving soon.
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