After the banquet ended, the sea breeze carried a faint salty scent across the terrace of the Long Island mansion.
Tony Stark stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, lightly tapping his champagne glass with a finger.
"JARVIS, prepare the highest-level access protocol for the S.H.I.E.L.D. database."
He tilted his head back and drained the last of the champagne.
"And tell Pepper I'll be wearing the dark blue suit tomorrow."
"Noted, sir," the AI butler replied through his watch.
"Miss Potts also wishes to remind you that the Stark family has already begun pressuring members of Congress."
Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton walked side by side toward the landing pad, the collars of their S.H.I.E.L.D. uniforms fluttering gently in the night breeze.
"I'll bet you a hundred dollars Pierce doesn't live through the night."
Without even looking up, Clint adjusted the string tension on his compound bow.
A smile curled across Natasha's red lips.
"I'll raise you to two hundred."
"He'll die of a sudden heart attack."
As the engines of the Quinjet roared to life, the two disappeared into the deepening night.
Midnight
Alexander Pierce's mansion was brightly lit.
The former chairman of the World Security Council paced anxiously around his study.
Encrypted communicators continuously sounded alarms from Hydra facilities under attack across the globe.
Just as his third attempt to make a call failed...
The antique grandfather clock struck midnight.
"Looking for this?"
Pierce spun around.
Adam Bernard stepped out of the shadows.
A mass of deep-blue antimatter energy gathered in his palm before taking the familiar shape of Pierce's communicator.
"You people have no idea what you're fighting."
Pierce slammed the emergency alarm hidden beneath his desk.
Nothing happened.
The entire mansion's power had already been disabled.
"Hydra is not—"
"Cut off one head..."
Adam crushed the communicator in his hand.
Blue light illuminated his cold expression.
"...and two more shall take its place?"
He smiled faintly.
"Let's find out."
Meanwhile...
S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Triskelion Headquarters was experiencing an unprecedented data storm.
Tony Stark's holographic projection stood in the center of the main control room.
Countless streams of code cascaded like golden waterfalls across every terminal.
"Found you, little snakes."
Hundreds of red dots blinked across the holographic map, marking Hydra operatives hidden throughout the building.
"JARVIS."
"Send Natasha the coordinates."
When the morning sun broke through the clouds...
A stretcher inside S.H.I.E.L.D.'s medical bay was covered by a white sheet bearing Alexander Pierce's name.
News channels around the world continuously broadcast the headline:
Former World Security Council Chairman Dies Suddenly of a Heart Attack
At the same time...
The World Security Council unanimously approved Tony Stark's appointment as the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Sir, we've received reports from the European Division."
Agent Maria Hill hurried into the new director's office.
Her tactical tablet displayed live footage of Adam destroying the ninth Hydra base.
"Agent Coulson is requesting additional Quinjets."
Tony leaned back comfortably in what had once been Nick Fury's chair, casually spinning the S.H.I.E.L.D. emblem between his fingers.
"Give him five."
"And replace this chair with something ergonomic."
"The Director's backside is valuable too."
Natasha's voice came through the communicator.
"We've located a Skrull nest on Level Seventeen."
"We need a biological containment team."
"Approved."
Tony snapped his fingers.
The holographic display immediately switched to a structural map of S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.
"Hill."
"Take your lovely little squad and inventory the 0-8-4 objects in the underground vault."
"I'd bet we'll find at least half a dozen jars of alien pickles."
Elsewhere...
At Culver University.
Bruce Banner gently placed a bouquet of white roses on Betty Ross's desk.
The professor stared at the man who had vanished years ago in complete disbelief.
A test tube slipped from her fingers.
"This time..."
"I'm not running anymore."
Banner spoke softly.
Behind him, the gamma radiation monitor emitted a steady, rhythmic beep.
Night fell once again.
Yet S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters remained as brightly illuminated as daylight.
Tony stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking New York's skyline.
The newly forged Director's badge on his chest reflected a cold metallic gleam.
A holographic screen displayed the day's results.
Hydra agents eliminated worldwide: 2,174
Skrull infiltrators exposed: 586
Alien technology recovered: 43 items
"Sir."
JARVIS suddenly spoke.
"Mr. Xiao has sent a message."
"He says you've done well... but warns you to be cautious of Hydra's retaliation."
Tony raised his coffee cup toward empty space.
"Tell that sunshine-loving overbearing CEO..."
