The underground air was charged with static.
Scarlet light danced across the walls as data flickered like embers of fire.
"This information has been tested — invalid."
"This information has been tested — invalid."
The voice of the system repeated over and over as Yaz swiped her hands through the holographic screens. Each time her fingers moved, useless data dissolved into red particles, fading into nothingness.
One by one, thousands of false trails vanished until, finally — only three holographic panels remained floating in the dark air.
Yaz exhaled softly, her lips curling into a small smirk. "Filtered. Three thousand one hundred eighty-four invalid messages deleted. Three valid data points retrieved."
She leaned back slightly, her crimson eyes glimmering with satisfaction. The entire search process had taxed even her advanced systems. "Phew… found them," she muttered. "Master President, I have the results!"
In a blink, she was beside Levi, gracefully hopping onto the sofa's edge like an excited cat.
"Show me," Levi said simply, his tone calm but edged with cold curiosity.
Yaz gestured, and the three holographic screens expanded before them, bathing the underground chamber in red light.
---
The First File – The Secret Conversation
Levi tapped the first screen. A brief static crackle filled the air before a recorded conversation began to play.
The deep, smooth voice of Jinpin — the underground kingpin of New York — echoed from the speakers, conversing with Alexander Pierce, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
They spoke of tradeoffs, covert deals, and a detailed plan of operations. The message was clear: Pierce and Jinpin had collaborated with HYDRA to orchestrate the assassination attempt.
Levi's eyes narrowed as the final line played:
> "Once the target is neutralized, the Winter Soldier will erase all traces. HYDRA's men will handle the cleanup."
Levi's jaw tightened. "So my instincts were right."
When the attack had occurred earlier that night, he had already suspected HYDRA's involvement. But now, with this recording, he had undeniable proof.
Jinpin — Wilson Fisk — the so-called emperor of the New York underworld, had dared to conspire against him.
"Clever," Levi muttered with a dark smile. "You couldn't strike me yourself, so you borrowed HYDRA's hand."
He tilted his head, the light glinting in his eyes. "Unfortunately for you… I'm still alive."
---
The Second File – The HYDRA Conference
He motioned for Yaz to open the next file.
The screen flickered, revealing grainy footage of a HYDRA internal meeting. Dozens of high-ranking operatives sat around a long table in a dimly lit chamber, the red octopus insignia of HYDRA glowing behind them.
The image zoomed in on their leader as he discussed a "Phase Two" plan — one involving advanced AI infiltration and biological assassins.
Levi studied the faces quietly. "So these are the snakes hiding in the grass."
He had dealt with HYDRA before — dismantled some of their networks, sabotaged their laboratories — but they always found ways to crawl back. This time, he wouldn't simply cut off their heads. He would burn the nest.
"Keep the footage stored," Levi said. "We'll deal with them at our pace. Slowly."
Yaz nodded, eyes flashing. "Understood. Playtime later?"
"Later," Levi replied with a small grin. "For now, let them believe I haven't noticed."
---
The Third File – The Mercenary Connection
The final screen loaded.
A list of financial transactions and encrypted communications appeared — evidence linking the Blackwater Mercenary Company to the attack.
Beneath the surface, their secret funders were revealed to be yet another HYDRA cell. They had provided the manpower, weapons, and support for the assault on Levi's convoy.
Yaz crossed one leg over the other, grinning. "So… all roads lead back to HYDRA again. What a bunch of cockroaches."
Levi's expression darkened. "Good. Very good."
He leaned back on the sofa, folding his hands together. "It seems my quiet years have made people think I'm weak. That I've forgotten how to bite."
He stood slowly, the red glow reflecting off his eyes. "If that's what they believe, then it's time to remind them. It's time to bare my fangs."
He turned toward Yaz. "Activate the Destruction Thunder Station."
Yaz's eyes widened in excitement. "You mean— restart them?"
Levi nodded coldly. "Yes. Wake the Thunder."
