3rd POV:
Oh, fiiiiine.
Nexus let Fury suffer enough. He did not like the guy, but he had need of him. He had his own role to play in what is to come and Nexus could have him neither dead or in hiding, same with his agents.
Besides he needed him to continue S.H.I.E.L.D for now. It is in times of great strife, that the opportunists get down on their knees and begin mucking in the dirt, shaping the garden that will be sure to change once the strife has passed.
He COULD wipe out S.H.I.E.L.D at once along with HYDRA, but he wanted to have it as a tool and option to distract people with, once he plans on making a great political move or change.
He watched as the Winter Soldier was sneaking up on their safe house. The Winter Soldier was meticulous, careful of traps and the possibility of being seen. It meant nothing when Nexus pounced on him from the rooftops and threw him through a portal somewhere else.
To the Winter Soldiers credit he rolled from the throw into a roll and ended on his knees, immediately beginning to shoot him with the AK-47.
But this week Nexus has resolved himself to clean house fast. Mostly.
The bullets bounced off him as he approached and the Winter Soldier switched from his rifle to his combat knife. Nexus had to admire his persistence.
He grabbed him by the throat and choke slammed him on the ground. He kept him there, but did not choke him and got to work undoing the mind control. The Winter Soldier was not idle though and tried slamming the knife in his throat in a frenzy. When did not work,The Winter Soldier pulled out his pistol that was strapped to his tight and begin unloading the bullets in his throat as he could not chance his mask functioning as armor.
Soon enough his frenzied movements slowed down to a crawl and finally to a halt. Bucky starred at him in confusion. The eyes were truly a window to ones soul, even without his powers Nexus could tell that the person under him underwent some change.
He removed Buckys half mask and he starred at him in confusion.
''Who are you?,'' Bucky asked perplexed looking around him in confusion. He was not informed much about the world. Only of enemies and targets and this person was neither. Or at least THEY failed to inform him.
Instead of answering Nexus brought out a book, just to double check.
He began speaking in russian
''Longing. Rusted. Seventeen. Daybreak. Furnace. Nine. Benign. Homecoming. One. Freight Car,'' as Nexus talked Bucky widened his eyes. Those words were familiar to him. And while he does not remember why, he remembers the feeling of dread whenever he heard them. He began, again, punching and clawing with desperation, he picked up a rock with his metal arm and smashed it to bit against Nexus head. He continued to read normally.
Slowly Bucky stopped as he noticed a distinct lack of pain, that usually accompanied these words.
After the words, Nexus snapped the book close and the two starred at each other.
''Hm. I see these words no longer affect you. Welcome back, soldier,'' Nexus commented proud of himself. It was always good to double check and be throughout. He took a knife and Bucky tensed, but relaxed when he saw Nexus scratch of the Red Star from his metal arms. The sound was unpleasant.
That said, after his comment he wiped Buckys mind of his memories and knocked him unconscious. He will remember being saved by someone, people may even suspect it was a telepath, but they will not link it to him. He was a blur in Buckys mind. He would like to keep his telepathy a secret. If it weren't for that he would not have wiped his mind. A risk, sure, but he just could not stomach invading someone mind/privacy like that.
It was too personal and unless he ABSOLUTELY had too, then he would not do it. Now, leeches on the other hand were free game.
Aside from that he left Buckys mind alone. Nexus did not like what he had to do, as Bucky was, if not innocent, one of the good guys. Still needs must and all that.
As an apology to him and the fact that they both were war veterans he would drop him at Rogers feet. He was wondering why things were going so smooth on S.H.I.E.L.Ds side. and did not offer much interference against HYDRAs actions.
Color him surprised when he found out Rogers defected. Good for him. It took him a while to track them down. Now Howlett and Rogers would find one more member from the Howling Commandos.
Nexus teleported him to the meadow, the backyard, of Xaviers School.
Now, as for the other Winter Soldiers.
---
Nexus walked into the hall with the cryo chambers. He went to each individual chamber, read their minds and then killed them all except one. The newest addition to the Winters Soldiers.
Alexei Shostakov.
A man that grew a guilty conscience and became a little too attached to Yelena, Natasha and Melina during one of HYDRAs operation. He dared to criticize his superiors when they decided that the two girls would make for fine additions to the Black Widow operative. He already had a version of the super soldier serum, but HYDRA was not the kind to throw a useful tool away or suffer disobedience, criticism or betrayal.
Heh. Small world. He knew of Natasha, Yelena swore herself to him as one of the five and Melina was also his mothers name.
The man went... through a bit of a character development, during the time of his imprisonment, before he was transferred here.
Nexus paced in front of his cryo chamber. He could kill him. The cretin has done more then enough to warrant it.
But...
Nexus' mind flashed to Sarah, Bucky, Laura, the Widows as well as himself and the therapy session, he had with Stan.
Nexus stopped and crossed his arms, tapping his biceps with one of his fingers.
...
...
...
Unlike all the others here, he had a conscience or developed one. And unlike Zemo who still believed in the cause, though preferring his family over it, Shostakov no longer did. Not after what happened to him.
...
Well, it was never too late to try and turn ones own life around. This was not a second chance. He did not believe in such a thing. Second Chances implied one could start over. Nothing off the sort would be happening here, one does not just pretend one didn't commit the sins.
But life had a funny way of carrying out and throwing curve balls. One never gets what they quiet expect from it.
Like Nexus. He should have gone to hell and suffered, instead he was here.
If Shostakov was smart, then he would use this opportunity to turn his life around. Hmmm, better yet. Nexus did not want to chance him killing again and him not catching it, so he imbued some small energy into Shostakov to alert him of such things.
That said, while he pulled him out of the cryo chamber and undid the mind control while continuing to keep him unconscious, Nexus got the impression from his memories that he was a bit of a brute.
If he brought him to Yelena, the two would talk and seek out Natasha. And then they will talk some more and Shostakov might slip who saved them. Yelena he trusted to keep her mouth shut in any case and ignore Natasha for now, especially with Anastasia and Katerina under her care. But he could not risk Shostakov changing her mind too soon.
In that case, a different course of action was required. A plan that would distance him from saving Shostakov to the point not even Yelena would suspect his involvement.
Nexus put Shostakov over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and began walking out. He snapped his finger as he did so, the place catching on fire. He would still bombard this place and reduce it from the earth completely, but for now he settled for this.
He teleported to Bukarest, one of the languages Shostakov spoke was Romanian. For all his brutish nature he was still competent and knew not to attract unwanted attention. Also Leis were less worth then the Dollar or Euro so it would be a bit till he gets moving anywhere.
Nexus dropped him in one of the alleyways, gave him 5000 Leis (just enough to get him on his feet, but not make it possible to go into a blind search)and as well as official documents in a coffer.
Nexus moved away and waited for a few moments on a nearby rooftop while invisible.
The man woke up, confused, then jumped up ready to fight, before looking around in suspicion. Finally he noticed the objects on the ground and he went through them.
Nexus was right, with no goal in mind and no memories as one of the Winter Soldiers, his first thought was to find out what happened to Yelena and Natasha.
Nexus wished good luck to him before he teleported away.
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Bell and Gwen had agreed to meet after school after they got home. But Gwen was farther away from the training yard, so he had some time.
Bell tapped his finger on the table and swallowed before standing up and moving to the kitchen.
He picked up a cup and stood there for a while while looking at it for a while.
He unnecessarily turned around looking back and forth. There was no one, he knew that. It was mostly a habit that had him do that.
He turned back around and began slowly preparing a drink. Just the way his first mother used to.
Bell slowly brought the cup of tea to his lips, before hesitating and bringing it back down.
He dumped the contents down the sink, before ever consuming it.
---
''Here,'' Bell handed Gwen an small package during one of their training sessions.
''What is it?,'' Gwen took the package, but didn't open it yet.
