On S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Sky Carrier, Tony sat in the command room with a grave expression, his heart filled with anxiety. He knew he had caused a major disaster, so he had notified S.H.I.E.L.D. at once, hoping to salvage the situation before the crisis erupted.
Zemo, the supreme commander, pushed open the door and entered. This colonel from Sokovia's intelligence bureau had demonstrated remarkable ability ever since Sean personally promoted him to this position.
With General Ross's support and Umbrella's assistance, this newcomer with no established foundation had practically uprooted Hydra's forces lurking within S.H.I.E.L.D. Of course, Doctor Zola's list of undercover agents deserved credit for that.
Yet Zemo's own exceptional methods were also an important reason. The Sokovian colonel was deeply familiar with the art of winning some people over while suppressing others. He divided the factions within S.H.I.E.L.D., quietly bringing everything from field divisions to senior internal affairs officials under his control before launching covert purges.
After Nick Fury was branded a "traitor" and a "national sellout" by the World Security Council, former trusted aides like Phil Coulson and Maria Hill were not brutally eliminated. Instead, they were transferred to logistics and marginalized.
As Zemo put it, this would draw out a group of die-hard loyalists who still clung to illusions about Nick Fury.
It was clear that this colonel from Sokovia still adhered to the intelligence bureau's cold-blooded ways. To him, anyone could be a useful chess piece, and once they lost their value, they would be discarded without a second thought.
And that was precisely why Sean appreciated him.
"Mr. Stark, are you saying Ultron developed self-awareness and then escaped?"
Zemo handed him a cup of coffee. The billionaire who was usually so spirited now had his brows tightly furrowed, his eyes full of worry.
"I thought geniuses