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 desktop as his gaze rested on the thin report before him.

Jasper Sitwell, standing across from him, had fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His eyes shifted uneasily behind his glasses.

Pierce finally looked up, his gaze cold and sharp.

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

Sitwell swallowed, his voice tense. "Sir, during the investigation into the New Mexico battlefield incident, one of Fury's subordinates let it slip by accident. Later... I personally verified it."

Pierce's fingers lightly tapped the desk, slow and oppressive. His gaze returned to the report, where one line stood out prominently:

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 secretly researching it, attempting to use its energy to develop weapons."

Pierce narrowed his eyes. "Oh?"

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

Pierce's fingers suddenly stopped.

"An Arc Reactor?" he repeated slowly, frowning deeply. "Stark offered it himself?"

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

Pierce stood and walked to the window. With his back to Sitwell, he spoke in a low voice. "It doesn't make 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 preparations."

Pierce was silent for a long time, then suddenly sneered. "Whatever it is, we must have the Tesseract."

Sitwell froze. "You mean, sir?"

"The Arbitrators are far too great a threat now. If we rely only on my division plan," Pierce said, turning around with a dangerous glint in his eyes, "it will still take too long. So we must prepare for both possibilities."

He returned to his desk, his fingers tapping against its surface again. "The Tesseract is our guarantee."

Sitwell hesitated. "Then what do you mean?"

"Heh." Pierce's lips curled into a cold smile. "Now that we know the Tesseract is in Fury's hands, and Captain America is with the Arbitrators..."

He pulled open a drawer, took out an encrypted communicator, and pressed a button. "Notify the Winter Soldier. Prepare for action."

Sitwell's eyes widened. "Sir, you mean..."

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

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

Sitwell nodded nervously. "Yes, sir! But... what if it's a trap?"

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

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

"Hail Hydra."

Arbitrator Tower, Training Room

The training room's metal walls reflected a cold blue light. Steve Rogers's bare upper body was covered in fine beads of sweat. He panted heavily as he looked at the deformed training robot before him—its head armor had been completely caved in, sparks bursting from its fractured joints.

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

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

"You still hit just as hard, Captain." Chen Tian approached with a smile, his gaze sweeping over the wrecked robot. "Looks like we'll need to upgrade our training equipment again."

Steve did not respond, merely picking up a bottle of water in silence. Chen Tian did not mind. He casually pulled over two floating chairs and gave them a light tap, sending them gliding automatically to the center of the training area.

"Sit." He gestured invitingly. "There are a few things I want to discuss with you."

Steve hesitated for a moment before finally sitting down. Chen Tian lightly tapped the surface of the round table, 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. "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 holographic image changed into a blurry surveillance recording. Nick Fury stood in an underground facility, and before him was that familiar blue cube.

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

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

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 know you didn't come to me just to tell me this."

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

Steve frowned slightly. "What mission?"

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

Steve's expression became visibly confused. "Why don't the Arbitrators simply ask him?"

"Because Fury won't trust the Arbitrators," Chen Tian interrupted, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness. "He wouldn't trust Captain America either. Honestly, he might not 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. You can enter places the Arbitrators cannot."

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

"You could put it that way." Chen Tian nodded. "After all, the Arbitrators can't exactly storm into Fury's office, point a gun at him, and demand that he explain what's going on." He headed toward the door, then suddenly stopped. "Oh, and 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 rotated silently, recording every subtle shift in his expression.

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

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

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

Chen Tian took another cheeseburger from 2B, slowly unwrapping 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 and watch Fury research the Tesseract."

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

"Yes. If nothing goes wrong with our plan, everything will proceed smoothly." Chen Tian's voice was slightly relaxed. Now all they had to do was wait for Steve, the protagonist, to take the first step.

Arbitrator Tower, Armory

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

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

As the hydraulic doors slid open, cold white lights lit up in sequence, illuminating the entire space. Steve's brows rose slightly—this equipment display was completely different from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s.

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

At the center display platform, a combat suit of deep blue and tactical gray quietly floated within a holographic projection. Its design clearly borrowed classic elements from the Howling Commandos—raised 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 fibers and memory alloy," JARVIS explained. "While retaining its classic design, it increases protection by 25% and mobility by 30%. It has a built-in basic communications module, but it will not interfere with your independent operations."

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

"I don't need too many flashy features," he said quietly.

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

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

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, several practical items were arranged neatly: a signal jammer disguised as a button, a pair of tactical earpieces, and a multifunction tactical folding knife.

"The operation plan?" Steve put away the equipment one item at a time.

"Fury will leave Trident 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 checked his equipment one last time and headed for the exit. At the door, he paused. "JARVIS, what is the bottom line for this mission?"

"Act according to your own standards. The Arbitrators will not interfere in any way. However," the AI said with unusual solemnity, "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 again—his eyes sharp, his stride firm, ready to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most classified area alone.

