"Understood, Director." Natasha's voice was steady and strong. "I will infiltrate like a shadow, ensuring the investigation path is undetected by anyone. Operation initiated immediately."
She nodded slightly, turned, and left, her footsteps still silent.
Fury watched her retreating back, then irritably picked up his coffee and took a big gulp.
A bitter taste spread. He had thought he'd found a gold mine, but it turned out a cunning viper might have already been lurking in the pit.
Natasha's "discovery," though based only on similarity, was like a thorn in his heart, forcing him to choose the most conservative, slowest, but perhaps safest path: his most elite, most cautious agent, Natasha, acting alone like a ghost.
Natasha walked out of "The Cube's" absolute isolation zone. In an unmanned corner, the miniature device on her wrist emitted a confirmation signal: Done.
Upon receiving Natasha's message, Hawk's eyes widened, a little amazed!
So fast? She truly was the Black Widow!
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Two hours flowed by in the city's night.
Hawk wasn't idly waiting; he and Emily, with their recovered strength and lingering passion, once again indulged in the waves of pleasure they brought each other.
When Emily, with satisfied exhaustion, once again fell into a deep sleep, the encrypted satellite phone by the pillow vibrated at just the right moment.
Hawk gently got up, walked to the window, and answered the call.
"Customer satisfaction survey time, little Hawk." Cypher's voice carried a hint of weariness, still languid. "Your 'shopping list' is packed and in your encrypted cloud."
Hawk immediately picked up his tablet and logged into the cloud.
A surprisingly detailed list was clearly visible: TCRI's seven compliant factories, two secret factories, four compliant laboratories, and three secret underground research facilities across the United States. Precise coordinates, satellite image coverage, key personnel and their background networks, ongoing major project codenames and brief descriptions, security level assessments, and even estimated patrol shift times... Cypher's intelligence capabilities were terrifying; this assignment far exceeded expectations.
"How is it? Are you satisfied with the teacher's efficiency and quality?" Cypher's voice held a hint of seeking praise, and in the background, the faint clinking of glasses, as if she were rewarding herself.
Hawk's gaze swept over a description on the screen about the "Sentinel-level" security of an underground research facility, and a satisfied smile played on his lips.
"Precise, efficient, and depth far beyond expectation. Cypher, your work," he paused, his voice low and firm, "as always... perfect! Flawless!"
He used the word that, in certain circles, represented the highest praise.
"Flawless?" Cypher chuckled softly on the other end of the phone, like a cat being scratched in just the right spot. "I like that evaluation. But, little one, do you know? It's 3:47 AM, my beauty sleep time."
She deliberately drew out the last syllable. "Perfect work deserves perfect compensation, five hundred thousand is the basic. Overtime pay? Emotional distress compensation? My beauty is priceless."
Hawk could almost imagine her lounging on a luxurious sofa, swirling a drink, her eyes cunning.
He relaxed his body, leaning back against the cold window glass, his voice carrying a rare hint of ease and teasing:
"Beautiful Ms. Cypher, your beauty is enough to dim the stars, and staying up late only adds a dangerous charm. As for overtime pay..." He deliberately paused. "I thought that 'perfect' evaluation just now was already the highest level of emotional comfort for you? Or, do you expect me to express my gratitude in another... more 'personal' way?"
A very slight gasp came from the other end of the phone, followed by Cypher's voice, laced with dangerous amusement: "Oh? Another way? Tell me, Hawk... little one. Three years have passed, your guts have gotten bigger, and your tongue is smoother? I want to see what new tricks the grown-up King can play?"
"Tricks take time to prepare, Cypher. I guarantee you'll get your money's worth." Hawk finally retracted the overly dangerous probing, but the warmth in his tone hadn't completely cooled. "Keep the signal open, wait for my message. This 'list' is just the beginning."
"Hmph, you little rascal, always keeping people in suspense." Cypher snorted softly, a hint of unfulfilled regret in her languor. "Alright, for that somewhat sincere compliment, I'll put the overtime on your tab for now. Remember, you owe me a private perfect service feedback. Next time you call, I hope it's not 3 AM."
She didn't wait for Hawk's response, cleanly cutting the communication.
Silence returned to the room, leaving only Emily's even breathing.
Hawk put down the cold satellite phone, his eyes once again sharp as an eagle's.
He reviewed the list, worth half a million dollars plus one outstanding debt, once more. The outline and weaknesses of TCRI were now clear in his mind.
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Sunlight streamed through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the chairman's office of the Lane Group, located in the heart of Manhattan.
The rich aroma of premium coffee beans filled the air.
Hawk, dressed in a perfectly tailored dark suit, sat at the head of the table.
Two powerful women sat before his desk.
On the left was Andy, CEO of the Lane Group.
Today, she wore a sharp pantsuit, rapidly reviewing a tablet displaying complex financial data and market analysis reports.
On the right was Emilia, the incoming CEO of Lane Capital.
At this moment, she looked nothing like the professor she was at Columbia University; she wore a custom-made off-white suit, her golden hair pinned up, revealing the elegant line of her neck and a pair of strikingly designed diamond earrings.