''A gift. Don't be shy and open the thing,'' Bell instructed. She did just so and spied her web shooters as well as her costume in it.
''Bell! You shouldn't have,'' Gwen told him, fearing that she was imposing in some way.
''I know. I wanted to. Make sure to hide it well, so your father won't find it,'' Bell calmed her down. She moved a strand of her short hair behind her ears and bit her lip.
''But I barely helped you in any way. We haven't talked about your issues and it had to have cost you money to repair all this,'' Gwen was starting to feel guilty.
It actually cost him nothing, but he wasn't gonna tell her that for now.
''Have you forgotten that I have a music channel? And a successful one too. Money is no problem for me, not that it means anything to me anyway. And Gwen, I know what we have is ... complicated. But whatever our relationship will be I don't want it to be a transactional one. Take it and please stay safe out there,'' Bell argued to her. She sat down on a steel piece functioning as a bench and he sat near her.
''Very well,'' she said after some time,'' But I still want to talk about what troubles you. It can't be incompetence that makes you feel unworthy. You are pretty competent and confident. Is it something else?,'' Gwen asked eager to help him.
Bell suppressed a wince. She is no Stan, alright. She had all the subtlety of a charging bull. Even if her desire to help was endearing, his brain pulled away from the sheer confrontation she wanted to engage in and even his heart was not disagreeable with his brain for once.
Bell took her hand in his own and kissed her knuckles, the chaste kiss lingering for a moment before he moved away. A small pleasant shiver went down Gwens spine, but she moved past that, focusing on what Bell was about to tell her.
Bell would have preferred her to never find out. He would have preferred her to one day wake up with him having already solved his issues.
But this was reality.
''Gwen, no offense. You can't help me,'' she looked stricken, but Bell carried on,''But you are a wonderful person. And I want to do right by you for trying to put up with me. You can't help me, but you give me the motivation to be better and seek out help. In it's own way, that is more important then anything else.''
She grasped him by the shoulders and shook him a little reassuringly.
''I'm not 'putting up with you','' she swallowed thickly, blinking away her tears before they could spill,'' But... This help... This person, whom you seek help from. Do you trust him to help you, to resolve your issues?''
''I do,'' came the immediate reply,'' No one else can help me as he does. He possesses insight unmatched by any others. He will help me.''
And it was the truth. He did not miraculously forgive himself, after one therapy session. But he never would have ever entertained the thought of even making the tea before today. Let alone attempting to drink it, even if he failed.
Gwen continued to hold him by his shoulders, for a while more, looking into his eyes to see if he was honest and reassure herself, that he really was seeking out help.
''Okay,'' she nodded after a while, disappointed that it was not her that was actually helping him. But not selfish enough to raise a fuss over this, so long as he was getting help and getting better.
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The Kraken and Madam Hydra, or Viper as she was sometimes called, met up in their underwater base. It was a spacious base, but not too big. Or else they would risk attention.
''So what is this thing you wished to show me?,'' Viper asked Kraken. As they made their way to the laboratories.
''Why, nothing else then the next step of our initiatives to ... assure people of our agents loyalty. I will not tell you too much. No, it is better if I show you,'' Kraken used his key card to open up the way to a high clearance laboratory. One only he could enter. Or those with his invitation. The guards that were following them till now, stayed behind and stood guard at the entrance.
Eventually Kraken presented her with a ... humanoid thing. Though in Vipers honest opinion even calling that thing humanoid was a disservice.
''May I present you with The Hive,'' Kraken sounded boastful.
''And I am sure you will now tell me what this ... thing is,'' Viper drawled watching as some of the... Worms? As some of the worms writhed, a wave like pattern rippling across it's body that was laying on the table. Was this thing even sedated?
''Not a thing. Plural. And they are parasites, not things. Thanks to one of our agents noble sacrifice, whose loyalty was beyond doubt, I managed to take his brain AND his loyalty and imbibe it into their very DNA. These parasites still possess some form of rudimentary critical thinking if they are all so close together, like a hive. But over all, aside from their loyalty the host is largely left unaffected to go about their duties, if individually administered. All my subjects have not shown any decrease in productivity after being administered the parasite.
Furthermore, once someone takes a parasite the host can be brought back a number of times. I have not managed to find out what exactly affects that number, but I will find out,'' Kraken explained, hiding his pride and giddiness.
Viper gave an approving hum.
''Not so fast. While the last part is obviously a boon, as it allows our agents to fight longer, there is a caveat to the resurrection,'' Kraken presented her with some photos. She assumed that these were people who had the parasite administered and then died.
They all had tentacle like heads, like some sort of octopus.
''Have you found a way around this setback,?,'' Viper asked handing him back the photos. If some undercover agent died and was revived as some sort of octopus head that would raise questions. And questions could make people follow a trail.
''I didn't need to,'' Kraken assured her, knowing what she was thinking and gestured to another table.
''The Hive had other uses aside from the ones I told you about. I observed how it behaved, how it worked and used that knowledge to find other ways of mind control. Weaker then The Hive, as it won't resurrect them, but loyalty is all but assured,'' Kraken explained to her handing her a phial with red liquid from among many others.
''The resurrection is a loss, but I am sure Drakov and The Matron will particularly like this phial,'' Viper chuckled.
''Indeed. The red liquid is for those who need to work as undercover agents, those like the Black Widows. Once Drakov has this, he can finally fulfill our true vision of the Black Widows. Not its current pathetic partly self, even if they, admittedly, still proved competent,'' Kraken murmured at the end there.
''Aside from Natasha Romanoff,'' Viper reminded him and he sneered.
''Yes, that traitor. We will deal with her eventually. Anyway, the parasites can be given to those like the Winter Soldiers. I'm sure Pierce will be delighted to no longer rely on that archaic book and method,'' Kraken finished his thought and Viper rolled her eyes subtly. He was particular like that.
''Well in that case, I will sneak my agents into their base and they just so happen to 'find' a better way of controlling their agents,'' Viper snickered in amusement. Kraken nodded. Yes, that was why he called her here in the first place.
This base was so far removed and secure that the two of them knew of most other HYDRA heads. Either through spying or in Baron Von Struckers case, trusting Kraken with this info. As such they had more room for movement.
That said, most HYDRA heads were interested in mind controlling their agents, their pawns. And Kraken used this freedom to experiment on better ways or different ways to achieve just that. Viper then snuck her agents into other HYDRA bases and delivered the new way of mind controlling others. This took a while, but this way the secrets remained safe.
Left unsaid between the two of them was that Viper always disposed of the agents afterwards. The agents had no business of knowing the identity of other HYDRA heads. That was only between the HYDRA heads. Though most HYDRA heads were also as ignorant as the agents of each other, bar a few.
It was a method that worked and served them well over the years. It also was one of the very few ways that brought them new information on how the other HYDRA heads were furthering HYDRAs cause.
It would be good to update their information.
''Then I best get to work immediately,'' Viper determined.
''Immediately would be optimal, but don't you have to take care of Weapon X,'' Kraken asked her sharply. No one just walks away from HYDRA after all. And weapon X had much to answer for, even if they had X-23.
''Change of plans. Rogers has been sighted in Xaviers mansion. The report only came in yesterday. Weapon X is unlikely to be inclined to come receive a rich mans thanks for saving him in WW2. And thus my tender mercies,'' Viper scowled. Kraken nodded in understanding. That was unfortunate, but they were not quiet in a position to attack a fortress such as Xaviers mansion.
Unfortunate, but understandable.
Kraken would have just be patient for a while longer. He could almost salivate at all that genetic material.
''My credits to your achievement. Designing such a horrid creature is its own for of accomplishment, I assure you,'' came a voice making them both whip around from the phials. They immediately recognized this to be Nexus. He was standing over The Hive looking down on it and it was looking back in terror, knowing that a greater creature then itself considered it prey.
