Just like his usual school routine, when Hawk, who never ate at the New York University cafeteria for lunch, went to Empire University next door to find his fiancée, he heard the latest and most explosive news from her.
"Mary's new boyfriend is Flash?"
"Mm."
"Hiss!"
Hawk gasped, looking at Gwen, who also seemed quite shocked by the news, and asked curiously, "What is Mary thinking? Is she getting revenge on Peter?"
Flash.
That is, Flash Thompson, a classmate from the same grade.
Although Thompson's grades weren't great, he had his own advantages.
As the one who helped Midtown High School win the runner-up title in the National High School League, Thompson smoothly received an invitation from Empire University to be the co-Captain of their橄榄球队 and fight for the university's honor.
It's just...
Besides this identity, Thompson had another one.
School bully.
Although Thompson stopped bullying Peter after Peter's Uncle Ben passed away, that was mainly because he couldn't bully Peter, who had already become Spider-Woman, anymore. But ultimately, Thompson had bullied Peter before.
And now Mary and Thompson were together.
This...
"Does Peter know?"
"How would I know?"
Gwen replied, "I only found out this morning. I'm just as shocked as you are, okay?"
Hawk clicked his tongue twice upon hearing that.
Gwen looked troubled, "After Peter comes back, he won't do anything drastic, will he?"
Hawk snapped back to reality, "No, he definitely won't."
Gwen looked at Hawk curiously.
"Are you sure?"
"Mm."
Hawk nodded, smiling, "At most, he'll just go dark. To others, this is a big deal, but to Peter, it's a small matter."
After all, the darkest Peter would get is demanding a raise from the Daily Bugle boss and buying himself a discounted suit.
Other than that, there didn't seem to be anything else.
No, wait.
He also wondered if Venom had arrived on Earth yet.
Hawk thought to himself.
Mary getting a new boyfriend, and that new boyfriend being Flash, the bully who used to torment her ex-boyfriend, shocked Hawk and Gwen.
But it was only shock; nothing more.
The two didn't delve deeper into the matter.
Hawk left after having lunch with Gwen.
He had promised someone to treat her to afternoon tea.
Sharon was back.
But Sharon didn't return from vacation in Texas; she came back from Wakanda in Africa.
In an afternoon tea shop not far from New York University.
Hawk took the view-only tablet Sharon handed him while listening to her story, and asked curiously, "Weren't you on vacation in Texas? How did you end up in Wakanda?"
This was why he hadn't rushed Sharon.
Sharon had already promised to call him when she returned to New York, and it was impolite to disturb someone on vacation.
Sharon took a sip of the coffee she didn't have to pay for and, hearing his question, couldn't help but complain, "The day after you called me, my vacation was emergency-ended, and I was transferred to Wakanda. Not just me, but basically all S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents above Level 5 went there."
Hawk looked at Sharon when he heard that.
"Above Level 5?"
"Mm."
"Something happened?"
"T'Chaka died, and the New King T'Challa launched a rebellion. The peacekeeping personnel stationed at the palace by the joint forces were killed, and they also attacked the Vibranium mining workers. The joint forces suffered heavy losses."
"...Wait."
Hadn't the Wakanda situation already ended?
Why was there a sequel?
Hawk listened to Sharon's account, feeling a bit confused. "Didn't T'Chaka die a long time ago?"
Sharon shook her head, "No, he just died a while ago. Before that, he was in a coma. While T'Chaka was still in a coma, the Golden Tribe had already accepted the agreement. Who would have thought that this New King T'Challa would directly tear up the agreement after taking power?"
Hawk's expression showed sudden realization.
"Then what?"
"The rebellion happened on the night of the thirty-first. The Security Council didn't expect the Golden Tribe to have hidden some Vibranium technology and weapons. By the time the Security Council received the news, the joint forces had already been driven out of the capital, and some soldiers were captured by Wakanda."
"The Security Council was furious."
"So."
"A call came to my vacation hotel, and then I scurried off to Wakanda."
"..."
Hawk was silent.
He understood every word Sharon said, but why, when he heard them together, did he have such a strange feeling?
What did it mean that the joint forces were driven out of the capital?
What did it mean that some soldiers were captured by Wakanda?
Good heavens.
If he remembered correctly, when he talked to Hill, the joint forces seemed to have a crushing victory.
But how long had it been since then?
No, wait.
It seemed like half a year had passed.
Hawk recalled his last conversation with Hill was in the first half of last year. He steadied himself and continued listening to Sharon's account.
Initially, the joint forces were able to maintain an overwhelming presence and dominate Wakanda for two reasons.
Wakanda had just been disrupted by Hawk and Hell Hulk, with Hell Hulk's rampage turning Wakanda's rivers blood red.
