The Show Begins

In Alexander Pierce's office, the heavy curtains were half drawn. Pierce sat behind his broad desk, his fingertips lightly tapping the surface as his gaze rested on the thin report before him.

Jasper Sitwell, standing opposite him, had fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his eyes shifting uneasily behind his glasses.

Pierce finally looked up, his gaze cold and sharp.

"Jasper." His voice was low and calm, yet it made Sitwell tremble all over. "Where did this report come from?"

Sitwell swallowed, his voice tight. "Sir, while investigating the New Mexico battlefield incident, one of Fury's subordinates let it slip by accident. Later... I went to verify it myself."

Pierce's fingers lightly tapped the desktop, their rhythm slow and oppressive. His gaze returned to the report, where a striking line of text stood out:

The Tesseract.

"Are you certain?" Pierce's voice remained calm, but Sitwell could feel the invisible pressure behind it.

"Absolutely, sir." Sitwell answered quickly. "Fury has been researching it in secret, attempting to use its energy to develop weapons."

Pierce narrowed his eyes. "Oh?"

Sitwell swallowed and continued, "There is one more thing, sir... Tony Stark recently proposed donating an Arc Reactor to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters as a gesture of goodwill for the Arbiter's 'deep cooperation' with S.H.I.E.L.D."

Pierce's fingers abruptly stopped.

"An Arc Reactor?" he slowly repeated, his brow deeply furrowing. "Stark offered it himself?"

"Yes, sir." Sitwell nodded. "Though it's an older model, its energy output is still astonishing. Fury has accepted this 'gift,' and installation is expected to be completed next week."

Pierce rose to his feet and walked to the window. With his back to Sitwell, he spoke in a low voice. "That makes no sense... Stark's hatred for S.H.I.E.L.D. is well known. Why would he suddenly become so generous?"

Sitwell wiped the sweat from his forehead. "We don't understand either, sir. But the intelligence has been confirmed. Stark Industries' engineering team has already begun preparing."

Pierce fell silent for a long while, then suddenly let out a cold laugh. "Whatever it is, the Tesseract is ours for the taking."

Sitwell froze. "Sir, you mean?"

"The Arbiter's threat is far too great now. If we rely only on my division plan," Pierce said as he turned around, danger flashing in his eyes, "it will still take too long. So we must prepare on two fronts."

He returned to the desk, his fingers tapping the surface once more. "The Tesseract is our insurance."

Sitwell hesitated. "Then what do you mean?"

"Heh." A cold smile curled across Pierce's lips. "Now that we know the Tesseract is in Fury's hands, and Captain America is with the Arbiter as well..."

He opened a drawer, took out an encrypted communicator, and pressed a button. "Notify the Winter Soldier. Prepare to move."

Sitwell's eyes widened. "Sir, are you saying..."

"At Fury's side," Pierce's voice was as dangerous as a venomous snake, "there is no one capable of stopping the Winter Soldier."

He looked at Sitwell. "You will receive the Winter Soldier and bring out the Tesseract."

Sitwell nodded nervously. "Yes, sir! But... what if this is a trap?"

Pierce revealed a meaningful smile. "A trap? S.H.I.E.L.D. has long since become Hydra's toy."

He turned to look out the window, where the outline of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Building flickered in and out of view in the distance.

"Hail Hydra."

Arbiter Tower — Training Room

The metal walls of the training room reflected a frigid blue light. Steve Rogers's bare upper body was covered in fine sweat as he breathed heavily, staring at the deformed training robot before him—its head armor completely caved in, electrical sparks spraying from its shattered joints.

"Data recording complete," a mechanical female voice announced. "Training intensity: S-class."

Steve grabbed a towel and wiped his face, when he suddenly heard footsteps behind him. He turned alertly and saw Chen Tian leaning against the doorframe, idly playing with a holographic projector.

"You still hit that hard, Captain." Chen Tian approached with a smile, his gaze sweeping over the wrecked robot. "Looks like our training equipment needs another upgrade."

Steve said nothing, merely picking up a bottle of water in silence. Chen Tian did not mind. He casually pulled over two hovering chairs and gave them a light press, sending them gliding automatically to the center of the training area.

"Sit." He made an inviting gesture. "There are some things I want to discuss with you."

Steve hesitated for a moment, but eventually sat down. Chen Tian tapped the round tabletop, and a holographic projection immediately unfolded between them—a cube radiating a deep blue glow.

Steve's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Do you recognize this?" Chen Tian watched the projection.

"The Tesseract." Steve's voice was slightly hoarse. "The Red Skull once wanted to use it to..."

"Create superweapons and destroy the world." Chen Tian finished for him, swiping a finger to switch the projection to historical footage of a Hydra base. "And now, we've detected it again."

