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More importantly, Kain and General Ross had already agreed—Umbrella would be placed directly in the chain of command.

As long as Umbrella's forces were the first to breach Wakanda's borders, Kain would have the perfect opportunity. 

The Red Queen could hack into their systems and steal vital data, while his super soldiers would seize as much vibranium as possible before anyone else could react.

Although Malick and Ross both promised Kain a share of Wakanda's vibranium mining, what Kain truly wanted was Wakanda's accumulated stockpile over the years—a fortune beyond measure.

Soon, the U.S. military received an intelligence assessment on Wakanda from S.H.I.E.L.D., along with a classified friendliness rating.

However, the military's top brass completely disregarded Nick Fury's assessment.

S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had been slaughtered by the "enemy," and yet the agency had the audacity to suggest Wakanda posed no immediate threat? 

To the generals, Fury's report was worthless. In fact, they were already considering recommending that Congress cut funding for the world Security Council Association altogether.

Two proposals—"Reassessment of Wakanda's Military Threat and International Status" and "Wakanda's Possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorist Activities"—had already landed on the President's desk and were set to be submitted to Congress.

If both the President and Congress approved the reassessment, the U.S. would have the green light to begin "assessment and control" operations against Wakanda.

Even before a final decision was made, the FBI and CIA had already been tasked with investigating Wakanda. 

The President wasn't about to rely solely on the military's judgment—he wanted his own intelligence agencies to verify the situation.

If war broke out, the U.S. would likely rally other nations to join the effort. Unlike Afghanistan or Syria, Wakanda wasn't a war-torn, underdeveloped country—it was a technological superpower.

In terms of military equipment and infrastructure, Wakanda far surpassed the United States. However, its greatest weakness was its small population. 

While Wakanda could leverage its advanced technology against the U.S., it wouldn't stand a chance against a coordinated assault by multiple developed nations.

Still, launching a full-scale war against Wakanda would require at least a year of preparation. But the prelude to war had already begun. 

The Red Queen had been hard at work manipulating online narratives, and public discourse was heating up.

The threat of Wakanda and its alleged ties to terrorism were now being widely discussed.

Africa was already home to numerous militant organizations, many of which engaged in terrorism. With the right nudges, it wouldn't be difficult to link some of them to Wakanda. 

Most people couldn't tell the difference between African factions anyway—after all, to them, they all looked the same.

Meanwhile, the Biological Research Center had undergone significant expansion. A massive underground facility was under construction, spanning five additional floors and protected by 85 security personnel.

The Red Queen AI controlled the security system directly.

If an intrusion occurred, all entrances and exits would immediately go into lockdown—even the ventilation ducts would be sealed. 

Any unauthorized intruder attempting to sneak in would meet a gruesome fate, reduced to nothing more than shredded flesh and bone.

After Pietro and Wanda accepted Kain's invitation, they were relocated near his Brook Forest estate. 

Now, they only needed to report to the Biological Research Center daily for blood tests—allowing Kain's team to thoroughly study their unique abilities.

Kain knew that Wanda's abilities stemmed from Chaos Magic, but Pietro's powers were a different matter. 

Understanding their origins could lead to new discoveries—and if his speed could be replicated, it would be a valuable asset. Besides, Pietro wasn't necessarily the fastest person on Earth.

While Kain was checking on the research progress, Wanda and Pietro had just finished a round of blood tests. As soon as they spotted him, they hurried forward and asked:

"Mr. Pent, when can we—?"

"Take revenge? Anytime."

Kain glanced at the projection screen in the lab, where an interview with Tony Stark was playing. He could guess that the Maximoff twins were growing impatient.

"I've arranged everything for you—an entire legal team, operational planners, and even secured influence over every prison in New York State. There's even a general willing to provide security for you. The only conditions? You can't get caught, and Tony Stark must survive.

That means whether you succeed or fail, you don't have to worry about facing legal consequences—unless Stark's bodyguards manage to take you down.

On the other hand, if you decide to wait until your powers develop further before taking revenge, I'll provide anything you need—villas, yachts, even an education if that's what you want. You'll have complete freedom, as long as you cooperate with the research."

Kain's words left Wanda and Pietro momentarily stunned. They hadn't expected this.

He wasn't offering to take revenge on Stark for them—he was giving them the means to do it themselves.

But that was fine.

From the beginning, they had sworn to take revenge with their own hands.

They had lived for ten days under the shadow of a missile that could explode at any moment. No one could understand the sheer terror of that experience.

"Thank you for your help, Mr. Pent."

"Think nothing of it." Kain smiled. "Laura's assistant has been keeping an eye on you. If you need anything that the Pent Group can provide, talk to him."

With that, Kain left to check on the research progress.

….

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