Under the surprise expression of both spies, the Kingjet flew over its fifth military base without encountering any obstacle.
"I already told you. I'm the best, and it's already the fifth military zone we flew over without any problems. Why are you still surprised?" Asked Rick to his teammates while rolling his eyes at them. Which caused Natasha to try to defend themselves.
"You can't really blame us for that. Who would have thought that it would really be that easy? This Sokovian military base don't belong to the military at all. It's one of the most secured base of the SHIELD. It's says that if you want to enter inside, being a high level member of the SHIELD isn't enough, you have to be selected personally by the leader of this zone.
Which means that that the SHIELD will heavily invest in the security details, but we still passed through undetected the whole time. This is unreasonable.
You have to know that SHIELD, as THE spy organization is the leader of technology in term of security. Which is why, your jet is unreasonable."
At first, Rick wanted to taunt Clint on his so called 'high level security', but after hearing the details of this Sokovian secret base, he immediately feel that this secret base wasn't simple at all. Because he remember that in Sokovia, there was another secret base from his memories and it didn't belong to the SHIELD at all, but to another organization full of nefarious purpose: Hydra!
'Before the fall of the SHIELD, there used to be many undercover Hydra agent inside it. And if we look at the fact that only selected people can enter inside this base and is in Sokovia, then it's probably Wolfgang von Strucker's HQ. That guy was the one who stole Loki's scepter and use it to give to Wanda And Pietro Maximoff their powers... Should I interfere?'
Rick knew that the real reason Wanda had powers, was because she always had them to beginning with, but he wasn't so sure when it comes to Pietro. But after some struggles, Rick still decide to go and see them himself. At worst if Pietro didn't awaken his powers, he give him one when the times come.
[It is detected that Rick want to do a Heroic action. Triggering the Hidden Mission. This. Is. Sokovia! (1) : Meet the twins Maximoff and befriend them before Baron Strucker.]
After seeing the Hidden mission, Rick was more determinate on his choice. But he also knew that this mission couldn't be done right now. So after keeping this in his heart, he start to mock Barton while in the back Natasha teased him back as the Kingjet finally head to Hungary.
Because Hungary was only at a few minutes to Sokovia in the Kingjet they arrived pretty quickly. Looking at the scenery, thought about something interesting.
"I have a question, why is the Red Room HQ in in capital of Hungary? I mean why didn't they installed their HQ in Moscow instead of Budapest? Isn't the Red Room Russian?"
"That's because the Red Room was created during the USSR days." Natasha replied lazily as she garner Clint and Rick attention.
"The reason for it creation was to win the Cold War. And so, to make it easier for the Widows of that time to infiltrate the countries in Europe more easily, they put their head quarters in Hungary. Because while close, it wasn't heavily monitored by the SHIELD like Germany. And because it hasn't been discover until now, they didn't change it's location till now."
After hearing that, Clint wanted to comment, but at that time a beeping sound forced him to change his focus.
"Guys, we're here."
That simple sentence cause the entire atmosphere to become more solemn as they appear above the capital of Hungary, Budapest in silence, until Rick couldn't help himself.
"You know, I have already missed Christmas and it's not your fault, but we'll be in 2008 in two days and the 11th I'll be 19, but I'm pretty sure that I'll miss it too because of you all. I hope that you'll compensate me when the times come."
As if they heard a joke, both spies couldn't help but chuckles, with Natasha teasing him.
"Ooh, poor little Richard Santa Claus didn't come to give him his gift because he's been a bad boy. Don't worry though, even if we will without a doubt miss the New Year celebration, we'll still have time for your birthday."
Because Rick was embarrassed by the way Natasha treat him, he rebuked her strongly.
"Don't be so sure of yourself. I'm pretty sure that if I'm not here when the mission start, let alone eleven days, I wouldn't be surprised if we're stuck here for more than a month." That raise a collective eye rolling from his listeners. Even Natasha could stand his arrogant remark.
"If you're that sure, then let's make a bet."
"What kind of bet?" Asked Rick who's interested was piqued.
"If we leave Budapest before your birthday I win, and if we escape after your birthday, then you win."
"Then, what are the stakes?"
"Well, if I win, then you'll have to build me my weapons in the future. The kind like this plane." That caused Hawkeye to frown as he watch over their bet. But Rick himself didn't care about it on the contrary, his competitive spirit.
"Then if I win, in the future, all of your future commissions will have their price double."
"Deal." The dangerous agent agree as she seal the bet with a handshake.