"Director Stark isn't afraid of Hydra."
"Unless they're planning to build me a limited-edition coffee machine."
The smile reflected in the window slowly faded.
Outside...
A transport aircraft bearing the Stark Industries logo flew across the face of the moon.
Its cargo hold was filled with recovered 0-8-4 artifacts seized from Hydra bases.
Somewhere in Europe A Hidden Hydra Base
Inside a dimly lit conference room, Hydra's highest-ranking leaders sat around a long table.
A holographic projection floated above it, displaying footage of Hydra facilities across the world being raided by S.H.I.E.L.D.
One after another...
Bright red labels reading ELIMINATED appeared across the map.
Daniel Whitehall adjusted his glasses.
His voice was low.
"Alexander's death wasn't an accident."
"It was an execution."
One Hydra leader snorted.
"Tony Stark has only just become Director."
"Where did he find the nerve to strike so openly?"
Madame Hydra—
Viper, Ophelia Sarkissian(known here as Vivian de Frost)—
lightly tapped the tabletop.
Her crimson fingernails glowed under the dim lighting.
"Because he isn't just Tony Stark anymore."
"Standing behind him..."
"...is Superman."
Silence filled the room.
"Superman..."
The name alone caused everyone's expressions to change.
Gideon Malick finally broke the silence.
"We underestimated him."
"He not only uncovered the Skrull infiltration..."
"He also struck directly at S.H.I.E.L.D."
"And..."
His eyes darkened.
"He may already know Hydra exists."
"Impossible!"
One leader slammed his fist onto the table.
"Hydra's secrecy far surpasses S.H.I.E.L.D.'s."
"He can't possibly know everything."
"But Pierce is dead."
Whitehall's voice remained icy.
"That means he knew Pierce belonged to Hydra."
Madame Hydra narrowed her eyes.
"So..."
"What do we do now?"
"We lie low."
Malick answered immediately.
"Suspend every operation."
"Wait for the right opportunity."
"Wait?"
"So Superman can hunt us down one by one?"
Malick looked back at him.
"And what's your alternative?"
"Start an all-out war?"
"Why not?"
"It's not as if we don't have trump cards."
"You mean..."
Whitehall frowned.
"The Winter Soldier."
Madame Hydra slowly uttered the name.
The room instantly fell silent.
The Winter Soldier...
Hydra's deadliest weapon.
A brainwashed, cybernetically enhanced super-soldier.
Over the past several decades, he had completed countless impossible assassinations.
"Assassinate Tony Stark?"
Malick slowly shook his head.
"Too risky."
"Stark Industries' influence is enormous."
"If Tony dies, the entire world will be shaken."
"It could even provoke Superman directly."
"But it's also the most effective solution."
Madame Hydra spoke softly.
"Once Tony Stark dies..."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. will immediately descend into chaos."
"And Superman will lose his spokesperson within human society."
She smiled faintly.
"Besides..."
"Once the Winter Soldier moves..."
"No one can stop him."
"And if he fails?"
Malick asked gravely.
"If he fails..."
Madame Hydra's eyes turned icy.
"Then Superman will finally understand..."
"Hydra isn't made up of cannon fodder like the Skrulls."
Whitehall pondered for a long moment before nodding.
"I agree."
Malick still looked hesitant.
"This could trigger a full-scale war."
Madame Hydra rose to her feet.
Her voice was as cold as ice.
"The war already began long ago."
"It's simply our turn to strike back."
She swept her gaze across everyone present before making the final decision.
"Deploy the Winter Soldier."
"Target..."
"Tony Stark."
New York S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
Tony Stark lounged comfortably in the Director's office with one leg crossed over the other.
The holographic display before him tracked the global progress of Hydra's eradication.
"JARVIS."
"How are things going in Europe?"
"Mr. Adam has already cleared the Hydra cells in Berlin and Paris."
"He is currently en route to Moscow."
Tony nodded.
He turned toward Natasha and Clint.
"What about headquarters?"
Natasha swiped across her tablet and brought up a report.
"We've already arrested thirty-seven undercover Hydra agents."
"Twelve are still at large."
"Not bad."
Tony took another sip of coffee.
"But somehow..."
"I don't think Hydra will surrender this easily."
Clint leaned against the desk, idly twirling an arrow between his fingers.
"They'll definitely strike back."
"The only questions are..."
"When?"
"And how?"
-------------------
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