Washington D.C., late night.
Beneath a deserted military warehouse, a secret HYDRA Base was hidden. Under the dim lights, Alexander Pierce stood before the glass isolation chamber in the central laboratory, his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed on the Tesseract suspended within the chamber.
"Finally…" A cold smile played on his lips, "We finally have it."
Rumlow stood beside him, his arm wrapped in bandages, clearly injured in the Pegasus Institute battle, but his eyes remained sharp: "Officer, S.H.I.E.L.D. has initiated a full lockdown. Fury will surely track this to the end."
Pierce chuckled softly, reaching out to gently touch the glass, as if he could feel the energy emanating from the Tesseract: "Let him investigate; he'll only find more 'surprises'." He turned to the scientists in the laboratory, "Immediately activate Phase One of the experiment. I need to know its energy output limit."
A researcher wearing glasses hesitated: "Officer, directly activating the Tesseract might cause uncontrollable energy fluctuations. We don't have enough protective measures yet—"
"I don't need your concerns." Pierce's voice suddenly turned cold, "HYDRA has waited seventy years for this moment. We will not stop for 'possible risks'."
The researcher swallowed, quickly lowering his head to operate the control console. The laboratory's robotic arm slowly moved, adjusting the energy diversion device, preparing to activate the Tesseract.
Rumlow asked in a low voice: "Officer, Rogers and Natasha already know about our operation. They will definitely go to Fury."
Pierce narrowed his eyes, his smile deepening: "Then let them go." He turned and walked towards the monitoring screen, pulling up a real-time feed of S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters. "Fury will now suspect everyone, including his own people. And Rogers… the angrier he gets, the more mistakes he'll make."
Rumlow frowned: "But what if they team up…?"
"They won't." Pierce interrupted him, his tone resolute, "Fury won't trust Rogers, and Rogers won't trust Fury. And we—" He lightly tapped the screen, which switched to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s internal archives. "—just need to take what we truly need while they're busy suspecting each other."
In the center of the laboratory, the Tesseract suddenly emitted a dazzling blue light, and the energy fluctuations made the lights in the entire room flicker. Pierce's gaze returned to the Tesseract, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism.
— — — —
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.
Steve and Natasha stood in Fury's office, the atmosphere heavy.
"So you not only broke into the classified room but also went to the Pegasus Institute?" Fury's voice was low and dangerous. "Rogers, what game are you playing?"
Steve looked him directly in the eye: "Not a game, Fury. We're preventing a greater disaster."
Natasha added: "Rumlow's special forces have already acquired the Tesseract. They must have started studying its power by now."
Fury's single eye narrowed slightly: "And you think there's HYDRA inside S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"Not think." Steve clenched his fist, "It's confirmed."
A brief silence fell over the office.
Fury's single eye darted between Steve and Natasha. Only the faint hum of electronic equipment remained in the office. He slowly walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out at the brightly lit S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters, unconsciously tapping the window frame with his fingers.
"Do you know what you're accusing?" Fury's voice suddenly sounded tired, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. "Accusing S.H.I.E.L.D.—the organization I've controlled for more than ten years—of being infiltrated and controlled by HYDRA?"
Steve stepped forward: "We saw it with our own eyes—"
"Enough!" Fury spun around abruptly, documents on his desk scattering to the floor from his movement. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down: "Listen, I will investigate this. But until the truth comes out…" His gaze sharpened, "You must be supervised."
Natasha raised an eyebrow: "Supervised?"
"Hill." Fury said to Agent Hill, "Take Captain and Natasha to the lounge area and get them something to eat." He added meaningfully, "Accompany them throughout."
Agent Hill nodded and tapped a few times on her tactical tablet. Four fully armed special operatives entered the office. Her expression was as professional as ever: "Please follow me."
Steve and Natasha exchanged a glance. Natasha nodded slightly, taking the first step towards the door. Steve hesitated for a moment, then finally followed.
After they left, Fury immediately dialed an encrypted channel. A holographic projection lit up, and Tony Stark's slightly tired face appeared in the air.
"Fury?" Tony frowned, "Do you know it's three in the morning?"
"No time for pleasantries, Stark." Fury lowered his voice, "I need the Arbitrators to act immediately. The Tesseract has been stolen by HYDRA."
