Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1033, Section 1029: Nigeria - An Old Friend (First Update)

While the Avengers were divided, they certainly had no idea what Salomon, one of the instigators, was doing. To an unsuspecting observer, he would appear to be plotting some conspiracy, but the truth was quite the opposite: he was peeling grapes for a child. Grapes, in theology, symbolize blessings and joy, and Salomon had specifically chosen some grapes for the adopted girl to eat, preparing for her name. Miriam, Marika, Mary, and Miqeulla were all variations of her real name, chosen based on the destiny Salomon wished to bestow upon the girl, combined with her characteristics, and carrying etymological meanings. Although Salomon didn't place much importance on the meaning of names, on a spiritual level, a name can, to some extent, define a person and guide them in a certain direction.

For example, Stephanie's father, Gideon Malik, derives his name from a legendary Israelite leader in the Old Testament, famous for leading 300 warriors to defeat the Midianite army. God instructed Gideon to lie in ambush near the Midianite camp at night, and upon hearing of the army's demoralization, Gideon led his troops in a surprise attack, achieving victory. Now, Gideon Malik's most important task is, as instructed by Salomon, to report all decisions and regulations of the White House and even NATO to the Immortal City, seeking opportunities to attack the enemy. Before this, he infiltrated the US government as a Hydra agent, deeply binding Hydra to the US through secret societies and universities, through the military-industrial complex and Wall Street. From this perspective, his actions are entirely consistent with the meaning implied in his name.

Many administrators in the Immortal City address him as Sir, because his work and responsibilities are of utmost importance and significance.

This girl, whose parents both had dark hair, unusually possessed blonde hair and had an extreme fondness for jasmine, which made it difficult for Salomon and Bayonetta to choose a name for her. However, this didn't mean Salomon and Bayonetta couldn't call her. Rather than communicating verbally, the girl preferred telepathy; a specific image could express her presence, and she could be accurately called through telepathy. After Salomon and Bayonetta finished their morning exercise, they even let the child step on their shoes and clumsily dance on the marble floor of the living room, fulfilling her desire to imitate the elegant manners of a witch.

Compared to dancing, little Lorna preferred shooting or the Gundams in his cabinet. To prevent her from pointing at his collection, Salomon demonstrated how the bomb gun fired .0.75mm rounds. The caliber and length of the bombs far exceeded those of 12.7mm machine gun bullets, and each shot released propellant gas from the muzzle like a violent storm, hitting the faces of the onlookers. The large ammunition capacity also made the gunshot noise difficult to control, and the sound of them shooting at steel plates was extremely piercing. The explosions of the bullets even prompted Jeanne, who was strolling in the garden, to rush to the manor's shooting range and fire several shots at them with her magic pistol.

The only abnormal thing about this family is that they always have some entertainment activities that could kill an ordinary person.

"Are you leaving again?" Little Lorna suddenly asked after lunch.

Salomon paused for a moment, then nodded. He had just received a phone call, which immediately drew attention.

Little Lorna is actually very intelligent; otherwise, she wouldn't have been the focus of Athena's training. Although she doesn't know the specific details, she can deduce a conclusion that's very close to the truth based on some clues. For example, she smelled the propellant gas from the bomb on Salomon today, even before she was taken to the firing range. Besides that, there's the bloodstained parchment in the study, a large number of official documents from the Immortal City, and the dust on the bomb gun—all of these indicate that he didn't get home on time last night because he was involved in a battle, and that the person speaking on television was actually him.

"Go home early tonight."

"Um."

"My lord, Operation Rumlow has failed." Diana Lister pressed her chest, trying to concentrate so that she wouldn't stammer out due to nervousness while using the encrypted communication channel. This was her first time speaking directly with Salomon, and she was extremely nervous, especially since Salomon had abruptly hung up on her not long ago, making her wonder if she had done something wrong. "Ms. Stephanie is busy with matters in Latveria, so I'm the one reporting this. We left no evidence of any connection with the Immortal City, and Rumlow doesn't know the true purpose of the mission or who hired him, but Director Victoria Hand believes that the Immortal City should immediately terminate all employment relationships with the radical Hydra. Should we invite Director Victoria Hand to join the conference call?"

