Half an hour later, at the S.H.I.E.L.D...
"If I've lost, I've lost. No excuses. I admit the secret account for Obadiah Stane's private payments is mine."
"Every year, he transferred money to my private account, amounts ranging from ten to tens of millions."
"It was also my ambition to incite Obadiah Stane over the years. I wanted him to get rid of Tony Stark."
Having said this, Senator Stern leaned back in the interrogation chair, acting very unreserved. No one noticed the faint flash of orange light in his eyes.
Outside the interrogation room, listening to Stern's confession, Nick Fury, with his arms crossed, said to Alexander Pierce beside him, "I didn't expect him to admit it so simply and neatly. But Pierce, why do you have the leisure to come watch an interrogation today?"
"Just getting some exercise," Alexander Pierce replied with a smile to Nick Fury's question. "It's good to be more active when you're older. You know, my granddaughter's birthday is coming up soon; she'll be eight. She still wants her grandpa to carry her every day. If I don't exercise well, I'm afraid I won't be able to hold her in a couple of years!"
Hearing Alexander Pierce talk about his granddaughter with a smile, Nick Fury also laughed. "In our line of work, having a happy family and being able to see your granddaughter is truly not easy."
"Yeah, Nick, it is nice," Alexander Pierce said, raising his hand to pat Nick Fury's shoulder. "You should find a wife now while you're still in good health. Maybe you'll have the chance to see your grandchildren in the future."
Feeling the hand on his shoulder, Nick Fury calmly moved forward a step, closer to the one-way mirror of the interrogation room. Watching Senator Stern answer whatever was asked, Nick Fury shook his head. "I'm not bothered by it. Being the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. is enough to keep me busy. Marriage isn't for me."
Hearing Nick Fury's decisive tone, Alexander Pierce just smiled and didn't press further. He knew Nick Fury had been married once, but it ended in failure.
Inside the Interrogation Room:
"Where did the money go? Heh, I'm going to spend the rest of my life in prison anyway, so what does it matter if I tell you? How much worse can it get?"
"A small part of the funds Obadiah Stane gave me over the years was for my own use."
"The larger part was handed over to our Elder to build our HYDRA base in Sokovia!"
"Haha, you fools! Don't actually believe you wiped out HYDRA seventy years ago!"
In the interrogation room, as he was questioned about the destination of the funds over the years, Senator Stern's chubby body trembled with laughter, and his expression gradually turned fanatical.
"Hail Hydra!"
"Hail HYDRA!"
Seeing Senator Stern's crazed smile, both Natasha Romanoff and Maria Hill, who were conducting the interrogation, had serious expressions. When their eyes met, they could see the shock in each other's gaze.
However, one was thinking: In just those few short minutes in the transport vehicle, how did Su manage to make Stern, who was part of the plan, name the Sokovia HYDRA base exactly as Su intended?
The other was utterly shocked: HYDRA! Damn it! The HYDRA organization still exists in this world! And it has even infiltrated Congress! If Tony Stark hadn't persistently investigated, wouldn't this guy, who just admitted to being HYDRA, have gotten away with it?
More importantly, by admitting he was HYDRA and mentioning the "Elder" and the "Sokovia base," Stern proved he was definitely not a lone operator. He was just the tip of a massive HYDRA iceberg hidden in the shadows!
Thinking this, the two women acted in perfect sync. Maria Hill got up and left to find Nick Fury, while Natasha Romanoff continued the interrogation, pressing for the list of HYDRA members!
Outside the Interrogation Room:
The shock wasn't confined to the interrogation room. Nick Fury had already guessed that HYDRA had infiltrated even S.H.I.E.L.D. itself. So, the idea that high-level figures in various sectors, including Congress, were infiltrated wasn't surprising to him.
He even managed a sidelong glance at Alexander Pierce's expression. Clearly, the look of shock and gravity on Pierce's face at that moment wasn't feigned. Even his pinky finger trembled uncontrollably. He was genuinely startled by the news.
Observing Alexander Pierce's expression, Nick Fury tried to discern: Was Pierce shocked because this was the first time he was hearing that HYDRA still existed and had infiltrated Congress? Or was he furious that Stern in the interrogation room dared to admit it and reveal the HYDRA organization?
"Nick, what are your thoughts on this?" Alexander Pierce asked, forcibly steadying his trembling little finger, his expression extremely serious.
"It's not clear yet!" Nick Fury took a deep breath in response to Pierce's question. "Over the years, I've sporadically eliminated some organizations claiming to be HYDRA. But this is the first time I've confirmed that even Congress has been infiltrated by HYDRA! If even Congress is infiltrated, what about other sectors all these years? Including our S.H.I.E.L.D.? It seems HYDRA must be planning a terrifying conspiracy."
Hearing this, Alexander Pierce forced himself to calm down, then said to Nick Fury with "anger," "Investigate! You must investigate thoroughly! Nick, we all know HYDRA's goals. We cannot let a single damn HYDRA agent get away!"
"I think so too," Nick Fury replied, his expression equally serious as he looked at Pierce, whose eyes were growing fiercer. "We cannot let a single HYDRA agent escape!"
"Nick, this matter must be reported to the World Security Council. Otherwise, that group will be furious with S.H.I.E.L.D. I need to make some preparations first. Damn it, I never expected HYDRA to still have such power."
As he spoke, Alexander Pierce turned and left. Watching his retreating figure, Nick Fury's gaze gradually turned icy cold.
He's panicked!
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(TL : More Chapters @)[1]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/c/Gooberilla