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"Wasn't it the Director's wish for me to stay hidden?" Link remarked. "I'm keeping a low profile, just like he wanted. Plus, no one's going to be foolish enough to mess with me again."
"And on top of that," he added, "there are unexpected benefits in the long run, though it's too early to tell."
"Fair point," Coulson conceded. "But how exactly did you pull it off?" He couldn't wrap his head around it—neither Hawkeye nor Black Widow could handle over 300 armed men at once.
"Simple: a remote-controlled bomb," Link explained. "It triggered a sand dune collapse, and the resulting sandstorm became the perfect cover. As for the bodies, the desert took care of them. They'll never know how it all happened."
"Smart move," Coulson nodded, impressed. That made sense. What shocked him, though, was Link's combat prowess. "Looks like it's time for our tech guys to develop some gear for you—something that can store your weapons efficiently."
"Now that's a great idea!" Link's eyes gleamed. "By the way, how's your side of things?"
"We're close. The plan's almost ready, and our target is getting restless. So, it's about time for us to make our move." Coulson's voice had an edge of anticipation. The growing pressure on Wilson Fisk from the Hand was becoming untenable. Daredevil hadn't stopped interfering with Fisk's business, constantly chipping away at him. The more frustrated Fisk became, the more careless he got, allowing S.H.I.E.L.D. to piece together a web of evidence that linked Fisk to the Hand.
The operation was underway, no fanfare or drama involved. Even the centuries-old leaders of the Hand wouldn't stand a chance against S.H.I.E.L.D.'s advanced tech. Still, Coulson couldn't shake the feeling that he was on some kind of personal mission for Fury, with large sums of money funneled into secret accounts.
Unaware of these covert dealings, Link was enjoying a rare stretch of peace. When Jessica returned, she seemed determined to wear him out, likely fueled by her recent worries. Their training sessions were intense, and Jessica was improving rapidly. She was getting better at controlling her strength, but when it came to their more "physical" interactions, she remained cautious, still fearing she might lose control.
Link had no choice but to bear the brunt of it, pushing himself harder than ever.
---
"Hey, Link!" Dr. Bruce Banner greeted him with an unusual lightness. "I think I've finally got it under control."
"Really?" Link raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised but not entirely. Once Bruce accepted the Hulk as a part of himself, understanding how to communicate with him was only a matter of time. After all, the Hulk was just a manifestation of Bruce's childhood anger.
"Yep. You were right—the Hulk is essentially a younger, angrier version of me," Bruce explained with a smile, clearly in a better place mentally.
"Good to hear!" Link nodded approvingly. "But... I'd recommend not merging the two of you again."
Bruce blinked in confusion. "Why not?"
"Because if you merge, the Hulk's power will diminish," Link pointed out. "What you should be focusing on now is mastering combat techniques. Adapt to the Hulk's way of fighting."
"If I'm not mistaken, his style is pretty basic, right? Just rage and brute force."
Bruce chuckled. "You're spot on. I've watched him in action a few times now, and yeah, there's no technique involved."
"Exactly. Learn some real combat skills. It'll benefit both you and the Hulk. Plus, you're a genius—picking it up won't be too difficult for you," Link advised. "What's important is that you take control of your future, understand where you're headed."
"My future..." Bruce fell into deep thought, contemplating the possibilities. After a moment, he looked at Link. "So, you're saying the world will need the Hulk's strength in the future?"
"Not just the Hulk's strength, but your intellect too," Link emphasized. "If you merge, you'll weaken. And don't forget—General Ross won't just sit back and give up."
"If you lose your edge, you won't stand a chance against the military. Unless you're thinking of joining S.H.I.E.L.D., but I doubt that's something you'd want."
"Wait… you're telling me S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn't tried to recruit me?" Bruce asked, clearly caught off guard.
"Nope. For now, S.H.I.E.L.D. can handle the crises that come their way. And for the ones they can't, there's a special protocol in place—though I'm not privy to that." Link shrugged. "I'm only a level-six agent, and I was promoted due to my undercover work."
"My job is to gather intel on who holds extraterrestrial technology. Anything from space carries risks—unknown ones at that."
"This takes up a lot of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources. Agents are scattered all over the world, monitoring every aspect of human activity, trying to stop threats before they escalate. Alien tech is just way beyond what we can handle."
Bruce sighed, then nodded resolutely. "I see what you mean. You're right—I shouldn't merge with the Hulk. He needs to be separate. And don't worry, I'll start learning to fight."
"Good. Now, let's go over what you've been up to lately." They spent the next few hours talking, with Bruce eager to share what he'd learned. But eventually, Link had to excuse himself—he still had to get home before dinner.
---
With eleven billion dollars now in his pocket, Link's financial position was secure. But he'd lost track of Rand, who had been discovered by Fisk, leaving his law firm in disarray. Thankfully, other partners were stepping up.
Having wrapped up his latest case, Link transferred his assets to his personal foundation. Now acting as its investment director, he began purchasing more Stark Industries stock. He also acquired shares of Hammer Industries, betting on the company's low stock price, which had little room left to fall.
The two stocks were polar opposites, but Link wasn't concerned about Hammer's fate—the military wouldn't let Stark Industries dominate the market unchecked.
With his finances secured, Link decided to wait until the next big event before selling off his shares. After all, Tony Stark was about to disappear for a while.
When Jessica saw the enormous sum of money he had amassed, her jaw nearly hit the floor. Her mind filled in the blanks—Link must have gone through hell to protect her and win such a huge fortune. Satisfied with her own conclusions, she let it go.
Link didn't elaborate too much. In the criminal underworld, he had become somewhat of a legend, known as the Grim Reaper.
And as far as everyone was concerned, as long as you didn't cross him, there wouldn't be a problem. Las Vegas loved his approach to settling disputes—resolve it at the gambling table.
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(End of Chapter)