A Rider Kick in Marvel ch 55

As always, Ace makes his way to school, but his thoughts are consumed by the looming threat of Hydra. He's scheduled to meet with Fury today, and with Hydra closing in on him, he realizes that he may have to put his patrols in New York on hold for the time being.

“Morning, Ace.”

“Morning, Gwen.”

Gwen notices Ace is looking a little sullen. “What’s making you so gloomy? Did something happen?”

“I guess I can’t hide things from you, Gwen. Let’s just say I got ambushed yesterday.”

When Gwen heard he got ambushed, she became worried. “What!? Are you okay? Did you get hurt?” she frantically checks his body for any injuries.

Ace got a bit embarrassed when Gwen got a bit touchy. “I’m fine, Gwen. I moped the floor with them. Wasn’t really much of a challenge.”

Gwen relaxed and sighed, hearing Ace was fine. “Okay, that’s good. What happened?”

“I’ll tell you after school with Peter.”

After school, Peter, Gwen, and Ace met up. Ace told them what had happened. He explained how he heard someone calling for help and was suddenly surrounded by agents when he arrived. He managed to beat them and detained them in his underground base. This revelation surprised Gwen and Peter.

Peter was surprised Ace had an underground base. “You have an underground base!? Since when!?”

“That is what you’re surprised about!? He got attacked, for christ's sake!?” Gwen hits Peter in the head.

Peter rubs the little bump on his head. “Come on, Gwen. He has a secret underground base! You can’t tell me you are not excited about that!”

Gwen couldn’t really argue with that. She, too, is interested in the underground base. “I’m interested too, but that is beside the point!”

Ace is amused by his two friends' antics. “Okay, you two. That’s enough. You can visit Nascita when you have time. I might not be able to patrol for a while until I deal with the people after me. I hope you can protect New York while I’m gone.”

“Why don’t we help you, Ace? I’m sure Peter and I can help you stop these people.”

“No, Gwen. The people after me and not some thugs or crime bosses in New York. They are something bigger and are most likely after the Rider Systems. If you come with me, they are going to put a bigger target on your back. Besides, we can’t leave New York unprotected.”

Gwen sighs. “Fine, but we will be here if you need any help.”

Ace smiles, knowing his friends will support him. “Thanks guys.”

…

Ace was driving using the trucks provided by Izu. Inside the trucks were the Hydra agents. They were still detained, gagged, and blindfolded. Ace is now heading toward the location Fury sent him to meet.

Many police cars are on patrol. Ace guessed they were looking for him and prepared to mobilize if someone found him.

‘Hydra really wants to find me, huh?’ Ace thought.

He arrived at a dilapidated building and knocked on the door. He saw a nearby security camera and showed the Desire Driver. After a few moments, Natasha Romanoff opened the door to let him in.

“You’re here. Are the agents in the truck.” said Natasha

“Yeah, should I just leave them here?”

“We will deal with them later. I’m sure they won’t move anytime soon. Fury also wants to ‘talk’ to them afterwards. Follow me.”

Natasha guides Ace down to a dimly lit basement, where they encounter Nick Fury. The room is filled with numerous documents and advanced equipment, while a whiteboard covered in notes and images resembles an intricate investigation board.

“Welcome, Rider, sorry for the mess. Just got this place up and running.”

 “No problem. Is it only us?” asked Ace.

“No, let me introduce you.”

A group of people revealed themselves. One was an unassuming American, a woman of Asian descent, a woman with short hair, and a man with a bow and arrow.

“Meet Agent Coulson, Agent May, Agent Hill, and Agent Barton.”

Agent Coulson was the first to approach Ace, and they shook hands.

“It is nice to meet you, Rider. It is good to know you will be helping us against Hydra.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Coulson.”

“Call me, Phil.”

Phil Coulson is dressed in the standard SHIELD uniform, exuding an air of approachability. Standing 6 feet tall, he has the appearance of a benevolent gentleman that you might encounter just strolling the streets. With a long tenure working under Fury, Coulson has earned the trust of his superior. While he may occasionally feel uncertain about some of Fury's directives, he ultimately complies, firmly believing that Fury's decisions are made to better the more significant cause.

“Melinda May, pleasure meeting you.”

Melinda May is an exceptional field agent under the command of Fury. She is known for her stealth and agility and is often seen clad in a sleek black combat suit. May possess expertise in martial arts, acrobatics, marksmanship, and espionage, making her one of the most skilled and versatile operatives in the field.

“Maria Hill, I work for Fury.”

“Yeah, I know you. Fury’s right hand. I read some files of you.” said Ace.

“Those are supposed to be classified.”

“Well, SHIELD tried to hack me, so I just fought back and happened to get some information.”

Maria Hill squinted her eyes in displeasure upon discovering that her information had been leaked. As Fury’s trusted ally and a commanding officer in SHIELD, she supervised the Avengers initiative alongside Nick Fury and has remained deeply involved with the team ever since.

“Here, I thought the Avengers wouldn’t included.” said Ace sarcastically.

“Can’t really black down when the Director calls. Names Clint.”

“I know the famous Hawkeye. I heard you never miss a shot?”

“You wanna test that.”

Both shook hands, and they were getting along well.

Hawkeye, a formidable member of the Avengers and a highly skilled agent of SHIELD, shares expertise similar to Natasha's. He is not only a master martial artist but also adept in using various weapons. Possessing exceptional spying abilities and a lethal proficiency as an assassin, Hawkeye's weapon of choice is his bow and arrows, with a perfect track record of never missing a shot. His quiver has arrow tips for multiple purposes, including explosives, containment, and grappling hooks.

“Is this your entire team?” asked Ace.

“Yes, it is hard to find someone to trust when SHIELD is infested by Hydra,” Fury replied.

“I still can’t believe Hydra still exists.” said Phil.

“And we are the only ones who can stop them and save SHIELD.” replied Fury.

The agents in the room felt Fury’s conviction and became resolute that they would accomplish this mission toward the end.

“Rider, did you bring what you promised?” asked Fury.

“Of course, I have it right here.” Ace gave Fury a flash drive. Inside was the information he got from the Hydra agents.

“Director, what is that?” asked Hill.

“A present from him. This should help our operation immensely.”

“I also brought something for you, Natasha.” He laid a briefcase on the table. The SHIELD agents, who did not know, looked over curiously. Ace opened the briefcase, and inside was a Desire Driver with a red ID Core and an emblem similar to a spider. Two Raisebuckles, the Ninja and Claw buckles, are also inside.

“Are those what I think they are?” said May.

“Yes, they are meant for Agent Romanoff over here.” replied Fury.

“So you’re a Kamen Rider now, Nat.” said Clint, teasing Natasha.

“Shut up, Clint. Are these going to be my equipment?” asked Natasha.

“Yes, take care of them, alright? I’m lending you two Raisebuckles: the Ninja and the armed claw. The ID Core is linked to you, so nobody else can use the driver.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Does the Ninja one give me ninja abilities?” replied Natasha.

“Yes, and the armed claw well gives you claws to fight. The Ninja one being the stronger of the two.”

Natasha nods, takes the ID Core, and inserts it into the driver.

[ENTRY]

“It is quite an interesting piece of tech. Do you think you can share it more, Rider?” asked Coulson.

“Maybe…” said Ace, not making any promises.

“Now the introduction is finished. Let’s discuss what we should do moving forward.”