On the television, the leader was revealing classified S.H.I.E.L.D. intelligence, not just the public information but also some of the organization's deepest secrets, including covert operations and human experimentation. Although the Avengers were already in the public eye and had gained the public's trust, S.H.I.E.L.D. had never fully transitioned into an official agency like the FBI. Not only S.H.I.E.L.D., but other secret agencies like the Watchers Society also remained hidden, with no intention of becoming subject to public oversight.
As the leader spoke, the faces of S.H.I.E.L.D. members like Nick Fury darkened. Even the Hydra operatives embedded within S.H.I.E.L.D. were alarmed because some of the things the leader was revealing weren't actually S.H.I.E.L.D.'s doing—they were operations carried out by Hydra under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s name! This meant that the leader had information that could expose Hydra, sending shockwaves through the ranks of Alexander Pierce and other Hydra members. They began to frantically calculate who could have kidnapped the leader.
This was precisely Baron Strucker's aim in choosing to expose S.H.I.E.L.D. first. He wanted to strip away S.H.I.E.L.D.'s shroud of secrecy, forcing Hydra, particularly Pierce's faction, into the spotlight and revealing them to the world.
Strucker still considered himself part of Hydra, but ever since other Hydra factions attacked him, he viewed all other Hydra cells as his enemies. To him, he was the only true, legitimate Hydra.
If the strength of snake-like animal warriors had satisfied Strucker, he would have long transformed himself into a serpent to showcase his rightful place as the true Hydra.
"Damn it! We can't let him keep talking! It's bad enough that S.H.I.E.L.D. is being exposed, but we absolutely cannot allow Hydra to be brought into the open!" Alexander Pierce was in a panic, angrily barking orders at his subordinates. "Dr. Zola, find his location and cut off the signal! If we get exposed, none of the other Hydra cells will be able to stay hidden!"
Previously, Hydra had nearly been exposed within S.H.I.E.L.D. due to the actions of a rogue agent, Valon. But Pierce had acted decisively, sacrificing a high-ranking official to divert Nick Fury's suspicions.
Since then, Hydra had kept a low profile, even blending into S.H.I.E.L.D. without drawing too much attention. They avoided making bold moves, knowing that with the presence of the Avengers and beings like Superman, they had to stay in the shadows, even abandoning many of their original plans.
Even when they targeted Strucker, Hydra wasn't the main player. Pierce had leaked the intel through S.H.I.E.L.D. channels, ensuring that even the agent who received credit for the intel wasn't a Hydra member. Pierce's caution was evident.
Despite his precautions, Strucker had already identified him as the enemy, forcing Pierce to bring in Dr. Arnim Zola, whose consciousness had been transferred into a computer, to intervene.
"All these things I've mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s activities…" The leader, appearing frustrated and angry, was about to reveal even more when the television signal suddenly cut out. The abrupt return to regular programming left viewers across the nation in stunned silence.
The cause of the signal disruption was simple: Dr. Zola, recognizing the danger posed by the leader's revelations, had decisively severed the signal. Strucker's attempt to expose Hydra had been thwarted.
Although S.H.I.E.L.D. had already been compromised, Hydra's existence remained hidden, leaving room for them to recover.
For S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury, however, the situation had become dire. While S.H.I.E.L.D. held a high position among official agencies, it wasn't untouchable. Even if other agencies had engaged in similar activities, they hadn't been exposed. In these matters, the one caught is the one punished, while the others continue unscathed. With S.H.I.E.L.D. now in the spotlight, they were in serious trouble.
"Damn it! Find that signal source now! Are you all useless? If someone else can cut the signal, why can't you even locate it?!" Nick Fury's patience had finally snapped, his frustration boiling over.
Ever since Superman appeared and Tony Stark formed the Avengers, sidelining him and putting the Avengers above S.H.I.E.L.D. and all other agencies, Nick Fury had become increasingly paranoid. He saw all superpowered individuals and secrets as threats unless they were under his control.
But in this world, Fury couldn't control anything. He was plagued by anxiety, fearing the threats posed by the Avengers, Superman, the Saiyans, and countless other supernatural entities. Worst of all, there was nothing he could do about any of these threats. He was forced to watch helplessly as the Avengers grew more powerful and as terrifying events unfolded around him, wondering when he might be caught in the crossfire and killed.
