However, just after the King left, before anyone even came to handle the Gravityium on the table, the cabin of the laboratory suddenly blared with alarm.
Coulson immediately snapped back into focus and moved to the cabin wall to press the intercom: "This is Coulson, report the situation."
"Unknown enemy invasion, port-side channel 4 damaged, left engine energy path damaged, shields not working." The intercom relayed the duty personnel's report, speaking quickly but without much panic; they were trained special agents.
"Broadcast to the entire ship, enter emergency battle status, everyone arm yourselves." Coulson gave the command and released the intercom, as every cabin and corridor light switched from white to red: "Skye, Barbara, May, come with me to find the intruder, Fitz and Jemma, secure the Gravityium."
"Yes, sir." Jemma pulled out her handgun, glancing at the door, while Fitz immediately picked up the plastic bag, limping slightly as he prepared to lock the Gravityium in the prepared container.
Just then, the tightly closed cabin door began to deform slightly, the gap in the door widening under strong external pressure, followed by yellow dust pouring in like flexible tentacles, twisting the valve to open the door.
A figure with a yellow octopus head in black leather clothing walked in, hands clasped behind his back, instantly using psychic ability to immobilize everyone.
"No need to look for me, I'm here."
That hoarse voice echoed in everyone's mind, and the few in the room were stunned as if drenched with cold water; they instantly recognized who it was - Hive, a far too familiar enemy.
But they were familiar with the future Hive, the one cloaked in Ward's appearance. The one here had different skin color, but the twitching tentacles on his face and his beady eyes were unmistakable.
Even though Hive dies at Shield Squad's hands in the future, any incident in past history, like Daisy being killed by Hive, would negate future events.
Coulson's brain was racing, thinking of solutions - Hive can't be killed at this time, or history will change unpredictably, nor can they be killed by Hive – the best solution... negotiate.
Hive was examining their plane with interest, even looking up at the huge Flying Eagle insignia on the wall, turning to ask Coulson, who seemed obviously like a leader due to balding: "Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division? What's your relationship with the Strategic Science Corps?"
Simultaneously, Hive released some of the control on their bodies, giving Coulson the chance to speak, since humans need their mouths to vocalize.
"Branch agency; we are a branch of the SSR." Coulson knew Hive's capabilities, he intentionally recalled scattered memories deep in his mind, the scrambled information from the Tahiti Plan, ensuring his thoughts couldn't be captured by Hive.
Daisy, meanwhile, hid behind, trying to use shock waves to alter her brain's electrical signals; but converting kinetic energy into electrical energy, the relevant human structure is only nerve cells, stimulating mitochondria within cells, then transmitting electrical signals via nerve cells, thus escaping mind control.
But this must be careful, too light would be ineffective, too heavy might burn out her nerves making her a vegetable, she could only try slowly.
If anyone here could directly confront Hive, it was her.
Hive glanced at Coulson with interest, the things in this person's brain were indeed curious - knowledge from aliens? Also, he didn't seem to have been truthful, but that's typical of agents; Hive has killed at least hundreds of SSR Agents, encountering all types.
Thus his gaze shifted to Melinda, trying to peer into her secrets, and then he discovered something more intriguing - this woman had personally killed her foster parents, as well as her own brother, and many friends and acquaintances; exactly the talent Hydra required.
Shield Squad had undergone targeted training, most of them had mechanisms to counter Hive's mind reading; Melinda was recalling her tragic past and dark history, flooding her mind with sadness and anger.
"You're good, really good." Hive's chin tentacles twitched, and he leaned towards Melinda, sniffing her scent, indeed, dark fragrance.
But he still couldn't get the information he wanted - where was the 'ladder' to the cosmos?
So he looked again at others, realizing everyone here had ways to counter him, like they were very familiar with him.
That pair of young men and women only had each other in their minds, both exuding the odor of romance, but the young man's mind actually had a split personality – his other persona being Hydra Leader 'Leopold', desperately wanting to collaborate with Hive.
'Release me, I'll assist you, I know all secrets.'
The persona negotiated with Hive in the mind while holding a wine glass confidently.
Yet Hive didn't trust him; if taking precautions against an enemy was 100%, then precautions against another unknown Hydra Leader were doubled, for Hydra sometimes their own were more dangerous than enemies.
