Meilin, who finally got free, sat on the train, and it was the quiet midnight.
He was wearing a light windbreaker, gloves, and covered his face with a cowboy hat, leaning against the window, as if he was resting.
He had a travel bag at his feet, and at his hand was a small kettle filled with water. He looked like an ordinary tourist, seemingly exhausted by the long journey.
The whole carriage was quiet, most of the passengers were resting, and one or two people who were still awake made no sound.
The car heads to Central America, and its destination is Madison, Wisconsin.
After traveling all over the land, Merlin finally decided to return to where everything started.
He hadn't figured out what to do in the future, and he didn't know what stories would be waiting for him in the future. But after experiencing so many things, Merlin finally decided to face the emotions hidden deep in his heart, and he wanted to go back and take a look.
Look at dad, mom, and his younger brother Phil, though, they no longer remember him.
"Click"
The door of the train carriage opened and a man carrying a suitcase walked into the carriage.
He walked a steady pace and approached Merlin step by step. As the man got closer, Merlin, who seemed to be sleeping, moved his left hand and quietly grabbed the handle of the knife inserted into his boot.
It is easy to feel that the target of the visitor is his.
But to Merlin's surprise, the man did not launch an attack.
Instead, he sat carelessly on the chair opposite Merlin, put his suitcase at his feet, took off his hat, took off his toad mirror, then reached out and knocked on the table.
It's like saying hello.
Merlin took off the cowboy hat that was blocking his face, and he sat upright, looking at the person sitting opposite him.
A strong black man with short hair and sharp eyes. He seemed to have been a soldier and exuded a cold and unrestrained breath on his forehead. There was also a bleeding bandage on his forehead. The wound seemed to have been left recently, as if it had just been stitched.
This wound that shouldn't have appeared seriously damaged the indifferent temperament of the guy in front of him, making him look a little funny.
He looked at Meilin, and Meilin looked at him too.
"Do I know you? Sir?"
Merlin asked.
"No, you don't know."
The man shrugged and said to Merlin:
"But I know you, I met you two years ago."
He took something out of his pocket and placed it in front of Merlin.
It was a newspaper that was reduced, which was a little yellowed, and it was written on it about the news about the Chicago bombing.
That was indeed something that happened two years ago, and it was the accident caused by Merlin.
"I'll introduce myself. My name is Nick Fury. Senior Agent of the Strategic Science Legion. I've been following news about you since 2 years ago, Mr. 89084, or should I call you, Merlin?"
Nick Fury glanced at Merlin's posture, he shook his head, and said to Merlin patiently and calmly:
"Take your hand away from the hilt of the knife, Merlin. I came here alone to express my sincerity."
"You and the Winter Soldiers fight outside Auckland can't hide us. In fact, my injuries were left behind that night. I went to help you, but I lost 7 of the best soldiers, and even I almost buried myself in the explosion."
"You've been chasing me?"
Merlin let go of the hand holding the hilt, leaning against his seat, looking at Fury in front of him, he said:
"Why? At that time, I should have been an unknown man shrouded in doom."
"Because it's our responsibility, Mr. Merlin."
Fury explained:
"The Strategic Science Legion is a defense organization. The prototype of this organization was established during World War II and helped Captain America Steve Rogers defeat **. After World War II, we seized a lot of dangerous things from ** Germany, which should not have flowed into the people."
“Since then, in addition to continuing our mission of defending the people, we have also sought various dangerous objects around the world to contain them.”
"This includes dangerous supernatural objects and scientific creations that should not be spread, such as the bell you encounter in Chicago, and the design drawings of the 'involved' bombs used by the Winter Soldiers during combat, etc."
"Of course, some dangerous creatures are included."
Agent Free glanced at Merlin and said meaningfully:
"This world is not what ordinary people see. Under the appearance of order, this world hides many unknown forces. Mutants, aliens and other special creatures, ghosts, devils, demons, even malicious aliens, etc. You have seen a part of this real world, and you have even participated in it and become a member of them."
