Natasha found the situation increasingly absurd after listening to Chen Long. Why would SWAT officers open fire on ordinary civilians? There must be some misunderstanding.
With that thought, Natasha comforted Chen Long for a few moments before approaching the main entrance to explain things to the people outside. However, the SWAT officers, already in a state of high alert, couldn't afford to listen. As soon as Natasha showed her head, another burst of bullets forced her back inside.
Chen Long, after all, was just a civilian. As the saying goes, the common folk don't fight officials. When faced with an attack from SWAT, Chen Long's first instinct was to hide.
Natasha was no Chen Long. As a top agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., police in any region treated her with utmost respect. She had never endured such indignity.
Stepping back only made her angrier.
If word of this got back to her colleagues, they would laugh themselves silly.
Unable to bear it any longer, she stormed out of the entrance. With a few swift moves, she subdued the two SWAT officers in front of her with extreme speed.
"Who is this crazy woman? Go, attack her! She's definitely an accomplice of the criminals. Don't let her escape."
Willie's words, instead of helping, completely exposed his identity and immediately made him Natasha's primary target.
"Accomplice, your grandmother's leg."
Cursing angrily, Natasha dodged the incoming bullets and, with agile movements, pushed aside the SWAT officers blocking her path, heading straight for Willie.
Willie's face showed a hint of panic when he realized Natasha was targeting him, especially when the SWAT officers around him couldn't stop her.
But as Natasha finally reached Willie and was about to subdue him, the panic on his face miraculously vanished. Instead, he wore a smile of success.
It turned out that Willie's previous fear and panic were all an act. He was cautious, but caution didn't mean weakness.
As the captain of the SWAT team, Willie had served in the Marine Corps for a period. After his discharge, he used some connections to become the captain of the city's SWAT team.
Unlike his director, Willie had never relaxed his self-discipline, even after retiring. Seeing Natasha fall for his ploy, he immediately got into a fighting stance and threw a punch.
Natasha was somewhat surprised by Willie's sudden change, but only slightly. As a top agent, she quickly adjusted her stance, dodged Willie's punch with a sidestep, used her shoulder to collide with him, and then swiftly subdued him.
Seeing their captain captured, all the SWAT officers were in a state of hesitation. Their guns were aimed at Natasha, but none dared to fire.
These SWAT officers were professionally trained with good marksmanship, but in this situation, none of them could guarantee a clean kill of the suspect. Angering the suspect was a minor issue, but if they accidentally killed their captain, the guilt would be immense.
Willie's greatest asset was knowing when to say what. Now, controlled by Natasha, he quickly changed his tune and said, "Friend, don't get agitated. I'm the SWAT captain. If you kill me, the crime will be enormous. Let's make a deal. You release me, and I'll pretend I never saw you. You and your companion can leave the building together, and I won't stop you."
Natasha's heart chuckled at Willie's words, and her interest was piqued. She deliberately asked, "Really? If I let you go, you'll let me and my companion go? We are criminals who made bombs and kidnapped hostages, you know."
Although he didn't understand why a criminal would question him on such a matter, and wasn't safe passage a good thing? Seeing that his words were having an effect, Willie quickly added fuel to the fire, "Don't worry, these people are my subordinates. If I say they won't hurt you, they won't."
Fearing Natasha wouldn't believe him, Willie yelled at the SWAT officers aiming their guns around him, "What are you all standing there for like idiots? Put down your guns! Put them all down! Do you want to watch me die?!"
The SWAT officers exchanged glances and finally chose to obey, lowering their weapons.
They knew very well that their actions might let a bad guy, a criminal, escape, but they were unwilling to gamble with their own futures.
In the current situation, Willie was likely to survive. If they insisted on defying Willie's orders now, and Willie died, it would be one thing. But if he lived, they would undoubtedly face difficulties in the future.
Natasha showed a hint of disdain as she looked at the scene before her. She kicked Willie to the ground and then pulled out her badge, tossing it in his face.
Willie had initially intended to use words to ensure his safety, then quickly break free when Natasha let her guard down, and finally order his subordinates to riddle her with bullets.
He just hadn't expected Natasha to be so swift. She cleanly kicked him to the ground, and by the time Willie got up and prepared to order a barrage of gunfire, Natasha's badge was already slapped onto his face.
When Willie picked up the badge from the ground and opened it, his entire being felt unwell. He then repeatedly compared the photo on the badge with the woman who had just beaten him, and was instantly stunned.
As a former Marine, Willie knew of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s existence and had even cooperated with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents on a mission once.
To put it mildly, S.H.I.E.L.D. had a poor reputation within the military. To the soldiers who always faced the front lines head-on, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were only good for petty thievery and underhanded dealings; when the nation truly needed to shed blood and sweat, it was up to soldiers like them.
But after that mission, Willie's perception of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and S.H.I.E.L.D. itself underwent a massive transformation.
The agent who had carried out the mission with them not only had exceptional combat skills but also possessed vast wilderness survival experience that left Willie and his men in awe.
But these were not the main points. The focus was on the weapons used by the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, which could be described as nothing less than black technology.
Later, Willie learned more about S.H.I.E.L.D. through various channels. The more he learned, the more shocked he was by S.H.I.E.L.D.'s unfathomable background and immense power.
What Willie hadn't expected was to encounter a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent again after so many years, and under such circumstances.
Natasha was very pleased with Willie's expression at that moment. She snatched the badge back from Willie's hand and said, "As you can see, I am a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, not the criminal or terrorist you described. I am now going to take my friend away. I presume you have no objections."
As she spoke, she produced a voice recorder from somewhere and began playing with it.
Willie wasn't stupid. Seeing the voice recorder in recording mode, he instantly understood that everything he had just said had been recorded.
Although what he had said was just a temporary measure, if the other party submitted this recording, those old foxes in charge wouldn't care about the circumstances. By then, his career would likely be over.