Puente Antiguo, New Mexico.
On this barren land where no trace of the original buildings can be seen, several agents dressed in black suits and armed with rifles stand next to a giant truck. They form a defensive formation, back to back, as they observe their surroundings.
"Sir, we have reached the designated location."
Grant Ward reported his mission status to the commander of this operation, John Garrett, through a communication device.
It must be said that HYDRA's methods and efficiency are indeed impressive. Not only did they succeed in infiltrating for many years and promoting John Garrett, known as "The Clairvoyant," to the rank of Level 8 agent, but they also pulled Grant Ward, who had already joined Coulson's team, to serve as the field captain for this mission.
In addition, the rest of the team executing this mission are also members of HYDRA who have infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. It can be said that the mission entrusted to S.H.I.E.L.D by Director Fury has completely fallen into HYDRA's hands, just as Mark anticipated.
"Agent Ward, maintain a vigilant position and await further instructions. According to the data, the aircraft carrying the components of the orbital weapon will land near your current location in one minute.
After unloading the components, the aircraft will depart on its own. Your task is to safely deliver the item in your possession to the designated destination. Do not forget your true mission and ensure the safety of the item at all costs."
After briefing the mission, John Garrett softly added, "Hail Hydra!" and ended the communication.
Just as Garrett informed, right on time, the aircraft landed precisely on the open ground in Puente Antiguo Town.
After completing the landing procedure, it immediately locked onto Ward and his team, analyzed their identities, and confirmed their match with the facial data provided by S.H.I.E.L.D. Then, two long mechanical arms extended and transferred everything to the large truck that the team arrived in. The aircraft ascended once again and flew towards the direction of the City of Angels.
"The cargo has been delivered. Get on the truck and leave this place. We cannot allow any force other than Hydra to obtain this weapon. Move out!"
"Yes, sir!"
Upon Ward's command, all the agents immediately sprang into action, closing the truck doors and preparing to leave.
However, things didn't seem to go smoothly from the beginning. Bang! A gunshot shattered the silence of the desolate plain, like a sudden thunderclap in the early morning, immediately alerting Grant Ward.
Indeed, as he turned his head towards the direction of the gunshot, Grant Ward immediately spotted a sniper wearing a ghillie suit, lying prone on the ground and aiming at them. If it weren't for the gunshot just now and the faint sense of incongruity between the sniper and the surrounding environment, Ward would have had a hard time detecting the enemy's position.
Without hesitation, Ward raised his assault rifle and without aiming, he fired a shot.
Bang! To others' surprise, the hidden sniper was directly hit by Ward's shot. Blood flowed from the sniper's body, staining the desolate ground with a striking crimson color.
On the other side, the team member who was knocked down by the ambush earlier had also stood up, dusted off his clothes, picked up the fallen gun from the ground, and continued with the mission.
Whether it was the miraculously surviving team member who got shot or Ward's miraculous marksmanship, it was actually thanks to the black suits they were wearing.
The reason they went on this escort mission without switching to standard military gear and instead wore the suits used for special operations was that these suits were not ordinary clothing. They were the incredible suits purchased by S.H.I.E.L.D. at a high price from Mark.
Even before the sniper fired the shot, the incredible suits had already sensed the threat and automatically activated their warning and evasion systems.
Although they couldn't completely dodge the high-speed sniper bullet, it hit the suit made of graphene special fibers instead of the intended target, effectively blocking the surprise attack and saving the unlucky team member's life.
Ward's deadly shot also relied on the incredible suit's targeting assistance, allowing him to achieve a flashy effect of a lethal shot without aiming.
"Get on the vehicle quickly. It seems that we have attracted some attention, and it's not safe to stay here for long. Also, put on the artificial white eye and activate the holographic view. Beware of another enemy ambush."
Ward's team was truly equipped with a variety of equipment acquired through the deal between S.H.I.E.L.D. and Mark, forming a big package that they carried with them.
Although they had been exposed to this black tech equipment for a long time, even the internal members of HYDRA couldn't fully grasp their secrets. However, that didn't prevent the undercover members in S.H.I.E.L.D. from using this equipment to accomplish various high-difficulty missions.
Even Grant Ward, who originally advocated close-quarters combat and solving problems with his fists, became an avid supporter of these Mark's gadgets after experiencing the wonderful feeling of using them during a mission with Coulson's team.
So, this time, he directly requested permission from Garrett to use the full set of equipment. Aware of the importance of this mission to HYDRA, Garrett used his connections within the organization to grant the approval.
Now it seemed that it was indeed a wise decision, as it gave them a strong start in their first battle.
"Interesting. They actually brought the entire set of equipment that I traded with S.H.I.E.L.D.
I initially thought that HYDRA only dispatched a few people, and this grand show would come to an end quickly. But it seems the excitement is just getting started..."
Mark, in the top-floor laboratory of his research center, watched the entire battle unfold through the optical module carried by the orbital weapon satellite.
"I wonder what kind of expressions they will make when they realize that they have gone through all the trouble to fight over something that turned out to be a fake?" Mark thought with a sadistic sense of amusement.
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