You Will Regret It!
Just as Natasha was about to retreat, she spotted another Sentinel robot charging toward her from the rear intersection.
Her expression hardened instantly.
"Ms. Romanoff, you are obstructing the operations of the Sentinel Services Division. We now have the authority to place you under arrest!"
The voice came from the robot blocking her path ahead.
"Damn it," Natasha muttered, ignoring the warning and sprinting straight at the Sentinel behind her.
Although the Sentinels were manufactured by Trask Industries, they were directly controlled by the government's Sentinel Services Division—an agency operating on the same level of authority as S.H.I.E.L.D. Both existed under the government's special jurisdiction.
Sliding low, Natasha darted between the robot's legs. As she passed, she slapped a small disc-shaped device onto its body.
BZZZT!
Electricity surged. The Sentinel convulsed violently before collapsing to the ground with a thunderous crash.
Natasha didn't look back—she bolted for the intersection she had come from.
The three Sentinels blocking the other side of the street no longer hesitated. A needle-like dart shot from one robot's arm, trailing a thin filament back to its hand. It struck Natasha's shoulder.
Pain lanced through her body, followed by a surge of electricity. Her muscles seized, and she collapsed to the ground.
Fortunately, Annie darted out from a nearby alley. She ripped the dart free and pulled Natasha upright, dragging her to safety.
Meanwhile, the Sentinel that Annie had frozen earlier struggled to break loose. Its alloy surface glowed red-hot, melting the ice encasing it.
These Sentinels were not yet the invincible adaptive models of later generations—the kind capable of copying mutant abilities by touch. For now, each unit was built with a single fixed power.
Because Annie's abilities had been identified as ice-based, every unit Trask deployed against her was equipped with fire-based systems.
The robots that broke free immediately gave chase in the direction Annie had fled.
Minutes later, five Sentinels cornered the two women in a dead end.
Annie's face paled. "Oh no…"
By now Natasha had shaken off the paralysis. She drew her twin batons and charged the nearest machine.
Her gadgets were spent—the pulse bomb she had used earlier had been her last. She rained blows against the alloy shell, sparks flying, but her attacks barely scratched the surface.
She fell back, glanced at Annie, and sighed. "Seems my skills are useless against these things. It's on you now."
Annie shook her head, panic rising. "No… I overexerted myself. I can't use my powers again yet!"
Natasha grimaced and holstered her batons. "Then let's hope your ex-boyfriend and the Director come through before the Sentinels haul us off."
She understood perfectly why Fury had assigned her to guard Annie—it was less about protection and more about luring Xu Mo into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s fold. Annie's potential powers were a bonus.
Soldiers filed in behind the Sentinels, led by a stern-looking middle-aged man.
"Ms. Annie," he said coldly, "please come with us."
He didn't spare Natasha a glance. To him, she was irrelevant—S.H.I.E.L.D. would just reclaim her anyway. Annie was the real prize.
"Of course," Annie replied evenly. "But I'd like to know what crime I've supposedly committed. Do you have a warrant for my arrest?"
She knew perfectly well they didn't. She was only stalling.
The man smirked. "That's irrelevant. What matters is that you are… very valuable to our research."
He gestured sharply. Soldiers produced a mutant power-suppression collar and stepped forward to seize Annie.
"Wait." Natasha stepped between them.
The man's patience thinned. "Ms. Romanoff, you've interfered enough. Out of respect for your Director, we've overlooked it—but don't push your luck."
Natasha smirked coolly. "Just a friendly reminder: Annie's boyfriend isn't exactly ordinary. If you cross him, you're the ones who'll regret it."
After the incident with Magneto, S.H.I.E.L.D. had traced his whereabouts. Through cell tracking and surveillance, they learned Xu Mo had ties to the infamous Island of Death. Given Magneto's disappearance and Xu Mo's involvement, Fury concluded that Xu Mo had subdued him.
From that moment, Fury's assessment of Xu Mo rose drastically—he was now on the short list of individuals not to provoke under any circumstances.
The man sneered. "Regret? I doubt anyone alive can make the Sentinel Services regret their actions."
"Is that so?"
A shimmer of energy appeared in front of him—a portal opening slowly. Xu Mo stepped through, calm and cold.
Natasha exhaled in relief, her eyes flicking to the closing portal. "I was starting to think you'd abandoned your girlfriend."
Annie didn't hesitate. She ran straight into Xu Mo's arms.
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