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54.21% With Ope Ope no Mi in Hunter x Hunter / Chapter 148: Chapter 148: The Fall of Garrett and Ward (Part 2)

Chapter 148: Chapter 148: The Fall of Garrett and Ward (Part 2)

"Phil, you can't just believe an outsider's baseless accusations. We've been friends for years, and I came to take custody of the prisoner on orders from HQ. I can't just ignore those orders," Garrett protested, hands raised in a placating gesture.

"I want to believe you, John, I really do. I've never doubted you before. But now, given these suspicions, I'm sure you won't mind undergoing a full HQ investigation," Coulson said after a long pause, his eyes fixed on Garrett.

S.H.I.E.L.D. had strict protocols for prisoner transfer. Sending an eighth-level agent to retrieve a captured prisoner was unusual; eighth-level agents were elite, tasked with critical operations. Coulson had found it odd but had trusted Garrett due to their friendship and the legitimacy of the orders.

However, Daniel's words had sparked doubt. While Coulson didn't believe in precognition, he understood the logic behind internal leaks and betrayal.

"We've been friends for years, and you trust a stranger over me?" Garrett began, but Daniel interrupted him.

"Enough with the drama. The truth is simple to uncover. Use truth serum. As an eighth-level agent, you must have undergone truth serum tests before," Daniel said, tapping his wand on the table, his gaze shifting to Ward.

S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, especially those above level six, underwent rigorous screening, including truth serum tests. Although not foolproof, they could still reveal hidden intentions, unless one was highly skilled in counter-interrogation techniques like Black Widow or Hawkeye.

"By the way, Ward has been under your command for a long time. He is suspicious too. Disarm him," Daniel added, pointing his wand at Ward. A burst of invisible force knocked the gun out of Ward's hand.

Ward had been aiming at Triplet, but could easily switch targets. Better to neutralize the threat.

"Ward isn't a traitor," Fitz shouted.

"I didn't say he is, only that he's suspicious. A thorough check will confirm," Daniel replied calmly.

While Ward had potential for redemption, Daniel wasn't inclined to gamble on it. Unlike Fitz, Simmons, or Skye, he had no emotional ties to Ward and preferred a straightforward solution.

"Incarcerous," Daniel cast the binding spell, ropes snaking around both Garrett and Ward, restraining them.

"Why not tie me up too?" Triplet asked, watching the scene unfold.

"As a descendant of the Howling Commandos, I trust you're not a bad guy," Daniel said. Triplet was one of the few S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Daniel remembered, mainly because he sacrificed himself to save Skye in the original storyline.

"You'll need to undergo a review, but no need for restraints. If Captain America found out I restrained a Howling Commando's descendant, he'd probably give me hell."

The Howling Commandos were Captain America's elite squad in WWII. They played a crucial role in his wartime exploits.

"Howling Commandos?" Coulson and May were shocked, staring at Triplet. They knew him but hadn't known his lineage.

While they were processing this revelation, Daniel dialed Fury again.

"What's the issue now?" Fury's irritated voice came through.

"I've found a lead on the Clairvoyant," Daniel explained, summarizing his deductions about Garrett and Ward.

"I see. I'll send a team to retrieve them. But next time, inform me before taking action," Fury said, exasperated.

Daniel had overstepped his authority by detaining S.H.I.E.L.D. agents without proper protocol.

"I acted to prevent their escape or taking hostages. Besides, I suspect they have ties to certain individuals," Daniel hinted.

"I get it. But still, follow protocol next time."

"Got it," Daniel agreed.

"Keep an eye on them, Coulson. A team will arrive soon to take them."

Three Quinjet fighters soon surrounded Coulson's plane, indicating Fury's serious concern about Garrett and Ward.

"Leave Triplet here," Daniel instructed as the retrieval team prepared to take Garrett and Ward. They reluctantly complied after Daniel mentioned Fury.

As Garrett and Ward were led away, Garrett's glare promised vengeance.

"How will HYDRA handle this? Will they strike their own?" S.H.I.E.L.D.'s action team was mostly HYDRA infiltrators. Alexander Pierce wouldn't let Garrett and Ward fall into Fury's hands; the damage would be too great.

HYDRA's infiltration meant eliminating Garrett and Ward might be a logical move to contain the fallout.

Just as Daniel predicted, the Quinjet transporting Garrett and Ward was attacked mid-flight. Both men vanished.

Daniel had kept Triplet and Quinn to avoid this.

"What?" Coulson, Fitz, and Simmons shouted in unison upon hearing the news.

"Looks like I was right. Maybe I have a knack for detective work," Daniel mused.

