Steve Rogers's return caused quite a stir at S.H.I.E.L.D. There were practically drums pounding, firecrackers popping, red flags waving, and crowds everywhere. If the director hadn't been standing right there, it would almost have turned into a fan meet-and-greet.
That came as a relief to Black Nick Fury and Steve. From the looks of things, plenty of people at S.H.I.E.L.D. were still on their side. Morale was good enough to work with.
When the time came, Steve could shout, "Take up your guns and follow me! Kill Hydra! Take S.H.I.E.L.D.!"
Then victory would be in the bag.
The Hydra sleeper agents hidden throughout S.H.I.E.L.D.'s ranks also lowered their guard at the sight.
They were certain that the turmoil among S.H.I.E.L.D.'s leadership, its flagging morale, and its lax security presented a rare chance to turn the tables after years of lying low.
Hydra's informants throughout headquarters and its major field stations began secretly coordinating, passing orders down through the ranks, checking personnel lists, counting the armed forces under their control, testing security loopholes, and coordinating their battle plans.
Under cover of their routine duties, countless sleepers quietly moved hidden weapons stockpiles, unlocked secret combat routes, secured control permissions for the underground bases, and contacted support forces lying low on the perimeter.
Beneath the calm surface, undercurrents surged for an entire day and night.
And throughout that day and night, the T-1000 Terminators scattered everywhere remained dormant, observing.
Each stealth squad took root on its assigned floor, in its assigned area, or at its assigned station, remaining invisible and concealed throughout. They meticulously recorded every suspected Hydra member's movements, communications, contacts, and use of access privileges, building complete files on the sleepers. They precisely distinguished core leaders, armed diehards, mid-level informants, and peripheral collaborators, identifying them with one hundred percent accuracy-never killing