Holm let out a long breath, feeling that he had said too much. His throat was dry, and the self-reflective narration, along with his sincere admission, seemed to have erased Daisy's doubts. It even restored much of his previously tarnished image.
Despite her cold, serious demeanor, Daisy was kind-hearted and straightforward. Holm felt a slight warmth in his cheeks when she had comforted him earlier. He wondered why she had chosen to become an agent. Other than her naturally serious appearance, Daisy didn't seem to have anything in common with the dark, ruthless, and cold-blooded life of an agent.
Now holding the telescope again, Holm continued observing the meteorite. Just as he was engrossed in his task, he felt something brush against his leg. His instincts as an agent kicked in, and he swiftly jumped back. Daisy, startled by his sudden movement, immediately became alert and scanned the surroundings.
"What's wrong? Did you see something?" Daisy asked, her expression serious as she surveyed the area.
Holm didn't respond immediately. His eyes were locked on the ground where he had been standing. Slowly, he crouched down, his hand darting out like lightning to grab a small green snake that had been slithering near him.
"It's fine," Holm said as he held up the wriggling snake. "It's just a harmless green snake." Without hesitation, he cut it into pieces and threw it away.
Seeing it was just a snake, Daisy relaxed, her tense posture easing. She had thought there might have been something more dangerous. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but admire Holm's quick reflexes.
Holm, pleased with his own reaction, felt a sense of reassurance. Despite the strange circumstances of his rebirth, his body hadn't lost its sharpness.
After a moment of calm, Holm turned his attention back to the meteorite. Peering through the telescope, he noticed something off. "Daisy, did you notice that the breathing-like movement of the meteorite has stopped? Was it still moving when you were looking at it earlier?"
Their earlier conversation had dispelled the formal distance between them, and their manner of addressing each other had grown more casual.
Daisy took the telescope and observed the meteorite carefully. After a moment, she responded, "You're right. When I was watching it earlier, it was still moving slightly, but it seemed to be slowing down."
Holm stroked his chin thoughtfully. "That's strange, but based on the earlier reports, this might be expected. The witnesses who first saw the meteorite said it was very active. By the time the young officer arrived, it had already slowed to just the middle moving. It seems natural that it's stopped now."
He glanced back at Daisy, his mind working quickly. "In any case, I've recorded everything from the beginning. We'll just hand it over to the professionals once they get here."
As they were speaking, the distant sound of mechanical rumbling began to grow louder. Soon, a large machine, about the size of an excavator, appeared on the horizon. It moved steadily toward them, flattening trees and clearing a path in its wake.
The machine came to a halt near the meteorite, and a convoy of vehicles followed. S.H.I.E.L.D. had arrived, and they weren't wasting any time. Agents of all levels disembarked from the vehicles, along with several scientists who immediately began setting up equipment around the meteorite.
Daisy watched the scene unfold with wide-eyed fascination, her gaze following the teams as they set up a temporary lab around the strange object. She was intrigued by how efficiently S.H.I.E.L.D. operated, the scientists working with precision and speed.
Holm, however, was focused on something—or rather, someone—else. His attention was drawn to a man who had just exited one of the vehicles. The sight of him made Holm's heartbeat quicken, and an unsettling feeling began to rise within him.
Grant Ward.
Holm was certain that this man had been involved in his death. From the moment Ward appeared, Holm's body reacted with a sudden surge of anxiety and fear. It was a deep, instinctual reaction—one that belonged to the previous Holm, not the man he was now.
Holm cursed silently, trying to control his body's involuntary response. His logical mind told him that there was no reason to be afraid. Grant Ward was a Hydra agent, not someone to fear. Yet his body disagreed, reacting with a flood of emotions that Holm couldn't fully understand.
"Damn it," Holm thought to himself. "Why is this happening? He's just one level above me, a fellow agent. Why should I be afraid of him?"
Holm tried to steady his breathing and calm the storm of emotions that were threatening to overwhelm him. He reminded himself repeatedly that the old Holm was gone. He was a new person now, with a new life and a stronger will.
Gradually, the fear began to fade, replaced by a growing resolve. But as the fear ebbed away, another thought started to grow in his mind. It was a dark, primal urge that took hold of him and wouldn't let go.
"Kill him," a voice whispered in Holm's mind. "Kill him now."
Holm clenched his fists, trying to push the thought away. His rational side knew better, but the urge was strong, and it gnawed at him with a frightening intensity. The words repeated in his mind like a mantra.
"Kill him. Kill this man."
Before the thought could take root any further, Daisy's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Are you zoning out? Mr. Ward doesn't seem to hold a grudge about what happened the other day. You can relax," she said, waving at Ward with a friendly smile.
Holm quickly composed himself, forcing a smile as he waved back at Ward. But despite his outward calm, Holm couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.
Ward, smiling in return, seemed pleasant and approachable, his narrowed eyes giving him a kind appearance. But Holm wasn't fooled. Behind the warm facade, Holm could sense something much darker lurking beneath the surface.
Ward approached the two of them, his smile broad as he spoke. "You two acted quickly and did a thorough job with your report. The professionals will take over from here, so your mission is complete."
His voice was smooth and reassuring, but Holm could see the calculation behind those words. Ward might appear kind and relaxed, but there was something about his demeanor that made Holm uneasy.
After exchanging a few more words with Daisy, Ward turned to Holm, his smile fading as his voice dropped to a cold, flat tone.
"How dare you look at me like that."
Holm stiffened, but he kept his expression neutral. He knew better than to show fear in front of this man.
Even though Ward had put on a facade of friendliness earlier, Holm could see the cruelty and cunning hidden behind his narrowed eyes.
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