The entire family, including their two large dogs, appeared before the grandparents, filling the elderly couple with surprise and joy. Although Amy had called ahead to let them know, they didn't expect the family to arrive so early in the morning.
"Grandpa! Grandma!"
The moment Lily and Dean saw their grandparents, they squealed with delight and ran toward them on their short legs.
"Wow, look who's here, my little princess and little prince."
Grandpa, who stood nearly 6'3", was still very strong despite his age and white hair, thanks to a lifetime of hunting and farm work. When he saw the two adorable children, he was overjoyed and scooped them both into his arms.
Grandma, also tall at 5'7", had a face full of wrinkles and the telltale signs of age, but her features hinted at her former beauty. She was equally thrilled.
One by one, the family hugged the grandmother, who held Leon's hand and wouldn't let go, especially impressed by how handsome he had become.
The grandparents' house was a well-built and spacious two-story villa. Not far away were the stables and animal pens for the cows and sheep. The house was fully furnished and comfortable.
The family enjoyed their reunion, but outside, the world was in turmoil and a bloody storm was brewing.
In a beautiful, brightly lit conference room within a cathedral in Jelgava, Latvia, several figures sat around a round table, scowling at the object in the center: the severed head of Alexander Pierce, a high-ranking leader of HYDRA.
The atmosphere was tense, and for a long time, no one spoke.
Finally, a man in a suit who looked like a descendant of aristocrats broke the silence. "Is no one going to say something?"
"What? Should we recite a prayer for him, Zemo?"
Another middle-aged white man in glasses and a suit retorted coldly.
"She betrayed HYDRA! She's a traitor!" An elderly man with white hair, holding a HYDRA cane, was filled with rage. His eyes swept across the group. "I will never allow anyone to betray HYDRA. She deserves to die!"
"She has crossed a line, Zemo. Hall White. We must unite to eliminate the traitor."
"Eliminate her?" the man named Zemo said in a magnetic, deliberate voice. "Tell me, Gideon Malick, how do you plan to kill her? She has a god behind her. Do you want to become an enemy of a god?"
"A god?!" Malick, clutching his HYDRA cane, was furious, his voice several times louder. "We have only one god, and that is the Hive that founded HYDRA! The so-called god behind the Viper is just a liar full of deceit!"
His anger was a raging fire, as if he wanted to burn everyone present to ashes. But the others barely reacted.
Hall White adjusted his glasses and said indifferently, "Then summon your Hive and kill the Viper and her god. But you know very well that your so-called god, the Hive, is just a loser who was exiled. Malick, if you want to continue your Far Star Plan, no one will stop you, but now we're at a critical point. Nonsense won't save us."
His blunt words only infuriated Malick further, but under Hall White's cold gaze, he calmed down again.
"First it was Wolfgang von Strucker, then Pierce. Who will be next?" Hall White's eyes swept across the room, finally resting on a burly, expressionless man. "Brock Rumlow, now that Pierce is dead, you've taken over some of his power. What do you think?"
"We're all exposed," Brock Rumlow said after a moment of silence. "Nick Fury is launching a purge in three days. He's already wiped out most of our power, and I only managed to save a small portion of it. Before we deal with the Viper and the one behind her, we need to figure out how to handle Nick Fury."
"He still has the power to come after us?" Zemo frowned.
"Underestimating him will only lead to death," Rumlow replied. "His skills are more terrifying than you think. Even the Leader once said that Nick Fury is a natural-born agent king."
"Damn it." The others all groaned, just thinking about it gave them a headache. As Hall White said, they were now in a life-or-death situation. Their success came from lurking in the shadows. The world believed HYDRA was gone, which allowed them to operate behind the scenes. Now that they were exposed, they faced a swift and merciless response.
As members of HYDRA, they knew all too well what their organization meant to world leaders. It was even more extreme than the Nazis. Once Nick Fury exposed them, the international community would unite all forces to wipe them out at the first opportunity.
Not to mention the Viper, who was also a serious threat.
"Then we'll go into hiding again," Zemo proposed. It would mean giving up some of their power, leading the elite remnants to escape, and continuing to develop in secret. Though it would be a painful loss, it was the only viable option.
The others' eyes flickered, but their silence expressed their agreement.
Brock Rumlow said nothing. With his current strength, he was authorized to participate in this high-level meeting, but he had no opinion to share.
At that moment, the door suddenly opened, and a figure entered. A slightly hoarse female voice echoed through the room.
"Is this what you all think? This is the leadership that commands countless HYDRA soldiers? HYDRA has no need for cowards."
Everyone stood up abruptly and stared at the door. Under the light, a tall woman with short red hair and a coat strode toward them. When they saw her face, their eyes widened in shock.
"Cynthia Schmidt? You're still alive?" Zemo yelled her name in disbelief. Everyone's face was a mix of shock and utter astonishment, as if they couldn't believe this woman was still alive. It was simply unthinkable.
(End of Chapter)
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