Chapter 100: Hydra Shall Rise Again

The attire on Hill shifted, taking on a retro aesthetic characteristic of a banshee. As she spoke, dark energy eroded Pierce’s soul. With the casting of her spell, multiple purple chains emerged from the void, wrapping around Pierce and hoisting him into the air. Within the bindings, Pierce’s physical form visibly withered, gradually being converted into an undead thrall.

"Hah—was this your plan from the very beginning?" In this moment of revelation, the shrewd Pierce finally understood.

"Yes, Director. Everything is guided by Hydra; everything is a choice of destiny. The new era has no room for the remnants of the old. Hydra requires a brighter future, and you—you have failed us." While drawing out Pierce’s soul, Hill continued to weave her verbal trap, deceiving him to the end.

"If you truly are Hydra, Hill, then I have no complaints..." As if having realized something, Pierce abandoned all resistance. "I have dedicated my entire life to Hydra, so it is only fitting that I die for it. But many of the younger generation are innocent. Like lost lambs in need of guidance, they require a wise leader. Promise me, Hill, if only for the sake of Hydra... be kind to those boys."

As if exhausting his remaining spirit, Pierce’s expression became unusually agitated. Ignoring the purple chains tightening around him, he roared, "Promise me... Hill!"

"As you can see, you have fully realized my sincerity." Hill slowly tightened the chains, leaned in close to Pierce, and whispered, "Hail Hydra."

"Hail... Hydra..." Pierce’s voice was barely audible. The light in his pupils faded as the slogan he had recited for years became a final instinct in his dying moments. Soon after, his soul was torn from his body.

Once his soul was thoroughly saturated with dark energy, it returned to his body from the cloak, and a new, fully controlled Pierce was born.

Just as Hill’s ritual concluded, the door to Pierce’s office was pushed open. Viper and Sitwell, Pierce’s most trusted lieutenants, walked in. Both were stunned to see Hill standing in the room.

"Director..." Seeing Hill present, Sitwell hesitated.

"Speak, Sitwell. Agent Hill—oh, no, it should be Director Hill now. She is no outsider. As you can see, she is my successor."

"???" A question mark hung over the heads of both Sitwell and Viper.

However, as the supreme leader, Pierce’s words were absolute. Hydra’s hierarchy was strict, and as elite agents within S.H.I.E.L.D., they were well aware of Hill’s capabilities.

"What is the matter?" Seeing Sitwell and Viper silent, Hill controlled Pierce and asked with feigned confusion.

"Nothing, Director. While it makes sense, we are still quite surprised."

"What is there to be surprised about? You should have been able to deduce this from the start. Or are you both that foolish?" Hill walked toward them, her tone stern, acting with her usual authority. "What new intelligence do you have?"

Choosing not to dwell on what they could not understand—and believing that for members of Hydra, it made little difference who led them as long as they were superiors—Sitwell handed the intelligence regarding Nick Fury to Hill.

Fifteen minutes later, having finished reading the report—and already well aware of Nick Fury’s plans—Hill pretended to deliberate for a moment.

"Based on their recent movements, I suspect Nick Fury intends to reclaim control of the Helicarriers and use their firepower to achieve his goals. Or perhaps they are planning a decapitation strike?"

"Is that even possible, Director? Can those few people really seize a Helicarrier?" Sitwell was skeptical of Hill’s deduction.

"Foolish. You know those few cannot take the ship, and everyone else will think the same. But do not forget, they have Captain America. He is our old rival. When everyone thinks it’s impossible, that is their opportunity. It is their most logical choice, though we cannot rule out a smokescreen."

"Then, Director, should we send someone to eliminate Nick Fury?" Sitwell made a throat-slitting gesture.

"Can you confirm the identity of the Nick Fury you saw? Rogers is by his side; you won't be able to kill him. We need a more suitable opportunity." Hill walked to the map, activated the smart console, and pulled up a map of Washington and the schematics of the Helicarriers.

"Let’s play a big game." Having already learned the codes by controlling Pierce, Hill operated the instruments while the false Pierce stood quietly by. Sitwell and Viper’s anxiety eased. Since certain codes were known only to Pierce, the fact that Hill could access them in his presence meant he had tacitly approved her ascension to leadership.

Soon, Hill brought up images of the other three Helicarriers.

"Since Nick Fury wants to seize control of a carrier, we will give him one. We will use the one I have already compromised as bait. Let his Avengers squad board it, and then my people will pilot the ship to crash into a specific location in Washington." Hill pointed to a white building. "It’s full of our people anyway. To sacrifice oneself for the plan is Hydra’s glory."

"Then, we launch the remaining carriers and label the ship Fury and his squad have seized as a betrayal—no, treason. We will leave them no official recourse. When the public realizes that Captain America led this, can he still be called Captain America?"

"No matter how much influence Nick Fury has, he cannot change the facts. I have already promised the military the technology from that carrier. I have already drafted a plan with General Ross; he will help me withstand the pressure from the military and Congress. Mr. Pierce will handle the Security Council and serve as the bait. Once this is complete, Hydra will emerge as the savior. That is why Mr. Pierce has handed the leadership to me in advance."

Sitwell and Viper looked at Pierce. The false Pierce nodded at them.

"But..." Sitwell was still hesitant; he still held some respect for the old man.

"Say no more. This is all for Hydra."

The two men shifted their focus back to Hill, as multiple screens in the room lit up. As they analyzed page after page, the plan became complete.

"If Nick Fury remains in the shadows and does not appear during this mission, we can capture Rogers instead. Without his helpers, he will be even easier to deal with."

"In any case, we hold the initiative."

Sitwell and Viper were dumbfounded. They understood, yet it felt as if they understood nothing at all.