Capítulo 27: Unlikely Alliance
"Come with me. I'll introduce you to someone."
Benjamin gestured for Felicia to follow him to a nearby secluded area.
There, Ophelia was waiting for them.
He had already called her beforehand so they could discuss their next move.
Ophelia noticed him and nodded.
"You're here."
"Yeah. One sec, we're still waiting for another."
"Huh?"
After a while, a motorcycle engine sounded and stopped near them.
A slim red-haired beauty in black got off and removed her helmet.
It was Natasha.
In an instant, Benjamin was surrounded by a red-head agent, a green-haired assassin, and a white-haired thief…it was quite the unusual group. And just maybe the beginning of an unlikely alliance.
Having faced each other numerous times now, Natasha obviously recognized Ophelia as Viper from HYDRA and Ophelia also recognized the infamous Black Widow of SHIELD.
The two stared at each other for a moment before Natasha asked.
"Ben? What's going on here?"
Benjamin cleared his throat with a cough and spoke in a serious tone.
"Good. You're all here. Shall we begin the plan to destroy both SHIELD and HYDRA?"
"..."
"..."
"Cool."
Only Felicia answered with a shrug while Natasha and Ophelia were both looking at him, wondering if he was still right in the head.
Benjamin chuckled.
"Okay, enough joking. Let me introduce each of you first to each other before we begin."
Benjamin pointed at Felicia first.
"Black Cat. Master thief and super sexy."
Then he pointed at Ophelia.
"Viper. Master HYDRA assassin and super sexy."
Finally, he pointed at Natasha.
"Black Widow. Master SHIELD agent and super sexy."
Benjamin clapped and spoke in an emotionless tone.
"Wow, would you look at that? You're all masters and super sexy. So get along well okay?"
"..."
Everyone was speechless.
That was way too forced!
Seeing as he was still not getting any response, Benjamin scratched his head.
"Alright fine, I'll explain properly okay?"
"Stop fooling around already."
Felica rolled her eyes.
"Well, it's like this. Viper here is no longer under HYDRA's brainwashing thanks to me but I let her stay there for the time being in order to get some intel on HYDRA."
Actually, getting intel is easy with the HUD Contacts but there are still things that aren't documented digitally so it was Viper's job to verify these things.
Natasha frowned.
"Are you sure she won't betray you? What if HYDRA finds out that their brainwashing was gone?"
"Well, you'll just have to take my word for it. I'm sure she won't betray me. There's just no reason to do so."
Natasha leered at him with half-closed eyes as she already expected it.
"...You slept with her already didn't you?"
"...Yes. Um, simply put, I am her 'master' now."
Hearing the word 'master', Ophelia unconsciously twitched.
Natasha naturally saw this and could tell that this one was already deeply attached to Benjamin.
She then sighed and shook her head.
"Well, since she's had a piece of you, it's only a matter of time before she completely falls and succumbs."
Benjamin was a bit speechless.
Why does it sound like he's some kind of sex monster in her words?
Natasha then looked at Felicia.
"Her too?"
"No, we just met."
"Heh, I bet it won't take a whole week for her to last."
"Huh?"
Felicia looked confused as she couldn't understand her meaning.
Benjamin coughed and redirected the topic.
"Anyway, Viper told me that HYDRA is about to make a move on Project Insight."
"What's that?"
"You don't know? It's a SHIELD project."
Ophelia answered.
Natasha frowned as she was not aware of this project in SHIELD.
Then again, she is not allowed to know about a lot of things too.
"Basically, Project Insight is a way for SHIELD to 'neutralize' threats before they become threats. They use Arnim Zola's algorithm to target specific individuals based on the lives they've led and predict their future. If there is a chance for them to be a threat, Project Insight will kill them before it happens."
"!!!"
Both Natasha and Felicia were shocked when they heard Ophelia explain.
Something like this…
Are they playing Gods!?
Natasha quickly refuted.
"Impossible! SHIELD wouldn't sanction such a project!"
Benjamin sighed and shook his head.
