Towards midnight, on the bus to the departure point, Nick. Fury looked up at Merlin in the back seat in the rearview mirror and said:

"You look a little tired, what's the matter?"

Merlin rubbed his forehead and replied in a low voice:

"It's nothing, it's just something bad and a nightmare."

"Doing bad things?"

A hint of doubt flashed in Fury's eyes:

"What's the bad thing?"

Merlin turned his head to look out the window, and after a moment he spoke:

"Take a wife away from her husband and take a mother away from her child. Last night, I hurt a man deeply. ”

"Do you know him well?"

"No, I've never seen it before."

"Do you regret it?"

"No, I saved the girl's life."

"And what the hell are you bothering about?"

“......”

Merlin, a little annoyed by Fury's incessant questions, raised his head and said to the officer in front of him:

"To be honest, I don't know. It could also be nervous, after all, we have to cross the sea and go to the other side of the world to find a murderous female devil, I think I should be nervous, what do you say? ”

"Well, that makes sense."

Fury nodded approvingly, he drove into a secluded airport, turned off the engine, and then looked back at Merlin, and said:

"But I don't have time to hear you tell you about the sorrow of young people! Cheer up, rookie. If you mess up this mission, you can continue to wander with your bag on your back. ”

"Now, get out of the car!"

Under Fury's reprimand, Merlin put on a baseball cap, carried a travel bag, and stepped out of Fury's car like a tourist.

In the darkness of the night before his eyes, a small plane was parked a few hundred meters away, and some ground crew were doing pre-takeoff checks. In the darkness, Merlin could clearly see that at the entrance of the small plane, a tall and thin man was waiting there.

Well, that should be the last member of this operation.

Fury, who was also dressed like a tourist, threw the car keys to the agent who answered him. He spoke a few words to the suit-clad agent, then took a black suitcase from the man's hand and walked over to Merlin.

"Who's that guy?"

Merlin followed Fury, and he pouted in the direction of the plane, Fury looked up, but he didn't have Merlin's night vision, he could only see a blur in front of him.

Therefore, he did not answer Merlin, but with the cold attitude that a commander should have, he was silent all the way, and led Merlin to step on the ladder of the small plane.

"Sir Fury, long time no see."

As Fury entered the plane door, a slightly hoarse voice sounded in the cabin, and the next moment, the cabin lights turned on.

A tall, thin guy was rising from his seat, with short hair, thin cheeks, long limbs, and gray-looking gray eyes.

He wore a black sleeveless combat uniform with a combat dagger stuck in his waist, and looked shrewd and capable.

At his feet was a box that Merlin could feel was a cold weapon made of metal.

"Patton, long time no see."

Fury took a step forward and shook the guy's hand. He turned around, exposing Merlin, who was following behind him, to the cabin, and said to the man in front of him:

"This is Merlin, the new great agent who joins us, and this time he will be acting with us. Merlin, this is Clint. Patton, the most powerful operational specialist in the Strategic Science Corps, nicknamed 'Hawkeye', is also my most trusted agent and one of my best friends. ”

"Hello, Merlin."

Agent Barton stretched out his hand to Merlin with an expressionless face, and Merlin was keenly aware of the cold scrutiny in the agent's eyes.

He looked at the hand in front of him, he smiled back, reached out and took Patton's left hand, and said:

"Hello, Clint."

The next moment, the two hands that were amicable and clasped together exerted force at the same time.

"Click"

With a soft sound from the hand bones, Hawkeye Barton's face changed slightly, and even his smile became slightly stiff. He looked at Merlin who was squinting and smiling in front of him, this guy... It's so strong!

"Come, sit down!"

Fury took out two bottles of water from the Xiaoice box in the cabin and said a word to the two subordinates in front of him.

Merlin and Barton withdrew each other's hands, Merlin moved his fingers and Barton put his left hand behind him and shook it vigorously.

"Buzz"

After the three people were seated, the propellers of the small plane began to rotate rapidly, and the plane slowly turned into the runway, ready to take off. In the cabin, Fury picked up a map of Europe and placed it on the table. He glanced at the two people beside him, and said in a serious tone:

"You should all know the mission of this operation, we are going to Europe to persuade a 'colleague' to surrender."

"The location is here, a small city in Eastern Europe, Sokovia."

Fury's finger tapped on the map, he took a picture from his pocket, placed it on the map, and continued:

"And the target person, named Natasha. Romanov. It is possible that this is her pseudonym, and over the past few decades she has been one of the most active top agents of the former Soviet intelligence service, the Red House. Her footsteps have traveled almost the world, disrupting many carefully orchestrated CIA spy operations. ”

Especially in the early days of the Cold War, Natasha even infiltrated North America several times and rebelled against several scientists related to the Manhattan Project for the former Soviet Union. It is said that in the 70s, she also took some classified information from Langley, but this statement has never been positively confirmed by the CIA. ”

"Wait, I have a question."

At the moment when the small plane took off in a jolt, Merlin picked up his water glass and took a sip of water.

He picked up the photograph on the map, and the black-and-white photo showed a woman wearing sunglasses, a coat, and walking on high heels. Judging from her appearance alone, this temperamental lady resembles a supermodel, and there is no indication that she will be a dangerous agent.

Merlin turned the photo in turn and he looked at Fury:

"When was this photo taken?"

"About 3 years ago, in a small town in Crimea."

Fury said, Merlin frowned and asked:

"But you just said that Natasha has been active since the early days of the Cold War, and even if she has served the former Soviet Union since she was a teenager, then if I am not mistaken, she is at least 40 years old this year, right?"

Merlin shook the picture in his hand, and he said:

"Are you sure you didn't get the wrong picture?"

"That's right, that's Natasha."

