There's a saying: You have to make sure to clean your house before inviting friends or more enemies inside.
The same principle applies now.
Hydra's threat wasn't enormous, but their sporadic and disruptive activities were like a rat dropping in a pot of porridge, making people feel disgusted.
Kyle had decided that if they didn't take action, they wouldn't be able to eliminate Hydra's deep-rooted foundation with one decisive strike. This plan, whether secretly plotted or plainly described, was simply known as the "Earth Clean-Up Plan."
The next morning.
In the city of New York, everything appeared as usual. In the stee; and concrete jungle formed by skyscrapers, people bustled about in the bustling and vibrant city, moving like a river with cars and pedestrians.
Today was yet another peaceful day.
Since the discussions about heroes and the alien era had started, countless citizens had gotten used to the customary feeling that everything was fine. They had swiftly returned to their diligent, fast-paced daily routines.
Of course, this was only the facade of tranquility and harmony.
Behind the scenes, various forces were on the move.
One of these places was an area in the Veterans Affairs office, where a luxurious duplex villa was located.
"Kacha."
As the mechanical gear wheels lightly turned, the high-tech Rocket-style backpack split open, revealing a pair of dark metallic gleaming wings. Each of these meticulously crafted precision gliding wings was about two meters long.
A black man in his mid-thirties, wearing a gray uniform and electronic sunglasses, lifted his hands and spun around in place, showing off his high-tech equipment to the two people beside him.
Steve, who was seated, couldn't help but blink in surprise. He said, "Um... weren't you saying you were a retired pilot with an injury?"
Sam Wilson explained in a deep voice, "I was indeed a pilot and paratrooper, but I've also been involved in the 'Falcon' classified program. So you could say I'm like a half-elite agent."
Natasha didn't fuss over the details as much. She smiled seductively and said, "Call yourself whatever you want, whether it's Falcon or not. As long as you can kill our enemies, we have one more asset, which increases our chances of success."
Steve agreed with this and was about to continue when the doorbell of the villa unexpectedly rang.
The three people in the hall changed their expressions slightly. They exchanged silent glances, and the room became tense and heavy with anticipation.
"I didn't invite anyone today, and I don't have friends around on regular days." Sam gestured with his hands, engaging in sign language. His mechanical wings were still unfolded, ready for takeoff at any moment.
Steve stealthily took a few steps forward, picked up his colorful shield from the sofa, and Natasha, who remained equally composed, bent over and touched the holster on her calf. She firmly gripped the handle of her compact pistol.
Their bodies were taut, and their spirits were on high alert, ready to break out of the room and strike first.
"It's me."
Perhaps guessing the heightened tension inside, a powerful and steady voice came from outside the door.
Sam was still puzzled, but Steve immediately recognized the voice. He exhaled in relief, and Natasha, with her pistol back in its holster, quickly walked over to open the door.
Seeing the person outside, Sam, trembling with excitement, couldn't contain his thrill. "Oh my god, it's the living Symbol of Peace!"
"Birdman?" Kyle looked at him, slightly bewildered.
"You're my ultimate idol. Can I get your autograph?" Sam danced around, rummaging through his uniform, but came up empty-handed. Finally, he had a bright idea, smacked the mechanical wing on his back, and said, "Please sign here!"
"Sam, that's enough. You called me your idol last time," Steve remarked while giving him an annoyed look, he set down his shield and turned his gaze toward Kyle with a questioning expression. "So, what's the current situation?"
"The situation is under control," Kyle replied with a faint smile, taking a seat on the couch and casually examining Sam and his mechanical metal wings. Another hero supported by technology, Falcon.
Sure enough, after the Hydra disturbance within SHIELD due to Project Insight was exposed, he had officially embarked on his own path in life, thanks to Steve's direct appeal for assistance.
Steve inquired, "What do you mean by 'under control'?"
Amid the busyness of saving the world and the accompanying worries, it seemed absurd to be met with a phrase like "small issue."
Kyle countered with a question, "You should know the real purpose of Project Insight by now, right?"
"Of course," Steve nodded and confessed, "Early this morning, we captured a Hydra lackey. From him, we learned the truth. Hydra wants to use the power of SHIELD to take control of three Helicarriers, using them as their personal weapons."
He was only halfway through his explanation when he noticed Kyle's calm expression and realized, "Wait, you already knew all of this."
Kyle nodded subtly and spoke in a tone that brooked no doubt. "Steve, after the Helicarriers ascend, you need to take an AI chip with you and prevent or delay their synchronization."
Steve had full trust in him. He readily agreed and, with a hint of curiosity, asked, "But what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to the SHIELD headquarters building," Kyle replied indifferently.
In the hall, the three of them suddenly felt a strange chill run down their spines.
One person going to the current SHIELD headquarters? What did this imply? It was truly intriguing and unnerving.
No one voiced any objections to Kyle's decision, nor could they stop him from taking action. Even Fury had only managed to plead for a two-day delay.
Natasha was puzzled. "What about the others?"
She had just noticed that Raina and the newly recruited Lorna were not following Kyle as they usually did during his private outings.
"You have to understand something and you also shouldn't care about them; they have equally important tasks to accomplish," Kyle said. He picked a fresh grape from the fruit platter on the table, tossed it into his mouth, and chewed it thoughtfully. "The taste is quite nice. Do you want some? Have a snack before we proceed."
Steve smiled wryly. In their current state, who had the appetite for grapes?
Regardless of how they felt, New York would undoubtedly witness a conflict full of bloodshed and thick smoke, one way or another.
"Enjoy your snack. We should get going," Steve said. He had already put on his tight combat suit, placed the vibranium shield on his back, and donned the helmet with a half-mask, transforming into the wartime appearance he had during World War II.
He looked exactly the same, with no changes whatsoever.
Kyle commented, feeling somewhat bored. "Nice fighting spirit."
Hydra was just an organization that hadn't reached a level worthy of his serious attention.
Steve and his companions geared up and prepared to leave. As they opened the door, their bodies halted at once and their eyes stared straight up at the distant sky.
In the distance, three massive Fortresses, each the size of an island, were defying gravity, floating with their engines propelling them gently towards the blue sky. They had already risen to an altitude of around a hundred meters.
"Kyle, the Helicarriers are taking off!" Steve urgently exclaimed before unhesitatingly taking Sam and Natasha with him, heading in the direction of the Helicarriers.
In the villa's hall, Kyle remarked to himself, "It's two hours earlier than expected. Can't wait, huh?"
He smiled and spoke into the electronic watch on his wrist, which had transformed into Vis. "Notify everyone that they can proceed with the original plan."
(End of this chapter)