Historical archives' compliance endorsement, the liaison chief's deft counter
The air in the meeting room became thick and sticky because of Gwen Stacy's compliance reminder.
Hela suppressed her murderous aura, but that icy will still lingered on the table, causing the Technician behind Ravonna to break out in a cold sweat.
All eyes were on Gwen Stacy Stacy.
She became the eye of the storm.
Ravonna leaned back in her chair with a leisurely air, her tapping ceasing. She savored the subtle stalemate before her, especially Hela's resentment as the rules forced her back into her seat.
In her view, this precisely demonstrates the division within the Management Committee: a powerful force, a rule-abiding proceduralist, and a silent technocrat. Such a combination is riddled with flaws.
"Director Gwen, thank you for maintaining order in the meeting room."
Ravonna's voice carried a hint of victor's magnanimity.
"Now, faced with this overwhelming evidence of espionage, and the compliance request I made on behalf of the Inspection Group, I wonder how the Liaison Office should respond?"
She threw the question back at her exactly as it was.
The ball landed at Gwen Stacy's feet.
Hela's gaze also turned to Gwen Stacy, her eyes filled with a hint of confusion and urging. Wanda's Scarlet Energy at her fingertips quietly faded, and she watched her silently as well.
Gwen Stacy didn't look at anyone; she simply picked up the glass of water in front of her and took a small sip.
The cup was placed back on the table with a crisp, soft sound.
In the quiet conference room, the sound, though not loud, clearly reached everyone's ears.
"Observer Renslayer, we have reviewed both documents you provided."
Gwen Stacy spoke, her voice remaining steady.
"The materials are very detailed, and the evidence is also... very direct."
She used the word "intuitive" instead of "certain."
Ravonna raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.
"But this evidence is incomplete," Gwen Stacy continued.
"Incomplete?" Raven laughed, leaning forward as if she had heard something amusing. "Does Director Gwen mean we also need to find a recording of Cole admitting he's a Hydra agent?"
This rhetorical question carries an undisguised sarcasm.
Gwen Stacy ignored her sarcasm and simply stretched out her finger, making a light stroke on the Data Pad in front of her.
She didn't look up, her gaze fixed intently on the Data Pad screen.
"According to Article 7 of Chapter 3 of the Management Committee's Archives Management Regulations, background checks on personnel with historical legacies must be conducted by reviewing all relevant files since their receipt to ensure the comprehensiveness and accuracy of the information."
Her voice sounded like she was reciting a dry legal statute.
"Observer Renslayer, yesterday at the S-7 Data Center you accessed a list of Hydra agents. Today, you requested access to the official resumes of these individuals."
"But you seem to have overlooked a crucial document."
Gwen Stacy raised her head and looked calmly at Ravonna.
"A core document that connects these two documents..."
As she spoke, she gently pushed the Data Pad in front of her forward.
Buzz.
The Holographic Projection in the center of the conference table instantly switched images.
The glaring Hydra list and official resumes were pushed to the sides, and a brand new document occupied the center of the screen.
The document title is very long and uses the most formal and official Song typeface.
Resolution on the Identification, Acceptance and Pardon of Historical Assets from the Old S.H.I.E.L.D.. Era (Including HYDRA).
Document Number: Negative Zone Management Committee - Historical Resolution - 003.
The issuance date is some point in the early stages of the establishment of the Negative Zone Management Committee.
Ravonna's smile froze.
Hela's previously icy gaze flickered slightly. She looked at the document, as if she had remembered something.
"According to this resolution, numbered 003," Gwen Stacy's voice slowly echoed in the meeting room, each word crystal clear, "the Management Committee, at its inception, conducted a comprehensive review and characterization of the large number of legacy personnel and assets received from the old S.H.I.E.L.D.."
She tapped her finger in the air, and the document on the Holographic Projection automatically flipped through the pages, highlighting one section.
"This includes a 'Special Amnesty List for Victims and Hidden Assets.' Most of the members on the list are defectors from Hydra or our early recruited and infiltrated forces behind enemy lines."
The resolution explicitly states that, in order to protect the security of these special assets, their true identity files will be permanently sealed, with only their public records in the Negative Zone retained, and these records will be incorporated into the regular management process.
"Ke'er, and the other twenty-six people on your list, are all on this amnesty list."
After Gwen Stacy finished speaking, the meeting room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Ravonna's pupils suddenly contracted.
She stared intently at the resolution document on the screen, and the densely packed list of those to be pardoned attached to it.
The "spy" she painstakingly uncovered suddenly became a "special asset" protected by the Management Committee's resolution?
This was tantamount to a resounding slap across her face.
She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.
"An internal resolution... that proves nothing." Her voice was a little hoarse. "It only proves that you knew their identities all along, but chose to conceal them. Covering up is also a serious crime."
"Yeah?"
A slight smile finally appeared on Gwen Stacy's lips.
Her fingers tapped the Data Pad one last time.
The document on the Holographic Projection had turned to its last page.
That's the attachment page of the document.
The attachment contains very little, just one line of text.
Annex 1: Exemption from inspection endorsement for Resolution No. 003 and related amnesty lists.
Below that line of text was a emblem that Ravonna recognized all too well.
An ancient seal composed of a sword and an hourglass, representing the early enforcement powers of the Time Variance Authority (TVA).
Next to the seal is a handwritten signature, somewhat blurred due to its age, but the two letters "TVA" are still legible.
"This resolution was jointly filed with TVA at the time."
Gwen Stacy's voice, like a heavy hammer, shattered Ravonna's last shred of hope.
"TVA assessed the amnesty list at the time and issued an official 'exemption endorsement,' acknowledging our handling of these individuals and agreeing to include them in the regular cooperation framework without further review."
"In other words, Observer Renslayer, what you call a 'major security risk' today was already verified and exempted by your organization many years ago."
"The 'cross-dimensional spy' you accused is a 'security asset' certified by TVA."
"Now, you're presenting us with outdated, long-debunked intelligence, accusing us of harboring spies, and using that as grounds to demand control of our core database."
Gwen Stacy leaned forward slightly, her eyes piercing.
"Renslayer, are you questioning the early work of TVA, or are you trying to overturn a historic resolution that we both signed and Observer is still in effect today?"
Procedural justice.
Defeat your opponent by using their rules.
Use the other party's system to counter them.
At that moment, Ravonna felt like a clown. Her carefully prepared killing move and her self-righteous "ironclad evidence" turned into an absurd farce in front of her opponent.
The sword she used to attack her opponent had the names of her own people engraved on its hilt.
Hela leaned back in her chair, looking at Ravonna's deathly pale face, a cold, undisguised sneer appearing on her lips.
Wanda's gaze fell on the old TVA seal, lost in thought.
Ravonna did not go to see them.
Her entire focus was on that "inspection-free endorsement".
Her brain was working at lightning speed.
That's impossible.
There has never been a joint filing with Negative Zone in TVA's archives.
If this document is genuine, what does that mean?
This means that a long time ago, a high-ranking official at TVA reached some kind of agreement with Negative Zone without the approval of the Supreme Court.
And Ke'er... this Hydra agent, who is also a TVA-certified "safe asset," has a huge bad debt in the Battleworld...
A terrible thought surfaced in Ravonna's mind.
What she discovered might not be a hole in Negative Zone at all.
It's TVA's own.