"Damn it!" Fitz yelled, realizing Ward's involvement in Skye's injury.

"Who are those people?" Coulson asked, furious enough to disregard S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secrecy protocols.

Coulson, usually strict with himself, was capable of fierce anger. In the original timeline, after Ward killed his girlfriend, Coulson abandoned his principles to hunt Ward down, eventually killing him on an alien planet.

"Ask your director. I can't disclose that. But here's a hint: S.H.I.E.L.D. has more people like Garrett and Ward," Daniel said before Apparating away from the plane.

"You think you can escape?" Daniel, hovering on his broom, smirked. He exposed Garrett and Ward to ensure events didn't spiral out of his control. Missing Skye's crisis was a wake-up call; he couldn't always anticipate everything.

If he were in another dimension and something happened, like Agent Hand being killed by Ward, it would be disastrous. Hand was his intended CEO, and finding another competent, responsible person like her would be tough.

Garrett and Ward's exposure also disrupted HYDRA. Daniel withheld information from Fury because it was futile. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s deep infiltration by HYDRA couldn't be eradicated without disbanding the agency and publicizing the information.

Even killing Alexander Pierce wouldn't suffice. Fury's attempt to preserve S.H.I.E.L.D. while purging HYDRA was unrealistic; it would only drive HYDRA deeper underground.

Fury understood this and disbanded S.H.I.E.L.D., preferring to rebuild from scratch.

"That bastard! I'll kill him!" In a hidden, dilapidated warehouse lab, the rescued Garrett raged, smashing everything around. He had been close to acquiring GH325 to save his life, but Daniel's intervention had ruined everything.

Garrett's quest for Coulson's resurrection secret was driven by his impending death; only GH325 could save him.

As Garrett vented his fury, Raina watched with a cold smile. Her admiration for the Clairvoyant had turned to disappointment upon realizing his supposed foresight was merely exploitation of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources.

Raina sought extraordinary powers, not predictions based on data.

"Raina, how many Centipede soldiers can we deploy?" Garrett asked, determined to retaliate against Daniel. He disregarded Pierce's orders to hide.

Garrett's allegiance to HYDRA was pragmatic, not ideological. He leveraged HYDRA for power, resenting the organization for making him a guinea pig in the Deathlok program.

This resentment fueled his disregard for HYDRA, focusing only on his ambitions.

"Eight, but three are unstable," Raina replied. The Centipede soldiers, while formidable, required extensive maintenance and relied on superhuman blood for stability.

Fitz and Simmons' work had helped stabilize Deathlok, providing data that advanced Raina's research.

"Deploy them all. Kill him," Garrett ordered, not needing to specify the target.

"Your Clairvoyant cover is blown," a familiar voice interjected. Sunil Bakshi, Whitehall's right-hand man, appeared.

"What do you want?" Garrett snarled at Bakshi.

"Mr. Whitehall wishes to meet. He's intrigued by the wizard. Perhaps we can collaborate," Bakshi suggested with a smile.

"Is that so? Fine. When do we strike?" Garrett, intrigued, agreed.

"Mr. Whitehall prefers discussing it in person for a flawless plan," Bakshi replied.

"Alright." Garrett led Ward and Bakshi away, instructing Raina to ready the Centipede soldiers.

"Mr. Whitehall, a pleasure to meet you." In a luxurious office, Garrett and Ward greeted the figure seated behind a grand desk, facing away from them.

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter


Chapter 149: Chapter 149: The End of Garrett and Ward (Final)

Even though Garrett didn't consider himself a true Hydra agent, he was still very respectful when facing Whitehall. After all, Whitehall held a status within Hydra comparable to that of Pierce.

Garrett had risen quickly within Hydra for a reason, but unfortunately, his respect was wasted today.

"We meet again, gentlemen." As a familiar voice sounded, the chair turned around to reveal a familiar figure sitting in it, causing Garrett and Ward's expressions to change. Just as they were about to draw their weapons, they realized that all their weapons had been confiscated before they entered.

"It's you. You're one of them too." Without weapons and faced with a magician among the superheroes, Garrett and Ward exchanged a glance. Garrett suddenly seemed to recall something and directly asked.

"One of them? It seems our clairvoyant doesn't really identify with Hydra. If Pierce knew your thoughts, he wouldn't be rescuing you. He'd rather shoot you down from the sky to avoid sacrificing many of our action team members."

Trying to take Garrett and Ward would not be allowed by the action team members escorting them. In a rush, even Pierce couldn't send non-Hydra action team members from S.H.I.E.L.D., so the only outcome would be to sacrifice their own people.

"If you're one of us, why did you betray us?" Garrett shouted.