"Maybe so…but…SHIELD has long been infiltrated by HYDRA already. In fact, even that agent you placed in the EPD to monitor me is also a HYDRA agent."
"What!?"
Natasha shouted.
She couldn't believe that HYDRA had already infiltrated their organization so deeply!
Benjamin patted her shoulder.
"Well, you can verify this later. For now, our goal is to stop Project Insight from launching. Nat, you talk to Fury and see if he can do something about it. Make sure to talk to him and only him."
He then turned to Felicia and Ophelia.
"Viper. You and Black Cat look for Arnim Zola and destroy any traces of him. A being like him who continues to live in the digital world is too dangerous. I'll send you his location. See if you can get anything there as well that can stop Project Insight."
Benjamin was able to easily access his location through the HUD Contacts so he just handed it to them.
The location was different from in the movie so it was a good thing Benjamin double-checked.
The two nodded.
Felicia then asked.
"I thought you wanted me to steal something?"
"Well, it's not stealing but you're still technically going to break into a secured facility so…I'll be more reassured if you went along with Viper."
Felicia looked at Ophelia for a while and asked.
"She's not going to kill me right?"
"She won't."
"And how are you so sure? She's still a former HYDRA assassin right?"
"Well…if she manages to get you home safe, I'll consider doing that thing she wants."
Hearing that, Viper's eyes lit up.
"Deal! You can't take it back!"
"..."
Felicia was speechless.
Was this…really fine?
But strangely enough, she believed what he said so she still nodded.
Natasha then asked.
"And what are you going to do?"
"Me?"
Benjamin grinned.
"I'm going to clean up everything else."
After the group separated, Benjamin went back home and looked at his system.
Earlier today, when he captured Kingpin, he gained 30k more MP and an ability. Earth Manipulation.
He was a bit disappointed that he didn't get 10 free draws this time but was still happy to get a manipulation-tier ability.
He then looked at this MP and smiled.
He now had a total of 80500 MP!
Benjamin considered himself pretty loaded now so he looked at the System Store to see if there was anything he can buy that he needed.
But well…there were really too many things in the store and no specific item comes to mind at the moment.
For now, he decided to upgrade his current skills.
He used 5k MP to upgrade his Electric Skin to a manipulation-tier Electric Manipulation ability.
Then, use another 4k MP to increase the voltage up to 50k volts.
Use 900 MP more to increase the range of manipulation from 100 meters to 1km.
For his Earth Manipulation, Benjamin increased the initial weight from 500 kg to 50,000 kg with 4950 MP…well, he just wanted to round it off to 50k really.
He also increased the range to 1km with 900 MP.
After upgrading those, Benjamin looked at his other abilities but saw that none of them are upgradable so he could only leave it be.
Now, his current points are 64750 MP.
Benjamin felt uneasy with the number so he bought a High Recovery Pill, 3 Medium Recovery Pill, and 1 Small Recovery Pill.
Now he has 64500 MP left which was a bit more pleasing to look at.
…Well, the 500 still bothered him so Benjamin went and bought 2 Portable Oxygen Masks worth 250 each. Apparently, it has a lot of oxygen stored and can last for a few days.
Who knows. He might accidentally get warped into space. It would be useful by then.
Benjamin nodded in an attempt to justify his reckless buying.
Looking at the well-rounded 64000 MP, Benjamin closed the system and began 'cleaning up' as he said he would.
Meanwhile, inside a certain room in Triskelion.
Natasha confronted Nick Fury about Project Insight once she was sure that the room is secure.
Fury frowned.
"Where did you learn about this?"
"That's not important. You need to stop this now. HYDRA has already infiltrated SHIELD and is planning on using that project to eliminate all threats to HYDRA!"
Fury knew that Natasha wasn't one to joke about such things.
Though it frustrates him that Natasha learned of this somehow from somewhere without his knowing, he didn't confront her about it yet as he knew that time was not on their side right now.
If what she's saying is real, then they were in deep shit!
"Computer. Pull up Project Insight."
Fury gave her a side glance as if telling her that she better explain all this later while attempting to check on the project.
Suddenly, a cold voice resounded.
