Malibu, Arbitrator Tower.
Inside the game room, a giant projection screen flickered with dazzling combat scenes, and explosions and gunshots roared from the surround sound system. Tony Stark and Chen Tian each held a controller, their fingers moving rapidly over the buttons, but their attention was clearly not on the game.
"So," Tony stared at the screen, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather, "Steve saw Winter Soldier?"
Chen Tian controlled his character to roll and dodge an enemy NPC's sniper shot, a slight smile playing on his lips: "He did, it was interesting."
Outside, Agent Coulson and several S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents stood quietly, seemingly on guard, but in reality, they were perfectly isolated by the deafening sound effects from the game room.
Tony grinned mischievously, pressing the buttons rapidly. After his game character charged and knocked down an opponent, he raised a saw and stabbed it into the NPC's head: "What should we do next?"
"Didn't you notice that Agent Hill has already left?" Chen Tian glanced sideways at Tony, "Soon, Coulson will also leave."
"Hmm? Didn't Fury always think we were behind it, sneaking into his 'secret boudoir'?" Tony looked down at Chen Tian, then his attention returned to the game screen, "Shit! I've been shot by a sniper! Help me!"
Chen Tian, controlling his game character, ran to Tony's side and used a medical spray to heal Tony's character. "Heh, S.H.I.E.L.D. is already in a complete mess. I didn't send Natasha to accompany Steve on a whim. You know, in every traditional hero story, the hero needs guidance."
Tony, controlling his character, picked up a Rocket launcher and fired at the sniper's position, "Ha, is Natasha playing the role of a magic Grandpa?"
Chen Tian laughed, "Yes, emm, according to Natasha's gender, you should say she's playing the role of a magic witch."
"Hey, you're mean." Tony also laughed, "But I like it. By the way, if Fury comes to us for help, how should we handle it?"
Chen Tian looked at the clear screen, took a sip of cola, "Just put on a show. As long as the plan goes smoothly, as long as we don't make any mistakes, the final battle will still be at Triskelion."
Tony nodded. Just then, Coulson pounded on the game room's metal door, his knuckles making a dull thud against the steel plate. He raised his voice and shouted, "Mr. Stark! Emergency!"
Tony lazily pressed the pause button, and the combat scene on the projection screen instantly froze. He raised an eyebrow at Chen Tian: "Looks like the drama we organized can proceed to the next act."
Chen Tian put down the controller and made a 'go ahead' gesture. Tony then slowly walked to the door and pressed the open button. The moment the metal door slid open, Coulson's typically mild face bore a rare look of anxiety.
"Agent Coulson," Tony spread his arms wide exaggeratedly, "What wind blew you away from your post? Did Fury finally learn to text?"
Coulson took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes: "Mr. Stark, I must return to headquarters immediately. S.H.I.E.L.D. ... has some issues." His gaze swept over Chen Tian behind Tony, and he added, "Director Fury hopes you'll keep your communication lines open."
Tony feigned surprise, widening his eyes: "Wow, if Fury is actively asking for help, it must be serious. He purposely lowered his voice, "Could it be that someone stole his collection of eye patches?"
Coulson's mouth twitched: "It's more serious than that. Director Fury will inform you of the details via communication."
Chen Tian walked over at this point, still holding the can of cola: "Is it that confidential?" He asked pointedly, "Has there been some major crisis?"
Coulson's gaze shifted between the two, and he finally shook his head: "I'm not entirely clear on the specific details. But please, both of you, keep your communication lines open." He glanced at his watch, "My helicopter takes off in five minutes."
Tony sighed dramatically: "Alright, alright, tell Fury I'll consider taking his call, as long as it's not a never-ending series of calls."
Coulson nodded helplessly, then turned and quickly left with his subordinates. Their shoes tapped a rapid rhythm on the marble floor, and they soon disappeared down the corridor.
Tony closed the door, his playful expression gone as he turned. He looked at Chen Tian: "Faster than expected."
Chen Tian shook the cola can, then crushed it and threw it into a nearby trash can. "Hmm, Tony, next, I'll handle the Council, and you go make preparations to protect the civilians during the great battle. Our progress will accelerate significantly from now on."