Kraken immediately moved to put on his Kraken helmet. The very reason he called himself Kraken in the first place. Kraken still hasn't found out how, be it either technology or magic, loath as he was to consider such a thing in the first place, but equipping the helmet granted him armor.
He was turned into a bloody tennis sized ball with a sickening crunch of his bones, with some telekinetic application by Nexus, before he could even touch his helmet. Nexus further increased the density and structure of the ball before moving his fingers slightly and the ball shot of backwards outside the laboratory, moving about at high velocity speeds and smashing through the guards.
Meanwhile Viper tried to make use of her X-Gene and spit highly dangerous toxic at him. It also made her immune to all other poisons and toxic substances. As well as granting her some higher then an average humans constitution. She could take a few hits before staying down, even if not at the level of Rogers or the Winter Soldiers.
He kicked her into a closet shattering all the glass, before she could shoot it out. And before she could pick herself up, Nexus grabbed her by the head and slammed her head into the shards, before dragging it across the ground and all the other glass shards. The leeches screech was annoying to his ears.
He did not let her up. Instead he snapped his fingers and the lab began burning. Viper was struggling, but soon she could no longer stand the heat and began screaming and wailing in desperation. Soon the glass began to melt and stick to her skin. In her final moments, she tried one final desperate gamble. If she was already dying she could try taking him down with her. She spat out as much toxic substances on the ground as she could.
Smart. The heat immediately turned the liquid into gases and hit Nexus in the face.
But ultimately pointless as they had no effect on him. She died soon afterwards in his arms.
Well, he did say that he was cleaning house quickly. Emphasis on mostly.
He let go, stood up and turned around towards The Hive, the whole point he was here in the first place. Of course Nexus did not fail to remain vigilant while he was taking care of with Viper. The parasites bolted when he was 'distracted', splitting up into several thousand individuals.
That was fine. Nexus enveloped the underwater base in a telekinetic globe. There was no escape where he could run off to, this way Nexus was sure that the Hive would die and not survive Project: Insight by sheer dumb luck. It was also an underwater base, so it was a genuine concern that the Triskelion would not be as effective against it.
Even one of them surviving was a problem as they could potentially reproduce and get back their numbers. And it is not like he didn't already extend his senses. He could feel every parasite in the base.
It was not quiet human, but it's baseline was literally a loyal HYDRA agent, sooooo.... He was gonna have some fun with it.
...
The parasite was somewhat inhibited in thinking as it was no longer in a hive, but it stll retained some thinking, small as its thinking already were. This one in particular crawled into a drainage pipe and was attempting to crawl away, only to arrive at a cut in the pipe and an invisible wall. It resolved itself to hide here.
Whatever that predator was, its instincts knew it had no chance of beating him. It could only survive him. So it would offer most of its body and after he leaves it will get out of hiding and use the biomass of the surrounding agents to gorge itself and replicate.
And it was right.
Some of the other parasites moved to the dead HYDRA agents and resurrected them. He tore through them again like butter. It even managed to resurrect Viper. She fared no better the second time around then the first time. Somewhere through the second slaughter, he began whistling.
Body after body.
Parasite after parasite.
In minutes only he remained.
The whistling stopped.
It was sure that it succeeded in fooling him.
Good, now that creature would leave.
It could hear the sound of his boots, the squelch it made as he stepped on the bloody ground.
Blood began sipping down the drain from all the killing he has done. It began pooling around it, pushing him upwards. It tried to swim back down, but it needed air so he swam back up. It began to feel a little queasy as it was not sure if he was still around. It planned on waiting for quiet a while.
The blood would not stop pooling down the drain pipe. He was approaching the entrance to the pipe and it squirmed and writhed in fear.
The blood stopped pushing him upwards just shy of the entrance. And for a brief moment it felt relief, only for two fingers to quickly enter the pipe and snatch him.
It began writhing and giving small screeches in terror.
''Oh my, what do we have here? Hush, little culver, don't be afraid,'' Nexus pacified him and for a moment the parasite became calm.
Nexus snapped his fingers, a flamed flickering from his finger tips. It began screeching now in earnest as Nexus brought it over the flame and held it there. Nexus knew that it was no longer thinking like an actual human, but the rudimentary thinking was still enough for him to terrorize the leech.
He watched as it burned to death.
In the end Nexus, made a second telekinetic barrier, pushed the water away from the first barrier and threw everything into a black hole that was inside the globe, vanishing all contents inside it. He absorbed the energy from the explosion and gently allowed the water to flow back into the empty space.
Then he moved on to his next target.
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Gorgon was training some new HYDRA agents, as his sword Godkiller was ripped from the place at his waist and thus his body. The sword was just hanging in the air. He immediately felt himself getting significantly weaker. Alas, he still had his X-Gene.
''Base under attack. Proceed with Plan Zebra-12-Epsilon,'' Gorgon instructed.
Nexus, form where he was hiding, approved. To many secret spy agencies made play at their words, when naming things. Secure in the knowledge that no one would connect the dots, if they manage to overhear them at all.
Like Project: Insight for example. If he ignored everything he has learnt in the past and was just presented with the fact that he was dealing with a spy agency and a name, he could still make some educated guesses. Most people already strongly suspected that the government was spying on its own people. Which was true. With these two facts alone, Nexus could deduce that it was some form of initiative that would allow the agency to spy even better and more accurate then before.
An accurate guess, he now knew of course, but that was not the whole truth. He did not know about the Algorithm and how precisely they planned on implementing it or what they would do afterward with the obtained information, he still knew they were confident in whatever their new toy was and he needed to stop it.
Or the Sentinel Program. An initiative where, either through humans or most likely robots, they planned on guarding something. Of course, he knew that it was actually intended to work as such by President Ellis, but Trask would make it into a machine that would commit genocide and thus 'guarding' humanity.
The point was that to many people named things in a way that revealed too much. Assuming they wanted to hide something.
All that said, it was meaningless as he read from Gorgons mind what this plan meant. 'Lockdown, engage in battle but avert your eyes should I personally engage in combat.'
Nexus would have liked to play a little more with Gorgon, but unfortunately he spent a little too much time on Viper, Kraken and The Hive. He also had no intention of risking Medusas sight working on him and turning him to stone.
So he simply continued hiding and began increasing the gravity. Most died pretty quickly, being flattened into a pancake. But Gorgon remained on his knees and was pushing himself up with his hands, so he continued to increase the gravity by quiet a bit more. But not before, increasing the structural integrity of the base. He couldn't care less about what happened to it.
But the reason he was here was two fold. Gorgon was obviously quite resilient. And this base was underground Tokyo. He could not risk a cave in and he could definitely not use the Triskelion on it. There were a few such bases in the world and they too needed personal intervention.
Finally Gorgon was turned into a pan cake too, his death painful but all too quick. Nexus gathered all the bodies and weapons in the middle and vanished them with a black hole. Finally he pocketed Godkiller in his pocket dimension alongside the Scepter.
What a pretentious name for a sword. At least Gorgon was not the one that named it or Kraken for that matter. The one who gave it to him. Nexus wondered why the smith chose that name specifically. Sure the sword was powerful, he could feel the power emitting from it, but still.
Finally after banishing the bodies and all the experimental weapons that the scientist were working on here, he began filling out the base with dirt, blocking future access from it. As well as preventing an inevitable cave in in the future when the base became to dilapidated, thanks to no one taking care of it.
The next two days, he would move on to his next target and other such bases. Then he would go for Zemo and take care of Lauras final therapy session.
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The closest thing Nexus could compare Dr. Faustus to, would be Alexander Pierce. He is not quiet a HYDRA head, not quiet a spy, has a very small group of HYDRA agents under his thumb and doesn't even have a HYDRA base.
But he is a world renown psychiatrist in Vienna, Austria. Renown enough that he made it big and rubbed shoulders with the most influential people. Rich people mostly, as politicians were seldom to part with their secrets or trust someone else, bar the few dumb ones. That is were his true strength lied.
