"That's the full overview of the base's current status."
In the conference room, Tony had gathered and organized all the intel they'd managed to dig up, giving everyone a concise yet comprehensive briefing.
Moments later, streams of data appeared before them, documents and records projected onto shimmering holographic screens, as everyone leaned forward to examine the details intently.
Arthur sat back in his chair, a frown creasing his brow as he studied the display.
Hydra!
Strictly speaking, they were probably the last major villainous organization on Earth that still possessed real power. But after repeated beatdowns, first being completely purged from S.H.I.E.L.D., and then having their bases continuously exposed, Hydra had been pushed right to the edge of total collapse.
Now, the intel they were seeing seemed to be a direct continuation of events following Loki's invasion of Earth. It wasn't exactly Avengers 2 in story terms, but it was heavily connected to that same arc in spirit.
One name stood out in the document: Baron Strucker!
"According to the data we've confirmed so far," Tony began, "Baron Strucker somehow got his hands on a dragon-shaped warship and has been conducting in-depth research on it. How far his work has progressed, we can't say for sure."
Natasha's voice followed, calm but sharp: "So, what's the play? Should this operation fall under the Avengers Initiative, or… the Superhero Alliance?"
"I need to know S.H.I.E.L.D.'s stance first," Arthur said.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. already contacted me," Natasha replied. "They want our help, but not as the Alliance. Strictly as the Avengers."
Arthur glanced around the table, his expression thoughtful. "There's no doubt about one thing: this base must be wiped out. No matter what that dragon-shaped warship is capable of, it can't bring anything good. That much is certain.
"As for whether we go in as the Alliance or as the Avengers, that depends on Fury's intentions. From what I can tell, things are going smoother than I expected.
"Tony, Natasha, Banner, you'll coordinate with the two agents from S.H.I.E.L.D. Meanwhile, everyone from the Superhero Alliance will monitor the situation covertly. If anything unexpected happens, we'll be ready to move in instantly."
Arthur exhaled softly, easing his tense shoulders a little. Then he asked, "Did Fury say what we get out of this?"
Natasha nodded. "A complete intelligence network. Negotiations are done, that's what they're offering. But we can't be sure how accurate their intel is, so our people will still have to re-filter all of it."
Arthur chuckled dryly. "That's not much of a deal. Still, if we're going to hit this Hydra base with full strength, I'll make sure we get the maximum possible benefit out of it. And once this is over, the matter between us and Hydra ends here."
Hydra on Earth, just like a centipede, refusing to die even when crushed.
Arthur had long planned to hunt down the Red Skull in space and grind him into dust, yet he had never found the time.
If this mission ended smoothly, then perhaps… it was finally time to move that plan to the top of the list.
Arthur suddenly realized that, in truth, he really had no time to dwell on personal feelings. There were simply too many things that required his attention.
"Does that count as a form of escape, too?"
After his conversation with Sharon, her relentless dissection of his emotions and motives, Arthur could no longer hide from the truth inside him. He'd peeled away the final layer of denial, forcing himself to face the ugly and despicable parts of his own heart. It was raw. Brutal. Uncomfortably real.
…
The meeting concluded without any major disputes. After all, the very purpose of the Superhero Alliance was to fight evil and uphold justice, otherwise, what right would they have to call themselves superheroes?
Arthur's orders were clear: Hydra must be eradicated.
But under that premise… they would also make sure to reap every possible advantage in the process.
A mere intelligence network, that was all. It was obvious that S.H.I.E.L.D. was showing a serious lack of sincerity.
Arthur handed the matter over to Natasha, not really caring about the final outcome. To be honest, even if the negotiations ultimately fell through, his people would still go ahead and do what needed to be done. There was no way he'd just sit back and ignore it.
After the meeting, Arthur planned to return to his quarters for a bit of quiet. He didn't intend to go back to the rooftop to stargaze again. Sharon's words had been too powerful, too sharp. They'd left him mentally exhausted, as if he couldn't keep up with her pace. He felt… uneasy.
But before he even reached his door, he saw Tony walking up with a bottle of wine in hand.
"Care to celebrate a little?" Tony asked.
Arthur's mouth twitched. "Celebrate what? The fact that I'm a lousy two-timer?"
"Huh?" Tony blinked, confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Arthur sighed. "Never mind. Whatever it is we're celebrating, let's just have a drink."
Only after downing the first glass did Arthur realize what Tony actually wanted to celebrate, Tony had finally agreed to Arthur's condition.
In the entire artificial intelligence research project, Arthur would be allowed full monitoring authority, and the moment any deviation or anomaly occurred, the entire plan would be immediately scrapped.
It was no small thing for Tony to make that kind of commitment. And once he'd made up his mind, he decided to find Arthur and mark the occasion with a drink.
As the two sat together, Tony looked at him and asked quietly, "Tell me… what do you think Fury's really up to?"
"Upholding justice?" Arthur replied without looking up.
Tony gave a short, humorless laugh. "You actually believe that? From the very beginning, I've never trusted S.H.I.E.L.D. to be that noble. Sure, I'll admit the organization's foundation came from you and from my old man. But after all these generations, the S.H.I.E.L.D. of today is no longer what it used to be. The name stayed the same, but inside… It's changed."
Arthur fell silent.
Tony leaned back, staring at his glass. "Sometimes, you know, I almost admire Hydra more."
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"Think about it," Tony continued. "How can they stay so damned committed, decade after decade, never wavering from their goal? No matter how many years pass, they never lose sight of their original purpose."
Arthur didn't know why, but he suddenly found himself speaking softly:
"Maybe… It's because the hardest thing to protect in this world, is justice itself."
(End of Chapter)
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