The hologram changed into a blurry surveillance recording. Nick Fury stood inside some underground facility, with that familiar blue cube directly in front of him.

Steve's fists clenched unconsciously. "What is Fury doing?"

"That is exactly what I wanted to ask you." Chen Tian closed the projection and looked directly into Steve's eyes. "As someone who once faced its power firsthand, what do you think Fury would use it for?"

The training room fell into brief silence. Steve's gaze dropped to his hands, where the lingering heat of that battle seventy years ago seemed to remain.

"I don't know," he finally said. "But I do know you wouldn't come to me just to tell me this."

Chen Tian nodded lightly, a faint smile hanging on his lips. "That's right. I came to you because I do have a mission for you."

Steve frowned slightly. "What mission?"

"I need you to investigate exactly what Fury is doing." Chen Tian's voice was calm.

Steve's expression became visibly confused. "Why doesn't the Arbiter just ask him directly?"

"Because Fury won't trust the Arbiter," Chen Tian interrupted, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness. "He won't trust Captain America either. To be honest, he probably doesn't even trust himself."

He stepped closer and lowered his voice. "But Rogers, you hold two positions now. Your reputation within S.H.I.E.L.D. is unmatched, and you can enter areas the Arbiter cannot."

Steve fell silent for a moment, a complicated emotion flashing through his blue eyes. "You want me to be a spy?"

"You could put it that way." Chen Tian nodded. "After all, the Arbiter can't exactly storm into Fury's office, point a gun at him, and demand that he explain what is going on." He headed for the door, then abruptly stopped. "Oh, right. There is equipment specially prepared for you in the armory. Captain Rogers, we need to know what Fury is planning as soon as possible. You know the consequences of developing the Tesseract."

After the automatic door closed, Steve sat alone in the training room, his fists unconsciously clenching and loosening. The surveillance camera on the wall turned silently, recording every subtle expression on his face.

Blue light flickered across the holographic screen, illuminating the faces of Chen Tian, Tony Stark, and 2B. They silently watched Steve Rogers in the training room—sitting in the hovering chair, repeatedly clenching and releasing his fists, his gaze lowered in thought.

Tony took a bite from the cheeseburger in his hand and chuckled indistinctly. "Look at our American sweetheart, having another moral crisis. Five bucks says he agrees in the end."

2B stood nearby, her voice calm. "Based on behavioral analysis, the probability of Steve Rogers agreeing is 87.3%."

Chen Tian took another cheeseburger from 2B's hand and leisurely unwrapped it. "No need to analyze it, Tony. He'll go."

He took a bite, his gaze still fixed on the surveillance feed. "Because the justice in his heart won't allow him to stand by while Fury researches the Tesseract."

Tony shrugged and stuffed the rest of the burger into his mouth. "Of course I know that. Seriously, you're pretty good at this whole 'moral blackmail' thing." He wiped his hands and turned toward the holographic screen. "So now we just wait for Captain America, our leading man, to make his entrance?"

"Yes. As long as nothing goes wrong with our plan, everything will proceed smoothly." Chen Tian's voice was somewhat relaxed. Now they only had to wait for Steve, the leading man, to take his first step.

Arbiter Tower — Armory

Steve stood before the armory's metal doors and took a deep breath. The biometric system on the door immediately lit up blue and scanned his irises.

"Identity confirmed: Captain Steve Rogers." JARVIS's gentle British accent sounded through the room. "Welcome to the Arbiter Special Equipment Room."

As the hydraulic doors slid open, cool white lights came on one by one, illuminating the entire space. Steve's brow lifted slightly—the equipment here was displayed completely differently from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s.

"Captain Rogers," JARVIS continued, "Mr. Chen has prepared upgraded tactical equipment for you."

On the central display platform, a combat suit in deep blue and tactical gray quietly hovered within a holographic projection. Its design clearly drew from the classic elements of the Howling Commandos—high collar, tactical straps, shoulder armor—but its overall lines were smoother, and its material had been replaced with lightweight composite fibers.

"This combat suit is woven from high-strength aramid fiber and memory alloy," JARVIS explained. "While retaining its classic design, it provides 25% greater protection and 30% greater mobility. It includes a basic communication module, but it will not interfere with your independent operations."

Steve reached out and touched the projection. The suit's 3D model immediately rotated and enlarged, revealing its precise internal tactical attachment points.

"I don't need too many fancy functions," he said quietly.

"Mr. Chen anticipated you would say that." JARVIS's voice carried a trace of professionalism. "Therefore, this equipment retains only the necessary tactical upgrades."

The wall on the right slid open, revealing a minimalist equipment rack—upon it rested the familiar round shield, along with a matching tactical belt and boots.

Steve picked up the shield, feeling its familiar weight and balance.

"And these."