Growing an influence, having the ears of influential people and manipulating them all on the world stage to his content. Mostly the purpose of furthering HYDRAs agenda.
Nexus could kill him, but like Trask and Pierce he was too much of a public figure. Killing him would raise questions. No, it would be better if he killed them all during the launch of Project: Insight. The problem with Faustus in particular was that he was ALWAYS surrounded by innocents. Even when he was conducting his HYDRA business in secluded spots and away from prying eyes, innocents were not far away.
Nexus would not risk their lives, but he also could not blatantly kill him as that would raise questions. No, he needed to cause an 'accident'. It helped of course that the launch of Project: Insight was only two days away. Even if other HYDRA heads hear of his death, they could do nothing about it. Now Faustus' agents on the other hand were not public. They, on the other hand, he could kill personally.
Nexus saw an opportunity.
As Faustus began making his way to leave his building, one of the propane tanks, that was being brought to a fancy and expensive restaurant with a truck,fell down the moment the driver moved away from the truck to bring the two-wheeler back.
The tank did not explode, but the pressure was changed thanks to the deformity on the tank and the valve shot of at fast speeds. It hit the sign of the building and it became loose on one side as the bolt was not 'correctly' fitted to the wall. It swung down in an arc and hit Faustus just as he came out of the building. Faustus lost his balance, stumbled on the stairs and tripped falling face down into the spiky fence.
The ambulance came, he was declared dead on site.
What a tragedy.
The world would weep for such a beloved and noble psychiatrist. He would even make news for a bit, Bell might even shed a tear if the news would run while he was eating with mother.
And then the next news would come, and Faustus would be forgotten. A mere footnote in history as he had no family, having amounted to nothing at all.
Nexus targeted his agents next before they had the bright idea to blame the driver and kill him.
The driver would be left alone otherwise, only fired for negligence at his job. A chastisement essentially.
Unfortunate, but it was all a spectacle. The sheep could not dare to harm the wold after all. He must be seen being punished before the public gets... ideas.
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''It was not withing my calculations to see you here. Tell me, how is this possible?,'' the AI of Arnim Zola demanded of him. His expression on the computer on of surprise and curiosity.
Nexus did not answer, he merely moved to the computer screens and began typing away, Zola was working against him in that and Nexus let him. He did however stop Zolas attempt with his technomancy to send out a signal with the orders to destroy this base.
''That is not possible. The data gathered made no suggestion that you could influence technology like this. Is this why you are here? To interfere with our plan? I concluded that the Captain would stand there. No matter, I intended to explain it to him too. Humanity can not be trusted with its own freedom. Let them run amok and they would sooner destroy themselves before amounting to anything. HYDRAs cause is to ensure the survival of humanity. Our cause is noble,'' Zola explained. With no body and no ability to contact the outside world, he was left with only the option to try and convince Nexus of their cause.
The problem was that aside from his sighting during the Chitauri Invasion, Zola had to little to work with to try and understand Nexus and what made him tick.
''I agree, complete freedom is nothing more then complete chaos. Society needs rules and regulations imposed upon itself to bring order to them. But then, who gets to decide where another persons freedom begins and where it ends. The politicians? The CEOs? They often engage in nepotism and flaunt the rules as if they don't apply to them. The are certainly a problem too. You? What makes you so qualified?,'' Nexus asked him, momentarily stopping to converse with Zola. He was curious to see if he could instill dread into an AI.
The answer was power, of course. Power dictates the course of history, right and wrong played no role here. They were secondary concerns and merely influenced for what power was applied. Nexus for example wanted to use his power to make the world a better place, but that bore no matter in this conversation.
''HYDRA is qualified, because we are aware and understand the dangers of an unchecked humanity. Climate Change, wealth disparity, inequality, injustice. HYDRA wishes to address all this and bring forth a better world,'' Zola explained further, seeing that he was convincing Nexus as well as the fact he shared some of his thoughts.
Nexus began typing again. Textbook politician answer right there.
''Uhuh. Under your thumb of course. You know what I think? You are set on world domination and are just using these issues as an excuse to justify yourself. See, I would be inclined to give your words a few more weight, except you are using mind control. At that point it is no longer about freedom or the lack of it. It is about slavery,'' Nexus dismissed his point.
''I see. Then I failed to convince you. No matter, you can delete me, but I merely wish to warn you. When it comes to HYDRA you can cut of ones head, but two more shall takes it place,'' Zola lamented his failure. Having someone like Nexus on their side would have been an immense boon for HYDRA. He did seem to possess most qualities that they desired, bar one. He lacked the willingness to dirty his hands.
Pity.
He would have made for a fine HYDRA head from what he gathered. Alas he lacked the will to truly do what was necessary for a better world.
''A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but ideas live on. Ideas have endurance without death.
I assure you HYDRA will die. All of you, of that there is no doubt. But there will come a time where a fool will stumble over your ideology and take it as his cause. And the next one. And the next one. And so on and so forth.
But they will look upon history and see the end of HYDRA and most, thought not all, will reconsider. The world will be all the better for it. They will not see how HYDRA nearly took over the world from the shadows. They will not see S.H.I.E.L.Ds astronomical blunder of doing the same with you as they did with the Manhattan Project. They will see an empire who fought, lost and became nothing but a footnote in history, its ideologies having been put to the test and found lacking,'' Nexus assured him.
The visage on the computers scoffed.
''If you wish to believe that then feel free to do so. My death will not matter in the grand scheme of things. All your effort to stop us will amount to the same as the Captains. A sum-zero,'' Zola sneered.
''Puerto Rico 18.258740, -66.493499; Alaska 64.565943, -152.389689; Russia 68.187438, 117.653208; Belarus 54.585631, 28.437285,'' Nexus listed off the bases for his 4 back ups. The one here was his main one, but he regularly updated his conscience to the 4 back ups just in case.
Nexus hummed amused at the expression on Zola. He could instill fear in an AI after all.
''Now, you got it right, but not quiet. When everything is said and done, the world will wonder what happened. But they will never link it back to me. So in the end my actions did amount to a 'sum-zero' and that is all that matters,'' Nexus mocked him before turning on his technomancy on max.
His good mood was soured as the moment he entered the next four bases and Zola began the conversation the exact same way. Not that Nexus entertained him from there on out and just wiped him out, but still.
And with that the final troublesome target was dealt with. Now, of course there were still the minor HYDRA agents in libraries, nursing homes, etc, etc. Nexus would kill them with their own cyanide during Project: Insight. That will only add further confusion for the investigators, but it was not like they were HYDRA heads and neither could he shoot at them with the Triskelion as the were in high density areas.
Hm, he has taken care of everything else, so it was now time for Zemo.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zemo was walking out of the super market. It was rather dark outside and late. He would prefer being home, but alas his wife has forgotten to buy something and tomorrow she wanted to make a certain dish. Who was he to gainsay her when she was so particular.
Zemo was walking through the streets. Sokovia was not the richest country ,it was rather poor. Not even Novi Grad, the capital was spared that characteristic. Though Zemo did silently have to admit that even then the capital was better off then the rest of the country.
Not that it mattered much. He was a farmer now. The city did not interest him as he lived outside the city, though thankfully only a short walk away removed from his home. Sometimes in moments like this he had to come to the city.
Life was good, he was glad to have the USSRs confusion to slip out of HYDRAs operations. Their cause was noble, but nothing could beat the warm embrace of a wife or child. He never had any intention of returning as the rest would never understand. How could they, with them lacking in both?
He was approaching the outskirts of the city. A rather undesirable district, the buildings were dilapidated, infrastructure was crumbling and most people in general avoided it since even the government had no interest in it.
A ghost town within the capital city, some jokingly called it.
Alas, for Zemo this was the shortest way to his home. He pulled out a flashlight and turned it on as the street lights ran out and walked on.
He walked.
