Shifting Blame Knows No Faction

Boom!

The black pickup truck, much like a true man who never looks back at an explosion, sped at 120 mph towards Vega Town, seventy kilometers away.

"My God!"

Inside the Stark Industries Building, Tony Stark’s jaw dropped as he replayed the scene he had just witnessed through the satellite feed.

The car spun.

Lake got out.

Three shots detonated the helicopter.

He got back in the car.

The car accelerated.

So smooth!

Smooth from start to finish!

And…

Just recalling the events of the past five seconds, Tony Stark felt an inexplicable surge of Blood Essence, a sign that hot-bloodedness was about to take over.

"Jarvis."

"Yes, sir."

"Did you notify the Department of Homeland Security?"

"I’ve already notified them. Homeland agents and local police in Vega Town have been dispatched to provide backup."

"Good. Extract and save everything that just happened, from when Lake got out of the car until the fight ended."

"…Yes!"

Compared to Tony Stark’s surging excitement, the New York Department of Homeland Security and Hydra were filled with anger.

Someone had openly impersonated a Homeland agent to attack a senior executive of the Department of Homeland Security on home soil?

They had dispatched a helicopter, and still couldn’t kill Lake Edwin?

"Crack!"

In an office at the Hydra Clone Base, Dr. Merrick, wearing glasses and feigning refinement, also witnessed the scene and was so startled that he dropped his wine glass, shattering it on the floor.

The difference was that Dr. Merrick viewed it from the helicopter’s perspective, a "death perspective."

Detonating a helicopter with three shots?

What do you think you’re doing?

Making a movie?

Most importantly.

Dr. Merrick swallowed, picked up the satellite phone on his desk, and dialed.

"How is it?"

Daniel Whitehall, playing golf on his golf course at a French estate, took the satellite phone from his attendant and said cheerfully, "Tell me he’s dead."

Just an ordinary person, no matter how you look at it, should be dead by now.

Dr. Merrick remained silent.

Daniel Whitehall frowned at the breathing sound on the phone and said sternly, "What’s going on?"

Dr. Merrick replied, "Sir, I apologize, the mission failed."

"How could that be."

"John Wick."

"That retired assassin?"

"Yes."

Dr. Merrick shifted the blame, saying, "Originally, our people were waiting in the hangar, just waiting for the two targets to get into the car together before taking action. John Wick didn’t accompany them. We were worried the operation would be exposed, so we let John Wick leave. We didn’t expect that when we were about to deal with Lake Edwin midway, this guy appeared from somewhere and rescued Lake Edwin."

This was the truth.

A selective truth.

Daniel Whitehall took a deep breath. "Where is Dr. Will Wick now?"

Dr. Merrick watched the small red dot on the computer screen. "He has been brought under our control."

"…I don’t want to hear any more bad news."

"Understood."

Dr. Merrick calmly wiped the sweat from his forehead, as if making a guarantee, and said so to Daniel Whitehall on the other end of the line.

Daniel Whitehall grunted and then said, "By the way, how is the heart cultivation for our friend, the Berlin councilor, Stark Weather? He will be arriving there tonight. Perform the surgery for him as soon as possible."

Dr. Merrick nodded. "It’s mature and ready at any time."

Daniel Whitehall directly hung up the phone, handing the satellite phone back to his attendant. He then took the golf club back from the caddy.

But…

Why had his interest suddenly vanished?

Daniel Whitehall frowned, looking at the caddy who was smiling at him.

"Are you fucking mocking me?"

"……"

The caddy looked utterly confused.

The next second.

Boom!

The caddy screamed, clutching his head as he collapsed to the ground.

"For laughing at me!"

"For laughing!"

"Laugh!"

Daniel Whitehall panted, looking at the caddy lying on the ground, lifeless, his head a pulpy mess. He dropped the golf club, took the white towel from his attendant, and wiped the blood from his hands as he walked out of the golf course.

He needed to go for a swim to calm down.

The expressionless attendant followed closely behind Daniel Whitehall. After Daniel Whitehall left the golf course, two cold-looking Hydra agents, carrying body bags, approached the deceased caddy. They expertly placed the caddy into the body bag.

Outside Vega Town.

Five black SUVs and four police cars successfully intercepted Lake, who was driving a black pickup truck riddled with bullet holes.

The real Director Carilan quickly ran up to Lake. "Oh, thank heavens, it’s great that you’re alright, Director Edwin."

