The greatest adversaries of Eternal City's intelligence and internal affairs departments were the transnational financial consortiums and the shadowy societies and aristocratic families that operated behind the scenes—such as the Moloch-worshipping cult Hillary Clinton had joined, the Wallenberg family, the Rockefeller family, and their affiliated Clinton family private military forces. From the outset, Solomon had drawn up a strategy: rather than wasting time attacking the puppet figures presented to the public, Eternal City—equipped with deep-strike capabilities and aerospace technology—would launch direct assassinations against the true puppet masters. No matter where they hid on this planet, they couldn't escape Eternal City's armed reconnaissance satellites, with drop pods loaded with genetically enhanced assassins on standby at all times. These people had hijacked the military-industrial complex and thought themselves untouchable—never suspecting they'd face strikes from a far higher level.
These financial cabals formed alliances through cross-shareholding, fomented partisan warfare between donkeys and elephants to keep society divided, dumbed down the lower classes through monopolies on knowledge and religion so the truth would always remain hidden, amplified conspiracy theories to bury their existence in urban legends, manipulated public opinion through funded internet media, orchestrated assassinations of dissenters (like the Black Panther Party), and launched foreign wars and genocides to seize resources, later beautifying their atrocities through media campaigns. They hijacked populist causes—human rights, animal protection, women's rights, racial justice—to destabilize and topple regimes that opposed them.
Had they not done so, the masses—robbed blind of wealth—would've already strung them up from lampposts.
Hydra was but one branch of these hidden organizations. Their exposure came only because Alexander Pierce had been brainwashed by Hydra's radical ideology. He believed they held absolute technological superiority and brazenly revealed themselves in broad daylight. Failure for such a faction was only a matter of time. The other oligarchs, many guilty of worse atrocities, merely pointed at Hydra and laughed—meanwhile instructing state agencies to hunt them down and using media and self-created international accolades to launder their own image.
This ideology clashed fundamentally with Solomon's. In his vision, all of Earth's people—regardless of race, gender, or age—must be united. There could be no compromise with these organizations. Stephanie had no idea that Solomon's ideas had come from a red-covered book—ideas so far ahead of their time that few could understand them. Even the Sisterhood, who admired him most, had lost the chance to truly comprehend him due to their excessive worship.
But killing a few people wouldn't bend these powers to Eternal City's will. Only by devouring their assets and converting their wealth into Eternal City's military strength could the tide be turned. Stephanie, ambitious and relentless, carried out this plan by having Eternal City's companies supplant theirs—using hostile takeovers and threats through unconventional commercial methods. Gideon Malick supported this offensive using Eternal City's financial muscle to rally senators and lobbying groups, swaying legislative votes at key moments while media arms controlled by Stephanie secured Eternal City's public leverage.
The oligarchs knew exactly who their true enemy was and had tried retaliating via global markets.
But Eternal City's strategy bled them slowly, preventing any panicked retaliation. After the Langley attack, Eternal City sent copies of the seized intelligence files to each of the oligarchs as a warning. The bourgeoisie's weakness and willingness to compromise became ever more evident under repeated pressure. They attempted to label Eternal City a terrorist organization, but every operation Eternal City conducted was carried out under different aliases and personnel with no traceable links. The only consistent clue: Hydra. Thus, all blame was once again deflected onto them.
"See? You may be the King of Spies, but you were merely one of the many weapons those oligarchs wielded."
"A weapon out of their control."
"A weapon easily shattered by countless other blades—Hydra alone was more than you could resist, Nick Fury." Victoria Hand stared into the camera of the holo-conference projector, speaking directly to her former boss. "Don't forget, you're still recognized as a leader of the terrorist group Hydra. To preserve its reputation, the U.S. government has painted Alexander Pierce as a hero who rebelled against Hydra."
"Is that supposed to hurt my feelings?" the spymaster sneered. "None of this is news to me. I've known it all along."
"You not only failed to change the status quo—you participated in it. From a certain perspective, you were a Nazi leader, even if unknowingly. Thanks to you, the number of innocents who've died may surpass the casualties of World War II. So stop justifying it with talk of 'necessary bloodshed.' Even a red-hot blade cauterizing a wound is better than bleeding to death," Victoria Hand said calmly. "The Monarch's reckoning with war criminals began long ago. The only reason you're still alive is because you're human. Tony Stark survived thanks to his talents. Among the Avengers, only Steve Rogers has truly been granted the Monarch's forgiveness."
"Now you're threatening me with death?"
"There's no need. The Monarch merely wants you to understand what you must understand, and to see his real ideology," Hand replied. "Everything we needed to know came from the captured Skrulls. We forced them into full confession. And what we discovered was your ignorance and your foolishness. You lacked the resolve to change anything. You didn't even know who your real enemies were."
"How are your methods any different from mine?" Nick Fury turned to glance at the two soldiers from the Fimbulvetr First Secret Corps standing by the cell door. "I've seen through Solomon's true nature. He and I—we're the same kind of person. He's just crueler. More ruthless."
"There is a difference. We fight for the benefit of all humankind. You fought for the benefit of a few hidden oligarchs. The children you saw today are all survivors rescued by the Monarch from atrocities you allowed. That alone puts him leagues ahead of you—and Stark's foundation," Victoria Hand said with a bitter smile, brushing aside the streak of red in her hair. "Just because you never profited from it doesn't mean you had the right to be ignorant. Just because you were unaware doesn't mean you can be forgiven. You must confess, Nick Fury—for the crimes you committed against the human race. But don't worry. Your punishment will be far lighter than that of true war criminals."
"I've seen war. I've been a prisoner before."
"I believe you're not afraid of physical torture. But we have specialists—interrogators who know how to break the mind," Hand said.
The two soldiers at the door opened the alloy cell gate, and a man entered—short-haired, clad in body armor emblazoned with a greasy white skull.
For the first time, Nick Fury's expression shifted to one of shock. No matter how he calculated it, he never imagined this man would appear here.
"He's already confessed," Agent Hand said. "Now it's your turn."
______
(≧◡≦) ♡ Support me and read 20 chapters ahead – patreon.com/Mutter
For every 50 Power Stones, one extra chapter will be released on Saturday.