Located underground in Washington, a certain secret military base.
Alexander Pierce's face was gloomy like water as he walked swiftly into a secret room.
Inside the room stood many agents waiting in full battle formation, holding firearms whose safeties had already been released, nervously aiming at a man with a metal left arm. There were also a few scattered researchers surrounding him, operating computer instruments.
Several precision metal arms were connected to the chair, repairing the man's damaged metal arm.
The man was precisely the one who had attacked Steve not long ago, and he had the same appearance as Bucky Barnes. Even the positions where both men lost their arms were the same. The only difference was that this Bucky before their eyes had not the slightest thought in his gaze, as wooden as a puppet.
"Sir, he is very unstable."
Grant walked forward, his face somewhat ugly as he reported in a low voice: "It seems his memories were not completely erased. After returning, he became extremely agitated and has already injured several people."
He had requested the Winter Soldier to help capture Steve, but he had not expected that not only would the mission fail, after the Winter Soldier returned, there also seemed to be problems with his brainwashing. He recalled things from the past, suddenly erupted, and killed or injured more than ten people.
This matter had caused him to lose all face. If not for the fact that only one Winter Soldier remained, he would have killed this bastard long ago.
"Trash."
Alexander glanced at him and waved for the others to lower their weapons.
Although extremely unwilling, Grant and the others still lowered their weapons, but they still maintained extremely high vigilance, afraid that this terrifying fellow would erupt again and slaughter everyone here.
"Winter Soldier, mission report." Alexander came close and said each word clearly.
Bucky did not answer immediately. He was still immersed in some kind of memory, a trace of confusion occasionally flashing through his eyes.
"Mission report, now!"
Alexander strengthened his tone, and his gaze also became somewhat cold and harsh.
But Bucky still remained silent. Broken fragments flashed through his mind, making him feel extremely pained and confused, as if he had forgotten something important. And the face of the mission target had further stirred the memories buried deep within his heart.
Restlessly stirring... as if something was about to burst out.
Slap!
A loud slap pulled Bucky back to reality.
Alexander's expression was gloomy as he repeated once more: "Mission report, Winter Soldier."
"The mission target... has mastered a new ability." Bucky's tone was somewhat stiff as he said: "His right arm changed into a new form, white base with red markings, a protruding sharp horn on the shoulder, and he can gather Reiatsu on his fist. Its power is quite terrifying."
"That person... who is he?"
Confusion appeared in Bucky's eyes: "I seem... to have seen him before."
"That is not something you need to know."
Alexander was thoughtful. He turned around and waved his hand, indifferently saying: "Brainwash him again, starting from memory erasure."
Two researchers came forward and pressed Bucky down, then fixed him in place with the metal rings of the chair, stuffing a bite guard into his mouth to prevent him from accidentally biting his tongue during the intense pain of the brainwashing process.
Throughout the entire process, Bucky did not resist, only woodenly obeying the orders.
The cold instrument fit against the skin of his skull, and fragmented memories flickered within his mind. But in the next moment, a powerful electric current surged in, accompanied by Bucky's painful muffled groans. Incomplete memories emerged, only to once again vanish like smoke.
On the icy snowfield, he was dragged by a group of people.
More than ten demons dressed in white bound him to a metal chair and continuously instilled certain ideas into him.
They installed a metal left arm onto him, then in cruel training, made him fight with equally powerful warriors, ultimately selecting the superior one.
Inside a sealed tank filled with solution, there was a man with a face completely identical to his.
At the end of the memory, there was a slowly closing cryo-chamber.
...
...
...
Three hours after the attack.
Steve brought the heavily injured Natasha and fled all the way to Washington.
As the saying went, the most dangerous place was precisely the safest place, so Steve did the opposite and came directly to the location of S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, arriving at the home of someone he believed was trustworthy.
Sam Wilson had once served in the 58th Division's airborne rescue unit and carried out the classified EXO-7 Falcon Project.
Later, because a pilot unfortunately died, after retiring he worked at the Veterans Service Office. He personally greatly admired Captain America. The two had once met during a morning run, and later he was invited to participate in the alien invasion war.
Although Captain America was now a red-level wanted criminal, Sam still chose to believe his idol.
After briefly treating Natasha's injuries inside the room, Sam put down the tools at hand and asked: "You seem to have run into trouble, and from the looks of it, it isn't small. If you don't mind, can you tell me about it?"
Natasha hesitated for a moment and did not answer directly.
Although she believed Captain America, that did not mean she would believe Sam, especially now that S.H.I.E.L.D. had almost been infiltrated by HYDRA like a sieve.
"I trust him, Natasha." Steve first emphasized his own opinion, then said to Sam: "In fact, the trouble is indeed very big right now. S.H.I.E.L.D. has already been deeply infiltrated by HYDRA."
"HYDRA? Weren't they already destroyed by you long ago?" As Captain America's die-hard fan, Sam naturally knew this organization: "Wait... you said S.H.I.E.L.D. was infiltrated by HYDRA? Who is HYDRA?"
"You should ask... who isn't HYDRA." Natasha shook her head bitterly and sighed deeply: "Almost the entire S.H.I.E.L.D. is HYDRA's people. I really don't know how things became like this."
"In other words... we are the moles?" Sam's face became somewhat精彩.
"That is exactly what it means."
Steve sighed bitterly and said: "And they can even mobilize ballistic missiles. They nearly killed Natasha and me. Fury being attacked and accused of treason was also done by them."
"This..." Sam sucked in a breath of cold air and said in horror: "Inside S.H.I.E.L.D., who has this much authority?"
"Alexander Pierce..." Natasha said without hesitation: "He is the head inside the safest building in the world, and also S.H.I.E.L.D.'s former Director. Only he has the authority to do these things."
"Is there any worse news?"
Sam took several deep breaths, trying hard to maintain calm, and said: "I can still bear it. Say it all at once."
"No, at least not for now." Natasha shook her head.
"That's good, that's good."
Sam completely relaxed and patted his chest: "So, right now only the three of us are going to face S.H.I.E.L.D... oh, no, it should be the entire HYDRA?"
"The urgent matter is to investigate clearly what conspiracy they are actually carrying out." Steve furrowed his brows and said: "I always have a sense of unease. HYDRA is not as simple as we imagine."
"Indeed."
Suddenly, a voice drifted over.
The three people inside the room instantly tensed all over and abruptly turned their heads toward the source of the voice.
A Chinese man had unknowingly and silently walked into the living room at some point, sitting cross-legged while looking at them, indifferently saying: "No need for you to trouble yourselves. I have roughly figured out HYDRA's plan."
"Chen Lin???"
Natasha's eyelids twitched violently. The shadow of having her tendons and bones dislocated last time made her bones tremble all over the moment she saw this guy now.
"No need to thank me."
Chen Lin glanced at them and indifferently said: "HYDRA's plan has two parts, but the one truly worth paying attention to is not HYDRA, but another enemy. I came to find you because of this matter as well."
"What matter?" Steve's uneasy premonition became even stronger.
"The problem isn't big, relax a little."
Chen Lin waved his hand, telling the few of them not to be so nervous, then said: "It's just that Earth is about to be destroyed."
Steve, Natasha, Sam: "???"