After that bet, the trio more relaxed refocus on their priorities as Rick lead Hawkeye to his 'secret' safe house.
This time it wasn't a big 'castle' like in Cambodia but an old abandoned factory at the edge of the city. But even though it was old, even from the outside, it was still well entertained with only a few vines stuck to the walls.
Because the front door was big enough, after the Kigjet landed it rolled to the factory through the front door. Nobody wanted to leave the jet outside because it was too conspicuous so they brought it inside.
But when inside, both Natasha and Clint felt like they fell into a showroom for classic and luxury cars. Even though they weren't experts just seeing more than 6 Ferrari by by just glancing around casually, just told them no cars there were of the normal kind.
Even Hawkeye had a new understanding of that '3rd level' Smuggler.
"What kind of smuggling you said you did exactly?" Asked Hawkeye as he wander through some sport cars.
"I never said what kind." Replied Rick proudly while getting off the jet as he watch the two spies looking at his treasure room.
"But I'm in the various kind. Except for human trafficking, drugs, and weapons I dabble in almost everything. Don't look at my young age, but I'm actually well connected, and because of favors I gave, people reward me. And most cars here are these reward.
Like that 1994 Toyota Supra MK IV it was given to me by the best underground racer of L.A after I helped him escape from the F.B.I. And from time to time he sell me some cars to.
Even though the last time he contact me was to buy a car. A 1987 Buick Grand National if I remember correctly."
While Rick was explaining how the past of these cars, Athena start to contact him.
[Congratulation Rick you have complete the Side Mission : Prison Break (2/2). You've been rewarded with:
Experience points (You have level up)
200 GC
Mystery Box.]
[Main Mission 'Dreykov fall' unlocked (1): Find out Dreykov's sinister conspiracy.]
Dismissing the notices, Rick lead the team to Oksana's car. Because it was the last car he put in the factory and its has a very bright Yellow color, finding the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet was very easy.
The came the laborious part: Emptying the car from its the thousands papers and reading them all even if briefly. A task that took the trio the entire day. Clint even get the time to by food with the emergency bank card Rick put in this safe house, while Rick took out his Mystery box reward : Player's Duel disk from Yu-Gi-Oh Gx Spirit Caller.
Duel Disk: a high tech device that can project as almost physical holograms, contents from cards put on the duel board.
Leaving the reward aside, at the end, even though, they found many important evidences like blackmailing, assassinations order and the like, which was enough for Natasha to have a chance to join the SHIELD, but she and Rick weren't satisfied at all.
Rick because none of those files indicate Dreykov plans. Even though he knew that latter he would think about controlling Widows with some chemicals, if Athena didn't react when he proposed this plan, then this shouldn't be his current plan.
As for Natasha, even though she didn't have a System, the fact that Dreykov was very agitated when he learned that she didn't retrieve the evidence from the Widow she killed means that one of the evidence was something very important. But all she could see right now didn't deserve Dreykov mood change. So after finishing her diner inside the control room with the boys, she decided to speak about her guess.
"There's a problem with those files. Even though they are indeed a bit detrimental to Dreykov, but it shouldn't be enough for him to investigate it so throughly that even Rick he didn't let him go. So I think that we're missing something."
"Or that something is missing from those files right? I also have the same feeling. Those files, while good would at most cause some problems to Dreykov, but it shouldn't be enough for him to be that eager. So I think that there's indeed something like Dreykov future plans in what that Widow stole. But we have indeed empty the car from everything worthy of being taken."
Sitting on the sofa with Clint, after analysing the situation Rick start to wonder if at after everything he still had to contact Oksana while he absently watch the cars through the control room windows. As he look at the Toyota Supra, he feel like he was missing something important.
'Through my understanding of the system, and the two previous missions, if Athena give me the mission, then it's mean that it is something I'm capable to do. But while I can indeed contact Oksana, it will take some times to do it and I'm on a time clock. Which means that contacting Oksana isn't the way. Another thing is that if this was the thing I need to do, then Athena would wrote it on the mission description. So...'
Even though Rick intuition told him that it was indeed the case, he was indeed confuse because for now contacting Oksana was apparently the only solution. Frustrated, he start to think about other things, like his encounter with the owner of the Orange Toyota...
"...!"
Rick sudden jump startle both Natasha and Clint who were still thinking about the problem. But when they wanted to ask him what's wrong, he already opened the door to run downstairs. Not knowing what happened, they could only follow him until they saw him in front of Oksana's car again. At this time Clint couldn't help but talk.
