Chapter 83: Arc 2: Chapter 38: Fury’s Distress Call

Nothing had happened during February, March, or April, this continued until October.

For most of the year, Merlin never executed any more field missions. And under Fury's protection, he kept a low profile as if he had been forgotten by everyone.

His time was like a wheel that was being turned, spinning very quickly.

Until one day, Merlin notices the blooming flowers on the lawn as he steps out of the meditation room on the second floor, he realizes then, that Autumn was almost over.

Being indulged in something always makes people not feel the flow of time, but Merlin could feel the increase of his powers.

Aside from a family reunion once per week and communications with Fury twice per month, he had spent nearly all of his time on learning magic, he purposefully finished <Standard Spells - Intermediate>, learning multiple useful spells, as well as creating the first potion of his life.

That was his research on Potions, and his first success was an offensive potion.

It's better to call it flame ointment.

Smearing this thing onto weapons would achieve temporary enchantment of weapons, it enables normal blades and bullets to acquire a burning form, increasing its power against irregulars. At the same time, weapons smeared with flame ointment could also harm phantoms that don't have any physical form.

Unfortunately, the production of this thing required the usage of multiple magic spells, so Merlin couldn't give Fury the formula.

This seemingly powerful thing was just one of the most basic things in the mysterious and obscure Potions; in the textbook <Potion Opuscule>, Merlin saw plenty of other interesting things.

Like the Polyjuice potion that can make one look like someone else, the Wiggenweld potion that can cure all injuries, or the legendary Animagus potion that can give people the ability to transform into animals.

Even the Philosopher's Stone that was recorded in the book that supposedly can give people eternal life required some extremely high-class knowledge on Potions. It was like a sea of knowledge with no return, and Merlin had dove straight in.

With the first potion, came the second, then the third.

But Merlin wasn't a metalman without feelings, he needed entertainment during his free time, so in the intervals of learning magic, Merlin began trying to fix the nearly broken down Dodge Challenger in the courtyard.

God knows what this car has been through, its interior and body were completely unusable, there were even bullet holes; this meant that if Merlin wanted to fix it, he would have to give it a full refurbishment from start to end.

This was somewhat not worth it, because this car was similar to Lola, both being sold in 1970; if he wants to change parts for this car, he would have to travel across the entirety of Hell's Kitchen, or even most of New York for replacement parts.

But what to say?

Merlin had enough time and his need for a car was not urgent, along with the initiation of his memories, he eventually decided to fully fix the car.

So, in October 1994, he had completely replaced the outer casing and interiors. As for the generator and some of the complex mechanisms in the interior, Merlin had a hard time dealing with it, so he was considering whether or not he wanted to ditch the car and get a new one.

Just as Merlin had finished replacing the car windows, washed his hands, and prepared to go out for lunch, an uninvited guest visits him.

"Di, Di"

The doorbell rings, so Merlin steps forward and opens the door.

Outside was a handsome young man, he wore a casual suit and expensive sunglasses, his hair was shiny too.

Behind him, in front of Merlin's house, was the latest red Ferrari.

As for the young man in front of Merlin, uneasiness and anticipation arise" in those eyes behind the sunglasses.

"I've finally found you!"

The young man looks at Merlin and says:

"I've been searching for you for 3 years! Merlin Reilly!"

"Tony Stark."

Merlin looks at the young man in front of him and realizes who he was, he had met him once before, in December 1991. After witnessing the deaths of the Howard couple. he had snuck into the Stark family's mansion and delivered Mr. Howard's final words to the young man in front of him.

Compared to the desperate, sad, painful look from 3 years ago, the Tony in front of him was undoubtedly more mature.

Whether it's from his expression, his speaking, or the sharp atmosphere he emitted, it represented the fact that the young man in front of him had finally walked out of the pain of losing his family and had begun a new life.

Mmm, from his low profile yet extravagant outfit, perhaps it is a wealthy, perfect, and happy new life.

"Why are you looking for me?"

Merlin asks.

Tony Stark looks around and tells Merlin:

"You're not gonna let me in for a seat? We had a friendship before after all."

"Friendship?"

Merlin repeats the term and shakes his head, he turns sideways and makes a 'please' gesture to Tony.

The latter takes off his glasses and walks into the room. He looks at Merlin's house and asks with a frown:

"I thought someone as mysterious as you would live somewhere more mysterious, like a mountain cottage, or some kind of secret base."

"Tea? Or water?"

Merlin did not answer Tony's complaint, he takes out a bottle of water from the fridge and pours him a glass, he asks:

"How did you find me?'

Behind him, Tony sat on the couch with a disgusted expression, he leans in a comfortable posture and says:

"I'm a scientist, and an inventor, I used the power of technology."

"Bam"

Merlin bends his waist and puts the cup of water in front of Tony, he reaches out, takes off his glasses, and uses his ember eyes to look at the young man in front of him, then says:

"And I'm different from you, I'm a mysterious man, and I use mysterious powers, and I mean, I can tell that you're lying!"

"Say the truth, how did you find me?"

Tony looked at Merlin's weird eyes, this 21-year-old young man was slightly scared so he changed his posture,  a few seconds later, he says unwillingly:

"Alright, Aunt Peggie told me."

"Peggie? You mean Miss Peggie Carter?"

