"Nick..."
Just when Fury thought he and Coulson were about to die there, a voice he knew all too well sounded in his ear.
"Pierce?"
The joking expression on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a grim, razor-sharp look. His eyes swept past the Hydra operatives encircling them and locked onto a familiar figure calmly making his way forward.
Alexander Pierce.
The man's outfit was exactly the same as Fury had known for years, except for one difference: on his chest, he now wore a badge bearing Hydra's emblem.
With no need to hide his identity any longer, Pierce clearly wanted to announce the organization's existence to the public.
He wanted everyone to know that the Hydra that once terrified the world was back.
"Pierce, when? When did you join Hydra?!"
Fury's furious question cut through the tense air. No one could feel the same anger as he did upon learning the truth about Pierce.
Because for someone who had lived his whole life cautious and wary, the sole person Fury truly trusted was the one who had helped raise him from a field agent to the current Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Until now, Pierce was the one man he never doubted, even after discovering there were spies within S.H.I.E.L.D. Not once did he suspect him.
"When?" Pierce's face showed a thoughtful look, then he suddenly burst out laughing.
"Unbelievable, Nick. Am I really that important to you? But fine, since you asked, the answer is simple. From the very beginning. From the moment that fool Howard Stark approved my application to join, I was already Hydra. That naive playboy thought Red Skull's death meant Hydra would collapse and never rise again? What a joke!"
Years of deception finally unraveled in that moment, shocking not only Fury but also fueling Pierce's excitement.
"Red Skull was just one member of Hydra. Yes, in his era, the organization he led became synonymous with the name. But! That was far from Hydra's entirety! What Howard thought he had completely wiped out was nothing but the remnants left behind by Red Skull."
Fury's expression darkened after hearing that.
If Hydra was something that had just been rebuilding within S.H.I.E.L.D., using its resources over the years, then he wouldn't be too worried. After all, not even the agency could stand against LexCorp. He believed the company would have no trouble eradicating Hydra that merely evolved out of S.H.I.E.L.D.
But if the Hydra embedded in S.H.I.E.L.D., represented by Pierce, was only one branch of a much larger network, then things were far worse than he imagined. In the shadows, who knew how many more factions existed, how many heads still lurked unseen.
And then, Pierce decided to show just how powerful Hydra had become.
"To be honest, I should thank S.H.I.E.L.D. If not for this organization, we could never have obtained any data on serum manufacturing from LexCorp."
He knew full well the danger that company posed.
As a villain, admitting LexCorp was a threat came easily to him. That was why he understood better than anyone how airtight the company truly was under Lex Luthor's control.
Without S.H.I.E.L.D.'s cover and the leverage to deal with LexCorp openly, any attempt to infiltrate them from behind the scenes ended the same way—every agent sent in simply vanished without a trace.
Pierce had tested this countless times and reached one conclusion: there was no other way.
Fortunately for him, just a few months ago, he was still the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Now," he said, a chilling smile tugging at his lips, "allow me to show you Hydra's latest achievement."
From inside his coat, he drew a syringe filled with a glowing green liquid. Without hesitation, he drove it straight into his own chest.
"Ugh... mmh..."
The instant the needle pierced his heart, his breathing almost stopped. But as the glowing liquid coursed through his veins, a dark green energy began to surge from his body.
"What is this?" Fury muttered, shielding his eyes from the glow.
LexCorp had released the Scarlet Serum, the Yin-Yang Serum, and various hybrid versions developed from them. He knew all about these serums, but he was certain that none of the company's creations granted a person this kind of ominous green energy.
"Don't get the wrong idea, Nick," Pierce said. "This isn't something from LexCorp. This power…belongs to Hydra!"
His shout was followed by an explosion of terrifying green energy that swept through everything. Even Hydra agents were struck without mercy.
In fact, it was only because those agents had surrounded Fury and Coulson, forming a living shield against the blast, that the two of them were still alive and able to move when the energy finally subsided.
"Cough... cough... what the hell was that?"
As the surge faded, Fury and Coulson helped each other up, stepping over the bodies of Hydra agents scattered across the floor. Floating before them was Pierce, now completely infused with that dark green energy. His entire being radiated power, and he had gained the ability to fly.
"This... is our strength."
Feeling the overwhelming force inside him, Pierce was drunk with power. For the first time, he felt he could face that superhuman from LexCorp, Reid, head-on.
But along with this surge of power came something else: arrogance beyond control.
He rose slowly higher, looking down at Fury and Coulson with a gaze full of superiority.
"You're both excellent agents, especially you, Nick. Nobody knows your capabilities better than I do. So, I'll give you a chance, a chance to join me."
Pierce extended his hand toward him.
"Take my hand. Join me and Hydra, and together, we'll create a world that belongs to us."
"Sir..."
Coulson's eyes widened when he sensed Fury's reaction. The next second, the man shook off his support and walked step by step toward Pierce. Then, he clasped the hand that was offered to him.
"Seems like this is the best choice. If LexCorp wants to rule America, then so can I."
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