Fury's office at 0700 looked like a war room.
The holographic display showed the target list projected in three dimensions—twenty-three million names organized by threat level, geography, and priority. The sheer scale of it was overwhelming.
"This is genocide," Steve said quietly, staring at the display. He'd arrived just before Alex and Natasha, still in his running gear from his morning workout. "This is what HYDRA always wanted. The power to eliminate anyone they consider undesirable."
"It's worse than that," Fury said, manipulating the display. "Look at the categories. They're not just targeting criminals and terrorists. They're targeting thought. Anyone who might question authority, develop inconvenient technology, or inspire others to resist."
Maria pulled up a subcategory. "Journalists, activists, scientists. They're eliminating the infrastructure of free thought."
"And they're pre-positioning targets," Natasha added, bringing up the operational data she and Alex had found. "Current SHIELD missions, authorized by Pierce's office, are putting people in vulnerable locations. They're setting up the board before they make their move."
Coulson leaned forward, studying the mission data. "These are good people. Loyal agents. They have no idea they're being set up for execution."
"Which brings us to the question," Fury said, looking at Alex. "Do we warn them?"
All eyes turned to him. Alex felt the weight of command—the decision that could save lives or compromise everything they'd worked for.
"We warn select personnel," he said carefully. "Not everyone on active missions—that would be too obvious. But our most trusted people, key assets we can't afford to lose. We recall them under vague security pretenses. Some bureaucratic review, equipment inspection, whatever sounds plausible."
"That's still a risk," Maria said.
"So is letting them die." Alex pulled up a list he and Natasha had prepared. "These seventeen agents. All people who've worked directly with us, proven loyalty, high capability. We bring them back quietly over the next few days. Stagger the recalls so it doesn't look coordinated."
Steve studied the list. "I know most of these people. They're solid. They won't ask unnecessary questions."
"And if HYDRA notices the pattern?" Maria asked.
"Then we adjust," Alex said. "But I'm not sacrificing good people to maintain an investigation. We save who we can."
Fury was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Do it. But carefully. Stagger the recalls, use different authorization channels. Make it look like routine operational adjustments."
"Yes, sir."
"Now, the bigger question." Fury closed the list and pulled up a calendar. "We've got eleven days until the launch. We have the target list, we've confirmed HYDRA's infiltration, we've identified Pierce as leadership. What's our play?"
═══════════════════════════════════════
TACTICAL ASSESSMENT
Current Status:
11 days until Project Insight launch
Target list acquired
Network 85% mapped
HYDRA leadership identified
Evidence substantial but not complete
Available Options:
1. Expose Now
Pros: Stop launch immediately, save lives
Cons: Evidence incomplete, HYDRA may escape prosecution, may reorganize
2. Continue Building Evidence
Pros: Stronger case, better chance of complete eradication
Cons: Time pressure, risk of discovery
3. Sabotage Launch
Pros: Physical prevention of Helicarrier deployment
Cons: Doesn't address HYDRA network, they'll try again
4. Hybrid Approach
Pros: Build evidence AND prepare sabotage as backup
Cons: Resource intensive, coordination complex
System Recommendation: Option 4
Continue investigation while preparing physical intervention
Aim for exposure with evidence at day 9-10
Sabotage ready as failsafe if exposure fails
═══════════════════════════════════════
"We need a two-track strategy," Alex said, his Tactics skill helping him see the full operational picture. "Track one: continue building evidence, mapping the network, preparing for public exposure. Track two: prepare to physically stop the launch if exposure fails."
"You're talking about assault on the Helicarriers," Steve said.
"As a last resort, yes. If we can't stop the launch politically, we stop it physically."
"That's a suicide mission," Maria said. "Those Helicarriers are designed to be impregnable once airborne. Automated defenses, HYDRA security, the whole system designed to resist attack."
"Which is why exposure is plan A," Alex said. "We take this public—release the evidence, arrest Pierce and his network, shut down Project Insight before launch. But if that fails, if HYDRA manages to get those Helicarriers airborne anyway, we need a plan B."
"We destroy them," Steve said simply. "Board the Helicarriers, take control, crash them if necessary."
"That's what I'm thinking."
Fury looked at Steve. "You'd be willing to lead that mission?"
"If it comes to it, yes. I've crashed aircraft before to stop HYDRA. I'll do it again."
"We'd need a team," Natasha said. "Helicarriers that size, even undermanned, would require multiple operatives. Infiltration, combat, technical expertise to override systems."
"I can handle the technical part," a voice said from the doorway.
Everyone turned. Tony Stark stood there, wearing a suit that probably cost more than most cars, looking entirely too awake for 0715 in the morning.
"Stark," Fury said flatly. "This is a classified briefing."
"Yeah, about that. Your classified briefings are less secret than you think." Tony walked in uninvited, looking at the holographic display. "Twenty-three million names. That's a hell of a to-do list. Let me guess—HYDRA?"
"How did you—" Maria started.