Merlin sits on the couch opposite to Tony and puts his glasses back on, he says:

"Alright, if it's her, then I suppose rich and powerful dandies can do whatever they want."

Merlin spoke with slight ridicule:

"Even the locations of agent's safehouses which theoretically could not be leaked can be acquired from family members. But what I'm more curious about is, Mr. Tony, for what reason are you here? Surely you didn't come here just because the idea came to mind?"

"Of course not!"

Tony straightens his body and looks towards Merlin, he asks seriously:

"I'm here to ask you about what happened on the night of my parent's death?"

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The question makes Merlin glance at him, he then shakes his head and says:

"You don't have enough security clearance, therefore I cannot disclose said information, go back, Mr. Tony. Or you could ask your aunt Peggie, I told her everything that had happened that day."

"Would I have come all this way here to find you if aunt Peggie would tell me that?"

Tony was a young man with the common trait young people had.

He stands up, puts his hands on the table, and says aggressively:

"My parents died in front of you, you are the only witness! I'm their son, I am worthy and have a reason to know about it all! I didn't come here all the way from California to hear you say no! Tell me, Merlin! Tell me what you saw that night?"

"I'm begging you, please tell me!"

To be frank, Merlin looked quite ferocious when he was angry.

However, he was facing a secret agent who had just killed a half-demon from hell nearly a year ago.

What Merlin has seen, been through, and done himself was what young Tony could not even imagine.

His fury was like a child waving his fists, Merlin was unfazed.

It didn't even change Merlin's expression.

Merlin simply looks at Tony calmly, through his dark senses, he could feel Tony's rage, the emotions erupting from his spirit, the hidden pain which erupted once more, those insufferable memories.

In Tony's eyes, Merlin could see disappointment, pain, desperation, and a hint of plea.

But secrets are secrets.

Merlin knew that although the Winter Soldier may be dead, the organization behind him was still hidden deeply. Fury had been investigating that organization using SHIELD's resources for the past 3 years, yet Fury's efforts were fruitless.

This fully explains how dangerous that organization was.

Letting a reckless yet somewhat naive young man know about those secrets isn't helping him, it's getting him killed.

"I'm sorry, Tony, but I got nothing to say."

Merlin calmly replies.

The plea in Tony's eyes soon turns into anger, but as he was about to continue asking, Merlin's phone begins to ring in his pocket.

Merlin makes a shush gesture to Tony and picks up the phone, it was an unfamiliar number, and Merlin places the phone next to his ear.

Then, a familiar female voice resounds.

"Is this Merlin? I'm Peggie carter. May I ask if my nephew Tony is there with you?"

Merlin glances at Tony and tells the woman on the other side of the phone:

"Yes, ma'am, he's here right now, he barged into my house angrily to ask about secrets he shouldn't know about."

"That's good."

Miss Carter sighs a breath of relief and tells Merlin in an apologetic tone:

"Then, please bring him over to where I live, Tony found my diary and learned of your existence from it; I'm sorry Merlin, I'm old now, and I'm not as wary as I was when I was young."

"Also, Merlin, I heard from Fury about what you did, I have to thank you for your giving and dedication to the city."

"It's my job, ma'am. As for Tony, please wait briefly, I'll send him over now."

Merlin hangs up the call, stands up, and moves his fingers, he tells Tony:

"Alright, young master Tony. I'll send you to your aunt's place now."

"Don't touch me!"

Fear and distress flashes in Tony's eyes, he stepped backward and shouted at Merlin:

"I can walk back myself! Don't touch me! I'm warning you! No! Easy, it hurts! It hurts!!"

Merlin steps forward and holds onto Tony's wrist, he lightly throws his hand, and following a painful scream, the young man in front of him was placed onto Merlin's shoulder.

"Miss Peggie needs to have a word with you about you peeking at her diary. Tony, you're 21, why do you keep acting like an immature kid!"

Merlin carries the struggling Tony out of the room and holds him down on the passenger seat of the luxurious sportscar with one hand.

But Tony kept struggling and screaming like a crazy monkey, which made Merlin lose his patience. He chops on Tony's neck and knocks him out cold.

Merlin opens the car door and gets on the driver's seat, this was his first time seeing such an extravagant car, and he couldn't even find the car keys; the engines of this thing had a biometric finger lock.

But thankfully, Tony was right next to him.

Merlin drags Tony's finger and presses it on the bridge of the sportscar, after a few seconds of unlocking, the deep sound of the engine starting begins to resound.

"Let me send you back home, reckless young man."

Merlin reaches out and fixes Tony on the passenger's seat, he turns the wheel, and this expensive toy with high horsepower makes a perfect 180-degree turn and speeds out like an arrow. 

But before Merlin drove out of Hell's Kitchen, his phone rang again.

The number this time was a familiar one.

"Hello, Fury?"

Merlin holds the steering wheel with one hand and phone on the other, and as he felt the breeze, he asks:

"How'd you get the time to call me? Aren't you training the recruits in California?"

"We've got trouble, Merlin."

Fury's deep voice resounds, his tone was solemn as he says:

"Come to California as fast as you can, I'll send you an address, best you bring along your weapons. The situation this time is special and critical."

"What is it?"

Merlin frowns, he has a whim that his peaceful life was about to take a steep turn.

On the other side of the phone, Fury hesitates slightly and says:

"It's aliens!"

 

-End of Arc 2-

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