Liam didn't answer right away.
He just stared at Tony, the weight of the question hanging in the air. His fingers stopped tapping. His body went still. Everyone in the room seemed to stop breathing.
When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, quiet, without any jokes or attitude.
"…Yes," Liam said. "They were."
Tony didn't move.
Didn't blink.
It was like someone had shut him down from the inside. His jaw tightened, his shoulders locked, and he stared at Liam as if trying to decide whether to believe him or hoping he'd misheard.
Steve's fists clenched. Natasha looked away. Fury's face darkened.
But Tony...
Tony looked like something inside him had broken.
He let out a shaky breath. He didn't shout or stand or throw anything. He just sat there, holding himself together through sheer force.
"…HYDRA," Tony finally said, his voice rough. "They killed them."
Liam didn't look away. "Yes."
Tony let out a short, bitter laugh. "Of course they did." He dragged a hand down his face, leaning back in the chair, eyes distant.
Steve stepped forward. "Tony.."
"Don't," Tony said sharply, stopping him. "Just… don't."
He pushed his chair back and stood up slowly, like the weight in his chest was heavier than his armor. For a moment, he didn't look at anyone, just stared at the floor as he tried to steady himself.
Then he turned toward the door.
"I need some time," Tony said quietly.
No anger. No shouting.
Just a man trying not to fall apart.
He walked out of the Shawarma shop without another word, the door swinging shut behind him as the rest of the room sat in heavy silence.
Nobody moved.
Steve kept staring at the door, his jaw tight. Natasha let out a slow breath, looking away from Tony's empty chair.
Fury broke the silence. His voice was low. "Let him go. He needs time." He then motioned to Liam to continue talking.
Liam sighed, feeling a little bad for Tony. But he could not do anything about it, so he pushed the feeling aside and went back to the main issue.
"HYDRA already knows I talked to the Avengers," Liam said. "Even if that agent shot me and they think I am dead, they will still wonder what I told you before that."
He continued, "So even if they believe I am gone, they will watch all of you. They will check S.H.I.E.L.D.'s comms, satellites, data traffic, anything that looks like someone is digging into them. The moment they see a pattern, they will react."
The room shifted. The shock from Tony's exit faded, and everyone focused on the danger in front of them.
"This is an important time for HYDRA," Liam said. "They have spent decades rebuilding in secret. They are close to pulling something big off. They will not risk exposure now, not when they can win without firing a shot."
Fury narrowed his eye. "Winning how?"
"By control," Liam answered. "By 2014, HYDRA has two main goals. First, Alexander Pierce controls the World Security Council. If he gets that position, HYDRA decides every major global defense action. Second, Project Insight."
Clint looked up, clearly unhappy. "It sounds like a nightmare."
Liam nodded. "It is. In HYDRA's hands, Insight is not defense. It is domination. Three helicarriers linked to satellites, using one algorithm. Millions of targets marked for elimination before they even act."
He finally became quiet, giving the room time to absorb it. He had put all his cards on the table. Now it was Fury's turn.
Fury spoke after a moment, his voice firm. "I am not acting on this blindly. I am not accusing one of the most powerful men in the world based on a story in a shawarma joint. I need time to confirm it quietly. No alarms, no sudden moves. If HYDRA is inside S.H.I.E.L.D., one wrong step will warn them."
Liam nodded. "Do what you need to do. Just do it fast."
Fury kept his gaze on him. "Until I check this out, you stay low with Captain Rogers. No public contact. No unnecessary communication. HYDRA thinks you are dead. We will use that until we are ready."
Liam frowned. "With Cap? Won't HYDRA be watching him too? Putting me near him could be risky."
Fury's expression didn't shift, but his tone carried quiet authority. "I'll take care of that part. You just go there." He paused, his voice lowering slightly. "You've already drawn enough eyes, Liam. I need someone I can trust to keep you out of trouble and Rogers is the only man I know who won't flinch if things go south."
Liam studied Fury's face for a moment, catching the unspoken meaning behind his words. This wasn't just about safety...Fury wanted someone watching him, making sure he didn't vanish or make a move on his own.
Still, he nodded. "Fine. I will go with him."
He did not mind waiting a few days. He wanted to watch HYDRA fall as much as the rest of them.
"There is one more thing," Liam added. "I know about one, maybe two old HYDRA sites in the U.S. One is hidden in the Appalachians, disguised as a research building. The other is under a desert route in Nevada. But they might be empty now. When I ran, HYDRA would have erased everything."
Fury's eye hardened. "You sure?"
"As sure as I can be," Liam said. "But even a tiny chance there is something left makes it worth checking."
Fury nodded, and Liam gave him the coordinates for both locations, along with the ruined site where he had been captured.
"Good," Fury said. "Maybe we will find something."
Fury straightened his coat. "Alright, people. We are done." He looked at Liam. "By the end of the week, I will know if this is true. If it is, you will hear from me. If not…"
He did not finish the sentence. He did not need to.
Everyone understood.
Fury stepped away and signaled the others. Natasha and Clint stood first and followed him toward the Quinjet outside. Hill walked behind them.
Banner stopped at the door. "Take care," he said to Steve and Liam. "Both of you."
"You too, Doc," Steve said quietly.
Liam lifted a hand in a small wave.
Banner smiled a tired smile before joining Fury's group.
Hill returned briefly. "Stay here for now," she told Steve and Liam. "I am setting up transport. You will leave quietly." Then she left again.
Thor, still near the counter, walked over and clapped a huge hand on Liam's shoulder, hard enough to make him grunt. "I wish you victory, son of Walker," he said. "May you conquer this HYDRA."
Liam managed a small smile. "I hope so."
Thor nodded and walked out, dragging a tied-up Loki behind him.
A few minutes later, Hill came back with a black mask and a set of keys.
"Courtesy of S.H.I.E.L.D.," she said. "The bike is around the corner. Quiet engine, no trackers. Go to Rogers' place and stay there until we call."
Liam took the keys. "Thanks."
Hill nodded once and left again.
Soon the shop was almost empty, leaving only Liam and Steve with the last light of the afternoon coming through the window.
Liam pulled the mask on. "Let us go."
Steve nodded and looked outside. The black S.H.I.E.L.D. bike was parked at the curb, two helmets hanging on the handlebars.
They walked out into the warm air. Steve handed Liam a helmet, then climbed onto the bike. Liam got on behind him.
They rode off without a word.
The city was full of cars, people, and noise, but somehow everything felt distant.
To everyone else, it was just another day in New York.
For Liam, and for S.H.I.E.L.D., and for the Avengers, the next war had already begun.
***
For 5+ advance chapters visit my patreon.
patreon.com/narrative_ninja007
***