Under this immense pressure, Fury had managed to keep it together for a long time, but realizing that S.H.I.E.L.D., the only thing he had a semblance of control over, was slipping away, he was on the verge of breaking.
If even Fury was reaching his limit, it was no surprise that S.H.I.E.L.D. was in chaos. Even the Hydra agents embedded within S.H.I.E.L.D. were confused. After so many years of pretending to be S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, what would they do next? Pretend to be agents of the Watchers Society? But that organization already had plenty of Hydra operatives. Wouldn't adding more be overkill?
While S.H.I.E.L.D. was in turmoil, the Avengers were making much smoother progress. If Dr. Zola could cut the signal, so could J.A.R.V.I.S. The only reason J.A.R.V.I.S. hadn't done so was due to Tony Stark's orders.
Tony had become intrigued as soon as the leader started revealing secrets. Even though the Avengers had hacked into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files before, they didn't know everything. Tony realized that whoever kidnapped the leader wasn't just anyone; this person was likely to reveal even more shocking secrets. That's why Tony allowed Strucker to keep control of the broadcast—until Dr. Zola intervened.
Fortunately, the Avengers had already tracked Strucker and the leader's location. It was just a matter of heading there to uncover the truth.
"What the hell?! Where? The Statue of Liberty?!" When J.A.R.V.I.S. reported the coordinates, most of the Avengers were stunned, momentarily speechless.
"What a move! First, he destroys the White House, and now he's targeting the Statue of Liberty. While not as old as some landmarks, it's undoubtedly a symbol of America. If it gets destroyed…" Johnny Storm was the first to recover, muttering to himself.
For some reason, Johnny felt an inexplicable urge to blow up the Statue of Liberty after hearing the news.
"What do you think, Tony? Should I stay involved? I can't fly, and if I get into the fight, I might end up smashing the Statue of Liberty," Bruce Banner hesitated, hoping to use this as a reason for Tony to send him back to the Avengers base.
While Bruce Banner couldn't lift the Statue of Liberty as the Hulk, he could certainly destroy it, which he hoped would convince Tony to let him sit this one out.
"Let's gather and assess the situation first!" Tony Stark hesitated briefly. He suspected that the mastermind behind this was deliberately provoking them. Destroying the White House, capturing the leader, and now staging a showdown at the Statue of Liberty—this was all about escalating the impact and forcing the Avengers and other agencies to fight under severe constraints.
Even Tony, who had never been one to play by the rules, hesitated. He knew that if the Statue of Liberty were destroyed during a battle between the Avengers and the mastermind, the public outcry would be immense, regardless of their intentions.
For many Americans, the symbolic value of the Statue of Liberty far outweighed that of any single leader. The leader could be replaced, but the destruction of the Statue of Liberty would be a significant psychological blow, even if a new one were built.
Soon, the Avengers gathered near the Statue of Liberty. Tony's hesitation had allowed other official agencies to converge on the location. But facing the iconic statue, these agencies were also reluctant to act.
It wasn't that these agencies were afraid of damaging the Statue of Liberty, but with so many others present, no one wanted to make the first move and risk being blamed if things went wrong. If there had been only one agency present, they might have acted decisively, regardless of the potential damage, confident they could shift the blame later. But with so many witnesses, no one wanted to take the risk.
"Hahahaha! I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly, but what good does it do? Do you dare to take action?" Baron Strucker's mocking voice echoed from atop the Statue of Liberty as the agencies hesitated.
"Your leader didn't finish speaking earlier. Those secrets were meant for all of America to hear. But now that you know, it's the same. After all, you're not exactly unified…"
"Whizz!" Before Strucker could finish, Brock Rumlow from S.H.I.E.L.D. fired an energy blast at the top of the Statue of Liberty. Simultaneously, Hydra's aircraft opened fire, drowning out Strucker's voice.
"Rumlow!" Phil Coulson's face darkened as he glared at Rumlow, clearly upset that he had acted on his own.
"If we
don't act now, are we supposed to wait for him to spill more secrets?" Rumlow replied calmly, unfazed by Coulson's anger. "Besides, if the other agencies don't want to take the blame, let them be. S.H.I.E.L.D. is already in deep trouble. What's the point of hiding in the shadows now?"
"Rumlow has a point. Engage! We have no other choice…" Nick Fury's voice crackled through Coulson's earpiece, prompting him to sigh heavily. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s entire arsenal sprang into action, unleashing a barrage of firepower that engulfed the Statue of Liberty.
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