Tony's expression instantly turned serious: "The Tesseract? How did that thing end up with you? And how did HYDRA steal it?"
"Rogers and Natasha saw it with their own eyes." Fury's single eye gleamed with a complex light, "But right now, I don't dare trust anyone—including them."
"Understood." Tony quickly manipulated the virtual interface. "Dr. Banner and I will track the Tesseract's energy fluctuations." He paused for a moment, "How do you plan to handle Captain and them?"
"Temporary monitoring." Fury said coldly, "If they are innocent, they will prove themselves soon enough."
— — — —
Inside the S.H.I.E.L.D. lounge, Steve and Natasha sat on a sofa, the sandwiches in front of them untouched. Agent Hill, accompanied by four fully armed special operatives, stood guard at the door. The atmosphere was so heavy you could almost hear a pin drop.
"Fury still hasn't told me about the Winter Soldier." Steve suddenly slammed his hand on the table, his voice laced with deliberately amplified anger, "I want to see him, right now!"
Hill maintained her professional composure: "Captain Rogers, the Director has already left the Triskelion. He needs to personally arrange some… special investigations."
Natasha's fingers tapped a Morse code message on the sofa armrest: [Action]. Steve nodded imperceptibly.
The moment Hill's words fell, both of them erupted like arrows from a bow. Steve lunged forward, disarming the two closest operatives with lightning speed, while simultaneously elbowing a third to the ground. Natasha, like a phantom, flashed behind Hill, her long legs tracing elegant arcs in the air, and the remaining two operatives fell to the ground.
"Sorry, Maria." Natasha deftly removed everyone's communication devices, her movements as practiced as if performing a meticulously choreographed ballet.
Hill's eyes widened in shock: "Are you crazy? Fury is monitoring every move here!"
Natasha's lips curved into a cunning smile: "Oh? Then he must think we're still happily enjoying our sandwiches." She took a small spray bottle from her tactical belt. "Sweet dreams."
With a faint scent of mint, Hill and the special operatives quickly fell into unconsciousness. Steve settled them onto the sofa, even thoughtfully covering Hill with a jacket.
"Archive room?" Natasha asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Archive room." Steve confirmed with a nod.
The two walked out of the lounge as if nothing had happened, as if merely attending a routine meeting. The security cameras in the corridor were still operating, but the footage was eerily frozen on the scene of them quietly eating—Jarvis had long since taken over S.H.I.E.L.D.'s surveillance system.
As the two scanned open the archive room's biometric lock, Steve suddenly stopped: "Nat, if the evidence we find proves Fury is innocent…"
"Then we really will become fugitives." Natasha casually finished his sentence, her fingers flying across the keyboard, "But more than that, I'm more worried if the evidence proves he's HYDRA."
Steve's gaze hardened: "Then all the more reason to get to the bottom of it."
As the last firewall was breached, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most confidential archives slowly unfolded before them.
Meanwhile, several blocks away, Fury watched the "quietly eating" duo on the surveillance screen, a hint of doubt flashing in his single eye.
He unconsciously touched the old pager in his pocket, muttering to himself: "Hope you two know what you're doing…"
— — — —
Inside HYDRA's secret laboratory, the dazzling blue light suddenly extinguished, plunging the entire space into an eerie gloom. Pierce stood rooted to the spot, his hands thrust deep into his suit pockets.
His gaze swept over the unconscious special operatives and scientists scattered across the floor, finally settling on Rumlow—the most elite warrior now kneeling on the ground, his eyes glowing with an unnatural sky-blue light, a scepter embedded with a golden gem pressed against his temple.
"You… Who are you?!" Pierce's voice involuntarily rose an octave, his forced composure laced with a clear tremor.
In the center of the laboratory, the man wearing a golden horned helmet slowly turned, his dark green robe gently swaying in the windless room. A mocking, cold smile played on his lips: "I am Loki, Prince of Jotunheim, and Heir of Asgard."
"Lo… Loki?" Pierce instinctively took half a step back, his dress shoes crunching on scattered glass test tubes on the floor. "The one from Norse mythology…"
"Mythology?" Loki suddenly burst into laughter, his mirth echoing chillingly, "For you ants, it can indeed only be called mythology."
He elegantly twirled his scepter, golden energy swirling at its tip. Rumlow immediately stood up stiffly like a marionette, both his eyeballs completely turned blue.