"That's why I've been paying attention to you from the beginning, Mr. Merlin. Do you think letting a person like you walk in the city is something that doesn't need to be worried by the authorities?"
Fury's explanation made Merlin nod, he could understand the logic.
No government can allow uncontrollable factors to be integrated into the public. After knowing that there are supernatural creatures in the world, it is reasonable for the government to set up an institution specifically to deal with these factors.
The only thing that keeps Merlin still in doubt is the purpose of this institution.
He asked bluntly:
"So what are you going to deal with me, a freak? Mr. Fury?"
"Do you catch me and throw me into prison? Or do you find some of these ways to completely erase me? Or just treat me as a test subject for a mad scientist?"
Merlin's problem was malicious, but Fury responded easily. He knocked on the table and said to Merlin:
"None are!"
"We will provide you with a job, a job that is far away from the people, and absorb you into us. If you don't want to accept it, then we will give you a new identity, prepare you a house in some safe areas, a new life, provided that you have to accept our supervision. This is a well, cautious defense measure."
He looked at Merlin and said:
"Of course, that's what happened in the future. You just helped us solve the most dangerous and ugliest and notorious mad killer of the previous era. I think we should be able to talk calmly between us, right?"
Merlin did not answer immediately, and he made a "please" gesture.
Fury leaned forward, he lay on the table, and he looked at Merlin:
"What did you see on the night of December 17, 1991?"
"I saw the whole process of how the Howards were killed."
Merlin said without any concealment:
"Their car failed to brake and hit the tree on the side of the road. I wanted to help, but Mr. Howard, who was seriously injured at the time, asked me to leave with his wife and some things in the trunk. However, the Winter Soldier came too quickly and I wanted to take them away, but I couldn't do it. The Winter Soldier hit Mr. Howard, and in my fight with him, the things were broken."
"What's that?"
Fury asked in a serious tone, Merlin looked at him and asked in surprise:
"Don't you know what that is?"
"I can't be sure."
Fury said:
"Mr. Howard has a transcendent position in the Strategic Science Legion. He is one of the founders of the institution. He has extremely high autonomy. It is difficult for others to know what he wants to study and what he has studied. But I think that it is definitely not a mess of super soldier serum that can cause death to Mr. Howard, right?"
"Um"
Merlin nodded and said to Fury:
"There are 5 bags of serum in total. In the explosion I caused, most of the liquid was evaporated, and in the end there was only a small bag, just a little residue. Mr. Howard told me to drink that thing directly."
"Did you drink it?"
Fury suddenly narrowed his eyes, while Merlin shook his head:
"I didn't drink it directly."
"I injected it"
As Fury was watching, Merlin reached out to take Fury's sunglasses on the table. As the five fingers tightened, the sunglasses made a low cracking sound. After a while, a pile of glass powder appeared on the table, and the frame of the toad mirror had been kneaded into a small metal ball by Merlin using two fingers.
"What a pity."
Fury looked at the ball of powder and said with some regret:
“That’s my favorite glasses”
"Uh, I'll pay you."
Merlin was embarrassed for a moment, he apologized to Fury, then looked at him calmly, and he said:
"I don't want to do this. In fact, I've been thinking about whether to return it to you. But unfortunately, the Winter Soldier has been chasing me and is desperate, so I can only take a risk."
"No, we don't mean to blame you, Mr. Merlin. It's better to have your serum injected than to fall into the hands of someone like the Winter Soldier."
Fury stood up, as if he had finished asking, he lifted his suitcase and subconsciously wanted to grab his sunglasses in his pocket, but he grabbed it for nothing.
Fury looked at the powder on the table again after realizing it. He shrugged and said to Merlin:
"But since you have already injected the serum, come with me."
"I shouldn't have told you about the next conversation. There is a respectable person waiting for you. I guess you should have heard her name."
"What if I don't want to go?"
Merlin sat in her seat without getting up, he looked at Fury and said:
"Maybe I think I shouldn't have anything to do with you?"
