Tony Stark said bluntly, utterly exasperated,
"If you want to get yourself killed, go ahead. Don't drag me down with you."
"I agree with that assessment, Director,"
Natasha said calmly. No one knew when she had appeared at the doorway, but her gaze toward Lucas was filled with unmistakable caution.
"Sir, don't look at me," Hawkeye added with a helpless shrug.
"Even if we all went at him together, we'd still lose."
In an instant, three of the Avengers' main combatants openly refused to act, leaving Nick Fury so frustrated he felt like coughing up blood.
He even had the absurd thought that if Lucas raised his arm and called for support, these three might defect on the spot.
At that moment, a deep, magnetic male voice spoke up.
"So… are you really that strong?"
A blond, broad-shouldered man stepped into the room and looked directly at Lucas.
"They all seem afraid of you."
"Steve Rogers. Captain America. A hero of World War II," Lucas said calmly.
"The man who sacrificed himself to save the world—
or rather, to save America—by crashing a fighter jet loaded with a space-energy bomb into the ocean."
"But what's truly unfortunate is this: after you were frozen in ice, you weren't the first thing they looked for."
"They searched for the Tesseract first."
"They poured enormous resources into salvaging it—yet never bothered to recover your 'body' along the way."
Steve Rogers frowned deeply. Nick Fury's eyelids twitched violently.
"They defied your wishes and brought back an object that has inflicted endless suffering and nightmares upon humanity."
"They gathered scientists, studied it obsessively, and tried—just like the Red Skull—to turn it into weapons and technology."
Steve couldn't help interrupting,
"I know. But perhaps they did it to create a better future for mankind."
Lucas laughed openly.
"You actually believe that?"
"When a nation gains overwhelming power, what do the ordinary people in control do with it?"
"War. Suppression. Sanctions. Haven't we already seen all of that?"
"Captain, don't you think your words sound painfully hollow when faced with reality?"
Steve fell silent.
Lucas pressed on.
"And HYDRA—the organization you once fought against, even sacrificed yourself to defeat—it now infests S.H.I.E.L.D."
"They've used the Tesseract's technology to grow unchecked, quietly hollowing out the organization from within."
Nick Fury finally couldn't sit still anymore.
"No," he snapped, standing up.
"They haven't taken over. At least not while I'm still here!"
"Silence."
Lucas let out a low command.
A terrifying surge of Ki erupted from him, slamming Nick Fury into the ground.
The reinforced bulletproof glass of the office shattered instantly, allowing Tony to step inside.
Tony's expression had grown grim. His father, Howard Stark, had devoted his life to fighting HYDRA.
And now Lucas was saying that HYDRA had already embedded itself within S.H.I.E.L.D.—
the very organization Howard had helped build?
"That's ridiculous," Tony muttered darkly.
"Would you like to take a look at what's being developed beneath this headquarters?" Lucas asked calmly.
Everyone's gaze turned to Nick Fury.
Even with his hardened composure, Fury visibly wavered.
"They're developing… some kind of equipment underground," Hawkeye said slowly. As the highest-ranked field agent present, he had vague knowledge of it.
"The Helicarriers," Fury said stiffly.
"I was planning to show them to you anyway."
Lucas snorted.
"Still trying to lie at a time like this? Do you really think Rogers is that stupid?"
"In simple terms, you put everyone S.H.I.E.L.D. considers a threat into a database—then let an algorithm decide their fate."
"And once a potential threat is identified, the Helicarriers gain absolute air superiority and eliminate the target before anything happens."
"That's S.H.I.E.L.D.'s so-called Insight Program, isn't it, Director Fury?"
He turned to Tony.
"Oh, and by the way—the anti-gravity engines powering those Helicarriers were designed by your father."
Tony's expression darkened further.
Fury clenched his teeth.
"It was meant to prevent disasters. To stop evil before it's born."
"Yes," Lucas replied calmly.
"But your masterpiece has already been completely hijacked by HYDRA."
"Those three Helicarriers are now weapons capable of wiping out every single person S.H.I.E.L.D. considers a threat."
"That," Lucas said coldly,
"is the real Insight Program—and your greatest failure."
Nick Fury stared at him in shock.
"That's impossible. Pierce and I were jointly responsible for the program. Unless one of us is HY—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
The realization hit him.
Natasha and Hawkeye both went pale.
They knew exactly who Alexander Pierce was.
Former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Current head of the World Security Council.
If he was HYDRA…
They didn't even dare finish the thought.
Lucas pulled out his phone and initiated a video call.
"Lucas, what's going on?"
President Ellis appeared on the screen almost instantly.
"From this moment on," Lucas said evenly,
"I will temporarily take command of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s American headquarters."
Ellis's face changed.
"What happened?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D. has been infiltrated by HYDRA far too deeply," Lucas replied.
"To prevent further damage, I will personally eliminate their key figures."
"According to my intelligence, one of them is a senator."
Ellis inhaled sharply.
He knew exactly what HYDRA represented.
And the idea that it had penetrated the American government chilled him.
"I understand," Ellis said firmly.
"What do you need me to do?"
"I'll send you a list shortly," Lucas continued.
"I need you to mobilize all your intelligence agencies to confirm their locations."
"After I move, you will control public opinion—domestic and international—and minimize fallout."
"Notify the FBI, CIA, and NSA. Their directors are to contact me immediately."
"They will follow my orders without exception."
Ellis didn't hesitate.
"Understood. I'll handle it."
He paused, then added,
"May I make a suggestion?"
"Go ahead," Lucas replied.
"For HYDRA agents embedded within the government—if possible, don't kill them."
"If we interrogate them, we may uncover even more HYDRA operatives."
Lucas nodded.
"Agreed."
Ellis's intentions were obvious—turning this into political capital—but Lucas didn't care.
At that moment, Hawkeye stepped forward.
"Even so," he said seriously,
"do you have any idea how many people S.H.I.E.L.D. has worldwide?"
"How can we possibly distinguish HYDRA agents from legitimate personnel?"
"And what if we get it wrong?"
_____
T/N:
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