章節 40: Unexpected Visitor
"Yep. What took you so long? I thought you'd be here before I finished my second cocktail." Liam smirked. "You should try one; they're really good."
"Come, take a seat. I'll order you one too," he added, gesturing to a chair.
Coulson took the offered seat. "So, what is it you wanted to talk about?" he asked.
"This time, you're the one getting straight to the point, huh?" Liam chuckled, waving a waiter over. "Two midday cocktails, please."
"No need," Coulson declined, "I still have to drive after this."
"That's alright, I'll drink both," Liam responded with a grin. "It's been a while since I last saw you, Coulson. How's everything going?"
"Yes, it has been a while," Coulson replied.
"By the way, did you enjoy my last gift?" Liam asked.
Coulson barely managed to stay polite, he squeezed out a smile as he answered. "I liked it a lot."
Liam pulled a small box from his pocket and held it out with a smile. "I had to make a bit of room so my gift could fit, I believe these belong to you? Do you want them back?"
Coulson's professional smile slipped as he looked at the box of trading cards. "Yes, I would like them back, Liam," he said, barely hiding his frustration.
"Very well," Liam said, pausing dramatically. "I heard you did a good job relocating my grandpa, so I'll give them back… on one condition."
Coulson's expression tightened. "What do you want?"
"Call Fury and tell him I'd like to meet in three weeks to discuss some details about his 'little project.' We'll meet in New York, at the same bar where you and I met."
"I'll call him now," Coulson agreed, reaching for his phone.
"Good." Liam nodded.
Coulson dialed and waited. "Director Fury," he said when the call connected.
"Report," Fury's voice replied.
"Liam Hawthorne says he wants to meet with you regarding your 'little project.'"
"Agree to his terms," Fury replied before abruptly ending the call.
Coulson slipped his phone back into his pocket and looked at Liam. "He agreed."
"Perfect. Here, take your cards." Liam tossed the box over to him.
Coulson caught it, visibly relieved. "Thank you."
"Have you changed your mind about joining S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Coulson asked.
"No," Liam replied firmly. "As I said, I don't want to be ordered around nor do I have the time for that. You've got your own agents for that."
"A shame. Well, if you change your mind, reach out." Coulson handed Liam his number.
Liam took it, giving his number in return. "I'll keep that in mind."
Coulson stood up, glancing at his watch. "I've got another appointment. Until next time, Liam."
"Bye, Coulson. Until next time," Liam replied as Coulson walked away.
After paying his bill, Liam left and headed to a nearby hotel where he'd planned to stay for a week. He dropped off his things, pausing to think.'I should head over to look around Stark's research facility. A little knowledge on how the location looks won't hurt.'
Liam exited the hotel and made his way towards the Stark Industries Headquarters.
Meanwhile, at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters…
"Agent Romanoff, he's checked into a hotel for a week in Los Angeles. Retreat from New York and start making your way there."
"Understood. I'll be there in six hours," Romanoff responded before ending the call.
After scouting the HQ for a couple of hours, Liam returned to his hotel room. It had become night, and he looked out over the city. 'If necessary, I can contain the situation. Fortunately, Stark Industries headquarters is quite close to this hotel.'
Sitting down to meditate, Liam focused. 'I'll wait one more hour, then I'll use a small portal to check in. I want to confirm if Obediah's suit is indeed complete outside an arc reactor.'
An hour later, Liam opened a small portal just the size of his eye, positioning it in the upper corner of the research hall to avoid being seen. Looking through it, he confirmed what he had suspected. The armor is ready outside of an arc reactor. 'Now, I just need to wait for tomorrow.'
Closing the portal, he leaned back, reflecting. 'I can't babysit Tony every time something happens. If they start relying on me, what will happen when I'm not here? Or if I'm in outer space? Earth would be hopeless against any challenge. To make sure that doesn't happen, my involvement in this fight needs to be limited. He needs to experience as much of the struggle himself otherwise there will be no drive to improve.'
He called for room service, deciding to continue training his astral form while he waited. 'Might as well start learning Latin. Many spells, like the Tendrils of Ikathalon, require Latin to learn them.' After thirty minutes, a server knocked, bringing in a tray.
"Here's your dinner, sir," the man said, setting the dishes on the table.
"Thank you," Liam replied, handing over a generous tip. "Have a great night."
The server smiled, pocketing the tip. "Thank you very much, sir."