Hearing Merlin's words, Fury's steps stopped. He looked back at Merlin, his sharp eyes shining with a smile that was sure to win, and he said:
"You have to know, Mr. Merlin, scientific research is a very complicated thing. Although things like Super Soldier Serum have appeared decades ago, their structure and composition are all a mystery today."
"That kind of thing is not just about injection. If you want to safely pass the upcoming conversion period, then I believe you will make the right choice. After all, you have to see it, but the person who helped Captain America complete the conversion training back then."
"She is probably the person in the world who knows the best of Super Soldier Serum."
"So, are you sure, you want to refuse?"
Although Merlin wanted to reject Fury, he followed Fury honestly back to a high-end hotel in downtown Auckland after more than ten minutes.
And the big man Fury said was waiting for him in a room in the hotel.
It was a lady sitting in a wheelchair wearing a black floral skirt, with white hair mixed in black and covered with black, and a little wrinkles on her face, but when she smiled, she still had a charm.
It's like a weathered old man.
But outside her room, the dozen or so fierce auras, weapons-wearing guards, and this completely emptied hotel all represent her identity and power.
"Hello, Merlin. My name is Peggy Carter, the director of the Strategic Science Legion. Of course, you kids may be more familiar with my other identity."
The lady smiled and said calmly:
"I am indeed Captain America Steve Rogers' girlfriend, but that's been more than 40 years ago."
"Sit, Merlin, don't be nervous. Let's have a good chat about your serum, your past, and, about your future."
Merlin sat honestly on the sofa opposite the lady. Although Ms. Carter spoke very kindly, as a powerful figure who led the Strategic Science Legion for more than 40 years and had experienced war baptism, her kind voice was filled with a hint of irresistible.
When facing such a lady, Merlin will subconsciously obey no matter what she says.
Perhaps, this is what people often call personal charm.
"I heard your story from Fury, Merlin, they all said you are a dangerous person, but I don't see that."
Ms. Carter looked at Merlin and said:
"I saw your deeds of saving people, in Central City, in Ci'en Harbor, and this time in Auckland. Yes, there are indeed many people who were injured or even died because of you, but you have also saved many people. What's more valuable is that no one asked you to do this."
"You decided to do it yourself."
"Being forced to do good things and doing good things voluntarily may have the same result, but for the rescuer himself, they are two completely different concepts. When I see you, I always involuntarily think of Steve, although you and him may be two completely different people."
Ms. Carter put her hands on her belly and said to Merlin:
"Take off your glasses, Merlin, let me see your face."
This request made Merlin hesitate, he said:
"Ms. Carter, my eyes may scare you"
"Scared me?"
Page Carter laughed, and she looked at Merlin and said:
"Child, I have experienced so many strange, bad, disgusting, or sad things in my life. I have seen so many things, but none of them can scare me. What a beautiful pair of eyes, like the most beautiful embers after the flames burned out."
Ms. Carter swirled her wheelchair and came to Merlin. She stretched out her hand and gently touched Merlin's cheeks, observing his eyes, as if she was looking at the most beautiful gem in the world.
In Ms. Carter's eyes, Merlin felt no disgust or resistance. This was the first time he was treated so kindly by a stranger.
He was a little at a loss and didn't know how to respond to this sincere kindness.
Until several minutes later, Ms. Carter's wheelchair was back a little, she narrowed her eyes and said to Merlin with a soft smile:
"Merlin, do you want to be a hero? Just like Steve."
"I"
It is no exaggeration to say that every child in this land grew up listening to the legendary story of Captain America. Faced with Carter's problems, he was speechless for a moment.
Ms. Carter smiled and said to Merlin:
"I know, I know, there may be only one person who is perfect like Steve."
"But you have everything he has. You have all seen darkness, you all yearn for light, you are willing to help others, you all have compassion for the victims, and even the source of power is exactly the same."
Ms. Carter reached out and gently held Merlin's slightly cold hands. She said softly with a hint of encouragement:
Chapter completed!