Chapter 462: The Secrets of the Past (Part 1) (Patreon)

In DC World With Marvel Chat Group : Table of Content/Chapter List

XXX-----XXX-----XXX-----XXX

In a dimly lit corridor, a corpse lay on the narrow floor platform, and Alfred stood on the staircase above while Kayla stood below.

Kayla holstered her handgun and lowered her head, looking at Benjamin's lifeless body. She said, "Mr. Pennyworth, you can go and handle your business. I'll take care of things here."

"I'm here to take care of him," Alfred replied as he descended the staircase to stand opposite Kayla. He continued, "Valeria, thank you for passing on the information to me."

Kayla frowned, looking at Alfred with some discontent. "I sent you a message a month ago, informing you about the conspiracy targeting Wayne Enterprises. Why did you still let him come over?"

With a sigh, Kayla continued, "This is not as simple as it seems. On the surface, they are chasing after the Philby list, but everyone knows that the list is outdated and practically useless, except for covering up the CIA's operational failures."

"We all know that the 1980 economic crisis left a lasting impact on the East Coast, but it also brought benefits to some, including the Luthor and Wayne Enterprises."

"The businessmen who fell during that era are constantly trying to regain their former power. Wayne Enterprises and Luthor have a huge share of the pie, and those wolves have become envious to the extreme."

"They are truly foolish, Alfred. When I heard about their plan, I almost went crazy."

"They actually thought it would be as simple as gathering all the East Coast elites in one place, causing chaos, eliminating the heads of Wayne Enterprises and Luthor, and then blaming it on Soviet agents."

Kayla shook her head, holding her forehead with her hand, seeming speechless even by just repeating their plan.

"They actually believed that with these elites as witnesses, everything would be justified, without considering the possibility of pushing themselves into another economic abyss."

"Valeria, you must understand that smart people are always in the minority in this world, and even compared to the fools, there are very few who have common sense."

"I've been to France, the UK, and Italy before finally coming to the US. But it wasn't until I served in the Air Force and was later recruited into the CIA that I realized the so-called elite politics is just a deception."

"Elites?" Kayla's gaze returned to Benjamin's corpse, her facial features wrinkling with indescribable disgust as she said, "They have no vigilance, are self-righteous, can't predict certain consequences, and even cling to a false sense of security for the foreseeable terrible consequences."

"They can come up with thousands of rotten plans every day, but after making a mess of things, they blame their subordinates for not executing properly. Then they keep preaching about the importance of teamwork and let the ordinary people at the bottom pay the price..."

"Alright, stop complaining, Valeria. After working here for so many years, don't you already know their nature?"

Kayla sighed helplessly and shook her head.

She looked at Alfred's face, which appeared even older than when they last met. The reflection of snowflakes outside illuminated his cheeks, highlighting the intricate wrinkles.

Kayla also saw her own reflection in the glass. She was no longer a young and naive girl full of passion. People her age should already be married or preparing for children. However, she was still a junior compared to Alfred.

Kayla remembered how she got to know Alfred. The CIA had been manipulated by some people who wanted to target the Wayne Family, and the plan to investigate Gotham had been in motion for several years. Unfortunately, Kayla was among the first group of agents sent to Gotham.

When she received the order, she thought her cover had been blown because she couldn't believe that the higher-ups at the CIA had approved such a foolish plan, intending to target the two largest corporations on the East Coast.

The CIA hoped that this group of agents could find some principled mistakes made by the leaders of the corporations. Kayla had no intention of getting involved in such a stupid plan, but she had to follow the orders.

Before going there, she had never thought Gotham was such a dangerous place. Not even two days after arriving in Gotham, she was brought before The Godfather Falcone.

She should consider herself fortunate because she was able to meet Falcone alive, thanks to the skills she acquired during her training in the Soviet Union. His companions were not so lucky.

The conversation with The Godfather was far from pleasant. Kayla had already prepared herself to die while guarding her secret identity, but that day, another old man came to visit The Godfather, and they seemed to be old acquaintances. It was on that day that the old man exposed her identity as a Soviet agent and helped her leave Gotham.

Through subsequent communication, Kayla learned that the mysterious old man was none other than Alfred Pennyworth.

Initially, when she saw Alfred pierce through her identity, she thought he could be a potential asset. The position of Wayne Family's butler was also an important one, and if this could be accomplished, it would benefit her homeland greatly.

So she started communicating frequently with Alfred. However, at some point, the style of the letters seemed to switch places.

