"We are currently searching for their traces…"
"Walter, show our guest out."
Integra grabbed the cane resting on the table and rose, immediately leaving the reception room. Were it not for the name S.H.I.E.L.D., she wouldn't have bothered to receive the agent in the guest room at all.
The butler, Walter, who stood behind Integra, nodded slightly, then approached Coulson and made a gesture to invite him to leave.
"We…"
"Sir, that is not gentlemanly at all. Please depart now, that way you will at least save face." Butler Walter interrupted Coulson, straightened his posture, and spoke coldly.
Hellsing had always been an organization dedicated to combat; they did not have the time to perform that sequence of data collection work. A commission from S.H.I.E.L.D. that couldn't even pinpoint the target's general area felt like a mockery to them.
"Apologies. May I ask if you could leave us your contact information?" Coulson stood up and bowed slightly.
"Of course, we never refuse to make new acquaintances." Walter walked to the door of the reception room and opened it.
"Should we encounter a monster we cannot defeat, we hope your side might lend a helping hand." Coulson stood at the doorway, speaking to Walter with a hint of helplessness.
"If we are truly the only resort." Walter bowed his head, displaying the elegance of a butler.
At this moment, Kaecilius stumbled out of the Rift, a round shield now in his other hand. This earned him a strange, heavy frown from Kanuk.
"What is the meaning of this?" Kanuk's gaze upon the round shield was anything but friendly. He had seen Kaecilius's trial through the projection, and he disliked the choice Kaecilius made to take the shield over the wooden stick lying on the ground.
"I successfully made it out. What do I need to do next?" Kaecilius failed to notice Kanuk's displeasure. He was still immersed in the excitement of having won against the Vengeful Spirit.
Kanuk was a typical offensive Barbarian. Having fought all his life using his shoulders and head, he did not want his heir to be a fellow who defended himself with a shield.
"Next? The next step is correcting your combat style." Kanuk pulled the injured Kaecilius toward the distance. Since Kaecilius hadn't yet earned the right to call himself a Barbarian, he would have to rely on the kindly Aunt Mara to heal his injuries. The intangible Ancestors couldn't conjure up a healing potion.
Meanwhile, A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics) also welcomed an uninvited guest.
Captain Belberufo, silent and accompanied by Warrant Officer Schrödinger, stood before M.O.D.O.K. Captain Belberufo—also known as Captain Werewolf. He always wore a military cap, and his lower jaw was invariably covered by his collar. He was a man of action who rarely spoke.
"Who are you people?" M.O.D.O.K.'s massive head was full of confusion. He had just settled into the position of A.I.M.'s leader and hadn't had time to enjoy the sweetness of power before these two men appeared. His head had become far too large during his experiments; it looked like his body was completely taken up by his brain.
"We are the Last Battalion. You may call me the Major. We are here to seek some support from A.I.M. Are you the current leader of A.I.M.?" Warrant Officer Schrödinger took out a small monitor from behind his back and placed it in front of M.O.D.O.K.
The face of Montana Max within the monitor was completely hidden in shadow, only a pair of glasses glinting brightly.
"The Last Battalion? What the hell is that?" M.O.D.O.K., who was just George Tarleton before his transformation, had been a mediocre technician in A.I.M. in all aspects. Naturally, he knew nothing of the connection between A.I.M. and Hydra. He was completely unaware of the Last Battalion, the remnant of the Third Reich.
The good news, however, was that he had gained psychic abilities after becoming an experimental subject. M.O.D.O.K. activated his psychic powers, attempting to find useful information in Captain Belberufo's brain.
Then came the bad news.
His left arm was instantly torn off by Captain Werewolf, so fast that M.O.D.O.K. didn't even have time to deploy his force shield. Captain Werewolf was arguably the strongest combatant in the Last Battalion and naturally would not possess any psychic control weaknesses. Aside from being unable to attack at range or fire energy blasts, Captain Werewolf was a perfect soldier.
"Agh!" M.O.D.O.K. frantically tried to press his right hand against his wound, but his massive head was an obstruction. After all, M.O.D.O.K. had no shoulders or neck in his new big-headed form. His two arms looked like they were attached to the sides of his chin. This physique made it impossible for him to reach his own wound. His right arm, struggling toward the injury, hung from his chin like a dangling sausage.
As his screams rang out, bursts of tangible psychic shockwaves spread. Captain Werewolf then placed his fingers together like a blade and held them against M.O.D.O.K.'s brow.
"I advise you not to use your powers so recklessly. The Captain might take that as a signal for attack, you see." Warrant Officer Schrödinger said with a grin, leaning forward with his hands clasped behind his back, looking like a carefree boy.
"You! Hmph!" True to his modified nature, M.O.D.O.K., aided by his super-brain, managed to control his bodily instincts, suppressing even the pain. "What do you need A.I.M. to do?" M.O.D.O.K. spoke chillingly to the monitor. A visible force field now enveloped him. He had no intention of counterattacking. He was just a guy who had recently gained power; he was fine with bullying ordinary people in A.I.M., but he'd rather be spared from actual combat.
"We need to modify transportation, and we need sun-blocking technology. This should not be difficult for you." The Major's tone was full of non-negotiable command.
Although the Last Battalion had scientists, their most capable one devoted most of his energy to researching Mina Harker's corpse; the poor female vampire had been reduced to a skull with an identification tag nailed to her forehead. Their own transportation, while a form of dark technology, was nothing to brag about in modern warfare.
"You trust me?" M.O.D.O.K. grinned widely, one of his teeth alone being the size of a normal person's head.
"We only need the finished product. You shouldn't have the guts to refuse our demands." As Montana Max finished speaking, a squad of soldiers carrying antique firearms emerged from the shadows. Since Captain Werewolf was leading the team this time, no other officers came along. After all, what Captain Werewolf couldn't accomplish, those officers certainly couldn't.
It was merely a matter of retrieving some finished products; there was no need to commit their entire force. Their goal wasn't to occupy A.I.M., but simply to initiate a brutal war and ensure the total annihilation of the ghosts of the Third Reich.
The target had been chosen. Now, they just waited for the curtain to rise!
(End of Chapter)
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