I'm so sorry I'm late. I was running between two hospitals in one day, and I still had to squeeze in time to write and complete my regular work.
I have to stay by their bedside at night to prevent any accidents, so I get less than 4 hours of rest a day.
I'm really not up to the task, and I apologize for keeping you all waiting.
5700 words today. Hope you enjoy reading!
The Captain America: The Winter Soldier storyline has ended, and Wanda will be involved in the main storyline from now on. Please vote on whether or not to recruit Wanda.
The equipment corridor of the No. 3 Helicarrier was deathly silent and oppressive. The metal bulkheads blocked out all the roaring winds from the outside world, leaving only the sound of two breaths mingling. The dim emergency lights flickered and swayed, their cold white light cutting through the narrow corridor and freezing the two opposing figures in place.
The Winter Soldier was the first to move.
A deafening roar!
The mechanical fist slammed into the shield, the violent impact exploding instantly. Steve's heels scraped two shallow gashes into the metal ground, and his arms went numb from the shock, his strength almost completely dissipated. Before he could regain his footing, the Winter Soldier was already in close combat, his fighting style fierce and ruthless. Elbow strikes, knee strikes, and chokeholds came in quick succession, each a military-grade killing technique, maximizing speed, power, and explosiveness. His perfectly modified physique was suppressing Steve, who was at the peak of his physical strength.
Steve passively parried and dodged throughout, retreating step by step. He deliberately held back his strength, his lingering personal feelings preventing him from truly harming Bucky. However, this mercy only resulted in an increasingly ferocious attack. The Winter Soldier felt no pain and acted without restraint, his mechanical arm sweeping and slashing, grazing Steve's shoulder blades several times. The sharp gusts of wind tore through his clothes, nearly severely injuring his body.
In just a few dozen seconds, the intense close combat left Steve physically and mentally exhausted. On one side was his best friend of decades, with whom he had shared life and death; on the other was a killing machine poised to destroy the world. The struggle and pain tore at his mind. But Lynn's words kept echoing in his mind, and he became completely clear-headed. He knew that hesitation and soft-heartedness at this moment would only ruin everyone's efforts and allow catastrophe to strike. With his mind made up, Steve no longer held back.
Using the recoil from his shield block, he suddenly lowered his body, avoiding the heavy blow from the opponent's mechanical arm. At the same time, he bent his knee and thrust it precisely into Bucky's waist and abdomen. Taking advantage of the Winter Soldier's slight hesitation, Steve spun around behind him, precisely locking the edge of his shield around Bucky's arms. He used his waist and abdomen to forcefully press down, using his weight and inertia to firmly slam Bucky against the metal bulkhead.
The Winter Soldier struggled frantically, his mechanical arm unleashing terrifying force, tearing five deep dents into the bulkhead metal. Steve gritted his teeth, locking down his opponent's movements with all his might, finding an opening, and precisely chopped his elbow into the back of the neck.
The muffled thud ended abruptly, and the violent struggle abruptly ceased.
The Winter Soldier's body went limp, and he completely lost consciousness, falling into a deep coma.
Steve caught Bucky with one hand as he slipped, his fingertips touching Bucky's cold combat suit. Looking at Bucky's lifeless face, a pang of pain shot through his heart. He had no time for sentimentality. He gently steadied Bucky against the bulkhead and turned to rush toward the core computing slot.
The chip is precisely inserted into the card slot and locks in place with a click.
The computational program of the third Helicarrier instantly malfunctioned. Its steadily ascending trajectory abruptly halted, and the blue light from its engines flickered. The hunting logic of the Zola Algorithm completely collapsed. At this point, the Project Insight of all three Helicarrier was terminated, and this targeted Carnage that was about to sweep the globe was nipped in the Cradle.
With the high-altitude crisis completely resolved, the camera shifts back to the top-floor office of the Triskelion.
Natasha held her gun firmly to Pierce's forehead, her posture cold and her aura domineering. None of the controlled senators and remaining agents in the room dared to make a move. The situation had completely reversed; Pierce, who had once been certain of victory, was now a prisoner.
Natasha's eyes were cold as she spoke calmly, "Unlock the database."
Pierce's face was grim, yet he continued to resist stubbornly, his tone tinged with a hint of wishful thinking, "Highest privileges require dual Alpha authorization; I alone cannot unlock the core encrypted files."