"JARVIS monitors SHIELD communications. Not all of them, just the interesting ones. When my name pops up on a target list, I get curious." Tony's usual flippancy was gone, replaced by cold focus. "So. HYDRA's inside SHIELD, they're planning a mass murder event using fancy flying death ships, and you're all playing spy games trying to stop it. How am I doing?"
"You need to leave," Fury said. "This is—"
"Critical. Time-sensitive. Need-to-know. Yeah, I got it." Tony looked directly at Fury. "But here's the thing: you need me. Those Helicarriers use arc reactor technology—my technology, licensed to SHIELD. I know exactly how they work and exactly how to sabotage them. You want plan B? I'm plan B."
Steve looked at Alex. "Did you tell him?"
"No. JARVIS figured it out on his own, apparently."
"I'm very clever," Tony said. "Also paranoid. Turns out that's useful."
Fury's jaw was tight, but after a moment he nodded curtly. "Fine. You're in. But you follow operational security from here on. No telling anyone, not Pepper, not Rhodes, no one."
"Done. Now show me these Helicarriers and tell me what needs to blow up."
They spent the next two hours bringing Tony up to speed and planning the two-track strategy.
Track one—exposure—would require coordinating with trusted media contacts, preparing evidence packages, timing the reveal for maximum impact. Maria would handle this track, with support from Coulson.
Track two—sabotage—would require detailed knowledge of the Helicarriers' systems, preparing infiltration protocols, and assembling a strike team. Tony would lead technical planning, Steve would lead tactical.
"The Helicarriers use three independent targeting systems," Tony explained, pulling up schematics. "Redundancy to prevent exactly what we're planning. To fully disable them, you'd need to override all three systems on each Helicarrier."
"That's nine override points," Steve said. "Across three ships."
"And the override requires physical access to the central control servers. They're air-gapped for security—can't be hacked remotely."
"So we'd need teams on all three ships simultaneously," Natasha said.
"While HYDRA tries to kill us, yes."
"I've had worse odds," Steve said. He was lying, but it was a useful lie.
"We'll need more people," Coulson said. "Even with Steve, Natasha, and however many others we can trust absolutely, covering three Helicarriers is a stretch."
"We have some assets," Alex said. He'd been thinking about this. "Sam Wilson—Steve's friend from VA. Former pararescue, skilled combatant, trustworthy."
"Agreed," Steve said. "Sam's good people."
"Clint Barton," Natasha added. "If we can pull him off his current assignment."
"He's on the target list," Maria noted. "High priority. We were planning to recall him anyway."
"That's four, plus technical support," Tony said. "Still light for three Helicarriers."
"We don't need to capture the ships," Steve said. "We need to disable them. Get in, override the targeting systems, get out. Fast insertion, specific objectives, rapid extraction."
"You make it sound simple."
"It won't be simple. But it's doable."
═══════════════════════════════════════
OPERATION: INSIGHT TAKEDOWN
TRACK ONE - EXPOSURE (Primary Strategy)
Timeline: Day 9 (2 days before launch)
Method: Coordinated media release + political pressure
Key Elements:
Evidence package compiled
Media contacts established
Political allies briefed
Arrest warrants prepared
Public reveal of HYDRA infiltration
Success Probability: 60%
TRACK TWO - SABOTAGE (Contingency)
Timeline: Day 11 (Launch Day) - only if Track One fails
Method: Physical assault on Helicarriers
Team: Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, Clint Barton, Tony Stark (remote support)
Objectives: Override 9 targeting systems across 3 Helicarriers
Success Probability: 40%
Risk Level: EXTREME
COMBINED PROBABILITY OF STOPPING PROJECT INSIGHT: 76%
Failure Probability: 24%
If Both Plans Fail: 23 million people die, HYDRA takes over
No pressure
═══════════════════════════════════════
"Seventy-six percent chance of success," Tony read off his tablet—JARVIS had run the same calculations Alex's System had. "I've taken worse odds, but not by much."
"We improve those odds by doing everything right," Fury said. "Carter, you're coordinating both tracks. Make sure they don't interfere with each other."
"Understood."
"Hill, start preparing the evidence package. Everything we have, organized for maximum impact. I want prosecutors drooling over how easy this case will be."
"On it."
"Coulson, coordinate the agent recalls. Quietly. Stagger them over the next week."
"Yes, sir."
"Rogers, Wilson, Romanoff—start training for the Helicarrier assault. Assume you're doing it. Hope you're not, but prepare like you are."
"We'll be ready," Steve said.
"Stark, you're with Rogers. Figure out exactly how to override those targeting systems under combat conditions. Make it idiot-proof."
"Hey, these aren't idiots—"
"Idiot-proof, Stark."
"Fine. Idiot-proof it is."
Fury looked at all of them. "We've got eleven days to stop HYDRA from committing the largest mass murder in human history. Get to work."
After the meeting, Alex found himself walking back to the Tower with Natasha and Tony.
"So," Tony said conversationally, "how long were you planning to keep this from me?"