"Invite me, and tell me why I failed." Salomon boarded the assault transport ship accompanied by the Sisterhood. This time, the Sisterhood also transported a weapon and a piece of equipment associated with the powered armor reconnaissance system onto the assault transport ship. However, he wasn't wearing the powered armor; instead, he was dressed in a suit. The armor was currently undergoing routine maintenance, and he could summon it at any time if needed. "Rumlow accepted so much funding and equipment; he had always satisfied us before this."

"Avengers, my lord." As the assault transport ship started its vertical engines and slowly took off, Victoria Hand joined the call. "Rumlow led the Avengers to a clue. I never expected that after the Avengers had a falling out, Steve Rogers would still be able to lead a team on one last mission."

"So, what is our goal?"

"Without samples, we can't prove that the sudden and rapidly evolving Ebola virus in Nigeria is related to that US military infectious disease research institute. Having only written evidence won't be enough for Latvia to win over African allies. We need Nigeria's oil and gas resources, my lord; without Nigeria, we can't establish a presence on the African continent."

"Mission Details"

“You can watch the television; the locals filmed the Avengers fighting Rumlow.” Victoria Hand sighed. “I’m sorry, my lord. To completely sever ties, we had to withdraw the Immortal City’s agents from the vicinity of Radical Hydra, which caused the intelligence delay. The intelligence department will later retrieve satellite imagery of the area for more complete information. We cannot have any contact with Radical Hydra, not even as employees. If these records are discovered, then Latveria will be unable to stand on the side of justice no matter what.”

One of the combat sisters handed Salomon a data panel.

While it may seem bizarre, the reason Rumlow and the Hydra agents, now displaced after Alexander Pierce's death, were not arrested by the US government was because the Immortal City was providing them with refuge—not just refuge, but also equipment, funding, and intelligence. In fact, Salomon wasn't sure if the technical support should even be called "technology," as the Immortal City considered it nothing more than scrap equipment. Although Victoria Hand was initially pleased to assign her former enemies to extremely difficult, potentially fatal missions, with the establishment of Latveria, she now considered the radical Hydra agents to be a liability that had to be discarded. This mission to find the source of the Nigerian Ebola virus was supposed to be Rumlow's last mission, but they leaked the information, allowing Steve Rogers' Avengers (including Sam Falcon, Pietro Maximov Quicksilver, and Natasha Romanoff) to catch them in the act.

Victoria Hand believes Steve Rogers may have been trying to prove that UN assignments only create delays, and those delays can be fatal. However, the reality is that even without assignments, their actions were disastrous, drawing criticism even from local television stations. Regardless of their intentions, causing bombs to explode in densely populated areas and resulting in numerous casualties is undeniably a terrible act.

"But the good thing is, Rumlow managed to get the message out before he died," Victoria Hand said. "That scumbag finally did one good thing in his life."

"Execute the cut," Salomon said to Victoria Hand. "From now on, you can decide these little things yourself. I'm giving you that power so you can use it. I'm not Nick Fury, and you should be used to it by now."

“I don’t think there’s anything we need to hide from each other.” Victoria Hand stood in the intelligence analysis room, adjusting her glasses. An intelligence analyst glanced around and immediately noticed Victoria Hand staring at him with a fierce look. “However, compared to what you’re about to do, Rumlow is indeed insignificant. Shall I send the route of the US Sixth Fleet to your data terminal now?” Agent Hand casually returned to her office. “By the way, I don’t support this operation. We don’t need to pay attention to the navy. The military power of the Immortal City is a dimensional reduction attack for the planetary navy.”

The assault transport gradually tilted, then shook violently before accelerating. Despite the thick composite armor plates and alloy cabin walls all around, Salomon could still tell that the assault transport was now in contact with the stratosphere. "Don't forget how I acquired you and your carrier fleet, Agent Hand," Salomon said with a laugh. "Compared to our upcoming military operations, the planetary navy is a bargain. Give Stephanie a break; she's going crazy."

"What does this have to do with you going to MIT?" Agent Hand said. "In three days, the United Nations will be holding a meeting in Vienna. King T'Chaka of Wakanda will hold the Avengers accountable for the deaths of the Wakandas in Lagos, Nigeria. I think that's when you'll truly shine on the international stage."

"I'm just going to see some old friends. Don't worry, no one will know I'm here."

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)