In the afternoon of the same day, Merlin took Fury's private plane and returned to the North American continent from Antarctica thousands of miles away.

After a refueling in the air, they almost changed their course and flew all the way over Nevada, then landed deep in the hot desert.

Pagasos Base, a place that is very familiar to Merlin.

The one who greeted them at the base airport was the current chief officer of the base, a Level 9 Agent Dam, who was one level higher than Merlin in his professional title, and Agent Dugan.

"I heard you were coming, so I prepared everything in advance."

Agent Dugan still maintained his previous appearance, with a serious face, but there were two slightly strange beards on his serious face. It was a beard style that soldiers of his era liked very much. Of course, it looked very outdated in modern times.

But the old agent in front of him is definitely trustworthy, and in all aspects, Merlinshen felt this after several cooperations with Agent Dugen.

As long as Agent Dugen is involved, everything will become organized.

This guy was an excellent warrior decades ago and is still an equally elite secret agent. No wonder Fury trusted him so much and handed over all important bases such as Pagasos base to Agent Dugan to manage.

"Dr. Foster is now commissioning the instrument."

Agent Dugen led Merlin and Fury toward the most tightly located area of ​​Pagasosky, and he said to the two people behind him:

"Steve just thawed, and his body is not very sensitive to temperature changes. Dr. Foster is trying the latest treatments so that Steve can heal as quickly as possible. Of course, the doctor can only solve Steve's external problems, but cannot interfere with Steve's will."

Agent Dugan said with some concern:

"If he slept for too long and could not wake up, or he would not want to wake up."

"Don't worry, Dugan."

Merlin comforted softly:

"In the category of mysticism, there is a connection between the soul and the body. The disability of the body will change the soul, which is fatal to ordinary people. But Steve is not an ordinary person, his will and body are stronger than ordinary people. We have enough reason to believe that Steve's soul is still complete, and a complete and resolute soul will not indulge in boring fantasies for a long time."

He said:

"He will be awake, it's only a matter of time."

"Yes, he will be awake."

Fury stood on the stairs on the second floor and looked at the blonde soldier sleeping in the laboratory below, saying:

"Because we need him, a hero who is needed will not choose to give up."

"Merlin!"

Just as the three of them walked into the laboratory, a sharp, surprised voice rang out in the laboratory. Merlin raised her head and saw the grown-up Ava rushing over quickly. Her body became illusory as she approached the glass wall, and she traveled over as if she was not obstructed, but she did not plunge into Merlin's arms like she did in the past.

After all, she has grown up and is 16 years old this year. She is a reserved big child.

In recent years, this child has been living with Dr. Bill and often visits Merlin's house. She has a good relationship with Riven and Lorna. She is good friends with Daisy and likes to play with Matt.

This child has a very good personality, but her physical condition

It's really not optimistic.

Ava was rescued from the wreckage of the laboratory by Merlin and Hill in 1998. She was 11 years old at the time. Dr. Bill used the quantum stabilizer drawings sent by Dr. Hank, who was invisible to see the dragon, to create a quantum stabilizer for Ava, which can temporarily get rid of the pain of her body being torn and in a quantum state at all times.

But Dr. Hank also said that as Ava grows older, the child's connection with the Quantum Sea will become closer and closer. The quantum stabilizer that can help her maintain entities will be predicted to completely fail when Ava's connection with the Quantum Sea reaches its peak.

Five years have passed since the 10-year deadline predicted by Dr. Hank. Ava seems to have forgotten the pain she has been carrying, but Merlin and Dr. Bill have not forgotten that Dr. Bill has been studying quantum theory day and night in recent years in order to find a method for Ava, but Merlin is completely helpless in this regard.

He could only do his best to make Ava happy every time she came to visit her house.

Riven also heard about Ava's experience from Merlin. The girl who has always been indifferent was unexpectedly very friendly to Ava, and even had a nearly sisterly emotion. Unfortunately, Riven, who is proficient in almost all types of magic, could not help Ava either.

