"I can't believe it, you're a 70-year-old relic, interrogating an MIT star student." Steve, hearing Tony's displeased reply through the headset, quickly responded, "No, it's just that your device hasn't worked at all."
He looked at the device in his hand, a scanner the size of a mobile phone, with fluctuating lines constantly scanning the screen, like a small radar system.
The instructions indicated that it could pick up any residual energy from a Chitauri rifle shot, even one fired a couple of days ago.
But after surveying the area, the device hadn't transmitted a single signal.
Steve couldn't help but tap the device, wondering if it was broken.
"Don't worry, as long as someone activates that rifle within a ten-kilometer radius, the detector will immediately locate and track it," said Tony, sounding somewhat sleepy in his Los Angeles villa. "Until the rifle is activated, you just have to wander around the city."
"Couldn't you have increased the detection range?"
Natasha couldn't help but complain. A detection range of only ten kilometers meant they had to aimlessly wander the city late at night with that device.
The chaotic nighttime in Santa Fe was truly disgusting to her.
"Ma'am, that rifle is an advanced Chitauri weapon with strict protection protocols. I've done a perfect job."
"Besides, I'm on vacation. I could have been having a wonderful night, but Nick Fury called me in the middle of the night, just to ask for a detector."
"My God, doesn't he know that a scientist's brain needs a good sleeping environment and to be carefully nurtured? I'm being incredibly kind by not suing him for disturbing the peace."
"Alright, Tony, I'll contact you later."
Steve quickly hung up before Tony could continue his rant.
With a series of beeps from the communicator, Steve couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"That guy always manages to spout a ton of nonsense."
He looked exasperatedly at the phone-sized test device in his hand. Tony's complaints were practically insensitive.
...
In the alley, Logan's sharp hearing allowed him to listen to the entire conversation.
Although it was only a few words, the information conveyed was enough for him to understand why Steve and Natasha were in Santa Fe.
It seemed that S.H.I.E.L.D. was taking that Chitauri rifle very seriously, even sending two Avengers personally to find it.
Fury probably hoped that once the weapon was fired, Steve and Natasha could immediately retrieve it.
"It looks like those guys haven't fired the weapon yet," Steve said, walking hand-in-hand with Natasha through the quiet streets late at night.
"They are very cautious. If it were me, I probably would have tested it long ago."
Natasha was bored; this monitoring mission was incredibly tedious.
"Let's keep looking. We have to find it before they cause more trouble with it," Steve said, shrugging helplessly.
"..."
Steve and Natasha's voices faded into the distance. Logan emerged from the alley, looking toward where they had gone with a serious expression.
"It looks like it's time to leave."
He knew that now that S.H.I.E.L.D. had arrived in Santa Fe, it was only a matter of time before they set their sights on the Lawrence family.
A confrontation between the Lawrence family and S.H.I.E.L.D. was inevitable. The outcome was predictable: the Lawrence family would be annihilated by S.H.I.E.L.D.; after all, it was merely a family organization based in Santa Fe, while S.H.I.E.L.D. was a giant capable of influencing the entire world.
He had to leave quickly before a major conflict erupted, avoiding being dragged into this chaos.
Logan put out his cigarette and was about to turn around when he suddenly thought of the abandoned factory on the outskirts.
He was sure that the Lawrence family had infiltrated spies near the factory, constantly monitoring the Professor and Caliban.
To leave, he had to deal with this problem beforehand; otherwise, before he even left the city, the Lawrence family would probably launch a frantic interception.
And now, the involvement of the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't seem entirely bad for him. Inciting a conflict between the two sides, letting the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. take care of the Lawrence family, and then he could escape unscathed...
Logan's eyes lit up; a dangerous but highly effective plan gradually formed in his mind.
For Steve and his team to locate the Lawrence family, he needed to make noise with the Chitauri rifle in their territory...
And since the cargo had been delivered to the Lawrence family only a few days ago, Logan was sure that Chris and his team hadn't had time to transfer or resell it yet.
The Chitauri weapons were most likely still in the hands of the Lawrence family.
If only he could find a way to make that thing explode, he could take advantage of the chaos, bring the Professor and Caliban, and pick up Laura to leave Santa Fe immediately.
"James, it's time to go."
Josh, who had just come out of the store, suddenly interrupted Logan's thoughts.
He bought some bottles of Coca-Cola and tossed one to him.
Logan nodded, took the Coke, temporarily shelved his thoughts, hid the gleam in his eyes, and said in a grave voice: "Let's go."
Samuel had also filled the gas tank.
The group smoked cigarettes and drank Coca-Cola, heading straight for the Lawrence family's logistics warehouse.
Although it was late at night and the streets were deserted, the Lawrence family's logistics warehouse was still brightly lit.
However, there were no workers or trucks in sight; clearly, the lights were on for them.
After parking the car in the garage, the group got out.
"Logan, it was amazing to work with my idol for the first time! You know? Watching you slice off that guy's head with your claws was thrilling, like my idol suddenly using his superpowers right in front of me."
Donald approached Logan, looking him in the face with a smile. "I truly hope we have more opportunities to work together in the future, before your claws can no longer extend. After all, those clones may have your abilities, but they don't have your glorious past that we all admire." With that, Donald patted Logan on the shoulder and turned to leave.
But after taking a few steps, he turned back and added with a smile: "By the way, about Gabriella, I sincerely hope you don't disappoint any fans' expectations. If you know anything about her, please let me know, okay?
I hope this woman and this child don't drive us apart."
With that, Donald left the garage without looking back.
Logan watched his figure walk away, silent.
Josh and Samuel were completely bewildered by their conversation. Not understanding much, they just felt as if they were speaking in a coded language.
Just then, Samuel's phone rang with a text message. He looked at it, turned to Logan and Josh, and said: "Let's go. The boss wants us to come in. He's waiting for us in his office."