Marvel Cybernetic Girl

The large screen in the living room displayed footage captured by surveillance cameras.

"Three days ago, a transport truck carrying classified S.H.I.E.L.D. material was hijacked after entering Florida," Natasha explained as the footage played.

"The attackers had highly advanced weaponry, and among them was the same man who once stole the Arc Reactor."

On the screen, the convoy was ambushed, explosions and gunfire lighting up the scene.

Despite fighting valiantly, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were overwhelmed by the well-prepared assailants.

A man with a metal left arm appeared, kicking down a fallen agent who was still struggling to resist.

He then yanked open the truck door and forcefully dragged the driver out.

"The Winter Soldier," Natasha said, her tone serious.

"A ghostly assassin created by the Soviet Union, active for over 40 years, carrying out covert missions."

After securing the area, the attackers drove off with the truck.

"That's awful," Kagura Hitomi scowled.

"Do we know who these hijackers are?"

"No, but they're likely the same group Obadiah once hired," Natasha explained.

"We combed through all of his data, but he was too meticulous—there's nothing useful left."

"I see..." Kagura Hitomi pondered.

Could it be Hydra? But why would Hydra target S.H.I.E.L.D.?

Should I mention the intelligence about Hydra infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D.?

After some thought, she dismissed the idea.

Without solid evidence, revealing such "high-level" information wouldn't do any good and might even backfire.

It was more plausible that another faction, much like Obadiah back then, had hired the Winter Soldier for their own purposes.

"What was in the truck?" Kagura Hitomi asked.

"A highly valuable advanced metal sample, classified to the public."

"A metal sample?" Kagura Hitomi's eyes lit up.

Could it be Vibranium? That would be a game-changer for her next-gen equipment.

Natasha changed the subject, "But that's not the main reason I came to you. We need your help."

She pulled up an electronic map from the USB drive.

"After the hijacking, we tracked the convoy using a beacon and located their current position. However..."

"However?"

"They split the convoy into two routes," Natasha said, highlighting two paths on the map.

"One headed towards Los Angeles, and the other is en route to Boston."

"The truck is carrying classified samples without formal clearance. We can't involve other agencies, the police, or the military. So..."

"You came to me for help, right?"

"Exactly," Natasha confirmed.

"Hawkeye's on a mission abroad, and considering the enemy's combat strength, we need someone from the Avengers Initiative who can handle this."

[New Side Quest: Complete Natasha Romanoff's Request - Recover the Transport Truck / 10QP]

Pfft...

The system was awfully quick to issue that task!

"Got it. I'll help," Kagura Hitomi agreed.

With Natasha asking and a chance to earn QP, why not? Maybe I can even recruit the Winter Soldier for my superhero team!

"By the way, what about Stark? Did Iron Man refuse to help?" Kagura Hitomi asked.

"Shouldn't he be your first choice?"

"Actually, he agreed. But there's only one Iron Man," Natasha smiled.

"Tony Stark will handle the convoy heading to Los Angeles. That leaves us with the Boston route."

"Us?"

"Yes," Natasha confirmed.

"I'm coming with you. Fury wouldn't let you go alone."

"Fair enough." Kagura Hitomi chuckled.

"Then please take care of me, Natasha-sis."

"I'm glad you're willing to help," Natasha said warmly.

"You're really a reliable kid."

Standing up, she put on her coat.

"We'll leave at 9 a.m. tomorrow. I'll pick you up. If you need us to prepare anything, let me know now."

"I'll handle it myself. No worries," Kagura Hitomi assured her.

"Good." Natasha headed to the door but paused. "Oh, and one more thing."

"Yes, Natasha-sis?"

"Please try not to use that flashy shockwave skill of yours. We're here to recover the sample, not destroy it."

Kagura Hitomi laughed.

"Got it. I'll be careful."

"Hey, Cortana. You there?"

The basement lights flickered on as Kagura Hitomi called out.

"Always at your service, Master."

"I'm heading out for a while. Keep the company running smoothly."

"Understood, Master."

"Also, how's the progress on the Arc Reactor capacitor experiment?"

"It's ready for initial deployment. We've embedded a high-performance micro-capacitor into a carbon-fiber vest. It can store energy and recharge quickly by linking to the photosynthetic system under your skin," Cortana reported.

"Great. Prep the new gear set. This could be a challenging mission."

"As you wish, Master."

Kagura Hitomi wasn't sure if the Winter Soldier would show up or which convoy he'd target. If it ended up being the one Tony Stark was after...

Well then, good luck to the Winter Soldier!