"When did I ever say I was one of you?" Daniel Davis smiled at Garrett, suddenly flicking his right hand. With a gunshot, he hit Ward's right arm, which had been making small movements behind his back.

As a Level 6 agent in the action team, Ward was not weak. He had many small gadgets that agents carried, which were hard to detect. An agent whose secrets were all known was as good as dead, especially in the action team. Ward had escaped death multiple times thanks to his caution.

But unfortunately, standing before him now was Daniel Davis. Even with Garrett intentionally drawing his attention, Ward's small movements couldn't escape Davis's eyes.

"Don't try to make small moves in front of me. But you have to give it to Ward; even after taking a shot, he didn't make a sound. No wonder Hill was fooled into choosing you for Coulson's team."

Davis said, raising his left hand with a wand and casting several simple spells at Ward, suspending him in mid-air and binding him. As for his injured right hand, which was still bleeding, Davis ignored it.

Maybe Skye, Fitz, and others still thought Ward was redeemable, but to Davis, Ward was beyond saving. He had killed his own parents, and though this could be justified by his abuse and built-up hatred, his own actions showed his true nature.

In Davis's view, Ward deserved to die not for killing his parents or the senator's brother but for abusing his brother and blaming it on his brother and parents.

Regarding the well and the brother pushed into it, Ward's story was entirely different from his senator brother's. Outsiders would find it hard to distinguish the truth. Davis himself was initially confused, but Ward's brother's later appearance and attitude towards Ward indicated that Ward was the main problem.

In this family, only the consistently bullied brother turned out normal. This showed that being abused as a child didn't necessarily lead to becoming an abuser.

To Davis, Ward was the type who committed wrongdoings but desperately sought justification, never admitting his own faults and always blaming others.

"Who exactly are you? What do you mean by what you said earlier?" Seeing Ward suspended in the air, still bleeding, Garrett's expression turned grim. He wasn't worried about Ward but about his own life.

"Actually, I lied about one thing on the plane." Davis leaned back in his chair, smiling at the grim-faced Garrett and the suspended Ward.

"I said there's no such thing as foresight in this world, but that was a lie to deceive you. True clairvoyants exist in this world, not impostors like you."

Davis wasn't referring to himself. From his omniscient perspective, he knew these things. He was talking about the Ancient One and Doctor Strange. With the Time Stone, foresight was not difficult for them.

"Who am I? I am the true clairvoyant. I've known about your plans for a long time, Garrett, Ward, Alexander Pierce, Agent Sitwell, Brock Rumlow. Do these names sound familiar?"

Davis's words made Garrett's face even grimmer. These were indeed the names of Hydra's top agents within S.H.I.E.L.D.

"And Whitehall, List, Baron Strucker, Gideon Malick. Cut off one head, two more shall take its place. Hydra is truly formidable, turning S.H.I.E.L.D. into Hydra. Fury thought he controlled everything, not knowing that almost 90% of S.H.I.E.L.D. was Hydra. I'd love to see his face when he finds out. It would be quite amusing."

Davis's words left Garrett speechless. The names Davis mentioned were Hydra's high-ranking members, information Garrett only learned after becoming a higher-up in Hydra. Now, a S.H.I.E.L.D. consultant knew everything, which was terrifying.

"To be honest, I didn't plan to kill you now, but you forced my hand by not being honest. I wonder, didn't Ward report Mephisto's appearance to you? With Asgardians and Mephisto appearing, instead of lying low, you intensified your actions. Now I have no choice but to eliminate you."

"And Whitehall too. He could have lived well but chose to provoke a big shot vacationing on Earth, forcing me to eliminate him. Honestly, I'm impressed by Hydra's recklessness, implementing Project Insight despite the circumstances. Do you know how many hidden aliens are on Earth, their status no less than Thor and Loki? Especially figures like Mephisto and Lucifer from Hell. Oh, and Odin occasionally visits Earth too."

"In these circumstances, you're pushing Project Insight. I must say, I've seen many self-destructive acts, but none as extreme as yours."

Davis's words left Garrett dumbfounded. As an eight-level S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and mid-high-ranking Hydra member, he knew about Project Insight and even contributed to it. He used to admire Hydra's boldness, but now it seemed Hydra was just a bunch of fools. And Earth seemed far more dangerous than he imagined.

"Of course, it doesn't matter for you now. It's time to send you to meet Lord Mephisto. I'm sure he'll take good care of you in Hell." Davis said, raising his gun and aiming at Garrett.

"Wait."

Bang.

Just as Garrett tried to speak, Davis shot him in the chest. Garrett fell, but there was no blood. 

