บท 67: 67. Schemes
'.....'= Thoughts
"....."= Conversations
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A Few Days Earlier...
Alexander Pierce sat in his office at SHIELD headquarters, surrounded by the quiet buzz of technology. He was feeling frustrated about recent events. His nephew, Harry, had caused unexpected trouble by exposing HYDRA's infiltration within SHIELD. Pierce had always known Harry was smart, but he had underestimated him. Harry's survival after several assassination attempts and the awakening of his powers made him a bigger threat than Pierce had imagined.
Pierce clenched his fist, glancing at Thatan, his trusted bodyguard, standing silently by the door. Thatan also had special abilities, like Harry. Pierce had spent years gathering individuals with unique gifts to help execute HYDRA's plans. Thatan had proven loyal many times, which was rare in an increasingly chaotic world.
Keeping Thatan's true identity hidden from both HYDRA and SHIELD had been challenging, requiring careful planning. But Pierce believed it was worth it. He wanted a world where HYDRA controlled everything from the shadows, achieved through political and military power. However, he realized that mere influence was not enough anymore. The rise of superhumans and Inhumans like Harry and Thatan had changed everything. Power now lay with those who had special abilities. Without them, HYDRA's plans would fail.
Harry had once been part of their plans, someone they could manipulate. But now he had become their biggest obstacle. Every move Harry made disrupted their carefully laid plans and threatened HYDRA's existence. Pierce thought he could handle Harry, but his nephew's awakening had turned everything upside down.
The irony wasn't lost on Pierce: HYDRA was built on creating order from chaos, but Harry was now causing chaos within their ranks. Their ambitions of controlling governments seemed further away than ever because of Harry's interference.
Pierce took a slow breath, considering what needed to be done to regain control. Harry had to be dealt with—one way or another. But he needed to be careful; Harry had become stronger and more unpredictable.
'Power,' Pierce thought, 'is no longer about politics or military might. It's about controlling those with abilities.' If HYDRA was to survive and achieve its goals, they needed to regain that control, starting with Harry.
He was jolted from his thoughts by a soft knock on the door. Annoyed by the interruption, he motioned for the door to open.
His secretary entered, looking sharp and efficient. "Sir, Nick Fury is here to see you," she said, surprised.
Pierce's eyes widened slightly. Fury? Here? This visit was unexpected, especially since Fury had gone underground after Harry exposed HYDRA. Fury was now suspicious of everyone, including Pierce. His visit sent alarm bells ringing in Pierce's mind.
"Send him in," Pierce replied, keeping his voice steady.
As the door closed behind his secretary, Pierce's mind raced with possibilities. What could Fury want? Was he here to confront him? Or was this a test? One thing was clear: Fury didn't make casual visits. There was a reason for this meeting, and Pierce needed to be prepared.
Fury entered, his expression as intense as ever. His black trench coat and eyepatch made him look imposing, and although he remained calm, Pierce sensed the tension.
"Nick," Pierce greeted, standing and offering a firm handshake. "It's been a while."
Fury took the handshake but got straight to business. "I don't have much time. We've got a situation."
Pierce raised an eyebrow, feigning interest. "What kind of situation?"
Fury crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on Pierce. "Harry's coming for the Tesseract. He's assembled a team and plans to steal it from SHIELD."
Pierce felt a moment of panic but quickly masked it with a professional demeanor. Inside, his thoughts raced. How did Harry find out about the Tesseract? How did he get a team capable of breaching SHIELD's defenses? This was a major threat to everything Pierce was trying to maintain.
"Harry?" Pierce echoed, testing the waters. "I thought he was staying low after everything with HYDRA."
"Low profile, sure," Fury replied, sarcasm in his voice. "But he's not out of the game. He's coming for the Tesseract and isn't planning to ask nicely."
Pierce leaned back in his chair, pretending to think. "Do you have any idea why Harry would want the Tesseract? It's powerful, but SHIELD protects it well."
Fury narrowed his eye, suspicion evident. "He doesn't do things without a reason. He knows more than we think. My guess is he has something planned—maybe something bigger than we realize."
Pierce nodded slowly, processing the information. Harry had become a greater threat than he expected, targeting the Tesseract—a powerful artifact that could shift the balance of power.
"I see," Pierce replied evenly.
Fury continued, his tone sharp. "I want to make sure we're ready if Harry comes knocking."
Pierce allowed a small smile, already plotting his next move. "Of course. We'll tighten security around the Tesseract. I'll have my best people on it."
Fury nodded but remained guarded. "Good. But I'll be keeping a close eye. Harry's dangerous, and he won't stop until he gets what he wants."
Pierce stood and extended his hand again, signaling the conversation's end. "Understood. We'll be prepared."
As Fury left, Pierce sat back down, his mind racing. Harry was coming for the Tesseract, and Fury was suspicious—but not suspicious enough. This unexpected move from his nephew might be the final push Pierce needed to strengthen HYDRA's hold on SHIELD. He just had to stay one step ahead of both Harry and Fury.
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