NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Natasha Romanoff
[Afternoon]
"Miss, you shouldn't come here, just let me handle this. This is Hell's Kitchen, it's not a safe place," a voice came from outside the door.
Ryuji and Deadpool looked out the door and saw a fat man in a suit walking in.
Following behind him was a lady with blonde hair and a sad expression, along with a woman with brown hair wearing a secretary's outfit.
Deadpool hurriedly walked toward the three people.
He introduced one of the women: "Ryuji, this is our respected sponsor, ugh, I mean our employer, Ms. Pepper Potts."
"This gentleman is probably an unimportant person, likely just Ms. Potts's follower."
"As for this beautiful lady, are you looking for me?"
Deadpool ignored the man, turned around, and took out a rose, offering it to the brown-haired woman.
"Just call me Happy. I'm Stark's bodyguard, and I recommended Ms. Potts to find you."
"As for the other one, she's Stark's newly hired secretary, Ms. Natasha Rushman."
The brown-haired woman in secretary attire nodded.
Ryuji hurried forward to shake hands with Ms. Pepper Potts.
Then he motioned for them to sit down. "Please, sit down, Ms. Pepper Potts. Pietro, quickly bring some tea for our guests."
"Please enjoy the tea, you're welcome," Ryuji said. As his voice faded, three cups of tea were already placed on the table in front of Happy and the others.
Happy and Ms. Potts were stunned.
Only Natasha remained unfazed, as if she had anticipated this.
Ryuji looked at Pietro, annoyed. "Please don't mind it, it's just a little ability. If we didn't have some skills, how could we survive in Hell's Kitchen?"
"Now, let's get back to the topic. I'm sorry to hear about Stark's disappearance. We will do our best to help you find him. Could you tell us the details?"
Pepper Potts adjusted herself and began to speak.
"A month ago, Tony Stark went to Afghanistan to deliver weapons to the local US military. After the transaction was completed, on his way back to the military base, he was attacked by unknown armed forces. There was no trace of Tony at the scene, and it's assumed he was kidnapped."
"I hope you can bring Tony Stark back, even if it's just his body..."
At this point, Pepper Potts's eyes turned red, and she couldn't continue.
Happy frantically searched for tissues nearby, and thankfully, Natasha handed her a handkerchief.
Ryuji, who knew the plot, showed a sad expression, but inside, he was actually pleased. He quickly said, "Ms. Pepper Potts, I understand your feelings, and I'm sorry to hear about Stark's situation."
"But I want to clarify that since Mr. Stark was attacked by unknown forces, this rescue mission will likely face armed groups with heavy firepower, which means we may need to fight."
Ryuji paused for a moment, struggling.
"It's hard for us to guarantee success. If Mr. Stark is still alive, we need to bring him back safely from these armed forces. This is very difficult unless..."
Deadpool, standing behind Ryuji, made a gesture with his five fingers, implying extra money.
Seeing the gesture, Pepper Potts understood and said, "Money is not an issue. As long as you can find Tony Stark and bring him back safely, I'll add another 50 million! Even if it's just to recover the body, I'm willing to pay 5 million dollars."
Clearly, Pepper Potts was desperate to find out whether Tony was alive or dead.
Ryuji, knowing that Stark would likely build an iron suit to escape on his own, said solemnly, "No problem at all. Our team is all elite, and we will complete this mission 100%. We won't charge a penny if we fail to rescue Tony Stark."
"We are professionals!" Deadpool quickly nodded in agreement.
"That's right," Pietro also gave a thumbs up, backing them up.
Pepper Potts seemed to be reassured by Ryuji and the others' confident speech, and her mood improved significantly.
"Hehe," a sneer interrupted the calm atmosphere. Everyone turned to find it came from Natasha.
"Even the American police and the world's most elite FBI can't find him. How can you be so confident that you can find him?" Natasha said, with a mocking tone.
At this moment, Ryuji started to carefully observe the secretary in front of him.
