"Have some tea, Ms. Romanoff. You've misled us enough already. Since you're with the FBI——you should be more than capable of rescuing Mr. Stark yourself. Why seek help from ordinary people like us?" Alex Ray poured tea for them as he spoke, his voice calm and unhurried.
Natasha Romanoff wasn't a fool. She understood perfectly well what Alex was implying. Still, she didn't take offense.
Taking a slow sip of tea, she replied evenly, "Mr. Ray, you're joking. You're far from ordinary. You're a High Table elder who just averted a nuclear-level catastrophe and saved an entire city."
She then added, "Mr. Ray, do you still recall the bet we made earlier? I'm here to fulfill that agreement. Agent Coulson will be handling the rest of the inquiries."
Alex shook his head. "Forget the bet. I have no intention of becoming friends with FBI " His tone was firm. He had changed his mind.
He didn't want to get close to just anyone, and the system wasn't forcing him into any mandatory quests.
He simply didn't want to do anything that went against his will, especially for a group he despised. Alex had a deep-seated hatred for S.H.I.E.L.D.
Ignoring Natasha, he took a sip of tea, then turned his gaze to Coulson. "No one visits without a reason. Just get to the point. Your department usually has no business with someone like me."
Coulson cleared his throat and started, "I wonder if Mr. Ray would be interested in working with our agency." He already suspected that the chances of Alex accepting were slim, but it was worth asking.
Alex replied without hesitation, "No, thank you. I appreciate the offer, but I'm just a simple restaurant owner. I'm content running my place and living in peace. I have no plans to go anywhere else." The idea of giving up his restaurant, his apartment, and his newly acquired High Table status to become a low-level S.H.I.E.L.D. agent was laughable to him.
Coulson wasn't surprised by the refusal. He expected it. After all, his main reason for coming here was yet to be addressed. "I heard that a pair of mutant siblings are staying here with you. We'd like to meet them."
Alex's eyes narrowed slightly. So that was their true purpose—Pietro and Wanda.
He looked at them and said calmly, "Coulson, I'm not sure what your intentions are. According to federal law, anyone over the age of twenty-two is considered an adult. So, why are you so interested in them?"
"I'm their brother. More importantly, I'm their legal guardian. If you've got questions, bring them to me. I can speak on their behalf." Years ago, when Alex was younger, Wilson Fisk—Kingpin—had arranged to become his guardian. Once Alex came of age, Pietro and Wanda were officially transferred into his care.
Coulson's smile faded. "Alex, let's not pretend here. You and I both know that the world isn't kind to mutants—especially in a war zone like Hell's Kitchen. And under normal circumstances, there's no way someone like you could've been granted legal guardianship."
"If the government decides to crack down on mutants, do you really think you can protect those two on your own? Even with Kingpin's backing, it won't be enough."
"They need a safe, stable, and healthy environment. You can't provide that—but we can. Let us take them. We'll give them proper training and a better future."
Alex let out a cold chuckle. Without him, if things had followed the original course, Wanda and Pietro would've been molded into expendable weapons by S.H.I.E.L.D.—their lives twisted into misery.
"Save the speech. We don't need FBI meddling in our lives," he said coldly.
At this point, Coulson dropped the pretense. "Let me reintroduce ourselves. We're not FBI agents. We work for the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division—S.H.I.E.L.D., under the World Security Council. Our mandate includes handling threats to global security, criminal organizations, and antisocial elements."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "So what? That gives you the authority to mess with me?"
"You might not realize it," Coulson continued, "but S.H.I.E.L.D. has far more power than you think. If we decide to, we can revoke your guardianship, seize your property, freeze your restaurant, and detain you."
"People might fear Hell's Kitchen, but we don't. If we wanted to, we could level this entire block. Not even Kingpin could protect himself. That's the authority S.H.I.E.L.D. holds. We're allowed to eliminate anyone deemed a threat to world security."
His tone was unmistakably threatening now.
Alex smirked. "So what you're saying is, S.H.I.E.L.D. plans to arrest me on fabricated charges and tear down my apartment?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the restaurant shifted drastically. The warmth disappeared. Every eye turned cold, fixated on Coulson and Natasha like predators eyeing prey.
John Wick, noticing the tension spike, made a quick call. Marcus and Caine came down from the upstairs apartment, ready for battle.
Coulson saw the sudden change but continued, trying to maintain his composure. "We came here with peaceful intentions. This was supposed to be a dialogue. Since you're their guardian, the decision is yours. Let them come with us."
"And if I say no?" Alex's voice was quiet but resolute. He wasn't shaken by the threats. He knew this was typical of S.H.I.E.L.D.—even someone like Coulson, who often played the good guy, was ultimately just another cog in their overbearing machine.
"Then we'll have to resort to other measures." As Coulson and Natasha slowly reached toward their waistbands, their intentions became clear.
But they had underestimated Alex.
"I'm curious," Alex said, rising to his feet. "Who gave you the confidence to waltz into Hell's Kitchen and provoke me? Was it the agents posted outside? The snipers on the rooftop? Or maybe the guy standing up there with a bow?"
He pointed upward.
From the moment they'd entered his territory, Alex had sensed the unfamiliar presence. Not just him—John Wick and the others had noticed too.
Their observation skills, honed by years of survival, caught everything. But Alex had something more—his own brand of observation Haki made sure nothing slipped past him.
Coulson and Natasha froze, eyes darting toward each other. They hadn't expected this. They'd underestimated just how vigilant—and powerful—Alex Ray truly was.
Their plan was falling apart, and now they were stuck in the lion's den.
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Bonus Chapter - 150 Power Stones
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