As soon as he finished speaking, the office door was pushed open from the outside, and Nick Fury walked in slowly, his face cold and his eyes chilling.
Pierce scoffed at this, his tone mocking. "It's good to see you here, Nick."
Fury remained silent, slowly raising his eyes to reveal his left eye, which had been damaged and scarred in an attack.
Dual retinal scans are initiated simultaneously, and two highest-level keys are interwoven for verification, instantly unlocking a decades-old encrypted database. Massive amounts of files, lists of undercover agents, records of Hydra's conspiracies over the years, and the complete inside Project Insight are all exposed and unlocked.
Natasha tapped her fingertips on the terminal without hesitation, uploading all the classified data from the decades-long entanglement between S.H.I.E.L.D.. Hydra to the public network. In just a few seconds, a massive amount of shady dealings swept across the internet, exposing the hypocrisy of S.H.I.E.L.D.. and the darkness of Hydra to the world. Decades of covert deception were laid bare for all to see.
Inside the building's monitoring room, Hill kept a close eye on the multi-screen feed, completely in control of the situation. Seeing that all the core crises had been averted, she turned to Coulson, who was waiting beside her, and said calmly, "Contact Lynn and inform Tony that the armored forces can enter and take over the Helicarrier."
Coulson immediately made communications to quickly relay the battle situation and instructions.
Within minutes, a deafening roar echoed across the sky as dozens of Stark armored formations sped in, precisely arriving above the three Helicarrier. Several armored units took full control of the carriers, while the remaining units transferred everyone on board to the ground.
At the same time, S.H.I.E.L.D..'s account received a huge transfer, the amount of which corresponded precisely to the purchase price of the three Helicarrier that Fury and Tony had previously agreed upon.
In the safe area outside the building, Steve and Fury briefly met to finalize the follow-up arrangements.
"I'll take him away first." Steve looked down at Bucky, who was lying unconscious in his arms, his voice heavy.
Fury nodded solemnly. "Go back to the safe house you were in before. There's cryogenic equipment there to store the Winter Soldier. I'll come find you after I've completely cleaned up this mess and wiped out all the remaining Hydra forces."
Steve nodded in response, said no more, and turned to leave with Sam and the unconscious Bucky, making their way out of the battlefield.
The final stages of the Triskelion proceeded smoothly. Hill, Coulson, Natasha, Fury worked together, clearing out the remaining Hydra agents, sealing off evidence at the scene, and coordinating with the authorities for further investigations, thus completely quelling the unrest within the building.
As the storm subsided, public opinion exploded. News of S.H.I.E.L.D..'s collapse and Hydra's infiltration swept the globe, instantly causing shockwaves across the United States and even the world. Congress immediately launched a special hearing to question and hold accountable a series of issues, including S.H.I.E.L.D..'s loss of control, violations of the Project Insight, and dereliction of duty by senior officials. Coulson, as a core S.H.I.E.L.D.. agent and a firsthand witness, was ordered to attend the congressional hearing.
At the hearing, a group of senior congressional officials and Department of Defense officials looked serious, exerting pressure and pressing for answers, trying to shift all the blame onto S.H.I.E.L.D.. and define the entire disaster as a failure of S.H.I.E.L.D..'s oversight.
" Agent Coulson! S.H.I.E.L.D.. holds global security authority, yet it allowed terrorist organizations to remain hidden for decades, nearly causing a catastrophe that overturned the world. How do you explain this?"
" Project Insight, launched without full congressional approval, initiated a high-risk hunting program, nearly resulting in the massacre of countless civilians. Has S.H.I.E.L.D.. long since escaped oversight and acted recklessly?"
"Now that the institution has collapsed and corruption is rampant, who do you think should be held fully responsible for this disaster?"
Faced with intense and pointed questioning, Coulson remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic or backing down. He maintained his position throughout, presenting facts clearly and logically, and directly confronting all inquiries.
"First of all, Hydra's infiltration is a covert operation spanning decades, using S.H.I.E.L.D..'s security system to disguise itself layer by layer and gradually erode power. It is by no means a short-term oversight, but a long-planned global conspiracy."
"Secondly, the unauthorized launch, parameter tampering, and misappropriation of permissions of Project Insight were all secretly controlled by Pierce and Hydra's undercover forces, bypassing the formal approval process and violating S.H.I.E.L.D..'s original security principles and rules."
