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

There was indeed a flicker of doubt in the attacker's eyes. He was clearly reassessing the costs and benefits of the mission.

But just then, the sound of police sirens came from afar—the fighting had caught the attention of the neighbors, and someone had called the police.

Hearing the sirens, the attacker made a decision. He stopped attacking and turned to flee.

"Stop!" Lynn shouted, rushing forward.

But the attacker displayed astonishing explosive power, creating distance in just a few steps. He rushed towards the alley at the end of the street, moving at a speed that was almost indistinguishable from nothing.

Lynn endured the pain and gave chase, but he knew he couldn't catch a speed mutant, especially when injured. However, he had another plan.

As Lynn gave chase, he observed the escape route, memorizing every turn and every detail. At the same time, he took out his phone and quickly dialed Sarah's number.

“Sarah, I need backup,” Lynn said, his voice rapid from running and pain. “A mutant just tried to assassinate me and is on his way.”

“What? Where are you?” Sarah immediately became alert.

“They’re chasing me right outside my door,” Lynn reported the exact address. “The enemy is an enhanced mutant with superhuman strength and speed. They’re fleeing east, and might pass the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Green Street.”

“I’ll immediately mobilize nearby police to cordon off the area,” Sarah said. “Don’t chase after them alone; it’s too dangerous.”

“I know, but I can’t let him get away,” Lynn said.

The attacker rushed into a narrow alley, with Lynn close behind. The alley was filled with trash cans and debris, and the attacker nimbly leaped and dodged, while Lynn had to be extra careful because of his badly injured ribs.

Suddenly, the attackers stopped—at the end of the alley was a high wall, at least twelve feet high.

Lynn stopped and kept his distance. He had already drawn his backup weapon—a small pistol concealed on his ankle.

“You’ve got nowhere to run,” Lynn said, pointing his gun at the man. “Surrender. Tell me who sent you, and I can talk to the prosecutor for leniency.”

The attacker looked at the wall, then at Lynn, a cold smile flashing in his eyes.

The next second, he did something that shocked Lynn—he took a few steps, then jumped up, leaping towards the wall. He pushed off the wall with his feet a few times, as if he were running, then grabbed the top of the wall with both hands and flipped over.

"Damn it," Lynn cursed under his breath.

He rushed to the wall and tried to climb it, but his injured body prevented him from doing so. He could only watch helplessly as the attacker disappeared on the other side of the wall.

Lynn leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. The pain in his chest was intensifying; he suspected it wasn't just a fractured rib, but possibly internal bleeding. But he forced himself to stay awake and write down every detail.

A few minutes later, police cars and FBI support vehicles arrived. Sarah was the first to rush to Lynn's side.

“Oh my god, Lynn, you look terrible,” Sarah said worriedly. “We need to call an ambulance.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Lynn said. “Seal off this area and search all possible escape routes. The other man is a mutant, with superhuman speed and strength, about thirty-five years old, white, with a scar on his face, and wearing a dark hoodie.”

“It’s already being done,” Sarah said, “but you really need to go to the hospital.”

“I know,” Lynn admitted, “but first, I need to check the assassination scene; there might be clues.”

With Sarah's help, Lynn returned to the apartment building entrance. The forensic team had arrived and was collecting evidence. There were a few drops of blood on the ground—blood from the attacker's nose. There were also marks on the door frame—dents left by the attacker's fist.

“Collect those blood samples,” Lynn instructed, “and send them for DNA analysis. Also, take measurements of the impact force on the door frame.”

“Lynn, this isn’t the time to work,” Sarah insisted. “You need medical attention.”

Lynn knew she was right. Now the adrenaline was starting to wear off, and the pain was becoming unbearable. His vision was blurring, and his consciousness was drifting.

“Okay,” he finally agreed, “but stay in touch, and let me know immediately of any findings.”

The ambulance arrived quickly, and paramedics immediately began examining Lynn's injuries. Just as he had feared, he not only had three broken ribs but also minor internal bleeding, requiring immediate transport to the hospital.

