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*****
Sitwell froze. He had never imagined, not even in his wildest dreams, that Feini was here to recruit him. The sheer unexpectedness of the offer left him reeling and utterly at a loss for words.
"This... Sir, why?"
Sitwell began to sweat again. He decided that once Feini left, he would have to rehydrate immediately. Because of the 'Incursio' mask, he couldn't see Feini's facial expression at all.
"I think you're pretty good, and I just happen to be short on subordinates. So, I'm asking. It's fine if you're not interested," Feini said, crossing his legs. If Sitwell refused, Feini wouldn't kill him—at least not yet—but a thorough memory wipe would be unavoidable.
After years of being a double agent and a career subordinate, Sitwell knew better than to take a superior's words at face value. He didn't dare hesitate for long. Finally, he gritted his teeth and made a decision.
After all, what did it matter who he followed? Alexander Pierce was getting old. Following the Divine Punishment Knight might actually be a better bet—maybe they could even unify Hydra and fulfill the dream of world domination.
"What do I need to do, Chief?"
Once he made up his mind, Sitwell's attitude shifted instantly. The sweating stopped, his posture straightened, and he looked ready for his first mission.
However, Sitwell's question actually caught Feini off guard. He hadn't planned on actually recruiting Sitwell before he arrived.
Feini thought for a moment and said slowly, "For now, maintain the status quo. But I need you to find someone for me. I need his information and his location."
"Daniel Whitehall. You should know him, right?"
"I do!"
Sitwell was surprised. Of course he knew who Whitehall was. Hydra was vast, but it was split into several factions; Sitwell originally belonged to Alexander Pierce's camp. Whitehall led a different faction. Although they were both Hydra, they rarely interacted.
After a slight hesitation, he said, "I might need some time to investigate."
Sitwell was smart enough not to ask what Feini wanted with him. As a qualified subordinate, he knew which questions were acceptable and which were off-limits. Even if Feini was looking to cause trouble for Whitehall, it didn't matter—Hydra was never truly a united front anyway.
"No rush. Tell me when you have the details," Feini waved dismissively. "Give me a way to reach you. I'll contact you when I'm free."
Sitwell quickly recited his phone number.
Feini noted it down, then suddenly asked, "By the way, were you the one who passed the message to Loki on the Helicarrier?"
"No!"
Sitwell immediately shook his head nervously. "That was Jim Baker. He controlled the central information hub, which allowed him to send messages covertly. But he was 'dealt with' secretly right when Nick Fury returned."
Feini was a bit surprised it wasn't Sitwell, but it was just a passing thought. The incident was over; even if it had been Sitwell, he wasn't going to hold a grudge.
His objective complete, Feini prepared to leave. He stood up, looked at the still-tense Sitwell, and walked over to him. "You know I have a white dragon, don't you?"
"Yes!"
Sitwell nodded. Even though Feini's file was highly classified within S.H.I.E.L.D., Sitwell had access. And even without the files, the media was full of high-definition photos of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
"Do you think it eats meat or vegetables?" Feini asked, patting Sitwell on the shoulder. Internally, he mused that the dragon actually consumed energy.
Sitwell blinked, confused by the question. Recalling the dragon's massive size, he answered hesitantly, "Meat... I assume?"
"Then remember to keep today's meeting a secret if you don't want to be swallowed whole," Feini whispered into his ear. He then activated Incursio's invisibility mode and vanished instantly.
As Feini disappeared, Sitwell trembled. Thinking of Feini's words and the images of the dragon's razor-sharp fangs, he looked terrified. He decided that being shot was infinitely better than being eaten. He swore to himself that he would never, under any circumstances, reveal what happened today.
Of course, Sitwell didn't know that Feini was just messing with him. Even if Sitwell wanted to be eaten by the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Feini wouldn't allow it. Since its summoning, the dragon's "food" had been top-tier: Karaage rolls, Soul Gems, or—at the very least—Tony Stark's miniature Arc Reactors. Sitwell wasn't nearly distinguished enough to be dragon fodder.
Having secured a source of intelligence and a new lackey, Feini was in a great mood. Realizing it was the weekend and remembering his promise to show Billy 'Incursio,' he gave him a call.
"You're coming to see me?"
Billy was shocked but gave him the address: "21st Street, Queens!"
When Feini arrived in Queens, he found himself thinking of the future Spiderman. The kid was probably still in middle school or elementary school right now. Feini had no intention of looking for him; even if he wanted to see the spider that bit him, it was far too early.
Upon arriving, Feini realized Billy lived with his parents, which was a bit awkward. Had he known, he would have asked Billy to meet him outside. Billy's mother was a slightly plump woman who seemed very kind. She welcomed Feini so warmly that an outsider might have mistaken Feini for her son.
Good looks really do open doors, he thought.
"My mom is nicer to you than she is to me," Billy grumbled once they were in his room.
Feini rolled his eyes and looked at Billy's light clothing. "Stop complaining and go get a thick coat."
"A thick coat?"
Billy was stunned. In this sweltering season where even the air conditioning barely helped, Feini wanted him to dress for winter? "Feini, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I'm only doing this because I'm in a good mood. Don't blame me for not warning you!"
Billy was conflicted, but he eventually pulled a medium-weight jacket from his closet. He didn't put it on, though; he just held it in his hand.
"Fine, your choice."
Feini didn't argue. With a grin, he traced a circle on the floor with his hand. Sparks of energy erupted. Before Billy could even scream in surprise, Feini cast 'Silence,' trapping the sound in Billy's throat. The portal opened, and Billy fell through. Feini equipped 'Incursio' and followed right behind, lifting the silence spell as they landed.
"AAAAHHH!"
Under the night sky, Billy screamed in terror, clutching his jacket and shivering in the snow.
"Alright, alright, stop howling before you trigger an avalanche."
Feini stood before him. "Put your coat on so you don't freeze."
The weather in the Himalayas was a far cry from New York in May. Even though Feini had opened the portal at the foot of the mountains, the air was biting.
Staring at Feini in the Incursio armor, Billy stopped screaming. He stood up, eyes sparkling with excitement, and hurried over to cautiously touch the armor as if checking if it was real.
"You really are the Divine Punishment Knight!"
(End of Chapter)