He walked.
And then he stopped and listened.
It was jokingly referred a ghost town, but there was still noise. There was always noise.
The distant sound of tires screeching, mantis chirping out in the wilds, raccoons stumbling through bins, birds chirping.
Zemo turned off his flashlight and stood still, so his plastic bag would not make any noise.
For a while nothing was happening, until suddenly someone began whistling a tune. It was coming from the direction he was going towards.
Zemo could hardly walk in pitch darkness so he turned his flashlight back on again, cast a quick glance to the road forwards to see if he could detect a figure. Failing that, he turned back the way he came and walked fast.
The whistle stopped for now, but Zemo was not under the impression that he lost his chaser. As he was almost about to leave the darkness and rejoin the streets where street lights were present another figure rounded around the corner of a building and calmly made his way towards him. It was a short female with dark clothes and dark hair.
Zemo calmly dropped the plastic bag as he made his way into an alleyway and turned off the flashlight completely. It was still dark, but with him now closer to the streetlights he could see a little in the dark after his eyes adjusting.
He turned a few times left and right trying to find a way from the alleyway to the lighted up streets.
The whistling started again and he could hear footsteps behind him.
As he was attempting to round around another corner he received a blow to his head.
---
When Zemo came back to himself he was tied to a chair. He tried pulling on the ropes a bit, but he was too tightly tied. He gave up on that for now and analyzed everything that happened till now and where he was.
There was some light coming through the windows, but it was still very dark.
Before he could attempt escaping again a light over his head was turned on, shining light on him. He turned his head as someone began dragging something through the room. The sound screeching in his ears till the figure stepped into the light. It was the girl from earlier ans she was dragging a chair after her. She sat down on it in reverse and laid her forearms on the chair with her chin on top of it.
For a while the two were starring at each other.
''May I help you in any way?,'' Zemo asked calmly, only for her to tilt her head and narrow her eyes.
''You... you don't recognize me, do you? Not at all?,'' the green eyed woman asked him.
Zemo pressed his lips together and shook his head. She nodded absentmindedly, adopting a look that indicated she was with her thoughts elsewhere. But that only lasted for a moment.
Someone threw his portemonnaie at her, it flew at her from behind his back. She caught it and opened it, clearly inspecting it.
''It says here that your name is Ion Mihai. But then... that is not really your name. Is it? Not your real one anyway. Right? Baron Helmut Zemo. Does your precious wife know how you betrayed HYDRA? Does she know your dirty little secret that you worked in counter intelligence during the USSR right before it collapsed? Or your son?
You had it all and then you gave it up. Was she worth it?,'' the green eyed women asked him and he tensed.
So they found him in the end. He thought he covered his tracks well.
''You're with HYDRA,'' Zemo remarked pointlessly, trying to keep the conversation flowing to buy himself some time and come up with a solution.
The women chuckled but neither affirmed nor denied his accusation.
''Using the collapse of the USSR and the confusion to your advantage to steal off into the night. Did you really think your past would not catch up with you some day? That no one would track you down?,'' the green eyed women mocked him.
''I have been sure that I left no traces behind,'' Zemo calmly told her.
''Ah! Of course. I admit it was hard to track you down. But then I suppose you too, would understand the drive for revenge were you to lose your family,'' the women murmured tilting her head slightly on her forearms and starred at him.
Zemo who was in the process of adjusting himself in his seat as it was getting uncomfortable tensed. A thousand thoughts in his head as he registered her implication.
''Who are you?,'' Zemo asked finally after a few minutes passed.
''You really don't recognize me?,'' the woman asked again.
After a while of him saying nothing she spoke again.
''My name is Laura Kinney. You killed my entire family,'' Laura told him.
''Rather young to have lived during the USSR or old enough to remember what was happening,'' Zemo remarked on that detail.
Lauras eye twitched and she closed her eyes, clearly to clam herself down.
''I'm older then I look. But is that really what is important here? You killed my entire family. Do you have nothing to say in your defense? No justification for your actions?,'' Laura asked him.
''Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down for me. How could I justify it if I don't even know who I am dealing with,'' Zemo mocked her a little. If she was who she said she was then there was only one way this confrontation was going to end.
Laura tapped her finger on the chair a bit, not exploding in anger as he expected her to. She eventually nodded in understanding and resolve.
''Gag him. And bring the two in,'' Laura said standing up from her chair and removing it from the front of him.
Zemo attempted to scream as he understood what she was implying, only to be gagged with a cloth as two hand moved behind his head.
He began panting as a dark clothed figure brought two people in. It was his wife and son, they too were gagged and looking around frantic. Eventually they were forced to their knees in front of him. Zemo looked imploringly at Laura.
''Kill them,'' she ordered and the dark clothed figure pulled out his gun and shot two bullets each into both their skulls. They collapsed and Zemo became still, starring incomprehensively at the two bodies.
Laura moved behind him and began stroking his head. At once white hot rage overcame him and he tried lunging at her screaming through his gag. Some drool was seeping through the gag.
''Shhhh. Let the hate simmer through your bones, let the loss flow through your arteries. That is nothing compared to what I felt when you killed my family. At least I granted them a quick death. I on the other hand was watching from my hiding spot as your agents took their way with my mother and sister among my fathers blood.
(*She began whispering in his ear*) I remember it as if it was yesterday. You did not participate, to high and mighty to get your hands dirty with us. You had the bearings of a wolf and carried yourself as such. But you are not laughing now. Are you? You let you fangs and claws rust, while the sheep was sharpening her horns,'' Laura removed herself from his back and left him sit there for a few minutes.
Zemo continued to rage trying to break free, only for his rage to settle and slowly get taken over by his grief. Soon he stopped struggling and watched in hollow as the blood poured out from the place the bullets entered through. Finally he let out his tears.
Laura snorted from his side, yet he did not react.
''Pathetic Hypocrite. Kill him,'' Laura ordered and without any ceremony the black figure shot three bullets in his skull.
For a while there was no sound, but then the dark figure removed his wristband with a sword chain and began gushing over Laura.
''O-M-G. Oh, my god, that was a phenomenal performance. 'Uh, I can't act. Uh, I am not suited for acting, I have never done this'. You had me captivated. Captivated! And with no script too. And my god that bit about loss and wolves was chefs kiss. High Five!,'' Nexus praised her. Laura blushed a little uncomfortable, but she jumped up and gave him a high five. He immediately rubbed her head affectionately after they high fived each other. She leaned into it.
''You could become an actress if you don't know what else to do with your future,'' Nexus recommended to her as he bent down to the 'mother' and 'child' and removed their own wristbands with a sword chain on it. Their appearance immediately changed from wife and child to two men. Two HYDRA agents that he captured to be more precise and prepared for this scenario.
''I doubt that. You are just saying that. Acting is more then just being handed a directive and improvising,'' Laura waved of his praise. Weird feelings began fluttering in her stomach, she has never been praised in her life. Let alone this much.
''That is true. Sometimes you need to follow a script. But it is understanding the text as well as improv that breathes life into a character. Sure you had no specific lines prepared, all you had was information on the things he has done, but for a moment I had to remind myself that you were acting. Laura take the praise and be proud of your skill,'' Nexus instructed her.
She nodded moving a strand of hair behind her ear.
She suddenly frowned as she starred at the murdered people.
''Hmm? Is something wrong? Oh, that is right, you wanted to stop HYDRA from making more victims like you. Are you dissatisfied, because you didn't get to kill them yourself?,'' Nexus asked her. She quickly shook her head.
''I want revenge on HYDRA and stop them from doing with others as they did with me, but one way or the other, if at the end of the day they are dead, then I am happy. No, it is just... Did you really have to make his death such a spectacle? It almost felt like... sport,'' Laura complained feeling a little uncomfortable.
Nexus nodded in understanding.
