“Damn, Nick Fury sent us to contact a mutant who can create tornadoes?” Coulson was surprised. He had reviewed files on terrorist leaders, missing nuclear bombs, and North Korean troubles, but nothing shocked him as much as this.
“What? A mutant?” Melinda was even more shocked, causing the car to swerve. Mutants were the most unique group in this world. Their immense powers and numerous abilities brought them no advantages, leading to frequent outbursts that made civilians fear and resist them. Her trauma from the Bahrain mission, where she had to kill an out-of-control mutant, had a profound impact on her, contributing to her desire to leave fieldwork. She couldn’t believe her last field mission involved contacting a mutant.
In this world, before the emergence of many superheroes and supervillains, people generally believed that individuals with special abilities were all mutants.
“I can’t imagine how an ordinary person could create a wall-destroying whirlwind. I just don’t understand why they sent us on this mission,” Coulson said.
“A powerful mutant living incognito among ordinary people? No wonder Nick Fury classified this as a Level 6 clearance. I don’t think we can handle this alone. We need a tactical team and heavy weapon support,” Melinda said seriously.
“Hey, it’s not that simple. That’s a residential area with countless gangs and the famous Chinatown nearby. Imagine a heavily armed tactical team with RPGs and high-explosive grenades going into a residential area to capture a powerful mutant. That’s a disaster waiting to happen. Fury won’t allow it. We’re just supposed to make contact, so relax, Melinda. You’re overthinking it,” Coulson reassured her.
“Maybe I am, but mutants always have strange abilities. They’re unpredictable,” Melinda tried to calm down.
“The file says he’s not uncontrollable. He should be able to control his powers perfectly. Over the past six months, he’s only killed less than twenty gang members,” Coulson said, trying to be as tactful as possible to avoid upsetting Melinda.
Melinda tried to appear calm to avoid worrying Coulson, but inside, she remembered the first mutant she encountered—a little girl who easily turned well-trained S.H.I.E.L.D. agents into her puppets. The memory of that bizarre ability still haunted her.
This time, they were facing a man with an alleged cross-dressing fetish who could create tornadoes. Worse, it was in a residential area with many civilians. Publicly capturing a mutant could incite nationwide mutant hostility towards S.H.I.E.L.D., a terrible outcome.
The best solution, according to Melinda, would be to eliminate him from a few hundred meters away with a Barrett sniper rifle.
“Melinda, don’t worry. Fury just wants us to make contact. You’re overcomplicating things,” Coulson comforted her again.
Melinda realized she was on edge about mutants again. Nick Fury wouldn’t assign a Level 6 mission lightly.
“Relax, his file indicates he’s a law-abiding mutant who can control his emotions and powers. He hasn’t used his abilities for violence and makes a living selling knives and performing surgeries for gang members. He even has records of eating instant noodles for a week straight.”
“You’re saying he’s a disciplined mutant with control over his powers, no antisocial tendencies, who’s hardworking and harmless?” Melinda asked.
“I think so. That’s probably why Nick Fury only sent us,” Coulson replied, though not entirely sure.
“Such uncertain answers aren’t what a good agent should give,” Melinda said, resuming her role of educating Coulson.
“Yes, you’re right. The mission is to investigate if he’s truly harmless, requiring experienced agents like us,” Coulson confirmed.
“If he’s harmless, what do we do?” Melinda, used to elimination missions, was unfamiliar with this type of task.
“For harmless mutants, we register their abilities, warn them to live peacefully, report periodically, and let them live their lives while we continue our work,” Coulson explained smoothly.
Understanding the mission, Melinda stepped on the gas, speeding towards their destination.
On Eighth Avenue in Manhattan, there was a knife shop named ‘There’s a Knife Shop’. Yasuo, who had waited all night for customers, was asleep with the shop closed. Our protagonist Yasuo was snoring away inside.
Melinda and Coulson arrived to find the shop still closed. Their plan to pose as customers for an initial assessment seemed thwarted.
The two agents exchanged glances, debating whether to knock and reveal their identities or wait.
Melinda decided they should wait in a nearby coffee shop, using it as a pre-mission break. How a mutant interacted with civilians was a crucial part of the evaluation.
They spent the entire morning in the coffee shop, watching the knife shop. After Coulson’s seventh cup of coffee and eighth trip to the bathroom, the shop finally opened.
The shop owner, an Asian youth with a youthful face, wearing a faded shirt and patched jeans, confirmed their suspicion that he hadn’t used his powers for money.
Yasuo woke up in the afternoon, still groggy. If not for his urgent need to use the bathroom, he could’ve slept till evening. Shortly after opening, a man and a woman entered the shop.
It was Coulson and Melinda, who had been waiting all morning.
Having traveled the world on missions, the two agents were stunned by the sight inside the shop. It was filled with large machetes, watermelon knives, paper cutters, and horse-slaying swords.
Coulson and Melinda weren’t shocked by the variety of knives but by the fact that this Asian youth named Yasuo was selling weapons that only appeared in Hong Kong gangster movies. No wonder he was so poor he could only afford instant noodles. If he sold popular American knives like bowie knives, combat knives, or trench knives, he wouldn’t be this poor.
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