"Why did you come back here in such a hurry?"
"Because I think that figured it out." Replied Rick mysteriously.
The under the puzzled eyes of his teammates his hand free hand reach out to the U-watch on his other hand and start to manipulate it.
[U-Watch activated. Alpha Goggles selected.]
After the mechanical voice talk, under the amazed stare of Clint and Natasha, goggles started to appear above the U-watch. But For Rick, it wasn't over. After putting on the goggles, he put his hand in his pocket, touching his wallet. And use his upgrade skill on the goggles while focusing on upgrading it's functions.
[It is detected that the Alpha goggles is going to upgrade to level 4. It will cost you 660 Ft (Forint). Do you confirm?]
'Yes!'
Then weak light flash on Rick's goggles briefly for a second before going away.
If looking from the outside, nothing seems to have change on the goggles, but Rick who received the informations knew that it wasn't the case.
The original Alpha goggles could only light up, zoom, take pictures and turned up some kind of heat vision. It also had a weird function that could find clues as long as it was an object. But with the Upgrade, it also had many layers of X-ray visions. From simply look through walls and clothings to looking through the human body to see its skeleton. Additionally, it also upgrade the picture feature and could now take videos too and light up in different colors (UV, blue light...).
But the only thing that interest Rick was the X-ray vision.
Adjusting the layer of the X-ray, Rick ignore Nat and Clint and focused on the car. And as he expected, after a few glances his goggles noticed a USB key hidden inside The logo on the steering wheel of the car.
Without any hesitation, he pressed the logo who open up in two before a usb key came out from it. That series of operation made the duo of spy start to doubt their lives.
"Rick, how did you know?" Asked Natasha quietly. She didn't even ask about his almost magical watch or goggles but the us key. Because after the jet, they were used to his nonsense technology.
"It's all because of my client and you." replied Rick with triumph. "The first reason why I could find that us key is because you said yourself we're missing something. But that something couldn't be papers otherwise we would have seen it. But it has to contain informations, otherwise it wouldn't make any sense.
So I thought about a hard drive or us keys. They are both small enough to be well hidden inside a car. As for the reason why I thought that the thing we're searching for isn't my client is because she was too insistent that I make that car disappeared.
And I speculate that it's because she herself could find that us key because she's not the owner of that car. The old widow should be the real owner.
That's why I use those goggles equipped with many kind of X-ray vision, to see if there was anything hidden in the car."
After explaining his reasoning, Rick felt really proud of himself, even though the real reason he thought about it is because I a movie with cars he watch before there was a mechanism like in one of the cars, so he speculate that it might also be the case here. But unfortunately for him, his audience didn't focus on that but on other things.
"You said that your goggles have X-ray visions?...Are we talking about the superman kind of X-ray vision?" Asked Barton while giving Rick 1 weird look.
"Yeah its almost the same." replied Rick not understanding what Barton was implying. But Natasha did, and she didn't miss the chance to make sure he knew it too.
"I think what our married man is asking is if you can see through my outfit and tell him what kind of lingerie I'm wearing."
"No, no, no. My question is more like. Why do you have that kind of goggles." Said Clint, not wanting to be tease on this. But it also made Rick understand what they were talking about. So after understanding, he look at them with all the contempt he could muster.
"Please don't compare yourself to me. I don't need goggles to see a woman. I'm popular enough, that they need those goggles more than me." Both spies didn't reply, but the mocking smile on their face felt enough insulting for Rick that he was going to explode.
So before he take out his I-Cutter and slash them with his laser blade, he just change subjects.
"Anyway, we need to change our location. There's no computer here, and I don't know if there's a tracking program on this key, and I don't want to expose this place if I can."
Not wanting to expose his little diversion, Natasha smile at him before proposing them a solution.
"I have a house were there's what you need. Even though my computer isn't build by a genius like you, it's still secure enough."
"Then let's go!" Then without waiting for an answer, Rick get inside a black 2007 Alpina B3 Cabrio.
After seeing his eagerness, both super spies looked helplessly at each other before following Rick.
Because they had to hide from cameras they took many detours. So a journey that was supposed to only last an hour, took more than three. In consequences, when they finally arrived to the apartment, it was already past 10 pm.
As Rick enter after following Natasha inside, he suddenly had an impression of deja vu.
'Isn't that apartment the one in which Yelena and Nat fought ? Doesn't that mean that Yelena knows that location? Well it's not like she expect us to come here.'
