"My god~~ So the person Captain America rescued earlier was actually an undercover agent? Why didn't you tell Captain Rogers immediately?"
Felicia looked utterly shocked. Steve thought he had rescued his best friend, but it turned out to be a planted spy who had fooled everyone. It was just… way too explosive.
"We can't contact him right now~~ Even if we wanted to tell him, we'd need the chance first~~"
Skye spread her hands helplessly. She had already checked every surveillance camera feed she could access, but there wasn't a single trace of Steve. He had clearly been deliberately avoiding monitored areas.
"Then hurry and tell Stark~~ Surely they can track Captain America down somehow!"
Right then, Felicia's phone rang. It was Peter.
"Feli, I might be heading out for a few days, just letting you know~~"
The moment the call connected, Peter's voice came through impatiently.
"Did something happen?"
Felicia immediately grew serious. Her first thought was that something had happened to Aunt May. After all, Peter's body healed absurdly fast—even injuries usually disappeared within a day.
"Nothing major. Mr. Stark just asked me to help with something~~"
Peter deliberately avoided mentioning that he'd be helping capture Steve, because he knew Felicia would insist on tagging along.
"Is it about Captain America?"
Felicia immediately guessed.
"How did you know?"
Peter blinked in confusion. He hadn't even explained yet.
"Is Mr. Stark beside you right now?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Then hurry and tell him this—the Barnes guy from the news is fake. He's an undercover spy specifically targeting Captain America."
Felicia fired the words out like a machine gun.
"What are you talking about, Feli~~"
Peter looked completely lost.
"Just tell him exactly that!"
Felicia urged anxiously without explaining further.
"Uh… alright. Are you still at Karl's office?"
Peter still didn't understand, but agreed anyway.
"Yeah. Skye just told me. She said the real Barnes died ages ago."
"I got it. Be careful, alright? I'm heading out now. I'll tell Mr. Stark."
Peter reminded her before hanging up.
"Mr. Stark, there's something you need to hear…"
After putting away his phone, Peter relayed Felicia's words to Tony.
"She really said that?"
Tony's expression changed instantly.
So his suspicions had been right all along.
This entire thing really was a conspiracy.
"We're heading back to the base immediately."
---
At the rooftop of the New Avengers Facility, Natasha stood there alone.
The rooftop was empty except for a few air-conditioning units and ventilation ducts.
"You can come out now. I'm alone."
Natasha spoke calmly into the air.
"I disappear for a few days and the whole world falls apart? I skipped out on my kids for this. I was supposed to take them swimming today."
Clint Barton slowly emerged from the shadows, bow in hand and a quiver strapped to his back.
Even Natasha hadn't noticed where he'd been hiding.
"Looks like the world really can't function without you~~"
Natasha teased lightly. Barton was the helper she had called in.
"How bad is it?"
Clint asked.
"Pretty bad. The Avengers have already split because of the Accords."
As she spoke, Natasha took out an earpiece and attached it behind Clint's ear.
"Barton, this is Nick Fury. Listen carefully…"
Fury's voice came through the communicator.
No one knew exactly what the two discussed, but Clint's expression abruptly changed.
"That's real?"
After the transmission ended, Barton looked at Natasha in disbelief.
"Yeah. The Director is currently hidden inside the base and using their network to investigate the whole thing."
"Alright. Then I know what I need to do."
Clint nodded.
---
In the underground parking garage of the base, a convoy of black sedans slowly pulled in.
A bald woman stepped out from one of the cars—it was Okoye, captain of Wakanda's Royal Guard.
A group of agents immediately approached.
"Where is His Majesty?"
Okoye asked directly, with zero intention of exchanging pleasantries.
"He'll be here shortly."
As the agent spoke, the garage doors slowly opened.
T'Challa and Erik walked out surrounded by several agents.
"Okoye."
T'Challa nodded, and Okoye immediately opened the car door.
"Your Majesty, please get in first."
She already understood from his look that he had something important to discuss privately.
"Thank you for your protection. You may return now."
T'Challa turned and dismissed the agents before lowering his head and entering the vehicle. Erik followed behind him.
Once Okoye sat in the passenger seat, T'Challa immediately spoke.
"What did you find?"
Okoye tapped several times on a device in front of her, and a holographic projection instantly appeared.
"Your Majesty, we only have a rough location. Unfortunately, the search range is still very large."
A map appeared in the projection.
"Natasha, what about your side?"
T'Challa touched the earpiece and asked.
"Not yet. But I know someone who does."
Natasha's voice came through from the elevator as she descended from the rooftop.
---
Beneath an unnamed overpass, Sharon parked her car beside another vehicle already waiting there.
"Captain, I think you've misunderstood the meaning of 'laying low.'"
Sharon looked toward the other car.
For people supposedly hiding, it was a bit too eye-catching—a classic old Volkswagen Beetle.
Three grown men squeezed into a tiny Beetle definitely attracted attention.
"It's more discreet this way."
Even Steve turned to glance at the little Beetle.
"Hopefully your 'discreet' car can fit these."
As she spoke, Sharon opened the trunk.
Inside lay Steve's vibranium shield and Sam's Falcon gear.
"Thanks, Sharon. I owe you one."
Steve said sincerely.
Sharon leaned in and kissed him softly.
"I should go."
"Be careful."
Sharon drove away shortly afterward, and Steve's group also departed.
Later, Steve drove to another parking lot.
The place looked abandoned. Aside from their "discreet" Beetle, only a white van sat nearby.
No other vehicles were present.
The three men got out, and at the same time, someone stepped out of the van as well.
It was Hawkeye.
"Cap."
Clint walked forward.
"You know… I only asked Natasha to contact you because I was out of options."
Steve looked apologetic.
That's right—it was Steve who had asked Natasha to reach out to Clint.
"I already know. Don't worry about it."
Clint nodded, then looked past Steve toward Bucky standing behind him.
"So this is Barnes?"
Clint's tone sounded casual, but suspicion flashed briefly through his eyes.
He hadn't come here solely to help Steve.
He had another mission too.
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