[Access denied.]
Fury frowned again and commanded once more.
"Override. Fury Nicholas J."
[Access denied.]
"On whose authority!?"
[Fury Nicholas J.]
"..."
Motherfu-
Fury now knew how deep HYDRA was to actually override his own command with his own account.
He quickly stormed out of the room with Natasha following behind.
"Get Rogers, Barton, Wilson, and Hill. Deep undercover. Don't leave any footprints. And get Stark to lockdown the Tower's network."
"What about you?"
"Whatever happens to me. Stop this. With any means necessary."
"...Understood."
Natasha quickly left him.
She knew they were on the clock now.
The moment Fury had attempted to override his command, it should've set off some alarms on the other side.
They would now start to move on them!
Natasha rode on her motorcycle while contacting Tony on a secure line.
"Tony. Lockdown the Tower's network. SHIELD's been compromised."
"...Shit. How bad is it?"
"Very."
"That's really bad. Alright, leave the Tower to me."
"Where's the rest?"
"Steve's on a date. Barton's doing…I don't know what he's doing. And Wilson is just chilling here."
"Got it. Tell Wilson to suit up and meet me. I think I know where Clint is. Wait, did you say Steve's got a date?"
"Nat, focus. And yeah, his date looked hot too."
"Focus Tony."
"..."
Tony cursed in his mind.
You started it!
"Wait, how come you're not asking me for help?"
Natasha rolled her eyes.
"As if you're gonna leave your date with Bruce."
"True. We're about to make a baby after all."
"...Please don't say it like that! We're making artificial intelligence here!"
Natasha could hear Bruce ranting on the other side of the phone and chuckled.
"Anyway, we got this covered. Besides, my boyfriend's on the move too."
"Really? Is he stronger than the Hulk? I can give you Bruce for like, 10 minutes. But you have to return him to me."
"Hey!"
Bruce shouted again but was ignored.
Natasha laughed.
"Haha, no need. He's definitely stronger."
"...Seriously?"
"Yep. Alright, I need to go. Make sure nothing gets in or out of the Tower's network. Arnim Zola seems to be on the move as well."
"Damn. They didn't shut that thing off yet?"
"Well, SHIELD did. HYDRA didn't."
Tony sighed and shook his head.
"Alright, leave it to me. Call if you need the Hulk to smash."
"Seriously Tony?"
Bruce sighed.
After that call, Natasha called Maria Hill on a secured line and told her to meet up. She'll explain when everyone's together.
At the same time, in a certain undisclosed location.
Two slim figures landed on a roof of a seemingly abandoned building.
They were the Black Cat and Viper.
Currently, Viper wore a different suit so as to not get made by HYDRA since she was, technically, still a HYDRA agent.
She can't lose this identity yet as there were still uses to it.
Because of that, she is now wearing a spare suit of Black Cat and the two of them looked like a pair of white-haired twins.
Felicia looked at Viper and sighed.
"You better get that suit cleaned before returning it."
"Can't I keep it?"
"No!"
"Even though Ben's going to be upgrading our suits soon?"
Benjamin had indeed told them he will be upgrading their suits after everything was taken care of.
There should be a lot of upgrades he can make with his newfound knowledge now in electronics and microtech. Who knows, he can even gain access to nanotech in the future and improve on it further.
Felicia fell silent for a moment then looked at Viper suspiciously.
"Even so, it's pretty weird for you to keep my suit! What are you going to do with it?"
"Hmm…cosplay sex with Ben?"
"Ew no!"
"Why not?"
"That's just weird! And why does it have to be my suit!? Won't that look as if he was doing me!?"
Felicia shivered at the thought.
Viper just chuckled.
"What's wrong with that? Don't tell me you haven't thought about it?"
"Of course not!"
"Huh. Well, we'll see how long that lasts."
"..."
Since they have been mentioning Benjamin's name for a while now, Benjamin naturally knew about their conversation through the skill He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.
As such, he was completely speechless about the whole thing.
Seriously…am I really a sex demon in their eyes!?
[Host, don't tell me you only realized it now?]
Shut up System!
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