Ambush and Death

Ambush and Death

In short, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s operation had thoroughly confused a lot of people. Not only were the captured Deadlock Gang members and the clueless public baffled, even the field teams carrying out the mission were completely confused.

They were all thinking, I trained my ass off and passed layer after layer of tests to join S.H.I.E.L.D. What mission have I ever been on that didn't involve extremely dangerous terrorists, some of them superpowered Inhumans? And now they suddenly want us to arrest a bunch of street punks? What the hell is this? That alone would have been one thing, but headquarters had specifically ordered them not to ask questions or speak to the targets. Other than "Drop your weapons," "Don't resist," and "Surrender," they were not allowed to say a single extra word. Were these little punks actually powerful figures in disguise? Was the gang identity just a cover? Because they sure as hell don't look like it to me.

At first, the field teams had acted with that suspicion in mind, remaining extremely vigilant. They thought these scruffy-looking punks might actually be vicious criminals. Maybe someone would shout some nonsense and charge at them wearing a bomb vest, or a Mutant would suddenly leap out somewhere and fire an RPG from his mouth. But... heh.

These punks, who normally only dared to collect protection money, had their calves cramping the moment they saw S.H.I.E.L.D.'s imposing field teams pointing intimidatingly huge guns at them. Forget resisting—they did not even dare say a word. They immediately squatted on the ground with their hands over their heads and surrendered. A few particularly timid ones even pissed on the agents' shoes.

So the agents began speculating again. Maybe the president thought S.H.I.E.L.D. was just so damn capable that they should take on more work. From now on, cracking down on gangs and crime would be their job too.

Thus, the showdown between S.H.I.E.L.D.'s field teams and the Deadlock Gang's street punks held no surprises at all. Just over an hour had passed, and the operation was already nearing its end.

Most of the personnel were already escorting their targets back to the assembly point. To be precise, only one team was still carrying out arrests. It was not because they were slow, but because they had caught their first target too quickly, so they had been sent out for another run.

A standard five-man squad was moving through an apartment hallway in tactical formation. Although they had many doubts about this mission, and the targets truly were pathetic, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s years of training kept them from lowering their guard. They still advanced with standard tactical movements.

The squad leader was named Bechi. He was a tall, powerfully built Black man. Because of his fierce and outstanding performance in combat, his codename was Zealot. Though he was full of doubts about the mission, that did not mean he would carry it out carelessly. Why these people had to be arrested was something for the higher-ups to consider. His only job was to execute orders and ask no unnecessary questions. With that mindset, he arrived at the door of this mission's target.

The target was a Deadlock Gang enforcer. Other than being antisocial by nature, there was nothing remarkable about him. Intelligence showed that this was the enforcer's home, and that he had not left since returning the previous night.

Zealot immediately took position on one side of the door with three other agents, ready to breach. The remaining agent held a battering ram, prepared to smash the door open. Zealot raised his left hand to signal readiness, then sharply brought it down. The operation began.

The instant Zealot's hand came down, the breacher slammed the battering ram into the door, which did not look very sturdy. At that moment, Zealot suddenly felt a sense of danger.

Sure enough, at the same moment the door was forced open, he heard a crisp snap. It was faint and drowned out by the noise of the breach, but his years of combat experience had let him catch it. He knew that sound too well and was far too sensitive to it.

"Fire in the hole!" Zealot immediately threw himself backward, taking the agent behind him down with him. A tremendous boom echoed across the skies of Brooklyn.

At that moment, Evenson had just finished the last bite of his instant noodles and casually tossed the cup into the trash. "Your delivery has exploded. Please collect it." Then he took the floor mop Sarah handed him and went to clean up the noodle soup he had spilled everywhere while trying to look cool.

Such a huge commotion naturally did not go unnoticed by Evenson alone. Coulson, who was leading his own team in the operation, heard it as well. From the direction of the blast, he immediately determined which team had run into trouble. He promptly called over the radio, "Team 13, Team 13, report your status. I repeat, report your status."

"Sir... we... were... ambushed..." After a while, a weak voice came through in broken fragments.

Damn it. Coulson cursed under his breath, then ordered, "Teams 5 and 9, get to Team 13 immediately. Maintain maximum alertness. You are authorized to use lethal force. And bring medical personnel."

Three minutes later, the anxiously waiting Coulson received a report. "Sir, this is Lorraine, captain of Team 9. I've arrived."

"Report the situation," Coulson said into the radio.

"Four dead, one seriously injured." Lorraine's report was brief. The fury he was struggling to suppress made it clear just how horrific the scene was.

"Status of the target." Coulson also restrained his anger, keeping his voice as calm as possible.

"Sir, this is Jack, captain of Team 5. The target has not been found." Team 5 had also arrived at the scene, but they had not located the target of the operation.

"What exactly happened? Who attacked them?" Coulson demanded in a low growl.

"No one. Someone hung grenades behind the door. They were triggered when the team breached it. At least three, by initial estimate." Lorraine reported after examining the scene.

"Continue the mission. Search for the target. Bring back the wounded and the bodies." Coulson's voice had regained its calm, but his eyes blazed with fury. "Damn Hydra."

Meanwhile, Brooklyn's police chief was sitting alone in his office, sweating profusely. The Deadlock Gang had existed in Brooklyn for many years, and that was inseparable from his protection. Originally, he had thought that taking a little dirty money and shielding a small gang that did not go too far was no big deal. But S.H.I.E.L.D.'s thunderous strike today had terrified him.

As police chief, he knew at least something about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s responsibilities. They handled many kinds of matters, but none of them could be called trivial.

So the Deadlock Gang must have gotten involved in something huge, he thought. S.H.I.E.L.D. had suddenly acted with such force that even if they found a dirty bomb in one of the gang's hideouts, he would not be surprised. But that was no longer what mattered. What he needed to consider was the fate of someone like himself, who had served as the Deadlock Gang's Umbrella Corporation for years. What would it be? Life imprisonment? The electric chair? Either possibility filled him with terror. He even considered suicide. Maybe that way he could preserve his assets for his family. But just as he picked up his pistol, a massive explosion sounded outside, startling him into dropping it on the floor.

He wanted to pick it up, but he no longer had the courage. A hopeful thought even surfaced in his mind. After all, he knew nothing about what the Deadlock Gang had done. Maybe he could bluff his way through this. Yes, he definitely could, because he truly knew nothing.

That thought seemed to ease his fear somewhat. But just as the police chief relaxed, unbearable pain suddenly tore through his abdomen, followed by suffocation. He immediately realized that he had been poisoned. But where had the poison come from? Since S.H.I.E.L.D. began the operation that morning, he had not eaten or drunk anything. That meant it could only have been last night. Yes, last night. That stunningly seductive woman, with those soul-stealing eyes—under her coaxing, he had taken that so-called new stimulant.

He was deeply unwilling. He had just dismissed the thought of suicide and no longer wanted to die, only to discover that it was no longer up to him. He opened his mouth and used his last bit of strength to shout that woman's name.

The moment he shouted the name, his office door was kicked open, and Coulson entered with his people. But when Coulson heard the police chief's final words, his face changed dramatically.

P.S. Today's fantasy new release is getting a major recommendation. Please support it.

P.S. Guess what the police chief shouted before he died?

P.S. Assassin Zealot, your cameo has already been killed off. Please take note.