American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

Lynn Hall thought for a moment: "I respect anyone who, while possessing immense power, chooses to use it responsibly—whether human or mutant."

Just then, there was a knock on the office door, and two agents walked in—Matthew Coleman and Lisa Wong.

“Sir,” Coleman saluted Lynn Hall, “we’re assigned to assist you in finding Wolverine.”

Coleman is an agent in his early thirties, tall and muscular with short brown hair. He served in the Marine Corps and is skilled in tracking and wilderness survival. Lisa, on the other hand, is a 27-year-old Asian American technologist with long black hair usually tied in a ponytail. She has exceptional talent in cyber intelligence and data analysis.

“Very good,” Lynn Hall nodded. “Sit down, we need to come up with a plan.”

The four sat around a small conference table in the center of the office.

“First, we need to confirm the exact location where Wolverine was last seen,” Lynn Hall began. “Advisor West mentioned a small town near the Adirondack Mountains, but that area is vast.”

Lisa opened her laptop: “I’ve started collecting data. In the past two weeks, three towns have reported sightings that may be related to Wolverine: Lake Placid, Lake Saranak, and Lake Teko.”

She pulled up a digital map marking the three locations: “The most promising is Lake Saranak. Three days ago, a local bar reported a fight involving a ‘short, stocky, hairy man’ who displayed ‘unusual strength and agility’ during the fight. While the official report didn’t mention bone claws or other specific mutant abilities, witnesses described seeing ‘strange flashes’.”

Lynn Hall nodded. “That certainly sounds like his style. Saranac Lake is about a five-hour drive from New York City. Coleman, are you familiar with that area?”

Coleman nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ve done several training exercises and hiking trips there. It’s a scenic but sparsely populated area, with many remote cabins and campsites—ideal for those seeking seclusion.”

“That’s exactly the kind of place Wolverine would choose,” Lynn Hall said thoughtfully, “away from the crowds, close to nature.”

“Should we head straight there?” Jennifer asked.

Lynn Hall thought for a moment. “No, we need more specific information. Rushing into that place looking for a mutant who doesn’t want to be discovered, especially someone as alert as Wolverine, could backfire. Lisa, I need you to dig deeper into the details of that fight. Contact local law enforcement and obtain more information under the guise of assisting with the investigation.”

“Understood, sir,” Lisa quickly jotted down the instructions in her notebook.

“Coleman,” Lynn Hall turned to another agent, “I need you to prepare a detailed map of the Adirondack region, marking all possible hideouts, hunter's lodges, and remote areas. Pay special attention to locations near water sources but far from populated areas—as far as I know, Wolverine likes those kinds of environments.”

“Received,” Coleman nodded.

“Morrison,” Lynn Hall looked at Jennifer, “we need to understand Wolverine’s behavioral patterns and habits. Contact the Mutant Affairs Department and see what non-classified information they can share, especially regarding how he has reacted to contact with government personnel in the past.”

“Okay,” Jennifer responded, “I’ll also review his past interactions with law enforcement to see if there are any lessons we can learn.”

“Very good,” Lynn Hall nodded. “I’ll contact some old friends and see if I can get some information from unofficial sources.”

He glanced at his watch: “It’s 10 a.m. I hope that by 3 p.m., we’ll have enough information to decide on our next move. Remember, this isn’t a routine tracking mission—we’re not hunting him down, we’re trying to get his assistance. The methods must be careful and respectful.”

The four split up and began carrying out their respective tasks. Lynn Hall remained alone in the office, took out his phone, and found a number he rarely dialed.

After a few rings, a hoarse male voice answered: "Diaz."

“Carlos, it’s me, Lynn.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone: "Hall? How long has it been, old friend? Two years? Three years?"

“Almost four years,” Lynn Hall smiled. Carlos Diaz is a retired mutant affairs agent who now runs a private security company specializing in protection services for mutants. He has extensive connections within the mutant community and is one of the few people trusted by both the authorities and the mutants themselves.

“I guess this isn’t a call to catch up,” Diaz said, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

“No, that’s not it,” Lynn Hall admitted. “I need some help, Carlos. Information about Wolverine.”

There was silence again on the other end of the phone, this time for a longer duration. "Wolverine? You're in big trouble, Lynn."

“It’s not that I caused the trouble, it’s that trouble came knocking on my door,” Lynn Hall explained, then briefly described the Black Raven organization, Dragon’s Blood Tears, and the potential threat, but did not reveal too many classified details.

After listening, Diaz took a deep breath: "That does sound serious. I can't say I know Wolverine, nobody really knows him. But I do know some things that might be helpful."

“I’m all ears,” Lynn Hall said.

"First of all, approaching him directly might not be a good idea. He has... let's say, an instinctive wariness of strangers who suddenly appear, especially federal agents in suits."

Lynn Hall chuckled. "I guessed that."

“But he does have a weakness,” Diaz continued, “He has a strong protective instinct towards those in need, especially mutants who are bullied or threatened. This stems from his own experience; he knows what it feels like to be hunted and experimented on.”

Lynn Hall nodded thoughtfully. "That aligns with my observation. So, do you think he might be willing to listen to us if we emphasize the threat Black Crow poses to mutants?"

“More likely,” Diaz confirmed, “but there’s one more thing—Wolverine values ​​honesty. Don’t try to manipulate or deceive him; he can smell lies, literally. Complete honesty is the only way to build trust with him.”

“I understand,” Lynn Hall said. “Any other suggestions?”

Diaz hesitated for a moment: “There’s one more thing, but it’s unofficial, entirely based on my trust in you.” “I understand,” Lynn Hall assured him.

“There’s a rumor that Wolverine has recently been tracking a lead related to Weapon X,” Diaz lowered his voice, “You know what that is, right?”