---
The Resurrection of the Death Thunder
The order alone sent shivers through the underground systems. Yaz straightened instantly, placing her hand over her chest. "As you command, Mr. President."
In truth, she herself was connected to the Death Thunder Station, being part of its original design.
Back in its conception, when Satellite Ark first gained autonomous function, it had created four prototypes — cybernetic combat puppets of devastating power. Levi had personally named them:
Destruction. Death. Speed. Thunder.
Each one a perfect weapon, forged from Vanderbuilt's forbidden AI cores and filled with Satellite Ark's deadliest combat algorithms. Together, they were called Death Thunder, the ultimate strike unit.
But they had been sealed years ago, buried deep within the fifth underground floor of the complex — dormant, waiting for Levi's command.
And now, that command had finally come.
"Let's wake our sleeping monsters," Yaz whispered, her fingers flying across the holographic console.
[Connection established — Death Thunder Station online.]
The system voice reverberated in her mind as lines of red code streamed across the screens.
"Initiating reactivation sequence."
---
The Awakening
The fifth underground floor, long silent and dark, suddenly flared to life in crimson light.
Glowing purple circuit patterns crawled across the metallic floor like veins of energy, forming an intricate sigil — the mark of Death Thunder.
At each corner of the vast chamber, hidden panels slid open, and four massive dormant pods rose slowly from beneath the ground, releasing bursts of white steam.
The air was thick with the hum of machinery, the smell of ozone and heat.
Then — from the depths of the facility — Satellite Ark's voice thundered, cold and mechanical.
[Malice injection: initializing.]
From the satellite's central eye, a beam of red energy shot downward, splitting into four tendrils of living light. They slithered like serpents through the conduits, feeding into the dormant pods below.
Each tendril carried raw data — aggression, combat algorithms, killing instinct.
BOOM!
The first pod hissed open, steam bursting outward. A tall, armored figure stepped out, eyes glowing bright crimson.
Then the second opened. Then the third. Then the fourth.
Eight blood-red lights flickered across the room — the eyes of Death Thunder reborn.
For the first time in years, the underground complex trembled with their presence. The air grew heavy with murderous intent, as though hell itself had exhaled.
Death Thunder... had returned.
---
Meanwhile – S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
Across the ocean, in Washington D.C., Alexander Pierce sat in his office at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, staring at his desk.
It had been over two hours since the operation began. According to his timeline, Levi should be dead by now. Everything had been planned meticulously — the Winter Soldier deployed, mercenaries in place, backup forces ready.
And yet, no confirmation. No signal.
A faint unease twisted in his gut. For a man like Pierce — sharp, cunning, and experienced — such instincts were rarely wrong.
Before he could act on it, his office door burst open. One of his field agents, Agent Xavier, ran in, pale and panicked.
"Director Pierce! The mission— the mission failed!"
Pierce froze. "What did you just say?"
"The Winter Soldier was defeated. The target survived. All our assets are gone."
The color drained from Pierce's face. He stumbled back into his chair, the leather creaking under his weight. "Impossible… that's impossible!"
Before he could regain composure, the large screen in front of his desk flickered to life.
The image of a bald man appeared — Nick Fury, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Director of Operations.
Fury raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "You don't look so good, Pierce."
Pierce forced a smile, masking his panic. "I'm fine. Just… a little tired."
Fury's single eye glinted knowingly. "You always say that when things go sideways."
The screen flickered again, static buzzing faintly. Pierce's reflection merged with Fury's, creating a brief, distorted image — one that, if seen by a careful observer, looked eerily like Levi's cold smile.
---
Deep beneath the earth, as the four awakened warriors stood awaiting orders, Levi turned to Yaz.
"Tell them to prepare for deployment," he said quietly. "It's time to remind the world that Vanderbuilt Technologies isn't a company… it's a storm."
Yaz grinned, eyes burning like fire. "Understood, my President."
The walls pulsed red as her command echoed through the underground base.
From the fifth floor came a deep, mechanical roar — four voices overlapping in perfect unison.
"Death Thunder — operational."
The war had just begun.
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