The high-level battle was over, leaving the low-level S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents in a state of confusion.
I am a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, but now S.H.I.E.L.D. is HYDRA, and my leader is also HYDRA. Only I thought I wasn't HYDRA, so am I actually HYDRA or not?
Such doubts filled their hearts. They didn't feel like HYDRA, but the outside World said they were. Some even discovered that in their entire squad, they were the only ones who weren't HYDRA.
Coulson's team was in the same boat—their current situation was much worse than in the original story.
Coulson and Agent Mei had been reassigned to a special mission a week ago and never returned. Subsequently, all S.H.I.E.L.D. Bases lost contact, with only one sentence echoing in the communication channels: "Out of the shadows, into the light."
Without their lead Agents and having lost contact with S.H.I.E.L.D., only four people remained on the plane: Skye, Agent Ward, and two researchers, Simmons and Fitz.
However, except for Agent Ward, the other three lacked combat capabilities. Coincidentally, this capable Agent happened to be HYDRA.
But right now, even he was bewildered—just today, the television stations released a list of arrested S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents, and Garrett was on it—his direct superior!
According to field reports, the U.S. Military and Hammer deployed an entire division's worth of troops to the HUB Base, along with various Super Soldiers and Titans. The sturdy buildings were like paper in front of Hunter Cannons and Plasma Railguns.
They occupied these places with ease; even S.H.I.E.L.D.'s self-destruct protocols failed to activate.
Ward and the other Agents couldn't believe it—firstly, the HUB's location was top secret. As S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, it held all classified intelligence and was the place where strategies were devised and orders issued.
Secondly, the HUB possessed S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most advanced technology and science. How could it collapse so suddenly?
Simmons and Fitz couldn't believe that S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters had become a HYDRA nest, while Ward couldn't believe HYDRA was so fragile—the headquarters fell in just three hours.
The plane was now parked at a Bavarian airport. The team members were in low spirits, completely at a loss for what to do.
"Are we just going to sit here? If there's no other way, I can—" Skye was halfway through her sentence when the other three glared at her simultaneously.
She had wanted to say she could contact Osborn, but clearly, no one wanted to deal with Osborn right now.
She had just died once and was brought back through everyone's efforts. Since they all wanted to avoid Osborn, she wouldn't contact them rashly.
"Fine, then we still need to find Coulson and figure out what's going on," Skye said, changing the subject.
The others looked at her again: Find him? Where? S.H.I.E.L.D. sites like the Triskelion, the HUB, The Sandbox, and The Fridge had all been occupied.
It turned out the U.S. wasn't fighting a war; they were just waiting to raid S.H.I.E.L.D.'s home Base.
"Someone's approaching." Fitz noticed a red dot appearing on the detection radar and patted Ward's shoulder.
"People inside, you are under arrest—open the hatch now."
Outside, fully armed U.S. soldiers surrounded the area. These were soldiers with live ammunition, clearly not something Skye and the others could resist.
Yet, they were still agonizing over how to handle it and whether they should surrender.
Without his superior Officer, Ward seemed a bit lost—this was a flaw in HYDRA Agents like him. Long-term obedience causes a loss of subjective initiative; once the direct superior disappears, they lose their sense of purpose.
The hatch remained closed. Seeing this, the commanding Officer made a strange gesture to the soldiers.
"I know you've been given clearance levels, so some of you should know what to do in this situation."
"Always, children."
Hearing this, the others were stunned and fell into confusion, but Ward was like a switch had been flipped. His hands stopped shaking, his gaze became firm, and he looked toward the others.
Ssh—
The hatch opened, and Ward brought the three non-combatant low-level Agents, tied up, before the soldiers, his expression none too pleasant.
"Very good, Agent." The Officer waved his hand, and the three were bundled into a vehicle.
Ward was about to take a few steps when gun barrels were pointed at him in unison:
"So you're HYDRA then. This trick works every time."
Crack.
Ward's vision went black, and he fell unconscious.
The Military wasn't using lethal weapons, but Neurotoxin Rounds provided by Osborn.
The Officer scanned the other three unconscious individuals and said:
"Orders from A: these three are to be sent to headquarters—who exactly is this A?"
Unfortunately, no one could answer his question, but they knew A was the President's person, and that was enough.
Similar situations were playing out all over the World. Taking advantage of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s collapse before HYDRA could change their codes, Harry distributed the codes HYDRA had used to the enforcement units.
Low-level HYDRA lackeys like Ward naturally believed these codes, making it easy for the enforcement units to distinguish between HYDRA Agents and unwitting ones.
By the time they woke up, they were already in a cell.
The Military Base was full of HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents queuing for interrogation. Alongside the lines were patrolling Titans and Hammer Agents in individual power armor.
"My god, where are we?" Fitz was deeply shocked by the scene.
The three sat together on chairs. Behind a glass wall, U.S. soldiers in combat gear faced them.
"This is Eielson Base. You have been colleagues with Grant Ward, who has now been confirmed as a HYDRA member, for the past few months. I need to know what you've been doing during this time."
They looked to the side; Ward was securely handcuffed to a chair.
"You're HYDRA?" Fitz took a deep breath. "Is there some misunderstanding? Were you coerced?"
Facing Fitz's question, Ward said nothing—it didn't feel good. He would have preferred if they had shot him upon waking up.
"I don't think so—we misjudged him. Sir, let's begin now." Skye was clearly quicker to react; she was exactly the kind of person who wished she could shoot Ward.
"Very well—I noticed you're an employee of the Oscorp. Once you've given your statement, you're free to go."
Hearing this, Skye was stunned. She pointed at Fitz and Simmons. "What about them?"
"They are S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents. Although they passed the first round of screening, it doesn't guarantee they aren't HYDRA. There's a second round of screening waiting for them."
Because she was an Oscorp employee, the interrogator's tone was much more polite.
Everyone loves to curse the bastards who run companies, but everyone wants to be an Osborn employee.
"Wait, I can guarantee they aren't HYDRA—" Skye thought for a moment, then had a bright idea. "Can I make a phone call?"
The Officer hesitated, then sighed and nodded. He really disliked giving people special treatment.
But he had to show respect to Osborn, even if this lady appeared to be just an ordinary researcher.
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