Lynn Hall frowned. "I only know the basics. It's a secret government-funded project aimed at creating super soldiers and experimenting on mutants. It's said that Wolverine's adamantium skeleton was implanted in that project."

“That’s exactly right,” Diaz confirmed. “According to my sources, he discovered a new lead related to the project, pointing to an abandoned facility in the Adirondack Mountains region. That’s why he’s there.”

Lynn Hall's heart raced: "Do you think this could be related to Black Crow?"

“I don’t know,” Diaz said frankly, “but the timing and location are noteworthy. The Weapon X program involves the enhancement and control of mutant abilities, which seems to share some similarities with the Black Crow’s interests, as you’ve described.”

This information gave Lynn Hall a completely new perspective. If Black Crow's plans are related to Weapon X, then Wolverine may already be tracking the same threat, just from a different angle.

“Carlos, this information is invaluable,” Lynn Hall said sincerely. “There’s one more thing: could you provide a contact in the Saranac Lake region who might know Wolverine’s whereabouts?”

Diaz hesitated again. “There’s a guy, Robert McKenzie, a local bar owner. He’s friendly to mutants and supposedly provides safe havens for those in need. If anyone knows Wolverine’s whereabouts, it might be him.”

“Thank you, Carlos,” Lynn Hall said. “I owe you one.”

“Be careful, Lynn,” Diaz’s voice turned serious. “Wolverine is a power. A power you don’t want to provoke. And if Black Crow really is connected to Weapon X, you may have stepped into waters deeper than you realize.”

After the call ended, Lynn Hall sat there, pondering the new information.

His thoughts were interrupted by Jennifer's knocking. She came in, holding a document.

“There’s been progress,” she said, her voice tinged with excitement. “The Mutant Affairs Department does have some unclassified documents about Wolverine. Most of it is known information, but there’s something interesting—there have been three cases of mutant disappearances in the last six months, and all of the missing persons were last seen in the Adirondack region.”

Lynn Hall sat up straight: "A missing mutant? Type of ability?"

Jennifer opened the file: "A girl who can manipulate plants, nicknamed 'Vine'; a young man who can teleport short distances, codenamed 'Jumper'; and a middle-aged man who can sense and influence electronic devices, similar to the abilities of Mark Wilson we rescued."

“Energy manipulation, matter conversion, technological interaction,” Lynn Hall murmured, recalling the words of the dying mutant from the previous night. “Raven needs different types of mutant abilities.”

He shared the information Diaz had given him with Jennifer, and the two began piecing the pieces together.

“So,” Jennifer concluded, “we have Black Crow collecting a specific type of mutant, possibly related to some kind of Weapon X project; Wolverine is investigating an abandoned Weapon X facility in the same area; and now mutants are disappearing in that area. This can’t be just a coincidence.”

“It certainly doesn’t seem like a coincidence,” Lynn Hall agreed. “I’m increasingly convinced we need Wolverine’s help. Not just because of his fighting abilities, but also because of his knowledge of Weapon X. If we’re right, no one knows better than him what we’re facing.”

Just then, Lisa rushed into the office, her face beaming with excitement: "Sir, I've made an important discovery!"

She opened her laptop and quickly pulled up a surveillance video: "This is surveillance footage from a gas station in Saranak Lake town three days ago. Look at this."

The video footage is blurry but clear enough to show a short, stocky man walking into a gas station store. Although he is wearing a hat and sunglasses, his distinctive physique and ruggedness are undeniable.

“Wolverine,” Lynn Hall confirmed, a surge of excitement in his voice, “can you track his next move?”

Lisa shook her head: “Unfortunately, there wasn’t any more CCTV footage after he left the gas station. But I contacted the local police, and they provided more details about the bar fight. Apparently, a few out-of-towners started harassing a young woman, and the man who matched Wolverine’s description got involved. Interestingly, when the police arrived, the troublemakers had already fled, and Wolverine and the woman were nowhere to be found.”

“That woman,” Lynn Hall suddenly had a flash of inspiration, “was there a description?”

Lisa checked her notes: "According to the bar owner, it was a young woman, around twenty years old, with dark hair, who looked very nervous. Most notably, she was wearing gloves, even though it wasn't cold at the time."

Lynn Hall and Jennifer exchanged a meaningful glance.

“Rogue,” Jennifer whispered, “is a member of the X-Men, whose power is to absorb the life force and abilities of others through skin contact. She always wears gloves to prevent accidental contact.”

Lynn Hall nodded. "If Rogue is there, it means the X-Men may already be investigating these disappearances. This further confirms our suspicions—Wolverine is not only in that area, but is very likely following leads related to us."

Coleman joined the discussion, bringing a detailed topographical map: “Based on the local geography and Wolverine’s known habits, I’ve marked several places he might be hiding. Especially this area—” he pointed to a spot on the map near a lake but far from town, “there are a few abandoned hunter’s huts and an old forestry station. If I wanted to live in seclusion while still keeping an eye on things in town, I would choose this place.”

Lynn Hall studied the map, considering the best approach: "Okay, things are more promising than I expected. Now we have a general area, we know Wolverine might be with Rogue, and they seem to be investigating events related to us."

He stood up and made a decision: “Detective Huang, continue monitoring the local surveillance systems and communications to see if you can get any more leads. Coleman, prepare the vehicles and equipment; we need to prepare for operations in the wild. Morrison, contact local law enforcement and let them know we're arriving, but keep a low profile—don't mention Wolverine or the X-Men.”

"When do we leave?" Jennifer asked.

Lynn Hall glanced at his watch. "Two hours from now. I need to report our findings and plans to West and get formal approval."

The four quickly sprang into action, preparing for the upcoming mission. (End of Chapter)