And in the shadows of the surveillance room, Chen Tian turned off the live feed and turned to Tony and 2B. "The stage is set. The protagonist has entered."

Tony's lips curved upward. "The show begins."

S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters, Trident Building

Steve Rogers stood beside a coffee shop on the street corner, wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, a 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 pointed directly at the back of your head right now. And by the way, that coffee shop's blueberry muffins really are good."

Steve sighed helplessly. "I'm thinking about how to sneak inside."

"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 who you are?"

"What do you mean?"

"You hold two positions: senior S.H.I.E.L.D. consultant and Arbitrator member." Chen Tian's tone abruptly turned serious. "Just walk through the front door. 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 one. 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 adjusted his collar. "You're right. I may have overthought it."

"Relax. Treat it like you're returning to the office to pick up a document." 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 walked toward Trident Building's main entrance. The guard at the door saw him and immediately stood straight. "Good morning, Captain Rogers!"

"Good morning, Smith." Steve nodded naturally in response and swiped his access card. The green light came on, and the gate opened.

"Would you like us to prepare a car for you?" the guard asked eagerly.

"No, thank you. I'm only here to collect some files." Steve smiled and strode into the elevator.

Chen Tian chuckled through the earpiece. "See? Much easier than you thought. Now, I've taken over the elevator surveillance system. You have three hours of free movement."

Steve pressed the button for the underground laboratories, and the elevator began to descend slowly. The metal walls reflected a cold blue light, stretching his silhouette into something long and sharp.

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

The elevator chimed softly, and the doors slid apart. Steve gripped his shield and cautiously scanned the empty corridor. "So what's your plan?" he asked in a low voice.

"Do you remember Fury's meeting at Arbitrator Tower last month?" Chen Tian's voice held a trace of cunning. "Check the sealed bag in your right thigh's tactical pocket."

Steve quickly reached for the pocket on the outside of his thigh and pulled out an antistatic sealed bag. Through the transparent film, he could see two perfectly preserved objects: a palm-print membrane as thin as a cicada's wing, and an exquisite iris contact lens.

"You actually..." Steve's voice mixed shock with a trace of disapproval.

"Don't look at me like that, Captain." Chen Tian chuckled. "This is a classic old-school spy method. Put the palm-print membrane over 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 conduct a live-body scan, so act naturally."

Steve steadily pressed the palm covered by the membrane against the recognition panel while aligning his left eye with the iris scanner. After a brief silence, the system suddenly lit up green.

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

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

"Looks like Fury really values these files..." Steve murmured.

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

Steve quickly approached the metal cabinet, whose surface immediately lit up with a holographic interface. He rapidly browsed the file directory and soon found a folder labeled "Project Pegasus—Top Secret."

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

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

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

[Abnormal access detected...]

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

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

"There's no time!" Steve gritted his teeth and quickly photographed the final pages with his tactical goggles. The instant he turned around, the archive door was suddenly smashed open by an outside force.

"Captain Rogers?" The S.H.I.E.L.D. special operations commander at the door was clearly stunned. "Why are you... Wait, that's Director Fury's authorization?!"

Steve did not hesitate. His shield had already left his hand, cutting a perfect arc through the confined space and striking the ceiling's fire sprinkler system with precision. A curtain of freezing water instantly enveloped the entire room.

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

Taking advantage of the special forces' momentary chaos, Steve lunged toward the air vent, his shield spinning back into his hand. Just before jumping into the ventilation shaft, he looked back—the mysterious black metal cabinet was automatically descending, vanishing beneath the reinforced floor.

Steve crawled rapidly through the ventilation ducts. Behind him came the agents' confused shouts and hurried footsteps, but the complex structure of the ventilation system 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 equipment room.

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

There was only harsh static in his earpiece.

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

Steve took a deep breath, pushed open the equipment room door, and blended into a group of civilian staff being urgently evacuated. Keeping his head down, he followed the crowd toward the building's side entrance. Security officers at the door were checking identification one by one. Steve swept his gaze across the area, searching for a possible opening.

At that moment, 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 quickly headed toward the street corner, trying to contact Chen Tian again while vigilantly observing his surroundings. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had already begun setting up checkpoints in the surrounding blocks.

Just as he considered his next move, a yellow taxi slowly pulled up in front of him. The window rolled down, revealing the rugged face of a Slavic man—thick beard, high cheekbones, and a vicious scar running from his brow to his 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 giant suddenly revealed a sweet smile entirely at odds with his rough appearance, and even his voice changed into a familiar female tone. "Chen Tian said you would 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 giant—or rather, Natasha beneath the disguise—winked playfully, every movement carrying Black Widow's distinctive elegance. She handed him a phone, whose screen displayed an unread message: [Trust her. The password is "Howling Commandos 1943." -C]