On the way to the hospital, Lynn forced himself to stay alert, recalling every detail of the attack. This wasn't a random act of violence; it was a premeditated assassination. The attacker knew where he lived and chose to strike when he was most tired and least vigilant.

Moreover, the target is a mutant—hiring a mutant killer requires a large sum of money and special connections. This is not something ordinary criminals can do.

Lynn began piecing together possibilities in his mind. Who would want to kill him? He had recently cracked the Graystone Capital case, arresting Victor Gray and his associates. That was the most likely motive.

But Gray is already imprisoned, how could he have arranged the assassination? Unless... unless he had accomplices outside, or he had already made arrangements before his arrest.

Lynn recalled the other cases mentioned in the notebook—more than a dozen similar operations by Greystone Capital over the past few years. If each case had a similar conspiracy behind it, then the people and interests involved were far more numerous than they currently understood.

Perhaps this assassination wasn't just revenge, but also an attempt to stop the FBI from digging any further. If Lynn were dead, the case would be stalled, and other potential evidence could be destroyed.

Upon arrival at the hospital, Lynn was immediately taken to the emergency room. Doctors confirmed rib fractures and internal bleeding, requiring her to remain hospitalized for at least 24 hours and potentially requiring surgery.

“Mr. Hall, you’re very lucky,” the emergency room doctor said. “Any later, the internal bleeding could have been life-threatening.”

“I know,” Lynn said, “but I need to make a few phone calls now.”

“You need to rest—” the doctor began to say.

“This is an emergency for the FBI,” Lynn interrupted him, “it concerns national security.”

This statement is somewhat exaggerated, but it is indeed effective. The doctor reluctantly agreed, but insisted that Lynn could only make ten minutes on the phone, and then she had to rest.

Lynn first called Supervisor Jensen to report the assassination attempt.

“This is very serious,” Jason said. “An attempted murder of a federal agent. I will immediately launch a top-level investigation. You need protection.”

“What I need isn’t protection, but finding the killer,” Lynn said. “He’s a professional, and he’s a mutant. That combination means there are huge resources and networks behind him.”

"You believe it's related to the Graystone Capital case?"

“Very likely,” Lynn said. “The timing is too coincidental. We just arrested Gray and his accomplices, and that very night someone came to kill me. It’s no coincidence.” “Then we need to intensify the interrogation of the other involved,” Jason said, “to see if we can get any information about the killer from them.”

“There’s one more thing,” Lynn said. “The killer was injured. I broke his nose, and he left a blood sample. The DNA database might have a match.”

“I’ll prioritize this in the lab,” Jason promised. “You get some rest, Lynn. You really need it this time.”

After hanging up, Lynn called Sarah again.

"Did you find anything at the scene?" Lynn asked directly.

“The blood sample has been sent for testing,” Sarah reported. “The impact marks on the doorframe indicate strength far exceeding that of an average person, at least three to four times that of an average person. We are also looking for clues in nearby surveillance cameras, hoping to trace his escape route.”

“Very good,” Lynn said. “Also, I need you to do one more thing. Investigate all known mutant mercenaries, especially those with superhuman strength and speed. Contact the Xavier's School; they might have relevant information.”

“Xavier's School?” Sarah asked, somewhat surprised. “Our relationship with them is complicated.”

“I know, but in this situation, we need all possible help,” Lynn said. “Professor X has always advocated for peaceful coexistence between mutants and humans. If there were mutant killers active, he would want to know too.”

“I’ll contact them,” Sarah said. “How are you now?”

“A few broken ribs, some internal bleeding, but he'll be fine,” Lynn said. “By the way, investigate all the cases I've handled recently to see if there are any other possible enemies. Although I think it's Graystone Capital, we can't rule out other possibilities.”

“They’re already doing it,” Sarah said. “Lynn, you have to be careful. If they fail once, they might try again.”

“I know,” Lynn said, “so I need to find them before they act again.”

The nurse came in and indicated that Lynn's time was up. Lynn had no choice but to end the call and receive treatment.