A playful smile curved Tony's lips, "Do you think you're the only one busy? Or do you think I've been just sitting around stupidly this whole time?"
Tony clapped his hands, and the game screen in the game room changed to surveillance footage of two laboratories. In one laboratory, mechanical arms operated continuously, assembling rescue robots, while in the other, medical pods were constantly being manufactured.
"I started working on these as soon as you proposed the plan," Tony placed a hand on Chen Tian's shoulder, "Don't worry, brother, I've always got your back."
Chen Tian looked at the automatically assembling rescue robots and medical pods on the surveillance screen, and the smile on his lips gradually widened. He reached out and patted Tony's shoulder: "It seems I still underestimated you, Stark."
Tony raised an eyebrow triumphantly: "Underestimating a genius isn't a good habit." He snapped his fingers, and the surveillance footage switched to a satellite map of New Mexico. "But now, we need to pay attention to our lost Captain America and Black Widow."
On the screen, two small figures were walking through the streets of a small town on the edge of the desert. Even through the satellite image, it was clear that Steve's steps were heavy, while Natasha maintained the alert stride characteristic of an Agent.
"They look like they just crawled out of hell," Tony commented, his tone lacking its usual sarcasm.
Chen Tian watched Steve's dazed state on the screen, "He saw Bucky, and that had a big impact on him."
Tony was silent for a moment, uncharacteristically refraining from joking. He pulled up another set of data: "I've had Jarvis pinpoint the small motel they checked into. Do we need to send someone over?"
"No," Chen Tian shook his head, "Let them process it themselves. Natasha knows what to do." He turned and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. The Pacific Ocean was stormy in the night, "Now, we should prepare to deal with the Council's difficulties."
— — — —
Meanwhile, in that secluded little motel in New Mexico.
Steve sat on the edge of the bed, his hands hanging limply on his knees, his uniform still stained with dust and blood from the institute's collapse. His gaze was hollow as he stared at the mottled wall, as if it were replaying the moment Winter Soldier removed his mask.
The sound of rushing Water came from the bathroom; Natasha was washing off the dust. She looked at herself through the fogged mirror—a few scrapes, but nothing serious. Compared to her physical injuries, she had to prepare for her role as the guide in Chen Tian's script.
The sound of Water stopped, and Natasha walked out, dressed in her nano-suit again, to find Steve still in the same position.
"The bathroom's free," she said, drying her hair, "You should at least clean up this mess."
Steve looked up as if waking from a dream, his eyes finally focusing: "Sorry, I zoned out."
Natasha tossed him a towel: "You zoned out for almost two hours." She walked to the window, cautiously pulling back a sliver of the curtain to observe the street outside. "We need to try and contact Chen Tian and the others, otherwise we can't leave here on foot, unless we steal a car."
"Bucky is alive…" Steve suddenly said, his voice hoarse, "But it's not like he's alive. His eyes… that's not the look I know."
Natasha turned around, leaning against the windowsill and looking at him: "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files do have records of Winter Soldier, but no one knew he was Sergeant Barnes." She paused, "At least I didn't."
Steve suddenly stood up and began pacing back and forth in the small room: "This doesn't make sense! If HYDRA turned him into a killer, why wouldn't S.H.I.E.L.D. know? And Rumlow and his special forces team, how did they also become HYDRA's troops? They were important S.H.I.E.L.D. units!"
Natasha watched Steve's agitated state and sighed softly. She walked over to him, placed her hands on his shoulders, and forced him to stop pacing.
"Steve, deep breaths." Her voice was calm, "I know this is a big shock for you, but you need to calm down now."
Complex emotions churned in Steve's azure eyes. He opened his mouth to retort, but Natasha preempted him and continued:
"Bucky's appearance has indeed disrupted your thoughts, but you cannot let it affect your judgment." Her fingers tightened slightly, "We are facing a meticulously planned conspiracy, and emotional decisions will only put us in a more dangerous situation."
