Although Evenson had boasted to the Twins that, at a time like this, even frogs in the river were rarer than recruitable agents, it was easy to find soldiers but hard to find a general.
There were plenty of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who had lost their jobs and positions, but most were mid-level or low-level agents. Evenson did not need them that badly, because they could be replaced at any time. If they were gone, he could recruit others. At worst, he could train his own.
What Evenson truly needed now was someone capable of commanding the bigger picture, with extensive experience and seniority, someone who could manage an enormous intelligence network—a Senior Agent.
After this upheaval, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Senior Agents had either died, fled, gone missing, or been wounded. Most of those still alive were Hydra, already on the US government's wanted list. That left Evenson with very few choices.
The best fit had originally been Peggy Carter. She held the highest position and had the most seniority among the surviving agents. Her decades as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. had not been for nothing. She had lived through the special era of the Cold War and witnessed the extraordinary transition from the Strategic Scientific Reserve into the global S.H.I.E.L.D. Her capabilities were beyond question.
But unrequited affection was still unrequited. She might not be willing to do it. On top of that, Peggy Carter could absolutely be called a great hero. She had her own judgment and ideas, would not blindly submit to fate, and possessed an exceptionally sharp ability to distinguish right from wrong. Although Evenson had successfully deceived her before, that had been entirely due to unequal information. Once she was put in command and learned every detail from every angle, he would no longer be able to fool her.