6 Chapter 6: No Cliche Basement?

After discovering that Maria Hill was his guardian, Alex's curiosity about his parents' occupation grew. He skillfully navigated the conversation, avoiding direct references to their involvement with S.H.I.E.L.D.

Yet, through Maria's answers, he pieced together significant details about their roles. He learned that his father, Arthur, had been the superior of Maria and his mother during their time together.

Alex also picked up on subtle hints about their work habits and other intriguing aspects.

Though Maria never explicitly confirmed their involvement in S.H.I.E.L.D., Alex's intuition served him well in connecting the dots.

He understood that Maria held the same rank as his mother due to her exceptional skills and competence. He respected her professionalism, knowing she wouldn't boast about her faster advancement, as it would compromise her credibility as an accomplished agent.

Time passed swiftly, and it had been two weeks since their initial conversation.

Alex and his classmates had been discharged from the hospital, with only a few still attending therapy sessions. Alex successfully convinced Maria that he could manage his healing process while staying at home. Demonstrating glimpses of maturity amid occasional bouts of immaturity helped him gain her trust.

As soon as he arrived home, Alex headed straight for the basement, seeking a hidden space beneath the basement like those spy movies he watched.

As expected, the basement appeared to be an ordinary space adorned with spider webs. Alex had anticipated that things wouldn't be so straightforward. His eyes caught sight of a bookshelf, but he immediately dismissed it, refusing to believe in the cliché notion of a secret door hidden behind it.

Despite his best efforts, Alex struggled to unveil any hidden passages. He scanned the surroundings, wishing he possessed Superman's X-ray vision to see through the walls effortlessly. Frustration took hold, and he stood before the bookshelf, his lips twitching in agitation.

"There's no way, right?" he muttered skeptically.

With a mix of skepticism and determination, Alex began meticulously shifting the books one by one, emulating the techniques he had witnessed in spy movies from his past.

Yet, to his relief, nothing happened. He couldn't explain why, but a sense of relief washed over him at the absence of any mysterious revelations.

"...Anyway, there's no cliché basement, I suppose. A worldwide agency like S.H.I.E.L.D wouldn't be that foolish," Alex muttered, his disappointment mixed with relief.

He began to make his way out of the basement, ready to put the fruitless search behind him.

However, just as he reached the exit, the ground beneath him rumbled, causing his eyes to widen in surprise.

"No way, seriously!?" he exclaimed, quickly turning back and reentering the basement.

If Alex had been an ordinary human driven by nothing more than curiosity, he likely wouldn't have sensed the tremor at all. Fortunately, his superhuman senses came to the rescue.

"Damn it, no wonder Hydra infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D..."

Stepping back into the basement, he witnessed the floor splitting apart, revealing a set of stairs leading to an unknown depth below. Speechless, Alex stared at the unexpected revelation, cursing S.H.I.E.L.D. for succumbing to clichés.

The stairs themselves were unlike any others in his house. They appeared to be made of solid metal, a lavish expense that seemed unnecessary in Alex's eyes.

"Well, talk about wasting money," he muttered, wondering how taxpayer funds were allocated.

Pushing aside his thoughts, Alex composed himself and stepped onto the metallic stairs. He glanced back at the bookshelf with lingering doubt. Was it indeed the key? He couldn't be entirely sure, but he figured he could try again later if needed.

Shaking off the uncertainty, he proceeded onward, finding himself walking for what felt like an eternity—four long minutes that stretched his patience.

"Seriously, couldn't they have made the stairs a bit shorter?" Alex grumbled, his annoyance mounting.

Another two minutes passed, and his frustration only grew.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" he muttered under his breath, feeling a mix of helplessness and irritation.

Finally, after another four minutes of walking, he reached his destination. Relief washed over him, and he couldn't help but mutter a quick gratitude to himself.

"Thank Gosh."

The secret base revealed itself with its spy-like equipment and large metallic monitors adorning the walls. To Alex's surprise, everything seemed to be active upon his arrival.

"So, this explains why my monthly bills have been outrageously high," he mused, connecting the dots. Thankfully, his parents had left him with a substantial inheritance, amounting to $1.44 million, which now made perfect sense considering their line of work.

Curiosity piqued, Alex began to explore the secret base, encountering various high-tech gadgets and equipment whose functions eluded him. Among the array of monitors, he couldn't locate the PC that powered them, casting doubt on the authenticity of the secret base.

Although Alex had average computing knowledge, he was confident in his ability to operate a computer. He decided to try it, hoping to gain some insights into the purpose of the equipment.

However, as he stared at the screen, he was left speechless. A series of complex numbers, symbols, and unfamiliar words filled the monitor.

"What the hell am I even looking at?" he muttered in frustration, realizing that these gadgets were far beyond the capabilities of an average person like himself.

"...Wait a second!"

As an unsettling feeling crept over Alex, he sensed that something was amiss, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was as if he had been cut off from the outside world, isolated within the confines of the secret base.

The realization dawned on him, causing his frown to deepen.

"Oh, no!"

His eyes widened as he turned around, only to find that the lights illuminating the basement had gone out, sealing the entrance to the underground chamber.

"No way you're gonna make me find my way out like this!!"

Frustration overwhelmed him as he clutched his head, searching for a way out. The numbers, symbols, and cryptic words on the monitor seemed to mock him, leaving him at a loss.

"...Looks like I'm in deep trouble."

Alex muttered helplessly, resigned to his predicament. It seemed that escape would not come easy, and he was left to face the unknown within the secret base, uncertain of what awaited him.

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