Late at night, Washington, D.C. remained a hub of activity with its vibrant lights.
After the White House was vacated, the area fell under the control of nearby states and various criminal organizations. Perhaps everyone wanted to experience how good it felt to be where the president once resided. Dozens of gangs established their presence, and every day, conflicts erupted on the streets.
In this lawless land, all order had been shattered. It was a paradise for criminals and the cradle of evil. Countless addicts and misfits gathered here, making even Gotham City seem relatively pleasant.
Originally, President X had intended to exert control over Washington, but the Avengers constantly occupied his attention, preventing him from sending troops to suppress the chaos. By the time he realized it, the area had become an unmanageable black zone.
Austin drove through here, holding the steering wheel with one hand and tightly held a pistol in the other.
To be honest, living in two lives may have given Austin strong self-confidence and prevented him from being as fearful as in his previous life. However, the fear and tension generated by uncontrolled chaos were something that would never diminish.
Entering the city, there were more and more pedestrians on the road, but at a glance, Austin felt like he was in hell. Some of the people were skinny, some were leaning against the wall with their eyes rolled, and garbage and vomit could be seen everywhere on the street, which made Austin frown deeply.
If it weren't for the fact that there were too many people here, Austin wouldn't even want to slow down and would just kick the accelerator and rush over.
Austin's arrival attracted the attention of some people, but no one did anything out of the ordinary. This was barely good news for Austin. After looking around, Austin turned the car into a small alley.
Opening the car door, Austin quickly put his shoulder bag on his back, then opened the trunk and let Pietro out.
"Get dressed, this is a place that eats people but doesn't spit out their bones. I need to do something, and you have to ensure my safety."
"Don't worry, I will protect you." Pietro, wearing a fisherman's hat to cover his silver hair and draped a long coat over himself, nodded seriously at Austin and promised.
"There are many mutants here. With their cover, you can use your abilities without attracting President X's attention. But still, be cautious and remember, your speed isn't invincible." Austin advised Quicksilver, and then the two walked out of the alley.
Texas borders Mexico and is a very chaotic place. Moreover, it's far from New York, so Zhang Ye must prepare everything quickly. On this route, there's no place easier than Washington, D.C. to get oil and weapons.
After leaving the alley and blending into the crowd, Austin felt the chaos here more intuitively. The unpleasant smell kept entering his nose, which made Austin feel sick in his stomach.
Passing by a bar, the crowd suddenly started to stir. Two strong men were seen carrying a skinny man and throwing him out of the bar.
The man was thrown into the filth, but he quickly got up, stumbled towards the two strong men, and prayed in a hoarse voice. "Give me more, please. I'll get the money. Please."
One of the strong men sneered and took a step back as if he was disgusted with the filth on the other person's body. Then he took out a pistol and pointed it straight at the man's forehead.
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"Wade, this isn't the first time. You shouldn't have, absolutely shouldn't have stolen from my master."
"No, I didn't mean to. I'm begging you." The man named Wade trembled and stammered for a long time, unable to say a word.
"Talking won't work, huh? Haha." The burly man, no longer interested in playing with him, casually pulled the trigger, killing Wade. Then, as if remembering something unpleasant, he shot Wade a few more times.
From the beginning to the end, no one from the surrounding crowd came forward to speak, as if they had nothing to do with them as if they were watching a movie, which reminded Austin of the previous execution scene of Hawkeye.
"What's wrong?" Pietro couldn't help but ask.
"Nothing." Austin shook his head and walked towards the bar.
In a place like this, bars are undoubtedly the best way to collect intelligence, and compared with the outside, the bars are safer inside. There are gangs supporting them, and no one will dare to cause trouble in the bars.
Lifting his steps and stepping over Wade's body, Austin walked straight into the bar. Two strong men were chatting and laughing at the door. They didn't pay much attention to Austin. Maybe for them, discussing which women on the street are sexier, it's more important.
The inside of the bar was dark and noisy, but the environment was much cleaner than the streets outside. At least Austin didn't smell any disgusting smell.
"A new face, what can I get for you?" Just as Austin was about to find a seat, an African-American girl approached with a bright smile on her face.
The girl had white hair and a good figure, but the smell of perfume on her body made Austin frown. "Find a quiet seat and bring two glasses of wine."
"As you wish, dear, come with me." The girl blew a kiss and then led Austin and Pietro to a corner of the bar. This is indeed one of the few quiet places in the bar, but next to the wine table, there was still a man lying on the ground near the table, uncertain about life and death.
"The drinks will be here soon. Please have a seat. Do you need any additional special services? Only 20 bucks." The girl bent down, showcasing her attractive figure.
Austin did not react to the girl's actions but asked a seemingly irrelevant question.
"May I have your name?"
The girl was stunned for a moment, and then she thought it was Austin's hobby, and she said with a smile. "You can call me Ororo, of course, you can also give me a name."
"Forget it." Austin waved his hand. "I'll call you if necessary."
Hearing this, the girl felt a little dissatisfied, but she didn't say anything more and turned around and left without saying a word.
At this time, Pietro on the side couldn't help but ask. "Do you know that girl?"
"I know her to some extent, but she's not the person from my memory. On the contrary, it has strengthened my determination for our mission." Austin picked up the wine that was served, hesitated for a moment, and put it back on the table.
Although Austin is very thirsty, after thinking about the environment here, Austin doesn't dare to drink and eat whatever he wants. No one knows if there is anything weird added to the wine here.
"You mentioned preparing some things here. How are we going to do it, and who should we look for?" Pietro was somewhat reluctant to the environment here. He looked around and spoke.
"No need for us to look; someone will come to us," Austin said calmly.
Indeed, after declining several women who came to solicit them, a one-eyed white man approached.
He sat directly in front of Austin and rudely picked up the untouched wine glass in front of Austin and drank it down in one gulp.
"What's up? Are you here to offer me services too?" Austin stared at the man and said.
"Heh, I just don't want to waste these two glasses of wine." The one-eyed man grinned. "I know, you are here for business, tell me, maybe I can help you."
"How are you sure I'm here for business?"
"Very simple. Coming here, not for entertainment but quietly sitting here, not even drinking. I'm sure you guys must be some big shots. Although I've lost one eye, I'm pretty good at reading people."
"Interesting, you are right, let's find a place to chat." It seemed that half of the goal was achieved this time, Austin stood up and followed the man to the back door of the bar.
On the way, Austin also learned this man's name, Nick Fury. It seemed that he had no intention of keeping anything secret.
Different from the black Nick Fury who was well known to the public in his previous life, this Nick Fury is a white man. Likewise, he is also a member of the Howling Commandos* established by Captain America.
However, what is puzzling is that this guy would be reduced to such a situation.
(End Of The Chapter)...To be continued.
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( T/L: Captain America's Howling Commandos - The Howling Commandos are an elite combat unit led by Captain America during World War II. The unit was formed in WWII under Captain Samuel "Happy Sam" Sawyer's command. Prime Minister Winston Churchill granted the rank of Commandos in the British Armed Forces. )
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