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Chapter 83: Are You Also Hydra?
🕑 Added 2024-12-11 13:54:59 +0000 UTCAfter a thorough search, the two maids quickly found various items on Ophelia, including a handgun, a concealed pistol, a dagger, sharp hairpins, thin wires, and a strange variety of other tools.
“WTF, what are all these?” Vito’s face turned green at the sight of so many items. If this woman had approached Josh unguarded, he couldn’t even imagine the possible consequences.
Ophelia’s expression also darkened significantly. She now regretted her decision to confront Josh directly.
If only she had been a bit more patient and waited for Josh to leave the estate one day, she could have found a thousand ways to get close to him. Not that she had any malicious intent—she had genuinely come to negotiate. However, if Josh had turned out to be as mentally weak as Lyndon, she wouldn’t have hesitated to use her psychic abilities to manipulate him.
But regardless of the outcome, she wouldn't have been in the utterly helpless situation she was in now.
It was overconfidence that led to her current predicament. After graduating from the Hydra Academy and successfully completing countless missions, she had become over-confident.
“All right, the boss has been waiting for a while. Let’s go!” After ensuring that Ophelia no longer had any metal or sharp objects on her—down to her earrings—the maids opened the estate gates. Vito stepped aside, gesturing for Ophelia to proceed.
A few minutes later, under escort, Ophelia entered the estate’s reception hall, where Josh, wearing a helmet, was already waiting for her behind a long table. Vito and another guard stood between them, with the door right behind Josh.
"Ophelia Sarkissian?" Josh asked, his sharp eyes fixed on her across the distance.
"That's me. Pleasure to meet you. I didn't expect the famous Josh Kahn, who has been dominating the London for the past two months, to be such a cautious man!" Ophelia said, her tone full of sarcasm.
“No choice. When dealing with dangerous individuals like yourself, who possess special abilities, one can never be too careful—especially when there’s clear malice involved,” Josh replied without taking offense to her taunt. Compared to his own safety, saving face was the least of his concerns. After all, he had worked hard to build his wealth and influence—he wasn’t about to let someone ruin it and take advantage of him.
“Mr. Kahn, I harbor no malice toward you. I’ve come here with genuine intent to discuss the future destiny of our homeland. As for what happened with Mr. Schneider, that was indeed my mistake. I only wanted to learn more about you,” Ophelia admitted with a sigh.
“Enough with the small talk. If you’ve come with sincere intentions, tell me who you work for,” Josh said, his sharp gaze locked on her.
“I serve an ancient organization with a history that dates back over a thousand years…” Ophelia hesitated for a few seconds before responding cautiously, noting Josh’s serious demeanor.
“Stop, stop, stop! Just tell me the name of your organization, would you?” Josh interrupted impatiently.
“It’s not that I’m unwilling, Mr. Kahn. It’s just that saying the name outright could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings,” Ophelia replied, frowning slightly. The name had become synonymous with infamy, and she feared that blurting it out might leave her without a chance to explain herself.
“Heh, then let me say it for you. Hail Hydra, right?” Josh sneered, shouting the infamous Hydra motto with surprising fluency.
Ophelia was stunned, as were Vito and the others. They exchanged glances, momentarily dumbfounded.
Why did their boss sound so natural shouting Hydra’s slogan? Could he...?
"Are you with the Council?" Ophelia asked, narrowing her eyes. To her, the only plausible explanation for Josh's knowledge was that he belonged to the group that had split off from her Hydra faction years ago.
“No, no, no! Don’t lump me in with you or them. I’m a legitimate businessman with absolutely no connection to Hydra. I just happen to know a bit about your organization,” Josh replied, wagging his finger dismissively.
“That’s impossible! Outsiders can’t know this much about us,” Ophelia countered, clearly not believing him.
Their skepticism was understandable. Though Red Skull's faction of Hydra was more open and ruthless, the true Hydra, led by the Council remained a shadowy organization, its secrecy the key to its survival.
“So confident, aren’t you? Humanity’s history spans hundreds of thousands of years, with recorded civilizations existing for millennia. Why would a mere thousand-year-old organization like Hydra assume it’s the only one of its kind?” Josh retorted, his tone dripping with disdain.
The disdain was partly an act, but his statement wasn’t entirely untrue. If this was indeed the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hydra was far from unique. Organizations like Kamar-Taj, the Ten Rings, and Wakanda all predated Hydra by centuries and were significantly more powerful.
They simply had no interest in engaging with the likes of Hydra.
Josh's words struck a nerve with Ophelia. His knowledge of the workings of her organization and his access to technology capable of detecting psychic manipulation, coupled with his mysterious background, made her believe he wasn't bluffing.
"So, Mr. Kahn, are you saying that you belong to another ancient organization?" Ophelia asked cautiously.
"Ms. Sarkissian, I think you've forgotten your current position. I'm the one asking the questions here, not you," Josh replied with a slight smile. "Now tell me why your faction has approached me. Surely you're not here to speak up for Schmidt?"