Steve's shoulders gradually relaxed under her hands. He took a deep breath and nodded: "You're right. I just… need some time to process."
Natasha released her hands, a faint smile playing on her lips: "That's the always calm Captain America I know." She turned and picked up her communicator, "As for the questions you just raised—why S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't know Winter Soldier's true identity, why Rumlow betrayed them…"
She paused, her fingers rapidly operating the communicator: "I think it's better if we ask Fury directly. After all, he's the one who claims to know everything."
The communicator emitted a faint hum, and Natasha frowned: "The signal is blocked. Looks like someone doesn't want us to contact the outside world."
Steve had already regained his usual composure. He walked to the window and cautiously observed the situation outside: "Do you think it's S.H.I.E.L.D. or HYDRA?"
"Both are possible." Natasha put away the communicator, frowning, "We can't contact Arbitrators right now, but there's no need to worry. Tony and the others won't miss an explosion like the one at Pegasus Institute."
Steve nodded, "But we still need to leave here as soon as possible and go find Fury. Not only to ask him about HYDRA, but also to tell him who attacked Pegasus Institute."
Natasha nodded in agreement. She quickly packed her gear, deftly checking the magazine of her pistol: "Fury owes us an explanation, and—"
Before she could finish, a short honk suddenly came from outside the window.
Steve alertly pulled back a corner of the curtain, revealing a sleek, all-black luxury car with sharp lines parked silently at the motel entrance. Its headlights cut two cold arcs of light through the night, and its gull-wing doors opened silently upwards, as if waiting for them.
Natasha leaned over for a look, a knowing smile playing on her lips: "It seems Chen Tian is more thoughtful than we imagined."
Steve frowned: "Are you sure he arranged this?"
"This level of autonomous driving system, plus that exaggerated gull-wing door design?" Natasha pointed to an 'A' logo on the car's hood, "No one would be this ostentatious except Tony Stark."
She deftly pulled open the room door, then turned back to Steve with a raised eyebrow: "What, Captain America is afraid to get into a stranger's car?"
Steve shook his head helplessly but cautiously followed. The two quickly moved through the empty hotel corridor, observing their surroundings warily. The old man at the hotel reception was dozing, completely unaware of their quiet departure in the dead of night.
If Chen Tian were here, he would definitely shout the old man's name, 'Holy cow, Stan Lee!'
As they approached the car, the in-car AI system automatically activated, and a familiar British male voice spoke: 'Good evening, Captain Rogers, Ms. Romanoff. I am Jarvis, and it is a pleasure to serve you again.'
Natasha smoothly got into the passenger seat, her fingers instinctively checking the hidden weapon slot beneath the seat: 'Jarvis? Did Tony finally release you from the lab?'
'Actually, Mr. Stark believes the current situation requires more... mature system support.' Jarvis's voice held a hint of humor, and the car door closed silently. 'According to Mr. Chen's emergency plan, we need to proceed immediately to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.'
As Steve settled into the back seat, the vehicle smoothly started, its autonomous driving system precisely avoiding obstacles on the road: 'Hmm? Chen Tian thinks the same as us; does he believe there's a problem within S.H.I.E.L.D. too?'
'Precisely, Captain.' Jarvis's holographic projection appeared in the front, displaying a series of encrypted files. 'Mr. Chen's analysis indicates that HYDRA's infiltration is far more extensive than anticipated. In this institute attack, the enemy used S.H.I.E.L.D.'s highest-level security protocols.'
Natasha quickly scanned the projected data: 'So the mole is a high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. official?'
'The probability is as high as 87.6%.' Jarvis's tone became serious. 'Mr. Chen suggests you use Captain's special clearance at S.H.I.E.L.D. to search for confidential files from Director Pierce's tenure.'
Steve frowned: 'Why aren't Chen Tian and Tony handling this themselves?'
The projection switched to a global map, with several red dots blinking: 'Dr. Stark is currently tracking the Tesseract's energy signature with Dr. Banner, and they have identified three suspicious locations. As for Mr. Chen and Miss 2B...'