Lake smiled and shook Carilan’s hand. After confirming that Carilan was at least a seasoned professional with nine years of experience wielding a firearm, he said, "I’m fine. It’s pretty obvious that they are in trouble now."

This was good.

It wasn’t that Lake hadn’t given Hydra a chance to correct their mistake; unfortunately, they no longer had that opportunity.

Now, no person or thing could stop Lake from losing his temper.

This time.

Either Hydra would obediently hand over Daniel Whitehall, or Hydra would face total annihilation!

They switched cars.

And continued on their way.

At this moment, Lake’s old flip phone rang again.

"Speak!"

"Sir, are you alright?"

"…What do you think?"

Tiffany, watching Deputy Director David in the New York Homeland Operations Center throw a tantrum and demand that homeland satellites immediately cover Texas, said cautiously, "When you landed, our satellite suddenly shifted its orbit. And when we tried to call you, your signal seemed to be jammed as well. It only just recovered."

If it weren’t for Stark Industries promptly sharing Tony Stark’s satellite data with them, they probably wouldn’t have even known that a senior New York State supervisor had been attacked.

In Vega Town.

Inside the temporary Homeland Security office.

Lake got out of the car and walked into the office with John Wick. Before entering, the Director Carilan in charge here instructed eight or nine Homeland agents to stand guard outside the door.

Inside.

Lake casually invited John Wick to sit down. He then walked over to the wine cabinet in the makeshift office, as this temporary office was set up in a commandeered local bar.

"Bourbon?"

"Sure."

"Good taste."

Lake found a bottle of local Bourbon from the back, took out two glasses, and poured two full glasses. He handed one to John Wick, who didn’t refuse this time, and then took a large gulp himself.

After all, they had fought together before, so it was natural that they weren’t strangers anymore.

Carilan was still busy collecting intelligence on Will Wick. Just as the fake Director Carilan had said, town police officers had spotted a family resembling Will Wick entering Vega Town. Homeland Security and local law enforcement were currently investigating.

John Wick glanced at his phone, which hadn’t rung since he got on the plane. He then looked at Lake, recalling everything that had just happened. "What kind of organization was that?"

Lake thought for a moment and said to John Wick, "I don’t know much about this mysterious organization, but I dealt with them back in ’02."

"You couldn’t find them?"

"No."

Lake shook his head. "I could have found them, but they chose to compromise and handed over the criminal I wanted. It was only recently that I discovered the criminal they handed over was a clone. This time, they clearly aren’t planning on handing anyone over."

John Wick shook his head. "But what does this have to do with my brother?"

Lake looked at John Wick curiously. "Do you know about your brother’s research?"

John Wick nodded. "I didn’t at first, but the night after I saw those four bodies, I got a call from my brother. He told me he was finding a way to revive them and that I shouldn’t worry."

Lake shrugged. "You already knew, didn’t you?"

John Wick said, "No, when my brother called me, he was still in New Jersey. He even sent me a video. I confirmed it was our old basement. I didn’t go before because I knew you had people watching me. I sent my brother a final text, telling him not to contact me to prevent you from tracking him. After that, the next call I received was the one you already know about."

His brother had already revived his wife and daughter at the old house, so how could he have appeared in Texas?

Lake chuckled upon hearing the information John Wick revealed at this moment. "Mr. Wick, you know that withholding information from law enforcement is also a crime."

As he spoke.

Lake took out his phone and dialed his assistant, Fantini. He looked at John Wick, got the address of the old house in New Jersey, and instructed Jack to take a team over there to check it out.

After hanging up.

Lake thought for a moment and looked at John Wick. "What was the content of your brother’s last phone call?"

…I know the truth. It’s them. This is all their conspiracy.

Lake recalled the intercepted call and looked at John Wick. "This is all their conspiracy. They might have been interested in your brother’s research from the very beginning. It’s possible your brother’s car accident was also meticulously planned by them, with the goal of having your brother conduct research on cloning and rebirth. Then, they were watching all along, and when the time was ripe for harvesting, they brought your brother to Texas."
He paused.

Lake continued, "As for why your brother left, like I said, that organization wants to eliminate me and Tony Stark, who know about their existence. Your brother’s technology has already been taken by the other party, and he has become disposable. John, I need to tell you that you must be prepared for the possibility that your brother is dead, because they would never risk exposing their base. Do you understand?"

John Wick: "…"