In a Hydra base beneath Lake Michigan, Peter was busy at a computer. Cold light fell across his mask, and through it, his serious, focused expression was visible. He had just discovered a great deal of information about human experimentation here.
But after everything he had been through, Peter had learned to rein in his grief and focus on the task at hand. He worked at the computer for quite some time before Steve stepped over fallen tables and chairs with his shield in hand and asked, "Did you find anything? Where did all the researchers go?"
Peter shook his head as he looked at the screen. "They destroyed most of the files before they left. What I recovered is only a tiny fraction, and they definitely wouldn't have left their destination on the computer."
"What about the surveillance equipment?"
"The footage has all been destroyed. I'm trying to restore it." Peter stared at the screen as he spoke, data streaming before his eyes. After a while, the screen flickered, and Steve asked, "How is it?"
"I only restored a very small portion. Whether there are any useful clues will depend on luck." Peter struck the keyboard one last time, and an image appeared on the screen.
It looked like footage from a cleaning room camera. The door had been left slightly ajar, allowing it to capture what was happening outside. Perhaps that was why this recording had not been erased and had survived. Faint conversation could be heard, as though someone was on the phone.
Steve stepped forward and said to Peter, "Pause it. Play that sentence again."
Peter pressed a button and set the audio to loop. The two of them listened for a long time, barely making out several words from the indistinct sounds.
"Evacuation... preservation plan...