章節 9: Chapter 9: Into the Web
The next morning, Alex stood in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection with a mixture of exhaustion and uncertainty. His eyes were dark from lack of sleep, his mind buzzing with everything that had happened. SHIELD. Hydra. Phil Coulson. It still felt surreal, like he was trapped in one of those late-night action movies that blurred the line between reality and fantasy.
But this was real. Too real.
As much as he wanted to believe that SHIELD could help him, the caution nagged at him. They were an organization built on secrets, and Alex knew better than to trust anyone blindly in this world. Coulson had made a convincing case—work with SHIELD, and they'd offer protection against Hydra. But what exactly would that cost him? What value did he actually have that SHIELD could utilize?
The thought weighed heavily as he pulled on his jacket and left the motel. The sun was barely up, casting long shadows across the city streets. He had spent hours tossing and turning, trying to make sense of his situation. Coulson wanted answers, and Alex was supposed to meet him in a few hours to go over what he knew about Hydra's operations.
But what did he know? Sure, he had knowledge from his life before being transmigrated—he had seen the movies, read the comics—but how reliable was that now? This world felt familiar but different, and the rules weren't as clear as they had been on screen.
As he walked down the street, hands shoved deep into his pockets, he tried to shake the doubt from his mind. He couldn't overthink this. Coulson had said Hydra wouldn't stop coming after him, and that much he believed. Whether SHIELD could truly protect him was a gamble, but for now, it was the only option he had.
The system panel flickered in his peripheral vision, reminding him of the ticking clock. His points hadn't changed overnight. He still sat at 45, agonizingly close to the 50, he needed for his first spin of the Silver Wheel. Five more points. Just five.
"Wouldn't that be something?" he muttered to himself as he stepped onto a busy street corner. "Spin the wheel and maybe I get Spider-Man's powers. Or Iron Man's tech- thinking abilities."
It was a long shot, but even the smallest advantage would go a long way. With Hydra and SHIELD both watching him, he couldn't afford to sit back and wait for things to fall into place. He needed power, real power, to stay ahead of the game.
As he approached the café where he was supposed to meet Coulson, Alex spotted him through the large glass windows. Coulson sat at a corner table, his face calm and unreadable, a cup of coffee steaming in front of him. Beside him sat a woman with short dark hair, her gaze scanning the room like she was expecting trouble at any moment. Alex recognized her immediately: Maria Hill.
SHIELD wasn't playing around.
Alex took a deep breath and pushed open the door, the small bell above it jingling softly as he entered. Coulson spotted him right away and waved him over. Maria's eyes narrowed slightly as she sized him up, but she didn't say anything.
"Alex," Coulson greeted him with that same calm, measured tone. "Glad you made it."
"Yeah, well," Alex said, sliding into the chair across from them. "Not exactly like I had other plans today."
Coulson smiled, but Maria's expression remained hard, her eyes never leaving Alex.
"We appreciate you meeting with us," Coulson continued, his hands folded neatly on the table. "There's a lot we need to go over, but first, I want to introduce you to Agent Hill. She's been overseeing some of SHIELD's operations concerning Hydra, and she'll be working with us on this."
"Nice to meet you," Alex said, though Maria didn't return the sentiment. She just nodded slightly, her gaze sharp.
"Let's get one thing clear," Maria said, her voice low and authoritative. "We're not here to babysit you. SHIELD has bigger concerns than one man caught in Hydra's crosshairs. If you want our help, you're going to have to pull your weight. Understood?"
Alex resisted the urge to bristle at her tone. He could tell she wasn't one for small talk, and her no-nonsense attitude didn't leave much room for negotiation. He nodded. "Understood."
Coulson leaned forward, his voice a little softer than Maria's. "We're on the same side here, Alex. Hydra is dangerous, and they're not going to stop until they get what they want. But we need to know what you know. Any detail, any piece of information that could help us figure out their next move."
Alex hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to reveal. Coulson's calm demeanor was reassuring, but Maria's intensity kept him on edge. Still, they were right—he needed their help. And if Hydra really was after him, then keeping secrets wouldn't do him any favors.
He glanced around the café, making sure no one was eavesdropping before speaking. "There was an operation at the docks a few days ago. Hydra was moving something—crates with some kind of ancient symbols on them. I don't know exactly what they were, but it seemed… important."
Maria exchanged a glance with Coulson, her expression tight. "We've heard rumors about those symbols. Ancient artifacts, possibly mystical in nature. Hydra's been obsessed with them for a while now."
"That's not all," Alex continued, lowering his voice. "They had someone there. Ward. He was overseeing the whole thing.I got to know about him from one TV station announcement that he was a dangerous person."
Coulson's face darkened at the mention of Ward's name. Maria's jaw clenched slightly.
"Ward," Coulson said quietly. "We've had dealings with him before. He's dangerous, and if he's involved, this is bigger than we thought."
Maria leaned forward, her voice sharp. "What else did you see? Did Ward mention anything about their plans? Any names, locations?"
Alex shook his head. "No, I didn't hear much. But I know they were planning something big. It felt like whatever they were moving, it was just the beginning."
Coulson nodded, his eyes thoughtful. "That fits with what we've been hearing. Hydra's been mobilizing lately, more than usual. And if they're after ancient artifacts, that could mean they're planning something catastrophic."
"We need to move fast," Maria said, turning to Coulson. "If Hydra's involved with this kind of power, we can't afford to wait."
Coulson agreed, but his eyes were back on Alex. "What about you? You've seen more than most people who cross paths with Hydra. How are you holding up?"
Alex wasn't sure how to answer that. How was he holding up? He'd been hunted, nearly killed, and was now tangled up with one of the most secretive organizations in the world. And yet, here he was, sitting in a café with SHIELD agents, discussing Hydra's plans like it was just another day.
"I'm managing," Alex said finally. "But I need answers too. What exactly is Hydra planning? And why are they after me?"
Coulson and Maria exchanged another look before Coulson spoke. "We don't know the full extent of Hydra's plans yet, but we're getting closer. As for why they're after you—that's still a mystery. You must have something they want or possibly they just wanted to silence you. Whether it's information, a connection, or something else… we'll figure it out."
The system panel flickered again in Alex's peripheral vision, reminding him that he wasn't just some random target. He had the lottery wheel, the points, and the potential for unimaginable power. But that was something SHIELD didn't know neither Hydra. And for now, he wanted to keep it that way.
"Look," Alex said, leaning forward. "I'll help you with what I can. But I'm not just going to sit here and wait for Hydra to come knocking again. If you want me to be useful, I need more than just protection. I need to be in the loop."
Maria's gaze hardened, but Coulson nodded. "Fair enough. We'll keep you informed, but you need to trust us too. If we're going to take down Hydra, we need to work together."
Alex hesitated, then nodded. He didn't have much of a choice. For now, SHIELD was his best bet.
"Alright," he said, his voice firm. "Let's do this."
As he stood up to leave, Coulson's voice stopped him.
"One more thing, Alex," he said. "Be careful, a friendly advice. Hydra's not the only threat out there."
Alex glanced back at him, confused. "What do you mean?"
Coulson's expression was unreadable as he replied, "There are other players in this game. Some that even SHIELD can't control."
Alex's stomach twisted. He had a feeling that whatever came next was going to be even more dangerous than he had imagined. And he wasn't sure if even the Silver Wheel could prepare him for it.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票