Strucker had recently felt that his luck was turning around, as if he had suddenly lifted the skirt of Lady Luck herself...
The long-stagnant superhuman experiments had achieved several breakthroughs in succession, sending the Baron into ecstasy.
After Madame Hydra in distant Tokyo lost contact, HYDRA had retracted its forces, maintaining its usual secretive and low-profile style.
Alexander Pierce had originally planned to assist Loki in bringing the Chitauri to Earth, creating greater chaos to keep S.H.I.E.L.D. scrambling and weakened. If they could kill two birds with one stone by taking out the Avengers in the process, all the better.
Unfortunately, Loki proved incompetent. Not only did he lose the Tesseract, but he also drew Thanos himself into the fray. The result was Asgard being severely weakened and suffering heavy losses, while S.H.I.E.L.D. and Earth emerged as mere bystanders.
This left HYDRA in a complicated mood. They hadn't known beforehand that the cosmic tyrant backing Loki was so terrifying. Had the Chitauri army truly descended upon Earth, these Nazi remnants seeking world domination might not have fared much better.
Strucker had chosen Eastern Europe as his stronghold precisely to evade S.H.I.E.L.D.'s scrutiny. After the fall of the Red Empire, HYDRA had split into several factions. Alexander Pierce had infiltrated the enemy early, biding his time and even rising to a high-ranking position, while the Baron took advantage of the upheaval in Eastern Europe to establish roots in this chaotic region.
Others, like Whitehall, who sought the miraculous powers of extraterrestrial life, and Madame Hydra, who researched viruses, represented different branches of HYDRA. They typically operated independently, contacting one another only when absolutely necessary.
This ancient organization had fractured and spread like a virus across the globe after the Third Reich's collapse and the disappearance of Red Skull...
"Dr. Stocker, what exactly is going on?"
Wearing his signature monocle, Strucker strode through the secret base... Sokovia's largest medical center, which was in reality a covert HYDRA facility for experimental research.
The Baron's ancestors were hereditary nobles from Bavaria Germany. When the Führer of the Third Reich rose to power, swept up in the nationwide fervor, they joined the Nazi Party and later became key aides to Heinrich Himmler, high-ranking members of the SS.
Born into such an environment, Strucker was noticed by HYDRA under Red Skull's leadership and recruited. After years of maneuvering, he had climbed to his current position.
"Dr. Cyphers has improved the experimental procedures and implemented new psychological therapies. The results prove this method has a higher success rate than before," replied Dr. Stocker, a sharp-featured man with a prominent nose and deep-set eyes.
As Strucker's right-hand man, he had overseen the superhuman experiments for years and was regarded as the second-in-command in Sokovia.
"Dr. Cyphers?" Strucker's tone was one of surprise.
As the de facto leader here, he had never heard of this person. The superhuman experiments had always been managed by Dr. Stocker and Dr. Leonard.
These two believed that mental stimulation and painful experiences could unlock human potential, and when combined with HYDRA's enhancement serums, ordinary people could be granted extraordinary abilities.
Carl "Crusher" Creel, the Absorbing Man, was a product of these experiments. Being capable of altering the properties of any material he touched, he had been appointed by Strucker as the leader of Satan's Claw.
"Dr. Cyphers is young and accomplished. He graduated from a prestigious university with dual degrees in neurobiology and psychology." Stocker spoke earnestly, his mind filled with fleeting illusions that made him utterly convinced of everything he said.
The Mind Stone possessed the unique ability to distort consciousness and manipulate minds. Sean was continuously exploring its depths, striving to master it fully and free himself from the uncontrollable rampages that followed entering the Void State.
Hearing his trusted subordinate's explanation, Strucker felt somewhat reassured...
He paced over to the secluded experimental center, where a young man in a white lab coat was conducting routine interviews with multiple test subjects.
According to their biometric data, this Dr. Cyphers had made subtle adjustments to the enhancement serums. Moreover, he seemed exceptionally skilled in psychotherapy, achieving remarkable results in mental stimulation. He deeply aligned with HYDRA's brainwashing expertise.
Baron Strucker nodded, eager to meet this talented young doctor in person. He waited in a room while mentally preparing his recruitment pitch...
To a pragmatist, he would promise benefits, and to a fervent Nazi loyalist, he would deliver a rousing speech. True selfless saints were rare in this world, and HYDRA had always excelled in this regard.
Within the organization's factions, only a minority were willing to sacrifice everything for the Nazi revival. Most were simply opportunists using the Third Reich's legacy to fulfill their own power fantasies.
At the sound of knocking, Strucker looked up, "Dr. Cypher– How can it be you?!" His eyes widened in shock as he recognized the young man entering.
Sean Cyphers... A New York genius on par with Tony Stark, founder of Umbrella Corporation. His energy weapons and human enhancement serums were precisely the technologies HYDRA had been desperate to obtain.
During Loki's attack on Umbrella, Alexander Pierce had even dispatched a HYDRA squad to steal advanced tech amid the chaos. But they had never been heard from again.
Rumor had it that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Nick Fury considered this young man a high-priority asset. Though stationed in Eastern Europe, Strucker had kept tabs on him.
Had Sean not been under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s close watch, HYDRA would have long since made contact. For a rare talent like this, recruitment would have been the ideal outcome.
"Mr. Cyphers, I believe you've come to the wrong place." Almost instinctively, Strucker reached for the pistol hidden under the desk.
Though he didn't understand why Sean was here, it couldn't possibly be good.
'That idiot Stocker! How could he bring Sean Cyphers into HYDRA's inner sanctum?'
This youthful face had graced the front pages of New York newspapers countless times, even making the cover of Time magazine. He was practically a household name across North America.
"I just happened to be passing by and thought your superhuman experiments were rather inefficient. So... how about putting down that gun first, Baron?" Sean smiled faintly.
Strucker's body jerked as if he were a robot, then mechanically set down his weapon.
"Let's have a chat." Meeting the Baron's disbelieving stare, the young man casually pulled out a chair and sat down.
Against his own will, Strucker's limbs stiffly followed suit. A wave of terror washed over him.
As a high-ranking HYDRA official, Strucker felt as though he had been plunged into an icy abyss. He was certain his body hadn't been hijacked, yet every time Sean spoke, his mind involuntarily submitted.
It was as if he were a machine executing commands. He was utterly incapable of defying any order.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not some demon."
Sean's expression was warm, his white coat making him resemble a genuine psychotherapist...