Natasha was getting anxious. No one had ever made her wait this long.
But the design inside Bloom was truly impressive.
This information company had recently dominated headlines across major media outlets, and its entire security system had emerged unscathed from the great network upheaval. It was enough to set the mind wondering.
But speculation was one thing. Making accusations without evidence would land you in court.
From the outside, Bloom's skyscraper was as unassuming as the buildings of the financial companies around it. But inside, there wasn't a single living person in sight-only robots.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had plenty of high-tech equipment, but it didn't have a department like this.
At least, not that she knew of.
Lier dealt with the data Frank had sent back as he walked into the room and sat down.
"Go ahead. What is it?"
"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Lee." Natasha paused slightly, then fixed Lier with her "unbeatable," tender-as-water gaze.
Unfortunately, Lier was busy processing data, and most of his attention wasn't on her.
So, naturally, he seemed as calm as still water.
Though a faint blue glow could be seen.
The pause lasted only a fraction of a second. Most people wouldn't notice such a detail in conversation, but Lier, processing data at high speed, was far more sensitive to time.
So he waved a hand and sat down opposite Natasha, speaking before she could. "Don't mind me. I have a heavy workload, but it won't affect our conversation. Why don't you introduce yourself?"
Natasha was speechless. Seduction didn't always work, but she'd never seen someone show no reaction at all.
Eighteen, in the prime of youth, yet completely wooden when it came to this!
The rarest kind, too: a huge, dried-up log buried in the desert for hundreds of years.
Ridiculous.
So