Letting go the topic, both he and Barton sat in the living room, waiting for Natasha to bring back the computer.
While waiting, Rick took the time to observe the apartment, and all he wanted to say was: as expected of one the best killer of the world, even her house wasn't normal.
Before going to the living room he passed by an open cubbyhole, but Instead of seeing old thing or things inside or the like, he literally saw an arsenal of weapons. Not to mention that in the living room, they were target practices replacing paintings on the walls. There was even a flash grenade put casually on the table.
Even Clint was impressed.
"I'm starting to wonder if their teddy bears when they were kids were not Bazookas, Glocks or kalashnikovs." Said Clint aloud.
"I think that even when playing dodge ball, instead playing with balls they played it with bullets." Rick continue joking.
"Well you're wrong on this one, we had ticking bomb instead of the ball." Joked Natasha, walking with the computer.
"That sounds like a fun game to play" Said Clint sarcastically.
"Yeah it was."
After joking a few times, the finally got to business. After a few manipulation from Natasha to unlock the USB key password, Rick finally learn what Dreykov's plan was.
How to say, Rick was surprised, but at the same time not surprise.
[Congratulation Rick you have completed the Main Mission 'Dreykov fall' (1). You've been rewarded with :
Experience points (You have level up)
1200GC
Mystery box ×3.]
Like in the future Dreykov plan didn't change : having the total control of his Widows. But to the future where he use chemicals to achieve this goal, here he use electronic chips. By implanting a chip in someone, it take control of that person via the electric signal in the body. The chip is program to obey the orders of Dreykov only. The most horrifying thing was the fact that that chip already exist and had been used on some Widows, like Yelena.
After Natasha saw Yelena among the widow already controlled, she almost lost her reason. While Rick subconsciously touch the place his ribs were broken by Yelena.
"Dreykov... I'm going to kill you..." Black Widow grits through her teeth with great hatred.
If it wasn't because you just had to takes out the chip from the victim to make them regain consciousness, she would have already raid the Red Room. Especially when she learn that many Widows died during the experimentation.
But fortunately they also learned that this chip still had many shortcomings: because the chip control their entire body, they couldn't show any emotions which make some infiltration missions very difficult.
Furthermore during fights, they couldn't show any creativity and adaptation because it wasn't in their program and they didn't learn that. So they will always fight with the combat style they previously learned.
But the most fatal point for those chip is that every chips was tailor-made for the widow that had it. Because the every time they try to create a general chip that could control anybody, the person installed with that chip dies. They decide to create a chip tailor-made for the victim.
But because of that, they had to spend more time to calibrate the chip by mapping the body of that person which result in a very few number of Widows being controlled. Only 20. But for Natasha and Clint, 20 was already too many.
"I need to contact my superior. This isn't a simple criminal now. Dreykov is now a criminal with the power to potentially control the world. If he find a way to generalized those electronic chips, then he could really control the whole world."
On this nobody express any objections. Rick because he wasn't accustomed to spies mission, so he didn't know what to do, and Natasha because she thought that this is what she will do in his shoes.
So after receiving their consentement, Clint went to the kitchen to call fury, while Natasha was going to return the computer. As for Rick:
"Well, then I guess that in the mean time I'll go to my safe house. I still need to bring you those arrows. And if we want to get out of Budapest before my birthday I also have to upgrade your suits less you die on me during the mission."
"It feels like you're already getting used to being my tailor. It's good that you know how to accept your lose." Teased Natasha. While Rick was already walk to the door.
"Don't dream. I'm doing this so that you can't use the excuse of death to avoid the bet!" He shout in return. As he turn the door handle and pull the door, Rick suddenly heard some hurried steps.
[Main Mission 'Dreykov fall' unlocked (2): Successfully escape from the Widows pursuit.]
Seeing the content of the mission, involuntary made Rick face change for the worst.
Turning his head, he wanted to warn his friends but he was still a step too late.
Boom
Crack
Be it the windows of the or the celling of the living room, both explode, with Widows entering through those new 'doors'.
Because you could see the main door through the living room, Rick was the first person to spot, and shoot at.
Ta ta ta ta ta ta !
Fortunately he react quickly. With an impressive speed, he quickly pull the door, get out, closed it and then get out the way before the first person had the time to shot.
But he was right not to stay close to the door. Because after the Widows shot at his previous position, the door was damage to point that it crumble a second after they stopped shooting.
After Rick saw the state of the door, he couldn't help but complain.
"What kind of grudge do you have against me? I'm really tired of being bullied by you!"