Negotiations

In the dead of night, with powerful network technology supporting them, Steve and Sam changed into their gear and successfully slipped to the perimeter of S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.

The James Squad, taking part in the operation alongside them, and Natasha circled around to the other side. Their mission was to plant bombs in critical sections of the three Helicarriers.

Tony's voice came through their miniature earpieces. From the top floor of Stark Tower, he was remotely controlling everything. "All right, I can't do anything about the cameras up ahead. Just plug the signal receiver into the server room, and I'll be able to temporarily disable all the equipment. Then you'll have about 60 minutes to plant the bombs."

After saying that, Tony flicked his hand, replacing the rapidly flashing information in front of him with a person's face.

"Where were we?"

Duncan, on the other side of the screen, said cheerfully, "Cooperation, mutual benefit. Stark Tower is already big enough, and the Umbrella Corporation is just as powerful!"

When Tony had delivered the equipment to the farm, he'd also brought along a communications device. Before leaving, Natasha had woken Duncan and introduced him to Tony.

The two had reached a number of agreements on working together, exchanged views, and laid the groundwork for closer cooperation in the future.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "But from what I've heard, Umbrella is an evil corporation. And your proposal sounds more like trying to get something for nothing."

"Not at all!" Duncan wasn't embarrassed at being seen through. Instead, he said earnestly, "You provide the work, I provide the portals. Like certain investors say, without me, you wouldn't be able to make as much money. And without me, the Umbrella Corporation wouldn't exist in your world."

Tony wasn't that easy to convince. For all his carelessness, he was still a major capitalist—and sitting right beside him was Pepper Potts, the powerhouse in charge of all of Stark Industries.

"Fine. Let's say everything you've said is true. How do you plan to work with Stark Industries? Talk to him, Pepper. You're better at this stuff."

Pepper rolled her eyes. It was bad enough that she'd sacrificed her free time to keep Tony company, but now she had to work overtime too. Squeezing labor like this was grounds for a lawsuit!

Duncan didn't know much about the Umbrella Corporation in his original world, but he could make plenty of empty promises. Besides, he couldn't imagine anyone turning down an opportunity like this.

After learning he'd come to the Marvel Universe, he'd stopped worrying much about Umbrella's schemes. All he had to do was lead the superheroes into the Hive and drag Isaac out of his ice-cold coffin to kill him.

Once he killed all the shareholders, he'd have the largest share, and the Umbrella Corporation would naturally become his property.

That was what you called a meteoric rise!

Thinking of the future ahead, Duncan's smile grew brighter. "What interests me most about Stark Industries is your cold fusion technology and the shock-absorption technology in the Iron Man Armor."

Well, damn!

Tony couldn't help but blurt out his surprise. Duncan had come in asking for his two most cutting-edge technologies, and Tony was completely stunned. He demanded sharply, "So? You want me to hand those two technologies over to you?"

If he hadn't been interested in the other world, he would have shut the door in Duncan's face with a scowl.

"We have plenty of room to work together, Tony."

Duncan smiled slyly. He'd seen the movies and had a general idea of what Tony was like and what mattered to him. That gave him plenty of confidence when he spoke, and he sounded convincingly sure of himself.

"Umbrella is a monopolistic corporation. Its business covers pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, the defense industry, computer technology, and many other high-tech fields. By market value, the Umbrella Corporation is worth several times as much as Stark Industries."

Tony still wore a scowl. "Then I'm guessing your world doesn't have antitrust laws."

"Enough, Tony. Let me handle this." Seeing Tony losing ground, Pepper smoothly stepped in. "Mr. Duncan, value can't be measured by market capitalization alone. Let's discuss concrete ways to work together."

Looking at Pepper, poised and confident, Duncan turned to glance at Susan beside him. Aside from her pretty face and figure, she had no redeeming qualities. He shook his head in distaste.

You didn't know what you had until you saw the comparison!

While Duncan and Pepper discussed cooperation, fighting broke out inside S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.

Knowing the layout well, Steve and Falcon silently knocked out several people and successfully slipped inside the Triskelion.

With his outstanding skills and the enhanced physical abilities granted by the Super Soldier Serum, Steve avoided countless cameras and knocked out numerous guards before finally reaching S.H.I.E.L.D.'s main server room.

Following Tony's instructions, Sam cut the communications system. When the staff left the server room to investigate, they made their way inside.

After taking control of the server room, Steve plugged the signal receiver they'd brought into the main server.

A satellite from Stark Industries received the signal, and the artificial intelligence Jarvis immediately began hacking into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mainframe. In the unseen world of information, a battle to breach the system began.

Ten minutes later, Jarvis gained partial control of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s computer system.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s information security wasn't easy to crack. Tony could still get it done if given enough time, but time was exactly what they didn't have.

Tony had only taken control of the network-connected equipment that needed to be operated, such as the electronic doors, display systems, water dispensers, and coffee machines. He hadn't cracked any encrypted information.

Beep!

An electronic door at the entrance to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s underground workshop suddenly opened. Natasha, waiting behind it, immediately raised her pistol and jerked her head at the members of the James Squad behind her.

The James Squad filed in at once.

Jarvis had taken control of the lights throughout S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters. Without night-vision equipment, most people were paralyzed by the darkness and didn't dare move around without lighting.

Department heads used communications devices that were still working to ask what was happening. Alexander Pierce, who hadn't returned to his villa, was also jolted awake.

Looking at the darkness around him, his first thought was that Steve Rogers had broken in. Without hesitation, he called Rumlow and ordered him to lead Hydra's strike team to search the area around the power room. They had to capture Captain America.

Deciding that wasn't enough to be safe, Alexander Pierce made another call, summoning the Winter Soldier. In a dark, cramped environment full of obstacles like this, ordinary people were no match for a Super Soldier. To defeat a Super Soldier, he had to send a Super Soldier!

The scene shifted to the enormous underground shipyard hidden beneath an artificial lake. Three giant Helicarriers stood silently on massive metal supports, like three sleeping beasts.

Wearing night-vision goggles, the James Squad entered the shipyard and soon split into three groups with Natasha, infiltrating the Helicarriers to plant explosives at critical points, including the engines, control systems, and power cores.

Machines always had vulnerable points. There was no reason for these sky-high carriers to exist as strategic weapons. Aside from being able to fly, they had almost nothing going for them.

Their enormous engines were exposed, and their huge frames would be no less than super bombs if they crashed. Their lumbering flight made them seem like moving targets.

Unless they could reach a sufficient altitude or had a steady supply of power, these Helicarriers were nothing more than oversized toys that gave people a false sense of security.

The security inside the three Helicarriers was much tighter than they'd expected. After all, they were essential to the plan, so it made sense that Alexander Pierce would take their protection seriously.