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Ch. 19 S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Attention
🕑 Added 2023-08-27 06:45:36 +0000 UTCIf it was just an ordinary assassin organization being wiped out, S.H.I.E.L.D wouldn't have taken any interest.
So what if a few dozen assassins died?
Nothing major!
In peaceful America, gunshots ring out every day!
That slogan wasn't just empty words.
The issue, however, was that the Brotherhood of Assassins wasn't just an ordinary organization.
While their Bullet Curving technique might not be an extraordinary ability, for S.H.I.E.L.D, any entity with superhuman abilities was a subject of keen interest.
Moreover, when that entity consisted of a group of assassins, it became even more significant.
S.H.I.E.L.D had noticed the Brotherhood of Assassins a long time ago. They had contemplated eradicating the unstable factor that the Brotherhood represented. However, after careful assessment, they ultimately refrained from intervening.
Killing was indeed a bad thing, but New York was teeming with assassins. Setting aside jurisdiction issues, even if S.H.I.E.L.D did decide to interfere, they couldn't handle them all.
Assassin organizations were akin to gangs—they eliminate one, and another one springs up. As long as the demand for contract killing existed, the profession of an assassin wouldn't disappear.
It's worth noting that assassins and prostitutes were the two oldest professions in the world. No era could completely erase these two professions because they didn't just represent careers; they also represented certain human desires.
As long as desires existed, assassins and prostitutes would persist.
Though the Brotherhood's Bullet Curving technique was on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar, this ability that could be acquired through learning wasn't extensively promoted by the Brotherhood.
After careful evaluation, S.H.I.E.L.D. had decided to observe but not intervene in the Brotherhood's activities.
From an official perspective, the New York Police Department was responsible for handling this case. If SHIELD got involved, it would be a clear act of overstepping their authority. However, not intervening would also seem somewhat irresponsible.
The NYPD hadn't yet determined who had wiped out the Brotherhood and orchestrated this gruesome incident.
In contrast, S.H.I.E.L.D. had already identified a suspect within two hours of receiving the news—the ace assassin of the Continental Hotel, the Mad Traveler, Russell Bradley!
Similar to the Brotherhood, Russell was also a subject of interest for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New York branch. The Brotherhood was of interest due to their Bullet Curving technique, while Russell was of interest due to his superhuman constitution. In terms of priority, Russell was two levels higher than the Brotherhood.
Though the Brotherhood wasn't a good organization, it was merely an assassin group with a slightly long history that could bend bullets. Russell was different.
When S.H.I.E.L.D. first took notice of him, it was because he had gained some recognition in the assassin world, placing him on their watchlist. Initially, S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't pay much attention to him—a newcomer swiftly making a name for himself in the assassin world wasn't unusual.
Although Russell's rise to fame in the assassin world had been slightly accelerated, it was still considered normal. However, once news of his superhuman constitution spread, S.H.I.E.L.D. began to truly take notice of him.
While S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't brought him in for a thorough examination, they had confirmed his superhuman abilities through investigations.
From then on, Russell's place on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s watchlist had surpassed that of the Brotherhood.
As their investigations deepened, S.H.I.E.L.D. realized the extent of Russell's superhuman abilities. Although they lacked specific data, the collected intelligence hinted at Russell having a physically superior constitution compared to Captain America.
Captain America's physical abilities merely reached the human potential limit, unlocking all of humanity's potential. Russell was different.
Though specific data was lacking, intelligence they gathered suggested that Russell's physical abilities surpassed those of Captain America. While Captain America represented the limit of human physical potential, Russell had transcended that limit and entered a realm beyond humanity.
After confirming this, Coulson had entertained the idea of apprehending Russell. However, the arrest reports he submitted were promptly rejected multiple times. For this matter, he had even visited the Headquarters several times to discuss whether Russell should be arrested.
The results were evident—the decision was to observe, not apprehend.
Although Coulson wasn't privy to the reasoning of those high-ranking officials and experts who opposed Russell's arrest, since the headquarters had made their decision, he could only abide by it.
Under the covert observation of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New York branch, Russell progressed from his debut to becoming a notable figure in the Continental Hotel and earning the name "The Traveler."
After reviewing the report submitted yesterday and examining Russell's records for the past two years, Coulson pondered for a few seconds. He then resubmitted the report to the headquarters, suggesting that Russell be apprehended and detained.
Once this was done, Coulson picked up the phone on his desk and contacted his secretary.
"Have Agent Melinda come to my office."
After speaking, Coulson hung up the phone.
Continental Hotel.
Front desk.
After enjoying the breakfast Diana had personally prepared, Russell drove to the Continental Hotel.
"Mr. Bradley, how may I assist you today?"
In his crisp suit, Charon faced Russell.
"Have you found the whereabouts of the Punisher?"
Russell asked directly.
He didn't offer Charon any more coins.
The owed coins had already been paid yesterday.
"Not yet, sir. If you want to find out as soon as possible, you might consider opting for expedited service."
Charon said with a smile.
Under normal circumstances, two coins would be enough to purchase information about the Punisher's whereabouts.
Although Charon didn't explicitly state it, it was quite clear that the hotel's intelligence personnel had encountered some minor complications. Otherwise, Charon wouldn't have mentioned the option of expedited service.
You get what you pay for!
While the coins from the high-top table were indeed useful, they weren't omnipotent.
Occasionally, there were situations where a temporary surcharge was necessary, despite its rarity.
"How much is the expedited fee?"
Charon didn't say anything but held out four fingers.
