Searching for Memories

On the streets of New York, Maria drove with one hand while holding her phone with the other.

"You want the formula for Adamantium?

No way, we don't have the formula.

Who does? Go ask Colonel Stryker. We've always just bought it from him."

Maria wasn't Nick Fury; she didn't have the same connections with Tony's father, so she casually brushed him off.

Just as she finished speaking, a truck sped up from the side and slammed into her car.

*Bang!*

Maria's car was sent flying by the collision. Thankfully, it was a bulletproof vehicle, and while the glass cracked and the body dented, the structure held firm.

Maria, feeling a sharp pain, quickly grabbed her handgun, ready to defend herself, her eyes scanning for further threats.

A group of armed men surrounded her vehicle, raising their rifles.

*Rat-a-tat-tat…*

Bullets rained down, striking the bulletproof glass and body of the car, leaving spiderweb cracks and deep dents.

This car, however, was built to withstand such attacks, being a specially armored vehicle for S.H.I.E.L.D. directors.

But then, Maria noticed one of the attackers preparing a rocket launcher. Her heart sank.

At that critical moment, a motorcycle roared into the scene. Its rider, a bald Black man with a single eye, took aim and shot the rocket-wielding assailant before they could fire.

*Rat-a-tat-tat…*

The man on the motorcycle opened fire, scattering the attackers.

He screeched to a halt in front of Maria's vehicle.

"Get out now!"

Recognizing Nick Fury, Maria didn't hesitate. She scrambled out of the car and onto the back of the motorcycle.

Fury gunned the engine, and the two sped off.

Though they encountered several more ambushes, they narrowly escaped each time, thanks to Fury's driving and marksmanship.

......

Half an hour later, they arrived at a safe house, finally able to catch their breath.

Maria collapsed into a chair, dropping her empty handgun, and gulped down some water.

"Who were those people?" she asked between breaths.

Fury shook his head. "No idea, but it's clear they're tied to the people we're looking for."

He began reloading his weapons, his movements calm and deliberate, "I warned you last night not to push too hard. You didn't listen."

Maria remained silent, reflecting on his words. She had indeed recognized the risk but had refused to back down. Sitting in the director's seat without achieving anything tangible was unacceptable to her.

Once Fury finished reloading, he tossed Maria a freshly loaded pistol.

"The good news is, whoever's targeting you clearly has resources and access. That narrows the suspects down to a few key players."

Maria nodded as she inspected her weapon. "But who can I still trust?"

"Me, Natasha, Barton, Sharon, Sam…" Fury listed a few names before hesitating. Finally, he added, "And Logan and Victor."

Maria raised an eyebrow. "Those two?"

"They're new, sure, but their solitary nature and straightforward personalities make them trustworthy."

Maria didn't argue and pulled out her secure communicator. "Then let's call them in."

Fury stopped her, placing his hand over the device.

"If the enemy has infiltrated high enough to organize this attack, contacting anyone directly could expose us."

"Then what do we do?"

"We seek outside help."

"From whom?"

"Stark. He's the only one left who can assist us."

........

That evening, at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Logan and Victor were growing increasingly uneasy.

They noticed they were constantly being watched, and every move they made was shadowed by agents.

Their personal communicators had been confiscated long ago.

"Victor, I think it's time for us to leave," Logan said.

Victor looked puzzled. "Why?"

"It's been a year. We've found all the information we can here. It's time to focus on recovering our memories."

Victor shrugged. "If you say so."

Logan nodded decisively. The brothers packed their belongings and prepared to depart.

As they stepped outside, two agents immediately blocked their path.

"Where do you think you're going at this hour?"

Logan, having made up his mind, didn't bother with pleasantries. He shoved past them.

"Stop following me."

The agents reached for their sidearms, but Victor acted faster. He grabbed one by the throat and slammed him against the wall.

"You want to live? Then back off." Victor's menacing glare froze the agents in their tracks.

Satisfied, he released them and followed Logan out of the building.

......

After retrieving their documents and money from home, the brothers headed for the airport.

But as they exited their apartment, they suddenly felt light-headed.

When they regained consciousness, they found themselves standing at the entrance of the Umbrella Corporation headquarters.

"Victor? How did we get here?" Logan asked, confused.

Victor didn't answer. He simply walked forward, his instincts telling him to follow the path ahead.

The doors opened automatically, and lights flickered on, illuminating a path.

They followed the lights to the top floor, where they found themselves in a luxurious office.

Behind the desk sat a man: Adam.

"You're here," Adam said, his tone calm but commanding.

Logan and Victor's eyes glazed over briefly before clarity returned. Memories flooded back.

They remembered being captured by Adam, who had extracted samples of their blood and tissue. Rather than imprison them, Adam had offered a suggestion: seek answers about their past through S.H.I.E.L.D.

To ensure their cooperation, Adam had planted a mental suggestion to forget their encounter with him.

Now, that suggestion was lifted, and everything became clear.

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