"System, activate. Scan the person in front of you."
[Ding]
[Name: Natasha Rushman (Natasha Romanoff)]
[Title: Black Widow]
[Race: Human]
[Favorability: None]
[Skills: Unable to read, as the other person is not a friend yet.]
Ryuji muttered in his mind. "Marvel's famous Black Widow."
He knew that Black Widow was an experienced agent born in Stalingrad, Soviet Union, in 1928. She was trained as an agent from a young age and genetically modified by the Soviet government to significantly slow down her aging process.
However, Ryuji didn't know many details. He had seen Black Widow's solo movie in his past life but had no interest in the Avengers films, which were made later to promote political correctness.
Knowing now that she was affiliated with SHIELD, Ryuji felt conflicted. On one hand, he didn't want to get involved with SHIELD, especially with that black guy. But on the other hand, joining the Avengers would be the quickest way to make connections with superheroes.
While there were other ways to form alliances, joining a team like the Avengers was more efficient than befriending individuals one by one.
But those thoughts were for the future. For now, he decided to focus on making friends with Black Widow.
"This beautiful lady, you underestimate us too much. Tony Stark can be brought back by me, Deadpool. Just wait for good news."
"If your boss, Tony Stark, is rescued, would you be interested in... woo woo woo," Deadpool teased.
"I'm terribly sorry, Ms. Rushman," Ryuji quickly covered Deadpool's mouth and looked at Black Widow and Pepper Potts with an apologetic smile.
"I believe Ms. Pepper Potts has reached out to many sources over such a long period. It's understandable that you don't trust us, Ms. Rushman. How about a little wager?" Ryuji continued.
"What kind of bet?" Black Widow tilted her head, signaling Ryuji to go on.
Pepper Potts and Deadpool both looked curious.
Ryuji explained, "First of all, Ms. Pepper Potts, I didn't mean to make light of Tony Stark's situation. If I offended you, I apologize."
"I have two passions: money and making friends."
"If we rescue Tony Stark, I'd like to become friends with Ms. Rushman."
Pepper Potts waved her hand, indicating it wasn't a big deal.
"Okay, if you find him, I'd be happy to make friends with you. But what if you fail? The FBI hasn't been able to locate Tony Stark; how can you be so sure?" Natasha asked, intrigued.
"No 'what ifs.' We will definitely rescue Tony Stark," Ryuji said firmly, though he knew Natasha was testing him for SHIELD.
"We have our own ways. But please, bring Tony Stark's recent personal belongings, preferably something with a strong scent."
Ryuji motioned toward the door.
"No problem, I'll take care of it. Happy, pack what's needed tomorrow. We'll be waiting for your good news," Pepper Potts said, standing up.
Seeing Pepper Potts leave, Happy followed quickly.
Only Natasha turned slowly, and when she reached the door, she glanced back at Ryuji and his group with a knowing look.
Seeing Natasha's actions, Ryuji frowned.
At that moment, Deadpool next to him shouted, "I'm in love! She's so beautiful, Ms. Rushman!"
"Oh no, I forgot to ask for her contact information! Ms. Rushman, wait for me!" Deadpool ran out in a panic.
"What's going on, Ryuji? Is something wrong with Ms. Rushman?" Pietro noticed the tension and asked.
"Hey, it's fine, Pietro. It's just that our peaceful days are coming to an end. I'll head upstairs to rest. I have to open for business tonight," Ryuji said in a lower tone as he patted Pietro's shoulder, slowly walking toward the apartment elevator.
Seeing Ryuji's sudden change in demeanor, Pietro sighed. "In Hell's Kitchen, there's no such thing as peace or stability. Life here is chaotic, but nothing is more chaotic than Hell's Kitchen."
Ryuji paused without saying anything. But his posture no longer seemed as burdened.
###
Read tens of advance chapters all on my Patreon.
Link; [email protected]/Tyrouge
Ps: If you're liking this, let me know by your comments and power stones.