Bang--!
Hawk opened his right hand, his body motionless, and steadily caught the Vibranium shield Captain America threw at him.
Just like the Winter Soldier caught Captain America's shield last night.
The next second.
Hawk flicked his right hand, throwing the Vibranium shield back at Captain America: "Be careful, Captain. The first time was an accident; the second time, I'll assume you're doing it on purpose."
People with faith are worthy of respect.
Especially those who are willing to die for their beliefs.
Regardless of what those beliefs are.
Judge by deeds, not by intentions, right?
Captain America, with a whoosh, caught his shield and looked at Hawk with a wary expression: "Who are you?"
Natasha, who was standing by, reacted. Although she was a bit confused as to why Hawk was here, she still stepped forward and introduced the two to each other.
"Captain, this is Hawk."
"Hawk, this is Steve Rogers, Captain America."
Before this, Hawk and Captain America had never met.
After all…
Hawk lived in New York City, and while Captain America's hometown was also New York City, after his revival, he moved to Washington, the capital, so the two had never actually met.
But…
"You are Hawk."
Steve listened to Natasha's introduction and looked at Hawk: "Thor and Tony mentioned you to me, so you are our friend, not our enemy."
Hawk chuckled.
"Not necessarily."
"Oh."
"For Natasha, no, but for you, Captain, if you can't stand my killing, then we might become enemies."
…
Listening to Hawk's words, Natasha's mind conjured an image of Wakanda reduced to white ash.
And Steve, hearing Hawk's words, his expression became somewhat serious.
"But you only kill bad people."
"At least I've never actively killed anyone."
Hawk stated truthfully.
Steve instinctively looked at Natasha.
He wasn't familiar with Hawk, but he was very familiar with Natasha.
Natasha thought back carefully. It seemed that aside from Hawk's first time going to Quantico, which could be considered actively causing trouble, the subsequent incidents genuinely didn't seem to be Hawk's fault.
So…
Meeting Steve's gaze, Natasha nodded.
Seeing this, Steve then looked at Hawk and chuckled: "I'm an old-fashioned guy, but in my era, if you killed bad guys, then you were a good guy."
Hawk heard this and looked at Steve.
"You're not what I imagined, Captain."
"I slept for over seventy years."
Steve shrugged, dropping his combat stance, and said self-deprecatingly: "History books also say I never smoked or drank."
Hawk also remembered the history books' description of Captain America, chuckled, and looked at Captain America with some curiosity.
"But you drink?"
"Yes."
Steve smiled and nodded, then invited Hawk: "After we finish what we're doing, maybe we can have a drink together."
Hawk shrugged.
"Sorry, I'm not twenty-one yet, so I can't drink."
…
Steve's expression was a bit taken aback, and he instinctively looked at Natasha again.
Natasha took a deep breath, and at that moment, she also remembered Hawk's current age: "Yes, Captain, Hawk is only nineteen this year; he's a freshman at New York University's law school."
Steve looked at Hawk in surprise and exclaimed.
"Wow!"
"But if Captain insists on drinking, we can go somewhere else, like London. The law there allows drinking at eighteen."
Hawk said with a smile.
Federal law prohibits drinking under the age of twenty-one.
But in London, you only need to be eighteen.
So…
Drinking in the U.S. was illegal for him, but drinking in London would be perfectly legal.
Rules are dead, people are alive, after all.
Just like when he and Thor went to Mars for a fight, they drank on Mars after the fight and then drove back drunk.
Although federal law has long-arm jurisdiction, Hawk didn't believe it could extend to Mars.
Steve reacted to Hawk's words, chuckled, and then nodded.
"Okay, after we're done, I'll definitely invite you to London for a drink."
"Alright."
Hawk also nodded, accepting Captain America's invitation.
Natasha, seeing this, looked at Hawk and got to the point: "Hawk, you're here for…"
Steve also looked at Hawk upon hearing this.
Hawk said nothing, his gaze sweeping past the two of them and landing on the electronic figure displayed on the old computer monitor behind them.
His gaze fell on Zola's electronic face on the computer screen, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly: "Zola, I've been here for so long, has your broken algorithm figured out why I'm here?"
Zola's server chassis hummed.
The next second.
Zola's electronic voice came out.
"Alexander Pierce told you that I was the mastermind behind HYDRA's attempt to test you."
"Correct."
Hawk smiled brightly: "Then do you know what I'm here to do?"
Zola's electronic voice remained unchanged.
"To eliminate me."
"Smart."
"This isn't smart."