A small metal case slowly descended from the ceiling, its lid opening automatically. Inside were several practical pieces of equipment arranged neatly: a signal jammer disguised as a button, a pair of tactical earpieces, and a multifunction tactical folding knife.

"The operation plan?" Steve stored each item away.

"Fury will leave the Triskelion headquarters at 10:00 tomorrow morning." JARVIS brought up a holographic map. "You will have an investigation window of three hours and twenty-seven minutes."

Steve gave his equipment one final inspection and headed for the exit. Before the door, he paused. "JARVIS, what is the bottom line for this operation?"

"Act according to your own standards of conduct. The Arbiters will not interfere in any way. However," the AI's voice became unusually solemn, "Mr. Chen specifically emphasized that, unless necessary, it would be best to achieve zero casualties."

When the armory doors closed behind him, Steve Rogers had become that World War II strategist once more—his gaze sharp, his steps resolute, ready to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most secretive area alone.

In the shadows of the monitoring room, Chen Tian shut off the live feed and turned to Tony and 2B. "The stage is set. The leading man has entered."

A curve rose at the corner of Tony's mouth. "Let the show begin."

S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters, Triskelion

Steve Rogers stood beside a coffee shop on a street corner, wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, with a cup of hot coffee in his hand. He looked up at the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters building, his brow slightly furrowed.

"Morning, Captain." Chen Tian's relaxed voice suddenly came through his earpiece. "Fury's car left fifteen minutes ago. Why are you still drinking coffee?"

Steve nearly choked on his coffee. He instinctively looked around and lowered his voice. "How do you know I'm..."

"The third surveillance camera to your right," Chen Tian said with a laugh. "It's currently pointed right at the back of your head. By the way, the blueberry muffins at that coffee shop really are good."

Steve let out a helpless sigh. "I was thinking about how to sneak in."

"Sneak in?" Chen Tian's voice was full of teasing. "Captain America needs to sneak into S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters? Rogers, have you forgotten your identity?"

"What do you mean?"

"You hold two positions: S.H.I.E.L.D.'s senior consultant and a member of the Arbiter." Chen Tian's tone suddenly became serious. "Just walk through the front entrance. Your access card should still work. Even if it doesn't, just give them my name."

Steve was stunned. "It's that simple?"

"It's that simple." Chen Tian laughed. "Sometimes the most direct route is the safest. Who would suspect Captain America walking in openly? Especially when everyone knows you're S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Captain America."

Steve tossed his coffee cup into a trash can and straightened his collar. "You're right. I might have been overthinking it."

"Relax. Think of it as going back to the office to pick up a file." Chen Tian's voice was encouraging. "Remember, you're a World War II hero and a senior S.H.I.E.L.D. consultant. No one would dare stop you."

Steve took a deep breath and strode toward the Triskelion's main entrance. The guard at the door saw him and immediately straightened up. "Good morning, Captain Rogers!"

"Morning, Smith." Steve nodded naturally in response and swiped his access card. The light turned green, and the gate opened at once.

"Would you like us to arrange a car for you?" the guard asked attentively.

"No, thank you. I'm just here to pick up some files." Steve answered with a smile, then strode into the elevator.

Chen Tian's soft laughter came through the earpiece. "See? Much easier than you thought. Now, I've taken over the elevator's surveillance system. You have three hours to move freely."

Steve pressed the button for the underground laboratory, and the elevator began descending slowly. The metal walls reflected a frigid blue glow, stretching his silhouette long and sharp.

"Listen, Captain." Chen Tian's voice came through the earpiece, carrying rare gravity. "I need you to enter the SSS-level classified archives. All information regarding the Tesseract is stored there—but the problem is, Fury is the only person in all of S.H.I.E.L.D. authorized to enter."

The elevator gave a soft ding, and the doors slid apart. Steve tightened his grip on his shield and carefully scanned the empty corridor. "So what's your plan?" he asked in a low voice.

"Do you remember that meeting when Fury came to Arbiter Tower last month?" Chen Tian's voice carried a trace of slyness. "Check the sealed bag in your right thigh tactical pocket."

Steve quickly reached into the pocket on the outer side of his thigh and pulled out an anti-static sealed bag. Through the transparent film, he could see two perfectly preserved items inside: a palm-print film as thin as a cicada's wing and a delicate iris contact lens.

"You actually..." Steve's voice contained both shock and a trace of disapproval.

"Don't look at me like that, Captain." Chen Tian chuckled. "This is a classic old-school spy technique. Put the palm-print film on your glove and wear the iris lens in your left eye—don't worry, it has been specially treated and won't affect your vision."

At the end of the corridor stood a heavy metal door, marked with the striking words "SSS-Level Classified Archives." The biometric system beside it flashed red. Steve took a deep breath and quickly equipped the two "keys."

