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"Vampires and werewolves can actually do something like that?" Alexei asked in surprise.
"I spent quite a while dealing with vampire hunters. They're the ones who told me." Although Henry was borrowing Blade and Whistler's authority to make his point, they really had been the ones who'd told Men in Black about these things.
"So what about those two?" Alexei finally shifted his attention to the two Eternals, who had been quietly eating the entire time.
For a moment, Henry wasn't sure how to introduce them. The Eternals were quite reluctant to reveal their identities to outsiders who weren't in the know.
Without Thena and Gilgamesh's consent, Henry naturally couldn't say much, so he simply said, "They're reinforcements I invited. Both are battle-hardened veterans, so don't worry—they won't hold us back."
"So, what are they? SEALs? Delta Force? Since when did either unit have women?" Alexei said matter-of-factly, completely oblivious to the sexism in his own words.
He continued, turning to Henry.
"You know I'm a super soldier. Put me in a mech, and I'm even stronger. Ordinary special forces won't be able to keep up with my movements.
"I'm only willing to work with you because you're the mech's designer—and because you're the one who asked for my help. If someone else doesn't have the ability, then even if you let them pilot one of your mechs, I won't necessarily approve."
Thena, the target of his remarks, didn't look angry, though she certainly wasn't without feelings. She calmly finished the slice of pizza in her hand, wiped the grease from her fingers with a napkin, and stood up.
"Big guy, I won't make this unfair. Let's settle it with an arm-wrestling match. If you can beat me, my companion and I will follow your advice and sit this operation out."
As she spoke, Thena cleared off a table, set it between herself and Alexei, planted her elbow on it, and beckoned him over with unmistakable provocation.
Alexei didn't immediately accept. Instead, he glanced at Gilgamesh, who was still eating.
"You're not sending your partner instead? At least he looks like he'd make a decent opponent."
"Come on, Pipsqueak. Beat me first, then you can challenge him. Let's see what a super soldier is really made of." Thena's taunting was utterly merciless.
At that point, there was no way Alexei could back down.
He stepped up to the table, planted his elbow, and clasped Thena's hand, ready to test his strength against hers.
His free hand, however, gripped the edge of the table to brace himself.
Thena, by contrast, tucked her other hand behind her back, relying solely on the strength of one arm.
Seeing that, Alexei was just about to comment and let go of the table.
The instant his attention wavered, Thena flicked her wrist and pushed his hand down ever so slightly, forcing the Russian to exert himself immediately to avoid losing on the spot.
That little movement wasn't meant to pin him.
It was simply her way of saying, Enough talking. The match has started.
She even raised an eyebrow with an almost theatrical expression.
That not only made Alexei take the contest seriously—it irritated him.
With a grunt, he threw his full strength into it.
Nothing.
The unexpected result left him staring in disbelief.
By every physical characteristic, the person across from him was clearly a woman. She was wearing short sleeves, with nothing on her forearms or wrists that could have concealed some sort of mechanical aid.
So how was he losing an arm-wrestling match?
Alexei forgot all about letting go of the table. Instead, he used both hands to strain, every muscle in his body bulging as he poured in all his strength.
He couldn't move her hand even a fraction.
"Hmm? Super soldier. Is that all you've got?" Thena asked casually.
At the same time, she steadily increased the pressure, slowly forcing Alexei's arm downward.
She wasn't relying on explosive force to finish him in one burst.
She was simply overpowering him through pure, overwhelming strength.
Alexei snorted through flared nostrils, his face turned crimson, every muscle in his body taut and veins standing out across his skin.
It made no difference.
His hand never recovered so much as a millimeter.
All he could do was watch as his arm was gradually pushed lower and lower until the back of his fist struck the tabletop.
Only then did he finally give up and relax.
Gilgamesh cheered enthusiastically while handing the victorious Thena a beer.
Like a gladiator basking in the applause after a triumphant bout, Thena accepted the celebration with a grin and took a long, satisfying swig.
Looking at the hand he'd just used, now marked by a deep red imprint from her grip, Alexei shook it in irritation.
"Cyka blyat... Where the hell did you find monsters like these? Are they mutants too?"
Henry had no intention of rubbing salt in the Red Guardian's wounds.
He simply replied, "They're not mutants. They're experienced warriors. They're just not very familiar with modern firearms or contemporary combat tactics, which is why we need your help."
Having lost to a woman, Alexei wasn't foolish enough to challenge the man who looked even more intimidating.
Who knew what those two really were?
After shaking out his aching arm, the easygoing Red Guardian didn't hold a grudge over something so trivial. As long as he knew they were worthy comrades, he had no further objections.
Still, after losing so decisively, he couldn't help feeling a little sulky.
"Fine. I get it. So when do we move?"
"What? Do you still have business to take care of in Europe? Found the Red Room?"
"Not yet. I was just asking. In the meantime, I want to get familiar with the mech. Is there still time to make modifications?"
"Try it out first. Tell me what you think, and I'll see what can be changed. If there's no time for major redesigns, I'll let you know."
"Sounds good. So... am I going to be stuck in this building for the next few days?"
The eleventh floor, which served as their secret base, only had the bare essentials.
There was a sofa, a television, a kitchen, and a bathroom, but not a single bed. The décor was plain and gloomy.
Rather than a living space, it felt more like a workshop with a break room attached.
Henry took a ring of keys off the wall and handed it to Alexei.
"Besides the ninth floor, which belongs to Thena, and the tenth, which belongs to Gilgamesh—"
At the mention of their names, both Eternals gave him a slight nod of acknowledgment.
"—the rest of the building is mine. This is the eleventh floor. I plan to live on the twelfth eventually, but for now I'm staying somewhere else. The twelfth floor is still just an unfinished shell.
"So if you want somewhere to stay, that's the key to the second floor. The second and sixth floors are fully furnished and ready to move into. Take a look. If you don't like the second floor, come back and exchange it for the sixth-floor key.
"The elevator has restricted access. Without the right key, you can't reach the corresponding floor. This floor isn't even listed on the control panel. If you want to come here, just get in the elevator, let the doors close, and don't press any buttons.
"I've already entered your biometric information. If you do that, the elevator will automatically bring you here.
"If you need money, there's some cash in the cabinet over there. Take whatever you need.
"As long as you're not planning to buy yourself a Ferrari outright, there should be enough there to last you for a while.
"You're free to come and go, but you know what your face means in America. Be careful when you're out."
After saying that, Henry remembered something else and added,
"Oh, and the operation depends on when the Continental makes its move. It'll be easier to fish in troubled waters if we coordinate with them. I've got contacts on the inside, so I'll be keeping an eye on the situation."
Rolling the arm that had just been humiliated in the arm-wrestling match, Alexei simply replied,
"Got it."
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