Azaras is a magical civilization, and their large libraries do not have any knowledge about quantum mechanics and the quantum sea.

Merlin reached out to stroke Ava's head and the beautiful black hair, and there was a trace of worry in his eyes that he couldn't wipe it off.

If the child is not lucky, she may disappear completely in 5 years, just like beautiful soap bubbles disappearing in the sun.

Not death

But it is more terrifying than death and disappears even more unpredictable.

"Our Ava is beautiful again."

Merlin looked at the increasingly slimmer girl beside him and joked:

"Have you received love letters from classmates at school?"

"I haven't gone to school, Merlin."

Ava shrugged, and the quirky girl nodded to Agent Fury and Dugan beside Merlin. Fury and Dugan also knew about Ava, and they were particularly tolerant of Dr. Bill's adopted daughter.

People are sympathetic. Even a guy like Fury, who is full of conspiracy, will have a kind of heartfelt pity for a child with a ill-fated fate like Ava.

Of course, this is also because Ava's ability can help a lot in Pagasos base.

"Uncle Bill asked me to help in the lab, and the things taught in school were taught by my father when I was a child."

Ava did not avoid talking about her past. Her slightly pale face had a sunny smile on her face. She said to Merlin:

"I am now learning quantum mechanics with Uncle Bill. I am now his assistant. How about it? Am I awesome?"

"Yeah, it's amazing."

Merlin responded a few words and said to Ava:

"I have time to see Matt. He asked me last week where you went, and moved to Nevada with Dr. Bill, and didn't even write a letter to Matt. You know, he is actually a very sensitive person. He thought he made you angry."

"Not really."

Ava became a little silent at this moment, and a few seconds later, she said to Merlin:

"I just want him to adapt to the feeling of my disappearance for a while so that he won't feel pain when I really leave in the future. He is my best friend and I don't want to hurt him."

"If you don't tell him before leaving, that's hurting him."

Merlin sighed and said to Ava, who lowered her head:

"You can still go with you for 5 years. If it doesn't go well, Matt should have just become an adult and he should be able to handle his pain and loss. I mean, Ava, don't be so harsh on yourself. If you still want to leave in the end, I hope you leave with happiness instead of pain."

Merlin's words hurt a little.

Even Fury couldn't help glaring at him, but Merlin knew that if he didn't say these words, he might really have no chance.

Ava blinked, she looked up at Merlin and said:

"Can't you comfort me? Merlin, can't you tell me that everything will be fine?"

"Ha ha."

Merlin looked at Ava's angry look and patted the big girl on the shoulder, and he said:

"It is indeed much easier to pat others on the shoulder and tell others that everything will be fine than to persuade them to face reality."

"But Ava, I watched you grow up. I know what a strong child you are. I know that even if you go to that damn quantum sea, you have the ability to protect yourself and let yourself live according to your will."

"No matter how difficult the road ahead is, grit your teeth and try to find direction and hope."

Merlin whispered:

"Just just treat it for Matt, for us, for Dr. Bill, who treats you as his daughter, okay?"

"All right."

Ava turned her head and looked at Fury, and she said to Fury with a smile on her face:

"Sir, I want to take two days off to see my good friends. Is it OK?"

"Go and go, I'll give you a weekly vacation, have fun, and come back to work after you have enough fun."

Merlin said everything to this point. If Fury didn't criticize Ava for falsification, he would probably feel that he was too cold-blooded.

So the director waved his hand and Ava got a very long 7-day holiday. The laboratory research assistant cheered, put his ID on the table, and disappeared in front of everyone.

Fury looked at Merlin with an upset look on his face and said:

"Look, Merlin, I helped you. Now it's time for you to help me."

"Okay, Lord Director."

Merlin responded in Ava's tone, and then, in the face of Agent Dugan's laughter, he turned into smoke and quickly disappeared on the stairs on the second floor. When he appeared again, he was already standing by the bed where Steve Rogers was lying.