The projection suddenly changed to a news clip showing the Council holding an emergency meeting. 'They are currently dealing with the political fallout caused by your 'invasion of a S.H.I.E.L.D. classified area.''
Natasha couldn't help but chuckle: 'So we're fighting on the front lines while they're squabbling in the back?'
'More accurately, Mr. Chen is buying you space to act.' Jarvis's voice softened. 'I recommend both of you rest for 3-4 hours. I will wake you an hour before arrival. During this time, all monitoring and defense systems will remain operational.'
Steve looked out at the rapidly passing scenery and finally relaxed: 'Alright, maybe a short nap is a good idea.'
'Sleep mode activated.' Jarvis's voice lowered to an optimal volume. 'In-car oxygen levels have been optimized, and seat massage functions are enabled. Have a good rest, both of you.'
As the car's interior lights gradually dimmed, Natasha had already closed her eyes: 'Jarvis, if anything happens...'
'I will notify you immediately, Ms. Romanoff.' Jarvis responded softly. 'Now, please rest well. In 5 hours and 23 minutes, we will arrive at the S.H.I.E.L.D. underground tunnel entrance.'
Steve took one last look at the route map displayed on the projection and slowly closed his eyes.
Under Jarvis's careful arrangement, this seemingly ordinary black sedan transformed into a mobile sanctuary, carrying two weary heroes towards the eye of the storm while also providing them with valuable time to rest.
— — — —
Nick Fury's office was shrouded in oppressive silence, broken only by the flickering blue light of the holographic projector.
'Thud!'
A thick file was slammed onto the desk, scattering papers. Fury turned around, his black leather jacket gleaming coldly in the light. His voice was as low as thunder before a storm: 'Hill, tell me, why was the Pegasus Institute attacked? Why were the enemies able to precisely locate the Tesseract?'
Maria Hill stood rigidly, but her fingertips tightened unconsciously on her tactical tablet: 'Officer, we are investigating fully. But the enemy was clearly well-prepared—'
'Prepared?' Fury suddenly raised his voice, his single eye burning with rage. 'You call this prepared? S.H.I.E.L.D.'s highest-level security facility, breached by armed individuals as if they were strolling through a supermarket!' He strode towards the holographic projector, his finger swiping through the air to bring up the institute's floor plan. 'Seven biometric locks, three layers of alloy blast walls, 24/7 rapid response teams—and what was the result?'
Hill took a deep breath: 'The surveillance system was completely compromised 37 minutes before the attack. All data was replaced with looped footage. Technical department confirmed this was an inside job; they used Director's dynamic encryption protocol.'
Fury's single eye narrowed sharply, his voice squeezed through his teeth, 'Director's dynamic encryption protocol?'
Hill clearly felt her superior's anger, but she maintained her professional composure: 'Yes, Officer. It's the same system Captain Rogers used when he infiltrated the Triskelion.'
Fury suddenly let out a short, cold laugh, devoid of any warmth. He walked to his desk, leaning his hands on the surface, his knuckles white from the pressure: 'Interesting. First, Captain America uses my clearance to break into the highest classified room, and now someone uses the same method to blow up my institute.'
He looked up, a dangerous glint in his single eye, 'It seems I'm quite a failure as a Director.'
Hill cautiously stepped forward: 'Officer, this is clearly a meticulously planned frame-up. But I don't understand, who else could have infiltrated our system to this extent?'
A cold light flashed in Fury's single eye: 'Heh, besides those unkillable HYDRA, who else could it be?'
He slammed his hand on the desk, making the coffee cup jump. 'The problem is, they can now perfectly replicate my biological features!' His voice suddenly dropped, 'Pierce? Garrett? Or... is everyone around me potentially a snake?'
The office fell into a suffocating silence. The cold light of the holographic projection cast eerie shadows on Fury's face. Hill noticed her superior's fingers unconsciously stroking his sidearm.
While the office remained silent, the communicator suddenly buzzed. Coulson's voice came through: 'Director, Captain Rogers is requesting communication.'
Fury stared at the communicator for two seconds, a complex emotion flashing in his single eye. He pressed the answer button, his voice returning to its usual calm: 'Rogers, you'd better have a good reason.'