"Finally, I do not deny that there are oversight loopholes within S.H.I.E.L.D.., but the real blame does not lie with the ordinary agents who uphold justice and perform their duties, but with the rebels and perpetrators lurking within the system. The fact that all the dark secrets have been exposed and the catastrophe has been averted today is precisely because of the perseverance and resistance of the remaining righteous members of S.H.I.E.L.D.."
"We can take full responsibility, but you won't put anyone in jail. Do you know why? Because you need us."
"Yes, this world is fragile, and we bear responsibility for this. But we are also the ones who can best protect it. So, if you want to arrest anyone, you can do so anytime; you know where to look."
His words were firm and reasoned, confronting power head-on without being servile or arrogant. Despite the officials' deliberate obstruction and attempts to hold him accountable, Coulson always stood firm on his principles, refusing to take the blame or shoulder unnecessary responsibility. He perfectly withstood the pressure from Congress and preserved the remaining foundation of justice and the reputation of S.H.I.E.L.D.. to the greatest extent possible.
The hearing concluded, and the storm subsided. Natasha finished handling all the cleanup matters, left the completely collapsed S.H.I.E.L.D.., and went alone to Lynn's residence.
The Black Widow, who once roamed the shadows, carried countless missions, and was always bound by her identity, is now completely jobless and without official status. She has shed the shackles of an agent, but she also has no place to belong.
She looked at Lynn, a rare hint of relaxation and bewilderment in her eyes, and asked in a calm but sincere tone, " S.H.I.E.L.D.. is gone, my agent status, all my jobs are gone. Now I have nothing. How long can I continue working as your butler?"
Upon hearing this, Lynn looked up at Natasha, who was usually cold and assertive but now showed a rare vulnerability. A gentle smile appeared on his lips, and he said with a firm and composed tone, "Starting today, your salary will be doubled. As long as you don't leave, I will never kick you out; your position will always be reserved for you."
A simple sentence instantly soothed Natasha's unease, giving her a safe haven after her wandering and helpless existence.
Meanwhile, Coulson and Hill, having thoroughly cleaned up the remaining affairs of S.H.I.E.L.D.., purged all the rebellious forces within the building, and completed all the handover work, contacted Lynn together to inquire about the next steps and a way out.
Lynn had already planned out their future, saying casually, "The old S.H.I.E.L.D.. system has collapsed; there's no need to cling to the past. Select a group of loyal, trustworthy, and clean-cut low-level agents and key personnel who have remained true to their principles throughout the process, and have them all Stark Industries."
" Tony has always dreamed of building his own Earth defense department, without worrying about salaries. This group of people can serve as the core team to build a brand-new, clean, pure, and absolutely controllable Earth defense force, discarding the corruption and darkness of the old system and safeguarding a new world order."
The storm has finally subsided, the tense crisis of the past few days has finally dissipated, the chaotic city is gradually returning to its former order, and the smoke from the Triskelion is slowly dissipating. Having experienced a battle of light and shadow that has shaken up the global landscape, everyone's tense nerves can finally relax. The brief period of peace is hard-won, and everyone is welcoming back their long-awaited peaceful daily lives.
As the global upheaval gradually subsided, amidst fierce public debate and the collapse and restructuring of systems, this secluded room remained isolated from all the noise. There were no piercing buzzes of emergency communications, no crisis plans to be dealt with at any moment, and no lurking, scheming, or life-or-death struggles; only the relaxed atmosphere of the evening breeze blowing through the window and the gentle swaying of light and shadow remained.
Natasha finally stopped her life's toil.
Shedding her cold and sharp identity as Black Widow, she completely shed the murderous aura and vigilance that had been with her for years. She changed out of her gunpowder-smelling combat uniform and put on the simple and lightweight casual clothes that Lynn had prepared for her in advance. The fabric was soft and close-fitting, without the constraints of a uniform or the burden of combat, a gentle texture that she had rarely experienced in decades.
She quietly took care of the household chores, tidying up the tables and chairs, wiping the windowsills. Every move she made was clean, efficient, meticulous, and reliable, fulfilling her duties as a housekeeper impeccably. Years of experience as a secret agent had made her accustomed to filling her time with busyness. Even in a safe place, it was difficult for her to completely relax, and a layer of defense that she could not let go of still lingered in her heart.
