Just Started

"What did you say?" Nicole's palm gradually tightened, pinching Aiden's hand slightly painfully. She looked at Aiden in surprise, but as usual, there was surprise without any doubt. She trusted Aiden unconditionally, a habit she had maintained for a long time, even though Aiden's words sounded like a fairy tale.

"There are many, many stories in this," Aiden shook his head, momentarily emotional, uncertain where to begin.

"Our destination is Minnesota, and I think I have enough time to listen to your story." Nicole's eyes held a hint of longing as she spoke softly, "You know me, you know my background, you're even familiar with every inch of my skin, yet I don't even know the significance of the pentagram on your arm. Starting today, I think I have the right to know, right?"

"Of course," Aiden turned his head, silently looking at Nicole, seeing her determined gaze, he gently nodded, "Do you know why I care so much about you?"

"Hm?"

"Because you were the first person I met on my mission after coming to this world. It turns out, our meeting indeed had a special meaning."

"It's my honor." Nicole smiled, the once painful and tragic experiences had led to her current dreamlike life, a feeling of bitterness turning into sweetness.

"I have my own goals. I want to form a team, to establish a powerful force as my backing, to challenge a behemoth." Aiden spoke softly, revealing his purpose, "This was my initial intention for coming here, well, of course, fleeing was also one of the reasons."

"I want your past." Nicole suddenly leaned forward, wrapping one arm around Aiden and pressed a handle, sliding Aiden's seat backward.

"We might not die in a car accident, but there's a normal person in the back." Aiden started speaking, somewhat flustered, quickly slowing down the car.

"So that's why you're beating around the bush. I'm providing you the convenience to whisper in my ear." Nicole directly sat sideways on Aiden's lap, her head swaying from side to side, finding a comfortable position on Aiden's broad shoulder. The small, broken car made it difficult for her long legs to stretch out, forcing her to curl up uncomfortably in the passenger seat, "Ajax left so many good cars, and I gave you so much money, why am I sitting here now?"

Aiden truly felt the change in Nicole's attitude towards him after their relationship changed. She was no longer as cautious, even able to joke around, her demands and desires growing.

If he could pull himself out of the abyss of Hydra and return to being an ordinary person, Aiden was indeed willing to cooperate.

The car slowly accelerated, getting back on track, and Aiden's story unfolded.

"My hometown is also New York." Aiden knew what to say and what not to say. His identity from his previous life in China, Aiden planned to keep to himself.

"The New York of that world, just like your hometown, appeared incredibly prosperous on the surface. My family and I lived in a dirty, backward district, it has a specific term: Hell's Kitchen." Aiden fell into reminiscence, the name Hell's Kitchen always unsettled him.

Aiden would never forget his original intention. Before accidentally joining Hydra, his target was Hell's Kitchen. Aiden's parents showed him all their love in just six short months, and the death of his parents on the streets was something Aiden could never let go of.

"Hell's Kitchen?" Nicole whispered in confusion, rubbing her head against Aiden's shoulder, adjusting her position, her body lazily relaxed on the "human sofa."

"Mm, Hell's Kitchen, all the negative adjectives you can imagine can be applied to it. When I was five years old, my parents died in a car accident. Later, I learned it wasn't an accident, but a planned event." Aiden sighed, "A businessman bought the entire apartment building we lived in, wanting to hurry the tenants to leave sooner. Obviously, my parents didn't plan to move out, and then the disaster struck."

Nicole was surprisingly silent, not comforting Aiden or asking questions, just silently listening.

"So, I used my abilities, found that businessman, and did what I believed was the right thing to do." Aiden only felt a warm, soft touch on his cheek, gently pressed by Nicole's lips. Was this approval or a reward?

"You should know, my world didn't have mutants. I don't know why I awakened such abilities, perhaps it was a gift from above, allowing me to avenge my great hatred."

"Your world didn't have mutants?" Nicole was surprised, having always lived in this world, she thought the absence of mutants was abnormal.

"Yes, so my abilities attracted the attention of those with ulterior motives. In an accident, I was captured by an organization, its name is Hydra." Aiden's voice held a hint of exasperation. Despite Hydra's notorious reputation, Aiden had to admit its strength, "It's an organization with its claws in every part of the world, even infiltrating the management layers of countless countries, senators, mayors, judges, agents, doctors, lawyers, even street vendors, sanitation workers, could all possibly be members of Hydra. You could never imagine, the neighbor living next to you might be a member of Hydra. Even your bed partner, might be an elite of the Hydra organization."

"Isn't that a bit exaggerated?" Nicole asked in doubt.

"Not at all exaggerated. One day we will return to that world, and you will clearly understand everything I've said." Aiden spoke softly, "I grew up in that cold organization, receiving training for a full ten years, until I escaped Hydra's control, until I came to this world, my fate was controlled by it."

"I'm truly glad for you, you awakened a new mutant ability, right? You can travel to another world." Nicole whispered softly, being drawn into a life story. She knew he hadn't told her everything. Such experiences were glossed over in a sentence, but they must contain many unbearable memories.

"Mm, sort of." Aiden didn't know how to respond, only managing a hesitant reply.

"You haven't told me its story yet." Nicole gently tapped the metallic palm holding the steering wheel with her finger, perhaps more interested in the weathered red star.

"Hydra is a huge organization, its influence spans the globe. The Hydra that trained me is in Russia, this is their exclusive symbol, in fact, it has also become my symbol." Aiden paused for a moment, continuing, "On the day of the graduation assessment, I faced the toughest battle of my life. During that assessment, I lost my left arm."

"Let me guess, like that businessman, he has gone to where he's supposed to go, right?" Nicole's lips curled up slightly. Sad stories always need to be listened to with a smile to have their flavor.

"No, she hasn't."

A simple pronoun change, from "he" to "she."

"Why?"

"She and I are the same kind of people, someone who wouldn't submit to Hydra." Aiden thought of the young Natasha and also thought of the stories that might happen in the future. So, the exciting life, has just begun.