After enjoying his meal, Liam continued studying, diving into his Latin practice while meditating. Two more hours passed before he called it a night. 'Time for bed. Tomorrow's going to be busy.'
Liam closed the curtains, locked the door, and fell asleep.
The next morning, Liam woke early. 'Eight a.m. Plenty to do today. Let's start with breakfast.'
He ordered room service, freshened up, and got dressed. Fifteen minutes later, a knock sounded at his door.
"Coming," Liam called as he walked over. Opening the door, he was met with a surprise. Standing there was a beautiful woman with red hair. 'What the…?' Liam thought, his surprise showing for a split second before he masked it with a smile. "Come in, please. Just put it on the table."
"Anything you wish, sir," she replied with a warm smile as she entered with the service tray.
Liam leaned casually against the table, his expression curious. "So, what's a beautiful woman like you doing working a job like this?"
The woman's smile didn't falter. "It was the only job available close by," she said warmly.
"So you live nearby?" Liam questioned. "Why not look further out?"
The woman's smile changed into a sad expression. "My mother's sick. I want to stay close to help care for her."
"How considerate." Liam nodded, reaching into his wallet and handing her five hundred-dollar bills. Internally, he was chuckling at the situation. 'My acting's not half bad. Maybe I should quit magic and take up acting.'
The woman's smile returned. "Thank you so much, sir."
Liam watched her, noting how genuine her expressions seemed. 'It's creepy, knowing this is all an act. She really does live up to the name 'Black Widow.''
With a polite nod, she exited, and Liam locked the door behind her. 'I can't talk freely here—who knows how many bugs S.H.I.E.L.D. has set up. Her presence complicates things, though. She might try to interfere with Tony's fight against Obadiah.'
Liam considered his options. 'I'll have to keep her from interfering somehow, but I also need to keep an eye on the fight myself.'
----------
Thanks for all the kind comments on the last chapter, I feel great currently.
Some exciting chapters are coming up :).
Also, do you want characters thinking to be 'Hey, this is my plan.' or 'Hey, this is my plan.' ?
創作者的想法 
Donnuuu
Donnuuu Have some idea about the story? Comment it and let me know.
章節 41: Natasha Romanoff
Liam finished his breakfast, contemplating about a plan. Once he had thought about one, he glanced at the time and smirked. "Today's going to be a big day. I can't wait for tonight," he murmured to himself, rising from his seat. "Let's see more of Los Angeles. I'll be back by midday—can't afford to miss such a beautiful hotel staff," he added, smiling slyly. "Is this what love at first sight feels like?"
He left his room, making sure the door closed loudly behind him, took the elevator to the ground floor, and stepped outside. Meanwhile, Natasha Romanoff followed after him when she finished hiding some more bugs in his room.
----
"The target took the bait. He suspects nothing," she reported to Fury. "He mentioned something about a 'big day' today, but nothing specific."
"Good work," Fury responded. "See if you can find out more."
"Understood. He's just left the building; I'll follow from a distance."
After which the call got disconnected.
'He's just a kid dominated by hormones, this will be quite easy.' Romanoff thought.
-----
Liam wandered through nearby shops and visited tourist attractions, seemingly enjoying himself. 'She's probably following me,' he thought, amused. 'She won't just stay in the hotel, but with so many people around, I can't spot her. She's smart, no hostile intent… Guess I'll stick to being more cautious.'
After a few hours of sightseeing, Liam returned to the hotel and went up to his room, where he changed into the new clothes he'd purchased earlier. Humming a tune as he adjusted his appearance, he looked in the mirror and admired his reflection. 'Perfect. Now to open up to her just enough to make this believable.'
He called room service. Minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. Liam opened it immediately, catching the server—a beautiful woman with red hair—by surprise. "Hi, please, come in," he said warmly.
She nodded, appearing 'shy' as she carried the tray in. "Here's your order, sir." She kept her gaze averted.
Noticing this, Liam turned slightly, keeping his eyes on her hands as they quickly tossed a small device somewhere in the room. 'True spy skills,' he mused.
"My name's Liam. May I know yours?" he asked, still looking away.
"Sophia," she replied, her voice soft.
'This really feels like a drama,' Liam thought, internally rolling his eyes.
He thanked her for the food, and as she prepared to leave, he called out. "Wait."
She turned, glancing up briefly before her gaze shifted to the ground.