Kayla realized that the elderly man she was communicating with had extensive experience as an agent, far more than she had thought. He was not the amateur she believed him to be; on the contrary, he was a more skilled and experienced agent than Kayla herself.

Kayla began to seek advice from him on various techniques in the letters and would also pass on information from the CIA.

Under Alfred's guidance, Kayla's disguise became more meticulous. As she gradually resembled a CIA agent more and more, her abilities at the CIA improved, and in just two years, she became the deputy of the Special Operations Team Captain Benjamin.This was already a high-ranking position, as the Special Operations Team held significant authority. Now, with Benjamin's death, this position would fall solely on Kayla's shoulders...

Thinking about the years of hard work that Alfred had invested in teaching her those agent skills, Kayla became worried. Frowning, she asked Alfred, "I still have the same question. I already transmitted information to you in advance, so why did you still let young Wayne get involved? It's really dangerous..."

"More dangerous than Gotham?" Alfred retorted.

Kayla was caught off guard by his response but still argued, "You can't compare it like that. Gotham is filled with gangs and gunfights every day, not to mention the crazies. The traffic is chaotic, and there are constant disasters. Even the children are wild. It's far from being secure..."

The more Kayla spoke, the lower her voice became. Finally, she sighed helplessly and said, "Well, when you put it that way, Gotham is indeed more dangerous."

"Bruce cannot stay under someone's protection forever. He has to learn to face these conspiracies on his own."

As Alfred's aged voice echoed in the Staircase of the corridor, Kayla sensed a sigh in his tone.

This kind of tone made Kayla start to miss her homeland. She remembered how her father used to speak to her like this, standing on the vast snowy plains by Lake Baikal, discussing her future and the future of their great country.

"Today, some oligarchs and the CIA came up with a stupid idea, using a very crude method to lure him here. Even the personnel they prepared are not professionals."

"But, if he has never seen these tactics before, then tomorrow, when truly powerful and cunning individuals meticulously plan a conspiracy and make thorough preparations, how will he cope?"

"Pardon me for speaking bluntly, Alfred..." Kayla remained worried as she said, "If it's just Benjamin and his agents, used as practice for young Wayne, it's fine. However, the thing in the basement of the Mayor's mansion is likely very dangerous..."

Kayla sighed again and began to reveal some unknown information:

"Most people who know about this believe that the previous mayors or even those from earlier times were conducting secret radiation experiments underground. Americans love to fantasize about such things, and their government indeed likes doing such things."

"But, in reality, the CIA has more detailed materials on this. My clearance level is not enough to access all the materials, but Benjamin once told me that there is indeed a mysterious mineral with radiation down there. However, the purpose of this mineral is not to irradiate human beings."

With a concerned expression, Kayla uttered, "From what I understand, it might be sealing something even more dangerous."

"That's an egg," Alfred suddenly said.

Kayla widened her eyes, then squinted them because from Alfred's expression, she only saw tranquility. Clearly, he knew what it was all about.

"That is an even older story, but you should have heard of it. Do you remember the incident that happened in Gotham about thirty years ago?"

"Um... I hadn't been assigned to the US at that time, but I think I glanced at the dossier, and the records on it were somewhat vague and hard to understand..."

"Valeria, I remember telling you during our communications that sometimes agents don't need to understand exactly what the intelligence is about. You just need to bring them back, and professionals will analyze the truth."

"But now, you no longer need to do that. That incident was almost 30 years ago, and intelligence has a shelf life. After so long, it's unlikely to receive much attention."

"So, what exactly happened? I'm having a hard time following. Weren't you always in Gotham? How would you know what's in the underground of Metropolis Mayor's mansion, and how does it relate to that incident from 30 years ago?"

"Take it easy, let me explain slowly..."

Alfred's tone returned to his usual unhurried British accent, and though it made the listener anxious, soon enough, the content of his words captivated Kayla.

"Going to Wayne Family as a butler wasn't my first time coming to Gotham. My first visit was about 26 years ago, in the spring of 1962."

"And the reason I came here was because I had a crucial mission..."

Kayla saw a glimmer of light in Alfred's eyes as he seemed to reminisce about his younger years and the pride he felt for the great deeds he had done.

"In March 1962, I received orders from Moscow to find a way to contact Harold Harry Philby, who was under close surveillance, and bring back an important list containing all the spy information to Moscow."

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, without ads and support the work.]

XXX-----XXX-----XXX-----XXX

Next Chapter>>Chapter 463: Hidden Secrets (Part 2)