"Not everyone can say the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. personally drove them home."
Standing outside his shop, Evenson couldn’t resist one last jab at Fury before climbing out of the SUV.
Fury simply smiled.
Then his eyes drifted to the striking vintage roadster parked along the curb.
"You should keep an eye on that car."
Evenson turned back.
"What do you mean?"
"You know what that car represents."
Fury rested an arm on the window frame.
"Some people aren’t going to appreciate seeing it in your possession."
Evenson chuckled.
"Isn’t that exactly what you were hoping for?"
"If someone makes a move, you’ll finally have a lead."
Fury laughed.
"Maybe I should assign a few more agents to watch your shop."
"Please don’t."
Evenson refused immediately.
"I have no interest in living like an exhibit at the zoo."
He leaned against the car.
"I’ve already told you."
"Hitler wasn’t synonymous with the Nazis."
"The Red Skull isn’t synonymous with Hydra."
"Modern Hydra isn’t going to expose itself over the personal belongings of a leader who’s been gone for more than sixty years."
The Red Skull had founded modern Hydra.
Even today, plenty of Hydra agents still revered him.
But fanaticism wasn’t the same as stupidity.
Seeing his old vehicle handed to a man who sold magical charms would only convince them that S.H.I.E.L.D. had laid a trap.
A deliberate insult.
Bait designed to lure loyalists into the open.
Hydra wouldn’t take it.
Not yet.
Once they completed whatever grand plan they were working toward, reclaiming the car or blowing it to pieces would be easy.
At least, that was how they’d see it.
"You’ve thought this through."
Fury shook his head with a faint smile.
He knew Evenson was right.
If provoking Hydra were that simple, S.H.I.E.L.D. could have spent years broadcasting anti-Hydra propaganda around the clock while agents waited outside every television station.
Life wasn’t that convenient.
"Not as thoroughly as you."
Evenson waved casually and headed toward the shop.
It was nearly three in the morning.
Sleep sounded far more appealing than conspiracy theories.
He unlocked the front door and stepped inside.
The lights were still on.
Those lazy idiots forgot to turn them off again.
Do they think electricity is free?
Then he froze.
Sarah was still sitting behind the counter.
One elbow rested on the desk while her head drooped sleepily into her hand.
She looked as though she’d been waiting for him.
Since when is she this considerate?
Hearing the door, Sarah immediately sprang to life.
"Boss!"
"You’re finally back!"
"You must be exhausted."
"Come on, sit down."
"I’ll give you a shoulder massage."
Evenson was deeply touched.
He silently decided that as soon as next month’s paycheck arrived...
Sarah was getting a raise.
Her hands gently kneaded his shoulders.
After a moment, she hesitated.
"Boss..."
"Hm?"
"Did you..."
"...happen to get that gorgeous woman’s phone number?"
Crack.
Evenson could practically hear his heart shatter into tiny pieces.
So that’s what this is about.
Forget the raise.
Forget being touched.
The bonus is canceled.
"I didn’t."
"And I have absolutely no interest in getting involved with that woman."
The pressure on his shoulders instantly doubled.
An invisible wave of resentment seemed to rise behind him.
"...Although," he added at lightning speed, "if you’re interested, I can introduce you sometime."
Sarah’s smile returned immediately.
"I knew you were the best boss ever."
Evenson stared blankly into space.
"..."
The next morning...
Or rather, close to noon...
Evenson finally dragged himself out of bed.
After washing up, waking the employees, and opening the shop for business, he noticed an unusual scene outside.
A luxury sedan had stopped in front of the store.
Three men stood beside his roadster, openly inspecting it.
When the Red Skull’s old car had first appeared, it had drawn crowds from all over the neighborhood.
People had happily paid a few dollars just to take photographs with it.
The novelty had earned Evenson a respectable amount of extra income.
But months had passed.
The locals had grown accustomed to it.
Most people barely spared it a second glance anymore.
These three, however, looked positively fascinated.
Leading them was a young man in a loud plaid suit and thick black-rimmed glasses.
He stood with both hands on his hips, criticizing the car as though he were judging an auction piece.
Behind him stood two bodyguards in matching black suits and sunglasses.
They looked exactly like the sort of men hired to look intimidating.
One glance was enough for Evenson to form an opinion.
Flashy.
Arrogant.
Convinced the world exists for his convenience.
Exactly the sort of person he disliked.
He looked toward the shop.
"Taylor."
"Come with me."
The young man turned as they approached.
"So you’re the owner?"
He casually pointed at the roadster.
"Congratulations."
"I’ve decided I want it."
"Name your price."
"I’m not selling."
Evenson barely acknowledged him.
Instead, he walked around the vehicle, inspecting the bodywork as if checking whether someone had left fingerprints on it.
The blatant dismissal made the young man’s face darken.
He pointed directly at Evenson.
"Do you have any idea who I am?"
Without even looking up, Evenson replied,
"I don’t particularly care."
From the man’s behavior alone, he knew this wasn’t Hydra.
If Hydra employed idiots like this, Alexander Pierce would have died of embarrassment decades ago.
The man puffed out his chest proudly.
"I’m Justin Hammer."
"You country bumpkin."
Evenson raised an eyebrow.
So it’s the garbage himself.
Shouldn’t you be bothering Tony instead of wasting my time?
Tony mocked Justin Hammer as a fool, but that wasn’t entirely fair.
Hammer had enough talent to become the government’s favored defense contractor.
His real flaw was something else.
He was the textbook definition of a nouveau riche.
He loved expensive things.
He loved showing off.
The moment he’d seen the Red Skull’s extraordinary roadster, he’d wanted it purely to satisfy his own vanity.
And judging by the way he treated people beneath him...
The money had never bought him class.
Seeing Evenson remain silent, Justin mistook it for intimidation.
His smile widened.
"Sell me the car now..."
"...and I might even pay you generously."
He let the threat hang in the air.
"Otherwise..."
Unfortunately for Justin, Evenson wasn’t an ordinary civilian.
Just last night he’d been sharing drinks with Tony Stark and trading strategy with Nick Fury.
He finally looked Justin in the eye.
"Oh?"
"Justin Hammer?"
"The guy Tony Stark treats like yesterday’s punchline?"
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