This was normal since Davis used a freezing bullet made from tree cobra venom. If it were before, Davis would have killed him directly, but that would be too lenient. He could use Garrett to test the Philosopher's Stone transmutation circle.

"Your turn, Ward. I'm sure your brother will be delighted to hear about your death."

"You know Christian?"

"Not just him, I also know Thomas. He asked me to pass a message: 'Kill you so he can sleep peacefully without worrying about your calls.'"

"Thomas would never say that." Ward reacted angrily.

"Impossible? Aren't you curious why he kept changing jobs? Not to hide from Christian but from you. You spun a touching victim story in S.H.I.E.L.D., but from Thomas, I heard a different tale. You did everything but always played the victim. Ward, you disgust me."

Bang.

Before Ward could respond, Davis shot him.

Davis hadn't contacted Thomas; he had merely found out his brothers' names from Ward's family records. His brother Christian wasn't good either but useful as a senator.

In the USA, many corporations fund campaigns because it brings great benefits.

"How's the situation?" After dealing with Garrett and Ward, Davis walked out of the office and asked Sunil.

"All Centipede soldiers are eliminated, but a woman named Raina escaped." While Davis met Garrett and Ward, Sunil had acted.

Hydra's forces were the enemy, regardless of who died.

"She escaped, huh? Raina's luck isn't bad, but it's a pity."

Raina spent her life pursuing supernatural abilities, believing she was special. After gaining Inhuman powers, she regretted it as it wasn't what she expected.

Raina had talent, especially in salesmanship. She could have lived well with her abilities but ended up as a porcupine.

"Forget it, no need to pursue her." Considering Raina's future, Davis immediately had Sunil call off the chase.

"You're recovering well. It's only been a few days, and you're already up." On Coulson's plane, Davis reappeared, seeing Skye already moving around. Davis had to admit Skye's Inhuman physique and GH325 were a perfect match. Anyone else wouldn't have recovered so quickly.

"Thank you." Skye's face didn't look good, not just because of her injuries but also because of the Ward incident. She never imagined Ward would turn traitor and be the main cause of her getting shot.

"Skye, you shouldn't be out. Go back." Simmons suddenly appeared, seeing Skye out of her room. She immediately went over to take Skye back.

"More blood tests?" Skye looked at the syringe in Simmons' hand with resignation.

Since waking up, Simmons had drawn her blood many times.

Simmons was trying to study GH325's composition. The team only took one vial of GH325 from the Guest House, which was used on Skye. With no samples left, Simmons wanted to analyze it from Skye's blood.

It was a scientist's obsession. To Simmons, understanding and replicating GH325 could save countless lives.

Coulson wanted to stop Simmons but had no valid reason, so he let her proceed.

"In the universe, are there any aliens with blue skin?" Davis asked, getting to the point. Coulson had summoned him, and now Davis understood why. Coulson had seen the Kree body.

"There are many, but mainly two types: the Kree and the Frost Giants."

Given Loki's heritage, his skin should be blue, but he appeared like a normal Asgardian. Whether this was due to magic or adaptation to living in Asgard was unclear.

"I know what you're wondering. You want to know the source of GH325, right?" Davis preempted Coulson.

"You know?" Coulson asked, surprised.

"Of course. Remember when I drew your blood last time? I found the issue then. Fury may want to keep it from you, but I'm not his subordinate. I have no obligation to hide it."

Fury's compartmentalization had caused most of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s problems. Coulson and others had begun to see this. Davis had noticed that many issues in S.H.I.E.L.D. stemmed from a lack of communication and working in silos.

"This GH325 comes from a Kree body. The Kree have advanced biotechnology, and their blood can have incredible regenerative properties. That's why it worked so well on you and Skye."

Coulson was taken aback. He had suspected something unusual but hearing it confirmed was a shock.

"Does Fury know about this?"

"Fury knows more than you think, but he believes keeping secrets is necessary for the greater good. This time, however, it almost cost you your life."

Coulson fell silent, pondering the implications. Fury's secrets had put them in danger, yet the knowledge now could be their greatest asset.

"Thanks for the information, Davis. It gives us more to work with."

"No problem. Just remember, the world is more complicated and dangerous than you realize. There are forces at play far beyond Hydra."

After leaving Coulson, Davis moved to a secluded spot, summoning Sunil.

"What's the next move?" Sunil asked.

"Ensure the remaining Hydra operatives are neutralized. We can't afford any more surprises. Also, keep an eye out for any unusual activity related to the Kree or other extraterrestrial threats."

Sunil nodded and left to carry out the orders.

As Davis looked out at the sky, he knew their battles were far from over. The game had many players, and the stakes were higher than ever.

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter


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