''That is true. I could have simply sliced him in half or shot him in the head without much fanfare. There was no need for all this. So yes, this was a spectacle. But this was not for my own personal enjoyment. These people are parasites. They suck dry and destroy everything they touch. In their final moments their death should be painful. A small gesture to all their victims, so that they can get closure wherever they are. It is not much, but for me it would mean a lot if someone inflicted on my tormentor just a fraction of the pain he inflicted on me. Justice is not just about punishment, it is also about being fair,'' Nexus justified as he grabbed the corpses and threw them into a portal he opened with his sword, so that he could dispose of the bodies later.
''You take no personal enjoyment in their suffering?,'' Laura asked wanting to be sure.
''I am vindictive. I like it when someone happens to experiences some misery, but only when in reasonable amounts. I am no sadist, but I consider a brutal death necessary for people like Zemo,'' Nexus told her the truth.
She took a breath and nodded.
---
They were sitting on a rock overlooking the see. Laura had no idea to which beach in the world he brought her. She couldn't see any civilization in any direction. Humans neither.
They were listening for a few moments to the gently ocean.
''I fell a little bad, for Zemos wife and child,'' Laura suddenly said.
''Yes, me too. I will discreetly set up some money for her and mask it as Zemos inheritance. If she is smart with the money, the two can live comfortable till the boy is 19. If not... Well, I'm not responsible for her choices,'' Nexus assured her and she nodded trusting his word. Quietly Nexus added in his head that dollars were worth much more then Sokovian Currency. It was not like he needed to give her much anyway, but he was gonna give her a considerable amount anyway. He was personally involved and felt a little bad for the kid.
He proved so far to keep his word, so she had no reason to doubt him.
She sighed gathering his attention. She used the tip of her shoe to draw some circles in the sand.
''When will you implement your Big Plan?,'' Laura asked him.
''Tomorrow,'' he replied.
''Could I...,'' she trailed off, but it was clear what she was going to ask.
''No,'' Nexus shot her down firmly but gently.
A short silence reigned over them for a while.
''Nexus... why did you let me accompany you on your trips?,'' Laura asked him again.
''I told you, I like your company. Your presence... it did me good. I work so often alone that I almost forgot what it was like to have someone to converse with. YOU may think that you haven't done anything, but trust me. You did enough, just by being there,'' Nexus assured her and she buried her head in her knees.
Her emotions were all over the place for some reason.
''Tomorrow, the moment the sun rises up, I will come and get you, before bringing you to the mansion,'' Nexus told her and she tightened her grip on her legs.
Most of his actions and behavior during their time was to help her. He had the impression he succeeded mostly. The rest was up to others.
She grew on him as a friend. He did not plan for it, but it happened. Thankfully he was not a certified psychologist or else he would have violated some form of rules for striking a friendship with his patient.
He would offer her and Sarah the same form of mental protections he developed for his loved ones. Sure he still did not like Sarah, but it would be an inconvenience for Xavier to snoop in her brain and find out who did the 'terror attack' tomorrow. He trusted them both to keep their mouth shut otherwise.
That said he was not blind to the fact that she feared she would lose her first friend.
He poked her in the ribs ans she jumped up. Before she could ask why he did that he poked her in the ribs again immediately going for another jab. The third one she stopped only for his other hand to attack her too. They began tuffling in the sand and eventually he got his hands out of her grips and he began tickling her for a while. She started laughing until she pleaded with him to stop.
''Better?,'' Nexus asked as he pulled her up. She glared at him.
''You at as if it is the end of the world. We will meet again you and i. Tomorrow won't be a farewell. It will be a goodbye till we see each other again,'' Nexus explained to her. She blushed at him seeing through her. She nodded anyway.
''Good. You know what we should do?,'' Nexus asked her.
''No, but I am sure you will tell me,'' Laura played along.
''Correct. We should dance,'' Nexus suggested.
''I don't know how do dance,'' Laura informed him.
''Me neither! That is fine, as this is not a competition or some event. We'll just give our bodies to the music and dance how we feel like,'' Nexus lied a little and brought out a music box from his portal and turned on the music before she could say anything. he put the boy on the stone.
''What is the song?,'' Laura asked him at the beginning of the song.
''Hot Wings by Rio. It's on repeat. Come on, move those hips,'' Nexus demanded of her and began moving to the music. He was making all kinds of... movements in Lauras opinion. Weather the were good ones or bad ones she could not tell, but they seemed to match the rhythm of the song.
Was this... what normal humans did? Move erratically to sounds?
While he was moving with clear confidence and not a hint of shame, she could not help but feel second hand embarrassment and averted her gaze from him.
''Hey, none of that now. Dance I tell you. Abandon yourself to the music and dance to your hearts content,'' Nexus grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her towards him before hitting her with his waist away from him.
She scowled at him, but did as he instructed anyway and tried to match his movement. Horribly so.
''Don't copy me. Do your own dance moves. And what is that is that? You call that dancing,'' Nexus edged her.
''I CAN'T DANCE!,'' she snapped at him, losing control over her emotions. They never taught her how to dance. Why the fuck would they teach her that? Was he trying to humiliate her or something like that? Show that she was incompetent?
Nexus stilled and Laura feared she may have overstepped. She tensed as he stepped in front of her, but got confused when he offered her his hand.
''You can't dance? Or you don't want to dance? There is a massive difference. I want to dance with you. But if you really don't want to, then we will stop,'' Nexus continued to offer her his hand.
After some hesitation she took his hand.
''Can you... just teach me please,'' Laura begged him.
''Of course,'' Nexus affirmed, his tone understanding.
He moved behind her back and grasped her by the hips. Her heart began beating faster as she was suddenly all to aware of how close he was to her. He moved his arms and with it her hips. Then he moved to her arms and legs.
Her heart was hammering against her chest when he stepped by her side, but she continued with the movements that he taught her. Her expression blank.
''Yes, like that, from here just let your body guide you. Try to keep your movements fluid. Yes, like that. Move the legs a little more. Yes! Yes! Feel the music flow through you,'' Nexus suddenly threw himself on the ground doing the snake before spinning on his hands a little his legs flying around him before he jumped back on his feet and danced around Laura.
It took a while but in the end she no longer felt embarrassed while dancing with him. Oh she was still terrible stiff not really able to replicate Nexus' fluidity completely, but that was fine. She smiled a little as Nexus spun her around on the spot and that was the end goal after all.
Cheering her up.
---
''Well here we are,'' Nexus told them as they all hopped through the portal some distance away from Xaviers mansion. Sarah and Laura carrying a coffer after them.
''Oh don't make that face. As I told you yesterday, this is not the end. We will meet again one day. I doubt it will be all too far into the future,'' Nexus chastised her fondly.
Laura looked conflicted for a bit, opening her mouth before closing it for a bit and frowning. It was cleat to both of them that she wanted to ask something, but felt like she couldn't.
Nexus decided to spare her the effort this time around.
''Of course. You don't even need to ask me. Come here and let me embrace you,'' Nexus opened his arms and Laura reluctantly engaged in the embrace.
She actually wanted to ask him to pat her head one last time.
Sarah said nothing at the disappointed look in her daughters face behind Nexus back.
When they disengaged Nexus gave Laura a comforting squeeze on her shoulder before departing. Lauras hand moved trying to reach for him, but as quickly as she started lifting her hand she put it back down. It formed into a fist and Laura looked a little confused about everything.
Sarahs eyes moved back and forth between the two of them till realization danced across her eyes. A sly smile developed on her face, one she hid behind her hand.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hill came into their safe house and handed Natasha a device that would help her change her appearance.
''Do they suspect anything?,'' Fury asked her.
''I'm your right hand man practically. I'm surprised I made it close to S.H.I.E.L.D HQ let alone made it out with that device,'' Hill released a breath exhaling her stress.
Fury grumbled.
''Barton, any sightings of the Winter Soldier? Do we know if he has been snooping around our base?,'' Fury asked him.
