In the dark room, only a desk lamp was lit...
Nick Fury struggled to open his eyes as his groggy consciousness gradually cleared. He instinctively tried to move his body, only to find his hands and feet firmly restrained to the chair, completely immobilized.
"If you're hoping to extract any secrets from me, you're bound to be disappointed." The director's voice was hoarse, his throat burning with a fiery pain.
An unprecedented sense of weakness washed over his entire body, likely due to excessive blood loss from his injuries, which left him slumped weakly in the seat.
Squinting, he looked ahead...
Opposite him stood a metal desk, its surface gleaming coldly under the lamp's glow. A black-clad figure stood motionless beside it, silent as a statue.
This was the cold-blooded assassin known as the Winter Soldier. S.H.I.E.L.D. had files on him. He was allegedly responsible for over twenty assassination missions in the past fifty years... all of which were successful. He had once worked secretly for the former Soviet Union, but after the collapse of the Red Empire, he became a ghost that no longer existed.
"Director Fury, we're not interested in any of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secrets." A soft female voice drifted through the air, surprising Nick Fury slightly.
The surroundings were too dim for him to notice that a woman was actually sitting on the other side of the table.
"So this is how you invite me for coffee?" The director chuckled mockingly.
As a seasoned agent, his psychological defenses and anti-interrogation skills were top-tier. In other words, getting him to talk would be nearly impossible.
Even brainwashing would have minimal effect. Ever since the Secret Invasion crisis last century, Nick Fury had trained his brain to develop a self-defense mechanism... essentially, a built-in lock.
If any external force attempted to invade, his brain would first shut down its logical center, briefly clearing his consciousness and putting his thoughts into a dormant state. This was a defense mechanism he had developed through repeated training, ensuring no one could extract secrets from his mind.
"To be precise, I brought you here to... cooperate in a performance." The woman's voice remained calm.
"Whatever you kidnapped me for, it won't succeed." Nick Fury replied in a cold tone.
The man did not fear death. As a battle-hardened veteran and an experienced commander, he had faced countless crises. Neither physical torture nor threats of death could break him.
Fury had been steeped in patriotic fervor since childhood. His convictions were unshakable. His thinking was nearly ruthless, and he would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. This was precisely why the World Security Council had chosen him to lead S.H.I.E.L.D.
History proved this decision correct...
What was once just a federal intelligence agency grew into a powerhouse under the one-eyed man's leadership... And eventually became the World Security Council's representative, wielding immense power and influence, enough to rival the White House and military forces.
"Perhaps you think the Avengers will come to save you." The woman's voice was light, almost mocking, "But they're looking in the wrong direction."
The taunting tone sent a jolt through Nick Fury. His instincts as a veteran agent told him the situation might not be as optimistic as he had thought.
"Who exactly are you?" The director fixed his single eye on her.
"Who do you think I am, Director Fury?" The woman sounded amused.
This was like a cat playing with a mouse, slowly savoring the despair of its prey. There was a peculiar pleasure in it.
"I know who he is..." Nick Fury glanced at the empty-eyed, expressionless Winter Soldier, "He's a former Soviet assassin. Howard Stark's fatal car accident was his handiwork."
"...You've been hiding in the shadows for so long... finally brave enough to step into the light? I sensed long ago that there was another force within S.H.I.E.L.D., like an invisible undercurrent lurking among us. That's why I implemented compartmentalization, and created Project Insight. All so I could root you out!"
"...Hydra!" The director spat the name through gritted teeth.
"You were active during World War II, led by Johann Schmidt... the first subject of the Super Soldier Serum, even before Captain America. He served under Hitler as a leader of the Nazi Party. After the war was lost, you were forced underground. That must have been when you infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D." Nick Fury regained his composure.
He needed to make it seem like he had enough information to deter his captors. Who would have thought that an enemy from seventy years ago had been hiding right under his nose, nearly taking over the entire organization?
"An impressive deduction." The voice carried a hint of amusement, "Director Fury, if you wrote novels, I doubt you'd be any less skilled than Conan Doyle."
The woman behind the desk clapped her hands. Lights flickered on one by one, forcing Fury to blink as his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness.
"Raven Darkhölme!" he exclaimed in shock.
The woman had smooth golden hair and wore a sky-blue professional suit. Her delicate face held a trace of cold allure.
Nick Fury's expression was one of disbelief. This was Mystique, the shape-shifting mutant.
Though she could take any form, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s records showed this was one of her most frequently used appearances.
Had Magneto and the Brotherhood who had gone missing for so long joined forces with Hydra?
"Want to know who exactly brought you here?" Raven smirked, finally understanding why the young man had orchestrated this.
Watching an opponent's stunned expression was truly an enjoyable experience.
"Mutants... Hydra..." Conflicting thoughts swirled in Nick Fury's mind. A sliver of unease crept into his heart. "Who is he?"
"You were actually very close to the answer at one point." Raven's tone was cryptic.
Perhaps due to the trauma inflicted by Stryker, she had never held any goodwill toward government agencies. Seeing the S.H.I.E.L.D. director in this state even gave her a sense of satisfaction.
Nick Fury sat frozen, piecing together the connections... the Mutant Registration Act... the Vice President who pushed for it... Umbrella... that ghost who always seemed one step ahead...
New Mexico... the Hulk's rampage... Asgard... the Sentinel...
The overwhelmingly powerful golden figure slowly merged in his mind with the young and accomplished founder of Umbrella.
Footsteps sounded clearly behind him. A deep voice spoke as a tall figure stepped into view, his youthful face wearing a gentle smile.
"Always one step ahead... Director Fury, your instincts are always right." Sean pulled out a chair and sat leisurely across from him.
The S.H.I.E.L.D. director's eyes flashed with a cascade of emotions; shock, disbelief, realization, and then fury.
"Why?" Nick Fury raised his head, fists clenched, his face settling into calm.
He couldn't fathom why this man would make an enemy of S.H.I.E.L.D...
Revenge? Ambition? Or was Sean Cyphers, founder of Umbrella, also a Hydra agent?
"It's simple. If a rock blocks your path, some people go around it, some stop. What would I do? Crush it, of course."
The young man leaned back in his chair, just as relaxed as he had been in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s interrogation room, his smile as mild as ever.
"Now, let me tell you about the surprise gift I've prepared for you."