Does the unknown Hydra Leader exist? The answer is yes.
Even as one of the nine Supreme Committee members, Hive knew not how many leaders Hydra had globally.
After breaking from the Holy Shield Brotherhood, the number of Hydra agents hidden globally who have thrived since the past is unpredictable. Of course, imposters are plenty; now even African warlords can use Hydra's flag as long as there are guns and money.
The Supreme Committee doesn't mind others borrowing the name of Hydra. If these fakes attract the attention of all enemy organizations, wouldn't it be like getting a bunch of cannon fodder for free?
The more people waving the Hydra banner, the better. The world of special agents is all about the real and the fake; the more fakes there are, the safer the real ones become.
Where this Leopold popped up from doesn't matter. Suppressed by the main personality, the second personality as the Hydra Leader? Clearly a waste.
That's why Hive walked right past the two of them, not even giving Fitz's Gravityium a second look.
He had used this kind of thing before. If it couldn't beat Deathstroke, it wasn't useful; he wouldn't touch it again.
Passing by another blonde woman, she seemed like a decent Martial Artist. At this moment, she had completely emptied her mind and entered a meditation state; there was nothing in her head.
So Hive walked past her without interest once more.
He leaned in and started studying the youngest girl, who was glaring at him with immense hatred, as if Hive had killed her whole family, making him very intrigued.
Unfortunately, the girl's thoughts were all 0s and 1s; they were binary. Why do humans use this way of thinking?
He reached out to touch Daisy's face, then lifted her hair to sniff it, circling around her. He could sense there was a great difference in this girl.
Seemingly human, but the smell was different; undoubtedly biological, yet there was powerful Energy within her.
"What are you?" Hive sent out some insects, seemingly wanting them to drill into Daisy's ear for a closer look.
Coulson's head couldn't move; he strained his eyes towards the corners, shouting in German, "She's a janitor, just a child, come at me!"
Hive raised a hand, his Psychic Ability shutting Coulson's mouth. He didn't talk to the bald man; instead, he blew into Daisy's ear: "Will you tell me yourself, or should I lift your skull and check myself?"
Daisy gritted her teeth, speeding up the stimulation of her cells while stalling for time: "I am an Inhuman, doesn't Hydra know?"
Hive pulled back the insects, seemingly thoughtful: "Inhuman... I've heard, Whitehall is very interested in you all."
Whitehall was another Hydra leader, who dissected Daisy's mother and extracted immortality and self-healing abilities for himself.
In the past, Hive looked down on such human pursuits because he was an insect swarm himself; as long as one insect survived, he was undying. Self-healing was just a basic ability.
But now, Hive became a bit interested in Inhumans. Unlike Whitehall, his goal was the stars and the sea; he always believed there was a broader world beyond his Cosmos.
Yet, in larger waters, there would be bigger fish. Exploring unknown seas always required some help, and the Inhuman Race, with its diverse superpowers, entered his sights.
He liked Daisy, especially this look of hatred. Hydra was best at utilizing hatred.
Just as he was about to persuade Daisy to join him in exploring beyond the Cosmos, a black muscular man burst into the room wearing shorts; it was unclear what he had been doing before but he held a shotgun now.
"Monster! Over here!"
Saying this, he pulled the trigger. Luckily, he knew to switch to buckshot; otherwise, Daisy, standing close to Hive, might have been sprayed in the face.
However, Hive stood calmly with his hands behind his back, letting him empty all the bullets; he even looked down at the stuck number 12 Bullet Heads, as countless insects swarmed out, eating those bullets like carrots.
Then he shook his head, appearing disappointed in Mike's actions. Raising a hand, he immobilized the big black man and other special agents arriving at the door, saying with some regret, "Indeed, humans are still too weak; only Inhumans can be partners in building a New World with me."
Still, he generously forgave Mike's act of shooting at him, as he had already extracted the information he wanted from the black man's mind. The so-called ladder to the outside world was the huge stone placed against the wall in this cabin, inside a glass enclosure.
He walked towards those tall cabinets, peering at them through special glass.
There were three different huge stones here: one pure black, one white with three red stripes, and another gray with circular patterns.
Unfortunately, the black man also had some reaction speed; after losing the information, his thoughts became empty as well. But knowing it was one of these three was enough for Hive.