''No. Nothing,'' Barton replied and watched as Natasha was applying the device to her face, as well as a wig.
''I don't like it. What game are they playing?,'' Fury muttered to himself trying to see an angle that would reveal something.
''Sir, maybe they consider us a nuisance, but one they can deal with after the launch of the Triskelion. They might think there is nothing we can truly do to interfere?,'' Hill theorized.
Fury shook his head.
''Impossible. HYDRA will not risk their Project hinging on a 'maybe'. They will be sure to eliminate all obstacles, like they attempted to do with me. They know they failed to assassinate me so that would be the case doubly so. And I too, would prefer our plan not hinging on a 'maybe'. Barton, did you manage to sneak into the Helicarriers?,'' Fury finally asked after some more moments of contemplation.
''No, I couldn't. There are simply too many agents, too many cameras, too much of anything. Even the ventilation shafts proved futile,'' Barton scowled, displeased at having to admit he wasn't able to do anything.
''So we can't disable them from the inside. We can't contact the president either and have him issue a direct command. We lack the means and he is probably being monitored heavily, both by allies and enemies alike,'' Fury murmured.
''They are also probably inclined to distrust us, after the whole Mandarin fiasco. It would take time to prove to them we are who we really are,'' Hill added.
''Stark is available now,'' Natasha pointed out now.
''It would take too long to contact him and for him to get here,'' Barton pointed out.
Not that it mattered even if they could contact him as he was undergoing operation today to have his shard pulled out. Not that they knew this at the moment.
Hill locked at the clock. It was 08:31 in the morning.
''Sir, I understanding our situation is grave and we are at a disadvantage, but we have to do something. None of us like our current situation, but we HAVE to do something. Give us your orders,'' Hill implored him.
Fury clenched his jaw in frustration, but she was right. He closed his eye and considered his options.
''Natasha, Barton how feasibly do you think would it be for you two to sneak into the Triskelion hangar,'' Fury asked for the final time. A small grasp of desperation, not that he would ever admit to this to anyone.
''If Barton couldn't sneak in, then very unlikely,'' Natasha replied gravely and Fury released a deep sigh.
''Then we alone can't stop Project: Insight. Millions of people dead and we can't stop them. ...We will settle for damage control in that case.
Hill you will go to the command center and you will play a prerecorded message of mine into the speakers. With a bit of luck, we can stall the launch completely or long enough for another option to appear.
Hill, I want you to know that your task is the most dangerous. The chances of you dying are high and you may lose your life for a final gamble that may not work out at all. Will you still do this task?,'' Fury asked her. The situation was grave enough that he would give her an option. Fury understood that sometimes his agents died, but he always made sure their sacrifice was not in vain.
''I will do it, Sir,'' Hill told him resolutely. Fury gave her an appreciative look and nodded.
''As for the three of us, we will go for Pierce. He will most likely be in his office. It also functions as a command center mostly.
Romanoff you will sneak in with your disguise, Barton will take care of the real women whose identity you will take and when you have taken care of the people inside I will come with Barton.
There is a data center in Pierces office and my eye is needed to remove the encryption on it. We will reveal all of S.H.I.E.L.Ds secrets to the world, so that the world will learn that S.H.I.E.L.D is HYDRA. We won't stop people from dying, but at the very least we can avenge them by ruining HYDRAs plans. Do you understand your orders soldiers?,'' Fury asked them and they nodded.
Fury bounced his head, gathering strength for himself.
If only they had Rogers, but he had to throw a tantrum.
---
Hill calmly managed to slip the USB with Fury's prerecorded message into the computer and snuck away from it. She was in the command center where the Triskelion launch would be managed.
She moved back on the side of the head scientist who had the 'honor' of launching the Triskelion. Rumlow nodded at her and she nodded back. He stood on the other side of the head scientist.
After a while a voice could be heard through the speakers.
''This is Nicholas Joseph Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D speaking. I know what you heard about me. That I have been murdered by S.H.I.E.L.Ds enemies. That is not the case. There has been an assassination attempt on my life. And I can name the ene ... zsszkszks,'' the speech was cut off and the S.H.I.E.L.D personel as well as HYDRA who was attentively listening no longer knew what to do.
''Launch the Triskelion,'' Rumlow ordered after a while of no one moving or handing out orders. The head scientist jerked in surprise at Rumlows voice, but moved to follow his orders.
''Wait, Fury wanted to tell us something. And one has to wonder why now of all times. Clearly there is something going on here that we are not aware off. We should hold off till we are better informed,'' Hill loudly told everyone, drawing attention to herself from everyone.
''Sorry, Miss Hill. I ,too, mourn Director Fury's death. But till we have a new director we follow the Undersecretary of The Word Security Council, Alexander Pierce. We have our orders,'' Rumlow reminded her putting on a solemn face.
''You, launch the Triskelion,'' Rumlowe ordered the head scientist again.
''Wait. Agent Hill is right. What if we do something wrong? Will we use the Nazis excuse afterwards when we are made to answer for what went wrong. That we were soldiers who were following orders? We should not launch the Triskelion,'' Agent 13 came to Hills side.
Rumlow brought out his gun which caused everyone else to bring out their gun too. Everyone, bar a few, were pointing their guns confused in each others direction, not knowing who to target.
''Are you disobeying orders, Agent 13? Pierce told us all to launch the Triskelion today,'' Rumlow tried to keep things from escalating but still going in a certain direction.
Escalation could derail the plan. They were sure of their victory, but one should still take precautions.
There was a reason HYDRA did not shoot Hill dead on sight, as that would raise too many eyebrows and make people question. Weather she was ignorant or not bore no weight, only that she complied. She could have always been disposed afterward.
Before anyone else could say anything, all the computer screens went bright red garnering their attention.
''I didn't launch the Triskelion. We were hacked!,'' the head scientist yelled out warning everyone.
And suddenly everyone had the same goal in their mind, even if for different reasons.
''Can you undo it? We need to stop them from abusing the Triskelion,'' Agent 13 demanded of him.
''I'...I'm trying. I have never seen such advanced codes before. We might need to manually shut down the Triskelion,'' the head scientist murmured.
''The Helicarriers are already rising, there is no getting way we are getting on that thing in time. Contact the people on board,'' Rumlow ordered.
The man nodded, quickly typing away. He soon stopped and pressed one button several types in desperation. He cursed before explaining to the others.
''My access has been removed and communications has been shit down. I can no longer interact with anything,'' the man informed him.
Hill starred at him defeated as Rumlow began to curse and give out orders she didn't hear. She sat down in defeat, ready for the inevitable.
---
Nexus was laying on the edge of a nearby rooftop with his hands behind his head. His foot dangling and kicking on the edge while the other bent on the roof.
He was watching this all from across the river.
Most HYDRA heads who would be too troublesome for the Triskelion were taken care of, the victims were rescued, the bases in populated areas were also taken care of. Only minor HYDRA agents would remain and the bases in secluded areas too far removed from the public. The Triskelion would take care of the former and afterwards he would take care of the latter.
So, why was he here and why was he doing things EXACTLY as he was doing them?
He was here because he wanted this to be a quick and devastating attack. The Triskelion had the fire power to reduce the bases he left alone to complete rubble. But he wanted them to be removed from the face of the earth with only ashes remaining. And everything inside the bases being destroyed beyond recognition or the ability to be reverse engineered.
Technomancy was not just about hacking the internet space. It was about controlling technology, repairing it and allowing it to perform beyond its scopes without breaking down immediately. He would empower the bullets and the bombs to achieve what he wanted with the bases.
Of course, he could have controlled the Triskelion from NYC as well as empower it with his technomancy , but that meant a bigger energy bubble. One someone could track him down with. No, it was far better to come here personally with a much smaller energy bubble.
As for why he was doing things this way?
