Slowly, the earthquake subsided as John tended to Wanda's injuries, while Wanda quietly watched John with complicated eyes.
She had finally calmed down completely from her earlier state of pain and fear.
Wanda couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt for what she had been asked to do. She had been trained to be an undercover agent, to gather information and fight for her organization, but she had never expected to be in a situation like this. She had never expected to rely on the person she was supposed to be spying on.
"It's over," John said as the earthquake had completely stopped. "How are you feeling?" John asked Wanda.
Wanda took a deep breath, feeling a mixture of relief and exhaustion. "I am fine," she replied, her voice a bit shaky. "Just a few cuts and bruises. Thank you for helping me."
"By the way, my name's John," John said as he helped her stand up. "John Wick," he further continued.
"I'm Wanda Maximoff," she introduced herself. Wanda hesitated, but she didn't give a fake name to her benefactor. This was the least she could do.
Taking a step back, John gestured towards the exit. "We should get out of here. The earthquake is over."
Wanda nodded in agreement. Together, they made their way through the rubble and debris, carefully navigating the ruins of the building. The city was in chaos,a few buildings collapsed, people running in panic, and emergency sirens blaring in the distance.
As they moved, Wanda couldn't help feeling conflicted. She had been taught to see John Wick as an enemy, someone to be monitored and reported on. But now, seeing him in action, she couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to him than meets the eye.
'Is everything that they tell me, the truth?' Wanda questioned herself and the motive of the organisation behind her. She always had her doubts, but didn't care much for them.
"John, why did you help me?" Wanda finally spoke up, her voice filled with curiosity.
John glanced at her briefly, his eyes focused on the path ahead. "Because it was the right thing to do," he replied simply. "No one deserves to be left behind in a situation like this."
Wanda mulled over his answer, a mixture of gratitude and uncertainty filling her thoughts. She had always believed in her cause, in the righteousness of her organization's mission. But now, seeing John's actions, she couldn't help but question her own beliefs.
The two of them reached the exit, stepping outside into the chaos of the city. Wanda looked around at the destruction, the pain and suffering surrounding them, and made a silent decision.
Maybe, just maybe, it was time to reconsider the lines she had drawn, the allegiances she had pledged. And perhaps, in the process, she would discover a different path, one where she could truly make a difference without sacrificing her own humanity.
John observed Wanda's shifting expressions through his Observation Haki and wondered whether she was reflecting on her failure to control her emotions or questioning herself and her mission. However, he knew that it would take more than just a brief observation to change someone's mindset, so he deactivated his Observation Haki after a while.
John couldn't stay with Wanda for an extended period as he had a task to accomplish. Once he determined that she was doing fine, John bid her farewell and headed to a different hotel. He chose not to use the hotel that had been previously booked for him by SHIELD.
As John reached the hotel, using the Observation Haki he saw three people tailing him still.
John ignored them for the time being and entered the hotel. He made his way to the front desk to check in and using cash to pay for his room.
Lying on the bed, John waited for night to fall as he mulled over how he would complete the system task before the three spies could notice he had left the hotel.
John had purposefully booked a room on the third floor with a balcony. It was an appropriate height from which he could jump without attracting attention. He had decided to activate Jarvis and take the watch with him to the laboratory. He had no idea if he would need any technical help, but it was better to be prepared than to regret it later.
As for Tony finding out through Jarvis, John didn't care much. If Tony asked, he would simply say it was another base of RED, as mentioned in the information provided to him by SHIELD.
As night fell, John opened the balcony door and stepped outside. He glanced around to ensure the coast was clear before jumping off the balcony.
Using his Observation Haki, John kept a close eye on the three spies, ensuring they hadn't detected his departure.
With his enhanced speed and agility, John quickly maneuvered through the dark alleyways and streets, avoiding any contact with civilians or potential threats.
After running for quite a while, John finally arrived near the laboratory. He had also worn a mask before leaving the hotel. Although he had run for almost an hour and a half, John didn't feel tired at all. He checked the system to see the location of the laboratory and discovered that it was just a kilometer away from him.
The system had led him to the outskirts of the city and into a dense forest, far from any dwellings. This was the perfect place to do something shady. John had no idea why a Flerken was kept here. The only guess he could come up with was for research purposes. However, John had no idea what kind of research was conducted on it.
The only way to find out was to go there himself.
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