S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters (The Triskelion).
After the tactical squad sent by Nick Fury was completely decimated, the wounded were brought back by rescue teams for emergency treatment. Simultaneously, a full assessment of the losses and casualties began.
"What is our casualty count?" Nick asked, his face grim, addressing the head of the rescue team.
"Including Agent Rumlow's team, multiple people died due to complications during the thawing process. Several agents... simply shattered into fragments of frozen blood and bone due to bumps during transport. Even among the half that survived, almost all have been left with severe permanent aftereffects. Captain Rumlow's right arm and left leg had to be amputated due to severe frostbite," the rescue lead reported, his voice low and heavy.
"The Quinjet was a total loss, but the agents on board successfully parachuted out and survived."
Nick frowned, looking toward the medical bay where agents were undergoing emergency surgery. "You must do everything in your power to keep these agents alive."
"Understood."
Nick emphasized his instructions to the medical staff with a stern tone. Having maintained the proper appearance of a concerned leader, he returned to his office to convene a meeting with the high-level agents who had helped plan the operation.
"Where is the target now?" Nick asked sharply.
"The target returned to the bookstore in Chinatown. He hasn't made any other suspicious moves; he looks just like an ordinary bookstore owner," reported Agent Kurt Eisner, who was in charge of surveillance and intelligence gathering.
A thoughtful expression flickered across Nick's face.
He had originally thought Dan's Gurongi Avatar appeared harmless enough that S.H.I.E.L.D.'s firepower might be sufficient to capture him for study. He hadn't expected that the target they picked was a primordial beast—far more powerful than any Gurongi seen before. They weren't even in the same league.
With S.H.I.E.L.D.'s current arsenal, they were utterly defenseless against him.
"Director, shall we continue operations against this target?" Agent Sitwell asked, his eyes shifting as he injected a hint of indignation into his voice.
Nick looked at Sitwell with an expressionless, cold gaze. "A tactical missile carried by a Quinjet couldn't even threaten the target. You want to continue? What weapons should we use then? Nukes?"
Sitwell choked on his words, sensing Nick's displeasure, but he still ventured a suggestion: "Our existing weapons are indeed ineffective, but could we try deploying Captain Rogers? The special power he obtained seems specifically designed to counter the Gurongi species."
Nick fell silent for a moment before shaking his head. "Abort all active operations for now. Maintain 24/7 surveillance on the target."
The power displayed by the Gurongi clone was simply too overwhelming. He could easily destroy a Quinjet, ignore tactical missiles, and instantly freeze everything within a 200-meter radius. Raw power aside, his sensory range was absurd; he could sense a cloaked jet hovering a thousand meters in the air while standing on the ground.
Such an opponent was clearly a nightmare to deal with. Sending more ordinary agents would just be throwing lives away. Even a squad of super-soldiers with special abilities might not be enough.
At the very least, Nick didn't believe Steve currently possessed the power to cause that level of destruction. Even if they added Kent or Tony Stark, it wasn't guaranteed they could defeat this mysterious clone. If he threw all his assets into the fray and failed—resulting in the deaths of Steve, Kent, and Tony—it was a loss Nick simply couldn't stomach.
Since the Gurongi Avatar hadn't shown any intent to go on a killing spree yet, Nick decided not to poke the hornet's nest. Constant surveillance would suffice. As for capturing a Gurongi for research, they could focus on a different target.
Once the weapons developed from the Tesseract were ready and the Avengers Initiative was officially established, perhaps then they could try again.
Alexander Pierce's Office.
"Sir, Crossbones is requesting a direct line to you," Agent Sitwell reported after knocking and entering.
Pierce tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, his brow furrowing briefly before smoothing out. "Patch Rumlow through."
"Mr. Pierce, please let Dr. Zola of Shocker modify me! Repair my body! I want to keep fighting; I need more power to serve HYDRA!" The one-armed, one-legged Rumlow pleaded hoarsely and emotionally as soon as he saw Pierce.
Pierce spoke in a warm, soothing tone. "Rumlow, do not worry. The organization will not forget your past contributions. I will make sure Dr. Zola finds a way to repair your body. But I'm not sending you to Shocker for modification."
"What do you mean?" Rumlow asked, confused.
Pierce smiled. "You are currently a high-level field agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. That identity is still vital to HYDRA's grand design. If we let Shocker repair you directly, it would be impossible to explain to Nick Fury."
Rumlow grew anxious. "But I can barely walk. I can't possibly execute S.H.I.E.L.D. missions like this. Even if I transfer to a desk job, I'll be useless to the cause. It would be better to disappear, let Shocker enhance me, and serve HYDRA from the shadows."
Pierce shook his head with a meaningful smile. "You needn't worry about that. I will arrange for a 'laboratory accident' involving S.H.I.E.L.D. researchers that will 'accidentally' produce a special serum. You will then volunteer as a test subject. This serum will allow you to regrow your limbs and gain immense strength."
"A product from Shocker?" Rumlow realized.
Pierce nodded. "Dr. Zola has successfully fused Gurongi cell samples with the Winter Soldier, further increasing his performance. He has also developed this special enhancement serum. I'll have Zola send some samples to be planted in a S.H.I.E.L.D. lab. But I must warn you—using this serum carries significant risk."
Rumlow looked invigorated. "Say no more, Mr. Pierce. No matter the risk, I must use it. I can't stand another moment of being a cripple. I'd rather gamble my life than live like this."
"Good. With that determination, I believe you will survive the transformation," Pierce said, clapping his hands in approval.