He could wipe out HYDRA completely, but then the inevitable questions arose. Weather he answered or not people would find out how powerful he really was and with them the public. It was inevitable for some to suspect, but by then the public would have been told an excuse and the government would not retract their statement.
In politics the truth did not matter, only perception.
The government would give the blame for this 'terror attack' to a hacker, as people would demand an answer quickly. The government could not be seen as incompetent in such times. And by the time the thought that it could have been someone with powers enters their mind it was already too late.
The die is cast.
It also served his interest for the public to suspect a hacker. THAT would not undo the Avengers or Ghost Spiders good will they gathered among the public.
Discourse about super powered people has not quiet started. The public knew they existed, but for now they were in the honey moon stage. They were wowed by them. But they were still early enough in the stage that him causing all this destruction would immediately sour public opinion. After the honey moon stage passed, swinging public opinion was much harder.
So no, he would not undo all of Gwens hard work.
The chaos would make things only more confusing to get a correct answer.
Not for a second did he fear that the powerful hacker they would blame would be Raezen. Not only was he 'in the governments employment', but they could not risk preemptively picking a fight with him. What if he was truly blameless and incited his anger with such an accusation? No, they would stick to the status quo. That is what they do best after all.
There is also another matter.
It was also his interest to remove HYDRA without the public finding out about them. This 'terror attack' would disguise the truth as he quietly wipes them out.
He wasn't lying when he told Zola that.
'Look upon my work ,ye mighty, and despair' from Ozymandias.
Every empire under the sun, faced outside threats. But too often, when he was reading history, he had the impression that empires did not fall, because of outside threats. They certainly played a role, but that was not what he considered the main cause for their fall. It was internal corruption, poor economic choices, incompetence as well as mismanagement that causes empires to collapse.
That is how empires die out, regardless of what history books said. Nexus was certain of that.
Empires did not die with a bang, nor with a final glorious stand and certainly not a worthy death.
They died with a whimper.
A deathly cough in the solitude of the night.
A rasp.
HYDRA would be no different.
Whenever someone thinks of HYDRA they will not think of THIS HYDRA, they will instead think of THAT HYDRA form WW2.
An upstart.
One to be dismissed, even if their ideology would inevitably gather interest from some of the passing eyes. But perhaps those eyes will see HYDRAs fate and think better of it., disregarding that they could scheme from the dark. And those that carried on regardless? He would take care of them.
So yes.
These actions, just as he was taking them right now, brought him the greatest long term advancements.
---
''But if you want to stay ahead of the game, you need to keep both eyes open,'' Fury removed his eyepatch revealing his scarred eye and gestured with his head at the scanner.
'Access granted'
Nick cast Romanoff a glance while still continuing to point his gun at Pierce. Pierce could have used that opportunity to attack Fury, but Barton was watching him like a hawk. She moved quickly at the screen, intending to make everything public.
'Access denied'
Everyone in that room looked surprised at the sudden turn of events.
''No, no, no, no, no,'' Natasha murmured trying to get access back to the data. They were so close to victory too.
Pierce was as surprised as the rest of them, but quickly adopted a smug and confident look as Fury turned back towards him. He moved slowly, grabbed his champagne and and stood in front of the window watching the Helicarriers rise.
''It seems you did not anticipate everything my dear friend. Kill me or don't, it makes no difference, two heads shall take my place and HYDRAs cause will live on regardless,'' Pierce continued to watch the helicarriers, not turning back. If he was to die then at least he wanted to have the final world.
''How did you do that?,'' Fury asked furiously at being outplayed.
Pierce did not answer merely continuing to sip his champagne. The other politicians in the room looking back and forth between them.
Barton who was watching Pierce still like a hawk and had much better eyesight then everybody else, as well as a far better understanding of trajectories of projectiles, also saw the turrets now in his periphery. Not for long, as his eyes focused from Pierce on the turrets in suspicion.
He widened his eyes and grabbed one politician and Fury before shoving them away on the ground. Natasha followed his lead and grabbed two politicians as well. Unfortunately that left one politician to his fate.
Except instead of a bomb, it was bullets that went through Pierces body as the Triskelion began firing. After a few bullets the people who occupied the office stood back up as firing in their direction stopped.
''Sir?,'' asked Natasha.
''We will move to the command center, bring the politicians with us. We need to ensure their silence,'' Fury ordered. Everyone followed him.
The sounds of all the artillery in distance weighting heavy on his ears.
...
In the end the Triskelion fired for exactly 45 minutes. Then they began descending back down, and the self destruct sequence was activated, some tried stopping it, but with only 20 minutes everyone was forced to evacuate quickly.
(When Nexus felt everyone leave the helicarriers he prematurely began using the turrets to damage the helicarriers a little, but in the end the self destruct did most of the damage)
''Director Fury, it is good to see you alive. What are your orders, Sir?,'' Rumlow asked him when he met up with all the other agents.
Instead of answering, Fury looked around him at the faces and dejected that he know could not know who was a HYDRA agent and a S.H.I.E.L.D agent.
Rumlow and a few other people coughed and rubbed their throat with a confused expression, then afterwards they shortly collapsed, foam coming from their mouths.
---
Nexus was on Venus. Again.
He remembered every HYDRA agent, thanks to his photographic memory, so he could have technically hunted down one by one.
But he wanted to be sure that he really got all of them, he was throughout like that. So he was willing to take up the risk again.
He would also use that opportunity to deliver a blow to all the remaining HYDRA agents at once.
Aaaaaand, there.
After 5 seconds he gathered the energy on Mars again and disposed of it in the dead universe.
And just like that, it was done.
No more HYDRA.
---
''Director Fury, you have much to answer for. Before we begin, can you tell us what type of attack this was?,'' one of the members on the World Security Council asked him. It was not a public trial or a trial at all. But it was the closest to one this questioning could have been.
Fury had more then enough time to consider, what answers he could come up with. He was aware of stuff, that none other were. Secrets that he never uttered to someone else, or written down anywhere. The risk was simply FAR too great. It also put him in an unique position, as it made him consider things few others could.
He had several suspicions of what could have happened.
There was no way he would utter the truth here.
''We are sure it was a terrorist attack. By whom, we are still investigating. And what their targets were is still under investigation. As well as the correlation between this attack and all the dead throughout the world via cyanide,'' Fury replied to the council.
''You are S.H.I.E.L.D, it is your job to know. Do you mean to tell me that this person or people ran around you and fooled YOU?,'' another member asked.
''We are indeed S.H.I.E.L.D. And that is precisely why I am not surprised that someone managed to do just that. One things S.H.I.E.L.D has learned, is that there is ALWAYS someone better at something,'' Fury explained to them calmly.
''So you are saying that you think it was Raezen?,'' yet another council member asked him.
''Raezen? He is working for the American government and has already been caught. With all due respect, until we know more we should not point fingers,'' Fury told them with a completely straight face.
''So you know nothing! What will we tell the public. An attack like this has never happened before. The public will demand answers,'' one (whined) reminded him.
''The public can demand answers all they want and they council is free to point fingers. But should you point at someone wrongly so and it inevitably blows up in your face, S.H.I.E.L.D will not come to your rescue. Our purpose is to find the truth and work with it or neutralize it in order to safeguard earth. It seems the council has forgotten that S.H.I.E.L.D is not here to increase your approval rating,'' Fury mocked them with grace.
''Have care with how you speak to us. You have no higher ground from which to talk from, with this recent blunder. And recent circumstances have not made your position more secure,'' the same member who (whined) demanded reprimanded.
''ENOUGH. This is not a time for internal fighting. Director Fury is right. An attack like this has never happened before and no one else is more qualified then him to find out who did this. Director Fury, you will do everything in your power to get to the bottom of this and once you do so we will pick up this matter again. We will pacify the public on our end. Understood?,'' the head of the World Security Council ordered.
''Of course.''
(A.N.: 13997 words. Hope you enjoyed reading it. Cheers.)