Nick Fury's office.
Fury sat alone in the darkness, with only the screen in front of him emitting a faint glow.
On the screen, densely packed files of secret agents scrolled continuously.
Every name that flashes by represents a family, a chapter of a life.
Now, they only have two colors left.
Red indicates suspicious activity that requires investigation.
Black represents clearing.
"Sir," a young adjutant stood in the doorway, his voice trembling slightly, "The investigation report on Agent Garrett... everyone attests to his loyalty, there's no substantial evidence whatsoever."
"No suspicious detail can be overlooked. His contact with Hydra is a cardinal sin. He is suspended from duty and placed under indefinite investigation."
"But..."
"Execute the order," Fury interrupted him.
The adjutant opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing, saluted, and turned to leave.
The office door opened.
Alexander Pierce walked in carrying two cups of coffee.
He placed one of the glasses next to Fury and looked at the names.
"You've worked hard, Fury." His tone was like that of a caring older brother to an old friend. "At times like these, someone always has to do the dirty work."
Fury didn't say anything, but simply picked up his coffee and took a sip.
"However," Pierce pointed to a name that had just been highlighted in black on the screen, "Robert King, I remember him. Back in Baghdad, he took three bullets for you. Just because his wife is Germany, he's going to be eliminated?"
Pierce's face showed just the right amount of regret.
"Anything suspicious..." Fury repeated.
"I understand, of course I understand." Pierce patted Fury on the shoulder, "But we can't let a necessary purge turn into an expanded witch hunt. That would shake the foundations, Nick."
He picked up the file named Robert King, tapped it lightly, and removed it from the blacklist.
"Leave this controversial case to me," Pierce said gently. "I'll handle it and keep those old fogies in check. You just need to focus on digging out the real parasites."
Fury looked at Pierce, a hint of hesitation flashing in his tired eyes, but he finally nodded.
He's too tired and needs someone to help him share the burden.
While reassuring Fury, Pierce removed more of his "own people" from the purge list under the guise of "loyal agents who were framed."
Meanwhile, key positions vacated due to the purge are being rapidly filled by "reliable candidates" he recommended.
The S.H.I.E.L.D.. is being quietly replaced.
As Hill emerged from the interrogation room, Garrett's last words kept echoing in her mind.
She walked down the empty corridor, watching as familiar departments were sealed off, and her colleagues looked at her with fear and suspicion in their eyes.
S.H.I.E.L.D.. is really being burned down.
She didn't believe Garrett was a traitor, nor did she believe that those who were taken away deserved to die.
Hill quickened her pace toward the director's office; she had to speak to Fury, she had to get him to stop.
As she walked up to the closed door and was about to knock, Pierce's voice came from inside.
" Fury, don't worry, I'll help you stabilize the situation."
The air inside the sealed underground chamber was stale and musty.
Alexander Pierce held a glass of whiskey and quietly watched the surveillance footage from the Triskelion.
The empty corridor, the tightly closed department doors, and the solemn-faced agents escorting their former colleagues toward an unknown interrogation room.
"The scenery is nice."
Baron Strucker's voice came through the internal communications.
" Fury's an excellent demolition expert," Pierce said, swirling his glass. "He's helping us tear down a dilapidated old house."
"You turned his anger into a weapon for us. I must admit, it's more effective than any of my soldiers."
"Anger blinds you, Strucker."
Pierce wore a pitying smile.
"Right now, Fury is like a blind man who can't see the flame, sawing off the very branch he's sitting on."
Pierce downed the drink in his glass in one gulp.
"Notify our men," he ordered, "Find a few insignificant flies, swat them dead, and then present the bodies to Fury."
"He needs sacrifices, so we'll give him sacrifices. We'll use the blood of these little fish and shrimp to elevate our people to higher positions."
" S.H.I.E.L.D.. will not fall; it will only be Rebirth in our hands."
Maria Hill stood behind the one-way glass.
In the interrogation room, Agent Davis was tied to a chair, his face covered in blood, his hair soaked with water, and clumps of it stuck to his forehead.
"I told you, I don't know!" His voice was hoarse. "That Switzerland account isn't mine!"
The interrogator across the table slammed a document in front of him.
"The account is encrypted using an old password that Hydra used twenty years ago. Are you still trying to deny it?"
"How would I know!" Davis struggled, the iron restraints digging into his wrists. "I've worked for S.H.I.E.L.D.. my whole life! I've caught more Hydra than you've ever seen!"
"Perhaps you're working for them."
Another interrogator spoke coldly.
Hill closed his eyes.
She knew Davis; they had fought side by side on the battlefield in Sokovia. Davis had been shot in the left leg by shrapnel while protecting civilians, and he still walks with a limp.
Could he be Hydra?
This is absurd.
The door to the observation room opened, and Nick Fury walked in.
He didn't look at Hill, but stared at Davis on the other side of the glass, his face expressionless.
"Sir, Davis..." Hill couldn't help but start to speak, "This evidence is too far-fetched; it's just a coincidence of encryption methods..."
"A traitor's excuses always sound the most sincere, Agent Hill."
Fury didn't say another word and turned to leave the observation room.
Looking at Davis's desperate face, Hill felt a sense of powerlessness rise from the bottom of his heart and quickly spread to every part of his body.
The building she had dedicated half her life to is now rotting from its foundation.
In Fury's office.
A young agent named Ward stood ramrod straight. He had been personally recommended by Pierce to replace Garrett, who was under investigation, in charge of internal security.
"Sir, reporting."
Ward placed a data panel on Fury's desk, which was covered in documents.
"Speak," Fury said without looking up.
"Based on the permissions you granted, we investigated the logistics department's financial transactions. We discovered that Klein, the deputy head of Logistics Group Three, had a sum of money of unknown origin in his personal account."
"We followed the trail and found his connection to an arms dealer who was Hydra informant. We found this at Klein's house."
Ward tapped on the data panel, and a photo popped up.
A small cufflink engraved with the Hydra emblem.
Fury looked up at the photo, then at Ward.
"Well done, Ward. Very efficient."
"It is my duty to purge the corrupt from S.H.I.E.L.D.." Ward's face held an almost fanatical loyalty. "Never let a traitor escape."
"Very good." Fury nodded. "Continue the investigation. I'll give you higher clearance."
Ward saluted, turned, and left the office.
Fury leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
Another one has been caught.
He should have been happy, but all he felt was a lingering weariness.
He remembered Garrett's angry and disappointed look when he was taken away, and Hill's hesitant expression just now.
He raised his hand and rubbed his temples; the cost of this cleansing was far greater than he had imagined.
But he can't stop.
He had to dig out all the cancer cells, even if it meant cutting away half of S.H.I.E.L.D..