Lynn sat in the wicker chair by the window, his gaze falling gently on her, watching her quietly and attentively.
He had seen her ruthless and powerful presence on the battlefield, her cunning and shrewdness as an undercover agent, and her calm and decisive demeanor when she was deeply involved in battle. But he had rarely seen her like this, with all her sharpness and ruthlessness gone, quietly at home, gentle and amiable.
While Natasha bent down to tidy the coffee table, Lynn spoke softly, his tone casual and natural, without a hint of deliberate aggression. "We just finished a war, no need to force yourself to keep busy."
Natasha paused slightly, glanced at him sideways, and a hint of discomfort flashed in her eyes.
Throughout her life, the words she heard most were mission orders, threats and inducements, suspicion and probing, and exchanges of benefits. No one ever let her rest properly. Everyone only saw her abilities, her value, and her usefulness; no one cared whether she was tired or needed a break.
"I'm used to it," she replied softly, her tone indifferent, before reaching back up to continue tidying up.
The next moment, Lynn got up and walked over, gently pressing her wrist.
The force was very light, just a gentle resistance; the warmth slowly seeped through the thin fabric, gentle yet clear.
Habits can be changed.
Lynn looked at her, his tone calm and earnest, "With me, you don't need to be constantly on edge, you don't need to be perfect in everything, and you don't need to force yourself to be flawless forever."
Natasha's fingertips curled slightly, and she subconsciously withdrew her hand, taking a small half-step back to create a slight distance.
She didn't coldly refuse, but a faint sense of detachment and hesitation appeared in her eyes. Having spent years in darkness, suffered countless betrayals, and never experienced stability, she had long been accustomed to bearing everything alone and dared not believe in kindness without any cost. Lynn's care was too genuine, too steady, too sincere, and so gentle that it made her heart flutter.
She had seen all the malice and scheming in the world, but was at a loss when faced with pure kindness, favoritism, and tolerance.
Lynn understood her hesitation and didn't press the matter. He simply withdrew his hand and instead handed her a glass of warm water from the window, his tone still relaxed and gentle. "Like when we were camping, you're perfect."
Lynn spoke slowly, her voice soft, "I know you're feeling very confused right now. S.H.I.E.L.D.. is gone. Your previous belonging, identity, and obsessions have all been wiped clean. Anyone would feel lost in that situation."
Natasha looked up at him, a hint of vulnerability hidden in her eyes.
Outsiders only see Black Widow as someone who never fails, ruthless and invincible, but only she knows that she has always been a rootless person. She has no home, no way out, and no one she can completely trust or rely on. Her journey has been one of scheming and solitary struggle.
Lynn looked at her, his gaze resolute yet gentle, offering her reassurance and confidence. "You've finally broken free of your shackles, freed yourself from your missions, freed yourself from a life controlled by others. From today onward, you don't have to live for S.H.I.E.L.D.., you don't have to live for your missions. You can try living for yourself. Or... for me."
Natasha understood.
Her heart pounded slightly, but her own flaws made her subconsciously look away, unable to meet his gentle gaze. She felt moved, her heart flutter, and a long-lost warmth, but mostly she felt hesitation and timidity.
She had spent half her life walking on the edge of a knife, her soul long since accustomed to tension and coldness, never learning how to accept gentleness and favoritism. She wasn't ready to let down her guard, not ready to readily accept pure and clean kindness and favoritism, and even less courageous to believe that she deserved to be treated well and cherished.
She feared that if she, in her incomplete state, indulged in this warmth, she would only end up losing it all again, feeling empty once more.
So she chose to play dumb, gently avoiding this tender topic, taking a sip of warm water, and softly changing the subject. "Then I'll stay here with you and do my job well."
Tactful, restrained, and clear-headed.
She accepted the security, the tolerance, and the safety net, but for the time being, she dared not accept that overstepping tenderness and affection.
Lynn smiled knowingly at her deliberate evasiveness, but didn't point it out.
He knew her guardedness wasn't indifference, but rather a result of deep wounds and a long period of wandering, requiring enough time to gradually settle down, let go, and regain trust.
Liking something is about passionately pursuing it, but cherishing it is about taking things step by step.
He was willing to wait patiently, until she completely let go of the past, until she was willing to shed her layers of pretense, until one day she would willingly stop hiding.
The evening breeze drifted through the window, gentle and silent.