Lying in his hospital bed, Lynn stared at the ceiling, the battle replaying in his mind. The assassin was professional, his movements precise, without any unnecessary moves. But he also showed hesitation, especially when the sirens sounded. This indicated that he wasn't the kind of fanatic who would stop at nothing for a mission, but a rational professional killer who assessed the risks and rewards.

This is a weakness. If enough pressure is applied to increase the risk of him continuing the mission, he might give up, or even expose his employer.

But first, Lynn needs to find out his identity.

The next morning, Lynn was awakened in his hospital bed by a ringing phone. It was Sarah calling.

“Lynn, we’ve made a breakthrough,” her voice brimming with excitement, “Our DNA has matched someone.”

"Who?" Lynn immediately came to his senses and sat up—the movement aggravated his wounds, causing him to gasp.

“His name is Victor Cruz, 36 years old, a former Marine who disappeared five years ago after leaving the military,” Sarah said. “Military records show he participated in a secret program during his service, codenamed ‘Enhanced Warrior.’”

“Enhanced Soldier,” Lynn repeated the word, “sounds like a variant of the Super Soldier program.”

“Yes, the records are vague, but it basically involved using drugs and other methods to enhance the soldiers’ physical abilities,” Sarah said. “The project was later canceled due to ethical concerns, and the soldiers who participated were all asked to retire. But some of them, including Cruz, disappeared after leaving the military.”

“He became a mercenary,” Lynn deduced, “to make money using his enhanced abilities.”

“Very likely,” Sarah agreed. “We’ve heard some rumors about him in underground mercenary networks. Codenamed ‘Ghost,’ he specializes in high-risk assassination missions—expensive but highly effective.”

"Is there any news about him?"

“Not yet, but we’re tracking it,” Sarah said. “Also, I contacted the Xavier’s Institute. They don’t have a record of Cruz in their files—he wasn’t a natural mutant, but an enhanced one. However, they offered some advice on how to track and deal with enhanced individuals.”

"for example?"

“Cruz’s enhancements are chemical and require regular supplementation with special drugs to maintain,” Sarah explained. “These drugs are hard to obtain; only a few black market suppliers have them. If we can find a supplier, we can find him.”

“Very good,” Lynn said. “Start tracking down all possible suppliers. Also, I’m being discharged.”

"What? The doctor agreed?"

“I don’t need his permission,” Lynn said. “I can’t just lie here and wait for the killer to come knocking again.”

"Lynn, your injury—"

“I’ll be careful,” Lynn said. “Besides, I have an advantage.”

"What advantages?"

“Cruz doesn’t know we’ve confirmed his identity,” Lynn said. “He thinks he’s still anonymous. If we use that to our advantage and set a trap, maybe we can catch him.”

"What kind of trap?"

“I’ll act as bait,” Lynn said, “to make him think there’s still a chance to complete the mission.”

“That’s too risky,” Sarah objected.

“But this is the fastest way,” Lynn insisted. “Cruz is a professional assassin; he won’t give up a mission easily, especially if he’s already been paid. He’ll be back; we just need to be prepared.”

Sarah was silent for a moment. "Are you sure?"

“I’m certain,” Lynn said. “I won’t sit idly by. I’m going to take the initiative, find Cruz, and then through him find the employer behind him. That’s the only way to solve the problem completely.”

“Then we need a detailed plan,” Sarah said, “and sufficient backup support.”

“Agreed,” Lynn said. “Give me two hours, and I’ll come up with a plan.”

Two days later, at dusk, Lynn stood on the third floor of an abandoned factory, observing the street outside through a broken window. His chest was wrapped in thick bandages, and each breath brought a dull ache, but he forced himself to ignore the discomfort. Pain would impair his judgment, and in the ensuing action, even a second of hesitation could be fatal.

The factory, located in Brooklyn's industrial area, had been abandoned for over a decade. Surrounded by similar abandoned buildings, it was a sparsely populated area. This made it an ideal battleground—providing Cruz with sufficient cover to approach safely, while allowing the FBI to set up an ambush undetected. (End of Chapter)