Chapter 85: Wolverine and Iron Man Join Forces
"Mr. George, did you find anything?"
Seeing George press his index finger against the forehead of a severely injured enemy, his eyes closed as if using some kind of superpower, Coulson couldn't help but ask curiously.
Earlier, George had mentioned wanting to figure out the identity of the attackers, but now he remained silent, making Coulson suspect that George might possess a mind-reading ability or something similar.
As a veteran agent with over twenty years of experience, Coulson had dealt with numerous supernatural incidents. He had encountered individuals with mind-reading abilities before.
Many superpowered individuals were ordinary people before awakening their abilities. Even after gaining powers, they often didn't dare to oppose the government and were easily controlled.
There were also those who, after gaining powers, wanted to use them for criminal purposes. Unfortunately, most superpowers were less destructive than a simple handgun.
For example, there was once a guy who could shoot high-temperature flames from his hands, capable of melting steel. Feeling invincible, he tried to rob a bank, only to be taken down by a single tranquilizer dart from Coulson.
There were even more powerful individuals, but with the well-trained agents and advanced technology at their disposal, failures were rare.
S.H.I.E.L.D. would not allow the emergence of superpowered organizations like the Brotherhood of Mutants or the X-Men.
Based on his experience, the superpowers displayed by this man named George, along with his composure in the face of danger, placed him among the top-tier superpowered individuals Coulson had encountered.
What's more, George seemed to possess more than one superpower.
Individuals like him either chose to work for S.H.I.E.L.D. or had to live under surveillance.
"I did find something, but I'm sorry, I can't tell you."
George raised his hand and shot the severely injured Hydra agents, then suddenly cast a spell at Coulson.
"Obliviate, Memory Modification!"
George didn't want to get involved with S.H.I.E.L.D. or Hydra, nor did he want his abilities exposed at this time. Using the Memory Charm to erase Coulson's memory and then adding false memories with a False Memory Charm was the best solution.
Of course, this method wasn't foolproof. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents underwent special mental training. Even Hawkeye, who was controlled by the Mind Stone, could be restored using technology. George's Memory Charm wasn't infallible.
But it didn't matter. By the time Coulson discovered the issue and restored his memory, George's strength might have grown to the point where he no longer needed to hide.
The most secure method would be to kill Coulson outright, but George had principles. Coulson had been willing to sacrifice himself to cover their escape earlier, so George wasn't about to kill him just to hide his abilities.
He had considered whether to inform Coulson about Hydra, which would throw S.H.I.E.L.D. into chaos and prevent them from bothering him.
But then he thought about it—this information was extremely valuable to S.H.I.E.L.D. If he needed S.H.I.E.L.D.'s help in the future, he could use it as leverage in a deal with Nick Fury. Why give it away for free?
As for whether not telling S.H.I.E.L.D. would result in more agent deaths, that wasn't his concern.
"George, what happened to him?"
Seeing George suddenly attack Coulson, leaving him in a dazed state, Pepper was startled.
George explained with a smile:
"My abilities can't be known by others, so I hypnotized him. When he wakes up, he'll think he single-handedly saved us. Don't let it slip."
"Oh... okay."
Though surprised, Pepper nodded.
Before they left, Tony had told her that George was a friend and could be trusted.
"Are you two okay?"
As the magic took effect, Coulson opened his eyes and immediately asked with concern.
Before they could answer, several more cars sped toward them, causing George to frown. He thought they were more Hydra agents.
But soon, his expression relaxed as Coulson, equally alert, lowered his gun:
"It's fine. They're my colleagues coming to support us."
The cars stopped, and a determined Asian female agent in black combat gear stepped out.
"Coulson, it's been a few days. Your skills have improved. You took down so many by yourself."
The female agent looked around at the dead attackers and the unharmed Coulson, her eyes showing surprise.
In her memory, Coulson wasn't this skilled. Were the enemies just too weak?
"Of course, May. Don't underestimate me."
Coulson laughed heartily. He hadn't expected the enemies to be so weak, and today he felt like a sharpshooter, hitting every target. It was a chance to show off in front of his old partner.
"May?"
George, who had remained silent, showed a hint of surprise. He knew May, a top S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.
But in his memory, May had transferred to a desk job after killing a young Inhuman girl. It seemed that different universes had their own unique details.
After a brief exchange, May and her team handled the cleanup and investigated the attackers' origins, while Coulson drove another S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle, taking George and Pepper to Tony's mansion.
"Strange, how were they hit from this angle?"
After Coulson and the others left, May, with her years of experience, noticed something unusual during the cleanup.
In the evening, Obadiah arrived at Tony Stark's mansion with all his men.
"Remember, no survivors!"
"Don't worry, boss. You can count on us."
The leader waved his hand, leading dozens of highly trained elite mercenaries as they infiltrated the mansion.
Obadiah nodded and followed at a leisurely pace.
These mercenaries were among the best in the world. Though only a few dozen, their coordination could take down a small military base. Obadiah paid them handsomely for situations like this.
As expected, the mansion's security guards were no match for his mercenaries and were quickly eliminated.
However, when they breached the mansion's interior, they encountered trouble.
In the hall, a burly, wild-looking man with a thick beard blocked their path.
"I said, breaking into someone's home isn't a good habit."
Wolverine held a glass of wine, calmly facing the heavily armed mercenaries.
"Who are you? Where's Tony? Tell him to stop hiding and come out. He can't escape."
Obadiah scrutinized the unfamiliar Wolverine, a look of disdain on his face.
It was no wonder he was dismissive. Wolverine was wearing a tank top and didn't even have a gun. In Obadiah's eyes, he posed no threat.
(End of Chapter)