The little encounter in the alley didn't last long. Although Peter Parker was Spider-Man, he had a quieter self-confidence that contrasted sharply with Tony Stark's high-profile, conceited style. Yet, there was no denying they shared one trait: both loved to talk nonsense.
Drunk as he was, Tony didn't linger in the alley. While he wasn't a big fan of S.H.I.E.L.D., he couldn't deny their professionalism in situations like this. So, Tony soon left.
After Tony's interruption, Peter found himself a bit suspicious of Coulson's identity, but he eventually handed Bloody Mary over. Coulson ordered his special forces team to take her away, and before they did, they injected her with a tranquilizer to ensure she stayed quiet; after all, it's safest when someone that unpredictable is calm.
Before leaving, Coulson handed Peter a business card with just a phone number on it, mentioning that S.H.I.E.L.D. was quite impressed with him and hoped they could work together for the greater good. He casually noted that the job paid well, which piqued Peter's interest, given his family's financial situation. S.H.I.E.L.D. employment wouldn't prevent him from fighting crime in New York, but Peter liked the freedom of doing things his way.
Coulson wasn't in a rush for an answer, advising Peter to think it over before departing and leaving Peter alone in the alley, still nursing his injury.
Meanwhile, Leon was aware of the commotion in New York, but it didn't concern him much. As for Bloody Mary, he paid minimal attention, though he acknowledged her potential for further training. But at the moment, he was focused on other matters, like escorting Wanda, Pietro, and the others to an experimental base in Siberia.
The past three days had been hectic at the manor. Following rigorous training, Wanda and the others had experienced a significant boost in their abilities. Upon recovering from exhaustion, they found their strength had increased tremendously. Pietro, Sergei, and the others took a day to rest and recharge, then resumed their training with even more drive.
Natasha and Wanda even pestered Leon for a sparring session, though Leon suspected they were just looking for a little payback. But after three days of intense activity, Leon managed to redirect everyone's attention to other tasks.
The completion of the Sky Fortress attracted everyone's attention. After all, such advanced technology naturally piques curiosity. The team flew fighter jets to the experimental base, which was situated in a remote area of Siberia, built deep within a mountain range. For any organization seeking secrecy, mountains or underground sites are often the best choices due to their natural concealment.
Heavy snow had begun to fall across Siberia, turning the mountains and plains into a silver-white expanse. The experimental base left by Dreykov was enormous, with state-of-the-art equipment, living facilities, a sizable scientific team, and extensive logistics support. Maintaining such an operation required significant wealth—something only someone as resourceful as Dreykov could afford.
Now, however, funding this operation was easy for Leon. With access to liquid funds from black market and untraceable accounts worldwide, he could secure financing without anyone tracking it back to him. Sky Blade made this possible.
The dome of the experimental base opened automatically, allowing the Blackbird fighter to land vertically on a designated platform. Once inside, the dome closed again, and Leon exited the plane with his family. Everyone, including the four younger ones, looked around the base with curiosity.
Waiting to greet them were Melina, Yelena, and Alexei, along with several lab directors. After an initial round of introductions, the directors were given a chance to meet Leon, the financial force behind the base. These individuals were top scientific experts Dreykov had acquired through money and other means. Though they had been informed about the change in sponsorship, they were surprised to see how young Leon was.
However, any initial tension soon faded. Leon's approachable demeanor, combined with improved benefits he had introduced for the team, helped the supervisors feel more at ease. Dreykov's methods had been ruthless, often involving strict surveillance on the supervisors and their families, discouraging any dissent. In contrast, Leon removed these oppressive measures, which greatly improved his standing with the team.
This personal approach reassured the supervisors. However, what they didn't know was that, although the overt monitoring had been removed, Sky Blade had already screened them all. Any individual with suspicious intentions would have been detected long before, likely meeting an "accidental" demise soon after.
While Leon was generous to his allies, he was far from lenient with traitors. Like Kingpin, he dealt harshly with anyone disloyal to him.
After reassuring the supervisors, Leon, Wanda, and Natasha, led by Melina and Yelena, ventured into the depths of the base. They arrived at an enormous cavern, towering over 10,000 meters high and spanning tens of thousands of meters in diameter. In the center, a colossal fortress stood silently on a platform, emanating an almost intimidating presence. Compared to it, any human seemed minuscule.
"Wow, that's so cool!"
The four young ones clung to the steel frame, their short legs dangling as they gazed up at the massive structure, their eyes sparkling with awe.
Witnessing technology that seemed like movie magic come to life was an experience that left a deep visual and emotional impact. If the kids were amazed, the "big kids" like Sergei, Pietro, and Gennady could hardly contain their excitement; they looked as if their eyes might pop out.
"This base is unbelievable. It feels like it could hold tens of thousands of people," one of them said, still in awe.
"Yes, to be precise, it's designed to accommodate thirteen thousand people," Melina responded with a smile.