118 Chapter 113 : It's a Trap

 "You hope for the best and make do with what you get."

—Nick Fury in Avengers: Age of Ultron

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It was a new day, and the weather hinted at an impending heavy rain. Ivy drove her Hennessy to the Daily Bugle and had just settled into her newly renovated office when a knock echoed through the room.

"Come in," Ivy called.

The female secretary entered, presenting an official letter. "President, as soon as we arrived at work today, we received an official letter from the Ministry of Information, requesting your presence for an inquiry this morning."

"An inquiry? Have we published anything unusual recently?" Ivy inquired.

The secretary shook her head. "No, not that I'm aware of. Of course, there's the matter of the former president's youngest son involved in drugs and scandal, but other newspapers have reported on it as well."

"And have other newspapers received similar letters from the Ministry of Information?"

"Yes, I've checked, and several major news outlets in New York have received similar letters. So, I don't believe this is specific to Daily Bugle."

Ivy smiled inwardly, reassured by the fact that Daily Bugle now belonged to the Wayne Group, a proponent of freedom of speech. She thought that facing such inquiries should be manageable; after all, these officials were likely dealing with various pressures and could handle the situation calmly.

Deciding to proceed with composure, Ivy asked, "What time is the appointment?"

"Ten o'clock in the morning, President."

"Alright, arrange for transportation."

A red Dodge business vehicle arrived in front of the Information Department's office building more than half an hour later. Ivy, accompanied by the female secretary, ascended the steps and entered the building.

Navigating through the press department, Ivy noticed a peculiar absence of familiar faces and a notable presence of new ones.

"You know most people here," Ivy remarked.

"I can't claim to know everyone, but about half of them. It's strange; it seems like some of our colleagues are on a group vacation; I haven't seen any of them," the secretary replied.

Ivy frowned, sensing something amiss. However, she quickly dismissed the thought, reasoning that government departments, including the ARGUS, S.H.I.E.L.D., and the military, wouldn't target her or other newspapers within the government building. Perhaps she was overly cautious.

Upon reaching the 15th floor, they encountered a young black man waiting outside. He glanced at Ivy and said, "President Ivy Pepper of Daily Bugle, please come with me. The representatives from other newspapers are already inside."

Following the black-suited guide, Ivy and the secretary reached the end of the corridor.

"This is the meeting room; please come in," the guide gestured.

Entering cautiously, Ivy couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Even her experienced female secretary wasn't allowed into the confidential meeting.

As Ivy opened the door, she realized the room lacked the usual potted greenery she expected. Her suspicion heightened as she recalled entering the building without encountering any leaves or plants.

The middle-aged man at the head of the long table claimed to be the Minister of Culture, but Ivy recognized otherwise. The three men with their backs turned revealed one familiar face—Phil Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D.

"You are from S.H.I.E.L.D.!" Ivy exclaimed, her gaze scanning the room for any sign of plants.

The hairline man, now identified as John Garrett, a senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, rose. "Your observation skills are commendable, Ivy Pepper. Now that you understand your situation, I advise you to surrender peacefully. We won't harm you; after all, you don't possess what we seek."

John Garrett's reference was clear—S.H.I.E.L.D. coveted Jude's technology. Ivy, however, saw through the attempt to use her as leverage against Jude and retorted, "Hmph, hostage threats, a tactic fit for gangsters. I never expected the dignified S.H.I.E.L.D. Bureau to resort to such methods."

Though Cole looked embarrassed, Ivy remained steadfast. A confrontation ensued, with Ivy defiantly challenging the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. As tensions rose, Ivy decided to take bold action.

In a swift motion, she removed her necklace, revealing a piece of Wenxin grass enclosed in a crystal shell. Since the Court of Owl's raid on Wayne Manor, she had acquired and worn this plant as a safeguard. With a toss, the crystal shattered, releasing the Wenxin grass, which rapidly grew into a tangle of vines and leaves, surprising the agents.

Exploiting the confusion, Ivy made her escape, leaving the agents entangled in the rapidly expanding plant life. The female secretary, watching in awe, joined Ivy as they rushed towards the elevator.

As they descended, Ivy contemplated her next move. Aware that S.H.I.E.L.D. was pursuing her, she pondered how to alert Jude and others without revealing her location. A secure place first, she decided.

Reaching the ground floor, Ivy and the secretary made their way to Ivy's car. Starting the engine, Ivy hesitated to use her phone, fearing it might expose her location to S.H.I.E.L.D.

"We need to find a secure place first," Ivy muttered. Choosing to head towards a less crowded area away from the city center, she drove with purpose.

Meanwhile, back in the conference room, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents struggled against Ivy's overgrowing plant. John Garrett, frustrated, demanded control.

"Get it under control! We can't let her escape!" he ordered.

The pursuit was on, and Ivy, with her plant-controlling abilities, aimed to outsmart S.H.I.E.L.D. and protect herself from their relentless pursuit.

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