Pierce swallowed, fine beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead. He forced himself to straighten his back: "This is HYDRA's territory, no matter who you are—"
"HYDRA?" Loki suddenly teleported in front of Pierce, close enough to feel each other's breath. "They are nothing but worms wriggling in the shadows."
He gently stroked Pierce's cheek, but the latter trembled violently as if touched by a venomous snake. "Look at your clumsy experiments; you can't even control one ten-thousandth of the Tesseract's energy."
Pierce finally couldn't hold back, his voice completely losing its usual composure: "Give us back the Tesseract! That is HYDRA's property!"
A dangerous glint flashed in Loki's eyes. He snapped his fingers, and all the metal equipment in the laboratory suddenly twisted and deformed, emitting a teeth-grating tearing sound. Monitoring screens burst one after another, sparks flying.
"Now," Loki's voice suddenly became soft, yet more chilling than any roar, "tell me, Mr. Pierce, who is the Master here?"
The tip of the scepter slowly pressed against Pierce's chest, and golden energy began to spread within his body. Pierce's pupils gradually dilated, the light in his eyes replaced by an eerie golden glow. His body trembled slightly, then finally ceased resistance.
"I... am your loyal servant..." Pierce said mechanically, his voice hollow and submissive.
Loki smiled with satisfaction: "Very good. Now, let's begin the real plan." He turned and walked towards the center of the laboratory, followed by two completely controlled puppets—Rumlow and Pierce, their eyes both gleaming with the same golden light.
— — — —
Washington, Triskelion. Inside the S.H.I.E.L.D. classified archives, only the cold light of the terminal screen flickered in the darkness. Steve Rogers's fingers hovered above the keyboard, his breathing almost stopped.
On the screen, the last line of the conclusion of "Investigation into the Car Accident of Howard Stark and his Wife" pierced his vision like a sharp knife:
"According to on-site traces and ballistic analysis, this incident is suspected to be the work of HYDRA Agent 'Winter Soldier.'"
Steve's pupils suddenly contracted. The moment he heard footsteps behind him, he quickly minimized the report window.
"I'm done here, what about you?" Natasha's voice came from behind him, with a hint of fatigue.
Steve's fists clenched secretly, his knuckles turning white. He forced himself to remain calm, but the throbbing veins in his temples betrayed him.
"These files..." His voice was terrifyingly low, "They've all been tampered with."
Natasha keenly noticed the anomaly, her brows slightly furrowed: "You look terrible. What did you see?"
Steve took a deep breath and turned to face her. The blue light of the screen cast shadows on his well-defined face, making his expression even more obscure.
"These reports..." He pointed to a series of altered files on the screen, "Every single one has traces of HYDRA. I'm too familiar with their methods; I've seen them too many times on the battlefield."
Natasha scanned the screen suspiciously, but Steve had already cleverly switched to other unrelated files. She noticed his tense jawline and slightly trembling fingers.
"Just because of this?" she asked softly. "These files are suspicious, but it's not enough to make you..."
"Behind every false report, it means someone died because of it." Steve suddenly raised his voice, suppressing an emotion Natasha couldn't decipher, "It was like this seventy years ago, and it's still like this now."
The air in the archive room seemed to freeze. Natasha had never seen Captain so out of control—not even in the most intense battles. She subconsciously took half a step back, her right hand subtly moving towards the gun at her waist.
"Steve," she carefully chose her words, "We need to report our findings to Chen Tian and Fury."
"No." Steve interrupted her decisively. "No one can be trusted now." He stood up abruptly, the metal chair scraping against the floor with a harsh sound. "I need you to help me retrieve more files, but it must be absolutely confidential."
Natasha's green eyes narrowed slightly, like a feline assessing its prey, as she looked at this suddenly unfamiliar man. Finally, she slowly nodded.
"Okay," she said softly, "but you have to tell me the real reason."
Steve's gaze flickered, then became firm again. He reached out and turned off the terminal, the blue light of the screen extinguished, completely enveloping them in darkness.
"Because HYDRA's venomous snake," his voice was exceptionally clear in the darkness, "has begun to devour S.H.I.E.L.D.'s heart. And what we need to do is gather enough evidence and expose it completely at the right time."
He took one last look at the separately encrypted report, struggling internally. It wasn't the right time yet—neither to face Tony nor to face Bucky.
