"I knew it," Henry shrugged.
Getting a girl whose heart had been filled with hatred for ten years to genuinely smile in just a few days — that was harder than getting Tony to admit he wasn't a genius.
"All right." He sighed, not bothering to press it further.
He walked over to Wanda, looked into her eyes that still held unease and confusion, and suddenly asked, "Do you want to see for yourself what we actually do?"
Wanda froze.
"What?"
"I said," Henry repeated with a faint smile, "we're heading out for our first team-building activity. How about it? Interested in coming along as an embedded observer?"
"Me? Can I?"
"If I say you can, then you can."
An hour later, a newly developed fighter jet silently launched from the Malibu mansion's underground hangar and vanished into the clouds.
Inside the plane, the atmosphere felt a little strange.
Tony and Henry sat in the pilot and co-pilot seats like two foremen.
Behind them, Banner nervously adjusted a portable holographic computer, muttering to himself — it was unclear whether he was checking data or praying.
Blonsky sat quietly with his eyes closed, calmly conserving energy. He was used to missions.
Pietro, wearing the Quicksilver suit, paced the cabin excitedly, touching this and that like a kid seeing the city for the first time. Wanda sat quietly in a corner.
Henry had given her a black fitted tactical suit that perfectly outlined her slim figure.
Her face showed little expression, but her eyes kept discreetly scanning everyone and every corner of the cabin. This was her first time participating in the Stark brothers' operation as an observer.
She felt nervous, curious, and even a little expectant.
Back at Hydra, they had hardly ever been out. Every day was training and nothing else for entertainment.
"I still think bringing them was a mistake," Tony's voice came through the private channel.
"Especially that little girl. She's a walking bomb. What if she loses control on the battlefield and tears our plane apart?"
"Relax, I'm watching her," Henry answered lazily. "Besides, don't you think letting her see Hydra's true face with her own eyes is far more convincing than having her watch the news a hundred times in her room?"
Henry wasn't surprised by Tony's worry. Tony had been thoroughly beaten in Sokovia; his tech was useless against Wanda.
Henry figured Tony might have developed a fear of insufficient firepower.
In any case, taking Wanda out was better than keeping her at home.
Besides, the future Scarlet Witch couldn't be a shut-in forever. It was time for her to begin adapting to the atmosphere of the battlefield.
"All right, all right, you're always right." Tony grumbled reluctantly, then closed the private channel and cleared his throat.
"Okay, new employees, listen up. I'll say it again. Our destination is a Hydra weapons research base in North Africa. According to our intel, they're conducting a very dangerous experiment there. Our mission is to go in and neutralize it." Tony's voice sharpened.
"Blonsky, you take the frontal assault. Make as much noise as possible and tear down any defensive installations you see." "Yes, sir!" Blonsky's reply was loud and full of force.
"Banner, you collect the paper records. I want all their research data in ten minutes."
"I'll try my best," Banner answered, voice a little uncertain.
"Pietro." Tony looked to Pietro, who was still buzzing with excitement. "Your tasks are reconnaissance and harassment. Use your top speed to map the entire base, and give those Hydra scumbags a few surprises along the way."
"No problem! Leave it to me!" Pietro patted his chest confidently.
"As for you…" Tony's gaze finally landed on Wanda, and his tone became complicated. "You stay on the plane. Don't go anywhere. Just watch from the aircraft. Remember, that's an order."
Wanda's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she nodded silently.
"Good." Tony nodded with satisfaction. "So, everyone… are we ready to start our first demolition operation?"
At Tony's declaration, the jet slipped into stealth mode and silently cut through the clouds over North Africa like a ghost. Below lay an endless sea of yellow sand, the heat warping distant shapes.
Among rolling dunes, a massive complex disguised as a phosphate mine lay dormant, like a steel beast sleeping under the sand.
"Tsk tsk, I have to say, Hydra are real experts at disguise," Tony said, stroking his chin as he watched the real-time feed on the holographic screen. "Mine carts, conveyor belts, workers going about their jobs. If you didn't already have the coordinates, who would guess a weapons research base hides under this godforsaken desert?"
"More than experts," Henry said with a faint smile. These people practically have 'stay low' carved into their DNA.
But they were a terrorist organization wanted worldwide. If they hadn't kept a low profile, S.H.I.E.L.D. would've wiped them out long ago.
Oh wait, S.H.I.E.L.D. has practically become a Hydra branch itself.
"Sightseeing's over." Henry's tone grew serious. "All units prepare. We enter the combat zone in five minutes. Repeat the plan. Blonsky, breach from the East main entrance. The bigger the disturbance the better. Draw all their attention toward you."
"Copy." Blonsky's deep voice returned, brimming with barely contained excitement. For a pure soldier, nothing fired him up like a frontal charge.
"Pietro." Henry continued with instructions. "You infiltrate through the ventilation ducts on the West side. Memorize the base layout at top speed and mark all possible threat points. If you meet isolated enemies, you can clean them up, but absolutely no lingering fights."
"Don't worry, boss!" Pietro's voice was full of confidence. "Mission will be completed. By the way, what do you mean by clean up? Knock them out or… hehe."
"Just don't leave intact bodies," Henry shrugged.
"Henry!" Tony warned, displeased. "Don't teach the kid bad habits!"
Henry spread his hands in mild disbelief.
This guy really had double standards. Who had been shouting a few days ago about twisting everyone's heads off?