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Chapter 191: Response (2)
🕑 Added 2025-01-27 16:07:52 +0000 UTC"Everything is arranged. Madam and the young master and miss are safe. Francesca is taking care of them," Jiaying answered Josh's question.
After Josh and Vito teleported out of the council meeting, they immediately contacted Jiaying and Ophelia.
Jiaying was tasked with relocating Margaret and the children—since Calvin dared to break the council’s rules and make a move there, it couldn’t be ruled out that he would resort to kidnapping.
As for Ophelia, her role was to prepare for retaliation.
Since Calvin had openly burned bridges, Josh wasn't going to hold back.
"That bastard is dead. Even Mephisto won't be able to save him! Mark my words!" Josh said angrily.
But this wasn't just Josh's fight.
"Have you contacted Hugh?" Josh asked Vito.
"Yes, I reached him. Mr. Jones is safe and is already assembling his Scarlet Guard. He's waiting for your signal to move against Calvin. However, he mentioned that the biggest challenge for both sides will be dealing with the man who controls Zero Matter. We know almost nothing about Zero Matter," Vito replied.
"Scarlet Guard? Why not call them the Scarlet Crusaders? What an ominous name!" Josh couldn't help but complain after hearing Vito's words.
Vito was confused by Josh's reaction. He found the name imposing, not unlucky.
But Josh only made a passing comment before quickly changing the subject to Zero Matter.
"To say that we don't understand Zero Matter at all is not entirely true," Josh remarked, his expression becoming strange. His memory was still sharp, and he remembered flipping through a report on Zero Matter when the Council assigned research responsibilities.
While the Council had acquired the rights to study Zero Matter through its channels, the War Department had retained a portion of it.
Coincidentally, after the CIA had been created, Josh had come across a research request from the Army Department submitted to the President's office. The applicant? Stark Industries.
With that thought, Josh struggled to his feet. Seeing this, Jiaying immediately stepped forward to help him.
With her help, Josh made his way to the phone and dialed a number.
"This is Stark Industries. Please state your name and purpose," a sweet female voice answered.
"This is Josh Kahn, Directorate of Administration for the Central Intelligence Agency under the White House. I need to speak with Mr. Howard Stark about a matter of the utmost importance," Josh introduced himself, deliberately emphasizing the connection to the White House.
The CIA, less than a year old, was not yet the globally recognized powerhouse it would become in later years.
Adding the authority of the White House made things much easier. And since the CIA reported directly to the president, there was no problem.
"Uh... I'm sorry, Director Kahn, but I'm afraid I can't connect you with Mr. Stark. He is supposed to be at the experimental facility in Santa Barbara County, California. However, I can connect you with his butler, Mr. Jarvis," the operator replied after a brief hesitation.
"Of course, but please make it quick," Josh said, not interested in making things difficult for a low-level operator.
After all, his revenge on Calvin was not so urgent that it couldn't wait.
Despite Calvin Chadwick's bold move to seize the Council by force, his immediate actions were limited.
At most, he could use the council's resources to hunt down Josh and Hugh Jones.
As for using similar tactics to seize the White House, the presidency, and ultimately the country? That was pure fantasy.
Josh has had plenty of time to prepare for Calvin.
And right now, dealing with Calvin seemed to depend on Howard Stark.
Since Stark Industries had applied to study Zero Matter, Howard must have gained some understanding of it.
As for whether Howard would get involved, Josh wasn't the least bit worried.
While Josh was trying to get Howard Stark involved in dealing with Calvin Chadwick, a crisis unfolded at the central building of the vibranium mine in Wakanda.
Peggy Carter, after rescuing her brother, two Zodiac agents, and the burden that was Fritz Klaue, headed for the floors that housed the lab and archives.
But when she arrived, Peggy was shocked by what she saw.
Andrew, one of the Super Soldiers, had twisted the neck of another Super Soldier, Luke, with the help of a man who looked suspiciously like Bucky.
"No... Andrew, why would you do that?" Peggy shouted in anger, her eyes wide with rage at the sight of Luke's lifeless body.
Though their time together had been brief, the three super-soldiers had forged a bond through shared life-and-death experiences, and Peggy had come to view them as comrades.
Now one of them had teamed up with an outsider to kill the other. How could Peggy not be angry?
"Oh, Captain Carter, you came at a bad time. But since you're here, I'm afraid you'll have to join Luke in death. And your friends too, of course," Andrew sneered as he turned his attention to Peggy and her group, his expression twisted and menacing.
"Not if I kill you first!" Peggy roared, her anger driving her forward with her sword raised.
But before she could strike, a Wakandan spear intercepted her.
The one wielding the spear was none other than the man who looked like Bucky.
No, not just looked like—he was Bucky.
Even with the mask covering his face, Peggy recognized her former partner from the Strategic Scientific Reserve. His lack of long hair made him even more recognizable.
"Bucky? Why?" Peggy asked, her voice full of disbelief.
But Bucky didn't answer. Instead, he launched a deadly attack on her.
Overwhelmed by her emotions, Peggy barely managed to block his blows with her sword and shield.
"Oh, so he's an old friend of yours, Captain Carter? Well, he's not Bucky anymore. He goes by another name now—the Winter Soldier. And by the way, he's just like us—a super-soldier," Andrew said mockingly, enjoying Peggy's struggle as he turned his attention to Michael Carter and the three others, who were momentarily frozen in shock.
