Dana had been waiting in the café for a long time. When she received the signal, she left a file on the table and quietly walked out.
A waiter collected the untouched meal, the tip, and the folder, taking them into the back kitchen. The folder was then discreetly handed over to the garbage collector.
The garbage truck carrying both the document and personnel drove northward, passing through Burke Avenue in East Bronx, near the "Three Little Stars" florist shop.
At that moment, the garbage collector rolled down the window.
A black Mercedes S500 was waiting beside the truck.
Root smirked, lowered her own window, and extended a handful of cash in exchange for the file.
Sliding off her sunglasses, she winked at the garbage collector—accepting this intelligence package on behalf of The Machine.
Here, in the shadows of New York's surveillance network, no camera could see her.
With The Machine's help, Burke Avenue's signal towers temporarily shut down, ensuring that no phone camera could upload footage to the internet.
Accepting Samaritan as a rival didn't mean Solomon had fully turned against The Machine.
On the contrary, it elevated The Machine's importance.
Only an AI could fight another AI.
And just like taming a wild stallion required reins, The Machine was the bridle and safety lock Solomon had placed on Samaritan.
Solomon's vast wealth?
All of it had been legally earned—through stock market manipulation orchestrated by Samaritan.
That was why Maria Hill couldn't trace his finances.
Even the IRS had no way of challenging his accounts—Solomon had hired an accounting firm to handle the books.
Everything appeared legal.
The last time Solomon confronted Samaritan, he had used The Sisterhood and a heavy tank to seize control over Brooklyn.
It had happened too recently for Hill to connect the dots.
Now, Decima Technologies—the former owners of Samaritan—were desperately trying to track Solomon down.
They wanted to know who had deployed an entire squad of high-tech soldiers and a battle tank into the city.
Ordinary people couldn't pull off an operation like that.
Every action leaves a trace.
But Solomon?
He didn't walk—he jumped.
And so, Decima's investigations stalled.
They couldn't go to Congress, either.
Why?
Because the U.S. government had given Samaritan full surveillance privileges over the entire internet.
If anyone found out that such a national security asset had been stolen, more than one senator would be destroyed.
And besides—
Congress was already in chaos.
The Hydra crisis was expanding, keeping politicians too busy to worry about Samaritan's disappearance.
Some of the very senators who had grilled Natasha Romanoff during the S.H.I.E.L.D. hearings had now been exposed as Hydra operatives.
No one wanted to be linked to a scandal.
But now—
There were other hunters lurking in the shadows.
—
(o > ε(o > u(≧∩≦)~ Congratulations on receiving this file!)
To Ms. Groves—
"Oh! A polite little sweetheart!"
Root ripped off the sticky note and opened the file.
Her eyebrows raised slightly.
Clearly, the contents had surprised her.
Then—
She let out a soft, delighted giggle, folding the document and tucking it into her handbag.
She was a hunter—
And the best hunters always appeared as prey.
With the digital blackout lifted, she started her car, smoothly driving through the Eastchester Road intersection.
She dialed a number.
"Hello, Shaw!"
Her voice was teasing.
"I know you're listening. Come find me.
We have a big operation ahead.
And you know where I am, darling."
—
Using others as pawns was never the difficult part of Solomon's strategy.
The real challenge was staying ahead of Samaritan's watchful eye.
Solomon would never fully trust Samaritan, just as he would never fully trust The Machine.
Hiding in a side alley, Dana had witnessed everything unfold.
Everything was proceeding as planned.
Solomon had even invited Natasha Romanoff to Eternal City for a vacation—
Or rather, he had given himself a vacation.
While Stephanie handled business affairs, Solomon could finally focus on his Trinity College coursework.
The new semester was approaching fast.
Yet he had only just opened the course emails from his professors.
That meant he had mere days to read and absorb dozens of books across multiple disciplines.
His Scholar's Touch spell could make him read faster—but it couldn't make him understand everything immediately.
And so, even as he rubbed sunscreen onto Romanoff's flawless back, he had a book open in the shade beside him.
—
"This doesn't match at all, Solomon."
Natasha Romanoff stretched out beneath the warm sun, completely at ease.
Solomon had erased the minor scars on her stomach, allowing her to comfortably wear the black bikini he had chosen for her.
It was employee benefits, after all.
If she taught the Sisterhood girls how to fight, she could enjoy lag-free global vacations—
Hell, she could even vacation in outer space if she wanted to.
"You're too much of a bookworm," Natasha murmured, narrowing her eyes at him.
"Don't you know?"
"When you're sunbathing with a woman, you don't read century-old books?"
"And for god's sake, don't wear a suit—it kills the mood!"
Solomon took a sip of tropical soda, perfectly unfazed.
Wearing dark sunglasses, he never once took his eyes off her flawless figure.
Their relationship was… strange.
There was an unspoken tension, a forbidden undercurrent.
After all—
Natasha had, in a way, watched him grow up.
It was the kind of dynamic that could easily earn its own category on certain questionable websites.
"This is the second time I've used this spell," Solomon mused.
"The first time was in Antarctica."
He revealed the information freely, unconcerned.
"Enjoy the sun, Natasha.
London's highest temperature right now is only thirteen degrees Celsius.
I told you to come with me to China for spicy hotpot, but you refused.
Now—are you regretting it?"
Natasha smirked.
"Why not Japanese food?
I've been craving tempura."
Solomon raised an eyebrow.
"I guarantee your food knowledge is nowhere near mine."
"I'm telling you—Japanese food doesn't even come close to spicy hotpot."
"I'll swear it on the souls of 122 Xandarian snails."
"They may be slimy and gross, but they're one of the most expensive delicacies in the universe.
So my oath carries weight."
Natasha laughed, stretching out on the lounge chair.
Her glistening skin caught the sunlight.
Her body was blessed by Priapus himself—beautiful in a way completely distinct from a witch's allure.
She toyed with Solomon's genetic instincts, guiding his organic responses.
Holding the scepter of temptation, she whispered—
"Want to come a little closer?"
Solomon chuckled, grinning shyly.
"Maybe next time."
"You're covered in sweat."
Natasha huffed.
"You shouldn't be reading books—
You should be learning how to interact with women."
"Maybe," Solomon teased, raising an eyebrow.
"But who's to say I haven't already learned?"
Natasha lowered her sunglasses, feigning shock.
"You little bastard—"
"Mm-hmm~"
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [www.p@treon.com/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]