Long Live Hydra

People always believed that with the end of World War II, the terrifying Hydra had vanished as well.

In reality, however, Hydra has been lurking in the shadows of S.H.I.E.L.D., using the agency's own hands to sow panic and turmoil across the globe, reaping profits while waiting for the day they can return to the light.

William finally understood; those special forces soldiers must have been Hydra agents. No wonder they wanted to wipe out the entire Skull Gang after using them—they couldn't afford to leave any traces behind. The secrets of Hydra must not be exposed.

But why would Hawkeye be targeting the Skull Gang? Could it be that S.H.I.E.L.D. already knows about Hydra's infiltration?

William rubbed his head, stood up to pay the bill, and walked out of the coffee shop clutching his laptop.

As the sunlight hit him, he couldn't help but take out that USB drive again. He absolutely could not lose this drive, nor could he let anyone know about it. If he couldn't manage to draw the hero Sombra, he had better find that level-two password.

Since it required a person's biological fingerprint, that individual must be someone of great importance, someone who surely held a position of power within Hydra. But who could it be?

"Achoo!"

The Triskelion, headquarters of S.H.I.E.L.D. On the top floor, a white man stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing out at the beautiful scenery.

Though he was past middle age and his face bore the marks of time, he wore a sharp suit, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. He looked like an elegant old gentleman, right up until he let out a sneeze.

Alexander Pierce, formerly of the State Department and now the Secretary of S.H.I.E.L.D., held the highest clearance. He was responsible for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s diplomacy, maneuvering through the World Security Council to secure more resources and funding.

In truth, however, he was the big boss of Hydra hidden within S.H.I.E.L.D. He had cultivated his own faction within the agency, men loyal to Hydra who were waiting for the opportunity to establish a new world order.

Pierce rubbed his nose. Why would he sneeze for no reason? Could someone be cursing him?

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, and a bald man wearing glasses entered.

Sitwell, ostensibly a high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, was in reality a Hydra operative embedded within the agency.

"Sir, I've received news regarding Tony Stark," Sitwell said as soon as he entered.

Three months ago, Tony Stark had gone missing. While in Afghanistan for an arms deal, he was ambushed by local terrorists and his whereabouts became unknown.

His disappearance caused a massive uproar worldwide. Under government authorization, S.H.I.E.L.D. had been secretly searching for clues, and the military had deployed strike teams for a carpet-search, with the top brass issuing a final directive:

Find him alive, or bring back his body!

But finding a kidnapped man in the volatile region of Afghanistan was no easy task. S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military had searched for over two months without a single lead—let alone his body, they hadn't even found a single hair.

"You found him? Is he still alive?" Pierce frowned.

"No, sir," Sitwell shook his head. "But I uncovered information about those terrorists. They call themselves the Ten Rings, a notorious local terrorist organization with significant armed force. Furthermore, I discovered they seem to have ties to someone in the upper echelons of Stark Industries, someone who has been secretly funding them..."

"Who?" Sitwell's news immediately piqued Pierce's interest.

"Obadiah Stane."

"I always suspected that old fox was trouble," Pierce said, looking as if he had expected this all along, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Obadiah Stane had co-founded Stark Industries with Howard Stark. After Howard's death, Tony Stark succeeded him as CEO. Obadiah had played the part of a mentor, but in reality, he was ambitious and had long sought to seize total control.

It seemed that old fox was definitely involved in Tony Stark's disappearance!

"Do you want me to inform Director Fury?" Sitwell asked.

"If you can find this information, he certainly can too," Pierce waved a hand. "Is there anything else? I have a meeting with the World Security Council shortly."

Seeing this, Sitwell took off his glasses and began cleaning them with a cloth.

This was their secret signal, indicating that what followed could not be overheard by anyone else. They had to be absolutely discreet, as it concerned Hydra!

"Seal the office."

Massive protective shutters rose over the floor-to-ceiling windows and walls, sealing the room completely. No one could hear their conversation. Pierce's expression turned grave. "Speak quickly. You don't have much time."

"Sir, the Skull Gang has been completely destroyed by S.H.I.E.L.D.," Sitwell said in a low voice.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Pierce sat down and smiled. "That man Nick Fury has been investigating the Skull Gang, but he hasn't traced it back to us yet. Now that the gang is wiped out, his leads are gone. You know, dead men tell no tales."

"But sir, there is one more problem..." The smile on Sitwell's face was strained. "The Ghost File is missing."

"Missing? What do you mean, missing?" Pierce's expression shifted instantly.

He knew Sitwell must have had something important to report, but he hadn't expected news this dire!

The members of the Skull Gang had gone to their graves without ever realizing that the power behind them was the terrifying Hydra.

Hydra used the Skull Gang for intelligence gathering and illicit trade. Under the guise of gang activity, they were actually protecting Hydra's secrets. In the dangerous streets of Brooklyn, all sorts of transactions occurred daily, and no one would suspect a thing.

The partnership between the Skull Gang and Hydra had lasted over half a year. During that time, the gang had grown rapidly, becoming one of the largest in Brooklyn.

However, the Skull Gang's meteoric rise had drawn the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D., who began to suspect the mysterious force behind them.

To Hydra, the Skull Gang was merely a pawn, and once a pawn lost its utility, it was discarded. Since S.H.I.E.L.D. had taken notice, their only fate was death.

The Ghost File was the true name of that USB drive. Only Pierce knew the secrets contained within, and he understood the gravity of the situation: if the file were discovered by others, they would be in grave danger.

Hydra was still lurking in the darkness of S.H.I.E.L.D.; they were not ready, and they could not let the world know of their existence.

To protect the secrets inside, the Ghost File was equipped with a self-destruct mechanism. Once the countdown began, it was irreversible; whether one tried to force the file open or cut the data connection, it would detonate instantly.

Moreover, the blast from the self-destruct mechanism was powerful enough to level several city blocks. Only the level-two password could cancel the countdown. It seemed the person who stole the Ghost File hadn't tried to open it yet, or the news of the explosion would have already spread.

"We sent a task force to carry out the cleanup operation. At first, it went smoothly..."

Sweat beaded on Sitwell's forehead. "But an unknown assailant stole the target. The task force pursued him, but unexpectedly, they ran into Hawkeye halfway. Only one member of the entire task force made it back alive!"

Goodnight~