Hawk also severely injured the Old King T'Chaka with a kick and even helped S.H.I.E.L.D. break the Vibranium shield.
Plus, the Old King T'Chaka was willing to trust the Security Council, so he ordered the Golden Tribe to comply with his negotiations with the Security Council.
But that was half a year ago.
Because the Old King was still alive at the time, and his attitude was very cooperative, and since half a year had passed, the Security Council believed that Wakanda no longer needed so many people.
So, during last Christmas, even Agents like Natasha, who were involved in the mountain encirclement, got a chance for vacation and left Africa.
Even the joint forces stationed there maintained a size of less than five hundred people, mainly to protect the workers during mining.
Who would have thought that the situation would change once the Old King died?
The New King T'Challa, who had consumed the Heart-Shaped Herb and gained the power of the Panther God, became the new King and Guardian of Wakanda. As soon as he ascended, he tore up the already signed agreement and then, leading a force of thousands of Wakandan women from who knows where, brazenly attacked the joint forces' Base in the capital.
Even a battleship anchored in the waters near Wakanda was sunk.
After that...
There was no after that.
The capital's Vibranium defense shield was reactivated. Seeing this, other tribes emerged from the deep mountains and forests, and under the cover of night, recaptured their lost land.
"Then what happened?"
"More troops, of course. Fortunately, there was an air force Base stationed nearby. By the time we got there, the Golden Tribe sent an envoy saying they wanted to negotiate."
"And then?"
"Negotiate."
"The result..."
"I don't know, they're still negotiating."
Sharon was also a bit speechless at this point. "I heard that Security Council member Alexander Pierce advocates for a strong offensive, but the Paris and London Security Council members disagree. After all, if this matter escalates and gets out, it would reflect poorly on them."
Hawk was a bit curious.
"The other two..."
"Abstained."
"...As expected."
Hawk heard the answer and thought about it. It perfectly matched the usual character of the other two; initially, these two Security Council members had also abstained.
Sharon seemed to remember something, pulled out her phone, and showed Hawk a video.
"Look at this."
"What is this?"
In the video, soldiers in shorts, and some even naked, lined up and jumped off the deck in unison.
"This is the battleship's deck surveillance. On the night of the rebellion, these soldiers on the battleship seemed to be under some spell and jumped into the water one by one, so they couldn't provide timely support."
"Really?"
Hawk was surprised to hear that, looked at the surveillance footage again, and then turned to Sharon, "Do you know the reason?"
Sharon shrugged, "Still investigating, and we don't know yet whether we'll fight or negotiate later. That's why I could come back from Africa. God, you don't know how hot that damn place is. I feel like I've gotten tanned."
Hawk smiled, looked Sharon up and down, and then nodded.
"You have indeed gotten tanned."
"God, I don't want to live anymore."
After receiving Hawk's confirmation, Sharon lay on the table with a look of despair.
After a while.
Sharon looked up, skipping the topic of Wakanda. "By the way, what are you looking for cloning technology for?"
Hawk was still looking at the S.H.I.E.L.D. data on cloning experiments on the tablet, not looking up. "To resurrect my sister."
Sharon said "Oh," nodded, and held her coffee cup, no longer speaking, silently drinking the coffee in her hand.
Hawk had also quickly finished reading the information on the tablet in his hand and handed the tablet back to Sharon.
"Why is it all about cloning organs? Isn't there any research on cloning humans?"
"Hawk, we are S.H.I.E.L.D. under the management of the Security Council, after all. Our funds are allocated by the Security Council. Cloning organ experiments are already something the Security Council turns a blind eye to. Cloning humans would require higher authorization."
"Alright."
"However..."
Sharon paused here and said to Hawk, "A few years ago, we did catch a guy who was conducting cloning experiments. I think his name was Merrick or something. He's being held in the Black Prison. I can help you get in touch and see if you can meet him."
Hawk's eyes lit up, and he looked at Sharon.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. Just buy me another cup of afternoon tea then."
"No problem."
Hawk smiled, looking at Sharon as she picked up her coffee cup. He also picked up his own coffee cup and clinked it with Sharon's, signifying his agreement.
Just then.
His expression suddenly changed.
The next second.
Under Sharon's gaze, Hawk, who was sitting opposite her, instantly vanished from his spot!
On my Patreon, I have several advance chapters available if you're interested in more than 100: For $1, you get 20 fewer chapters than the $2.50 tier. For $2.50, you get 40 fewer chapters than the $4 tier. And for $4, you get them all.
The number of chapters is updated every 7 days and increases by 7 to 8 chapters.
My Patren: paroncom/FanTranslator