Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1289 A Girl's Thoughts (First Update)

The closer they got to the military base, the more tense the atmosphere became on the Eliminator fighter jets.

Although the aircraft's armor and firepower could continue operating after being attacked by anti-aircraft missiles and effectively eliminate the military base, the real factor affecting the mission's success or failure was whether they could land on the tarmac. The Obliterator fighter's forward-swept wings and ablative armor gave it a completely different appearance from American aircraft. Hydra's armed forces were all elite combat personnel, and they would not lower their guard against an aircraft with obvious abnormalities.

It wasn't until Amon relayed the code to the base command center as provided by Stephanie Malik that the base's anti-aircraft fire released its lock on the Eliminator fighter jet. Seemingly noticing Amon's curiosity about the disappearance of the lock-on alarm in the cockpit, Stephanie Malik patiently explained, "That's the power of authority. Hydra is a product of power, following a logic of absolute power from top to bottom. The code I provided carries the highest authority within Hydra; even General Hale's men must obey my orders. Perhaps he didn't tell you, but in this country, people don't see the world divided by ideology, but by democracy versus authoritarianism—the former righteous, the latter evil. You can imagine how naive the people of this country are. Without a democratic environment, Hydra couldn't exist and thrive."

Amon shrugged noncommittally.

Inside the cramped cabin, he donned a cloak to conceal his golden armor and helmet hanging at his waist, then stood with Stephanie Malik at the exit. The Malik family pilot skillfully landed the Eliminator fighter on the tarmac. The hydraulic ramp slowly lowered, and Stephanie Malik strode out, seemingly unconcerned about any potential ambush. It was as if she were dressed in a business suit and genuinely attending a business negotiation or a congressional vote—serious but not overly so.

Amon remained vigilant, flexing his fingers as he gripped the Guard Spear, his eyes fixed on several rapidly approaching lights. Those were the headlights of Humvees; judging from the engine sounds, these Humvees were heavily armored, and even in backlight, his modified eyes could clearly see the M2 heavy machine guns mounted on their roofs. These support vehicles surrounded the helipad from a distance. Stephanie Malik raised her hand to shield her eyes from the glare, raising her voice in displeasure, "Who's in charge here? I want to talk to him!"

"It's me, ma'am, I'm Major Akhan."

A man in a U.S. Air Force uniform walked up to the Humvee, deliberately keeping his distance from the unusually tall guards. The officer waved his hand, ordering the Humvee behind him to turn off most of its high beams. Giving an unidentified but undoubtedly high-ranking guest a hard time could be excused as military discipline once, but continuing would be deliberately causing trouble. Regardless of military skill, anyone in his position needed a certain level of political acumen to reach the complex power structure of the Pentagon. "Please excuse my actions, this is a military base. Although we have received landing clearance from the Pentagon, we still need your identification information."

The major remained highly vigilant as he spoke. He didn't know who the people who had come were, whether they knew the truth about this small military base, or whether this was just a routine visit or a prestigious training trip for some general's child. "Please show me your identification and orders, otherwise I will have no choice but to forcibly remove you."

As he said this, the major was ready to draw his pistol from his waist.

If the truth about this place were to become known to outsiders, they would have to immediately kill everyone to cover their tracks and then contact General Hale to use the organization's resources to erase all flight records of this strange aircraft. He knew the organization was capable of doing so, but he didn't understand where the information had leaked from, how many people had tracked it down, and that an intrusion had occurred here over a year ago, with the base's only cadet mysteriously disappearing. Although the cadet was later found, General Hale was furious about the disappearance, and all the soldiers at the base received disciplinary action from both the Pentagon and the organization.

“You don’t have permission to know my name, Major Akhan. That code proves I have access to highly classified facilities.” Stephanie blinked hard to ease the discomfort from the bright light. She reached out and shook hands with the increasingly tense officer, then, in a voice inaudible to others, spoke to him at close range amidst the fading engine noise of the Eliminator fighter jet, “Hail, Hydra! Next time I see General Hale, I’ll tell her about your dedication, Major Akhan.”

Colonel Akhan felt an unseen hand grip his throat tightly. Several seconds passed before he reacted, his heart skipping a beat. "Hail, Hydra!" He stood ramrod straight, giving Stephanie Malik a Nazi salute, a gesture common among radical Hydra members. The other soldiers who heard the major's voice did the same, though not with the same earnestness. "Hail, Hydra!"

"But, sir," Major Akhan had completely relaxed, though some questions remained. He pointed to the cloaked Imperial Guardsmen; the three-meter-tall giants instilled a very unnatural sense of oppression in the soldiers, many of whom unconsciously pointed their guns at the behemoth. Even the pressure from their superiors couldn't overshadow the urgency of their lives being threatened. "That man..."

"That's our product, top secret." Stephanie Malik skillfully found an excuse. "We're here to talk to the only cadet here. Hydra has a mission for her. It's a mission from the top, and no one can refuse... No buts, Major. Loyalty isn't absolute; it's absolute disloyalty. Obedience is rewarded."

"I understand. Let me take you to the training center." Major Akhan nodded, his doubts gone. He knew this woman was definitely from the upper echelons of Hydra; his current position prevented him from accessing such classified information. "As for that product, he can sit in the truck bed, and our soldiers can walk back."

"Very good, time waits for no one."

The girl closed her eyes tightly, wrapping herself snugly in the blanket. Her breathing grew heavier and heavier. In the completely dark room, she could only hear her own heartbeat pounding in her ears. Although the room was extremely cold, she still felt incredibly hot. Tiny beads of sweat seeped from her forehead, nose, back, armpits, neck, and thighs, and the air she exhaled seemed to be scalding hot steam heated by her body heat.

Only when her body gave her a warning did she exhale a long breath of warm air, then slowly inhale, letting her weary body slump onto the bed. The almost white strands of her golden hair, clinging to her skin with sweat, made her neck itch, but she had no mind to brush them away. Instead, she smiled, savoring the sweet moment just moments before. Only when the warmth of the sheets and her damp fingers turned cold, and the warm glow in her eyes faded, did she realize it was all just a dream, a fantasy. She was still imprisoned in this seemingly comfortable cell, trapped in the soft mattress, and the overwhelming sense of loss and the cold air of reality embraced her once more.

Ruby only opened her eyes wearily when the doorbell next to the heavy explosion-proof door rang.

"You shouldn't have come at this time." She couldn't see who was standing in the suddenly switched-on light, but few people were allowed into this room; even the soldiers guarding her outside weren't authorized to enter the training facility. Except for her mother. "Are you here to check my grades, Mom?"

Stephanie sniffed the air, inhaling the scent of hormones, a smirk playing on her lips. "No." The stranger's voice evoked Ruby's strongest reaction. Stephanie Malik watched the girl suddenly jump out of bed, then pointed to the guards beside her, making the room feel cramped. "Your master has something to say to you."

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(End of this chapter)