Chapter 53: Mexico
Nicaragua, one of Mexico's largest ports.
One of the biggest trade hubs on the east coast of South America.
In this country, almost completely infiltrated by drug traffickers, it has naturally become one of the largest drug trade ports as well.
Every year, the drugs passing through here to Europe generate economic value that even a super-wealthy individual like Tony Stark would be astonished by.
The vast wealth generated by the drug trade has not only corrupted the government of this country but also spawned numerous drug lords who control their own armies.
To put it simply, the armies controlled by the major drug lords in Mexico are powerful enough to dominate a small country in Africa.
This time, the target of Blake and his team was one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in Mexico.
The battle lineup: Blake, Tony, Black Widow, and Hawkeye.
Support: Dr. Banner.
Logistics and Command: The ever-reliable Coulson.
"Do you know who the most welcomed people by the drug lords here are?"
Coulson, the leader of the operation, stood on the bridge of the submarine, smiling as he spoke to the group.
"Corrupt anti-narcotics officers or their government officials!" Banner responded playfully.
"It's Tony Stark. Weapons from Stark Industries are their most coveted items. From the extensive criminal records of Obadiah, there is evidence of arms deals with Mexican drug lords. However, due to the CIA's crackdown on Mexican drug traffickers, Obadiah didn't dare to sell arms to them in large quantities."
Coulson pointed to Tony, who remained silent, with a smile.
"First of all, I had no idea what Obadiah was doing, and secondly, Stark Industries no longer manufactures any weapons."
Tony shrugged, expressing his innocence, but couldn't resist speaking up again.
"Honestly, even though I joined this Avengers initiative to step in when the world is in danger, if it's just about training and building team cohesion, there are plenty of terrorists out there, like in the Middle East. Why come to Mexico to catch drug dealers? That's the job of the anti-narcotics police, man!"
In fact, it wasn't just Tony; even Hawkeye, who was entirely within the system, looked equally unimpressed.
As a top agent, he had his own pride. Fighting drug traffickers felt beneath someone of his caliber.
After all, although often considered the weakest in the Avengers, Hawkeye caused havoc among the local gangs in Japan and Mexico after losing his family in the Snap.
"Fury's position means he can't put all his eggs in one basket. Your existence is top-secret. Only a handful of us internally know about it. You need specialized equipment, transportation, and funding, which can't be transparent. So we need to find a few rich people and make some money ourselves."
Coulson explained with a smile to everyone.
Despite his thinning hair, he was a superfan of superheroes, having known about Captain America since childhood. Now that he was in charge of a super-special operations team, his sense of accomplishment was immense, more satisfying than growing a full head of hair.
"Tch!" Blake also felt that fighting drug traffickers was a bit beneath them.
He scoffed disdainfully.
"It's just funding for a few people. The three of you plus me can all draw salaries. Dr. Banner can easily find a part-time job with Tony. Tony doesn't need any explanation; it's just about covering meals and accommodations for a few people. At worst, I'll donate my salary!" Blake showed rare generosity.
"I wish it were that simple. If your salary were enough, let's not even talk about the other expenses. Just one Quinjet costs over a hundred million dollars. If you donate a billion, we'll turn back right now!"
"That was rash! Sorry, forget I said anything. But you can ask Tony!"
Blake pointed to Tony. The money Tony spent on building a suit of armor could easily support everyone for a long time.
To be fair, the drug traffickers in Mexico had strong firepower and many personnel. It was indeed a good place for everyone to train. Moreover, given the enormous wealth they controlled and the significant threat they posed to society, it was clear that Nick had chosen a suitable target.
No wonder he was so sure they'd get a salary increase after the hotpot meal. He had this planned all along.
The drug traffickers had bribed most of the government officials, so arriving by boat or through normal means made no difference. Hence, they discreetly traveled in a small radar-evading submarine.
Under the cover of night, they approached a deserted beach near Nicaragua.
The target was the mansion of the largest drug lord in northern Mexico.
The primary objective this time was to burn their drugs and find the hidden bank account passwords in Zurich.
Coulson implemented Nick Fury's plan well.
With Black Widow and Hawkeye at the center, they would quietly infiltrate, capture the drug lord, burn the drug warehouse, and then quickly retreat.
The highly destructive Dr. Banner was kept in the submarine as a secret weapon. If things got tricky or there were any changes, they would release the beast to assist them.
The drug lord's mansion wasn't far from the coast. Wealthy estates near the sea always have ocean views. This was evident from Tony's preference.
The mansion had nearly ten-meter-high walls with dense electric grids on top, spanning almost a hundred acres. Every 20 to 30 meters, there were watchtowers standing two meters above the walls.
This wasn't just a mansion; it was comparable to the most fortified military bases and prisons Blake had ever seen.
A few hundred meters from the drug lord's mansion, Black Widow spread out a blueprint on the ground and explained to the team.
"The guards are too tight. Sneaking in silently from the front is almost impossible. Seresto's (the drug lord's) room is here. This is his usual area. We can..."
Before Black Widow could finish, Tony had already flown off towards the mansion.
"Damn it, Stark! They might have dug numerous tunnels underground. A frontal assault will let him escape!"
Black Widow shouted angrily.
But the speed of Iron Man's suit was incredible, and he was already nearing the heavily guarded mansion.
"Damn it, Blake, you go... Blake?"
Black Widow looked around in confusion, but Blake was nowhere to be seen.
Hawkeye pointed towards the mansion.
Blake was sprinting towards the mansion at a speed that rivaled Tony's suit.
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