Going to the Factory

After lunch, the three of them headed for the factory mentioned in the letter.

They did not notify anyone from S.H.I.E.L.D. on the way there.

For one thing, they were not particularly close collaborators. For another, Annie wanted to see why Hydra had gone to such lengths to meet her alone.

The Wright Factory on Route 37 was located on the outskirts of the city. Other than the factory itself, the surrounding area was nothing but wasteland.

When the three arrived at the factory gates, the cameras transmitted everything to the monitoring room.

"They're here."

In the monitoring room, a man glanced at the footage and spoke into his earpiece.

"Are there any S.H.I.E.L.D. agents with them?"

A slightly hoarse voice came through the earpiece.

"No. Just the target and those two people from Nazarick."

The man replied. The S.H.I.E.L.D. branch in California was one of the branches most thoroughly infiltrated by Hydra. Since Aura and Shalltear had moved into their nest, they naturally knew everything they needed to know.

"Mm. Stay alert."

After giving another order through the earpiece, the hoarse-voiced man refocused his attention ahead.

This was a spacious, brightly lit factory floor. Apart from all kinds of machinery, the thousands of square meters of space contained only their group.

There were eight people present in total—six men and two women. Their statuses within Hydra varied, but regardless of who they had been before, they were all prepared to sacrifice themselves for Hydra now.

"Bring over the gift prepared for our guest."

The hoarse-voiced man gave the order, and two people headed deeper inside.

Someone had already gone to receive the target. Whether they lived or died, and what Hydra's future would become, all depended on the outcome of this conversation.

Before long, the factory gates opened, and