New York Continental Hotel
Hotel manager Winston personally poured the wine with practiced elegance.
"I think it's been far too long since we've all gathered together like this."
This was a long table that symbolized absolute power throughout the criminal underworld.
In the seat of honor sat Watson Wick. Only one person beside him, yet his presence alone made all the High Table members in New York feel like they were facing their greatest enemy.
Watson's eyes carried a trace of deep nostalgia. "Last time we met, I remember that particular place."
He pointed to an empty chair with deliberate slowness. "Viggo was still sitting there, boasting to me about his manor in Northern Europe and how beautiful the deerskin was that he had personally shot through the eye with a single bullet."
His piercing gaze slowly swept over everyone seated at the table as he said with deadly calm, "Time passes so quickly, doesn't it?"
"Old powers die, new powers rise and inevitably fall."
"Everything is constantly changing, including myself."
His fingers tapped the polished table slowly and heavily. Each deliberate tap made hearts tremble with anticipation.
"Over these years, the High Table has grown larger and larger. Some vacancies will be filled, while the excess will be permanently eliminated."
"Twelve seats, no more, no less."
Watson straightened up with commanding authority. Today he wore a black pinstriped suit with a red flower pinned to his chest. Both palms faced upward, then fell heavily onto the table.
A sharp bang that startled everyone present.
He said in a voice that carried absolute finality, "Balance is very important in our world."
"I never considered myself the leader of this organization," Watson raised a single finger for emphasis, "I am the fulcrum in the middle of the scales."
"Mutual destruction—this is the unspoken rule of the underground, which I also acknowledge and respect."
"But don't forget." He leaned back against the chair, inwardly complaining that this chair back wasn't nearly as comfortable as his office chair, while maintaining his calm exterior, "I am also the fulcrum supporting both Black and White."
No one dared to object. Because he was absolutely right.
After more than ten years of careful management, Watson Wick had long since transformed from someone who courted underground forces into the gray area between black and white.
Without gray as a transition, black and white would become clearly distinct and hostile.
This High Table could survive without any individual underground force, but it absolutely could not lose Watson Wick.
Having said enough to make his point, Watson was about to stand up and leave.
His phone vibrated urgently.
The High Table members, who had just been too frightened by Watson to make any rash moves, watched their most feared man undergo a complete personality transformation after answering the phone.
"Hello, my dear daughter finally decides to call her father." Watson's resentful tone was like a wronged spouse. "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me entirely."
Ariana thought for a moment before saying, "Dad, I'm in New York right now."
"What?" Watson said with sudden joy, "Where are you exactly? I'll come pick you up immediately."
"No need, Dad. I'm actually leaving," Ariana added carefully, "by aircraft."
No problem—a Quinjet was technically still an aircraft.
Hearing his precious daughter was leaving again so soon, Watson immediately deflated and said listlessly, "Alright, have a safe trip then. If anyone bullies you, tell Dad immediately."
"Dad, could you have people evacuate all the residents of Sokovia?" Ariana blinked innocently—Dad seemed a bit unhappy about something.
"Sokovia?" Watson glanced at several High Table members who had obviously pricked up their ears to eavesdrop, calmly covered his phone, and turned his head away. "What's wrong there exactly?"
"Rogers said it's going to be attacked by Ultron."
"Rogers? Which Rogers are you talking about!"
"Why is he with you discussing these dangerous things?"
"Daughter, I'm telling you, not one of those men is any good!"
Watson was furious with paternal protectiveness, "Tell that Rogers to talk to me right now!"
He slammed the table hard, frightening the eavesdroppers into sitting up ramrod straight.
Ariana found Watson's sudden anger somewhat strange and handed the phone to Steve, "My dad wants to talk to you directly."
Steve looked at the latest model phone being handed to him and fell into uncomfortable silence.
He could hear roaring from the speaker.
Banner and Barton looked at him with obvious sympathy. Tony whispered conspiratorially, "I once said something inappropriate to his wife, and he tried to assassinate me for three straight years. The most recent bullet just grazed my forehead."
For some reason, Steve felt the weight of impending doom.
As if marching to his execution, he took the phone.
