"Wait... Wanda?!"
Luca, who had only been glancing down to observe the riot, instantly spotted the Maximoff twins in the crowd.
It wasn't that Wanda's pale skin was that eye-catching (though it was nice). It was because the twins were leading the charge at the very front of the protest, angrily shoving the security guards. They looked determined to drive the evil Aurantius Group out of Sokovia.
Just as Luca was considering whether to snatch up these two infinitely potent recruits right now...
Down below, Strucker stepped forward.
Without a word, he pulled out his pistol and fired two shots into the air.
BANG! BANG!
"Silence! Everyone!!"
The roar, followed by gunshots, instantly cooled the crowd's fervor.
Seeing everyone quiet down and look at him in fear, Baron Strucker nodded in satisfaction.
"Sokovia is a democratic nation..."
He launched into a standard speech designed to pacify the masses. He introduced the Aurantius family's history, emphasizing that Aurantius Group was "one of us."
"They have returned to Sokovia with money earned from the Americans to build our homeland!"
"Pushing the Arbiter pistols into our police force is for your safety, to give everyone a stable life!"
Whether the people believed Strucker's rhetoric or not didn't matter. They definitely believed in the guns held by the Hydra soldiers surrounding them.
Faced with those dark muzzles, people found reasons to convince themselves to go home.
Better to live on your knees than die on your feet.
For the ordinary citizens of Sokovia, besides their lives, they had little left to lose.
However, as the crowd dispersed, two people remained.
Not the Maximoff twins. The first meeting hadn't exactly been pleasant (with the rioting and shooting), so Luca decided not to recruit them immediately.
Aurantius Group was going to invest heavily here. There would be plenty of chances later.
The two who stayed were different. One was clearly an elderly butler.
The other was a man around thirty, dressed in a sharp, immaculate suit. His hair was perfectly styled, making him look completely out of place among the impoverished locals.
This man didn't leave with the others. Instead, he stepped forward, standing calmly in front of Baron Strucker.
"Mr. Strucker. Could you take me to see the young heir of the Aurantius family?"
It was phrased as a question, but his tone allowed no refusal.
He didn't seem to care that Strucker was the warlord who effectively controlled Sokovia.
"Zemo..."
Strucker muttered the man's surname.
Yes, this man was the leader of one of the few remaining traditional noble families in Sokovia.
Helmut Zemo. Also known as the infamous Baron Zemo.
Up in the office, Luca recognized him immediately.
After all, this was the man who, as a normal human, nearly destroyed the Avengers single-handedly in Civil War. Luca had a deep impression of him.
Down below, Strucker frowned slightly.
Being mind-controlled by the Scepter didn't mean he lost the ability to think. It just meant his priorities were rewritten to serve Luca's interests above all else.
Strucker, who controlled Sokovia from the shadows, obviously knew Zemo.
The Zemo family had always maintained neutrality and rarely got involved in Sokovia's politics.
Zemo's sudden request to see Luca was suspicious. Strucker couldn't gauge his intent.
"Zemo, Aurantius Group is my friend. Their investment comes with goodwill..."
Zemo raised a hand, interrupting him. His tone remained flat.
"I also come with goodwill. The relationship between the Zemo family and the Aurantius family runs much deeper than yours."
Strucker stared at Zemo for a moment, then relented.
Ultimately, while the Zemo family had influence, Strucker didn't think they posed a threat to Luca.
The group went upstairs. Before Strucker could lead Zemo into the office, Zemo stopped and greeted the bodyguards outside.
"Shield Mountain (Dunshan), long time no see."
Dunshan, guarding the door, looked at Zemo's face in confusion. Then, recognition dawned. He asked hesitantly.
"Captain Zemo?"
Zemo smiled faintly.
"It's Lieutenant Colonel now."
He flipped his lapel slightly, revealing a military pin on his shirt collar.
"Why are you here?" Dunshan asked, glancing at Strucker's men nearby.
"Nothing much. Just here to meet the new head of the Aurantius family."
Hearing this, and recalling Zemo's relationship with Gina back in their army days, Dunshan nodded respectfully and stepped aside.
---
Inside the office.
Strucker made an excuse to leave, so it was just Luca, the Haro Mech, and Zemo.
Luca was still unsure why this local power player sought him out.
But Zemo's opening line caught Luca completely off guard.
"Luca, did your mother ever tell you about Hydra?"
Luca froze.
Wait. Are you Hydra too?
"Hydra? Isn't that an organization from WWII?" Luca feigned ignorance.
Zemo didn't play along with Luca's act. He nodded thoughtfully.
"So you know. But Gina didn't tell you?"
Luca: "..."
Dude, why don't you follow the script?!
Zemo ignored Luca's speechless expression and continued calmly.
"Since the Aurantius family has chosen to cooperate with Hydra, what do you plan to bring to this country, Sokovia?"
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CaveLeather
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