"Remember, you only get one chance," Chen Tian reminded him. "The system will perform a live-body scan, so act naturally."

Steve steadily pressed the palm covered by the print film against the identification panel, while aligning his left eye with the iris scanner. After a brief silence, the system suddenly turned green.

"Identity confirmed: Director Nick Fury." A mechanical female voice sounded. "Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s highest-level classified archive."

As the hydraulic door slowly opened, Steve could not help holding his breath. The room beyond was far smaller than expected—only a solitary black metal cabinet stood in the center, while the surrounding walls were covered with precise security sensors.

"It seems Fury really values these files..." Steve murmured.

"Don't waste time." Chen Tian's voice suddenly became tense. "According to the energy readings, that cabinet has an independent security protocol. Our 'keys' can only maintain access authorization for ninety seconds."

Steve hurried to the metal cabinet, whose surface immediately lit up with a holographic interface. He rapidly scanned the file directory and soon found a folder marked "Project Pegasus — Top Secret."

"Found it!" He opened the file, and the holographic projection immediately unfolded, displaying detailed Tesseract research reports and weapon blueprints. "God... Is Fury rebuilding Hydra's superweapon program?"

"Copy everything!" Chen Tian said urgently. "Thirty-five seconds left!"

Steve worked the interface quickly. Suddenly, the projection flickered, and a bright red warning box popped up:

[Unauthorized access detected...]

"Damn it!" Chen Tian's voice abruptly rose. "They found you! Captain, immediately—"

A piercing alarm suddenly blared, and the archive room's lights instantly shifted to a glaring red. The metal cabinet's holographic interface began shutting down automatically.

"Too late!" Steve gritted his teeth and quickly photographed the final pages of the files with his tactical goggles. The moment he turned around, the archive room's door was suddenly smashed open from outside.

"Captain Rogers?" The commander of the S.H.I.E.L.D. tactical team at the door was visibly stunned. "How did you... Wait, that's Director Fury's authorization?!"

Steve did not hesitate. His shield had already left his hand, tracing a perfect arc through the confined room and precisely striking the ceiling's fire sprinkler system. A curtain of icy water instantly engulfed the entire room.

"The back exit is through the ventilation ducts!" Chen Tian shouted through the earpiece. "Now!"

Taking advantage of the tactical team's momentary confusion, Steve sprinted toward the vent, his shield spinning back into his hand. Just before jumping into the ventilation duct, he looked back—the mysterious black metal cabinet was automatically sinking, vanishing beneath the reinforced floor.

Steve crawled swiftly through the ventilation ducts. Behind him came the agents' chaotic shouts and hurried footsteps, but the ventilation system's complex layout clearly made it difficult for them to track him for the moment.

After turning several corners, Steve kicked open a vent cover and landed lightly in an empty utility room.

He quickly removed his dust-covered jacket and changed into casual clothes he had prepared in advance from his backpack. A display screen on the wall showed that S.H.I.E.L.D. had activated a Level Three alert, and every exit in the building had been sealed. Steve pressed his earpiece. "Chen Tian, I need an extraction route."

Only harsh static answered through the earpiece.

"Chen Tian?" He tried again, his brow tightly furrowed. Outside in the corridor, the footsteps of security personnel were drawing closer.

Steve took a deep breath, pushed open the utility room door, and blended into a group of civilian employees being urgently evacuated. Keeping his head lowered, he followed the crowd toward a side exit. Security at the door was checking identification one by one, and Steve swept his gaze around, searching for a possible opening.

Just then, the building's fire alarm suddenly went off, and the ceiling sprinklers activated. The crowd immediately descended into chaos. Steve seized the opportunity and slipped out through the side door amid the confusion.

The sunlight outside made him squint. Steve headed quickly toward the street corner, trying to contact Chen Tian again while warily observing his surroundings. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had already begun establishing checkpoints around the surrounding blocks.

Just as he was considering his next move, a yellow taxi slowly pulled up in front of him. The window rolled down, revealing a rugged face unmistakably Slavic—thick beard, high cheekbones, and a savage scar running from brow to chin.

"Get in, Captain America." The driver's English carried a heavy Russian accent.

Steve's hand unconsciously moved toward the shield hidden beneath his clothes. "Who sent you?"

The Russian brute suddenly revealed a coquettish smile completely at odds with his rugged appearance, and even his voice shifted into a familiar female tone. "Chen Tian said you'd ask that."

Steve's pupils abruptly contracted. He knew that voice all too well—it was Natasha!

"Romanoff?" He stared in disbelief at the burly Slavic man before him.

"Don't be so surprised, Captain." The brute—or rather, Natasha beneath the disguise—winked playfully, her movements carrying the distinctive elegance of the Black Widow. She handed him a phone, whose screen displayed an unread message: [Trust her. The password is "Howling Commandos 1943." —C]