"Do you… want to join me?" Liam asked, lowering his voice to add a hint of nervousness. 'A masterful performance,' he thought, inwardly grinning.
The woman hesitated. "I don't think my boss would like that."
"I'll talk to him if needed," Liam said hurriedly. "And if he fires you, I've got connections that can help you find a new job."
After a moment, she nodded. "Okay, then."
They sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes before Liam spoke up. "How's your day been?"
"It was good. How was yours?" she asked politely.
"It's been nice. I went sightseeing and picked up a few things. The usual," Liam answered. Noticing her expression shift slightly, he changed the subject. "You know, I'm only here for a week before I have to leave again for quite some time."
He could feel her interest at this but saw she kept her head down.
'Time to toss some bait.' Liam thought.
"There's something beautiful hidden in this world—something like magic," he began. "It was once thought to be a myth, but with all the strange things happening lately, I think it's real."
Her gaze lifted as she had a small laugh. "Magic? I wish there were things like that out there."
"It exists," Liam said quickly, "though it's kept secret by those who know."
"If it did, maybe my mom wouldn't be sick with cancer," she murmured, her smile fading.
"Although I can't help with that," he replied, "I can prove to you that magic exists. Tonight, a rare phenomenon is going to take place in this room. I'll be studying it all week, and if you come by later, I'll show you."
"But you said it was secret," she reminded him.
"For someone as beautiful as you, I'd make an exception any day."
She blushed but looked pleased. "Thank you… but I don't have a shift tonight, so I'm not sure I can come."
"I'll make it worth your while," Liam promised. "Please, come by."
She hesitated, then smiled warmly. "My full name is Sophia Vega. What time should I come?"
"Four-thirty. It should start between 4:45 and 5:15 p.m."
She nodded, then glanced at her walkie-talkie as it started making sounds. "Sophia, where are you? We've got multiple food complaints, get back down here."
"I have to go," she said, tucking the device back. "I'll see you later."
"Perfect." Liam smiled as he watched her leave. 'That's one half of the problem solved. Now, I have to keep her distracted during tonight's fight, forcefully if needed,' he thought, locking the door.
-----
"The target seems to have taken the bait fully," Romanoff reported to Fury. "He's invited me to witness some kind of 'magic event' tonight at 4:30. I request backup in case anything goes wrong."
"Permission granted. Backup's on its way," Fury said.
"Poor kid," she muttered after ending the call. 'Falling headfirst into a trap.'
Hours passed quickly as Liam prepared the room, arranging a romantic table with two glasses of wine, candles, and a fine dinner setup. Finally, at 4:30, there was a knock at the door.
Liam opened it, grinning as he saw her standing there in an nice dress. "Hello, Sophia. You look even more beautiful than before."
She gave a shy smile. "You look quite handsome yourself."
Liam gestured for her to enter. "Please, take a seat. Dinner will be here shortly."
They sat and engaged in small talk, both playing the role of shy, smitten acquaintances. Soon, hotel staff brought out appetizers, and their conversation grew more relaxed, gradually moving into stories about their lives.
After an hour, she asked, "Was this the magical event you mentioned? Or is there more?"
'Time for the cherry on top.' Liam thought, grinning internally.
"You are my magical event," Liam replied, revealing a small jewelry box with a delicate gold necklace.
She looked at it, shocked. "Stop, that's way too valuable!" she protested.
'It's a knockoff anyway.' Liam thought.
"Nothing is too valuable for you," he said, grinning.
Blushing, she accepted the necklace, slipping it around her neck just as her phone buzzed. She ignored it the first time, but when it buzzed again, she excused herself. "I have to take this really quickly," she said.
"Of course," Liam replied as she stepped away.
"It's going smoothly," Romanoff muttered, answering the call. "What do you need?"
"Emergency—backup requested at Stark Industries Headquarters immediately!" came the response.
-----
Very difficult part for me to write (especially since it's my first time writing something like this.) , hope you enjoy this little drama. Next chapter the fun will start. :)
(A.N): It's not difficult to maintain an act if you know the steps a person will most likely take, especially for Liam who has of course already lived a life. I will get into this more the next chapter.
創作者的想法
Donnuuu
Donnuuu
Have some idea about the story? Comment it and let me know.
Also, if todays chapter was not your taste, let me know (also what you didn't like please). In this way I can improve the best.
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