Chapter 81: I Want... Her!
"Mr. McCullen, what's the meaning of this?" Mason spread his arms, allowing several Neo-Vipers behind him to aim their weapons at him.
"I recovered the warheads for you, and this is how you repay me?"
McCullen sneered. "What I do with you is my business!" He handed the case to Storm Shadow. "Have the Doctor prepare for launch, and tell him I've brought him the experimental subject he requested!"
"Your physical abilities are extraordinary. If I didn't know your background, I'd even suspect you're a product of some rival biotech company's most advanced program!" McCullen looked at Mason with genuine fascination.
Mason smiled slightly at McCullen. "Mr. McCullen, if I were you, I'd at least check the warheads before taking action."
McCullen's expression shifted. "What do you mean?"
Mason smiled. "Nothing."
"Open the case!" McCullen commanded.
Storm Shadow entered the code, and the alloy case slowly opened—but inside, there were only two nanotech warheads.
"What's going on?" McCullen stared at Storm Shadow. A flicker of surprise crossed Storm Shadow's face as he shook his head. "I didn't notice when he made the switch."
"Where's the last warhead?" McCullen asked sharply, his face darkening.
Mason glanced at the Neo-Vipers behind him. "Mr. McCullen, this doesn't seem like proper hospitality."
McCullen waved his hand, and the Neo-Vipers behind Mason lowered their weapons and slowly backed away, forming a perimeter around him.
Mason, however, looked relaxed, rolling his neck and stretching his limbs. "After sitting on that aircraft for so long, my body feels stiff. Mr. McCullen, where's the champagne and entertainment you promised?" He gave Ana a meaningful look with the last comment.
McCullen became guarded, staring intently at Mason.
"Relax, this is your territory. Do you really think I'm going to escape?"
McCullen's expression softened slightly, and he released a frustrated breath. "Come with me. Let's go somewhere more private."
Mason whistled leisurely, and as he passed Ana, he leaned close and whispered,
"Baby, you're mine now."
Then, surrounded by Neo-Vipers, he followed McCullen deeper into the base.
Along the way, Mason appeared casual, but his eyes darted around, carefully memorizing the route they took.
Although he wasn't blessed with a photographic memory, the Super Soldier Serum had enhanced his cognitive functions and recall, and by the time they reached their destination, he already had a significant portion of the base layout committed to memory.
"So, what do you want?" McCullen sat in a chair, looking at Mason with barely concealed irritation.
Mason didn't answer immediately, instead leisurely surveying his surroundings. The room they were in was adjacent to the main control center, seemingly a private office for McCullen. Through the massive glass observation window, they could see the bustling activity outside.
Two of the nanotech warheads had already been retrieved, and a team of researchers was calibrating them, preparing to load them into a specific launch system.
McCullen had been preparing for this for years—the launch trajectory extended from the base all the way to the surface of the ice, and after a lengthy acceleration period, the warhead's velocity could reach Mach 5.
"Answer me!"
Mason's indifference made the veins on McCullen's forehead throb, and he suppressed his anger as he asked again.
"What do you want in exchange for the other warhead? Money? Name your price, and I'll transfer it immediately!"
Mason shook his head. "I don't want money."
"I want her!" He said, pointing to Ana standing to the side.
"You're out of your mind!" McCullen slammed his fist on the desk and shot to his feet.
Mason leaned back in his chair, seemingly unconcerned. "Looks like there's no room for negotiation? Then I suppose we'll all die here together."
McCullen's expression changed. "What do you mean?"
Mason sat up straight, grinning at McCullen. "You didn't think I kept a warhead just to bargain with you, did you? Let me tell you—if I don't leave here alive, it won't be long before that warhead is launched."
He stood up, spreading his arms wide.
"And then it'll devour your precious steel fortress!"
"You wouldn't dare!"
McCullen swept the documents off the desk, leaning forward to glare at Mason.
Mason, however, remained nonchalant. "You're welcome to test that theory."
"Huff... huff!"
McCullen breathed heavily, but with his years of experience in deception and negotiation, he couldn't detect a trace of hesitation or bluff on Mason's face. He paused for a moment, glancing at Ana standing beside him.
"Ana..."
Mason's face revealed perfectly measured greed. "Give her to me, and I'll not only hand over the warhead—I'll be devoted to you for life!"
Mason's words completely solidified McCullen's decision.
"Storm Shadow, our guest must be tired from his journey. Take Mr. Mason to rest. I'll have someone prepare a proper meal shortly." McCullen gave Storm Shadow a pointed look, signaling him to escort Mason away.
Mason smiled at Ana. In truth, McCullen's actions already signified his intent. If he'd immediately agreed to Mason's demand, he would lose face. This gesture simply bought him time to smooth things over with Ana.
If there hadn't been a previous misunderstanding, Ana might have dismissed it all as theater, like her arranged marriage to Daniel DeCobray.
But what McCullen didn't know was that Mason had already used his name to violate Ana before. His current offer would only make Ana feel that she'd been reduced to a commodity, traded like property.
All the pent-up emotions would ignite the fire of rage within her. Women, when pushed to their breaking point, are often far more dangerous than men.
Mason checked the time. According to his estimation, the tracking beacon he'd left for Scarlett should have been discovered by now, and G.I. Joe was likely already en route to the Arctic.
Once they arrived and discovered this massive underwater base, a direct confrontation would be inevitable.
And that would be the perfect opportunity for him to strike!
Mason's mission target, the COBRA Commander—whose real name was Rex Lewis—was Ana's brother. During an operation with Duke, he'd discovered early-stage nanotechnology research data.
To study the technology, he'd used the opportunity to fake his death and disappear, joining McCullen's organization.
However, he was ambitious and ultimately used nanotechnology to seize control of the entire operation, becoming the ruthless COBRA Commander.
"I need a map of the entire base, and I also need to know where the Doctor is right now," Mason whispered to Storm Shadow.
Storm Shadow stopped. "Where is Zartan?"
"I already asked—he's not at the base."
Mason smiled. "Because he's wearing a new face now—a perfect one."
"Should you call him Zartan now, or Mr. President?"
[Reader Support Milestones]
500 Power Stones → +1 Chapter
10 Reviews → +1 Chapter
Enjoyed the read? Leave a review.
30+ advanced chapters on P2treon DarkFoxx