"I'm Steve Rogers."
"I don't care who you are!" Watson roared ferociously on the other end, "I'm warning you to stay away from my daughter!"
"You misunderstand, Mr. Wick," Steve coughed dryly, glancing at the others who were clearly enjoying his discomfort, "We're discussing how to deal with Ultron. We're not dating or anything romantic."
"Not dating?" Watson sneered with obvious disbelief, "My daughter is so beautiful—do you honestly think I'd believe that nonsense?"
"Ahem, Mr. Wick, I'm Captain America."
"Doesn't matter to me," Watson said coldly, "I can have her uncles deal with you if necessary."
What was Captain America compared to family? An old man still daring to pursue his daughter?
Steve talked him down patiently until Watson finally believed he had no romantic designs on Ariana.
"You want my help?" Watson pondered the request, "Fine, but have that damn Tony Stark take the phone first."
Tony was called out specifically, his gloating expression immediately disappearing.
He heavily took the phone with obvious reluctance.
"Hey, Watson, long time no see."
He wanted to use witty banter to ease the tense atmosphere between them.
Who knew Watson wasn't having any of it, saying coldly, "You don't want me to continue hunting you down, do you?"
Tony saw himself becoming the target of group mockery and said reluctantly, "Naturally, that would be preferable for everyone."
"Protect my daughter, and I'll call it even with you." Watson wouldn't listen to his nonsense, "I'll have the hotel people notify Sokovia to begin evacuation immediately."
The call ended abruptly.
Tony looked at the phone and asked Ariana with genuine concern, "Your father doesn't know magic, does he?"
Ariana thought carefully. Besides her mother, who could punch a bull to death, and her Wizard King brother, the most ordinary member should be Dad.
So she said with conviction, "No, he doesn't."
Regarding Dad having a warehouse full of John's magical items—that shouldn't count as knowing magic, right?
Tony breathed a sigh of relief. He'd really been afraid the Wizard King's father was the previous Wizard King or something equally terrifying.
Steve sighed deeply. Bringing Ariana seemed like a very poor decision.
"Let's move out."
The aircraft took off toward their destination.
Sokovia
Early in the morning, people were woken up by official emergency broadcasts.
Watson had the hotel network take action, appearing directly in government officials' bedrooms while they slept, smilingly providing wake-up service and official orders.
Residents walked out in orderly fashion, with military and police maintaining crowd control.
A Mustang that had traveled six hours to arrive saw people being evacuated as soon as it entered the city limits.
The car window was knocked on. John looked over with mild interest.
A police officer said professionally, "Everyone here needs to evacuate to a designated safe location."
John said in surprise, "The Avengers came already?"
"No, but the government issued an emergency evacuation notice about an hour ago."
John nodded and opened the door to step out.
He took out his phone and said casually, "MOSS, control the city's camera network and search for vehicles of this specific brand."
Martha hurriedly opened her door and followed him.
"I feel we're getting much closer. They're definitely in this city."
"They'll come looking for me eventually," John raised an eyebrow with certainty.
They moved against the flow of evacuating people.
John looked up and saw a Quinjet landing in the city center.
The Avengers had finally arrived.
He squinted with recognition, "Ariana is on board too."
It seemed his sister was really persistent about getting her news story.
"Battle is about to begin. No more hiding in shadows."
John crouched down to touch the ground and closed his eyes, "Let me see exactly where you are."
Supersensory Charm.
An invisible magical wave was transmitted through John's fingers into the earth.
Along the ground, it spread all the way to the underground hollow.
A massive machine stood in the underground center of this city.
"Quite an ambitious project indeed." John stood up and dusted off his hands, looking toward where the church was located.
Martha nervously rubbed her hands together, "Should we help them?"
John glanced at her and said flatly, "You can go if you want. I won't stop you."
"But I need to remind you," John entered a nearby convenience store, "the battle has officially begun."
In Sokovia's rivers and underground tunnels, robots emerged one by one.
The battle had started.
On one floor of a high building outside the church, Ciri drew her sword with deadly purpose.
Blade crossed his arms, staring at the robots appearing below.
Only the last person held his breath, aiming carefully at the church.