"As long as possible," Alex admitted. "Operational security."
"I get it. But for future reference, if there's a plan to kill me on a flying death machine I helped design, I'd appreciate a heads-up."
"Noted."
"On the plus side, now I get to blow up my own technology. That's kind of cathartic."
They reached the Tower. Tony headed straight for his workshop—"I need to start designing override protocols"—while Alex and Natasha went up to their quarters.
"Eleven days," Natasha said quietly, sitting on the couch. "That's not a lot of time."
"No, it's not."
"We're going to be working non-stop. Training, planning, preparing. We won't have much time together."
Alex sat next to her, taking her hand. "I know. But after this is over—"
"When this is over," she corrected. "After implies we might fail. We won't."
"When this is over, we take that vacation. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere without conspiracies."
"I'm holding you to that." She leaned against him. "Alex, I need to ask you something."
"Okay."
"If it comes down to the Helicarrier assault—if exposure fails and we have to physically stop the launch—I need to know you'll be safe."
"I'll be coordinating from the ground. That's my role."
"Promise me. Because I know you, and I know you'll want to help directly. But you're not a super-soldier or a trained SHIELD operative. You're brilliant at planning, but you're not built for that kind of combat."
She was right, and he knew it. His Combat Prowess was capped at 99—peak human, but not enhanced. Against HYDRA forces on a Helicarrier, he'd be a liability.
"I promise," he said. "I'll coordinate from the ground. Steve and the team can handle the direct action."
"Thank you." She kissed him softly. "I need to know you'll be alive when I get back."
"I will be. And so will you."
"Obviously. I'm very hard to kill."
"That's one of your best qualities."
She smiled despite the tension. "Just one?"
"Top five, at least."
The next week blurred together in a constant stream of preparation.
Alex coordinated agent recalls, working with Coulson to bring back seventeen trusted operatives under various cover stories. Each recall was spaced out, different authorization channels, nothing that looked coordinated. HYDRA might notice eventually, but by then it would be too late.
Maria compiled the evidence package—thousands of pages of documentation, communication logs, financial records, operational reports, all meticulously organized. Enough evidence to put Pierce and his network away for life, assuming they could present it before HYDRA launched.
Steve, Sam, and Natasha trained for the Helicarrier assault. Tony provided technical briefings on the ships' layouts, security systems, and override protocols. They ran through scenarios until they could navigate the ships blindfolded.
Tony built specialized equipment—EMP devices, override keys, portable interface systems—everything they'd need to take control of the targeting systems under combat conditions.
Fury coordinated with trusted contacts in government and media, preparing for the exposure. Members of Congress who could be trusted, journalists with the reach to make the story go global, law enforcement ready to make arrests.
And Alex mapped it all, coordinating timelines, ensuring nothing interfered with anything else, watching the clock count down.
═══════════════════════════════════════
COUNTDOWN: PROJECT INSIGHT LAUNCH
Day 9: 2 days until launch
Skills Improved:
Tactics: Lv.2 → Lv.3
Intelligence Analysis: Lv.2 → Lv.3
Strategic Planning: Lv.1 → Lv.2
Current Status:
Level: 18
EXP: 24,890/35,000 (gained through continuous planning work)
STR: 56/100
AGI: 65/100
END: 59/100
INT: 54 → 58/100 (increased from intensive analysis work)
Combat Prowess: 99/100 (CAPPED)
Team Status:
Track One (Exposure): 90% prepared
Track Two (Assault): 75% prepared
Agent Recalls: 15/17 completed
Evidence Package: Complete
Media Coordination: Ready
Political Support: Secured
HYDRA Status:
Awareness Level: 55% (noticing patterns but not full picture)
Pierce Status: Increasingly active, checking network
Security Level: Elevated but not lockdown
Launch Preparation: On schedule
Decision Point Approaching:
In 24 hours: Final go/no-go for Track One exposure
If yes: Reveal everything, trigger arrests, prevent launch
If no: Continue to Track Two, physical assault
System Recommendation: Proceed with Track One
Evidence is sufficient, timing is optimal
Waiting longer increases risk of HYDRA discovering investigation
This is it
═══════════════════════════════════════
Alex was reviewing the final timeline when his phone rang. Unknown number.
He almost didn't answer—unknown numbers had been trouble before. But something made him pick up.
"Carter."
"Alex Carter?" A woman's voice, familiar but he couldn't place it. "You don't know me, but I know you. I've been watching your investigation."
"Who is this?"
"Someone who wants HYDRA destroyed as much as you do. I'm calling to warn you—they know. Not everything, but they know something's wrong. Pierce is moving up the timeline."
"Moving it up how much?"
"Launch is tomorrow. Not two days from now. Tomorrow, 1400 hours. They're citing 'security concerns' and accelerating the schedule."
Alex felt his stomach drop. "How do you know this?"
"Because I'm HYDRA. Or I was. Now I'm insurance. Stop them, Alex. Please."
The line went dead.
Alex immediately called Fury.
"We've got a problem."