Zola refuted Hawk's compliment, his electronic voice completely flat: "This is the most probable outcome I've predicted based on all your past actions. Thaddeus Ross provoked you, and you killed him. Bruce Banner provoked you, and you killed him. Wakanda provoked you, and you wiped out their entire tribe. Now I've provoked you, and you have no reason to spare me."
Hawk's smile grew even wider: "Once again, you are very smart."
Steve, standing by, listened to Dr. Zola's words, his expression somewhat shocked. He looked at Natasha, his tone a bit incredulous: "Bruce Banner is dead?"
He truly didn't know; after the Battle of New York, Bruce Banner had gone abroad, so he had always thought Bruce Banner was still overseas.
But in fact, all this information had been hidden by S.H.I.E.L.D.
Natasha opened her mouth, and meeting Steve's gaze, she shrugged and shook her head: "It's a long story; I'll tell you when I have a chance."
Steve nodded, watching Hawk, who had bypassed them both and was directly conversing with Zola, realizing why Hawk had just told him that if he couldn't stand his killing, they might become enemies.
Hawk heard Captain America and Natasha's conversation, turned his head to Natasha: "The HYDRA in New York S.H.I.E.L.D. has been cleared for me. Aren't you two going over there?"
He thought of the scene in the original plot where Captain America and Natasha were delayed by Zola and then attacked by missiles.
Although the missiles hadn't arrived yet, what if they did later?
So…
"I heard Victoria Hand is planning a counterattack on the Triskelion to regain control of S.H.I.E.L.D. Aren't you planning to meet up with them?"
"What?"
Natasha looked at Hawk in shock: "New York S.H.I.E.L.D. has been retaken?"
Hawk chuckled.
"Why do you think I'm here? It's because this electronic man sent his subordinates to my house to threaten my fiancée into handing over Sharon."
…
Natasha heard this and was once again shocked, but this time not looking at Hawk, but at the electronic man Zola on the screen.
Hiss!
Sending people to Hawk's house to threaten Hawk's fiancée.
Well, well, well.
Natasha had already thought Dr. Zola was very bold when she heard Zola reveal the Insight Project.
Who would have thought—
There was such a bold move.
How dare you? The last one who dared to do that to his fiancée ended up with his entire tribe wiped out.
Huh, wait, what am I sympathizing with?
I should be happy, damn it.
Natasha's thoughts raced, and then, thinking of the reclaimed New York S.H.I.E.L.D., she said to Captain America: "Captain, we need to hurry to New York S.H.I.E.L.D. and tell Commander Hand about HYDRA's plan."
Captain America frowned.
"But what if…"
"Hawk has already verified it. I believe there are no HYDRA spies left in New York S.H.I.E.L.D. now."
Natasha said this with full confidence.
Because Hawk had personally intervened, it was likely that any S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Hawk suspected of being HYDRA would have been sent to hell by Hawk.
So!
New York S.H.I.E.L.D. now must be one hundred percent S.H.I.E.L.D.-pure.
Steve looked at the confident Natasha, urging him to go to New York S.H.I.E.L.D., and instinctively looked at Hawk.
"Hawk, what about you…"
"Zola and I still have some things to discuss. You two go first."
"Okay!"
Thinking of the ultimate goal of the Insight Project that Dr. Zola had just revealed, Steve didn't hesitate. After nodding, he prepared to leave with Natasha.
But just then.
Thump!
As Dr. Zola's program ran, a heavy steel plate instantly dropped, sealing the only elevator leading to the surface.
Natasha and Captain America were stunned.
Hawk turned to look at the scene, feeling a bit amused as he glanced at Zola on the screen.
He didn't speak to Zola but instantly teleported between Natasha and Captain America, placing his hands on their shoulders.
The next second.
With a thought, Hawk directly took Natasha and Captain America and disappeared from Zola's server room. When they reappeared, they were already under the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan.
Since he was sending them, he might as well send them a bit further.
After sending Natasha and Captain America under the Brooklyn Bridge, Hawk smiled slightly at Natasha, then turned and disappeared again from in front of them.
Captain America looked up at the familiar Brooklyn Bridge and opened his mouth.
"This is…"
"It should be instantaneous movement."
Natasha recovered after Hawk disappeared and said to the shocked Captain America: "This is a superpower Hawk started to display after the Battle of London."
Captain America nodded thoughtfully: "Thor told me he often fought Hawk on Mars. I originally thought he was joking, but I never imagined…"
Natasha looked at Captain America, her expression serious.
"Captain."
"Hmm."
"That huge crater on Mars, discovered by scientists recently, which is much bigger than the Victoria Crater, was formed by their fight. Hawk said Thor made it when he was knocked down, and Thor said Hawk made it. Pepper told me about it once on the phone."
…
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