Merlin nodded to the busy Dr. Bill on the other side, who gestured to him an OK gesture.

He lowered his head and looked at Steve Rogers, who was sleepy but breathing very slowly. This young version of Captain America seemed to have no traces left by time.

But the more Merlin looked at the handsome and resolute face, the more intense the open-minded face that old Steve had in his mind.

The appearances of the two Steves slowly merged in front of Merlin and finally solidified into the sleeping young man in front of him.

"Oh, although you know you've been sleeping for 67 years, you're in your 90s this year."

Merlin reached out and pushed Steve's closed eyelids away, and he whispered:

"But no matter how you look at it, Steve, you are much younger than me."

The moment he and Steve Rogers looked at each other with their blue eyes, a whirlpool of spirit appeared in Merlin's eyes, accompanied by a low syllable sound, and the wills of the two collided in a "gentle" posture at this moment.

Merlin thought it would be difficult.

After all, the principle of the soul-catching curse is the suppression of the soul, and the memory of others is seen in a tough way. However, when the two wills are in contact, Merlin found that Steve's resistance at the will level was not as intense as he thought.

He easily entered Steve Rogers's world of will.

Then, he heard a melodious song.

Merlin looked around in a daze. In this world of consciousness, his place was like an empty dance scene. The unmanned phonograph was emitting a soothing melody as the record rotated. In the center of the stage in front of Merlin, a ray of spotlight was there. Under the gentle light, a handsome man in green military uniform was dancing with a woman in a black long skirt.

They looked at each other tenderly, their eyes full of love flowing without explanation.

This scene is so beautiful.

Merlin looked at the dancing figure, and after a moment, he turned around. In the dark corner outside the spotlight, a man in a blue uniform in a star-striped flag was sitting alone at the wine table, staring at the dancing figure.

The two dancing people were Steve and Ms. Page Carter when they were young, and the one sitting in the corner was Steve Rogers, who seemed to be Steve Rogers who had just walked off the battlefield.

Merlin walked over, he pulled away the chair and sat next to Steve, and he said:

"My name is Merlin, Merlin Riley, I am an agent of SHIELD. You can understand it as, I am a subordinate of Ms. Peggy Carter, I am ordered to wake you up, Steve's outside world, and you need you."

"Shh"

Steve, wearing a combat uniform, stretched out his finger, and he didn't even look at Merlin. He made a ban on sound, and he said:

"Don't bother me, I'm on the appointment."

"Go to the appointment?"

Merlin asked:

"Whose date?"

"On Saturday, Stork Club, you can't be late at 8pm."

Steve looked at the two people dancing with the singing in front of him, and he whispered:

"I am coming"

"I'm here, I won't leave."

Merlin did not answer. He stopped asking, but sat quietly beside Steve. After several minutes, the singing slowly subsided and the light of the spotlight slowly dissipated.

In that last light, in front of the two, Steve and Page's phantom held hands, talking and laughing, leaving the stage and heading towards the exit of the stage.

Then, everything dimmed.

It's like, a beautiful dream is about to end.

"Is this what you regret the most?"

Merlin reached out and a glass of wine with ice appeared strangely in his hand.

This is Steve's spiritual world, everything here is based on imagination, and for a skilled wizard, such a world can be changed at will.

Merlin put the glass of wine on his lips and said to the silent Steve:

"I can't turn the time around, Steve."

"But I can tell you that you didn't actually miss that dance. I've met Ms. Peggy several times, and what I want to tell you is that you've never left her."

Merlin said:

"Steve Rogers stayed by her until they mysteriously disappeared in 1998. Do you understand what I mean? Although I can't explain this phenomenon, I can guarantee with my personality that there is always a Steve Rogers by her side, I suspect that it is you from the future, or you from another parallel world."

"You didn't miss that dance, Steve."

"It's just that you don't know."
Chapter completed!