— — — —
Loki sat lazily on the laboratory table, his long legs casually crossed, his fingers tapping the desktop intermittently.
His scepter leaned beside him, glowing with a dangerous golden light in the dim illumination.
"Tell me," Loki suddenly spoke, "about that... interesting energy source of S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
Pierce immediately stepped forward, "My Lord is wise. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Arc Reactor is indeed the ideal energy node for opening the portal."
Loki raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.
A researcher timidly handed over a holographic report. Pierce took it, tapping his fingertip, and a complex energy spectrum immediately unfolded in the air.
"According to our calculations," Pierce's voice carried a hidden excitement, "the energy output of this reactor is sufficient to maintain a large spatial passage for over 72 hours." He paused, a meaningful curve forming on his lips, "And... over 70% of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s current personnel are our people."
Loki's eyes narrowed slightly, like a snake spotting its prey. He lightly jumped off the laboratory table, his scepter tapping the ground with a crisp sound.
"Seventy percent?" He repeated softly, a playful smile in his voice, "Truly... a delightful number."
Pierce bowed slightly: "As My Lord sees, the entire S.H.I.E.L.D. is like a ripe apple, ready to be—"
The tip of Loki's scepter suddenly pressed against Pierce's chest, the cold metallic touch making the HYDRA leader involuntarily tense his body.
"Your proposal..." Loki's voice was as smooth as silk, "is indeed... interesting."
He slowly withdrew his scepter and turned to walk towards the holographic projection. A three-dimensional image of the Triskelion slowly rotated before him, every structural layer clearly visible.
"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources, HYDRA's sleeper Agents..." Loki's slender fingers passed through the projection, "plus the power of the Tesseract." He suddenly turned, his eyes flashing with dangerous light, "It truly is a perfect combination."
"My Lord..." Pierce's voice was respectful and devout, "As long as we control the Triskelion's reactor... we can open the portal for you..."
Loki's lips curved in satisfaction, his scepter gently tapping the ground: "No, my dear Pierce, it is 'I' who can open the portal."
He gracefully paced in front of each HYDRA member, ensuring the Mind Stone's light shone on everyone. "You... are merely my loyal servants."
Rumlow knelt on one knee, his voice filled with the fanaticism characteristic of one under control: "It is our honor to serve you, great My Lord Loki."
Loki turned to face the holographic projection, his scepter tapping it lightly, and the image changed to a view of New York City from above: "Tomorrow at dawn, the Chitauri army will descend through the portal." His eyes gleamed with a mad light. "And you... my loyal servants, will ensure everything proceeds smoothly."
"Yes, My Lord." All the HYDRA members in the Base responded in unison, their voices chillingly coordinated.
Pierce approached Loki and asked, "Captain America is inside the Triskelion, does he need to be dealt with?"
Loki chuckled and shook his head, his scepter waving before Pierce's eyes: "No, let them live." His voice was like a snake's hiss, "I want these ridiculous heroes to witness their World... crumble in my hands."
"Your will is our mission." Rumlow said, lowering his head, yellow light flickering in his eyes.
Loki's figure began to blur: "Remember, my dear servants... Tomorrow at sunrise, will be the dawn of a new era."
After Loki completely disappeared, the HYDRA members in the laboratory remained in respectful poses. A moment later, Pierce mechanically turned and ordered in an emotionless voice: "Initiate 'Shield Breaker' protocol. All units enter Level One combat readiness."
"For the glory of My Lord Loki." Rumlow and the other Agents responded in unison, their voices no longer containing their former cunning and ambition, only the absolute obedience of those controlled by the Mind Stone.
— — — —
Arbitrator Tower
Tony Stark's fatigue was swept away, replaced by a calm and sharp gaze.
He turned to look at Chen Tian, who stood in the center of the laboratory.
"What's next?" Tony crossed his arms.
Chen Tian lowered his head in thought for a moment, then raised his eyes and snapped his fingers. Uchiha Madara stepped out of the distorted air, his arms crossed, standing proudly beside 2B.
"Next, it's the grand finale, my brother." Chen Tian's lips curved slightly.
Tony's eyes lit up, "You mean?"
Chen Tian nodded, "Yes."
"The Arbitrators should prepare to make their appearance."
------------------------
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