Meanwhile.
Downtown Los Angeles.
Near the hotel where Luca and Tony had checked in with several models.
It was already late at night.
A few cars still passed through the streets of Los Angeles.
But a secluded alley by the hotel's back entrance lay in pitch-black silence, without a single streetlight lit.
The next second, an unnatural breeze suddenly swept through the quiet alley.
A figure appeared out of nowhere beside a trash can, moving so fast he didn't leave even an afterimage.
He was a tall man.
He wore a tight black combat suit and a black tactical hood that covered his entire face, leaving only a pair of eyes filled with cold killing intent visible.
He stood motionless, like a statue melded into the darkness.
Then, a muffled rush of air came from between the high-rises overhead.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
A burly figure was leaping back and forth between the buildings' exterior walls and rooftops.
Each leap carried him dozens of meters.
Finally, with a muffled boom, the figure dropped from the sky and landed heavily beside the man who had appeared first.
His landing left two clear cracks in the ground.
He wore the same style of black combat suit, leaving only a pair of ferocious eyes visible.
The next second after the burly man landed.
A strange movement suddenly came from the manhole cover beside them.
An inconspicuous puddle of dirty water began to churn as if boiling.
Then a thick column of water slowly rose from the ground.
The column of water shifted continuously in midair, gradually coming together into a distinct human figure.
The water receded, and a third man in a black combat suit appeared.
The three had slipped into downtown Los Angeles without a sound.
The man who had arrived first turned his head and gave the other two a cold look.
"How's your condition?"
His voice sounded somewhat low and hoarse, filtered through his mask.
The other two stood where they were and loosened up their bodies.
The burly man who had jumped down from the rooftops patted his chest, indicating that he was fine.
"I'm in good condition. I can crush the target's neck whenever you want."
The man who had emerged from the water shook the droplets from his hands and nodded as well.
"I'm in good condition. No problems."
The man who had arrived first nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. Listen up, guys. We endured so much pain in the laboratory and were injected with those damned serums before we gained these superhuman powers."
"Now it's time to prove our worth to the higher-ups."
He lowered his voice and began assigning the mission.
"The code name for this mission is Stark's Doom."
"I'm the captain of this operation. My code name is John. Big guy, you're Jack. Water boy, you're Mark. Do you understand your code names?"
Jack and Mark nodded at the same time.
John nodded and continued.
"The targets are Tony Stark and Luca Stark. According to our intelligence, they're in the hotel up ahead. They've also had a lot to drink, so their guard is very lax."
"But don't let your guard down."
"This mission must be carried out in secret. We absolutely cannot cause too much commotion, and we certainly cannot expose our superpowers in public."
"The higher-ups gave clear instructions: we're to disguise ourselves as Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and infiltrate the hotel. Once we've dealt with the targets, we'll make the scene look like an accident or a gang revenge killing. Understood?"
Jack curled his lip in disdain, but under John's stern gaze, he answered obediently.
"Understood."
Mark nodded too. "Understood, Captain. Pretending to be agents is easy."
John looked at his two teammates, confidence welling up inside him.
They were just two rich second-generation heirs who did nothing but indulge themselves. No matter how wealthy they were, in the face of overwhelming power, they were nothing but fattened meat waiting to be butchered.
John raised his right hand, clenched it into a fist, and held it over the left side of his chest, his eyes fervent as he spoke.
"The mission begins. Hail Hydra!"
Jack and Mark immediately dropped their casual attitudes, their eyes becoming just as fervent.
They made the same gesture, holding their fists to their chests.
"Hail Hydra!" ×2
Then the three straightened their clothes, walked out of the alley, and swaggered toward the hotel's main entrance.
It was already past three in the morning.
The area outside the hotel's entrance was brightly lit, and the fountain continued to spray water tirelessly.
The hotel was famous throughout California, ranking among the top hotels.
John led the way, with Jack and Mark following behind.
They pushed through the revolving door and entered the luxurious hotel lobby.
But as soon as they stepped inside, Captain John stopped.
He quickly scanned his surroundings, sensing that something was wrong.
The lobby was too quiet.
So quiet that it made his skin crawl.
Although it was late at night and most guests had already gone to bed.
This was a five-star hotel!
Under normal circumstances, there should have been at least two security guards patrolling the lobby!
There should have been a doorman at the entrance, and perhaps a few drunk guests or staff cleaning in the lounge area.
But now, there wasn't a single person in sight in the lobby.
The surroundings were completely silent.
So silent that all they could hear was the fountain and the footsteps of the three men.
John frowned deeply.
As a rigorously trained killer, he sensed danger.
The three exchanged glances, each recognizing that something was amiss in the lobby.
Jack clenched his fists, while drops of water had already begun seeping from Mark's fingertips. They were ready to fight at any moment.
"Captain, something's not right," Mark said in a low voice.
John said nothing, signaling for them not to act rashly.
Then he looked toward the far end of the lobby.
The hotel's reception desk was the only place in the lobby with a light on, and the only place where anyone was present.
A round-bodied man stood there.
John made a hand signal, and the three slowed their pace, gradually making their way toward the front desk.
As they drew closer, John finally got a clear look at the fat man's face.
But the instant he saw that face, John froze.
John recognized the fat man at a glance.
"Damn..."
He walked up to the front desk and stared at the fat man, who seemed to be sorting something, then asked in surprise.
"Happy Hogan? What are you doing here? Aren't you the Stark brothers' personal bodyguard and driver?"
That was right. The person standing at the front desk was none other than Happy, Tony and Luca's most trusted bodyguard.