章 30: Chapter 28: Striking from the Shadows
The sun rose over the quiet desert town of Puente Antiguo, casting long shadows across the dusty streets. The air was still, deceptively calm before the inevitable chaos. Max sat at his desk in Tony's villa, his fingers gliding across the holographic keyboard as he coordinated the final details for the evacuation.
"Jarvis," Max called out, his voice low but focused, "is the evacuation protocol ready?"
"All systems are green, sir. The internet-based evacuation alert will go live as soon as you give the word," Jarvis replied smoothly.
Max glanced at the monitor showing the small town of Puente Antiguo. "Good. I want those people clear before Thor faces the Destroyer."
He knew what was coming—Loki's plan to send the Destroyer to Earth to deal with Thor, who was currently powerless. And while Max trusted Thor's ability to win this battle, the collateral damage could easily cost lives. That's why he'd quietly triggered an internet-based evacuation alert, posing as a government emergency system, warning of an incoming natural disaster. The townspeople would be safe long before the battle reached its peak.
As Max prepared to give the final go-ahead for the alert, a notification pinged on his screen. He smiled faintly, recognizing the signal from the Storm Chaser. It was time for the next part of his plan.
Nick Fury had been slowly, but steadily, purging HYDRA from SHIELD, but Max knew that sometimes external pressure was needed to accelerate things. If Fury wasn't going to be more aggressive, Max would give him the push he needed.
Max opened a secure comm link to Frank Castle, who was stationed aboard the Storm Chaser in Earth's orbit. On the screen, Frank appeared, clad in a newly designed exosuit that gleamed under the dim lights of the ship's control room. The armor was massive, reminiscent of the hulking Space Marine suits from StarCraft II, but more sleek, advanced, and optimized for modern warfare.
"Frank," Max said, leaning forward, "I've got a job for you."
Frank's voice rumbled through the comm. "What's the target?"
"Camp Lehigh," Max replied, his tone cold. "There's someone there who needs to be... handled. Dr. Arnim Zola. His consciousness is stored in the camp's old computer systems, and we need to take him out before HYDRA uses him to dig in deeper."
Frank nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "How big of a strike are we talking?"
"Small," Max said. "One of the Storm Chaser's smaller energy cannons will do. You'll be firing from stealth, so no one will see you. I want everything within two kilometers of Zola's location turned to glass. No survivors, no evidence."
Frank grunted in agreement, his eyes cold and focused. "Understood. We'll handle it."
Max kept his gaze on Frank for a moment before asking, "How's progress with the Widows?"
Frank shifted slightly in his exosuit, the bulky armor moving with ease despite its weight. "All the Widows who needed medical attention are fully healed. The cloned organs have worked wonders. It's helping break the Red Room's conditioning on the older ones too. They're starting to come around."
Max nodded, satisfied. "Good. That's what we need—loyalty and strength."
Frank's attention shifted momentarily, and the camera feed expanded to show Yelena Belova standing nearby. She was wearing the sleek and deadly Ghost armor, another design inspired by StarCraft II. The suit hugged her figure, jet black with deep blue accents, lightweight but reinforced with advanced plating, perfect for stealth operations. The visor, shaped like a skull, glowed faintly as she adjusted the settings on her weapons.
Yelena moved with a predatory grace, the Ghost armor amplifying her already lethal capabilities. Twin pistols were holstered at her side, and a sniper rifle was slung over her back. The armor allowed her to phase in and out of visibility, rendering her practically invisible to the naked eye when she activated its cloaking abilities.
Max took a moment to admire the suits he had created. Frank looked unstoppable in his towering Space Marine armor—thick, muscular limbs reinforced with enough firepower to level a city block. The large pauldrons and gauntlets bristled with weaponry, and the helmet's visor gave Frank a HUD that could rival even Tony's Iron Man suit.
"You both look ready for war," Max remarked with a smirk. "Frank, I want the strike on Camp Lehigh to happen when the fight between Thor and the Destroyer begins. SHIELD won't know what hit them, and HYDRA will panic. When Fury comes knocking, I'll tell him everything about Zola."
Frank's face remained impassive beneath the visor of his armor. "Consider it done."
Yelena, her voice cool and professional, added, "We'll be ready, Max. No one will see us coming."
Max cut the comm line, his mind already racing with the next steps. Fury would be forced to take action, and HYDRA would lose one of their greatest assets. It was all about timing—if they struck during the chaos of Thor's battle, the destruction of Camp Lehigh and confusion caused by the attack becomes greatest.
Later that day, Max leaned back in his chair, watching the live feed from Puente Antiguo as the citizens quietly evacuated. By now, the entire town was nearly deserted. Max watched as the ominous shadow of the Destroyer appeared on the outskirts, its metallic body gleaming menacingly in the sun.
Thor stood ready, but unarmed, powerless in his current state. Max knew he had to trust that Thor's moment of redemption would come soon. The Destroyer loomed over the town, its fiery energy crackling in the air.
Max's attention shifted to the Storm Chaser feed. Frank Castle and his team were preparing for the strike. Frank stood in the command center, giving orders to the crew. The Storm Chaser hovered in low-Earth orbit, completely cloaked from detection.
"Target locked on Camp Lehigh," Frank's voice echoed through the comm. "Firing on your command."
"Wait for the signal," Max replied. "Let Thor engage the Destroyer first."
The tension built as the seconds ticked by. The battle between Thor and the Destroyer had begun. Thor, without his powers, was struggling, but Max knew it was only a matter of time before Mjolnir returned to him. As soon as Thor proved himself worthy again, the tide of battle would turn.
And right on cue, Max saw the shift. Mjolnir flew back to Thor's hand, his armor appearing in a flash of lightning. Thor, now fully restored, charged the Destroyer, clashing with it in a brilliant display of Asgardian power.
"Now," Max ordered.
Onboard the Storm Chaser, Frank gave the signal, and one of the ship's smaller energy cannons fired a single, precise beam of light. The strike was invisible to the naked eye, but it hit Camp Lehigh with pinpoint accuracy.
In an instant, the entire camp was vaporized. The ground was turned to glass, and everything within a two-kilometer radius was obliterated. There were no witnesses, no survivors—only a perfect, silent ruin.
Max leaned back in his chair, watching the reports from SHIELD come flooding in. Nick Fury would be scrambling to figure out what happened, and when he did, he'd come to Max for answers. The confusion and panic would allow Fury to clean house more efficiently, while HYDRA would be left scrambling.
Max smiled, satisfied with the day's work.
Later, back on the Storm Chaser, Frank Castle stood in his imposing Space Marine armor, the glow of the command center's monitors reflecting off his visor. Yelena, in her Ghost armor, stood beside him, ready for whatever mission came next. The strike had gone perfectly, and now, they awaited Max's next command.
"Good work," Max's voice crackled through the comm. "We've shaken the hornet's nest. HYDRA won't know what hit them."
Frank crossed his armored arms, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "They never do."
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