Steve's voice came through the communicator, tinged with fatigue but still firm: 'Fury, we need to talk, face to face.'
'Now is not a good time for coffee and chat, Captain.' Fury's fingers lightly tapped the desk. 'Especially after you just 'toured' my highest classified room.'
'We need to talk face to face.' Steve didn't argue, still hoping to speak with Fury in person.
Fury's single eye narrowed slightly: 'Captain, after you two unauthorizedly entered the S.H.I.E.L.D. highest classified room, do you think I'd still believe in 'face-to-face talks'?'
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the communicator, only heavy breathing. Finally, Natasha spoke, her voice unusually calm: 'Fury, some things... we can't explain clearly over comms.'
Hill noticed Fury's fingers lightly tap the desk three times—this was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s internal signal for 'heightened alert.' She subtly moved her hand towards her sidearm.
'Interesting.' Fury's voice suddenly became dangerous and low. 'Hill, go meet our 'guests.' Bring Agent Coulson.' He paused, a humorless smile playing on his lips. 'Fully armed ones.'
After the communication was cut, Fury turned and walked to the safe, inputting a complex password. As the safe door silently slid open, he took out an old pager and slipped it into his inner pocket, then checked his sidearm again.
Half an hour later, the elevator doors slowly opened outside the Director's office. Steve and Natasha walked in the middle, flanked by Hill and Coulson leading a special operations team. Everyone's hands were subtly near their weapons.
'Welcome to my office, Captain.' Fury stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to them, a clear hint of sarcasm in his voice. 'It seems you enjoy using my clearance to tour around.'
Steve strode into the office, a fire of anger burning in his blue eyes: 'Fury, I need an explanation!'
Fury slowly turned, a dangerous glint in his single eye: 'Explanation?' He sneered, 'I'd like to hear you explain why you used my clearance to break into the highest classified room!'
'Don't change the subject!' Steve slammed a fist on the desk. 'Why restart the Tesseract research? And Bucky—' His voice suddenly caught. 'Winter Soldier's identity, did you know about it all along?'
Fury's face instantly darkened: 'Rogers, you're out of line.' He suddenly threw a stack of surveillance photos onto the desk. 'Before you question my research, explain these first!'
The photos clearly showed Steve using Fury's biometric features to unlock the classified room. Steve stared at the photos, a cold sneer forming on his lips instead: 'That's right, it was me.'
Fury's single eye narrowed: 'You're quick to admit it.'
'If I didn't go in, how would I know you were secretly researching the Tesseract?' Steve crossed his arms, a fire of anger burning in his blue eyes. 'S.H.I.E.L.D. is repeating HYDRA's mistakes, and you're still here questioning me?'
Fury suddenly let out a harsh, cold laugh: 'What a self-righteous Captain America!' He slammed the table. 'If you hadn't trespassed into the classified room and triggered the alarm system, how would the Pegasus Institute's location have been exposed? Now the entire project is ruined because of you!'
Steve's face instantly flushed crimson: 'You—'
'Director,' Natasha suddenly stepped forward, 'it was Rumlow's special forces team that destroyed the institute. They had already infiltrated before the explosion.'
Fury turned to Natasha, his tone sharp with sarcasm: 'Oh? Our best Agent no longer has basic judgment? Or... ' He drew out the word. 'Have you completely defected to the Arbitrators?'
A cold glint flashed in Natasha's green eyes, but she didn't argue. She simply silently took a microchip from her tactical belt and handed it to Fury.
Fury stared at the chip for two seconds, then snorted and took it, turning to insert it into the holographic projector on his desk. The screen immediately displayed—this was Natasha's first-person recording:
In the shaky footage, Rumlow placed the Tesseract into a containment box, followed by intense gunfire, Natasha's gun spitting fire, and finally, the footage ended with the explosion and collapse of the institute.
The office fell into a deathly silence. Fury's face turned ashen. He slowly looked up at Steve and Natasha: 'So you were at the Pegasus Institute too?'
------------------------
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(End of Chapter)