Fury pointed to the photo in Merlin's hand, and he explained:

"We learned from some agents who defected from the former Soviet Union that there is a special drug in the spy agency 'Red House' that can slow down aging, and super agents like Natasha must have injected this drug. Of course, there is also a theory that Natasha is actually a mutant... But there is no evidence to support this speculation. ”

"Hmm."

Merlin nodded, he looked at the picture in his hand, and he said:

"It seems that our opponent is an ageless witch."

"Don't be deceived by her appearance, she's dangerous."

Hawkeye Barton, who had been silent, also interjected at this time:

"Three years ago, when I had just joined the Strategic Science Corps and was on a field mission in Eastern Europe, I met Natasha. She must have accidentally broken into a trap we had set up in advance, and as a result, she single-handedly toyed with our entire team of operations to applause. If we weren't lucky, we'd end up in that city. ”

"That's why I'm pulling you on this mission, Barton."

Fury said solemnly:

"You've fought Natasha, and you know her tactics very well. And I received the news that Natasha is now being hunted by her former own people, and the last place of her activity is in Sokovia. That's our chance. ”

"Hunted down by your own people?"

Merlin asked curiously:

"Did she betray her organization?"

"Nope."

Fury shook his head, he looked at Merlin, a strange glint flashed in his eyes, and he said:

"Instead of betraying the Red House, Natasha stubbornly refused our offer several times when many of her companions had defected. She remained loyal to her country and her organization, but unfortunately, her loyalty had become a burden. ”

"Then why was she..."

Because she knows too many secrets that shouldn't be revealed, and she doesn't want to forget them, and she stubbornly doesn't want to change. The more loyal she was to her degraded organization, the more threatening she became, like a ticking time bomb. ”

Barton closed his eyes and hit the nail on the head.

This slightly cruel truth silenced Merlin for a moment. The profession of an agent has always been tied to secrets, and Natasha's story has also deepened Merlin's understanding of agents.

It seems that knowing too many secrets is really not a good thing.

"Barton is right."

Fury adds:

"Because of the sudden collapse of the former Soviet Union, the end of the Cold War, and the changes in the world pattern, the intricate and extremely large intelligence services within that country have lost their mission and resources. In order to survive the death, they have to seek a dangerous 'transformation' in the confusion of the future. ”

"The Red House, the Red Scorpion and even the mysterious 'Leviathan' are all changing their position and starting to break away from the stereotypes of the state apparatus. Whether these intelligence organizations, which originally served the state, began to give birth to their own ideas, whether this is good or bad is difficult to say. But one thing is for sure, this is a great opportunity for us. ”

A smile flashed across Fury's swarthy face, and he said:

"For Natasha's solicitation, it was just an attempt. There will be many more such actions in the coming years. It's like at the end of World War II, Peggy. Ms. Carter's 'Paperclip' operation, in which our predecessors used the power of Germany to strengthen themselves. Now, what we have to do is to follow their example and do it again! ”

Nick. Fury stood up, and he said to Barton, who was beside him:

"Barton, I have another matter for you."

"Merlin is a true newcomer, he has some special powers, and he can be of great help. But he is a rookie, impulsive, reckless, with all the characteristics of a rookie, all his knowledge of the secret agent profession comes from 6 months of agent training, and he still has a lot to learn. ”

"I'm not as bad as you say, Fury."

Merlin retorted with some dissatisfaction:

"You're making me embarrassed in front of my new friends."

Fury ignored Merlin's complaints, he looked at Merlin very seriously, and said:

"Patton, the agent I recruited myself, is the best agent I've ever met. Merlin, I hope you will obey Patton's teachings and work together to complete this recruitment mission. ”

As he spoke, Fury looked at the time and said to the two in front of him:

"After 30 minutes, the plane will arrive at the designated location. Sokovia has been chaotic lately, with all flights grounded and under air control. We can't just swagger into there. ”

"So how do we get there?"

Merlin asked, and Fury pointed to his feet, a strange smile flashing across his face, and he said:

"Take a boat! There is a freighter waiting for you on the high seas, and in 3 days we will meet in Sokovia. ”

"Aren't you going with us?"

Merlin asked again, and Fury took out an identification from his pocket, shook it in front of Merlin's eyes, and said:

"My status as a military attache at the U.S. Embassy in Sokovia has diplomatic immunity, and there is a special plane that will take me to the embassy. Merlin, just left the Secret Service School, did you forget what you learned? Article 7 of the Code of Conduct for Agents! ”

"There must be hole cards at all times..."

Merlin subconsciously replied, while Fury shrugged:

"I'll use the official channel to contact Natasha again, if I can convince her to join us, it's best, but if I fail, then you guys hiding in the shadows..."

"That's my hole card!"

Merlin suddenly realized, and he said:

"It's like fishing..."

Fury smiled, and he patted Merlin on the shoulder:

"You're right, one light and one dark, prepare with both hands, just like fishing."

Thirty minutes later, the small plane in the night was hovering on the high seas, the door of the plane cabin had been opened, and Merlin, with a parachute on his back, stood at the entrance of the cabin, looking at the vast sea below.

The cold wind blew in his face, and he looked back at Fury, who had changed into a military attache uniform, and was waving goodbye to him in a friendly way. And Hawkeye Barton, who was also carrying a parachute, looked at him calmly.

A game of hunting between the same kind is about to begin, which will be the first "hunt" of the baby Merlin.

He was a little nervous, but also a little excited. The memories of the past still bothered him, but Merlin knew it was time for him to move on. From here, entering your new life, the road ahead may be dark, but it must be wonderful.

The next second, he took a deep breath, took a step forward, and jumped off the plane.

It's like, a raven with wings outstretched.

Tonight... Merlin. Riley!

Join the hunt!